# Chapter 102
After putting down Kwon Dojin’s luggage in an empty spot, I headed to the kitchen to eat lunch. At a glance, there was nothing on the gas range, so I opened the refrigerator and was greeted by an enormous pot.
“Just how many did they catch?”
No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t an amount that Lee Yumin and I could finish by ourselves. I wondered why they’d made so much.
“That looks heavy. Should I lift it?”
“Huh? You want to?”
I brightened up since I’d been hesitant, unable to gauge just how heavy it might be. At this, Kwon Dojin let out a soft laugh and approached the refrigerator, so I quickly moved aside.
Kwon Dojin lifted the pot smoothly without any sign of strain and placed it on the gas range. Was it because he lifted it so easily? Out of pointless curiosity, I tried lifting the pot before turning on the gas, but hurriedly put it back down when I felt how heavy it was.
“How did you even lift this?”
“Hmm? I just lifted it?”
Faced with his response suggesting it wasn’t difficult at all, I found myself speechless. Right, it would have been easy for Kwon Dojin.
“Let’s grade the test papers while the samgyetang heats up.”
After turning on the heat, I pushed Kwon Dojin’s back toward the room. Following my pushing, Kwon Dojin opened the half-closed door and stepped inside.
“Where are we going to grade them?”
“At the dining table. I get anxious leaving the stove unattended after turning it on.”
We each took out the test papers from our bags and properly gathered our phones and writing tools. Not wanting to make another trip, we checked if we’d forgotten anything before leaving the room.
Sitting across from Kwon Dojin at the table and opening the test papers, I felt tension build up. Since we had taken the Korean language exam from the first day this time, I couldn’t help but be nervous.
“I hope it’s as good as the midterm. Ah, except for Korean.”
“Didn’t you only get one question wrong in Korean during the midterms?”
“Still. I hate getting things wrong.”
To save Korean for last, I put it aside and took out the social studies test papers first. It was at least better than Korean. In the sense that memorizing would get you more than halfway there.
“I wonder who made the final exam schedule? Why were Korean and social studies back-to-back?”
Thanks to that, I stayed up late yesterday and now found myself in a situation where I needed to video call with Kwon Dojin tonight.
“Was it hard?”
“Of course! How could it not be hard when two subjects I hate were right next to each other?”
Kwon Dojin burst out laughing at my intense reaction. Unlike me, he seemed completely at ease, not having any discomfort with Korean or social studies. No, thinking about it properly, Kwon Dojin seemed composed regardless of the subject.
Anyway, together with Kwon Dojin, I carefully checked the answers one by one while looking at the small phone screen. It took longer than expected, and the samgyetang came to a full boil in the meantime, but once we’d taken out the test papers, food became secondary.
“…I’m going crazy. Is this really my test paper? Did someone switch it?”
I put down my pen almost throwing it after finishing grading Korean. Kwon Dojin looked at me with round, surprised eyes at my rough reaction, but I had no room to mind him.
“What’s wrong?”
When his cautious question knocked on my eardrums, I quickly raised my head. As our eyes met, I couldn’t contain my emotions and laughed with a “pft.”
“No mistakes this time?”
My voice came out automatically boastful. Only then did Kwon Dojin relax his imperceptibly tensed shoulders and laugh along with me.
“Congratulations.”
I nodded along with his simple congratulations. Though I hadn’t aimed for a perfect score, it felt good since I’d put in effort.
“Shall we eat now?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll prepare it. Just wait a moment.”
I gently pressed down on Kwon Dojin’s shoulders as he tried to stand up with me, making him sit back down. I thought he wouldn’t be able to help much not knowing where things were. Besides, Kwon Dojin was a guest.
Ahem-ahem. In my excited state, I found myself humming. It was only the first day of finals, but it felt like receiving an unexpected gift.
* * *
After Kwon Dojin left right after lunch, I continued sitting at my desk studying. I had no choice since there wasn’t enough time compared to my planned schedule. Then, at 10 PM, my phone rang as if it had been waiting for the hour.
“Where did the time go? It’s already 10?”
While still moving my pencil to solve the remaining problems, I glanced repeatedly at my phone showing Kwon Dojin’s name. What would he say tomorrow if I didn’t answer? But I hadn’t prepared for bed yet, and my studying wasn’t done.
After writing down the answer to the problem, I picked up my phone that was still flaunting its presence. With my hand on the receive button, I hesitated some more but eventually answered.
“Hello?”
[I knew you weren’t getting ready for bed.]
His response indicated he’d expected this, which made me feel rebellious, but I had nothing to say so I just pouted. What could I do when his words were true? All I could do was quietly adjust the camera angle on my phone.
[Did you finish studying?]
“Not yet. So let’s study for one more hour. We can do it together, right?”
I pretended not to notice that Kwon Dojin was already in his pajamas, leaning against his bed. But then, maybe because he was about to sleep, his hair and clothes were disheveled, yet even that appearance looked handsome.
Indeed, when the original is good, any appearance looks great.
[We have self-study time tomorrow.]
“That’s separate from this. So I’ll just do one hour. Really.”
[Really? Can you promise?]
“I mean it this time. I can finish in an hour.”
I solemnly placed my hand on my chest to add sincerity, making him laugh.
[Alright. Then let’s do it together.]
As always, Kwon Dojin gave in and got up. While he moved with steady footsteps, he didn’t pay attention to the phone camera, so the screen was unsteady.
Still, I could tell he was going to another room by catching familiar objects in the chaotically shaking screen. Then with a click, the screen stabilized, showing Kwon Dojin’s profile sitting at his desk.
From the desk to Kwon Dojin’s face, the screen composition looked impressively complete.
“What? How did you adjust it?”
[I have a phone stand, so I put the phone there. More importantly, you should finish studying quickly and go to bed, Habin.]
“My goodness, such nagging.”
I shook my head as if annoyed, but I didn’t actually feel that bad. More accurately, it was different. It was because I’d rarely been nagged at, I could count those times on my fingers.
Anyway, before Kwon Dojin could say anything else, I propped my phone roughly against the wall and focused on the unsorted workbook. I picked up the pencil I’d put down and read the problem, gathering my scattered concentration.
The rustling sound coming through the speaker, mixed with electronic tones, wasn’t exactly pleasant to hear. However, it actually helped me concentrate better because of it.
We focused without a single conversation until the studying was done. Despite having to study unexpectedly because of me, Kwon Dojin seemed to be working hard. Whenever I glanced at the screen, he was looking at his workbook with furrowed brows.
“I’m done.”
I stretched with a groan and exhaled deeply. Then I looked at the phone leaning against the wall, and right at that moment, Kwon Dojin was looking at the phone too, so our eyes met.
[Now you’ll really go to bed?]
“I should, since I’m tired too. I’ll get ready for bed now.”
[Are you going to hang up?]
“Huh? Of course?”
[Let’s stay on the call until you fall asleep. Would you mind?]
Kwon Dojin was being Kwon Dojin. In other words, he was using his face really, really well this time too. Faced with him maintaining steady eye contact, coaxing gently with drawn-out words, and wearing a faint smile, I only had one possible response.
So I switched from video call to regular call and put in my earphones. Even while brushing my teeth in the bathroom, I continued our conversation. It was my first time doing this, so it felt unfamiliar, but it wasn’t bad.
Despite potentially being bothered by the water sounds or rustling noises during my bedtime preparations, Kwon Dojin didn’t show any sign of it.
[Are you lying down?]
“What, how did you know?”
[I could hear the sound of you pulling up your blanket.]
He has good ears too. I wonder how he distinguishes such sounds in the first place. I lay on my side and wedged the phone between my ear and the pillow. Of course, I took out my earphones before lying on the bed.
“I feel strange somehow.”
[Why is it strange?]
“I don’t know, why? Is it because we’re talking before bed? It feels like there’s no exam tomorrow. It feels like a vacation. Like everyday life, but not?”
Unable to express exactly what I was feeling, I just blurted out whatever came to mind. Even as I spoke, I wondered what I was saying, but it was okay. Kwon Dojin wouldn’t mind.
[Really? Then maybe if we talk before bed more often, you won’t feel that way?]
“Maybe.”
As my body relaxed into the perfect sleeping position, the fatigue I’d been ignoring gradually crept in. Perhaps thanks to Kwon Dojin’s voice whispering in my ear, my eyelids quickly grew heavy.
[Should we study together at my place tomorrow?]
“Hmm?”
[You don’t want to?]
My thoughts began to fragment. As a result, it took me a long time to hear Kwon Dojin’s words, interpret them, and then respond.
“Hmm, no-.”
[So we’re studying together?]
“…Yeah.”
My eyelids closed before I could think anymore. After letting out an involuntary yawn, I curled up slightly.
[Habin, are you sleeping?]
“Nooo.”
[It’s okay to sleep.]
I reflexively answered Kwon Dojin’s careful voice that broke the prolonged silence. It seemed like I was asleep, yet somehow his voice was too clear. Then the words that I could sleep caught my ear, and my fingertips twitched.
“The call-.”
[I’ll hang up when Habin falls asleep.]
“Mmm.”
Thanks to Kwon Dojin saying he’d take care of it, I let go of even the last piece of consciousness I’d been barely holding onto.
[Good night.]
That one phrase I faintly heard seemed to shine with unusual tenderness.
