Chapter 9
I had friends, but I didn’t really remember going out much because I was busy studying. If someone called that an excuse, I couldn’t argue, but how much free time could someone preparing for the regular college entrance exam really have had?
Dojin snickered as if he understood why I was avoiding his gaze without saying anything. That laugh made me feel upset for no reason, but I had nothing to say in my defense, so I suppressed it.
“If there’s nowhere else, let’s go to the bookstore.”
“…Bookstore?”
That’s it?
Though his eyes were full of dissatisfaction as he looked at me, I was serious. Having decided to study, the first thing I needed to do was look for study materials. It was only natural since the books I’d studied with for three years had vanished when I came back in time.
When I boldly met his gaze despite his look of disapproval, he sighed and touched his forehead.
“No fun, no romance.”
“Fun aside, why are you looking for romance?”
When I tilted my head in confusion, Dojin stared at me with narrowed eyes. When I stared back the same way, he covered his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.
“You said bookstore, right?”
“Yes. Bookstore.”
“Let’s go.”
I followed closely behind his confident stride. Dojin kept looking back to check if I was following him, and only after confirming multiple times that I wasn’t losing track of him did he face forward while walking.
“Here?”
I nodded at his question as he pointed to a large bookstore. A bookstore this size should have most books, including reference materials. Excited at the thought of buying books after so long, I tried to quickly enter, but Dojin grabbed the back of my neck.
“Really, no fun, no romance at all.”
“Why do you keep looking for romance at a bookstore?”
Why do we need romance between us in the first place?
I shot a dissatisfied look at Dojin for needlessly blocking me, and he sighed.
“I’m pretty sure I suggested we go out to have fun.”
“We can have fun at the bookstore.”
“Judging by your behavior, it doesn’t seem like you came to have fun at all.”
As he said, I had no intention of having fun, so I gently shifted my gaze to the clouds floating in the sky. How beautiful the clouds were today, naturally drawing my attention.
Seeing me like this, Dojin seemed beyond sighing and released the back of my neck as if giving up.
“Fine. Let’s do what you want first.”
“Great!”
Everything became peaceful once Dojin gave up. As soon as I was free, I ran into the bookstore and headed toward where the workbooks should be. Actually, since this was my first time at this bookstore, I got lost not knowing where they were, but Dojin caught me and took me to the workbook section. He’s a good guy, true to his character.
“Ah, here it is.”
By March, these should definitely be available.
I picked up a workbook containing college entrance exam questions and skimmed through it. After checking that the level and scope of problems hadn’t changed much, I thanked the heavens.
The damn curriculum changes every year, so I was worried that this world-shift might have affected it, but thankfully it seems not.
“That’s for high school seniors, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. So?”
I casually brushed off Dojin’s words as I skimmed through the other subjects. It seems I’ll just have to browse through them without buying many since they’re heavy and I don’t have much money. While I was looking sadly at the books I couldn’t afford, Dojin rested his head on my shoulder.
“Can you solve them?”
“I picked them up because I can solve them. I need to choose carefully since I don’t have much money.”
“Hmm~”
I see. Regardless of his acknowledgment, I don’t know why he’s doing this on my shoulder. I quickly shook him off with a shrug, and Dojin stepped back a couple of steps, smiling.
Whether he was just asking out of courtesy or not, I was able to choose books without any further interruption after that. Then, encountering an unexpected hurdle, I groaned.
“Hmm…”
“What’s wrong?”
Having heard the sound, Dojin, who had been leaning against the bookshelf looking at his phone with a bored expression, raised his head to look at me.
“Which one should I buy?”
When I showed him two math workbooks, Dojin, with a surprisingly serious expression, helped me think about it. One was a concept book, one was a problem book—I needed both, but due to lack of money, I could only buy one.
“Wouldn’t the concept book be better?”
“That’s true, but I enjoy solving problems more, so I’m torn.”
“Ah. That would be a dilemma.”
Thanks to Dojin’s easy understanding, I was actually surprised and opened my eyes wide. I didn’t expect him to empathize with something like this. Seeing me like that, he frowned slightly as if his feelings were hurt and stood at an angle with his head tilted.
“Your expression is suspicious.”
“I didn’t think you’d empathize.”
Sorry.
When I added a small apology, Dojin thrust his face close to mine. Reflexively backing away from his suddenly close face, Dojin followed me by exactly the same distance.
After repeating this several times, my back hit the bookshelf and I had nowhere else to retreat. Wondering what he was doing while I was trying to choose workbooks, I looked at Dojin with resentful eyes, and he leaned in with a slight smile.
“Habin.”
“Wh-what.”
My voice trembled involuntarily at the continuously closing distance. At this rate, we might actually collide. Honestly, I wanted to kick his shin or something to escape, but I was afraid of the consequences. He’s the self-proclaimed and publicly acknowledged number two ranker.
“Dust. On you.”
The hand that had burrowed into my hair made a rustling sound as it withdrew. Dojin stepped back with a pretty smile, and I stared at him with blank eyes, my mouth gaping. So just now, just for dust—!
“You crazy bastard—!”
“And I think this workbook would be better. Concept books are good, but fun comes first, right?”
Ignoring my words completely, Dojin picked up the workbook I’d been contemplating and headed to the checkout counter first. Watching Dojin’s back as he strode away with his long legs, I breathed out in frustration.
Meanwhile, Dojin, who had reached the checkout line, gestured to me. I couldn’t let him pay for my workbook, so I quickly approached him.
“You need to tone it down.”
“What?”
The fact that he was smiling and tilting his head as usual made my blood boil. It was especially frustrating because I could clearly see Dojin was doing it on purpose.
“Coming up close like—”
“Hey! You! Second-ranked Kwon Dojin!”
Oh, perfect timing!
Both Dojin and I turned our heads toward the loud voice. Dojin, who rarely frowned, was now frowning—and somehow sensing what would happen next, I snatched the book from his hand.
“If you’re going to fight, do it outside, okay?”
“Habin. You should come too.”
“What are you talking about? What would a small fry like me do there?”
“We agreed to hang out today.”
“What?! How dare you ignore me?!”
Has the ghost of someone who died from lack of entertainment possessed him? Looking at Dojin, who was obsessing over this even in this situation, with cold eyes, I then looked at the person who was still pointing at Dojin. Come to think of it, they’re just as bad. Despite being so blatantly ignored, they’re still trying to get attention—aren’t they embarrassed?
“You really want me to come with you?”
“Yes. Really come with me.”
I sighed deeply at Dojin’s unwillingness to back down. Well, there’s no choice then. I can’t give up on the workbook.
“You, wait.”
I stared directly at the stranger and pronounced each word clearly.
“Wh-what?”
“I said wait. I need to buy my book.”
I repeated what I’d just said to the confused person, and I was dead serious. Since I hadn’t said it as a joke in the first place, I couldn’t be anything but serious.
“What did you say? Who do you think you are, telling me to wait—!”
“Then you won’t wait? If you won’t wait, what are you going to do? Drag him out? Kwon Dojin? You?”
I pointed at Dojin beside me with my thumb, and the person’s shoulders flinched. It seems they also thought it would be difficult.
Yeah, of course. No matter how delicate Dojin might appear on the outside, that’s literally just ‘on the outside.’ According to what I’ve unwillingly learned while being stuck next to him for over three weeks, Dojin was overflowing with muscle.
It means that firm muscles were packed neatly throughout that body. And attractively, too. As expected, the Four Heavenly Kings are different.
“As if Kwon Dojin would listen to you—!”
“I’ve been listening to Habin well these days.”
Cutting off the person’s words, Dojin rested his chin on my shoulder as if to show off and flashed a dazzling smile. It was really damn heavy, but it was hard to shake him off because he was applying so much pressure. It was obvious he was doing it on purpose so I couldn’t shake him off, making me seethe inside. Kwon Dojin, that petty bastard.
“Anyway, if you have business with him, wait. Until I buy my book.”
“What kind of situation is this!”
“It’s right here. It’s not a big deal. It’s basic courtesy to wait until the other person finishes their business—”
“Next customer.”
“Habin, it’s our turn.”
At Dojin’s words as he removed his chin and gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder, I turned around with delight. After a long wait, it was finally my turn. With light, happy steps, I put the workbook on the counter and took out my wallet.
“That’s 28,900 won in total. Would you like a cash receipt?”
“Yes, please.”
“Please enter your number on the pad and press confirm.”
I carefully entered the number one digit at a time and pressed confirm. Dojin, who had been watching quietly beside me, covered his mouth and laughed so hard he almost choked. I narrowed my eyes and glanced at him, then received the workbook and change from the employee with a bright smile.
“Fuck, are we done now?”
“Wow, you’re still here?”
Persistent, really persistent.
The moment I turned around in a good mood, a sharp voice rang in my ears, causing me to involuntarily cover my ears and frown.
“What?!”
“Pfft—”
Dojin suddenly bursting into laughter, the other person bursting with indignation at my reaction, and me finding the whole situation absurd.
This is a complete mess.
