# Chapter 53
The classroom was filled with students’ wails who, enthralled by the big event of the athletic festival, had forgotten the reality of midterms. Unaffected by the atmosphere of despair, I watched indifferently with my chin propped up.
“Habin looks so relaxed.”
“You look just as relaxed yourself.”
When I side-eyed him, Kwon Dojin let out a low laugh. Since our seats were spaced out because of the exam, his voice sounded more distant than usual.
“Aren’t you sad that we’ll be separated into different classes soon?”
“…Come to think of it, you seem to find a lot of things to be sad about.”
I turned my head to look out the window. Since our desks were apart, Kwon Dojin couldn’t cling to me and instead expressed his sorrow vocally. But when I pretended not to hear him, he acted as if he hadn’t made those pitiful sounds at all.
“Habin.”
“What?”
“Should we study together after the exam today?”
“That’s fine, but…”
Since there was another exam tomorrow, I had planned to go to the library to study. So there wasn’t a big issue with being with Kwon Dojin. But if we went to the library together, I was concerned that we’d attract too much attention and it would be distracting.
“How about at my house?”
I looked at Kwon Dojin with round eyes, surprised by his question. Did I blurt out my inner thoughts without realizing it?
“It’s all over your face, Habin. You’ll never be able to lie in your life.”
Kwon Dojin burst into laughter again. I had nothing to say since most of my lies were usually exposed anyway.
“What about lunch?”
“We can eat together at home.”
“Hmm… Then should we study only until before dinner?”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Honestly, it was more comfortable to study alone, but if I refused, Kwon Dojin would probably come find me and cling to me until school ended.
Since my number was in the later part, I would move to a third-year classroom and stay there until the exam was over, while he would remain in this class. But Kwon Dojin wasn’t the type to be constrained by such things.
Rather than showing other students the sight of me being stuck with Kwon Dojin and adding fuel to rumors, it was easier to just agree to study together. Above all, I had a routine of checking what I had studied during break time, and it would be annoying if he stuck to me then.
…Besides, lately, it had become a bit troublesome whenever Kwon Dojin clung to me.
I moved my hand that was propping my chin and tapped my cheek. While I was passing time meaninglessly by repeating the action in a steady rhythm, the bell rang. Simultaneously, the homeroom teacher entered through the front door of the classroom.
“Everyone prepared well for the exam, right? Since the bell has rung, let’s have students from number 15 onward move to Class 3-2. The rest, take your seats according to your number order.”
“Yes~”
Unfortunately, since most students hadn’t prepared properly for the exam, there was no energy in their response. Anyway, having been told to move, I gathered my things and stood up. Kwon Dojin also stood up as he needed to change seats.
“Shall I escort you?”
“I’m not a child, I can go there by myself.”
I playfully punched Kwon Dojin’s stomach with my fist. At that, Kwon Dojin let out a clear laugh, went to his seat to put down his belongings, and then returned to my side.
“What is it?”
“I’m going with you.”
“I told you I’m not a child.”
“I want to escort you.”
His gentle voice tapped against my ear. I tried hard to resist the urge to keep glancing at where Kwon Dojin was standing. Then, I was startled by the familiar touch on my shoulder and opened my eyes wide.
“…Why this time?”
“It’s heavy, right? I’ll carry it for you.”
It was true that it was heavy, and it wasn’t the first time Kwon Dojin had carried my bag for me. It would have been silly to refuse now, so I didn’t stop Kwon Dojin from taking the bag that was on my shoulder.
As many students were moving, both the classroom and the corridor were crowded, but this didn’t apply to Kwon Dojin and me. Whenever he moved, students naturally made way.
There were occasional events like people greeting Kwon Dojin or giving him fan club support gifts. These events were so familiar that I would feel strange if they didn’t happen, so as always, I stepped back and waited for them to end.
“Excuse me!”
While I was killing time by tapping my feet in a steady rhythm, I saw legs approaching me. Since Kwon Dojin was beside me, it probably wasn’t someone looking to pick a fight, but rather someone with other business. That was even more surprising.
I tilted my head slightly to express my confusion, and the other person hesitated, fidgeting with their lips. It seemed difficult for them to speak to me, in a different sense.
“So, thank you for last time. This is a token of gratitude from Dojin-nim and Baek Han-nim’s fan club.”
I reflexively accepted the item that was thrust in front of me. I was even more confused, wondering what they could possibly be grateful to me for. But the person seemed to have no intention of resolving my confusion as they bowed their head deeply and disappeared into the crowd.
“What on earth would Baek Han and your fan club have to thank me for…?”
“I know, right?”
Even Kwon Dojin hadn’t expected this situation, as he showed signs of perplexity. He stared intently at the item in my arms, more precisely, at the unopened bundle of Pepero.
“You’re going to eat it, right?”
“Should I throw it away? Don’t play with food.”
Since I had handed over my bag to Kwon Dojin, my hands were free, so I opened the sturdy packaging and took out a Pepero stick. I bit the chocolate-covered part with a snap. The crispy biscuit and sweet chocolate melted in my mouth. It was a familiar taste with nothing special about it.
Kwon Dojin, who had been watching me eat, lowered his head and opened his mouth with an “Ah.” I frowned at his gesture asking for some.
“Don’t you have hands?”
“Unfortunately, both my hands are holding things.”
I sighed at his action of extending his arms to show me. I had nothing to say because one of those things was my bag. Feeling like I had to give him the Pepero, I was about to put the one I was eating in my mouth when Kwon Dojin quickly bent down and took a bite.
“You-, you!”
The sound of the snack breaking crisply tapped against my ear. Despite having put his mouth on what I was eating, Kwon Dojin savored the snack with an unperturbed face.
“It’s delicious. I think the original flavor is the best after all.”
I opened and closed my mouth, dumbfounded by Kwon Dojin’s nonchalant comment. I looked back and forth between the Pepero he had bitten into and Kwon Dojin, who was smiling refreshingly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Tch.”
A mild annoyance washed over me seeing that I was the only one affected. I shoved the Pepero in my hand into Kwon Dojin’s mouth and walked ahead.
Since Kwon Dojin had the snack I had put in his mouth, he couldn’t speak and followed me, matching my pace. He slung the bag he was holding over his shoulder and picked up the Pepero, which was the cause of his silence.
“Habin, are you upset?”
“Does it look like I’m upset?”
I’m angry!
When I glared at Kwon Dojin with sharp eyes, he laughed, not understanding my feelings. After eating the remaining snack in one bite, Kwon Dojin reached out and brushed my hair on the side.
“You do look a bit angry.”
I was so surprised that he had pinpointed my inner feelings that I hiccupped. I don’t understand how he knows my emotions so well when he’s not even a mind reader. When my hiccups continued, Kwon Dojin slowly patted my back.
“Are you okay?”
“Do I, *hic*, look, o, *hic*, kay to, *gulp*, you?”
“…Should I get you some water?”
It was already hard to breathe, and trying to talk made it even harder. When I barely managed to finish my sentence with hiccups, Kwon Dojin showed a serious expression. Before even waiting for my answer, he looked around and very easily prepared water.
“Drink it quickly.”
I heard the sound of a cap being opened, indicating it was a new bottle. Thanks to him quickly putting the water in my hand, I drank it in one go.
I held my breath for a moment, suppressing my hiccups as much as possible. It seemed my efforts paid off as the hiccups that had been bothering me stopped. And only then did I realize we were standing in the middle of the corridor.
“You’re having a tough time since morning.”
Just as I was about to move, feeling sorry for making the already chaotic corridor even more crowded, I turned around at a familiar voice. Baek Han, with his school bag slung over one shoulder, waved his hand casually.
“Are you moving too?”
“Yeah. It’s such a pain.”
“It’s just going down three floors.”
“And you still haven’t gone down those three floors yet?”
I rubbed my sternum at his cutting words. Baek Han was too blunt.
“I get that Lee Habin is moving, but what are you doing here?”
“I’m escorting Habin.”
“At this point, it’s creepy, seriously creepy.”
Baek Han, shaking his head from side to side, lightly pushed my back. Propelled by the push, I awkwardly took steps forward, and Kwon Dojin and Baek Han followed me.
“What will you do? You’ll be apart after being stuck together all this time. Must be heartbreaking?”
“It’s just 4 hours, what are you-“
“It’s okay. I’ll come see you during every break.”
I looked at Kwon Dojin with wavering eyes as he took it a step further. It’s an exam, so he should just sit in his class and study, but why on earth is he saying he’ll come see me?
“I’m going to review what I’ve studied one last time during the breaks.”
“He’s telling you not to come.”
Despite my attempt to create a polite expression of refusal, Baek Han added my true thoughts. Feeling like he wasn’t being helpful, I looked at him with narrowed eyes, and Baek Han just shrugged.
“Then I’ll review next to you.”
“No, don’t come.”
Thanks to Kwon Dojin’s persistent clinginess, I changed my attitude as easily as flipping my palm.
“Habin…”
“Didn’t we agree to study together after the exam? That should be enough.”
“It’s four whole hours without seeing you.”
“On weekends when you don’t come to school, we don’t see each other for more than 24 hours. Compared to that, this is just a drop in the bucket.”
“I don’t understand why I have to listen to this pathetic conversation.”
Exactly my thought.
I swallowed a sigh with effort and patted Kwon Dojin’s forearm comfortingly as he gave up his stubborn attitude. Thanks to his promise not to visit, I felt fortunate that I would be able to concentrate during the exam.
