Chapter 15
While solving a problem, I glanced out at the school grounds. Seeing the cherry blossom petals fluttering down, I finally felt like it was truly April—which led me to realize the rank match was being held way later than I’d expected.
I remember it was February when Kwon Dojin told me the rank match would be “soon” and that it was a sensitive time, warning me to be careful in alleyways. But now it’s April, and the rank match is only happening now. Can you really call it “soon” with a two-month gap?
“Kwon Dojin.”
“What?”
Since it was break time, I called out to Kwon Dojin, who was still messing with my hair. I tried not to look at him as he rested his head on my shoulder and spoke in a sweet voice.
“Is the rank match only held for one day?”
“Ah—is that what you were wondering?”
How is he braiding my short hair so neatly? And it rarely comes undone, too. I pressed down on the braid Kwon Dojin had made with my index finger, and after I nodded a few times, he laughed, the vibration rumbling through his throat.
“Today’s the last day. Traditionally, it starts on the day of the entrance ceremony.”
Tradition? There’s even a tradition for this?
I briefly denied reality at this unbelievable statement, but then I met Kwon Dojin’s unchangingly clear and transparent eyes and let out a scoffing laugh. It’s not the Olympics, but there’s a tradition, and it runs for a whole month?
“Are you only going today?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m ranked second.”
I got the gist of it. Since his rank was high, he didn’t have to participate in the preliminaries, I guess.
It was way more systematic than I’d vaguely imagined. That being the case, I tugged on Kwon Dojin’s sleeve, thinking the location probably wouldn’t be some abandoned construction site or empty lot.
“Then where is it held?”
“The gymnasium.”
“Which gymnasium?”
“This year, it’s at Haeseon Commercial High School. It’s also tradition to hold it in the gym of whatever school the first-ranked student attends.”
So there’s a tradition like that too. More traditions than I expected. And the school lending its gymnasium was impressive in multiple ways.
“Done.”
Seems Kwon Dojin did something to my hair again while I was lost in thought. I stared blankly at his satisfied smiling face, wondering what he’d done, and when I raised my arm to feel my hair, he stopped me.
“You’re pretty, Habin.”
“…What?”
“It suits you even better than I thought.”
If he thought I’d fall for him touching my hair and smiling sweetly like that, he was absolutely right. Those devastatingly good looks.
Somehow feeling heat gathering in my face, I gently pushed Kwon Dojin’s arm away and turned my head. I thought I’d gotten used to his looks, but that was clearly baseless arrogance on my part.
Why am I suddenly noticing Kwon Dojin’s beauty all over again? Did his looks improve overnight? The fact that such absurd thoughts were crossing my mind suggested my head was so dizzy I couldn’t think straight.
“Class is starting soon.”
I raised my hand to cover my ears, which had probably turned red. Even the wind seemed to be on Kwon Dojin’s side—when he called me pretty, a breeze passed by, ruffling his hair and making the whole scene look like something out of a photoshoot.
“So it is.”
As if willing to humor me, Kwon Dojin removed his hands from me smoothly and looked toward the blackboard.
I’d asked him not to. I’d asked, and he knew it perfectly well…
Yet I found myself not feeling as bad about it as I expected, so I needlessly gripped my mechanical pencil until my hand hurt.
***
Haeseon Commercial High School, where I followed Kwon Dojin, looked no different from any ordinary high school on the outside. While he could have rushed me along as I stood in front of the school gate staring at the building, Kwon Dojin stood silently beside me and waited until I was ready.
This time, when I looked at him, our eyes met as if he’d been waiting for it.
“Shall we go?”
“…Okay.”
Though this must be his first visit too, his steps were confident. Or maybe he’d been here before, since it was a school other Four Heavenly Kings attended. I walked in his footsteps, one step behind, and looked around.
“There are so many magnolias.”
“Magnolia must be the school tree.”
So that’s why there are so many.
I alternated between looking at the fully bloomed magnolias and the petals that had already been caught by the wind and fallen to the ground. There were cherry blossoms too, but the magnolias had their own charm.
“They’re pretty…”
“You’re prettier.”
I choked at his sudden interjection. As I coughed painfully, Kwon Dojin stopped walking and tried to approach, but I stuck my arm straight out to block him.
“Are you, ahem, are you insane?”
“What’s wrong?”
His face looked genuinely clueless, making me slap my forehead. Like I’d be fooled by that feigned innocence.
“Next you’ll probably say you don’t know what a flower is.”
“That’s not it.”
“What?”
Feeling uneasy, I instinctively backed away from Kwon Dojin, who was approaching with a completely shameless demeanor, but it was pointless. He naturally wrapped his arm around my waist and brought his face close.
Then, pressing his forehead against mine, he slowly fluttered his eyelids as if to show off his long lashes and displayed a devastatingly pretty smile on his lips.
“There was only one flower from the beginning, Habin.”
This guy is legitimately insane.
Since the saying goes that ignoring crazy people is the best response, I pushed both of Kwon Dojin’s shoulders without saying a word. Though he could’ve resisted if he wanted, he easily yielded and turned to continue walking toward our original destination.
Just as I was about to sigh in relief that he hadn’t forgotten why we came here, a voice suddenly cut in from beside us.
“That bastard is definitely crazy.”
“Ah, you scared—!”
“Well, I don’t think I need to hear that from you.”
“Ha, what else would you call someone who acts like that in the middle of a pathway where people are walking?”
I bit my tongue.
There was some kind of commotion happening beside me, but I didn’t care about that at all. What mattered was that I was in excruciating pain. Today’s luck really is terrible.
A stinging pain shot through my tongue, and not knowing what else to do, I eventually just opened my mouth wide. Baek Han found this sight pretty amusing and burst out laughing in the middle of his verbal sparring with Kwon Dojin.
“What are you doing?”
“I think I bit my tongue. Are you okay?”
Unlike Baek Han, Kwon Dojin approached with a concerned expression, bent down on one knee, and met my eyes at my level. It was obvious that nodding to say I was fine while on the verge of tears wouldn’t have any credibility, so I just stayed still.
Then Kwon Dojin grabbed my cheeks and tilted my head up. He pressed my cheeks to make my jaw open and carefully examined the inside of my mouth.
“It doesn’t look like it’s bleeding—does it still hurt?”
Unfortunately, since my cheeks were being held, I couldn’t answer. When I shook my head, Kwon Dojin finally relaxed his stern expression and lowered his hands, smiling.
“I’m glad you’re not seriously hurt.”
“Yeah…”
Unlike me, who was already resigned to this kind of behavior from Kwon Dojin, Baek Han grimaced and moved away from us.
“That guy’s really crazy.”
Tell me about it.
Silently agreeing, I pushed Kwon Dojin’s back toward where I assumed the gymnasium would be. Didn’t seem like anything good would come from staying in one place.
Kwon Dojin let himself be pushed, but if I veered off the path to the gym, he’d instinctively notice and steer us back on course.
“Habin.”
“Yeah?”
“If other kids give you trouble, tell them you’re a civilian.”
“They even pick fights?”
“Usually they don’t, but occasionally there are kids who lost their matches and want to vent their frustration.”
Though his words were relatively mild, his expression wasn’t. There was even a hint of contempt, making me curious if there was a specific reason he disliked them so much.
“There are always idiots who can’t accept the results.”
Is this still the right genre? Suddenly feels like we’re in a martial arts novel or something.
With Baek Han chiming in too, I decided to just roll with it. Guess high-ranked kids really hate those types.
When I said I’d be careful, Kwon Dojin flashed a bright smile and added that he’d try to stay with me as much as possible, so there was no need to worry too much.
“Aren’t you full of yourself.”
“It’s true that I’m actually excellent.”
Kwon Dojin, who didn’t deny it at all, swept his hair back. Baek Han clicked his tongue in irritation but didn’t contradict the claim that Kwon Dojin was excellent. Even in his eyes, Kwon Dojin must truly be outstanding.
“When Kwon Dojin isn’t around, stick close to me.”
My eyes widened at Baek Han’s unexpected words. Kwon Dojin, seeming to have anticipated this to some degree, merely glanced at Baek Han once.
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah. They only pick on people who look weak, so if I or Kwon Dojin is beside you, they won’t mess with you.”
I’d meant to ask if it wouldn’t be a bother for him, but Baek Han seemed to have interpreted it differently. Anyway, it wasn’t a bad proposal, so I quickly nodded.
I’ve been thinking this since this morning, but Baek Han seems like a decent person, separate from his fifth-rank status. Is it because I’m a civilian?
“By the way, what’s that?”
“What?”
Instead of elaborating, he tapped the side of my head a few times. Just to be sure, I raised my arm and felt the side of my hair. Then I touched the braid Kwon Dojin had made for me at school.
“You mean the braid? He did it for me.”
I gestured to Kwon Dojin walking ahead, and Baek Han, noticing who I was pointing at, frowned deeply.
“…Then whose hairpin is it?”
“Hairpin? That’s Kwon Dojin’s too. I don’t carry stuff like that around.”
“It’s a gift, Habin. So now it’s yours.”
“He says it’s mine now.”
“…What bullshit.”
With a sigh and an irritated remark, Baek Han strode forward and headed to the gymnasium first. Since we’d obviously meet up inside, there was no need to stop him. Still, curious about why he was acting that way, I moved closer to Kwon Dojin, who would know the reason.
“Why’s he acting like that?”
“Well, maybe he remembered something urgent.”
Kwon Dojin calmly fixed my hair, which had gotten messy from my constant touching, and took my hand.
“More importantly, don’t forget to be careful. Got it?”
“…Yeah.”
But could you not emphasize it so much? That’s usually a death flag, you know.
Unable to explain it out loud, I made a pained expression. I guarantee something’s going to happen at this rank match. 100% certain.
