# Chapter 82
Before I knew it, time had flown by as my body trembled with anger. I realized how quickly time had passed when I saw Baek Han appear, throwing open the back door of the classroom right as lunch period began.
I let out a dejected sigh and followed Baek Han toward the cafeteria. Anger and hunger were separate issues, after all, so I definitely needed to eat.
“Did something happen?”
As if he’d asked something casual like ‘The weather’s nice today,’ I reflexively shook my head without giving it much thought. But afterward, I felt strange about my own reaction.
I didn’t plan to tell him about the current situation first, but there was also no reason to deny it when asked. One approach would be to answer a bit later, subtly, so it wouldn’t feel like I was tattling.
But maybe because I was too determined to say everything was fine, nothing happened, I ended up shaking my head right away.
“Really?”
“Well… I’m okay, more or less. But why are you suddenly asking?”
“Kwon Dojin didn’t come to school today.”
Watching Baek Han click his tongue briefly and complain about the absent Kwon Dojin, the corners of my mouth turned up involuntarily. How should I put it? It was kind of heartwarming?
Anyway, as I touched the corners of my mouth, unable to define this feeling precisely, Baek Han grimaced and stepped a couple paces away from me.
“What’s with that expression?”
“Nothing-. It’s just one of those things.”
Ahem, I deliberately cleared my throat, then ran ahead to the cafeteria that was just coming into view, feeling embarrassed. I gestured to Baek Han, who was standing still with a frown, watching me. He started moving again.
After confirming he was following, I got my food first. Trusting he would definitely follow, I sat down in our usual spot and busily arranged things around me. Baek Han sat down across from me.
“Still busy?”
Baek Han was about to pick up an egg roll but stopped at my question, mentally calculating if he had anything left to do.
“No. I’ve taken care of everything.”
“That ended sooner than expected, huh?”
“What?”
His expression hardened as if he’d heard something he shouldn’t have. I pressed my lips tightly together. Thinking about it, this incident might have taken the longest cleanup of any I’d witnessed.
“Hmm, well, it’s because you’ve been racking your brains over this since yesterday.”
“Right. Let’s go with that.”
Baek Han, deciding to let it slide, sighed and ate his food. Remembering the saying that even dogs shouldn’t be disturbed while eating, I quietly moved my spoon after that.
Though there was no urgent business, I finished quickly, returned my tray, and headed straight back to the classroom. Even though Kwon Dojin wasn’t there, my routine hadn’t changed.
“Ah.”
“What? Is something wrong?”
Just before climbing the somewhat chilly staircase, I remembered that my desk was dirty. I’m talking about a desk covered in graffiti that anyone could tell went beyond normal friendly pranks—malicious intentions were clearly evident.
“There’s something bothering me.”
I haven’t erased or touched it, so it should still be the same, right? Should I show it to Baek Han then? There wouldn’t be any disadvantage to me if I showed him, but I still hesitated.
At first, there were all sorts of rumors and opposition because I was friendly with Baek Han, but as time passed, those faded, and now everyone just accepted it. Instead, they were busier focusing their anger, irritation, and annoyance on the relationship between Kwon Dojin and me.
I guess Kwon Dojin and I don’t look like ordinary friends on the surface? So the fact that Baek Han and I were friends seemed to be somewhat forgotten amid the buzz about Kwon Dojin.
What would happen if I showed Baek Han that desk in this situation? With Baek Han’s fiery personality, he wouldn’t just overlook something so obvious. Wouldn’t that create a tsunami in an ocean already full of rough waves?
“What are you thinking about so seriously?”
Since I’d kept my mouth shut and hesitated, Baek Han’s curiosity had only grown. He leaned his head in closer, and I pulled my waist back.
“…Let’s go first.”
I should see the condition of the desk when we get to the classroom and decide then. Actually, the word “decide” isn’t quite right. My response will vary depending on how the other students in my class have acted, so “leaving it up to them” would be more accurate.
Tap, my footsteps echoed as I started walking. Baek Han matched my movements and went up the stairs first. With the stairs resounding beneath our feet, we diligently climbed to the fifth floor.
“Come to think of it, why is it just assumed that first-year classrooms have to be on the fifth floor?”
“I heard they placed the third-year classrooms on the lower floors so they could concentrate on studying. And the only space left was the fifth floor.”
So that was the reason…?
I’d just said something random to break the somewhat awkward silence rather than actually wanting to know. But now that I heard the reason, I felt unfairly treated. Of course, studying is important for seniors facing college entrance exams, but from the perspective of someone who has to climb to the fifth floor every day, I couldn’t help feeling dissatisfied.
“You’ve been managing fine until now.”
I rolled my eyes at his question asking why I was suddenly bringing this up. What do you mean, why? I wanted to ask if he really didn’t understand.
“It’s hot. Do you have any idea how lethargic heat makes people?”
“You’re really weak against heat, aren’t you?”
It wasn’t for nothing that Kwon Dojin had gone all the way to the administration office to request that they turn on the air conditioning. Summer was the only season when I couldn’t concentrate on studying.
We chatted as we headed to my classroom. The moment we entered the fifth-floor corridor, everyone nearby turned to look at us. This happened every time, but today their gazes were different than usual.
Some clearly showed signs of panic and ran off somewhere. Others followed behind them in little groups. Baek Han must have noticed too, as his eyebrows twitched.
He didn’t seem pleased with how the atmosphere changed the moment he appeared.
“What’s going on.”
“Maybe they’re planning some kind of surprise for you.”
I could roughly guess what was happening since some of my classmates were among those running away, but I pretended not to know. I patted Baek Han’s back as he stared at me with bewildered eyes.
Huh, he let out a small laugh, but his hard expression softened. Walking through the corridor with reliable backup, I hesitated when I noticed some students blocking the hallway near my classroom.
“B-Baek Han-nim!”
With eyes tightly shut, the person called out to Baek Han loudly enough to be heard throughout the corridor, then immediately bowed deeply.
“I have a favor to ask you!”
“A favor? From me?”
“Yes, yes!”
My eyes met Baek Han’s briefly. A favor for Baek Han? Hadn’t his fan club said they would regulate these kinds of personal requests?
“Is it a personal matter?”
“No! It’s about the field trip next week—”
“Is that so?”
Standing with one leg slightly bent, Baek Han tilted his head and lowered his gaze. The atmosphere was clearly not positive, so the person who had spoken fidgeted uncomfortably, glancing anxiously at Baek Han.
Tap, tap, Baek Han stomped his foot on the corridor floor in a steady rhythm, then after a moment of silence, he exhaled and raised his head.
“Let’s postpone this. For now, don’t block the way and step aside.”
“Huh? What?”
“I said move.”
“But it’s important—!”
“If it was that important, you should have told me earlier. I’ve been working since morning. So now I’m going to rest.”
In contrast to the indifferent Baek Han, the other person was stamping their feet in frustration. Despite their clearly visible difficulty and embarrassment, Baek Han didn’t waver. I felt sorry for them, but since it wasn’t something I should get involved in, I occupied myself with other things.
I glanced toward the door, judging whether I could enter the classroom. As I did so, I narrowed my eyes when I noticed how unusually busy the students looked through the slightly open classroom door.
I had vaguely suspected it when I saw them guarding the front of the classroom, but the field trip excuse seemed to be just that—an excuse. I wonder if they were trying to separate Baek Han and me, or at least buy some time?
What puzzled me was why they were acting only now. Were they certain that Baek Han wouldn’t come to our classroom today? Why make a move when both Baek Han and Kwon Dojin weren’t absent from school?
To be honest, I hadn’t considered Baek Han either. Up until now, my mind had been so full of anger that rational thinking had been difficult. After spending time casually joking around with Baek Han, my rage must have subsided without me noticing.
“Couldn’t you spare just ten minutes, no, even five minutes?”
The desperate voice broke through my thoughts. By this point, I was starting to wonder if it really was something important. So I reached out my arm, intending to suggest that Baek Han at least hear what they had to say, when the expression of the person standing opposite us twisted like that of an evil spirit.
For just a fleeting moment, they scrunched up their face and glared at me, then turned their gaze back to Baek Han, softening their expression like a gentle lamb. I was dumbfounded by this behavior.
Could something like this really happen in real life? Baek Han’s eyesight wasn’t bad to begin with, and the chances of him noticing were high, yet… And most importantly, what had I done to deserve such a glare?
I was speechless, astounded, and felt wronged. As I stood there blankly, experiencing this for the first time in my life, Baek Han pushed my back, seemingly having finished the conversation.
“Huh? What?”
“Let’s go in. I’m tired.”
As I moved with his pushing, everyone crowding the corridor backed away. Walking down the now clear path, I opened the slightly ajar door wide to find that the students who had been busily moving about had vanished.
Instead, they were awkwardly watching us—or more precisely, Baek Han—or acting in an exaggerated manner. Anyone could tell there was something suspicious about it, and I inwardly clicked my tongue. They were being too clumsy.
But I pretended not to notice, knowing that pointing out the strangeness would only make things awkward. Besides, I was more curious about the state of my desk. Judging by their behavior, they probably cleaned off all the graffiti, but you never know.
Driven by curiosity, I quickened my pace to my seat. When I saw the desk—not just clean but polished to a shine—I unconsciously frowned. I had expected it, but seeing it with my own eyes made it even more absurd.
Really, if they were going to do this, they shouldn’t have done anything in the first place.
