# Chapter 93
Since the day we went to the amusement park, days that seemed normal on the outside but were completely different on the inside continued. What was different was that I started to have doubts about all of Kwon Dojin’s actions.
Moreover, I began to startle easily, which left me lacking energy. As days went on where I exerted excessive energy on things that didn’t require it, my fatigue naturally increased.
When I was noticeably more lethargic than usual and frequently dozed off during class, it was quite telling.
Kwon Dojin, who watched me nervously like someone watching a tightrope walker, repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. Several times a day, he would reach his arm toward me only to withdraw it.
It seemed he was preparing to catch me anytime I might fall.
“Ugh—”
“Careful—!”
And that preparation wasn’t in vain, as I just proved with my body. Kwon Dojin caught me neatly as I stupidly almost tripped over a step I hadn’t seen. Thanks to him I didn’t fall, but Kwon Dojin’s complexion turned as pale as if his blood had run cold.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
I stood there stupidly in shock until Kwon Dojin’s worried voice brought me to my senses. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt anywhere, but my heart was pounding.
“Why have you been so out of it lately?”
Baek Han, who was also startled, scolded me with a somewhat raised voice. Since this wasn’t the first time this had happened, he seemed to be speaking out of concern.
“I know. I wonder why I’m like this these days.”
“Is something wrong? Are there people bullying you again—”
“No. Absolutely not.”
Kwon Dojin, who immediately brought the atmosphere down to a chill, acted like he would devour innocent kids, so I quickly shook my head. Ridiculously, those who had been bullying me had been living quietly since Kwon Dojin caught them.
I’ve thought about this many times, but really, if they were going to be like this, they shouldn’t have started it in the first place.
“If I had to pinpoint the cause—”
“Pinpoint what?”
“It’s you. Kwon Dojin.”
Kwon Dojin, who had repeated the end of my sentence, stiffened slightly. As if he’d gone through all kinds of thoughts in a short time, his expression clouded over and then hardened, showing various changes. For reference, none of the many expressions he showed had a positive nuance.
“Him?”
“Me?”
Soon, both Kwon Dojin and Baek Han were puzzled. I understood their attitudes, since Kwon Dojin hadn’t actually changed to be the cause of my distraction.
He smiled as usual, treated me affectionately as usual, and leaned toward me as usual. So strictly speaking, it was due to the change in my mental state, but I didn’t feel like telling them that, so I kept my mouth shut, pretending not to know.
“I really don’t understand you even when I think I do.”
“I know, right?”
Since I showed no signs of opening my tightly closed lips, the two gave up pressing further. In the end, Baek Han shook his head, and Kwon Dojin laughed awkwardly. Unusually, the two showed similar reactions, which made me express admiration inappropriate to the situation.
“What’s with that reaction? Whatever the cause is, be careful not to fall from now on.”
“Just. And I’ll be careful.”
“Please do. It’s so precarious that I can’t just stand by and watch.”
Baek Han patted my hair firmly. For some reason, Kwon Dojin, who was usually quick to swat Baek Han’s arm away at times like this, was still. Of course, he did glare at Baek Han as if he didn’t like it, but Baek Han ignored it lightly as he always did.
“By the way, the mock exam is coming up soon, have you all finished preparing?”
I obviously redirected attention elsewhere since continuing this topic would only be disadvantageous to me. I aimed my question at Kwon Dojin, who would play along, and he pretended to go with it.
I believed he would go along with it this time too since he always had, and thankfully, he didn’t betray my trust.
“I didn’t have anything to prepare. Studying is something you do regularly, right?”
“Oh, diligent.”
“You too, Lee Habin, you study regularly as well. Haven’t you already finished preparing?”
“Of course I have to.”
Baek Han looked at me with eyes that seemed to say ‘What is this?’ When I tilted my head, wondering why he was looking at me that way, he shook his head. His attitude suggested he had a lot to say but was swallowing it.
“Then what about you, Baek Han?”
“Me? There weren’t any conditions set by my parents this time, so I didn’t particularly prepare. Well, it should be fine.”
I envied his extremely carefree attitude. Even though it was just a first-year mock exam, I tended to put a lot of effort into maintaining my inner pride and sense of alertness, which made me tired whenever the mock exams approached. But Baek Han seemed free, as if he had thrown away all his worries and concerns about the exam.
“I envy your nerves of steeeeel~”
“…Huh, really.”
When I gazed at Baek Han, stretching the end of my words, he exhaled as if exasperated.
“Anyway, it’s hot, so let’s go get some ice cream.”
Shaking his head, he pushed Kwon Dojin and me, who were headed toward the classroom, in the direction of the school store.
“I’m too lazy to go.”
“If we go now, I’ll buy it.”
“Well, that changes things.”
I changed my attitude as quickly as flipping my palm and took the lead to the school store. It was hot and I was lazy, but I couldn’t give up the opportunity since ice cream bought by someone else always seemed to taste better than what I bought myself.
The fact that the store was not far away since we were on the first floor also played a part. Kwon Dojin followed without much complaint, perhaps because I said I would go.
When we arrived at the school store, there were more students than usual. Seeing everyone holding drinks or ice cream, I thought the days had become much hotter lately.
The noisy surroundings quieted down the moment Kwon Dojin and Baek Han appeared. Rather than saying it became as quiet as a mouse, it would be more accurate to say the noise relatively subsided.
“What do you want to eat?”
Although people had become more cautious since Kwon Dojin got angry, this was already a familiar situation, so we didn’t pay attention and were busy choosing ice cream.
“Hmm… I’ll have a chocolate bar. I think this is the best ice cream at the school store.”
“If you say so. Kwon Dojin, how about you?”
At Baek Han’s question, Kwon Dojin unhesitatingly picked out a twisted bar. His attitude suggested he had already decided.
“Then I’ll have the shark one.”
After seeing our choices, Baek Han abandoned his hesitation and headed to the counter with three ice creams in his hand. Kwon Dojin and I were about to leave the store early for the sake of those who were busy watching us.
That is, if Baek Han hadn’t stopped us.
“…Hey, wait a moment.”
Hearing his voice full of awkwardness, I distorted my eyes, anticipating what he might say next.
“If you’re going to say you didn’t bring money now, I’ll get angry.”
“What should I do? That’s exactly it.”
Baek Han messed up his bangs, seeming embarrassed even as he spoke. It didn’t seem like he was joking, so I checked my uniform pockets to see if I had money, but of course there was none.
“I don’t have any either. How about you, Kwon Dojin?”
“Just a moment.”
Kwon Dojin, who checked his pockets just like me, slightly hardened his expression. At this clear expression of intent more effective than a hundred words, I let out a groan.
“Neither of you has any?”
Baek Han asked again with a glimmer of hope, but that wouldn’t make money appear out of nowhere. When Kwon Dojin and I shook our heads, Baek Han sighed.
“I should have checked before coming.”
“Let’s just go. It’s annoying to go back upstairs.”
I gestured toward Baek Han, and he picked up the ice cream he had placed on the counter to put it back.
“W-wait a moment, please!”
A thin, high voice stopped Baek Han. At that, everyone in the store, including me, Kwon Dojin, and Baek Han, turned to look at the owner of the voice.
The person who suddenly received multiple gazes blushed in embarrassment and stepped back hesitantly.
“What is it?”
For that person’s sake, Baek Han used what he considered to be his most friendly voice. Of course, that voice was quite far from being kind, gentle, or affectionate, so strangers who didn’t know Baek Han might think he was being rough, but it seemed like he was doing his best in his own way.
“I’ll, I’ll buy it for you.”
The person who came to their senses at Baek Han’s words hurriedly approached the counter and opened their wallet.
“No, you don’t have to—”
“As a gesture for you to do well on the mock exam! Then I’ll be going now!”
Before Baek Han could stop them, the person quickly finished paying and bowed deeply. Then, fearing being caught, they ran out of the store. Even in the midst of that, they showed the skill of slightly bowing their head in greeting as they passed by Kwon Dojin and me, which left me blankly blinking.
“…Why didn’t you stop them?”
“No, I was kind of overwhelmed by their momentum.”
I couldn’t stop someone who was running away, exuding a ‘Please, absolutely do not stop me’ vibe.
“More importantly, what should we do?”
“Since they already paid, we can’t not eat it. I guess I’ll find them later and thank them.”
Baek Han, who came up with a clear answer, brought the ice cream and handed one each to Kwon Dojin and me. Kwon Dojin, who looked displeased, thought for a moment before unwrapping the packaging and taking a bite.
“That kid is in our class.”
“Huh? Really? Why didn’t I know that?”
I was about to eat my ice cream but stopped at Kwon Dojin’s words. Although their long bangs obscured their face, making it hard to see properly, that shouldn’t mean I couldn’t recognize a classmate. I was at a loss for words at my own heartlessness.
“You—, never mind. Since it’s you, Lee Habin, it’s understandable.”
Whatever process of acceptance he went through internally, Baek Han changed his words instantly.
“But why did that kid step in? Didn’t they say they would stop personal gifts like this at the fan club level?”
When I stared intently at Kwon Dojin, who might know the answer, he met my gaze without avoiding it.
“It seemed like it was because of Habin. They kept looking in Habin’s direction.”
From Kwon Dojin’s words, I somehow understood with what intention the ice cream was bought. So, this ice cream might contain a kind of apology stemming from regret and guilt for having bullied me.
Of course, it might not be that. Maybe they just couldn’t stand by and watch these two in an awkward situation because they liked Kwon Dojin and Baek Han.
Only that kid would know what the correct answer is, but the fact that there was even a 1% possibility bothered me.
“…This suddenly became uncomfortable.”
“Indeed.”
Baek Han, who calmly agreed, messed up his hair once more. I don’t know why the ice cream I hadn’t even taken a bite of looked so unappetizing. I stared blankly at the ice cream glistening in the sunlight with cold, salty eyes.
I wish I hadn’t known.
