Habin, who had been conversing without noticing the time passing, opened his eyes wide in surprise at Hyeonwon’s voice. Checking his phone, it was one minute before the lecture started, so he urgently turned around.
“I’m going. See you later.”
Habin waved his hand to Dojin, who was nodding, sending another greeting before scurrying into the lecture hall. As soon as he put his things down and sat in the seat Hyeonwon had saved, the professor called roll.
“What were you talking about so happily?”
“A friend from high school asked to meet. It’s been a while.”
Whisper whisper, following Hyeonwon who spoke to him, Habin also answered quietly. Hyeonwon seemed to still have more to say, but couldn’t continue since roll call was already almost finished.
Habin took out his pad to prepare for class while also looking around. If what Dojin said was true, that sunbae probably wouldn’t be in class.
‘What are you looking for?’
Tap tap, at the sound of knocking on the desk, Habin turned his head and nodded at Hyeonwon’s writing.
‘You know that sunbae. The one you said you were on the same team with.’
‘Ah that sunbae? I heard he hasn’t come to school since yesterday. He’s not here today either.’
He’s not here? Really?
At Hyeonwon’s writing, Habin’s face naturally brightened. He covered his mouth with his palm, feeling like laughter would spill out any moment. He was happy enough that the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward.
“Before we start class, Hyeonwon-kun?”
“Yes, Professor!”
Hyeonwon, who had been distracted conversing with Habin in writing, quickly raised his head at the professor’s call.
“Is the team composition all finished?”
“Yes, it’s finished. Should I give you the list now?”
“Let me see it.”
Habin, who had been staring at Hyeonwon jumping up to hand over the list, moved his pen to write on the pad. He intended to show it if Hyeonwon came back.
Having finished writing two or three lines, Habin slightly pushed the pad toward Hyeonwon, who had just returned to his seat. Discovering the writing on the screen, Hyeonwon read it quickly.
“Why?”
Gasp, Hyeonwon, who reflexively spoke loudly due to surprise, quickly covered his mouth. It was fortunate the professor was looking at the list, otherwise it would have been quite awkward. Anyway, to resolve the doubts filling his head, Hyeonwon also picked up his pen.
‘No, why? What did the sunbae say to you? Did he find another team?’
‘That’s not it.’
‘Then?’
‘That sunbae probably won’t be taking this class at minimum.’
‘So how can you be sure of that?’
‘Mm… Just because?’
At Habin’s nonsensical attitude, Hyeonwon reflexively frowned. Even at his attitude, Habin just shrugged his shoulders and soon smiled with curved eyes.
‘What does it matter, it’s just good not to have stress. That sunbae probably wouldn’t participate properly in the team project anyway, so it worked out well.’
That was true. The person Habin only referred to as ‘that sunbae’ was somewhat famous among the upperclassmen. As someone who only slacked off during team projects.
“Ah, no way.”
A certain post flashed through Hyeonwon’s mind in a brief moment, unable to understand no matter what. The so-called anecdotes of the obsessive guy, the things Habin’s boyfriend might have done.
“Mm?”
At Habin’s action of tilting his head asking if something was wrong, Hyeonwon quickly shook his head and rubbed his goosebump-covered forearm.
* * *
When Habin’s class ended, the time for their appointment with Baek Han approached, so they immediately headed to the meeting place. When they arrived near the restaurant and left a message for Baek Han, a reply came back saying he was already inside, so Habin took Dojin and entered the restaurant.
“Hey, over here.”
When he turned his head at the somewhat rough but very familiar voice, Baek Han was raising his arm and waving it gently. Happy to see a face he hadn’t seen in a while, Habin approached him with a bright smile.
“Long time no see. You know your contact has been too sparse lately, right?”
“You’re exactly the same though.”
He laughed off Baek Han’s absurd attitude. It was true, so he intended to gloss over it.
“Let’s sit first.”
Since it was floor seating, Dojin, who went up after taking off his shoes, laid out a cushion where Habin would sit.
“Is there an apron? It’s sky blue, so if broth splashes, it’ll be noticeable.”
Habin, who sat on the cushion and took off his outer clothes, stared intently at Dojin’s clothes. Since he hadn’t planned to eat something like seafood stew today, the color of his clothes was rather bright. Of course, it was better than white, but it would still look strange if it splashed.
“Let’s ask when the food comes out later.”
“You already ordered?”
“Yeah. We’re meeting to eat seafood stew anyway.”
At the words that there was only one thing to order anyway, so why wait, Habin readily agreed. As he said, there was no particular reason to wait.
“Then what about drinks?”
“Don’t worry. I ordered. Pineapple flavor, right?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Since they’d eaten out together not just for a day or two, he could know without being told. Habin wore a satisfied expression.
“So, what’s with the movie all of a sudden? Romance, at that.”
Dojin, who rolled up his sleeves, took out a pin from his coat pocket. Habin raised his head following the touch that grabbed his chin. After fixing Habin’s bangs with the pin, Dojin carefully arranged his hair before withdrawing his hand.
“It’s interesting. What can I do when they already watched it twice and talked about it all day? I have to watch it.”
“My goodness, so you couldn’t even respond because you didn’t know the content this whole time?”
“Well, yeah.”
Habin couldn’t hide his surprise and opened his mouth slightly.
“You should’ve watched it earlier.”
“Hey, this is early enough. It took a long time to decide.”
Well, in three years of high school, the three of them had gone to see movies many times, but there wasn’t a single romance genre among them. It was because Habin had rejected every romance recommendation Baek Han made, saying he fell asleep during romances.
For such a person to suggest going to see a romance movie for the reason of conversing with someone he was talking to romantically—it was a surprisingly remarkable thing.
“Then it would’ve been better to go with that person instead of with us.”
“That’s a bit…”
Baek Han showed a very unsatisfactory reaction to Dojin’s point. Since Habin was also thinking similarly to Dojin inwardly, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
“Why? It’s a good excuse for a date.”
“What if I fall asleep during that date?”
“Ah.”
“I’m different from Kwon Dojin, I’m not confident I won’t fall asleep watching a romance yet.”
“Why Dojin?”
“Why indeed, he watches movies that don’t even match his taste just fine. For the single reason that you’re watching.”
I’m not there yet.
At Baek Han’s firm answer, Habin’s cheeks reddened slightly. It was because he newly realized from Baek Han’s words that Dojin accommodated his tastes. Habin, who rubbed his cheek for no reason, let out a small cough.
“Well, anyway, even if you go with us, what good is it if you fall asleep? You won’t know the content.”
“I roughly know the content.”
“Hm? Then why go see it?”
If you know the content, can’t you just have a conversation based on that known content? In other words, there was no reason for Baek Han to go see a movie that wasn’t even his taste.
“…The parts they talk about are too detailed.”
“Oh my, I see.”
“Like how the female lead makes a certain expression and the emotional expression was so good, or how the male lead’s outfit was light at first but became more serious toward the latter half, or how the lighting in the beginning is cold but the lighting in the latter half has a warm yellow tint!”
“Uh-huh.”
“I haven’t seen the movie, so how would I know that? Every time they said things like that, I had no words to give so I had to keep my mouth shut.”
Baek Han, who seemed to have accumulated things, poured out words he’d clearly heard several times before. It seemed certain that the person Baek Han was talking to romantically had fallen head over heels for that movie. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to mention such minor details.
“One time won’t be enough.”
Dojin, who had been quietly listening to Baek Han’s words, shook his head. The Baek Han he knew didn’t have the delicacy to notice such detailed parts. More accurately, he wouldn’t catch it because he had no interest.
“What? Why?”
“Will you gain enough knowledge to have all those conversations from going once? When you have no interest in that movie?”
“That’s—”
“Well, as Dojin said, one time probably won’t be enough, right? Especially if you fall asleep in the middle, won’t it all be for nothing?”
At their pointing out, Baek Han, who became speechless, pressed his forehead.
“Your food is here. Please be careful, it’s hot.”
When a brief silence descended, the food happened to arrive. Habin’s face lit up at the smell of seafood stew brushing past his nose.
“Let’s eat first. Think about it later. It’ll work out somehow. Ah, could you also bring an apron?”
“Yes, I’ll bring it right away.”
Not forgetting to get an apron, Habin poured water into cups and distributed them. Matching that, when Dojin also distributed the utensils, Baek Han sighed deeply and picked up the ladle to serve appropriate amounts onto the side plates.
“Honestly, I don’t want to watch it twice. Watching it when I roughly know the content is already hard, but watching what I’ve already seen again?”
“Then there’s only one way.”
Habin, who diligently chewed and swallowed the crispy bean sprouts, received the mussel meat Dojin had shelled for him. Then, confirming that the staff member had come with the apron, he quickly received it and put it on Dojin.
“Look up the community.”
“Community?”
“Yeah. Since it’s a hit movie, there must be analysis posts or something, right?”
The world is wide and there are many movie enthusiasts. Though there would probably be more light fans, there would certainly be people who deeply dig into that movie like Baek Han’s romantic interest.
Baek Han getting a love interest? Good for him
it would be great if there was a side story that focused on baek han and his lover