LCL 40

I know Senior Hyuna and Dae-han can’t easily drift apart. If they suddenly sit separately during major classes, who knows what rumors might spread. College is a place where words spread so easily.

Today too, Lim Dae-han sat with Senior Hyuna. I didn’t mind either. But the problem was that the two of them arrived about thirty minutes earlier than usual.

I already knew that their shared elective class was canceled today, but I didn’t expect them to come this early and hold their seats. Moreover, I arrived at the lecture hall alone, without any of my classmates.

“Hello.”

After hesitating at the back door, I cautiously entered. Senior Hyuna briefly responded to my greeting with “Oh, hi.” Dae-han shifted his gaze slightly.

He pointed to the front with his chin. He’s telling me to sit in the front seat. Since some time ago, we’ve been sitting in the front and back. I swallowed hard and moved my heavy steps.

I sat down, put my bag down, and immediately reached for my phone. Perhaps because it was during lecture time, the group chat with my classmates was quiet. Boring, sleepy, want to sleep, etc… I skimmed through a few conversations that were likely to come up during lecture time.

Me: [Guys, come quickly]

I added a word too. As expected, it was best to just fiddle with your phone when things were awkward. Maybe I’ll watch some YouTube for a change.

Although I wasn’t particularly interested in the video, it was better than just sitting there blankly. I was silently fiddling with my phone when a voice from behind broke the silence.

“Oh right, Dae-han.”

Senior Hyuna opened the conversation. Dae-han didn’t respond. He probably just silently looked at her. He often answered by just giving a glance.

I pretended not to be interested while listening to their conversation. I hated myself for having strange thoughts while listening to their conversation.

Maybe I should just put in earphones. But unfortunately, I didn’t bring my earphones. I rarely needed to bring them since I usually commuted with Dae-han.

From tomorrow, I should carry them just in case. Regrettably, for now, I had no choice but to listen to their conversation directly while pretending not to know.

“Seong-hong sunbae says to come when there’s a festival meeting.”

“What, always… I’m not even part of the executive committee or student council.”

“He says he’ll spill everything if you don’t show up.”

“What’s there to spill? Ah, how annoying…”

Senior Seong-hong was still persistently bothering Dae-han. With a bit of exaggeration, 70% of the university people calling Dae-han were Senior Seong-hong. The reasons were always the same.

Asking to go to an internet cafe, or to drink, things like that. Always inviting him to hang out. Dae-han didn’t answer the phone 4 out of 10 times, and rejected 4 times saying it was bothersome. He only went out once or twice among those.

Anyway, since he didn’t reject everything completely, it seemed Senior Seong-hong was throwing these invitations for those one or two times.

“He’s really grinding his teeth for this festival.”

“Did the department’s student council funds run out?”

It’s clearly not something a freshman should say. Unlike me who was shocked, Senior Hyuna just laughed it off. I guess it’s funny. It’s not funny at all to me.

Pretending to talk about the festival, should I turn around too? But I don’t want to look like I’m eavesdropping on their conversation.

I straightened my back. I was trying to find the right timing to turn around.

“By the way, what happened to your hand?”

My straightened back slumped down. I can’t join in. Dae-han’s hand. Thinking about his hand made cold sweat run down my spine.

I licked my lips. All the scratches and bruises on his hand were made by me.

“…”

I bit, chewed, and scratched them all. They were wounds left during our intimate moments. Actually, I didn’t want to be so violent, but it just happened.

Even when I told him to stop, he didn’t, so I scratched the back of his hand, and when I asked him to let go and he pushed his fingers into my mouth, I bit them.

I didn’t know it would leave wounds…

No, I mean…, who would be so persistent?

The guilty one is silent. It wasn’t the atmosphere to speak anyway. Instead, I urged my classmates through messenger. Come quickly, I’m bored. Hurry, hurry up. I was sending messages urging friends to come, the kind you’d send to a lover.

Not knowing how I felt, Dae-han was saying things behind me that would make anyone gasp.

“My lover scratched me.”

“What?”

It seems I wasn’t the only one surprised, as the senior asked again.

“My lover scratched and bit me.”

He could have just said he got hurt, but he had to… Even though others don’t know, his lover is sitting right in front of him, is there a need to say it so directly? And honestly, from Senior Hyuna’s perspective, she probably didn’t want to hear it in such detail.

Ah, Dae-han, really. I grumbled internally but couldn’t react. Instead, I just picked at the hangnails around my fingernails. The senior’s worried voice returned.

“Did you get into a fight?”

“No, just…”

There was laughter in Dae-han’s voice. It was obvious without looking. He probably slightly raised the corner of his mouth alone and then pretended not to know. I was the only one secretly clenching and unclenching my fists in front. Please don’t say any more.

“They suddenly did this because I was teasing them.”

“Just because they’re your lover doesn’t mean they’re a puppy, right?”

The two exchanged conversation like a ping pong ball. When one hit it lightly, the other side gently hit it back. Dae-han laughed softly at the senior’s words.

“They’re like a puppy. Looks cute.”

Having to hear this cheesy talk with my back turned was overwhelming for me. Unable to bear it any longer, I decided to leave my seat.

I stood up from my seat and moved busily. As I glanced toward the back to leave the lecture hall, my eyes met with the senior’s.

“You two seem to get along well,” the senior muttered softly with a stiff expression. Even though they probably didn’t know that I was dating Lim Dae-han, I felt strangely self-conscious. The senior likely wasn’t actually curious about Lim Dae-han’s love life.

Let’s go get some fresh air. Honestly, it’s not really cold enough to call it fresh air anymore. Just some outside air at least. I took heavy steps along with my uneasy feelings.

“Ki Young-hyun, where are you going?” Lim Dae-han called out to stop me. It seems he had ignored my warnings to be careful.

“I’m going to the bathroom… Why?”

Out of concern, I asked, and Lim Dae-han stood up to follow me. As if I really wanted to go to the bathroom. I just wanted to leave because the seat was uncomfortable.

Sigh. I swallowed my sigh and looked at him with displeasure.

Lim Dae-han casually left his seat. The senior pulled her chair forward to make space for him to leave. She fixed her posture as if uninterested in our conversation and just fiddled with her phone.

Unintentionally, I caught a glimpse of the senior’s phone screen. She was just endlessly scrolling through social media.

Lim Dae-han, who had moved into the aisle, stood facing me. I had to lift my head to look into his eyes. He started to raise his hand but hesitated. He lightly tapped my shoulder instead of my face.

“Let’s go together.”

“What do you mean, go to the bathroom together?”

I asked in shock, but it was useless. Lim Dae-han responded in his characteristically nonchalant voice.

“We can go together. Did you rent out the bathroom?”

You always have to have the last word… Do whatever you want.

Without adding anything more, I left the lecture hall with Lim Dae-han behind me. He quickly matched my pace. Even though the corridor was empty, I lowered my voice. Just in case someone might hear.

“Why do you want to go to the bathroom together? It’s weird.”

“You used to go with Jung Ji-pil all the time in high school. Brushing teeth together. Going to the bathroom together. Like little kids sticking together.”

Lim Dae-han raised his hand and grabbed my earlobe. Actually, it was more like he was massaging it rather than pulling, but I still pretended it hurt and said, “Ow.”

“That’s not it, Jung Ji-pil…”

The truth is, I didn’t want to go with Jung Ji-pil either. He would always follow me whenever I went to the bathroom or anywhere else.

‘Hey- Young-ah, let’s go together!’

The forgotten voice suddenly came to mind. That’s right, Jung Ji-pil was petty and clingy, but he had his own sense of loyalty. When Lim Dae-han confessed to me and started dragging me around, he clung to me even more desperately.

He thought I was being threatened. But whenever Lim Dae-han got annoyed even once, that so-called friend would scurry away. I’m not sure if he had loyalty or not… It’s hard to tell.

I understand why Lim Dae-han is teasing me. We must have looked really small and insignificant in his eyes.

“Just go.”

Lim Dae-han cut me off harshly as I tried to continue arguing. Then he suddenly smacked my bottom. I turned my head in surprise, and he grinned mischievously. It was irritating.

“Hey, don’t hit my butt.”

“Oh, sorry.”

He said in a voice that didn’t sound sorry at all. I looked around, worried someone might see. Fortunately, no one was around since classes were in session.

“…”

I glared up at him with a fierce expression. Lim Dae-han pretended not to notice. His whistling echoed through the quiet corridor.

He’s so carefree. All those promises to not act close and pretend we don’t know each other well have faded away. Though Lim Dae-han never really acted properly from the start.

Let’s not say anything… Let’s just go to the convenience store.

I didn’t really want to go to the bathroom… I didn’t want to force something that wasn’t coming out.

“Do you really need to use the bathroom?”

“No. Why?”

“I was thinking of going to the convenience store downstairs.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“…You can go back to the lecture hall.”

“I’ll go with you. Because…”

Lim Dae-han touched my butt again. I gasped in surprise and twisted my body. My heart was pounding, so I clutched my chest tightly.

Why does he keep touching my butt? Even though I had just checked, I looked around again. When I glared at him with narrowed eyes, Lim Dae-han made a weak excuse, “I think you forgot your wallet. I guess I’ll have to come with you.”

I whispered so only Lim Dae-han could hear.

“Don’t lie. You… you just wanted to touch my butt, right?”

“No. I told you, I was trying to check for your wallet. But you did bring it.”

Lim Dae-han pulled out my wallet from my back pocket. Even if he was trying to check my back pocket, it doesn’t seem right to touch someone’s butt like that.

When I looked at him suspiciously, he avoided my eyes slightly. I knew something was off.

“Hey.”

I lowered my voice without realizing it. Lim Dae-han met my eyes again after avoiding them. Now that I was threatening him, he finally seemed sorry.

“I’ll buy you something tasty. Let it go.”

“…”

“Should I buy you some snacks?”

Oh please. Do I look like I’d be swayed by a popsicle or a piece of candy like when I was little? I deliberately hardened my face, then quickly returned to my original expression.

I’ll let it slide just this once. Since we have class, I should ask for a drink and jelly instead of snacks.

“Let’s take the stairs. It’s a hassle to catch the elevator.”

“Okay.”

We moved towards the central stairway. Ah, what should I eat? Snacks sold at the convenience store flashed through my mind. Going just the two of us without classmates was… not bad in its own way.

“Student Ki Young-hyun.”

It would have been better if not for that calling voice. A familiar voice and title. My mind instinctively sounded an alarm.

I swallowed dryly and slightly shifted my gaze towards where the voice came from.

“Hi.”

The person I really didn’t want to meet, Moon Ji-woo, climbed the stairs quickly and greeted me as if we were close. Without realizing it, I immediately grabbed Dae-han’s wrist and hid him behind me.

He’s not small enough to be hidden, but it was an instinctive action.

Dae-han, not knowing what was going on, took a step back. I could feel him silently reading the situation. He probably knows everything anyway, so there’s no point in hiding.

Moon Ji-woo smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth. His pretense of being kind and innocent was disgusting.

“You’re not ignoring me, are you?”

“…Hello.”

“Yeah, I was about to go to class too, but there were too many people in the elevator so I have to take the stairs to the 6th floor. It’s tough. Are you going to class? Major?”

Great. Why don’t you walk up to the 100th floor instead of the 6th? I kept grumbling internally while silently nodding my head.

“Ah-.”

He let out an exclamation and nodded his head.

“Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

“…”

“It’s such a chore going up… I can’t talk more. Beside you…”

Moon Ji-woo shifted his gaze towards Dae-han. I hesitated as I followed his gaze. It was uncomfortable, probably because he knew about our relationship. Even though he was just looking.

“You have a friend too.”

The man who gave the unwelcome greeting soon climbed the stairs again. I don’t understand why he bothered to greet if he was going to leave so anticlimactically.

Just pass by. You know my phone number anyway. Right… he knows my phone number.

“…”