# Chapter 68
After the game ended, Kwon Dojin approached while watching my reaction. Baek Han was heading toward the water fountain, seemingly to cool off. I handed my phone and wallet to Kwon Dojin as he came closer, and he took them with a faint smile.
“Why that expression?”
I asked with my elbows resting on my raised knees, propping up my chin. Kwon Dojin quietly sat down next to me and leaned against my shoulder. So I lowered my arm and looked to the side.
“I couldn’t win again.”
“How can a person win every time? It’s not like you lost, a draw means you got the first hit in.”
“But I promised Habin I’d win and come back.”
“That’s fine. It’s not a big deal.”
Kwon Dojin, who sighed as if the world was collapsing, rubbed his cheek against my shoulder. I started getting concerned since he was still fixated on words I had spoken without much thought.
“It’s not like I said I’d never see you again if you couldn’t win.”
I pushed his forehead gently with my index finger. Pushed back by my gesture, he looked visibly dejected.
“If you had said that, I would have won no matter what…”
“Oh, really? Is that so?”
My voice came out flat automatically. Despite the weak tone, there was a firmness to it as if he was stating an absolute truth. Seeing him like that, I didn’t think I needed to comfort him.
“More importantly, we’re supposed to meet Ji Haecheon today, right?”
As soon as I mentioned Ji Haecheon’s name, Kwon Dojin froze. The way he expressed his dislike with his whole body was somewhat childish. Whenever Ji Haecheon was involved, he became unusually bad at hiding his emotions, unlike his usual self.
“Why bring that up?”
Kwon Dojin, who answered half a beat late, buried his eyes against my shoulder.
“I just realized we didn’t specify the place or time. Since I don’t even have his phone number, I was thinking maybe we could just ignore it.”
The most important thing when making plans is to specify the exact time and place. Otherwise, you might miss each other. How could we possibly meet when we didn’t even properly determine these details, especially when we didn’t even have each other’s phone numbers?
Besides, I didn’t really want to meet him that much. If he hadn’t helped us last time, I would have refused immediately. Anyway, with such a good excuse, I thought we wouldn’t have to go, and the corners of my mouth rose involuntarily.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to work.”
“Why not?”
“He sent a text message. Specifying both place and time.”
Tap tap, he showed me the text message from Ji Haecheon by tapping the screen.
4 PM, ○△ Cafe.
It was a message that literally only stated the place and time. The sender’s personality was evident in that brief, to-the-point text.
“My excuse is gone…”
Even if I initially had a good impression of someone, I would only see their annoying aspects if I started disliking them after a single incident. It was even more so with Ji Haecheon since I disliked him from our first meeting. So when the only plausible excuse disappeared, my head throbbed.
“Why is the atmosphere like this?”
Baek Han approached while drying himself with a towel, stood in front of us, and looked down. Seeing him, the only one among the three of us who didn’t have to meet Ji Haecheon, I sighed involuntarily.
“I envy you, I really envy you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You don’t have to meet Ji Haecheon…”
My once peaceful life had twisted upon entering high school, entangling me with ranks 1 through 5, and I envied Baek Han’s situation. Though he was also rank 3, at least he got to make his own choices, unlike me.
“You seemed fine until we were eating.”
“Well, it’s a bit awkward to show obvious dislike when the person is right there. Above all, the braised cutlassfish was so delicious that everything seemed okay then.”
“You’re so simple.”
Baek Han clicked his tongue, which made me flare up, but before I could react, he was already tapping Kwon Dojin.
“At this point, you should step up and refuse for him.”
“I thought about it, but that bastard is petty and might harm Habin even if I refuse.”
I decided to appreciate the fact that he had at least considered ways to avoid meeting Ji Haecheon. Regardless of whether he would actually harm me, as Kwon Dojin suggested.
“Can’t argue with that.”
“…Would he really do that? To me?”
“It’s just a possibility, but…”
If even Baek Han was affirming it, doesn’t that mean the possibility is quite high? Kwon Dojin patted my shoulder, saying not to worry, but it wasn’t comforting at all.
“Suddenly I really don’t want to go.”
“It’s okay, I’ll be right beside you.”
“Yeah. Kwon Dojin’s going with you, so what big problem could there be? He’ll take care of everything.”
That’s a flag, damn it!
I glared sharply at Baek Han, who had kindly and definitively planted a flag. I couldn’t even call out the flag as a flag, and my frustration only grew as Baek Han looked at me with confusion, wondering why I was giving him such a look.
“If anything happens today, I’m holding you accountable, Baek Han…”
“Why would you blame me?”
Because you raised a flag, that’s why. Unable to express the reason again, I sighed.
“That’s just how it is.”
When I waved my hand dismissively, Baek Han’s expression twisted, and he clicked his tongue. It meant he’d let it go this time. He’d always let it go like this before, so it was oddly fresh.
“Let’s head home. We’re not watching the closing ceremony anyway.”
I grabbed Baek Han’s arm as he was about to go straight to the school gate after saying his piece. Turning back, Baek Han expressed his question by raising his eyebrows.
“I need to change my clothes.”
“Oh.”
After letting out a short exclamation, he looked me up and down. Then, nodding his head, Baek Han turned around and headed into the school. I was dumbfounded by his action, which showed he had completely forgotten about my appearance, but at least I could change my clothes now.
“Let’s go too.”
Kwon Dojin, who got up first, extended his arm to me. Taking his hand and standing up, I tried hard to shake off the thought of Ji Haecheon.
After all, thinking about it wouldn’t be of any use anyway.
* * *
Think before you act, Lee Habin!
I sent all kinds of criticism to my past self, completely overturning the judgment I had made just hours ago. In reality, nothing would have changed even if I had thought about it, but anyway, my past self was at fault.
Barely restraining myself from tearing at my hair in this hopeless, suffocating situation, I looked at Kwon Dojin and Ji Haecheon, the main characters of this hostile atmosphere.
“You must be very busy. Yet you’re still only interested in things that don’t need your attention.”
“Don’t need my attention… I’m the one who decides that.”
The confrontation between Kwon Dojin, who spoke in a gentle yet firm voice with just the corners of his lips lifted, and Ji Haecheon, who was slouched in his chair making sarcastic remarks, was giving me a headache.
“That’s rich coming from someone who pushed aside all those important tasks.”
“I can’t personally attend to every such matter.”
“Isn’t that exactly why you’re being paid, to attend to such matters?”
If they were going to fight, I didn’t understand why I had to be here. I had complaints but lacked the courage to intervene, so I inwardly sighed and took a sip of the iced tea on the table.
Clack, a small sound echoed as I put down the glass. I thought they wouldn’t hear it since they were engaged in a battle of wills, but the moment the sound rang out, two pairs of eyes looked at me.
Since both gazes were equally intense, I unconsciously grabbed Kwon Dojin’s clothes, as I was more familiar with him. Kwon Dojin’s expression softened, and he gently wrapped his hand around mine that was clutching his clothes.
“So. What did you call us for?”
Finally, we got to the main point. It was after 20 minutes of meeting, but I thought that was good enough. Actually, what annoyed me more was that Ji Haecheon had arrived 10 minutes late for the appointment.
“I wanted to see you.”
My brow furrowed at the unfriendly answer. See what exactly? Wondering if Kwon Dojin might know, I looked up at him. But his expression was the fiercest I had ever seen, so I immediately lowered my eyes.
“As if you have the right.”
“Isn’t this a small request? It’s not like I’m asking to do anything, just to see your face once.”
“I’m not sure if I should say your shamelessness remains the same—”
Kwon Dojin trailed off, tilting his head slightly. Then he disrupted his upright posture and buried his back deep in the chair.
“For helping just once, you wanted to see Habin? You?”
Despite Kwon Dojin’s sharp attitude, Ji Haecheon just chuckled. It was as if he was asking if there was any reason he shouldn’t. In response, Kwon Dojin sighed demonstratively and ran his free hand through his hair.
“You have a convenient mind that erases anything unfavorable to you. I wonder how much more you’re going to show off your stupidity.”
“You’re still good with your mouth. You’d be better off improving your fighting skills rather than honing that.”
“Unlike a stupid bastard who only knows how to fight, at least I haven’t forgotten what’s more important.”
I opened my eyes wide at Kwon Dojin’s words. I had been wondering why someone who was ranked 2nd was good at studies and surprisingly diligent in school life, but it seems it was for his future.
Well, he won’t be a minor forever. Even being part of the hierarchy, it’s right to make at least minimal preparations.
“Hey.”
Anyway, getting out of this place was more urgent right now, so I stopped them from starting another argument.
Though I called out more timidly than usual, they both heard me and closed their mouths, looking at me. While Kwon Dojin’s eyes returned to their usual gentle state, Ji Haecheon’s didn’t, so I swallowed dryly.
“From what I heard, it seems like you wanted to see me, and since you’ve seen my face now, shouldn’t we part ways?”
I said it because there was no reason for them to continue staring at each other while fighting, but surprisingly, both Ji Haecheon and Kwon Dojin looked astonished. Since they reacted as if I had said something I shouldn’t have, I was the one who was astonished.
What’s the problem?
