EAR Ch 7

By a narrow margin, Jaemin managed to avoid being late to the academy and returned home after class past 9 PM. Still, thanks to the vacation, his arrival time was earlier than during the semester.

During the day, he had exhausted himself playing basketball with the kids and used up what little energy he had left arguing with Oh Seungpyo. Perhaps because of this, he felt especially tired today. However, he felt better than usual, as something that had been weighing on his mind for days had finally been resolved.

Humming a faint tune, Jaemin entered the house and was greeted at the entrance by the housekeeper. She appeared to be getting ready to leave, putting on her shoes as he arrived.

“Oh, Jaemin…”

“I’m back. You’re here late today?”

Jaemin cheerfully greeted her, but soon noticed a sense of unease in her expression. She looked anxious, as if something was troubling her.

“Is something wrong?”

At that moment, a voice called out to Jaemin from inside the living room.

“If Jaemin’s here, come in right away.”

It was his father’s voice. Although his father was usually strict, his tone carried a distinct edge of anger today. The housekeeper gave him a silent nod, signaling him to go inside quickly.

It seemed the one in trouble wasn’t the housekeeper, but Jaemin himself. Sensing that something had gone wrong, Jaemin set aside his previously lighthearted mood and, now tense, took off his shoes and stepped into the white hallway.

He wondered if he had been caught arriving late to the academy a few times after breaking pickup arrangements due to basketball practice with his friends. He had considered the possibility, but the thought of being scolded now made his mind go blank. Slowly, Jaemin made his way to the living room.

Both his parents were seated on the long sofa. Before he could ask what was going on, Jaemin noticed an object on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Standing frozen and silent, he was startled by his father’s even sterner voice.

“What is this?”

On the table lay Oh Seungpyo’s phone.

Jaemin had hidden it deep in his desk drawer, so he couldn’t understand why it was there. Instead of explaining, he stared blankly at his father and mother, and this time his mother spoke.

“It was found while cleaning. Where did you get this? It looks like the phone Somin used to have. Did you get it from her?”

“Cleaning…?”

Did they open his desk drawer while cleaning? The explanation didn’t immediately make sense to Jaemin. He blinked, struggling to gather his thoughts, and belatedly offered an excuse.

“It’s not mine. It belongs to a friend.”

“A friend’s phone? Which friend?”

“It’s Oh Seungpyo’s. He’s in another class and ranked second in the entire school.”

“Really? Then I’ll ask this Oh Seungpyo myself.”

“…How?”

Since Seungpyo’s phone was here, calling him wasn’t an option. Furthermore, while Jaemin had the phone, he didn’t know Seungpyo’s number, let alone his family’s contact information.

“I can check with the school. Through your homeroom teacher, I can get a message to this Seungpyo kid to confirm.”

Jaemin didn’t respond. While it wouldn’t be impossible to verify through his homeroom teacher, he couldn’t help but wonder if such measures were necessary. The question lingered in his mind, but he swallowed it before it turned into words.

He had resolved his issues with Seungpyo recently, so even if Seungpyo were asked about losing his phone or whether Ryu Jaemin had it, he wouldn’t give an answer that would put Jaemin in trouble.

A while ago, Jaemin might have worried about Seungpyo deliberately causing him trouble, but not anymore. Now, the ones upsetting him weren’t Seungpyo but his parents sitting right before him.

“Actually, I promised to return the phone to Seungpyo tomorrow. I need to bring it with me.”

“Is that so? Did you find it at school? Or the academy?”

“…I ran into him on my way to the academy. He dropped it as he passed by, so I picked it up.”

Jaemin’s father and mother exchanged silent glances. From their expressions, Jaemin caught a blatant sense of distrust. This time, his mother spoke up.

“It looks exactly like the phone Somin used to have.”

“Yes, it’s the same model and even the same case as the one my sister used to have. It’s a common model with a popular case, so it’s not surprising that they’re similar.”

The identical design and case had caused the phones to get mixed up, unintentionally entangling Jaemin with Oh Seungpyo and leading to a series of unexpected events. It had been a bizarre week, to say the least. Thinking back on it now, Jaemin felt as if he’d returned from another world.

He had never exchanged more than a few words with Oh Seungpyo before, but now their secret was accidentally exposed, leading to heated arguments every time they met. He’d been so annoyed by Seungpyo’s audacity that he joined a basketball game he didn’t even like out of sheer stubbornness. He’d exchanged contact information with his classmates, practiced basketball with them daily, sneaked out early in the mornings to practice shooting under the guise of self-study, and only a few hours ago, played a match with them, sweating in the cold.

During that time, Jaemin felt like he wasn’t himself. Just hours ago, he had been high-fiving his classmates and cheering, even humming on his way home. But stepping into the living room now, that version of Ryu Jaemin felt separated, as if it belonged to a past world that had already become a distant memory.

“If he’s your friend, he’ll understand if you return it a day late. Until I confirm it, you’re not getting this back. No way.”

“You can still confirm with him after I return it.”

“Jaemin, do you remember what your father and I said we’d do with your phone when you started high school?”

Jaemin fell silent at his father’s words. Until middle school, he had used a smartphone without any issues. But when he entered high school, his parents suggested switching to an old phone without messaging apps.

“Just three years,” they had said. “Focus on studying for three years and get through college entrance exams. After that, you can do as you like.”

Jaemin had hated the idea, but as a high school student, he couldn’t buy a phone without his parents’ permission. Around the time he resigned himself to their rules, a private tutor had thankfully intervened, saying it would be inconvenient not to communicate via messenger. That had saved his smartphone.

“If you picked up your friend’s phone, you should have returned it right away. Hiding it in your desk drawer and getting caught—now you want us to believe you? Until it’s confirmed, no.”

His father’s tone was firm, as though he had already decided Jaemin was lying. The reason Jaemin couldn’t purely protest his innocence was simple: he was constantly lying to his parents—big lies, small lies, all the time.

From a young age, Jaemin had been taught that stealing and lying were among the worst things one could do. So why was it? Before getting caught, he would feel a gnawing anxiety in the pit of his stomach. But now, standing here being scolded, he felt no guilt or remorse. Instead, his body and mind cooled down, almost eerily calm. Perhaps, as his father often said, it was because Jaemin was too brazen.

“I put it away because it wasn’t mine. I didn’t want to lose it or drop it by accident.”

His father pressed his lips together so tightly they were no longer visible. A clear signal that his anger was building.

“Enough. This conversation is over. You don’t need to worry about this anymore. I’ll return it to that Seungpyo kid myself.”

“What?”

“All that matters is delivering it safely. I’ll handle it. You stop thinking about it and go to your room.”

With that, his father pocketed the phone. His mother, though clearly displeased, sighed lightly and turned her head, as if unwilling to make things worse.

Jaemin bowed his head and headed to his room. A father who didn’t trust his son enough to let him return a lost phone—people would laugh if they knew, but there was no helping it. He would have to explain everything to Oh Seungpyo tomorrow as best as he could.

But how?

What could he say to make him understand? Should he explain that he had kept the phone safely in his desk drawer, only for his parents to search it and find the phone? That even after explaining it was Seungpyo’s, they didn’t believe him and decided to confirm it themselves before returning it?

Of course, Jaemin had no intention of being that straightforward. But if he did explain it that way, he could already imagine Seungpyo’s reaction. His sharp, slightly upturned eyes would widen in surprise. His handsome brows would furrow in disbelief, and though he might not say it outright, he’d probably think:

You act all high and mighty as the school’s top student, but at home, you’re such a pushover? And your parents—no wonder they’re as crazy as you are.

“While cleaning.”

Normally, Jaemin would have quietly entered his room by now, but standing at the door, he finally opened his mouth.

“Hm?”

“While cleaning, why did you check my desk drawer? I could have organized it myself.”

“Are you complaining because we tidied up your desk while you were busy studying? The housekeeper worked hard today doing a thorough cleaning.”

Jaemin stared at his father without blinking. After a few seconds of silence, he managed to ask back.

“A housekeeper?”

“The house has been a bit messy lately, so I asked her to do a proper cleaning. I also told her to let us know if she found anything suspicious.”

“…Are you saying the housekeeper went through my drawers?”

“She was doing it at her employers’ request. Is that a problem?”

Ha. Without realizing it, Jaemin let out a breathy laugh mixed with a sigh. The look of unease he’d noticed earlier on the housekeeper’s face wasn’t because of anything extraordinary. It was simply that she had run into him on her way out after completing the thorough cleaning.

“And what’s with that attitude?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re sighing in front of your parents? What, do you think our actions aren’t up to your standards?”

“…I haven’t let my grades slip since starting high school, and I’ve never caused any trouble. I’m just curious why you suddenly decided to inspect my belongings.”

Though he dropped his gaze slightly, Jaemin said everything he wanted to. The atmosphere was already tense, and his father was as angry as could be. There was no point in holding back now. His mother’s hand waved dismissively, trying to diffuse the tension.

“Dear, stop it for now. This is giving me a headache.”

“You go ahead and rest. I’ll talk to Jaemin myself.”

With a deep sigh, his mother finally stood from the couch. She headed to the bedroom without so much as a glance back. Jaemin watched her retreating figure for a moment before meeting his father’s eyes, this time without averting his gaze.

It was only after the bedroom door closed that his father spoke again.

“Do you feel wronged because your things were searched without reason?”

“…”

“Was it really without reason? Can you honestly say you’ve been completely transparent with your parents lately?”

Jaemin remained silent, standing still. He couldn’t tell if his father’s words were based on something he knew or if it was just a trap, baiting him into confessing something.

This method of his father’s, this way of speaking, sometimes left Jaemin exhausted. His father would set traps and wait for his target to fall into them, like some gloomy spider. Growing up watching and learning this made Jaemin occasionally notice himself doing the same, a realization that disgusted him.

His older sister, now an adult, no longer had to conform to their parents’ ways. She had chosen to move out of the spiderweb-like house. But as a high schooler, Jaemin didn’t have that option. So he decided on another course of action: to feign ignorance, no matter how angry his father was.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your academy instructor called. They said you’ve been late frequently.”

“I’ve never been late. I just stayed in the classroom to study a bit longer after school since I concentrate better there than at the academy.”

“Well, I’ll confirm that when I hand over Seungpyo’s phone to your teacher.”

This time, Jaemin was truly at a loss for words. Over the past few days, he had been deeply engrossed in basketball practice from early morning until almost the end of the day. Everyone at school, teachers included, had seen it.

When Jaemin didn’t respond, his father sighed heavily, as if he were deeply disappointed.

“Think it over tonight. If there’s something you should reflect on, come talk to me in the study.”

“…Will you give me the phone back then?”

“Ryu Jaemin.”

His father sternly called his name as a substitute for an answer before heading to the study. With both the bedroom door and the study door now closed, Jaemin was finally left alone in the living room.

Jaemin neither entered the study nor went to his own room. Instead, he lingered in the living room, as if lost or punished, standing there for a long while. His face remained calm and expressionless, but his wandering gaze hinted at the turmoil inside him.

At last, Jaemin made up his mind. Instead of the study, he went to his room, changed clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

After showering, brushing his teeth, finishing his remaining studies, and going to bed, Jaemin never once opened the study door where his father was waiting. He knew that staying silent and avoiding the conversation would only make his father’s anger grow. Yet he chose to do so anyway.

📚

The homeroom teacher for Class 4 was the instructor for the first period that day. He seemed to be in an unusually good mood from the start, conducting the lesson with more energy than usual. About five minutes before the period ended, he casually began chatting.

“Yesterday was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” the students replied in unison. The teacher clapped his hands in satisfaction.

“Let’s give a round of applause for the friends who worked hard playing basketball yesterday.”

The students giggled and clapped along. The news that the homeroom teacher of Class 2 had treated the staff to coffee had reached even the students, so no one was annoyed. While no one particularly disliked Class 2 or their teacher, there was no reason to refuse the luck of being on the winning side and basking in a bit of superiority.

“Today, I’m buying everyone a burger.”

“Wow, really? Amazing!”

Thanks to the class basketball match, even those who just watched now got to enjoy burgers, and they cheered even more enthusiastically. Those who actually played in the match remained quiet, merely shrugging their shoulders.

The homeroom teacher must have really wanted to win. Seungpyo chuckled faintly as he gazed out the window. The empty playground and basketball court looked tranquil, as if yesterday’s fervor had been a mere illusion. He’d lost count of how many basketball matches he’d participated in over the past year, but today felt different, as if he were experiencing post-tournament withdrawal symptoms. Memories of the game kept replaying in his mind, drawing his eyes back to the playground. It had been a more exciting game than expected.

When the break time bell rang, Seungpyo didn’t leave his seat but glanced toward the back door. This was the first break after the supplementary first period. Maybe he’d burned too much energy during yesterday’s match because the morning felt more sluggish than usual.

Normally, as soon as the bell rang, he would’ve left his seat to wander around, but today, he stayed put, waiting quietly. Even after several minutes had passed, no one came looking for him. After all, he’d let the person who deserved to get a lump on their head off the hook. The least that guy could’ve done was find him first thing in the morning and return the phone with both hands. Instead, it seemed the school’s top student was proudly holding his head high again today.

“Unbelievable,” Seungpyo muttered to himself, finally getting up. He stepped into the hallway, inwardly repeating the saying about thirsty people digging wells as if to console himself. Just then, he noticed a group of Class 2 students he had played basketball with yesterday sitting on an indoor bench.

“Where’s Ryu Jaemin?” he asked as he approached them.

“Ryu Jaemin hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Not here? It’s already past the first period.”

Hearing this, one student responded with a slightly worried expression.

“Yeah, maybe he got caught and scolded for playing basketball with us?”

“Come on, why would he skip school over that? Aren’t his parents strict? They wouldn’t let him skip school.”

“True. Maybe he’s sick? The homeroom teacher should know.”

“The teacher didn’t say anything when they checked Jaemin’s seat. Maybe they already got a call from his parents.”

As Seungpyo listened to their chatter, he suddenly glanced down the hallway. Someone was walking toward them from the stairs.

“There he is.”

“Huh?”

The students turned to see where Seungpyo was looking and waved excitedly at Ryu Jaemin.

“Ryu Jaemin! What happened?”

“We thought you weren’t coming today.”

Jaemin smiled and approached them. He looked as normal as ever, showing no signs of being unwell.

“Something came up at home this morning, so I called the teacher to say I’d miss the first period. It was just supplementary class anyway.”

“Phew, we thought you got in trouble at home for playing basketball.”

“Not at all. Let me drop off my bag.”

After reassuring the others that everything was fine, Jaemin finally made eye contact with Seungpyo. Since the phone switch was something only the two of them knew about, bringing it up in front of the others felt awkward. Neither said a word, simply exchanging a glance. As Jaemin turned to head back to the classroom, he passed by Seungpyo and whispered briefly.

“Let’s talk after class.”

It’s not like they were passing contraband or anything. Why wait until after class just to return a phone?

Though Seungpyo thought that, he didn’t argue. He didn’t want to seem overly friendly with Jaemin in front of others, and he figured the model student must have his reasons for skipping the first period entirely.

“If I let it slide once, I can do it again,” he thought.

During lunch, they had planned to visit the snack bar with the students who participated in the match after eating their meals. The Class 2 students joked about keeping their spending under 3,000 won each, while Class 4 students demanded at least 5,000 won. Sitting in the cafeteria, Seungpyo hadn’t even touched his utensils before noticing someone was missing.

“Where’s Ryu Jaemin?”

“He doesn’t seem to be feeling too well. He said he’s skipping lunch today.”

“Maybe it’s because he doesn’t usually play basketball and overdid it these past few days.”

Seungpyo didn’t ask further and started eating. Usually, he’d join in the chatter, but today he was unusually quiet, as if he had something on his mind.

That didn’t mean he dragged out his meal. As always, he quickly and thoroughly finished his lunch tray. Once he arrived at the snack bar, he began piling up snacks like sausage bread, pizza bread, chips, and ice cream, ignoring the voices complaining that he shouldn’t pick too much.

While the Class 2 students grumbled and paid the price of losing the bet, Seungpyo wandered around the drink and snack displays. Suddenly, as if remembering something he’d missed, he casually grabbed a chocolate milk. When he placed the milk on the counter, the Class 2 students protested loudly.

“That’s it, we’re done! No more adding to the bill!”

“I’ll pay for it myself.”

“What, really?”

They’d only been joking about giving him a hard time. Adding a 600-won milk to the already massive pile of snacks wasn’t a big deal, but Seungpyo wasn’t joking. He promptly paid for the milk himself.

The students gathered at a table in the snack bar, tearing into their snacks in a joyful ritual. Even though they’d just eaten lunch, their teenage appetites made them devour the food like they hadn’t eaten in days.

However, among the group, one tall boy who looked like he’d need the most fuel seemed uninterested in the snacks today. After nibbling on a few chips, Seungpyo excused himself from the snack bar gathering.

“I’m heading up first.”

“You’re not eating more?”

“We’re getting burgers later anyway.”

“Then why’d you pick so much if you’re not going to eat it?”

“If we made a bet, even if I don’t eat, you still have to buy.”

When he teased them with a smirk, the Class 2 students groaned in frustration, but Seungpyo ignored them. Instead, he reached out and grabbed one of the snacks from the table.

“Then I’ll just take this.”

While the larger sodas, chips, and bread had already been opened, the small chocolate milk he’d added last remained untouched. Since he’d paid for it separately, no one could complain if he took it.

As he walked down the hallway, shaking the chocolate milk, the corridor and classrooms were unusually quiet, likely because it was still lunchtime. Instead of returning to his own class, he glanced into Class 2’s classroom through the window. Most students were out eating, snacking, or hanging around, leaving only a few behind. Ryu Jaemin’s seat was also empty.

“Did he go to the library again?”

Quietly opening the back door, Seungpyo stepped into the classroom. A few students sitting at their desks, either dozing off or looking at their phones, glanced at him briefly before returning to what they were doing. Without hesitation, Seungpyo approached Jaemin’s desk and placed the milk on the empty surface.

Only after letting go of the milk and seeing it sit awkwardly on someone else’s desk did Seungpyo feel an inexplicable sense of awkwardness. They weren’t close enough to worry about whether the other ate or not. Still, it seemed ridiculous to take it back now. Without drawing attention, he left the classroom and quickly returned to his own.

The students who had been enjoying their snacks finally hurried back to their classrooms as lunch ended. Those who reached their seats first didn’t forget to throw a few comments at Jaemin, who was already sitting down.

“Hey, Jaemin, you feeling okay?”

“I’ve got one piece of bread left. Want it?”

As they spoke, they noticed the chocolate milk sitting on Jaemin’s desk. Since they’d occasionally seen him drinking it, no one found it particularly odd.

“This….”

Jaemin held the milk in his hand, looking like he wanted to ask something. Before he could, one of the students laughed and commented, “Oh, I saw Oh Seungpyo buy one too. Does drinking chocolate milk from the snack bar raise your grades? I should start drinking it too.”

“Right? Both the top two students love chocolate milk.”

Laughing at the joke, Jaemin didn’t say anything more and quietly put the milk back down. The other students handed him a piece of bread and urged him to eat.

“Why aren’t you eating? Here, take this. Eat it before class starts.”

“In a bit.”

Before they could talk further, lunch ended. When the teacher entered the classroom, the students who hadn’t yet taken their seats scrambled around in a panic. The chocolate milk remained untouched on Jaemin’s desk, like a still life.

📚

Supplementary classes during vacation were always dull, but today felt especially long, probably because of the plans waiting after class.

Seungpyo was the first to rise from his seat and step into the hallway the moment class ended. Peeking through the window, he noticed that Class 2 was still in their closing session. Leaning against the wall, he waited for it to finish.

“Oh, Seungpyo, aren’t you heading out?”

“Yeah, I’ve got something to take care of.”

Classmates rushed past him in the hallway, tossing casual remarks as they went. After a few brief exchanges, the students from Class 2 finally began to trickle out.

It took a while, though—Jaemin was the last to emerge from the classroom. Seungpyo frowned slightly and chided him.

“Why are you so late?”

“It’s easier to talk when everyone else is gone.”

All this fuss over exchanging a phone? What could possibly require such a private conversation? Jaemin had been acting strangely since the morning, and now it seemed like he was setting up another convoluted situation. Seungpyo made no effort to hide his suspicion, glaring at him. But Jaemin offered no further explanation and simply started walking. With no better idea of what was happening, Seungpyo grudgingly followed.

Jaemin eventually stopped in front of the resource room at the far end of the hallway—a spot that had unintentionally become their go-to for private conversations. As always, Jaemin shut the door firmly behind them after stepping inside.

“What’s this about? Can’t you just hand over my phone and be done with it?”

At Seungpyo’s question, Jaemin hesitated for a moment before rummaging through his pocket and handing him a phone. Seungpyo snatched it and pressed the power button, only to glance at the screen and let out a sigh of frustration.

“This isn’t mine. What are you doing?”

“Can’t you just keep that one?”

“What?”

“It’s the same model, probably around the same age. If you reset it, it should be fine to use. That’s if you’re okay with it, of course.”

“I’m not okay with it. What about my phone?”

Jaemin avoided his gaze, lowering his head with a sheepish expression.

“…Sorry. I lost it.”

“What?”

Seungpyo’s eyes widened. It wasn’t like the phone was irreplaceable, but stringing him along only to casually admit to losing it wasn’t right.

A thought crossed his mind—had Jaemin orchestrated this whole game from the start just to buy time after losing the phone? Knowing Jaemin’s knack for manipulation, it didn’t seem far-fetched.

The realization left a bitter taste in Seungpyo’s mouth, his fleeting fondness for Jaemin vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. He scowled.

“What were you even doing with my phone that led to losing it?”

“I was trying to keep it safe, but when I went to get it again, it was gone. The cleaning staff think it might’ve accidentally been thrown out with other trash.”

“If you’re going to compensate me, do it properly. Either give me the money or buy the exact same model to replace it. How can you hand me some beat-up substitute and call it a solution? Have you no shame?”

“…I’m sorry. I don’t have enough allowance to cover it.”

“Aren’t you from a wealthy family? Just tell your parents to cover it. If you can’t, give me their number, and I’ll explain it to them myself.”

Jaemin visibly wilted, unable to respond. But Seungpyo wasn’t moved in the slightest. He had no intention of falling for Jaemin’s defeated look. This was the same guy who could conjure crocodile tears to get what he wanted—no way he’d take this act seriously.

It was clear Jaemin was dreading involving his parents. He was likely terrified they’d dig into the details and unearth that absurd social media stunt he’d been so desperate to cover up. For a model student like Jaemin, that would be a nightmare.

What a joke. The situation could’ve been resolved ages ago if Jaemin had just swapped phones without making a fuss. Yet he’d insisted on dragging things out, pretending to demand an apology. And now this? A sudden shift to playing the victim?

‘Unbelievable. I almost thought he wasn’t so bad after that basketball game.’

Seungpyo steeled himself. There was no need to give someone like Jaemin the benefit of the doubt. People who casually betrayed trust once would do it again if you let your guard down. It was better to stand firm.

“This isn’t acceptable. Even if my phone wasn’t brand new, it’s your mistake. I don’t have to settle for some secondhand replacement.”

“…Okay. I’ll talk to my parents about it. I just thought it’d be easier if you were okay with this arrangement.”

Jaemin gave in too quickly, and it irritated Seungpyo even more. Every time he’d shown leniency, Jaemin had taken it as an opportunity to test his limits.

As soon as class ended, Seungpyo was the first to get up from his seat and head into the hallway. Peeking through the window, it seemed like Class 2 was still in the middle of their closing session. Leaning against the wall, he waited for it to finish.

“Oh, Seungpyo, not leaving?”

“Yeah, I have something to do.”

His classmates passed by in the hallway, throwing comments his way. After a few exchanges of greetings, students finally began pouring out of Class 2. Seungpyo had waited a long time—Jaemin was the last to leave the classroom. Slightly furrowing his brows, Seungpyo complained.

“Why’d you come out so late?”

“It’s easier to talk when everyone else is gone.”

What kind of grand conversation did they need just to exchange a phone? Jaemin’s suspicious attitude had been raising flags since morning, as though he was trying to complicate the situation. Without hiding his doubt, Seungpyo glared at him. But Jaemin, without offering much explanation, began walking ahead. Having no clue what else to do, Seungpyo followed.

Jaemin stopped at the end of the hallway, in front of the supply room that had somehow become their go-to meeting spot. Once inside, as always, Jaemin closed the door firmly behind them.

“What’s this about? Can’t you just hand me my phone and be done with it?”

At Seungpyo’s question, Jaemin stayed silent for a moment, rummaging through his pocket before handing over a phone. Snatching it, Seungpyo pressed the power button, checked the screen, and then looked back at him with an incredulous expression.

“This isn’t mine. What are you doing?”

“Can’t you just take that one instead?”

“What?”

“It’s the same model, probably the same year. You could reset it and use it. If you’re okay with it.”

“I’m not okay with it. What about my phone?”

Jaemin hesitated, glancing at Seungpyo before lowering his gaze, his expression guilty.

“Sorry. I lost your phone.”

“What?”

Seungpyo’s eyes widened. While the phone wasn’t irreplaceable, the idea of Jaemin dragging things out only to claim now that it was lost? That didn’t sit right with him.

A thought struck him—what if Jaemin had lost the phone from the start and was just stalling for time with some pointless game? Considering how Jaemin had acted at the beginning, he was certainly capable of such schemes.

The idea that he’d been played by Ryu Jaemin soured Seungpyo’s mood instantly. Whatever faint fondness had begun to sprout evaporated in an instant. He frowned deeply.

“Are you kidding me? What the hell were you doing with my phone to lose it?”

“I was trying to keep it safe, but when I went to get it back, it was gone. The cleaning lady said it might’ve been thrown out with the trash.”

“If you’re going to compensate me, use money. If you’re giving me a replacement, it’d better be the same model. You think I’ll take this crappy old thing? Where’s your conscience?”

“…Sorry. I don’t have enough pocket money to afford that.”

“Isn’t your family rich? Tell your parents to cover it. If you can’t, I’ll contact them myself. Give me their number—your dad’s or your mom’s.”

Jaemin didn’t respond, visibly wilting. But Seungpyo had no intention of letting Jaemin’s dejected expression sway him. Ryu Jaemin, who had once fake-cried to mess with him, could easily be putting on another act.

It seemed Jaemin couldn’t tell his parents because he didn’t want them asking too many questions. If they did, it might lead all the way back to that ridiculous SNS story. For someone like Jaemin, a model student and the school’s top performer, it would be unbearable to open that can of worms.

What a joke. If Jaemin had just agreed to exchange phones in the first place, this would’ve been over. Instead, he’d insisted on an apology, acting all high and mighty, only to now play the victim? His constant flip-flopping to suit his convenience was beyond irritating.

‘Just because we played some ball together doesn’t mean I should’ve thought he was a decent guy.’

Resolving himself, Seungpyo hardened his heart. A guy who thought nothing of blindsiding people wasn’t worth cutting any slack. Who knew what underhanded tricks Jaemin might pull next? He had to stand firm.

“This isn’t enough. Even if it’s old, it was your mistake that lost it. I don’t need to accept some secondhand apology gift.”

“…Alright. Then I’ll tell my parents. I just thought it’d be better if you handled it.”

The ease with which Jaemin conceded only made Seungpyo angrier. It felt like Jaemin saw him as soft, someone he could test without consequences.

“You… what are you doing?”

“You said you wanted to see. You were curious about what it would be like to see the top student doing something like this. I even recorded you saying that.”

Seungpyo took a step back, but he barely managed a few steps before his back hit the wall. Now over 185 centimeters tall and more of a young man than a boy, Oh Seungpyo was pressed against the wall like a cornered rat, his arms and legs stiffening in panic.

Jaemin didn’t take his eyes off Seungpyo, who was now leaning against the wall to avoid him. With a composed expression, he continued, unbuttoning the front of his pants. The waistband of his drawers became visible beneath the slightly lowered waistband of his trousers.

“Hey, stop. This is school,” Seungpyo said, his voice shaking as he tried to intervene. But Jaemin didn’t stop.

Long, pale fingers slipped under the waistband, lowering the drawers further. His exposed skin revealed faint shadows cast by his pelvic bones. Seungpyo gasped.

On the now-deleted secret account of Ryu Jaemin, there had been a short, soundless video. In it, Jaemin, wearing school uniform trousers pulled down, grabbed his genitals. His shirt was pulled up to reveal his taut, slim abdomen and chest, with his small nipples exposed.

Though his face wasn’t visible, and the video had no sound, Seungpyo could almost hear Jaemin’s breath in his mind. He could vividly recall the way Jaemin’s hand moved faster, pausing occasionally as his body flinched, or when he leaned slightly forward, trembling as though gasping for air, and how his fingers had become stained with the evidence of his climax.

Now, Jaemin wasn’t a pixelated figure on a screen. He was standing right in front of Seungpyo, close enough to see every strand of his hair, every movement. He took the hem of his white shirt into his mouth, holding it between his teeth, and, without hesitation, gripped his genitals. Then, he began to move his hand.

For Seungpyo, the scene seemed to unfold in slow motion.

“Damn it, just don’t look! Push him away and get out of here!”

His rational mind screamed instructions, but his body remained frozen, unresponsive. Despite his reputation for quick reflexes and athletic prowess, Oh Seungpyo was unable to act, as if his body had betrayed him.

At first, Jaemin’s genitals showed no sign of arousal. They were limp, dry, and seemed uncomfortable as his bare hand rubbed against the skin, producing a dry friction sound. It was far from sensual—if anything, it looked painful.

Jaemin glanced up at Seungpyo while his hand continued its mechanical movement. When their eyes met, Jaemin closed his own as though to block out the sight. His previously stoic expression cracked as he furrowed his brows, his lips, which held the edge of his shirt, trembling slightly. A low, muffled sound escaped him.

“Huff…”

At that sound, Seungpyo bit down on the inside of his mouth, hard enough that he might have drawn blood. Heat flushed through his body, rising to his head, making his scalp tingle and his eyes sting.

Jaemin, unbothered by Seungpyo’s presence, kept moving his hand. The dry sound of skin rubbing together was soon joined by faint, sticky noises as clear liquid began to bead at the tip of his now-erect penis. Jaemin’s expression contorted, his face showing signs of growing discomfort.

“Hngh… Ah… Nngh…”

His strained voice continued as his hand moved faster. Seungpyo could hear the sticky sounds becoming more pronounced, the liquid pooling and making his movements easier. All the while, Jaemin’s breathing grew heavier.

Finally, his body tensed, and a sharp noise escaped him as white fluid spurted from the tip of his penis, dripping down his fingers. Jaemin’s shoulders trembled as he exhaled deeply, his hand still holding his genitals.

Leaning against the wall for support, Jaemin’s head was now lowered near Seungpyo’s chest. The back of his neck and ears were tinged with a faint red.

Jaemin glanced at the mess on his hand, seemingly irritated by the cleanup that awaited him. Clicking his tongue, he raised his gaze to Seungpyo, meeting his eyes.

“You wanted to see it so badly. Was it worth the look?”

Despite Jaemin’s muttered provocations, Seungpyo remained silent, glaring at him unwaveringly. Jaemin, still catching his breath, spoke again.

“The reason I did something like that was…”

“……”

“It relieves stress. Because I’m a filthy, depraved pervert.”

Jaemin’s gaze gleamed viciously, as if ready to tear into Seungpyo. After finishing his words, Jaemin straightened his posture, shoving his still-damp member carelessly back into his underwear, and roughly adjusted his clothes.

“Guess I should wash up.”

Muttering as if it were nothing more than dirt on his hands instead of semen, Jaemin spun around, no longer acknowledging Seungpyo, and walked out of the resource room without a backward glance. The door slammed shut with a thud, and it was only long after that Seungpyo let out a deep, heavy sigh.

Instead of leaving the now-empty resource room, he remained leaning against the wall, furrowing his brows and grinding his teeth. He bit his lip and looked down at himself. Even without touching, the bulge at the front of his pants was embarrassingly prominent, stretching down his thigh.

With a look of utter disgust, he tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling, gripping his head as if he were about to tear his hair out.

“…That guy’s seriously insane…”

Seungpyo was not the type to scare easily. He’d long since stopped believing in childish tales of ghosts or spirits. If ghosts did exist, his mother, who’d passed away early, would have surely come to see him at least once.

Growing up, he’d scoffed at adults’ attempts to scare or upset him. Even when other kids picked fights, he’d never felt afraid—mostly because he’d never lost a fight.

Thanks to his fisherman father and former track-athlete mother, Seungpyo was born with a naturally strong physique. As he grew taller and stronger during his adolescence, would-be bullies stopped approaching him altogether. On top of that, Oh Seungpyo was intelligent. Tall, strong, handsome, and the top student in his grade, he seemed to have no obstacles in his path. The world grew increasingly kind and peaceful for Oh Seungpyo.

That is, until he met Ryu Jaemin in high school.

His father had once told him, “It’s fine to fight bad people, but if someone’s crazy, avoid them if you can.” But what was he supposed to do when he was so furious at that crazy person? A lunatic who broke promises, lost his phone, and then, after being called out for being depraved, used him to carry out his twisted acts?

When Jaemin couldn’t flaunt himself online for strangers leaving filthy comments, he used Seungpyo as a substitute.

Grinding his teeth, Seungpyo finally stormed out of the resource room. He strode quickly to Class 2’s classroom, but it was too late. The room was empty, and Jaemin’s bag was, of course, gone.

He might’ve gone to the restroom to wash up. But by the time Seungpyo rushed there, it was empty too. He’d spent too long frozen in the resource room and let that lunatic slip away. Turning on the tap, he splashed cold water over his face several times, glaring at his reflection in the mirror and making a firm resolve.

“Tomorrow, I’m really going to kill him.”

Dripping water from his face, Seungpyo headed back to his seat. Reaching for his bag, he froze mid-motion.

On his desk sat an unopened carton of chocolate milk from the school store.

“…Damn it.”

Cursing under his breath, Seungpyo stared at it for a long time. The anger that had burned so hot and bright earlier now twisted and weighed down his chest, leaving him feeling strangely constricted and stifled.

Snatching up the milk carton, he swung his arm back as if to throw it. But with his arm raised, he hesitated, unable to move.

Letting out a short sigh, he lowered his arm and trudged back to the restroom. He poured the milk down the drain, crumpled the carton, and tossed it into the trash, erasing any trace of its existence.

As he walked down the hallway to head home, Seungpyo no longer looked like someone who was angry.