Winter
No sooner had he thought it had gotten a bit chilly than the weather turned cold. The weather that had dropped below zero was hard to handle with just a school uniform, so everyone was wearing at least one outer garment. Seo Eunho was the same. It was thanks to Tae Shinwoo, who had insisted on giving him his clothes even though he didn’t particularly need them.
‘Sleep well.’
Recalling what the bastard had said while giving him the clothes made him laugh in disbelief. Of course, it wasn’t wrong. At least it was much better than telling him to do well on the exam.
So today was already the last day of final exams. Seo Eunho had slept the entire time he was taking the exam, just as Tae Shinwoo had said. Enough to get sick of sleeping.
By the way, why was time passing so quickly? A few days after this exam ended, he’d be facing winter break. This year felt like it had passed especially swiftly.
When he’d wished to become an adult quickly, time had flowed slowly, but now when he was trying to fully enjoy his daily life with Tae Shinwoo, it was passing by in a flash—it even felt a bit unfair.
“……”
He wished it would just flow a little slower.
The end of the contract period had really come right up close. Though it was a contract that had lost its meaning now, he still felt restless. He had no intention of working part-time. Tae Shinwoo had threatened him not to, and he himself didn’t want to have time with Tae Shinwoo stolen away by working.
Even the time spent at school felt precious……
Seo Eunho scribbled anything with a marker pen on the exam paper in front of him. It was closer to a drawing than words, but if you considered it a drawing, you couldn’t tell what it was. Either way, it didn’t matter much. As long as he didn’t touch the answer sheet where he’d filled in all the answers less than 5 minutes after the exam started.
By the way, was Tae Shinwoo diligently solving problems?
At the sudden thought, Seo Eunho pointlessly read the exam questions carefully. However, he soon shook his head and went back to doodling. He’d solved one or two problems at the beginning anyway, so that was satisfactory enough.
Seo Eunho, who had even given up on reading the questions, properly settled into resting his chin on his hand. Then he used the exam paper as a notebook and wrote down whatever came to mind.
[Ahjumma… photo… why?]
Having decided to believe Tae Shinwoo’s words, what he unconsciously wrote down was another question about the woman. It seemed it was because he still couldn’t accept it.
If you looked closely, there were no holes in Tae Shinwoo’s words. If he had to find one, it would be that the woman had immediately pointed to Tae Shinwoo as the one behind ruining her work and came looking for him? But if you wanted to know, couldn’t you find out somehow? There was also the possibility that Tae Shinwoo hadn’t hidden himself. If it was him, he would have blatantly interfered with the woman and more. So it was ambiguous to call it a hole.
The woman had demanded money from Tae Shinwoo and Tae Shinwoo had given her money. It didn’t seem like it would have been a difficult process. So was that why talk of a sponsor and holding tight came from the woman’s mouth? Though he didn’t know, it seemed the woman already knew that he was receiving money from Tae Shinwoo.
First of all, she would have known that he wasn’t working separately. He’d said with his own mouth that he was staying at Tae Shinwoo’s house. Though he hadn’t revealed his name, since there was only one person he hung around with, anyone could quickly notice with just a little observation. In that regard, it wasn’t particularly strange that the woman had described Tae Shinwoo that way.
Seo Eunho rubbed his face and took a deep breath. He was tired of repeating thoughts he’d already had several times. What answer was he expecting? Did he desperately want to obtain the answer that Tae Shinwoo was hiding something?
If not for that, there was no reason to recall the woman’s voice and look at that photo whenever he had a chance.
[Tae Shinwoo]
Tae Shinwoo’s name was written at the very bottom of the exam paper. Seo Eunho stared at it as if it were Tae Shinwoo’s face.
“Ha……”
Soon he shook his head from side to side with a short sigh. It was pointless suspicion. Wasn’t this the same as believing the woman’s words more than Tae Shinwoo’s?
Seo Eunho put down his pen and laid his face down on the desk. It was something not worth thinking about. There was no way Tae Shinwoo had deceived him. It was clearly the spite of a woman who, despite making all sorts of efforts while clinging to his father in that cramped house, hadn’t obtained the results she wanted. What she’d said to him must have come out because she regarded all people as the same kind.
Let’s stop thinking about this now. There were plenty of other things to think about. For instance, the fact that the debt he owed Tae Shinwoo had increased again.
How much had Tae Shinwoo given that woman? Though his own will wasn’t involved, Seo Eunho wanted to repay that money to Tae Shinwoo. It wasn’t money Tae Shinwoo should have to give. Since it was something that happened because of his father, if he was going to take responsibility, it should properly be him.
When he squeezed his eyes shut to erase the frustrating thoughts, he could hear the sound of exam papers being turned and pens scratching. Seo Eunho decided to try to sleep instead of thinking more about things he couldn’t solve right away. The small sounds heard in the silence were the best lullaby.
***
Seo Eunho woke up not only after the exam, but after homeroom was finished too. It was thanks to no one caring whether he slept or not. If the classmate who was about to lock the classroom door and leave last hadn’t shaken him awake, he probably would have slept even longer.
“Why are you so late……”
Or he would have woken up only after Tae Shinwoo, who had been waiting in front of the central staircase as usual, came directly to his classroom. Having such an idle thought, Seo Eunho waved his hand dismissively.
“I fell asleep.”
“……”
Last night too, Tae Shinwoo hadn’t returned to his own home. The bastard now occupied one side of the bed and slept as if it were natural. Had that particularly bothered him yesterday? Otherwise, unless he’d tossed and turned and couldn’t sleep properly, even though he’d gone to bed fairly early, he couldn’t have slept this soundly.
Of course, saying he couldn’t sleep because Tae Shinwoo was sleeping next to him was nothing but an excuse. Because once he fell asleep, he tended not to wake up easily. It was just an excuse he’d thought to attach because he was embarrassed about sleeping until everyone had gone home. Instead of making excuses, Seo Eunho just lightly rubbed his innocent nape.
“Did you wait long?”
Tae Shinwoo was just staring intently at such a Seo Eunho, to an almost excessive degree. Was he protesting that he’d waited long? Why was he looking like that? Wondering, Seo Eunho looked at the bastard the same way.
But the two people’s gazes didn’t meet. Because Tae Shinwoo’s gaze subtly slipped past to rest on Seo Eunho’s cheek.
“What. Did I get something on me?”
Did I drool? At Tae Shinwoo’s subtly relaxed face, Seo Eunho quickly raised his hand to try to rub around his mouth. Heat rose to his face, making it feel hot. Because it was quite an embarrassing sight just to imagine.
“No.”
But Seo Eunho’s hand was immediately caught by Tae Shinwoo. The bastard was laughing without hiding his pleased mood at all.
“There’s a red mark left.”
“Ah……”
“Don’t rub it. It’ll get redder.”
Seo Eunho furrowed his eyebrows and pressed his lips tightly. Unfortunately, he didn’t believe it at all. Because anyone could see it was a face that was hiding something.
What got on me?
Since asking Tae Shinwoo probably wouldn’t get him a proper answer anyway, Seo Eunho strode past the bastard toward the nearby bathroom. A short sigh of “Ah” could be heard from behind him. It was in a quite regretful tone, so Seo Eunho’s steps naturally quickened.
“……Fuck.”
The moment he entered the bathroom like that and finally faced the mirror, an irritated sound burst from between Seo Eunho’s lips. At the same time, his already red face heated up even more, enough that it wouldn’t be strange if it exploded right then.
It would have been better if he’d drooled.
Rather than having Tae Shinwoo’s name, which he’d scrawled on the exam paper, stamped exactly as is on his face.
Seo Eunho turned on the water at the sink without delay. In the meantime, Tae Shinwoo, who had approached and stood next to him, let out a grumbling voice.
“I liked that though.”
“Shut up.”
Ice-cold water poured over Seo Eunho’s face. Behind Seo Eunho, who was repeatedly washing his face, words still tinged with dissatisfaction continued to flow.
“I liked it because it was like advertising that you’re mine.”
Seo Eunho didn’t answer at all. He was just busy looking in the mirror and erasing Tae Shinwoo’s name carved on his cheek. At least it was fortunate it was a water-based marker. Tae Shinwoo’s name was gradually fading.
“Did you not even look at the exam and just think about me?”
“I told you to shut up.”
I should have looked in the mirror just once before coming. No, if something like this was written on my cheek, say something. The undeserved sparks flew even to the classmate who had kindly woken him up.
Seo Eunho vigorously rubbed the now completely disappeared mark and then shook off the moisture. To such a Seo Eunho, Tae Shinwoo held out a wad of tissues. How kind of him. Seo Eunho took the tissues the bastard handed over and rubbed his face. Without even making eye contact with Tae Shinwoo.
“I’m kind of touched right now.”
“Ugh, just……!”
“I was moved too. Why are you so embarrassed?”
Seo Eunho’s face flushed red and blue. After roughly drying the moisture from his face and shoving the tissue into the trash can, Seo Eunho carelessly shook his hair. As he shook it, cold water dripped off in droplets.
“Now even the few hours we’re apart at school feel regrettable, right? Should I ask to be put in the same class next year?”
Regardless. Having caught him, Tae Shinwoo was very excited. Unfortunately, everything he said was right. Because he’d really thought that even the few hours apart at school felt precious.
What filled Seo Eunho’s mind throughout class was always Tae Shinwoo. Earlier he’d had other worries, but even without that, Seo Eunho only thought about Tae Shinwoo all day. Both when he was next to him and when he wasn’t.
Was Tae Shinwoo the same? Seo Eunho was suddenly curious. Probably so. Very specific plans were flowing from Tae Shinwoo’s mouth now, too detailed to say he’d just suddenly thought of it from seeing Tae Shinwoo’s name carved on his cheek.
“Class 1 would be better, right? That’s closest to the entrance. And close to the school gate too.”
Seo Eunho, who had been about to leave the bathroom, burst out laughing. Just how far had he thought?
One side of his chest felt tight, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. Seo Eunho cleared his throat with a cough and looked at Tae Shinwoo. Tae Shinwoo, who had been chattering away, had his mouth closed since Seo Eunho wasn’t giving any answer.
“You’re right.”
Seo Eunho answered briefly and nodded. It wasn’t an answer to Tae Shinwoo’s words, but an answer to his own question.
An answer to a question with a predetermined answer: shouldn’t he stop postponing properly expressing his feelings, shouldn’t it be better to just say as the bastard wanted that he liked him, that he was only thinking of him?
Whether he’d gone crazy from embarrassment, or whether he’d been waiting for a day to be caught so blatantly like this. He didn’t know what it was, but quite commendable courage was suddenly welling up.
He felt like he should say it now. Since it had come to this anyway. Was there a need to specifically deny that he’d been thinking of him? Wouldn’t it be better to just pour out his feelings to the bastard right now?
Seo Eunho arbitrarily reached a conclusion and opened his lips. Once he’d made up his mind, all the hesitation he’d had until now disappeared without a trace.
“Ha…… Originally I was going to say it after that contract period ended…… Yeah, well. Since it’s come to this anyway,”
“Uh, about that. I’m thinking it might be better to hold back a bit more.”
However, Seo Eunho’s courage quickly fizzled at Tae Shinwoo suddenly cutting him off and making a troubled expression. Tae Shinwoo would know what he was trying to say. There had been the conversation they’d just had, and the only thing he should say but kept not saying was those words that he liked the bastard.
But why was he stopping him? Had Tae Shinwoo not been mentally prepared after all? Following his jumping emotions, idle thoughts arose.
“I don’t expect mood from you, but……”
“Mood?”
Tae Shinwoo reached out and touched Seo Eunho’s cheek. On the hand that quickly fell away, there was tissue that hadn’t completely fallen off.
“Confessing in a school bathroom with tissue scraps stuck to your face isn’t quite right.”
At the words mixed with laughter, Seo Eunho finally looked around. Without even needing to check, it really was a school bathroom. One he’d walked into with his own feet just moments ago.
“Ah……”
His face suddenly heated up before he knew it. Seo Eunho bit his lower lip and then dropped his gaze from Tae Shinwoo. Indescribable embarrassment was rushing in.
“Rather, if it’s going to be like this, wouldn’t it be better to do it in the bathroom at home…… ngh!”
“Get lost. Don’t talk to me.”
Seo Eunho smacked the arm of Tae Shinwoo, who was playfully bringing his body close. He’d sublimated embarrassment into violence. Seo Eunho left the bathroom with quick steps and went straight out of the school.
“That had too much feeling in it though, Eunho-ya.”
Behind such a Seo Eunho, a voice that seemed aggrieved yet tinged with laughter could be heard. Though he didn’t look back, a small smile also settled on Seo Eunho’s lips. Though his face was ripely red.
I’d just made up my mind.
Seo Eunho swallowed a sigh while shaking out his still moisture-filled hair again. Though they weren’t words to just blurt out in a school bathroom, he felt quite regretful about the commendable courage that had quickly disappeared.
