“I appreciate it, but try posting an advertisement in front of the classroom. Girls will line up. Oh right… you said you like guys. Sorry, sorry. I keep forgetting.”
“Give it back.”
Hakyoung fiercely snatched the paper from Yumyeong’s hand and turned around. Then he crumpled the paper in his hand and threw it into the trash can!
Yumyeong’s mouth fell open silently at witnessing that extreme action.
It was hard to say whether it should be called aggressive or spiteful.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
*BANG!*
Yumyeong clicked his tongue at the violent outburst that shook the door.
“That temper… This is why young masters who’ve never been rejected even once are so exhausting.”
Yumyeong flopped back down on his bed.
The minimum number of members needed to establish a club was four, plus one supervising teacher. Although Hakyoung had only recently transferred, there were plenty of people, regardless of gender, who wanted to get close to him, so picking four from among them would be a piece of cake.
It was unexpected that he had specifically chosen to include him among those four.
‘I appreciate it, but still…’
Club activities required membership fees.
Yumyeong had also joined the basketball club in his first year. At his peak, he was so absorbed in basketball that it was as if he had rented out the gymnasium, but when his allowance was cut off, difficult moments quickly arrived. Every time they arranged matches with nearby schools, there were additional costs for uniforms and snacks.
He made excuses and skipped matches once or twice, and occasionally sold secondhand items for money, but it was impossible to keep it up consistently. On top of that, becoming at odds with Hwang Gyeongjin sunbae, who was also in the basketball club, and their relationship becoming uncomfortable also played a part. In the end, Yumyeong thoroughly headbutted those in the basketball club who had been picking fights with him over every little thing and quit.
‘Should I have explained that I don’t have money? He seemed to have his pride hurt.’
Even while thinking that, Yumyeong knew he ultimately wouldn’t say anything.
“As if I could say that…”
He let out a small sigh and slowly closed his eyes.
Before long, Yumyeong learned that Hakyoung had also invited Hanju to join the club.
“He came to me earlier with a club application form. He said he’s already found a supervising teacher. If it’s an astronomy club, it must be about doing various things with telescopes, right? But anyway, I really don’t know anything—will that be okay?”
There was somehow a sense of anticipation in Hanju’s voice as he said this. Yumyeong, who had been listening indifferently, asked Hanju across the desk with some surprise.
“What, are you going to do it?”
“Heheh, since he personally invited me…”
“You said you weren’t going to join any clubs. That studying time was too precious.”
“Well, that’s true, but,”
“Wow, what a betrayal. I said I’m not doing it.”
Yumyeong said, flopping back in his chair. Then Hanju made a strange sound as if even more surprised.
“Huh? You’re not doing it? How am I the betrayer? You’re the betrayer!”
“Put your hand on your conscience and ask yourself truthfully. Whether you’re really interested in astronomy. You have no interest in stars, you just want to network with that silver-spoon young master.”
“That’s not it!”
Hanju raised his voice sharply.
“It’s not like that. Of course, at first I thought he was someone living in a different world from me. I can’t deny that there are many materialistic people in this world who judge others based on their background, but I’m not that kind of person—rather, I felt a psychological distance.”
Yumyeong saw Hanju bristle at being poked and grinned, stepping back. When he conceded with ‘Alright, alright,’ Hanju said something unexpected.
“If we’re going to point fingers, this is all because of you anyway.”
“What?”
“Because you kept showing so much interest in Hakyoung.”
“Whaaaat?”
At those words, Yumyeong was utterly flabbergasted with his whole body. He expressed himself to the maximum extent possible, making a face that showed he absolutely could not accept this outlandish statement.
Hanju shook his head from side to side.
“Before, I didn’t really have much reason to talk to Hakyoung… but you’ve shown a ton of interest in Hakyoung from the start. Then thinking about it, I think we got really close during the exam period. Who do you think that’s all because of? Acting like it’s not you now.”
“…What did I do!”
Yumyeong shouted indignantly.
“Anyway, I’m going to do it. Think about it a bit too.”
Saying that, Hanju got into bed and pulled the covers over himself.
Hanju had recently really come to think that Hakyoung was an interesting friend.
The transfer student, who had seemed difficult to approach, actually had many warm and sensitive sides. Moreover, he unexpectedly had many fun aspects too, so his heart went out to him as a friend.
Ironically, if he had to name the first reason for this, it was thanks to Yumyeong.
Shin Yumyeong and Ryu Hakyoung. He couldn’t figure out how those two had ended up hanging around together like this.
Of course, saying they were close might still be a stretch. However, whenever Yumyeong came to his senses, he was always hovering around Hakyoung, and he was also desperate to get under the transfer student’s skin.
It was the same for Hakyoung. If he was really annoyed and disliked it, he could have just stayed away, but while giving the reaction Yumyeong liked—being disgusted at every little thing—he kept provoking the other to do worse things.
For example, it went like this.
“Hey, guys. Ryu Hakyoung apparently had a great love. How great must it be that he still can’t forget his first kiss from kindergarten? Let’s hear our innocent first-love boy’s story.”
Yumyeong would mock first like that.
Then Hakyoung would smile softly without a sound and rip up a book. His eyes weren’t smiling. Whether it was a textbook or a notebook full of notes, he would tear it up as he pleased, then carefully crumple the torn paper into a ball and throw it right at Yumyeong’s face in front of everyone’s attention.
“Ow.”
Yumyeong would be stunned by the unexpectedly low-level childish retaliation.
What came next was obvious without even looking. Yumyeong would start rampaging first. Between them, elementary school-level insults and mockery flew back and forth.
“What did you throw? You virgin bastard!”
“Then have you lost yours?”
“Yeah!”
“Disgusting.”
“What? Why is that disgusting?”
“Go away. You’re disgusting so don’t even touch me.”
When Hakyoung would recoil in disgust and back away, Yumyeong would suddenly become delighted and approach him. (Anyway, seeing how he liked it most when others shuddered, he was a guy with a nasty disposition.) Then he would reach out his hand and try to touch Hakyoung’s earlobe or nape as if molesting him.
“Hehe, I’m gonna touch you? I’m touching!”
“I warned you. Just come any closer. I’ll seriously…”
“You’ll seriously what? Try it, try it!”
“I’ll seriously kiss you.”
Then the mood would flip again. This time, it was Yumyeong who would turn pale and back away.
“Ah, shit wait… Go away, go away I said!”
“Why don’t you come here?”
Not wanting to get caught between the two, Hanju often just ignored them both.
When Hanju tried to stop these two, he would pretend to be neutral with words like ‘Why are you teasing him with stuff like that,’ but secretly he cheered for Hakyoung. Most people often got swept up by Yumyeong and lost their own pace, but he was never swayed at all.
On the surface, he seemed like a very quiet and calm personality, so he thought he would respond maturely or avoid Yumyeong’s childish teasing… But contrary to expectations, Hakyoung paid back exactly what he received, and sometimes acted even more childish than Yumyeong.
Hanju liked that side of Hakyoung. To be precise, it might be that he found it entertaining that Yumyeong’s natural enemy had appeared.
However, Hanju couldn’t honestly say in front of Yumyeong, ‘Watching you get pissed off is fun.’
There was another secret. Yesterday, he had been very excited to receive an unexpected club invitation from Hakyoung.
“I really don’t know anything, is that still okay?”
When Hanju asked that, Hakyoung nodded with his usual calm eyes.
“I like teaching other people. It’s fine even if you don’t know anything. I’ll help you with everything from one to ten.”
“Wow…”
At Hakyoung’s words, Hanju’s heart pounded and he found himself clutching his chest without realizing it. He instantly understood the feelings of the girls who blushed at him.
‘He’s really like a prince!’
Hanju wanted to live up to Hakyoung’s expectations.
He was the type to acquire most of his knowledge through text. Wanting to familiarize himself with at least some theory before starting full-fledged club activities, Hanju headed to the library as soon as he had time. Not wanting to be caught being this enthusiastic, he came alone after ditching Yumyeong.
“Oh? Hey. Hi?”
And there, Hanju unexpectedly ran into Sunmin.
On Sunmin’s table was a familiar piece of paper.
None other than an astronomy club application form!
Hanju’s voice immediately got louder.
“You got one too, what are you going to do?”
Sunmin seemed a little surprised to see Hanju suddenly speaking to him. After looking around, he soon answered.
“I got it this morning, so I’m still thinking about it.”
“Oh, really? I thought you’d definitely do it.”
Saying that, Hanju adjusted his glasses and sat down in front of Sunmin. And not just sitting—he opened the book he had brought from the shelf in front of Sunmin.
[Introduction to Astronomy]
Sunmin’s face stiffened slightly at seeing Hanju acting so casual. It seemed like Hanju was planning to read here.
It was lunch time now, and the library was usually empty around this time. The reason Sunmin came here was because he could be alone, away from other people’s gazes.
Within the school, there were rumors spreading, knowingly or unknowingly, that Lee Sunmin might like men. Those who actively bullied him were very few, and even that had stopped after he became Hakyoung’s roommate.
However, most students kept their distance from Sunmin, feeling an inexplicable discomfort even while thinking the truth of the rumors couldn’t be confirmed. Sunmin thought this was how ordinary people reacted, so he wasn’t particularly hurt. And therefore, it wasn’t something to particularly hate or grieve over.
Without realizing it, he had become overly accustomed to the unreasonable things that happened to him.
Still, when he was alone, having someone discover that he was alone was still very hard.
Even though his reputation couldn’t get any worse, he found it strange that he still had the desire to appear okay to others.
