All the kids walking around the hallway were dressed strangely. What’s this? Is something happening that I don’t know about? Am I still dreaming? Did I possess someone else again?
As soon as I entered the hallway, I was startled and looked around, then carefully walked toward my cabinet. I was the only one wearing normal clothes, so I stood out instead. Feeling like glares were pouring on me for some reason, just when I was being self-conscious, someone called me.
“July, you came like that?”
“…Why?”
It was Sandy, who I had talked to a few times because our classes overlapped. Her clothes were strange too. I quickly looked down at myself. Jeans with a sweatshirt, jacket and sneakers—I thought it was a safe outfit, but was it not good? As my expression darkened with no confidence, Sandy burst out laughing.
“No, that’s not it! Today is Pajama Day!”
“Pajama Day?”
“Yeah. The day to wear pajamas. This is what I really wear when I sleep.”
Sandy pointed to her clothes as she spoke. She was wearing a long pink cotton dress with colorful hearts, a fluffy headband, and slippers that anyone could see were for indoor use. The surroundings were the same. Someone had even somehow fixed a pillow behind their head.
“I didn’t know. So it was that kind of day.”
“Yeah. Everyone wore them except you? Ah, even that kid.”
Sandy pointed with her chin at someone just turning the corner. It was Harper. Harper was wearing a fluttery silk dress that came to her knees, and instead of a headband, had a sleep mask draped on her head. But for sleeping attire, her hair was too curly and her makeup was too heavy. Even for Harper, she wouldn’t sleep in a state 100% perfectly prepared to show others like that.
Staring blankly that way, I made eye contact with Harper. Harper snorted with laughter, then pulled up the corners of her mouth, slightly raised one shoulder, and crossed her fingers in motion. It seemed like her own greeting.
“Jun, it’s been a while. But you came like that? Surely you don’t sleep dressed like that?”
At Harper’s slightly furrowed eyebrows, I felt a bit deflated, feeling like the most clueless person in the world.
“I don’t sleep dressed like this, but… I didn’t know. That today was that kind of day.”
“It’s written on the wall.”
Harper pointed somewhere with her chin. There was a poster stuck there. I thought it was just decoration, but it seemed to have a purpose.
“Anyway, wear it properly tomorrow. I hate people who ruin events.”
Only after Harper turned and disappeared did I ask the question quietly to Sandy standing next to me.
“What clothes should I wear tomorrow?”
“Silly clothes.”
“What’s that?”
“Not knowing what that is is what’s silly.”
Sandy shrugged.
* * *
Even the teachers wore pajamas, so all day I was under the illusion that I might have come to the wrong place instead of school. Everyone was so enthusiastic about the event that every person I ran into was wearing pajamas. I heard “Do you really sleep dressed like that?” so many times. Really, so many times! It was enough to drive me crazy.
“July, what’s with your outfit?”
“…David, even you.”
Even that David Evans was wearing pajamas under his football jacket. What’s with my outfit! I’m the normal one! Do you know how many times I heard that today? I almost yelled. Because I was getting neurotic.
“Is that your pajamas?”
“Yeah.”
David ostentatiously pulled down the edge of his top. It was navy blue and looked like some sports team’s uniform.
“Is that a school uniform?”
“No. Don’t you know the Dallas Cowboys?”
“…I don’t know.”
“…Well, that can happen.”
It totally doesn’t seem like it can. His expression is saying how can you not know something like that.
“What kind of game does that team play? Ah, is it football?”
“Yeah, football.”
“Football…”
How would I, a Korean, know American football? I don’t even know why they play such a game. Everyone’s wearing helmets and protective gear, looking rough and scary.
“You don’t seem interested in football at all. Then do you like basketball?”
“…”
“Baseball?”
“…”
“…”
Should a guy like at least one sport? But it wasn’t because I was gay—I just wasn’t leisurely enough to pay attention to sports. Sports don’t appear in detail anywhere in the college entrance exam, mock exams, midterms, or finals. Of course, I did study for PE written tests and practice for PE performance assessments.
“What do you do for fun? No, what do you do when you have free time?”
David’s face said he truly didn’t understand. His room had various sports items like baseballs and basketballs besides football uniforms and balls.
“…Study?”
“…”
“If there are people who like sports like you, there have to be people who only study like me…”
But guiltily, I wasn’t studying that hard these days either. Still, looking back on my entire life, when I had leisure time, what did I do—thinking about it, it was only studying.
“You look troubled.”
“Yeah, a little.”
David, who had lowered both eyebrows, soon burst out laughing.
“July, I really can’t figure you out.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“It’s not a bad thing.”
David shrugged. If it’s not a bad thing, doesn’t that mean it’s not a good thing either? This bastard, making me seem weird just because I don’t watch sports.
“I’m going to watch something when I get home today too! Football, basketball, baseball, whatever.”
“Do you know the rules?”
“…I don’t. But I’m good at studying. I can study them!”
I solve difficult math formulas, so how could I not know one sports rule? I think I roughly remember what came up as questions in PE class! Basketball or soccer, put the ball in the goal! Baseball, throw the ball, fly it, catch it! Isn’t that all you need to know!
But David’s thoughts seemed completely different.
“Sports aren’t something you know through studying. You know them through here.”
David, who shook his head, suddenly made a serious expression. And he grabbed my hand and placed it on his chest. Thump, thump, thump. A slightly fast heartbeat could be felt beneath my palm.
“What…”
“It’s your heart beating.”
“Your heart beats fast when you exercise originally.”
I hurriedly hid the hand I quickly pulled from David behind my back and pulled my chin toward my body. A blunt tone came out for no reason.
“That’s not what I meant… If you’re curious, ask. Football, basketball, baseball, whatever. I know the rules for most sports.”
“What has the fewest people when playing?”
“Basketball? Because there’s only five people per team.”
“Then I’ll decide on basketball.”
Then there’ll be less to study too. Ah, but why do I suddenly have to study sports? I feel like I’ve been strangely caught up in something.
“Then want to watch an NBA game at my house? I’ll teach you.”
“Um… But, huh?”
I was about to refuse, saying I’ve been so busy lately. If I hadn’t seen the denim jacket that briefly passed among the kids in pajamas. When I slowly pulled my chin up, I saw a man a head taller than others.
“Jo…!”
For a moment I was so glad I almost waved my hand and called out to him, Joel. But Joel had told me to get lost when I came all the way to the lake. This morning, after I had committed the wrong of trespassing and ransacking his territory again. Like when I went to his house before and ran away after hitting some druggie. He must be even angrier at me. I slowly closed my outstretched hand and lowered my gaze.
As if noticing something strange about my behavior of beating the drum and playing the janggu by myself, David glanced behind him. He seemed to have spotted Joel too.
“There’s another person over there who didn’t follow the dress code.”
David chuckled quietly.
“July, fortunately you’re not alone.”
David, who turned his head back toward me, pointed at Joel with his thumb.
There was no way Joel, who didn’t come to school, would have known about this event that even I, who came to school every day, didn’t know about. No, even if he knew, he wouldn’t have participated in such a ridiculous thing. But even though Joel didn’t match the dress code, the gazes of others toward him seemed a bit excessive.
“Did you see this?”
“What?”
The girls nearby were whispering while looking at their phones, then glanced at Joel. And bzzzz! My phone in my pocket vibrated strongly.
**July!! Do you know Bluedale Saver??**
**I just found out there was such a thing!! I only found out after hearing other kids talking in the bathroom**
It was Bryan. Since he was a transfer student, it wouldn’t be strange that he just learned about the existence of Bluedale Saver.
**But that’s him right? I saw you talking to him a few times… Do you by any chance do ‘that’?**
But with ‘him’ and ‘that,’ he was saying something completely incomprehensible, so I clicked the link Bryan sent. As expected, it was the Bluedale Saver account, and the man in the new post was…
**Joel Gomez**
It was Joel. Under the photo, instead of the comments that were always there, only Joel’s name was written correctly. As if no other explanation was needed, as if the name ‘Joel Gomez’ alone was enough.
In that photo taken from a corner with black edges and out of focus, Joel seemed to be handing something to someone. Whoever that ‘someone’ was wasn’t captured. All that could be made out was Joel with a slightly frowning face.
Handing over and receiving things—that was an extremely ordinary thing. Moreover, what was contained in the paper bag looked truly ordinary. But as if it were a big deal, the reason Bluedale Saver uploaded that photo to the account was,
“As expected… a drug dealer.”
It must be because of Joel’s notoriety.
