# Chapter 79
I faced fifth period while lying face down on my desk. Even after the teacher had entered, the cheeks of students who were chatting were flushed as red as their excited mood.
It took another five minutes after class had started for the atmosphere to calm down, and the subject teacher exhaled in relief. I watched this process while spinning the pen in my hand, then turned my gaze to the playground.
There, as one might expect, were Kwon Dojin and Baek Han. For all Baek Han’s groaning, it didn’t look that serious from where I was watching. Weren’t they actually conducting the class quite peacefully?
“We’ll have a performance assessment next time. Everyone prepare.”
“What? Isn’t that too short notice?”
“Teacher, let’s do it next week!”
“We’ll do it this week, so prepare diligently. Study from after the midterm exam content. The scope is narrow, so you can do it, right?”
Based on my experience so far, if the situation hadn’t been resolved or if it was serious, class wouldn’t be proceeding like this. This is because students would make something like a declaration of class boycott, claiming to be focused on the incident.
In a way, it was an unwanted disruption of class, but since it didn’t happen often and I usually used that time to study on my own, it was somewhat okay. However, I never got used to them exchanging all kinds of cringeworthy remarks in the name of cheering, so I always wore earphones as a necessity.
“Alright, enough complaints. Let’s really start the class.”
Only students who had PE class were buzzing, taking pictures or watching Baek Han and Kwon Dojin. Since that level of noise happened every time regardless of those two, no one paid any attention.
More precisely, they pretended not to pay attention. I could see several students who were fidgeting in their seats, suppressing their desire to stick to the windows and watch.
Somehow, that sight was so amusing that I felt like laughing, but I held it back. I bit my lower lip gently and looked at my textbook with my head bowed.
Tap-tap, the sound of chalk on the blackboard, the teacher’s voice, and the small noises coming from the playground combined to create a class scene no different from usual. With the sunlight filtering directly through the windows, I finally felt that it was indeed fifth period.
By this point, my amusement had faded, and I began to focus on the class. I copied the board work into my notebook, occasionally adding the teacher’s comments, and imprinted the words in my mind as if to memorize them.
“Kyaaaaah—!”
“Dojin, Dojin-nim!”
“Teacher—! Get the school nurse! Quickly!”
Piercing screams came over from the playground. The screams were closer to shock than ecstasy, instantly shattering the quiet atmosphere.
“What’s happening?”
“What’s going on?”
“Alright, quiet.”
The teacher, who had struck the podium to calm the students, went to the window to look at the playground. After assessing the situation, the teacher quickly returned to the podium and said it was nothing, but I didn’t miss how their pupils had momentarily shaken.
I felt anxious for no reason and looked down at the playground, but Kwon Dojin and Baek Han were obscured by the crowd and not clearly visible. Other students sitting by the windows also looked outside, but it seemed they couldn’t see well either.
Most whispered to those nearby, shaking their heads gently, saying they couldn’t tell what was happening.
Fifth period ended in the midst of this chaotic atmosphere, and when break time came, everyone moved around trying to get information. I was curious too, so I texted Kwon Dojin, but there was no reply.
I suppressed my restless feelings by repeatedly poking a blank page with my pen. Unable to calm down easily, I fidgeted with my feet, wrung my hands, and clicked my pen.
Perhaps due to my anxious mind, time flew by. I had been in a daze the whole time when the loud bell snapped me back to reality. I put down the pen I had been holding and hurriedly took out my textbook from the locker.
I wasn’t the only one who had lost focus; most students moved quickly. Some were still moving to get their textbooks even after the teacher had entered, causing the teacher to frown.
The teacher, not waiting for all students to be ready, immediately began the lesson by picking up chalk. Tap-tap, I followed the board work in a blank notebook, but I kept making mistakes with the letters.
The white correction marks scattered throughout my notebook seemed to reflect my state of mind.
Though I managed to follow along until the end of the school schedule, I couldn’t shake off the unsettled feeling as I completed the regular classes. Even by the time of the closing ceremony, Kwon Dojin had not appeared.
As this had never happened before, I was worried and was staring blankly at his seat when Baek Han opened our classroom door and entered.
“Where’s Kwon Dojin? Are you alone, Baek Han?”
“Yeah. I’m alone. That means you should gather Kwon Dojin’s things and take them to him.”
“Dojin’s things? Where did he go? Isn’t he coming to school?”
My brow furrowed involuntarily as too much information was omitted in between. When I bombarded him with multiple questions to satisfy my curiosity, Baek Han let out a short exclamation.
“He got injured a bit, so he went to the orthopedic clinic. He said the waiting time was long, so he would probably go straight home. Didn’t you try contacting him?”
“I did try, but…”
There was no reply. Thinking he might be too occupied to respond to texts, I didn’t even dare to call. Baek Han, seeming to understand, clicked his tongue and stood at Kwon Dojin’s seat, gathering his belongings one by one.
“He’s not seriously injured. He probably just couldn’t contact you because he was preoccupied. I’m finally getting a breather too.”
“That’s a relief… But come to think of it, couldn’t you deliver Kwon Dojin’s belongings yourself?”
“Me?”
From that brief retort, numerous implied meanings could be guessed. Even after I said it, I couldn’t imagine Baek Han carrying Kwon Dojin’s things and visiting his house, so I felt embarrassed.
“Ah, you don’t need to take that. Kwon Dojin only uses that cream at school.”
“How do you even know that?”
“It just happened…?”
I stopped him as Baek Han was about to take the hand cream from the drawer. I turned my head away, avoiding Baek Han’s bewildered gaze.
“Anyway, let me ask you a favor.”
Baek Han, who had already packed the school bag, handed it to me and nodded. Since there was no one suitable to deliver it besides Baek Han and me, I readily agreed.
Besides, since my worry hadn’t completely disappeared just from hearing about it, it seemed I needed to see his face directly.
“Is it serious enough that he can’t come to school starting tomorrow?”
“See for yourself. He’ll probably come even if told not to.”
“No way. If told not to come, he won’t, right?”
Baek Han snorted, as if completely denying my words, and pushed my back, telling me to go quickly. Thanks to that, even though the closing ceremony hadn’t ended, I left through the school gate and got into the taxi that Baek Han had hailed for me.
“Tell Kwon Dojin that I’ll handle all the remaining matters.”
“Didn’t you contact Kwon Dojin because it was too difficult to handle alone?”
“This injury is partly my fault too—. Anyway, there’s that. It’s not that difficult since I just need to clean up the aftermath. So just relay the message as you see fit.”
After saying his piece, Baek Han closed the taxi door and patted the car body. At that signal, the driver started the car, so our conversation was abruptly cut off. I pouted my lips in dissatisfaction at his somewhat willful behavior, but the person I wanted to express my complaints to was getting farther away.
I had been in an awkward posture while talking with Baek Han, but now that there was no need for that, I fidgeted to lean back against the seat. Then, I picked up my phone to inform Kwon Dojin, who probably didn’t know anything about the situation.
I wasn’t sure if he would answer, but I couldn’t not try, so I decided to call and leave a message if he didn’t pick up.
The familiar ring tone flowed from the speaker. Despite the call connecting sound ringing several times, there was no response, and just as I was about to hang up, it connected with a click.
[Hello?]
“You finally answered. Where are you? Are you still busy?”
[Huh? Ah, I’m fine now. I just checked my phone—, sorry for not being able to contact you.]
After hearing my voice, there was a rustling sound coming through, as if he was checking something. Kwon Dojin’s voice was as gentle and peaceful as usual, no different from normal.
“They said you’d be preoccupied, and that’s understandable. More importantly, are you home now?”
Well, I was on my way to Kwon Dojin’s house as Baek Han had directed, but he might not be at home. Since Baek Han also seemed to have moved in a flustered state, it wouldn’t be strange if there had been a misunderstanding.
I just asked to check, but Kwon Dojin maintained silence for a while, lost in his thoughts. Soon, after a groan was heard, he cautiously asked back.
[You’re not already in front of my house again, are you?]
“…I’m not in front yet, but I’ll arrive in about 10 minutes?”
The word “again” suddenly reminded me of the day I had visited unexpectedly. And I also realized that the current situation was very similar to that time. Realizing this, I felt apologetic even though I hadn’t initiated this visit.
[Really? That’s a relief.]
“Baek Han asked me to deliver your things. I’ll just give them to you and then go home. You’ll be able to come to school tomorrow anyway, so we can meet there.”
I had discussed the possibility of Kwon Dojin not coming to school with Baek Han, but that was just something I’d said. Even in my own thinking, judging from Kwon Dojin’s recent behavior, he seemed like he would come to school even if told not to.
[Well, I don’t think I can come to school.]
However, my prediction was thoroughly shattered. Completely and utterly.
Kwon Dojin sighed lightly, seeming perplexed as well. At that sound, I finally managed to stabilize my shaking pupils and moved my lips several times before barely uttering a word.
“Why, why?”
Of course, even that word didn’t take a proper form. Since I had even stuttered terribly, I covered my eyes with my palm in embarrassment.
[Shall we talk about the details when we meet? I think I’ll only have about an hour available though—.]
“Yeah. Let’s do that. I’ll arrive soon.”
What could possibly be the reason he only had about an hour available? I had the intuition that it was related to why he couldn’t come to school tomorrow, and I wanted to ask more, but we were already close to Kwon Dojin’s house.
It seemed better to talk face-to-face as Kwon Dojin suggested, so I nodded repeatedly, making my hair sway. I didn’t even think that my conversation partner wouldn’t be able to see this gesture.
