# Chapter 71
Feeling a sudden chill run down my spine, I looked back. Seeing only an empty wall, I turned back around and spotted only students resting in the lobby.
I was confused because the intention behind his words wasn’t clear. If he had just said something like “let’s fight,” I would have been troubled, but at least I wouldn’t have been this blank.
I hummed while rubbing the back of my neck, but quickly came to my senses.
“Then let’s meet at the main building entrance where we saw each other yesterday.”
“Okay.”
Kwak Junhee, who answered promptly as if everything was fine, ended the call saying he’d see me soon. I looked down at the screen before putting the phone in my pocket.
I returned to the library and picked up my bag. I didn’t have to take anything out in the first place, so I could leave right away.
As I was about to leave, Maeng Moa, who had been focusing on his book, turned his gaze and looked up at me.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“What business do you have?”
I was about to tell him that I was going to meet Kwak Junhee but stopped. I didn’t even know what we would talk about, and if I mentioned it, he might want to come along, which would be annoying.
“Just, a friend said they had something to tell me. I’ll get going then.”
After giving a somewhat truthful answer, I adjusted my bag and turned. Maeng Moa nodded in understanding and waved goodbye. I slightly nodded and went outside, heading to the main building.
It was faster to go outside rather than crossing the skybridge. Though I had to open an umbrella because of the rain, that much effort was nothing.
I must have arrived early, as there was no sign of Kwak Junhee at the entrance. Only a few students heading home were visible. I headed to a corner and waited for him to arrive.
After staring blankly at the raindrops falling outside for a while, I felt a hand grab my shoulder from behind. When I turned my head, someone poked my cheek.
The first thing I saw was a pair of blue eyes staring at me. A deep blue with a hint of gray was twinkling. As I moved my eyes downward, I saw the playfully upturned corners of his mouth along with an outstretched index finger.
Did Kwak Junhee just poke my cheek with his finger? I closed my fluttering eyelids tightly, then reopened them, and as I stared blankly at him, Kwak Junhee, who had removed his finger, sneezed as if trying to suppress a laugh.
“…What’s the matter?”
Rather than asking what he was doing, I casually asked to resolve the matter quickly. Kwak Junhee blinked his eyes and cleared his throat with a few coughs.
“I just called you because you came all the way to the student council room to return the umbrella but left without seeing me.”
“Eh?”
A deflating sound escaped my mouth. I had even taken a deep breath thinking he was going to say something significant, but that was it? My body, which had been tense, slouched at the anticlimactic content.
Unable to laugh and staring emptily at Kwak Junhee, he added another comment.
“Well… you could also tell me what you talked about with Seungha at Ace.”
At those words, my shoulders tensed up again. I thought so—if he was trying to catch me off guard first and then shake me up by gently drawing out a conversation, he was indeed no ordinary person. Why make such strange statements! I calmed my confused mind.
“Didn’t… you hear that from Byeon Seungha?”
“I did hear.”
“Yes, you did hear…”
As I was thinking about how to start, I casually brought up what I had asked Moon Seoheon and Maeng Moa. In that moment, while I was looking around to see if there was anyone nearby and for a suitable place, my thoughts froze at Kwak Junhee’s words.
“You heard?”
“Yes.”
“…Then why…”
I was so bewildered that I couldn’t speak properly. If he had heard everything, then why did he say at the cafeteria that day that I should speak when I wanted to? I thought he, like the other guys, hadn’t heard anything and didn’t know the exact circumstances.
Seeing my disgruntled expression, Kwak Junhee seemed to notice why I was acting that way and smiled, smoothly lifting the corners of his mouth.
“I heard, but I wanted to hear it separately from you.”
My eyes widened at his gentle tone. I frowned and stroked the back of my hand, feeling a strange tickling sensation inside. I had experienced this feeling before. The day when, contrary to my expectation that hell would begin after being hit by Byeon Seungha, Moon Seoheon was waiting in front of my house.
Like Moon Seoheon, this guy is also sensible in unexpected ways. Honestly, not just those two, but the other guys were the same.
Jung Hyoin, who I thought was just a strange pervert, also knows how to be serious about things he loves. Maeng Moa, who I thought was annoying and childish, also knows how to be generous to his people.
Even Byeon Seungha, despite showing an aggressive attitude, I understood that it was all due to worry that the person he likes might get hurt. I only understood, though, I didn’t acknowledge it was okay.
Strangely, whenever I learned new aspects of these guys, I felt awkward and anxious. It was even more unsettling because I didn’t know the source of this anxiety… Suddenly, my head started to hurt.
“Umph.”
The hand that was about to hold my head quickly covered my mouth instead. It was because my stomach was churning, just like when I get motion sickness. Seeing me cover my mouth, Kwak Junhee grabbed my shoulder with a startled expression.
“Taeho, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“…Ah, no. Suddenly… my stomach doesn’t feel good.”
Fortunately, I felt better soon, so I waved my hands trying to remove Kwak Junhee’s arm. But because he didn’t budge, my body remained caught, and I looked at Kwak Junhee with a puzzled gaze.
As our eyes met, Kwak Junhee gripped my shoulder more firmly and tilted his head to examine me.
“Should we go to the infirmary? Your face is pale.”
“I’m really fine. I was just dizzy for a moment.”
This time, when I forcefully removed his arm, he let go willingly. However, seeing his face still looking uncertain, I awkwardly smiled. I appreciate the concern, but it’s an overreaction.
To show that I was genuinely better, I straightened my body that had been slightly leaning against the wall. Sensing that there was no need for further discussion, Kwak Junhee nodded slightly and stepped back.
Seeing his expressionless face, I recalled the reason he had called me here and looked around. The students heading home had already left, and there was no one here, but you never know.
I stepped slightly from the corner inside the building to the boundary between the inside and the rainy outside.
“If you have time, can we move to a different location?”
At my words, Kwak Junhee raised his eyebrows, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.
The place we moved to was the backyard. It was a spot with a sturdy awning that blocked the rain, allowing us to stay comfortably without worrying about getting wet. A light rain breeze swept past our bodies. The loud sound of raindrops hitting the awning seemed like it would drown out whatever we said.
Honestly, even though we came here, I wasn’t sure how to start or what to say. It’s because I couldn’t precisely gauge what Kwak Junhee wanted from me.
Did he simply want to hear an apology? If so, he would have summoned me like Moon Seoheon did on that first day. It’s strange that he would call me now to hear it, but the only thing I can guess is that it’s related to Moon Seoheon.
Just as I was trying to find the right timing to say something, anything, Kwak Junhee burst into laughter first. As I stared at him blankly, he laughed while shaking his shoulders, then stopped and said:
“I thought… when you said let’s go to the backyard, you were suggesting a fistfight.”
I scratched my chin awkwardly. Coincidentally, I had similar thoughts after the call ended.
“Um… you said you wanted to hear what happened at Ace.”
“Hmm, yes, that’s right.”
Perhaps because the atmosphere had lightened a bit, I felt more relaxed. Kwak Junhee, who was looking at the lush forest in the rain, even hummed a tune as if something pleased him.
“As you probably know if you’ve heard everything, it’s probably true. I was trying to do something to Moon Seoheon.”
Kwak Junhee didn’t say anything. But his expression wasn’t angry or stiff either. He seemed rather pleased, which made me skeptical now. It made me wonder if he hadn’t actually called me to hear the story but for some other reason.
With that thought, a self-deprecating sigh formed at the corners of my mouth. What would that guy want from just seeing me? Setting aside unnecessary thoughts, I continued speaking.
“But I don’t know anything about the drink incident. I’ve already resolved things with Seoheon. If you’re worried I might do something else, there’s no need for that…”
I tried to bring up the topic in a positive way, but it sounded like excuses, so I conveyed as much of an apologetic intent as possible. Of course, there was still the matter with Ye Abin, but I planned to prevent it somehow.
Kwak Junhee, who soon smiled as if sighing, looked at me.
“Do you know that Seoheon and Seungha fought?”
It was an out-of-the-blue statement, but not easy to dismiss, causing my body to jerk noticeably. Moon Seoheon and Byeon Seungha fought? Considering their relationship in the anime, it wasn’t particularly surprising, but I was momentarily taken aback.
“They fought?”
“Well, rather than a fight, it was more like Seoheon unilaterally declared something.”
“…”
“He told him to leave you alone, no matter what you do.”
I blinked my eyes for a moment. The words didn’t make sense.
“So, you’re saying Moon Seoheon told Byeon Seungha to just leave me alone no matter what I do?”
“Yes.”
I frowned and looked into the distance. It was a green landscape with only flowerbeds and trees visible, as we were on the opposite side of the field, but it was as if Moon Seoheon was there. What does that mean? I couldn’t grasp his intention.
“Why?”
“Well, I thought maybe it’s because Seungha keeps bothering him…”
Kwak Junhee stopped mid-sentence. He looked like he didn’t know how to continue. I didn’t question that and focused on what he had brought up.
Then, remembering Maeng Moa’s words about Byeon Seungha constantly questioning Moon Seoheon about me, I nodded. It would have been annoying indeed.
When I asked, Moon Seoheon said it wasn’t true. Did he deliberately lie because he was worried I’d be concerned? I let out a light sigh, feeling like I understood why Moon Seoheon did that. Just then, the bell rang.
“Ah, I should go now. Taeho, you take care too.”
“Ah, yes. You go ahead.”
Kwak Junhee turned his body and went inside. He lightly stroked my head before that, which blurred my vision momentarily, but I quickly came to my senses and followed behind.
Rather than fully entering the building, my body unconsciously turned as if seeing Kwak Junhee off. The scenery was nice for a backyard, and I planned to spend some time here, enjoying the sound of rain mixed with ambient noise and the cool air. I would return soon anyway.
As I was blankly watching Kwak Junhee’s back, he turned around as if remembering something, making an “Ah” sound.
“Taeho, catch!”
Saying that, Kwak Junhee took something from his pocket and threw it to me. I was startled for a moment but reflexively checked what was flying towards me and caught it well with both hands. The item that landed safely on my palm, not falling to the floor, was a red ginseng candy.
“Well, see you.”
Kwak Junhee, smiling softly, turned his body. At that moment, he bumped into a student who emerged from around the corner. Kwak Junhee didn’t even give a glance to the student and casually dusted off his bumped shoulder before walking away.
I watched the scene with a bewildered expression and then let out a big sigh as my eyes met the student’s.
