# Chapter 62
The guys turned their heads as I picked up my bag. Somehow their gleaming eyes looked exactly like those of beasts, making my body flinch slightly.
Perhaps it was the combination of the sound of rain and the cold air that created a chilly atmosphere, causing my body to shrink even more.
I straightened my bent back nonchalantly. Seeing me pack my bag, Jung Hyoin called my name.
“Yoon Taeho, what are you doing?”
“Let’s continue next time. You’ve drawn plenty already.”
Jung Hyoin seemed to somewhat agree with my words as he checked his sketchbook. Rolling his eyes as if scanning through multiple croquis drawings, not just one, he alternately looked at me and at Moon Seoheon and Maeng Moa standing behind me.
Moon Seoheon had been silently staring at me with his arms folded. Maybe he was upset that I wanted to end things just as he arrived. His expression showed no change, so I couldn’t tell at all.
Instead, Maeng Moa spoke as if complaining:
“You’re ending it already? No, we just got here!”
That’s exactly why I want to end it. I swallowed the words I muttered inwardly and brazenly lied. It wasn’t a perfect lie—more like 10% truth.
“I’m feeling a bit feverish. I need to go home and rest.”
At my words, Maeng Moa sighed as if he couldn’t believe it. Moon Seoheon also raised his eyebrows, truly looking dumbfounded this time. Jung Hyoin was staring intensely at the sketchbook with furrowed brows, as if contemplating something.
Regardless of their reactions, I wanted to go home right now. After saying out loud that I wasn’t feeling well, I actually started to feel sick. I’d probably feel fine once I got home, but right now my body was genuinely trembling.
“Jeez, are you a jellyfish? Every time I turn around, you’re saying you’re sick.”
His follow-up comment, suggesting I was doing this on purpose, grew quieter—perhaps he felt sorry for me as he saw me shivering. I had no intention of correcting him, so I deliberately slouched my body.
Then, slinging my bag over my drooping shoulders, I looked directly at Jung Hyoin.
“You said you’d take me home, right? Let’s go.”
Jung Hyoin kept his word. I was secretly worried because he seemed somewhat rigid in some ways and might cancel his promise to give me a ride since I’d arbitrarily ended the croquis session without knowing when it would have finished.
Of course, this applied not only to Jung Hyoin but also to Maeng Moa and Moon Seoheon.
After deciding to go home, we finished cleaning up and left the art room. Maeng Moa kept grumbling that he hadn’t even gotten to see anything. But ignoring him, I went to the main building entrance and watched Jung Hyoin making a phone call to someone.
Soon, a woman driving a stylish foreign car introduced herself as Jung Hyoin’s older sister, and that’s when the problems began.
“Jaein noona, can’t you give me a ride too?”
“Moa, don’t you have to go to the company?”
“That’s exactly it. If a gorgeous, handsome noona with a sexy voice like you could take me there, I might even practice better. Can’t you?”
Maeng Moa batted his eyes and acted coquettishly. Wow, what’s that? I looked at Maeng Moa with an expression of disgust. I knew he wasn’t completely without aegyo, but was his level of cuteness different depending on who he was talking to? My mouth fell open at this flirtatious attitude I’d never seen from Maeng Moa before.
“No, you can’t.”
But Maeng Moa’s tactics didn’t seem to work as the woman named Jaein smiled sweetly and refused.
I glanced at Jung Hyoin’s sister. She resembled him so closely that even if I’d met her without knowing, I would have immediately recognized her as his sister. With neat blonde hair reaching her shoulders and dark yellow eyes, her striking features were similar to Jung Hyoin’s beautiful face.
Even her voice was husky yet sweet, making Maeng Moa’s flattery understandable—she exuded a unique charisma that flowed from her.
“Tch, then at least give me a ride while you’re taking Sunbae Taeho. I’ll tell Jihoon hyung to come there.”
Having failed with his aegyo, Maeng Moa immediately reverted to his usual self and clasped his hands behind his neck. The way he glanced at Jung Hyoin and me seemed like he was asking if that would be okay.
At this, Jung Jaein turned her gaze to me, who was just standing there watching.
Hmm, she made a low sound and looked me up and down with eyes that seemed to be appraising merchandise. Like brother, like sister—her gaze was quite blatant.
“I just came to look around my alma mater since I had nothing else to do, but this is interesting.”
What is? I couldn’t ask, but when I looked at her with a puzzled expression, she just smiled, pulling up the corners of her lips, and turned toward her brother.
“Is that friend the one who asked for a ride? I thought you meant Seoheon needed a ride, so that’s why I came.”
She seemed to be trying to speak quietly, but her voice was perfectly audible, making me blink. Jung Hyoin glanced at me briefly and then spoke to his sister. Somehow, there was a subtle annoyance in his voice.
“So why did you come instead of the driver?”
“Hey, he’s my secretary, not yours. You’re always trying to boss people around whenever you get the chance.”
Jung Hyoin simply turned his head, unfazed by his sister’s scolding, and headed toward the car. Jung Jaein snorted and turned back to look at me, Maeng Moa, and Moon Seoheon in order.
“Your name was Yoon Taeho, right? Get in the back. I’ll drive you home. Should I give Seoheon a ride too?”
“Yes.”
Moon Seoheon, who had been quiet all along, answered immediately. Maeng Moa, standing next to him, exclaimed in shock:
“What? Then me too! Take me too!”
“Hmm, I don’t know. My car has a maximum capacity of four people.”
“What are you talking about? It can easily fit five people.”
When Maeng Moa spoke as if he couldn’t believe it, Jung Jaein folded her arms and snorted loudly enough for him to hear.
“Our grumpy one doesn’t like it when the car is packed with people.”
At Jung Jaein’s words, Maeng Moa let out a quiet sigh. But the way he drooped his eyebrows, similar to his flirtatious expression from earlier, suggested he wasn’t ready to give up easily.
“So you’re just going to leave me dangling here all alone? It’s too much to take away my hyungs and leave me by myself.”
If someone who didn’t know better heard him talk like that, they might think he really wanted a ride. Knowing that it was just an act because he wanted to be with Moon Seoheon, I just smiled wryly and kept quiet.
Jung Jaein, with a reaction similar to mine, had a contemplative look on her face. Rather than debating whether to give him a ride, her expression suggested she was trying to figure out how to get rid of him.
Since Jung Hyoin was her real brother, of course she’d take care of him. But seeing that Moon Seoheon took priority over Maeng Moa, it seemed the high likability wasn’t limited to just the main characters. Judging by how they never even considered not giving Moon Seoheon a ride.
I glanced briefly at Moon Seoheon. He had a relaxed attitude, as if he didn’t really care whether Maeng Moa and Jung Jaein were squabbling or not. I wonder if maintaining that kind of mindset all the time was why he got bullied more. Since he never seemed intimidated or afraid, people probably picked on him more. He was already eye-catching, so I felt needlessly worried about him.
Though there hadn’t been any issues lately and nothing unusual seemed to be happening, I could have missed something, like last time.
“Then Hyoin, do you want to get out? You can come separately.”
At Jung Jaein’s words, I came to my senses and looked at Jung Hyoin. He was just about to open the car door. My prediction that she would unconditionally take care of her brother was wrong, as Jung Jaein’s expression remained calm as she nonchalantly excluded her own brother.
Of course, Jung Hyoin frowned, showing his annoyance. It was another new expression I was seeing today.
“No.”
After saying that, Jung Hyoin opened the back door and got in. Jung Jaein watched him settle in his seat without even having a chance to stop him, then shrugged and approached.
Before the door could close, Jung Jaein caught it and said:
“Why are you sitting in the back? Do you really think of me as your chauffeur just because I said I’d give you a ride?”
“…Put Seoheon in the front.”
“If someone’s sitting in the front, it should be you, idiot!”
Jung Jaein grabbed Jung Hyoin’s shoulder and started pulling him out. Maeng Moa approached the two and shouted:
“Hyoin hyung has many chances, so can I ride this time?”
“No.”
“Hey, get out.”
“I don’t want to.”
“This little shit is crazy.”
Starting with Jung Jaein, who finally cursed, Maeng Moa, who still hadn’t given up, continued to throw a tantrum. Meanwhile, Jung Hyoin was resisting by placing both arms on the entrance to avoid being pulled out.
“Ah, who cares where anyone sits.”
“I feel gross thinking about you sitting behind me!”
“Then how about I sit in the front? With Seoheon hyung and Taeho sunbae in the back.”
Haha, what a mess. I watched the three arguing with dull eyes, then checked the time. Several minutes had already passed since we arrived here. I was seriously considering just taking a taxi, when a group of students passed by.
“Wow… no way.”
“Isn’t that Sunbae Jung Jaein? This is my first time seeing her in person.”
Just as I was making up my mind to back out due to the whispering students passing by:
“Just now, Byeon Seungha seemed to be talking with his brother on the phone.”
“Sunbae Byeon Seungho? Is he coming here?”
“Are you stupid? How could he come here when he must be busy?”
Among the students chatting as they walked away, I was surprised to hear a familiar name, and Jung Jaein, who had been trying to pull Jung Hyoin out, suddenly turned around.
“What, Byeon Seungho is coming?”
Jung Jaein turned her head back and forth, then looked past me and straightened her posture. Her previously fierce expression instantly turned gentle.
“Oh? It’s Seungha. Hi, it’s been a while.”
I felt my body stiffen as my body hair stood on end. I swallowed the sigh that was about to escape, feeling his intense presence even without looking.
“What’s this?”
At the sound of Byeon Seungha’s voice from behind, I slightly turned my head to see him frowning as he looked around.
“I was in the area, and Jung Hyoin begged me to give him a ride home, so I came.”
“…With that fancy car?”
“Yes. Isn’t our grumpy one handsome?”
Byeon Seungha just raised an eyebrow without saying anything. Instead, his gaze was sullen as he looked at each of us one by one, as if something displeased him.
“If you’re taking Jung Hyoin, just hurry up and leave. What are you doing here? Do you think graduates can freely come and go as they please?”
“Ugh, that rudeness. Just like Byeon Seungho.”
Being compared to his brother seemed to upset him, as he suddenly scrunched his face. Maybe he’s the real grumpy one.
“Enough. If we cause more commotion here, the teachers will come.”
Jung Jaein flipped her hair and looked at Moon Seoheon and me.
“Kids, get in. Moa, you’re not alone anymore, so you can wait and go later.”
“What do you mean I’m not alone?”
“You have Seungha. Wait together or something.”
“Are you joking right now? What difference does it make if Sunbae Byeon Seungha is here?”
“What are you talking about? Fuck, I don’t want to either.”
With Byeon Seungha joining in, it truly turned into a battlefield. I stepped forward, feeling a headache coming on.
“I’ll just take a taxi. Please take Seoheon and Moa.”
I was about to add a word of thanks, but the others were quicker.
“No, why are you going, sunbae?”
“Didn’t you ask for a ride?”
“You don’t have an umbrella.”
One after another, Maeng Moa and Jung Hyoin stared at me, and Moon Seoheon, who was standing beside me, touched my shoulder and spoke. Add Byeon Seungha’s glaring eyes to all that, and it was incredibly confusing.
Damn it. What am I supposed to do, you crazy bastards?
