Chapter 12
“I’ll admit there was a misunderstanding in what I said, but please calm down for a second.”
I tried grabbing Kwon Dojin’s steadily approaching shoulders to push him back, but there wasn’t the slightest sign of him budging. The thought that I’d hit a nerve kept nagging at me.
“When I say calm down…”
It was crystal clear he had zero intention of doing so. Swallowing the deep sigh rising from my chest, I contemplated how to get out of this mess.
Actually, it was a problem that could be solved with the right words—but the real issue was whether Kwon Dojin was even in a state to properly hear those words.
“I can explain this properly. In a way you’ll understand.”
“You’re saying you can explain to me—in a way I can understand—why you agreed with Ji Haecheon’s complete bullshit about me thinking of you as a toy. You.”
Hearing him emphasize each word, syllable by syllable, I had the sinking feeling I wouldn’t be able to explain myself coherently. When I inevitably avoided his gaze, he grabbed my chin and forced it up.
“I’m actually angry this time. Don’t you think even someone like me has the right to be angry?”
“Mm…”
Figuring that acting wishy-washy would only piss Kwon Dojin off more, I decided to play along. I nodded while maintaining eye contact, and Kwon Dojin stared deeply into my eyes.
It felt like he might actually kiss me at this rate, so I backed up until my spine naturally met the wall.
“Habin, you…”
A low voice settled near my ear. Somehow it tickled, making me scrunch up my shoulders, which naturally messed up my hair.
“You seem to have a real talent for pissing me off.”
That’s not a talent I need you to acknowledge.
Haah. Kwon Dojin sighed and collapsed against my shoulder, burying his forehead there. Despite not looking that heavy, he was, and I tried shaking him off by moving my shoulder, but he wouldn’t budge at all.
“Stay still.”
“But you’re heavy—”
“This is your punishment.”
Ah, okay then.
Actually, it wasn’t that heavy, so I decided to stand still. After a silence that felt much longer and heavier than Kwon Dojin’s head pressing on me, he finally lifted it just as I’d found somewhere to put my awkwardly hovering arms.
“Now I’ll listen. Try explaining.”
“Well… the beginning of most friendships is pretty anticlimactic, right? Nothing special, nothing dramatic. Most of the time, looking back, you can’t even remember how it started.”
“And?”
“Even if you approached me because you found me interesting, that’s not really important. Everyone starts out that way.”
Ji Haecheon’s words clearly had a different intention behind them, but that wasn’t my problem. What matters is how I interpreted it. People should live self-centeredly—it makes life easier.
“Anyone with eyes could tell that’s not what he meant.”
“Does that matter?”
“You don’t think it matters?”
“No. If you and I don’t see it that way, then it doesn’t matter.”
Kwon Dojin looked at me like I’d grown a second head. With an expression that said he had a thousand things to say, he touched his forehead, opened and closed his mouth, then suddenly pulled me into a hug.
“You really don’t think that way?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then what do you think we are?”
The fact that we even needed to define it suggested we weren’t exactly in the most positive relationship. For a question with only one obvious answer, I avoided Kwon Dojin’s gaze slightly as I spoke.
“We’re friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yeah. Classmates.”
But how long is he planning to hug me? Honestly, it was suffocating. And kind of awkward too. Maybe because I haven’t been hugged like this by anyone since I was a kid.
“…Fine. If you say we’re friends, then I guess we’re friends.”
When I fidgeted, Kwon Dojin only tightened his arms around me. Since it seemed like he had no intention of letting go, I just stared blankly at the wall across from me.
With no phone in my hands and nothing else to do, useless thoughts started flooding my brain one after another. For instance—the Four Heavenly Kings don’t seem to get along as well as I thought.
Especially Kwon Dojin and Ji Haecheon.
I don’t know about the other guys. They seem okay with each other, but the relationship between Ji Haecheon and Kwon Dojin is… how should I put it… like cat and mouse.
“Hey.”
“What?”
Rustle. The sound of fabric brushing against fabric tickled my ear. Kwon Dojin, still resting his face on my shoulder, just turned his head to look up at me. His handsome face was right there in front of mine, but I’d long since gotten used to it and got through the moment by blinking a couple times.
“I’m hungry.”
“…Is that really something to say right now?”
“Then when should I say it? Let’s go back inside. Our food’s still there.”
Thinking about that steaming bright red stir-fried octopus made my mouth water. As I audibly swallowed the saliva pooling in my mouth, Kwon Dojin sighed dramatically.
“I can’t believe you’re willing to sit at the same table as that bastard Ji Haecheon.”
“He’s one thing. Food is another.”
“I don’t want to. How am I supposed to eat with that guy there?”
“Then kick him to another table and eat. Why do we have to sit at the same table anyway?”
Like he hadn’t thought of that, Kwon Dojin’s mouth fell slightly open. Folding away his childlike stubbornness, he slowly peeled himself off me.
“You’re thinking about food right now?”
“…You really are kind of weird.”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go eat.”
Ignoring his quiet mumble, I headed toward the restaurant with him trailing behind. Somehow our positions seemed reversed from when we’d left, but whatever. Walking in with confident strides, I found that the rest of the Four Heavenly Kings were already gone.
“Huh?”
“…Ahn Ji Yu.”
I heard Kwon Dojin murmur quietly. Seems he’s pretty perceptive despite that cutesy act. Well, sometimes the “cute” character in these scenarios shows surprising insight.
“The octopus is probably cold by now. Let’s eat fast.”
“You really have a solid mentality, huh?”
“Mm, do I?”
Rather than worrying about people who’ve already left, it’s way better to fill my stomach with the stir-fried octopus and rice sitting in front of me. I sat Kwon Dojin across from me and handed him a spoon. He quickly smoothed over his reluctant expression and took a proper bite.
Since he wasn’t picking at his food but eating normally, I nodded in satisfaction before diving into my own rice bowl.
“Do you guys not get along?”
“…Yeah. Kind of.”
Though I’d asked in a casual tone, Kwon Dojin’s response was anything but. His voice trembled noticeably, and when I glanced up at him, he was still staring down at the table with his head bowed.
“I figured you hung out a lot since you’re called the Four Heavenly Kings and all.”
“That’s true.”
Despite my prodding, his reluctance to open up made it clear he didn’t want to talk about it. I brought the end of my chopsticks to my lips, then pulled them away. Tsk. I clicked my tongue slightly, but I didn’t feel like pressing when he obviously didn’t want to share.
It wasn’t that interesting anyway, and knowing stuff like this might become a headache later.
“I’m ordering another drink.”
“Okay.”
As Kwon Dojin nodded, I ordered another pineapple soda to replace the one I’d finished. Contrary to my assumption that the food would be cold, the octopus was still piping hot as I wrapped it around some noodles and popped it in my mouth.
“After we eat, where do you want to go?”
“Mffh?”
“Mm, right. Let’s talk after we finish eating.”
Why do we have to go somewhere else after eating? Finding it kind of bothersome, I just rolled my eyes. I wonder if we’ll run into more delinquents. Just today alone, we’ve only been to two places but already ran into Baek Han and the Four Heavenly Kings. Oh, now that I think about it—
“Didn’t you say there’s a rank match tomorrow?”
“Ah, yeah, there is.”
“Don’t you need to prepare for it or something?”
“It’s not like it’s an exam. What would I even prepare?”
Put that way, I had nothing to say back. Still, I’d at least expected him to do some training or something, so I just pursed my lips.
“What if Baek Han takes your rank?”
“If I lose it, I lose it.”
His response was way more blasé than I expected, and I let out a short sound of surprise. I thought he’d at least care about keeping his rank, if not be obsessed with it, but apparently not.
“Besides, there’s no way I’d lose to a weakling like that.”
Ah, so he’s just overflowing with confidence.
I’d long since pushed my empty rice bowl aside and set down my spoon. Instead, I pulled my drink closer and wrapped my lips around the straw. Slurp. I slowly sipped while sneaking glances at Kwon Dojin. Overflowing confidence is generally a good thing.
“Just be careful not to get hurt.”
Clack. As I set down my cup and looked up, Kwon Dojin’s eyes went wide. He opened and closed his mouth, then brought his hand up to fidget with his lips. Seeing him so obviously telegraphing “I have something to say,” I played with my straw while waiting.
“Are you worried about me?”
“You said you’re going to fight.”
“Y-yeah?”
“Then wouldn’t anyone be worried?”
Besides, whether I like it or not, we’ve been together for almost a month now, so it’s natural to develop some kind of feelings—positive or negative. I clicked my tongue at the dumbfounded Kwon Dojin and finished the rest of my drink. Why is he acting like some naive bear after playing the fox this whole time?
“Want to come with me?”
“…Where?”
There was only one place he could be inviting me to, but I asked again, finding it hard to believe. Would he really invite someone ordinary like me? He’s probably just asking if I want to grab dessert after we finish eating—
“The rank match.”
Right. Of course. I set down the straw I’d been fidgeting with and looked at Kwon Dojin seriously.
“Are you for real?”
“Yeah, I’m serious.”
“But I’m just a regular person though?”
“There won’t be any danger. The system’s airtight, and if anyone messes with civilians, they lose their rank immediately. So it’s actually safer.”
When he put it like that, the curiosity I’d been suppressing because of the risk started bubbling up. I bit my lower lip once, then released it. During that brief moment, I tried hard to think it through, but human curiosity really is something else.
“I’ll go.”
“Leave school with me tomorrow then.”
I chewed on the straw with my teeth while avoiding Kwon Dojin’s gaze as he propped his chin on his hand and smiled like something out of a painting. Even though he was the one who invited me first and I just accepted, somehow I felt like I’d lost.
