# Chapter 44
As the situation flowed differently from what he had pictured in his mind, Ji Haecheon clicked his tongue and backed away. Dojin tapped the armrest lightly and opened his mouth to deliver the conclusion he hadn’t yet stated, with an insipid attitude.
“Then let’s conclude the April meeting with this. Good job everyone.”
In an instant, he hid his arrogant attitude and spoke with a voice as smooth as silk. Baek Han stuck out his tongue as he watched Dojin change the atmosphere in a split second.
When the end of the meeting was announced and people began to vacate their seats one by one, Dojin stayed put as he saw someone urgently approaching him.
“Dojin-nim, well…”
He didn’t blame the hesitant person but waited patiently. The other person swallowed dryly when met with Dojin’s faint smile.
“I’m told that Habin-nim is at the library nearby. It seems like some of the other guys are watching him, looking like they’re planning something.”
“…Habin is where?”
“In the reading room on the third floor—”
Dojin stood up abruptly before the sentence was finished. Grabbing only his phone and wallet, he quickly left the cafe. Several curious gazes followed him, but he had no time to pay attention to them.
‘Why did he go out today?’
Dojin knew that Habin was reluctant to leave his house on weekends. The reason he had persuaded Habin to watch a movie yesterday was because he knew that if Habin went out on Saturday, he would stay home on Sunday by nature.
Wanting to meet Habin on the weekend was also part of his calculation, but the main purpose was to reduce the possibility of Habin going out today. Yet, there he was at the library, as if to prove him wrong. Dojin accepted that it was all due to his own arrogance.
Hurrying his steps, Dojin arrived near the library and let out a hollow laugh when he confirmed that familiar faces were lingering around. As he sighed while running his hand through his hair, those who were pretending not to look at him trembled.
Dojin’s brows furrowed at their behavior, watching him but not leaving despite his arrival. Since he couldn’t cause a disturbance in front of the library, he pressed his eyelids firmly and went inside.
If they wouldn’t leave, he would just need to be by Habin’s side. With only one reading room on the third floor, Dojin headed directly to where Habin was without wandering, but stopped in front of the door.
It was because his own reflection in the glass window looked quite ridiculous. His disheveled hair from rushing over, the wrinkled clothes, and his tightly set face. Reflexively moving away from the door, Dojin headed to a nearby restroom. He tidied his appearance as much as possible before entering the reading room.
Turning his head to look around, he spotted Habin sitting in a corner focusing on his workbook. Dojin approached without hesitation and wore a faint smile as he watched Habin, who hadn’t noticed his approach and was just looking at his workbook.
Even though he quietly pulled out a chair and sat down, Habin didn’t give him a glance. It was just like him to not let his concentration waver regardless of what was happening around him.
Watching him quietly with his chin rested on his hand, Dojin almost reflexively reached out when he saw Habin brushing away the side hair that had fallen down. The somewhat long hair would fall and obstruct Habin’s vision every time he lowered his head to study.
Whether he was used to it or not, Habin would only brush it back each time, so instead of just pushing the hair back for him, Dojin had braided it to keep it from falling. He rummaged through his pocket for the pins he had started to carry habitually.
Fortunately, he found one, but it was the flower-shaped pin that Habin had previously said was difficult to clip. Should he do it or not? After briefly contemplating, Dojin decided to braid the side hair. After all, it was his own small pleasure.
Dojin carefully extended his hand so as not to disturb Habin’s studying and grasped his hair. Turning his head at the sudden touch to his hair, Habin opened his eyes wide when he saw an unexpected figure.
“You-!”
Having reflexively blurted out, Habin was startled and covered his mouth. Dojin bit his lip hard as he watched Habin rolling his eyes and glancing around at his surroundings.
As he was trying hard to hold back his laughter, Habin hit Dojin’s shoulder with his fist, just enough to not hurt, and Dojin’s eyes curved into a round shape.
‘Hello.’
After calmly finishing up by inserting the pin, Dojin greeted him silently with a pleased expression.
* * *
‘Why on earth is he here?’
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t speak properly. I could feel my eyes trembling slightly. I put my hand on my forehead as Kwon Dojin caressed my now fully braided hair.
Feeling like we needed to talk, I grabbed my mechanical pencil and wrote in the margin of my workbook.
[Look at me.]
After staring at the short sentence with an unreadable expression, Kwon Dojin rummaged through my pencil case to find a spare mechanical pencil.
[I am looking at you.]
No, not like that!
I was so shocked that I almost shouted again, but I managed to hold it in. I pressed the blunt part of the mechanical pencil firmly against the arm of Kwon Dojin, who was speaking nonsense.
[Let’s go outside and talk.]
[10 minutes left on the timer.]
‘It’s already ruined.’
It was no use pretending to be considerate of me now. My concentration had already been broken from the moment Kwon Dojin braided my hair. I could try to solve problems if I wanted to, but right now I was more curious about why Kwon Dojin was here.
[Let’s go outside.]
When I urged him again, he raised an eyebrow once and shook his head. Since it seemed like the first time he had expressed refusal, I opened and closed my mouth before slightly furrowing my brow. Did he think that was the end of it just because he said no? I couldn’t back down until my curiosity was satisfied.
[Let’s! Go! Outside!]
This time I added exclamation marks for emphasis, and Kwon Dojin, with drooping eyes, stood up. Should I be glad it ended without much effort?
As I stood up to follow him, I tidied up the place somewhat. Kwon Dojin, who waited for me, extended his hand as soon as I finished organizing, as if he had been waiting.
I was about to take his hand without thinking when I came to my senses and narrowed my eyes at him. Kwon Dojin withdrew his hand with a disappointed look and pointed at the door with his thumb. I nodded at his signal to go out, and he walked ahead.
We left the reading room and went to the terrace on the second floor. There was no one around, and since it was outside the library, it was okay to talk.
“Why are you here?”
“Maybe I thought I wanted to see Habin? I came thinking I might meet you here, and you really are here. I guess we’re destined.”
I became serious at this nonsensical statement. When I stared at him without saying anything, he rolled his eyes once. He seemed to know that what he said didn’t make sense even to himself.
“…It really is a coincidence.”
He added after a beat, apparently unwilling to withdraw his claim. My eyebrows raised involuntarily at his outrageously shameless words.
“It would take at least 30 minutes by bus from your house to this library, and you call it a coincidence?”
“Let’s just say I felt like coming here today.”
Judging by his evasive attitude, it seemed he had no intention of telling me. In that case, I could just make an inference. I already had a couple of suspicions anyway.
Yumin’s mention of an official meeting of the top 5 ranks today, the numerous people who got off at the same bus stop as me, and the inexplicable gazes I received that made the back of my neck itch as I headed to the library.
With this much, the puzzle was as good as complete.
There was a meeting nearby, and someone who recognized me probably knew Kwon Dojin. If that person informed Kwon Dojin about my presence here after the meeting ended, it would make sense why he came looking.
“Why on earth…”
Why do I keep getting entangled with Kwon Dojin? Is it wrong to say I’m getting entangled with Kwon Dojin? Maybe it’s more accurate to say I’m getting entangled with the ranking system.
“What?”
“Ah-, it’s nothing. I roughly understand how you ended up here, so you don’t have to explain if you don’t want to.”
“…How?”
I casually waved my hand while observing Kwon Dojin’s demeanor. For a moment, he showed a look of dismay, but quickly composed his expression.
“My sister was loudly announcing it. She said there’s a meeting for the top 5 ranks today.”
“I see.”
He let out words mixed with a sigh, almost in a whisper, as he pressed his forehead. After maintaining silence as if contemplating something, he finally opened his mouth.
“I think it’s dangerous here.”
I blinked at the unexpected words. Wondering if I had heard correctly, I tilted my head, but seeing Kwon Dojin’s unchanged attitude, I was convinced. I had heard correctly.
“Why is it dangerous?”
“There are too many people from the rankings. And many people recognized you, Habin.”
Though it was a brief statement, it was enough for me to understand the situation. Feeling like I had been caught up in another troublesome incident, I buried my face in my hands. Unplanned outings always exhausted me.
“Habin-ah?”
“The world is tormenting me…”
It seems like it’s making every effort to put me in danger. I had specifically chosen a space far from the rankings, so why was I getting involved again?
“If you want to study, let’s go to my place. I promise not to disturb you. I’ll quietly study beside you too.”
Kwon Dojin raised his right arm to his chest as if to express his pledge. Since I only had one choice anyway, I slowly nodded.
“You’re buying dinner…”
I needed to extract at least that much from the root cause to feel better. Kwon Dojin immediately nodded at my weakly uttered words and carefully took my hand.
“I’ll buy you something delicious. Just tell me whatever you want, it doesn’t matter. But let’s go now, okay?”
“Yeah.”
I looked at Kwon Dojin’s back as he gently led me back to the reading room. Realizing that I had unintentionally ended up meeting him every day of the week, I laughed dryly.
Anyone watching would think Kwon Dojin and I were lovers.
