Thunk!
Reflexively turning his body to catch what was flying at him, Yumyeong’s eyes widened slightly when he saw what had landed in his hands.
For a split second, he thought this bastard was finally trying to assassinate him by throwing a book or something, but what he was holding was a heavy winter jacket.
“Put it on before you go.”
Hakyoung gestured with his chin.
“Ah, I don’t need it.”
Yumyeong grumbled. The moment he made a motion to throw it back, Hakyoung scraped his chair as he stood up. And then, before Yumyeong could grab him, he swept out of the classroom first.
“What the? That bastard…”
Even as Yumyeong grumbled, he habitually slipped his arms into the jacket. Along with the warmth he hadn’t expected, a pleasant scent he couldn’t quite define enveloped the tip of his nose. As the generous fabric wrapped around his body, somehow his heart softened along with it.
***
Although Hakyoung had even given him money for the hospital, Yumyeong naturally didn’t go to the hospital.
The brief cold vanished completely as if he’d never been sick. His ankle also had an annoyingly aching part, but while running down the stairs to eat dinner, he realized it didn’t hurt at all.
Going to the hospital would only end in physical therapy that may or may not help anyway. Since he got better before going to the hospital, it was like saving money.
Excited about the 100,000 won windfall, Yumyeong ordered late-night snacks that night. He was planning to eat pizza to his heart’s content for the first time in a while.
Of course, outside food after roll call time was prohibited. To successfully bring in outside food, they needed at least one person to keep watch, one person to block the CCTV, and at least two people to slip out through the first-floor window and receive the food from over the wall.
“Who wants free pizza?”
To gather people, Yumyeong flung open other room doors and asked that. Before visiting even three rooms, volunteers swarmed in and he was able to secure an appropriate number of people. Yumyeong gathered his collaborators and assigned tasks to his friends appropriately.
And an hour later, Yumyeong was able to lie comfortably on his bed and have hot pizza delivered.
“Yumyeong, delivery’s here!”
“Didn’t get caught?”
“Of course not! Like this is our first time?”
Yumyeong got up from his bed, satisfied.
There were five pizzas total, and five people gathered. Yumyeong and his friends each devoured one pizza. High school boys’ appetites are tremendous, and even after eating cafeteria food, for kids whose stomachs would be empty again after turning around, the dormitory would distribute bread as a snack before roll call. However, that barely made a dent.
Thanks to this, most of the allowance parents sent to students was spent on late-night snacks or special weekend meals like this. Pizza ordered by pooling pocket money would normally mean eating only one or two slices per person. However, today, thanks to Yumyeong who had ordered five whole pizzas for some reason, they could order enough to eat their fill.
His friends shed tears of gratitude and shouted their loyalty to Yumyeong. As they drank the accompanying cola like alcohol, the excitement grew. The kids drunk on carbonation chattered away deep into the early morning. It was even the weekend tomorrow.
The next day, Yumyeong overslept due to the aftermath of last night.
“Ugh…”
When he opened his eyes, the state of the room was terrible. The guys who had been rubbing their hands together and flattering him while eating pizza had finished eating and then skipped out on cleanup, acting like it had nothing to do with them.
“Petty bastards.”
Yumyeong, who had gotten up, stretched his stiff body. Hanju, who had participated in the pizza party the day before, seemed to have gone home for the weekend. Since Hanju’s family home was relatively close, he always applied to go out on weekends.
In the empty room, Yumyeong rubbed his eyes and counted the remaining money. After ordering pizza yesterday, 5,700 won remained.
It was when he had thrown that money onto the bed and flopped down.
Knock knock knock.
A small but firm knocking sound was heard. Yumyeong looked at the door.
Is it the dorm supervisor?
If so, it was dangerous. The room still reeked of pizza. If the dorm supervisor came in, they’d immediately catch on that he’d eaten outside food.
He jumped up and was gathering the packaging scattered on the floor when the knocking sound came again behind his back.
“Who is it!”
Yumyeong stuffed the trash into a plastic bag with quick hand movements. When you’re in your second year of dorm life, you become a pro at this sort of thing. He threw the trash bag to the second tier of the bed, which was a blind spot from the door, and quickly opened the veranda window for ventilation.
Then he deliberately messed up his hair, staggered as if he’d just woken up, and approached the door.
“Who…”
As soon as he opened the door at an angle, he locked eyes with an unexpected person.
“What, it was you?”
Yumyeong made a deflating sound and pushed the door with the back of his hand.
The uninvited guest standing at the door, Hakyoung, was silently looking down at Yumyeong.
“Are you staying over too?”
“Why didn’t you eat breakfast?”
Hakyoung answered a question with a question. Yumyeong raised his eyebrows because of Hakyoung suddenly looking after his breakfast. Perhaps interpreting that reaction somehow, Hakyoung cast his eyes down and quietly added.
“I didn’t see you at meal time.”
“Ah… I overslept.”
“Do you have a fever again?”
At that simple question, Yumyeong felt a discomfort that was hard to express in words. He wasn’t used to having someone ask if he was sick, and the cognitive dissonance came from the fact that it was Ryu Hakyoung, who had been growling at each other with him until yesterday. It was so awkwardly embarrassing that he got goosebumps and even felt the impulse to push the other person away for a moment.
“Let me see.”
But Hakyoung went a step further. One long leg suddenly came through the open doorway and quickly closed the gap. When Hakyoung’s hand was about to touch his forehead, Yumyeong finally executed the thought he’d had just moments ago.
Thwack!
The hand he unconsciously extended forcefully swatted away Hakyoung’s hand in midair.
With his hand that hadn’t reached the forehead still raised, Hakyoung looked down at Yumyeong a bit stupidly. As the atmosphere instantly became stiff due to his peculiar behavior, Yumyeong deliberately scowled hard.
“What the hell. I think I’m going to get hives. Why are you suddenly pretending to be kind? It’s so fucking hard to adjust to.”
At those words, Hakyoung bristled and sneered as usual.
“I’m originally kind.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“Yeah. You think I’m giving you special treatment?”
“I’m relieved if not.”
Only then did Yumyeong feel reassured by the atmosphere returning to normal. Hakyoung looked down at him with an ambiguous expression as he was grinning again. As if further explanation was needed, Yumyeong opened his mouth.
“I don’t have a fever.”
“Then…”
“I originally don’t eat breakfast well. I prefer sleeping more.”
So there was no need to worry. However, contrary to Yumyeong’s words, a growling sound rumbled from his empty stomach. Hakyoung’s gaze went down to Yumyeong’s flat stomach and came back up. The moment their eyes met, Yumyeong shamelessly retorted, “What are you looking at?”
“Ha… Let’s talk after you eat.”
Hakyoung sighed, grabbed Yumyeong’s wrist, and forcibly dragged him out of the room. Making a “huh?” sound, being dragged along happened in an instant.
***
The place they arrived at, led by Hakyoung, was the cafeteria.
Since it was true that he was hungry, Yumyeong picked up a tray and got his meal served without complaint. Then he chose a seat by the leisurely window side, a weekend privilege.
The cafeteria was located on the first basement floor, but there were stairs leading outdoors, and large windows stretched along them, so the lighting was very good.
Yumyeong, who had secured a seat first, stared blankly out the window for a moment while waiting for Hakyoung. As the noon light poured in at an angle, the boy’s iris shone transparently.
Then suddenly Yumyeong raised his eyes. Across from him, Hakyoung, who had just brought his tray, was standing and looking down at him.
“You bastard, you’re slow.”
Even at the criticism, Hakyoung cast his eyes down without responding.
“Did Sunmin go home?”
Yumyeong asked with a sly grin for no reason.
“Otherwise, what reason would you have to eat with me? Are you the type who can’t eat alone?”
“…”
Instead of answering, Hakyoung quietly glared at Yumyeong before starting to eat. The reaction was boring. Soon Yumyeong also obediently picked up his chopsticks.
After a moment, at random timing, Hakyoung opened his mouth.
“You take people’s actions too literally.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I just brought you because you might be hungry.”
“You think I’m a kid?”
“You like things like pizza instead of meals, so you are a kid.”
Yumyeong was about to flare up but stopped. It seemed he’d noticed the pizza party that had taken place in his room yesterday. The thought that of all people, this annoying guy had caught him made him naturally frown. Yumyeong quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening, then threatened him quietly.
“…If you tell the dorm supervisor… you’re dead?”
“Huh.”
Hakyoung snorted as if daring him to try killing him. Since it didn’t work at all, Yumyeong used a different method.
“When Sunmin comes back, I should suggest the two of us go to McDonald’s…”
“Don’t.”
At the immediate reaction, Yumyeong became pleased. Hakyoung had stopped using his chopsticks and was firmly warning Yumyeong with his eyes. Of course, he had no intention of actually doing that, but it was fun because the guy was reacting like a fish flopping around.
Come to think of it, this was the first time the two of them had sat facing each other to eat. Yumyeong noticed that Hakyoung ate very neatly. Even his chopstick handling gave off the feeling of being well-raised.
‘He’s fine except for not talking.’
Still, he was much better than the type who talk so much they show everything in their mouth. Hakyoung seemed slow in all his movements as if composed, but there was no waste in his actions. Economical and refined gestures, you could say. That demure demeanor matched his pretty face, making even just watching him eat a pleasant sight.
It was when Yumyeong, who had finished eating first, was leaning back loosely in his chair drinking water. Hakyoung opened his mouth again.
“You might not worry about people when you hate them because your personality is bad, but I’m not like that.”
“…Huh?”
“This morning. I was worried you might be sick again.”
