# Chapter 49
“Well, just okay.”
At my brief answer, Maeng Moa’s eyebrow rose slightly. Somehow, I could almost hear his mockery in that gesture alone. I hadn’t even boasted about doing well, but his look seemed to say “You?” which irritated me.
I’m still his senior, yet his attitude is really unpleasant. In reality, I’m actually much older than him. Just as I was about to look at him with disapproval, I quickly shook my head when I realized I was naturally trying to establish hierarchy by age.
I’m already attending a school with a status system, and even though it can’t be helped, I almost displayed some old-fashioned tendencies. Maeng Moa looked at me questioningly as I shook my head while smiling self-deprecatingly.
Then he quickly turned his body toward the noisy field, where someone must have scored a goal. Though his expression became gloomy with boredom when he saw someone other than Moon Seoheon celebrating.
Had he been watching like this every time after regular classes ended? I always went straight back after classes finished, so I never had a chance to check, but seeing him like this, he seemed to have a severe infatuation.
I don’t want to get involved in their love affairs. But since it felt awkward to just stand alone blankly in the middle of the field, I called out to Maeng Moa.
“Hey, instead of standing here, let’s go sit on that bench over there.”
I didn’t want to go to the stands, so I pointed at a bench with the best view of the guys playing sports. After a moment of silence, Maeng Moa nodded.
“We’re sitting together?”
“Yeah. Or did you want me to just leave?”
I meant it as a given that I’d sit with him and wait until his car arrived, but Maeng Moa widened his eyes as if he’d never considered it.
“You said you wouldn’t play the game, so I thought you were planning to go home.”
“No, I said I’d wait with you until your car comes. It’s not like I’m deliberately avoiding the game.”
At my words, Maeng Moa moved toward the bench and spoke indifferently, almost mumbling.
“Nothing to do, thought you’d find it bothersome and leave…”
His trudging figure looked drained, with a flat expression suggesting he hadn’t really expected anything. I took a short breath in and out, then followed him and said:
“Would I just leave after making a promise? If we have nothing to do… we could just chat.”
After awkwardly blurting that out—even though I’d been at a loss for what to do moments ago—Maeng Moa chuckled slightly, apparently finding it amusing.
“Oh, so you actually keep your word once you’ve given it?”
Though his tone was light, I rubbed my chin, wondering why he would ask such a thing.
“Well, that’s only natural when you make a promise.”
At my casually spoken words, Maeng Moa stopped walking and just turned his head to look at me. It was that same seemingly mocking face I’d seen earlier, like when he heard my answer about the monthly evaluation.
This time I couldn’t hold back and gave him a sulky look as if to ask what his problem was. Maeng Moa laughed softly. He shrugged and plopped down on the bench like some idle rich youth.
“Then why did you say you couldn’t do the presentation with us?”
I flinched involuntarily at the sudden question. I sat down next to him nonchalantly, but I couldn’t answer immediately as I needed time to think.
I had assumed everyone would know since I’d already told Kwak Junhee, so I was a bit surprised to hear this question now. For a moment, I recalled Moon Seoheon’s reaction after hearing about it. Although he had nodded as if he understood, he seemed displeased.
There was nothing to be done about what had already passed, but I turned my head to look at Maeng Moa. He was looking straight ahead and didn’t appear upset or angry. In fact, his slightly upturned lips suggested he was in a good mood.
Although I had been forced into it from the beginning, I had indeed suddenly changed my mind. Swallowing a sigh that threatened to escape, I spoke in an awkward voice:
“It was uncomfortable to do it with you all.”
Maeng Moa’s gaze turned toward me after I repeated the same thing I’d told Kwak Junhee that day. Feeling somewhat embarrassed and uncomfortable with the whole situation, I kept looking straight ahead, and Maeng Moa soon turned his head back to its original position.
“Are we that uncomfortable to be around?”
This guy, coming in with another direct hit. I pressed my lips tightly to suppress the involuntary chuckle that was escaping.
“Well… honestly, it’s uncomfortable being with you all.”
So I also voiced my honest feelings without particularly hiding anything. I thought it would be better to respond in the same way to someone who charges forward like that. Especially for someone with a forceful personality like Maeng Moa, this approach seemed appropriate.
“Hmm… you don’t seem like the type, but you casually say what you want to say.”
“…It’s nothing compared to you.”
After hesitating, I sighed as I spoke, and Maeng Moa laughed loudly. His laugh sounded genuinely cheerful, making me look at him with a bewildered expression. Well, at least he doesn’t seem to be taking it badly.
“Then lunch today must have been really uncomfortable, right?”
“Well… yeah.”
Having stopped laughing, Maeng Moa asked in a light tone while still pulling at the corners of his mouth. His face continued to smile as if he was in a good mood, but his smile had changed subtly from before, altering his atmosphere. I’d say he became much more approachable? Perhaps that’s why I also felt a bit more comfortable.
Maeng Moa seemed to think I spoke without filtering my words, but from my perspective, that was already me being as careful as possible. If I had truly gone on a rampage without filtering, I would have spoken harshly without considering the other person’s feelings.
But I wasn’t lying outright either, so I wasn’t being insincere. If the other person claims they’ve been deceived, there’s nothing to be done about that.
Since coming here, I had found it difficult to maintain distance from people, but now that tense cord felt a bit looser. Maybe it was because I saw Moon Seoheon every day and encountered The Four almost as often, making me more accustomed to them.
Though it was surprising, Maeng Moa’s directness might actually be good for me.
“Then when I offered to drive you and have dinner, was that uncomfortable too?”
Just as Maeng Moa spoke, a strong sandy wind blew, causing him to brush back his flying hair. I lowered my head to avoid the sand hitting my face and ended up bumping into his head. I could bear the pain, but sand seemed to have gotten into my eyes, so when I closed them tightly and opened them again, I found our faces were close.
Our eyes met, and Maeng Moa furrowed his brow, perhaps because of the sandy wind. His face looked different from his usual smiling expression, making me stare at him for a moment.
The angle of his slightly tilted face, his furrowed brow, and his tightly closed lips created a distinct atmosphere, like a scene from a photo shoot. Looking at him like this, his aspiration to become an actor didn’t seem entirely far-fetched.
“Just uncomfortable.”
After the wind passed, I answered calmly, and Maeng Moa soon smoothed out his furrowed brow and turned his head.
Afterward, we watched the guys playing sports against the backdrop of a setting sun in the distance. Both of us sat quietly for a long time without saying anything.
How many minutes passed like that? Maeng Moa broke the silence and spoke again.
“By the way, what happened with the hyungs?”
“Huh?”
When I turned my head as if to ask what he meant, he folded his arms and looked at me, just moving his eyes.
“No. I misspoke. Sunbae Junhee is naturally nice to others, so that makes sense. But when did you get close with Hyoin hyung and Sunbae Seungha?”
Once again, I was at a loss for words. It wasn’t that I needed to organize my thoughts before answering, but I was literally speechless with disbelief.
Me, close with Jung Hyoin and Byeon Seungha? What nonsense is that? I squinted at him in disbelief, and Maeng Moa raised his eyebrows.
“What’s wrong?”
His expression genuinely seemed to ask what the problem was. I swallowed dryly, wondering how to handle this.
“Well… saying I’ve gotten close with those guys… that’s absurd.”
“What’s absurd about it? I said that because you seem to have gotten closer.”
“Based on what exactly?”
“You were talking with Hyoin hyung during lunch today too.”
When did I have any conversation with him? I couldn’t recall anything like that, so I found it puzzling.
“Well, rather than saying you had a conversation, it’s more that Hyoin hyung responded to you. That hyung usually ignores or doesn’t pay attention to anyone except Seoheon hyung or us.”
“Hmm…”
Was that so? Even if it was, how does that indicate we’ve gotten closer just because he responded a little? I was about to open my mouth, wondering how his thinking led in that direction, when Maeng Moa tilted his head.
“It’s also strange that Byeon Seungha sunbae keeps asking questions about you.”
My body jerked momentarily. Hiding my unease, which felt like my palms were sweating, I forced myself to ask:
“What does Byeon Seungha ask about me?”
“…He’s not asking me, but he keeps asking Seoheon hyung what he’s been doing with you.”
“Ah…”
How annoying. At Maeng Moa’s quiet murmur, the corner of my mouth rose awkwardly. Seeing my bitter smile, he asked boldly:
“Did something happen at Ace? I heard you two were together that day.”
“…I guess you guys don’t really talk about personal stuff.”
Rather than telling him everything that happened that day, I first asked what I was curious about.
Regarding what happened in the bathroom, Byeon Seungha didn’t exactly let it go, but rather left me alone with a “wait and see” attitude. I found it strange that he really didn’t tell the others anything about it. My feelings were complicated rather than relieved.
“Personal stuff? Well… he’d talk if he wanted to, but… he’s definitely not one to share much. Is there a need to talk about it?”
“Well, that’s true.”
I laughed softly in agreement. Even among friends, there’s no need to share every little detail. Moreover, those four were in competition over Moon Seoheon, so despite appearing close on the surface, they might not be.
“So?”
“Ah, I just made a mistake with Seoheon… and when Byeon Seungha found out, it seems to have bothered him.”
So I corrected his misunderstanding, clarifying that we hadn’t gotten closer; Byeon Seungha was just unilaterally wary of me.
At that, Maeng Moa frowned and looked at me.
“What mistake did you make with Seoheon hyung? You apologized, didn’t you?”
Fortunately, he didn’t ask for more details about what happened with Byeon Seungha, but something else seemed to bother him.
What Maeng Moa was referring to was the embarrassing public apology from my first day here. It seemed he was upset, thinking I might have done something harmful to Moon Seoheon again, but at this point, there was nothing to hide, and it felt easier to open up. So I smiled reassuringly at him.
“I almost did something terrible but stopped. I’ve already talked to Seoheon separately, and I don’t plan to do anything like that again.”
When I spoke in a rather light tone, Maeng Moa took a deep breath and exhaled. Thinking he might be angry, I stared at him blankly, but he just furrowed his brow.
“You’re quite honest, aren’t you?”
“…It’s better than lying.”
When I laughed emptily and answered, he raised his eyes and shrugged. Fortunately, he didn’t get angry and seemed to agree with what I said.
“Sometimes you seem interesting, sometimes not so much…”
At his self-talk evaluating me, I just kept my mouth shut, not knowing whether I should be pleased or not. As if he didn’t care about my reaction, he continued:
“You seem somewhat afraid of us but act like it’s nothing… you know what?”
What? Maintaining my composure, I turned my gaze to him, and he grinned.
“It’s so obvious that you dislike us, but you don’t show jealousy and don’t try to make a good impression either, so it makes me want to keep watching you.”
“…”
“I’m telling you this because you stayed with me.”
Maeng Moa checked his phone as if checking the time, then stood up.
“They say the car has arrived. Let’s go.”
