7MoH 2.10
by SpringlilaChase slowly leaned forward and kissed the palm of Jeong-in’s hand, which was still covering his lips.
Like a sea anemone that contracts when touched, Jeong-in curled his fingers to cover his palm. But Chase did not back down and repeatedly kissed each of Jeong-in’s knuckles and fingernails.
Chase’s steady gaze urged an answer.
After fidgeting with his lips, Jeong-in finally replied,
“That’s… difficult.”
“…Huh?”
Chase’s mouth fell open. What kind of twist was this? Since this confession had been quite sincere, he hadn’t expected such an immediate rejection.
“We’re seniors now. We need to write college application essays and maintain our grades. Plus, I have a math competition soon. After summer break, we’ll need to submit applications… That applies to you too. Don’t you think this isn’t a good time for dating?”
Jeong-in spoke as if telling Chase to come to his senses as well.
After freezing momentarily, Chase slumped forward, his forehead landing on Jeong-in’s shoulder.
Good heavens. His articulate response was clearly a rejection, but why was it so endearing?
“Haa… Jay.”
Every time he inhaled, he smelled something really good from Jeong-in’s neck. It was a cozy and warm soap scent. He had just taken a shower, but why was this guy smelling so good?
He remembered hearing somewhere that East Asians don’t have body odor, and wondered if it was true. He kept this thought to himself, knowing that voicing it would earn him a glare for racial stereotyping. Those pretty eyes, like they were drawn with a fine brush, would become sharp.
It was thrilling to realize he was starting to know and predict Jeong-in. It felt strange to feel such a thrill from just that much.
“Alright, fine.”
As if making a resolution to himself, Chase turned to Jeong-in with a confident smile and said,
“Let’s try this, Jay Lim.”
His tone was almost like a warning.
Chase actually thought this might be for the best. Like a child who ruined a drawing and opens a new sketchbook to start over, Chase wanted to begin everything anew.
He wanted to erase that first awkward confession from Jeong-in’s memory and rewrite their history from the beginning.
An intense flame ignited in Chase’s chest. He had never felt such longing in his life. For someone who always had everything prepared before he even wanted it, he now had something he desperately yearned for.
“I’ll work hard to win you over.”
“Please don’t.”
Jeong-in grabbed Chase’s shoulders, who was still deeply leaning toward the passenger seat with no sign of returning to his place, and pushed him back toward the driver’s seat. Chase, who rarely yielded even to tackles from players several times his size during games, was effortlessly pushed back by Jeong-in’s small hands. It wasn’t an entirely unpleasant feeling.
Jeong-in returned to his neat expression as if he had never been flustered, and unbuckled his seatbelt.
“Dinner was good. Goodbye, Prescott.”
As he reached for the door to get out, there was a click and the door locked. Jeong-in looked at the driver’s seat with a surprised expression.
Chase said in a somewhat cold voice,
“That’s wrong. Try again.”
Jeong-in stared at him blankly for a few seconds, then sighed softly as if giving up. An expectant smile spread across Chase’s face.
“Goodbye… Chay.”
Click. The car door unlocked as if responding to an incantation.
Looking at the driver’s seat, Chase wore the relaxed smile of a victor. Jeong-in glanced at him briefly before getting out of the car and walking a few steps away. But Chase didn’t start the engine.
“Why aren’t you leaving?”
“I’ve seen your front side a lot, now I want to see your back.”
Jeong-in stared at Chase with his mouth half-open in disbelief. Chase added with a playful smile,
“Sleep well. Think of me a lot.”
Momentarily frozen by words typically reserved for romantic partners, Jeong-in shook his head slightly as if to clear his mind. Then he turned around and walked toward the front door. Chase’s gaze didn’t leave him until the moment Jeong-in opened the door and went inside.
The sound of Chase’s car driving away came when Jeong-in had entered his room on the second floor and turned on the light.
* * *
“What’s this?”
Suzy asked, picking up a paper with the hand that held her spoon. In her other hand was a bowl of yogurt, her breakfast for today.
While putting a Pop-Tart in the toaster, Jeong-in replied,
“The introduction to an essay I wrote over the weekend. Could you read it and tell me what you think?”
Suzy unfolded the paper and began reading Jeong-in’s essay, which started with “Nietzsche said.”
“Hmm…”
“What? You don’t like it?”
Jeong-in watched Suzy while waiting for his Pop-Tart to toast. Her eyes slowly scanned down the paper, but it wasn’t long before she set it down on the table.
“I can tell the protagonist of this essay is an extremely intelligent person.”
“Really?”
Jeong-in looked at Suzy with a hopeful face, but she shook her head.
“That’s not a compliment. Rather the opposite. Yes, I get it, you’re very smart. I understand that much.”
“Mom, you’ve only read the first paragraph.”
Jeong-in protested as if wronged. But Suzy’s expression was firm.
“If I read the second paragraph, I might fall asleep before I even get to work.”
“That’s harsh.”
Jeong-in grumbled as he took a bite of his toasted Pop-Tart.
“I don’t think they’ll be curious about Nietzsche’s thoughts. They want to know about you.”
Suzy’s words gave Jeong-in a lot to think about. Perhaps he should remove the Nietzsche quote from the beginning.
Jeong-in walked out of the house with these complicated thoughts. As he was walking toward where his bicycle was parked, he suddenly stopped. Under the gleaming morning sunlight, a familiar silver sports car immediately caught his eye.
Chase waved his hand casually from the driver’s seat, and Jeong-in hesitated for a moment before slowly walking toward him.
“Why are you here?”
When Jeong-in asked, Chase replied as if it were the most natural thing,
“I came to pick you up.”
Chase gestured toward the passenger seat. Only then did Jeong-in notice someone was already sitting there, even securely strapped in with a seatbelt.
“…Snowball.”
It was the ferret plushie with fluffy white fur and black eyes.
Jeong-in chuckled and asked.
“Did it cry all night again?”
“Sigh… don’t even get me started. It threw a tantrum, crying and refusing to sleep. I had to warm up some milk, pat its back, and promise to take it to its other dad as soon as the sun came up before it finally closed its eyes.”
Jeong-in rolled his eyes slightly at Chase’s shameless performance.
“…Wait. Let me take this to my room first.”
“Oh my… Jay. ‘This’? That’s too harsh for our child.”
As if surrendering, Jeong-in sighed and corrected himself,
“…Let me take our child to my room first.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
Jeong-in put his bag on the passenger seat and carefully picked up Snowball instead. He hugged the plushie close to his chest as if it were a real baby and went back into the house.
Once in his room, Jeong-in gently placed the plushie next to his pillow. When the small toy settled there, the room suddenly felt complete.
***
As Chase’s car stopped in the school parking lot, people began to murmur when they saw who got out of the passenger seat.
Until now, Chase had never particularly cared about people’s gazes. But today was different. The whispers over shoulders and glances in their direction all bothered him.
He narrowed his brows and asked Jeong-in,
“When will your glasses be fixed anyway?”
“I’m supposed to pick them up today.”
“Pick them up? Where? Cobb Mall?”
“Yeah.”
“Should we go together during lunch break?”
Suddenly it occurred to him that this natural conversation was the kind couples or spouses might have. Jeong-in looked at Chase with a slightly flustered expression.
Chase added casually,
“Why are you so surprised? I didn’t ask you to go to bed with me. I asked you to go to the mall.”
At those words, Jeong-in’s face instantly turned bright red. Before he could retort, he turned his head sharply and began walking away quickly as if escaping.
Chase burst into quiet laughter. He thought it was cute that Jeong-in blushed at such simple words.
Even when he was younger and more immature, he had never bullied anyone. He tended to look down on peers who tried to get attention by bullying others.
But it seemed that Chase wasn’t as mature as he thought.
He felt a thrilling tickle in his stomach whenever he made Jeong-in flustered. He wanted to see that stirred expression more. Chase finally realized that until now, there had never been anyone he wanted to get attention from so badly.
Chase caught up with Jeong-in in a few large strides and placed his hand on Jeong-in’s shoulder as if embracing him. He could feel the round shoulder blade under his palm.
Jeong-in hunched his shoulders and tried to slip away, but it wasn’t easy. Eventually, he had to enter the hallway with Chase’s hand still on his shoulder.
Once again, people’s gazes converged on them. Jeong-in lowered his head halfway, feeling strange and uncomfortable.
When Jeong-in reached his locker and was about to open it, he paused.
“Huh…?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, looks like someone took something that was stuck here.”
One of the postcards decorating the locker had disappeared.
“Oh well. It probably fell off in the wind. The custodian must have cleaned it up.”
Agreeing with Chase’s words, Jeong-in opened his locker and began gathering the handouts inside. Standing next to him, Chase leaned one arm against the adjacent locker and stared down at Jeong-in.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
When Jeong-in asked, Chase answered with a playful voice,
“Just trying to memorize you now. I won’t be able to see you for four whole class periods.”
As if wondering how someone could say such things out loud, Jeong-in’s face first froze in shock, then turned red from the chin up. Was it because his skin was so pale, or because it was thin? His emotions showed so clearly on his face.
How will he handle being surprised every time at such small things? Chase imagined the day when Jeong-in would naturally accept his affection as something he deserved. It would feel incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.
Just then, someone’s sharp voice broke Chase’s daydream.
“Chase.”
Vivian Sinclair, wearing her cheerleader uniform again today, was approaching.
As soon as she stood in front of Chase, Vivian snapped,
“I texted you. Why didn’t you answer?”
“Didn’t see it.”
“What are you going to do about prom? What are you planning to wear?”
Between the two people conversing, Jeong-in realized too late. He had completely forgotten about Vivian’s existence, bewitched by Chase’s affectionate advances.
Jeong-in quickened his pace gathering his things. He didn’t want to look like a foreign object wedged in the solid relationship these two had built over years. As he carefully closed his locker, the sound of the old hinges caught Chase’s attention.
Chase’s hand lightly grabbed Jeong-in’s forearm as he quietly tried to slip away.
“Jay, you need to come with me.”
“You two seem to have things to discuss. Go ahead.”
“No, there’s nothing to discuss.”
At Chase’s firm words, Vivian let out a scoff of disbelief. While firmly holding onto Jeong-in so he couldn’t leave, Chase said to Vivian,
“I told you. I’m not going to prom.”
The entire hallway went quiet as if ice water had been poured. Some people drew in surprised breaths. Vivian asked in a sharp voice,
“You were serious?”
“Did you think I was joking?”
Vivian’s pretty face gradually distorted. Meanwhile, Chase showed no sign of wavering and continued to look only at Jeong-in with a gentle smile.
Vivian, who had opened her mouth to say something more, quickly composed her expression, conscious of the stares around them. Then, speaking through gritted teeth like a ventriloquist, she said,
“Are you kidding me? Don’t you at least have to go to prom?”
“We already finished that conversation.”
It was clear that the two people had been talking about something.
Jeong-in became uncomfortable. It felt like eavesdropping on someone’s private conversation. He tried to carefully twist his arm free, but Chase, seemingly having no more business with Vivian, looked down at Jeong-in affectionately.
“Jay, where’s your first class? I’ll take you there.”
Vivian’s face stiffened with embarrassment. Leaving her behind, Chase walked down the hallway with his arm around Jeong-in’s shoulders. Everyone left behind wore puzzled expressions.
“Wait a minute.”
As soon as they escaped the crowd and reached a quiet place, Jeong-in removed Chase’s hand and broke free from his embrace.
“You’re not going to prom? Really?”
Chase answered with a nonchalant expression to Jeong-in’s hushed question.
“Yeah. I’m not going.”
He had no reason to go alone if Jeong-in wasn’t going. Naturally, he planned to attend Jeong-in’s math competition that was scheduled for the same time to cheer him on.
He thought Jeong-in would be happy. But his eyebrows furrowed as if he’d heard something displeasing.
“But… your partner is Vivian Sinclair… and you’re a Prescott.”
Chase’s face showed subtle displeasure at his words that had slipped out like a mumble.
“Why does that matter?”
“You two are… S&P.”
“What?”
“That’s what people call you both sometimes.”
Sinclair and Prescott. Their last names coincidentally matched the initials of Salt & Pepper (S&P). Implying they were an inseparable pair.
“You know, like in movies. High school sweethearts… even if they break up and spend time apart, they meet again years later by chance in a place like New York and fall in love again…”
“Whoa, whoa, wait.”
Chase urgently raised his hand to stop Jeong-in’s words.
“What are you talking about? I clearly told you before that I never dated Vivian.”
Without realizing it, Jeong-in let out a sharp breath. To Chase, it might have sounded like mockery.
“…You don’t believe me.”
“You don’t need to pretend. Everyone knows anyway…”
“Knows what?”
Jeong-in hesitated momentarily. Maybe it would be better to keep quiet as usual. But he wanted to spare Chase the trouble of continuing his lie.
“I told you I saw you two kissing at the charity event. On that terrace.”
“And I told you not to believe exactly what you saw.”
Chase ran his fingers through his hair, looking troubled. With a face tangled in complex thoughts, he asked Jeong-in after a moment of contemplation.
“Are you sure?”
“Huh?”
“That night, did you see my face?”
“Of course I…”
Jeong-in paused briefly, reflecting on his memory. And he revisited the scene he had witnessed.
He clearly saw a tall man with blonde hair in a black tuxedo enter the terrace with Vivian and saw them kiss passionately.
But no matter how much he tried to recall, he couldn’t picture the man’s face. The reason was obvious. He hadn’t seen it.
Chase didn’t miss Jeong-in’s silence and pointed it out first.
“Why did you think it was me? Because he was a tall blonde guy?”
His voice had a somewhat tired tone mixed in.
Jeong-in was momentarily at a loss for words. There must have been a solid reason for Chase to be this confident.
Only then did he realize that he had concluded with no certainty that the man he saw that night was Chase.
“It… wasn’t you?”
Jeong-in’s voice grew smaller as he lost confidence.
Despite being quick to criticize others for making statements that resembled racial prejudice, he himself wasn’t free from bias.
Jeong-in’s face flushed with belated shame. Feeling cornered, he blurted out his last piece of evidence as if presenting it.
“B-but… what about a few days ago? I saw you embracing Vivian Sinclair on Fitzroy Street. Are you saying that wasn’t you either?”
“A few days ago? Ah…”
Chase also seemed to remember which day it was. He looked at Jeong-in quietly and then shook his head with a sigh.
“I was comforting Vivian after her bad breakup with that blonde guy.”
“…What?”
“The guy was really bad news. I know him too.”
Jeong-in’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. Looking back, their embrace didn’t seem all that romantic.
“It’s your choice not to believe me. But at least to you, I’ve never once told a lie.”
The phrase “at least to you” painfully pricked Jeong-in’s conscience. He asked, almost shouting in agitation.
“Why, why didn’t you explain this earlier? You knew I was misunderstanding!”
Jeong-in’s voice trembled. In contrast, Chase’s response was calm.
“I did consider it. But I thought that would be almost like outing someone.”
His lips bit down involuntarily at the realization that hit him like a blow to the head.
Chase quietly gazed at Jeong-in’s slightly trembling eyes. If this were a debate, Chase would have gained the upper hand. But he didn’t feel triumphant. Seeing Jeong-in at a loss made him want to comfort him instead.
“But, I think I was wrong too. I shouldn’t have just asked you to trust me without explanation. I should have properly explained the reasons. I’m sorry, Jay.”
Jeong-in’s wavering eyes turned toward Chase. This was certainly not a situation where he should be receiving an apology. Yet Chase was apologizing first.
Chase revealed the truth with a bitter expression.
“Yes, we were deceiving people. I did it because I hated the hassle, and Vivian did it to protect her secret relationship.”
The puzzle pieces fit together. That must have been the secret Madison mentioned. Vivian was seeing someone she couldn’t openly acknowledge, and her relationship with Chase was a cover to hide it.
Jeong-in’s head drooped in self-reproach for having labeled him a liar. He felt himself becoming infinitely small.
Chase looked at him. Considering Jeong-in’s usually strong character, it would never happen, but right now he somehow looked like he might cry. He wanted to console him somehow.
“Sigh… Elizabeth.”
It was the second time Chase had called Jeong-in by a woman’s name, first “Jayleen” and now another. Dark eyes looked at Chase questioningly. Jeong-in’s face quickly turned pale as if finding the answer on his own.
The two had been completing a joint report analyzing a novel, and they were now in the final revision stage. “Elizabeth” was the female protagonist of “Pride and Prejudice,” the novel that was the subject of their assignment. Intelligent and independent, but trapped in prejudice.
“What am I going to do with you, Elizabeth?”
Chase sighed with an exasperated tone. Jeong-in realized he was deliberately teasing him to cover his embarrassment. This made him feel even more ashamed.
Just then, Chase spoke with an expression as if something had suddenly occurred to him.
“Wait. Come to think of it, there was a car that hit a trash can and drove away that day…”
“I-I don’t know! I don’t care. I need to go to class!”
Jeong-in hastily turned around and fled.
“Where are you going! Elizabeth!”
He heard Chase’s voice behind him, but Jeong-in kept walking rapidly without looking back.
“See you at lunch! Elizabeth!”
Unable to stand it anymore, Jeong-in flashed his middle finger for the third time and disappeared down the hallway.
* * *
When Jeong-in finished his fourth period class and was just leaving the classroom, Chase was waiting in front of the door. Their classes were in the same Social Sciences building, so the classrooms weren’t far apart.
Students leaving the classroom glanced at him as they passed by, leaning against the opposite wall of the corridor.
Chase slowly approached Jeong-in.
“How was class? Elizabeth?”
“I told you to stop that!”
“Okay, don’t get mad.”
Jeong-in snapped briefly, and Chase quickly adjusted his attitude and stood close beside him.
The hallway was bustling with students heading to the cafeteria for lunch, but the two of them went against the crowd and exited the school building.
“…I’m sorry.”
Jeong-in carefully spoke around the time Chase’s silver Porsche left the school parking lot and entered the road.
Chase now knew that Jeong-in apologizing was a rare occurrence. He wasn’t the type to casually offer insincere words just to get out of a situation.
Having come to understand Jeong-in’s personality quite well, Chase knew how carefully he had thought about this before coming to a conclusion. Jeong-in didn’t easily admit his mistakes, but he wasn’t the type to be stubborn either. It must have been a conclusion he reached after hours of contemplation. Just like his careful nature.
Chase found such a Jeong-in incredibly lovable as a human being. He also thought he was amazing.
“If you still have any misunderstandings about Vivian, tell me, Jay. I’ll clear everything up.”
“…That’s not necessary.”
“Why?”
“I realized I was really being like Elizabeth… and now I trust you.”
Chase was momentarily stunned by Jeong-in’s words. Such a simple statement stirred something deep within him.
Upon arriving at the mall, they headed straight to the optician’s shop. Without hesitation, Jeong-in removed his disposable contacts and put on his glasses, then let out a deep sigh as if he had overcome a major hurdle. Now he wouldn’t have to struggle with contacts every morning and evening.
“Whew… I can finally breathe.”
As soon as they left the optician’s, Chase leaned forward to look at Jeong-in. Then, as if somewhat dissatisfied, he narrowed his eyes.
“This is a problem.”
“What?”
“I can still see it even with your glasses on. How pretty your face is.”
Jeong-in’s face turned red instantly. He unconsciously raised his fist and hit Chase’s shoulder.
“No way!”
He began walking ahead with large strides as if he’d heard something insulting.
Jeong-in seemed accustomed to sincerely complimenting others but wasn’t used to receiving compliments himself. He readily accepted praise for his achievements but couldn’t bear compliments about his appearance. Why was that? A cultural difference? Or just Jeong-in’s unique personality?
Chase couldn’t stop thinking about Jeong-in for a moment. He felt like he could gladly write a dissertation on him if asked. Jeong-in was a person who was fascinating to observe and study.
Chase exaggeratedly dropped one arm and groaned.
“Ouch, Jay, help me out. Don’t you think I’ve dislocated something?”
“Stop messing around and hurry up!”
Chase followed behind Jeong-in, thinking even his bursts of anger were cute.
The two had a simple lunch with sandwiches and returned to school. As soon as they parked in the lot, they noticed Chase’s group sitting at an outdoor table. They must have ordered Chipotle delivery, as the table was messily covered with the remnants.
As the two walked over amicably after getting out of the car, Max threw out a playful comment.
“What’s with this vibe? Anyone would think you two were coming back from a date.”
While others laughed as if amused, only Alex, who knew Chase’s feelings, had a rather serious expression. Jeong-in froze as if he didn’t know what to do, and then hurriedly made excuses.
“I, I have a class in the math building… I’ll go first.”
Jeong-in awkwardly waved to the gathered group and walked away with rapid steps.
Chase followed Jeong-in’s retreating figure with empty eyes, like a predator that had lost its prey.
Eventually, he slowly turned his head to look at his friends. Then, with an unexpectedly serious expression, he spoke.
“Could you be more careful with what you say?”
Max asked with a puzzled face at his calm tone.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Chase looked once more in the direction where Jeong-in had disappeared, then sighed and turned his gaze to Max.
“I’m fine with it. But Jay isn’t a dense muscle-head like us. He’s sensitive.”
His words created a strange atmosphere. Brian Cole asked as if he’d heard something absurd.
“What are you talking about? Why are you suddenly being so protective of him?”
Chase answered in a calm tone.
“I like Jay.”
In that moment, silence enveloped the group. Everyone looked at each other with dumbfounded expressions as they processed Chase’s words. Max was the first to speak.
“Y-you like him? You mean you ‘like’ like him?”
“What are you talking about, Schneider?”
“You know what I mean! Do you like him in a way that makes you want to touch and kiss him?”
Chase maintained silence for a moment. He felt everyone’s eyes on him, but he wasn’t fazed at all.
“I passed that stage a while ago.”
His answer threw the group into even more confusion, like pouring oil on a fire. Questions poured in.
“Does he feel the same way?”
“What about Vivian?”
Chase raised his palm as if suggesting they take things one at a time.
“I’m the one pursuing him. As for Vivian, well, there’s nothing to say.”
“You swing that way too? Were you bi?”
At Brian’s question about being bi, Chase briefly sank into thought, then frowned as if he’d bitten into sand.
“I don’t know. It seems a bit early to call myself bi. Considering that thinking about other guys makes me clench my fists rather than feel anything down there.”
This time Alex asked, “What do you like about him so much?”
“Everything. He’s pure and honest. His occasional quirkiness is cute too. Especially his brain—it’s really sexy. I’ve never met someone so smart.”
Max cut in as if it were absurd, “Don’t tell me it’s because of that? Inner beauty? That changed your sexual preference?”
“Well, coincidentally, the face attached to that sexy brain is also really pretty.”
Brian mumbled with a still-dazed expression, “No way… Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve heard Pres say he likes someone.”
He had known Chase since preschool. He’d seen countless people come and go from Chase’s side, but this was the first time he’d heard Chase say he liked someone first.
Brian’s words made Chase reflect on his own past.
His relationships had always been casual. He got along easily with everyone, but there was never anything beyond momentary pleasure. He never had the desire to know someone deeply or share genuine feelings.
Yet now he found himself wondering what Jeong-in had for breakfast and when he started the habit of biting his lips whenever he was troubled. Even Jeong-in’s smallest changes in expression and casual remarks lingered in his mind.
Chase had no choice but to acknowledge the one truth all this suggested.
“Well, it can’t be helped. It’s my first love.”
The sound of several people sharply inhaling could be heard. The group was once again enveloped in silence.
Jeong-in paused working on the practice book spread on his desk and picked up his phone. There was a message from Chase.
Chase Prescott: [What are you doing?]
Jeong-in instinctively typed “Studying for the SAT” but deleted it all, thinking it seemed too nerdy and uncool.
How did popular kids text each other? He stared at the blinking cursor, contemplating, then tapped on the screen.
To Chase Prescott: [nm]
It was an abbreviation of “nothing much.” Would this seem cool enough? He bit his lip, unsure even after pressing send.
Chase Prescott: [What are you going to do now? Want to hang out if you’re free?]
Jeong-in looked at the clock. It was well past 10 PM.
To Chase Prescott: [I can’t go out because it’s past my curfew. Now?]
Oh no! Regret flooded him as soon as he pressed send. Mentioning curfew, nothing could be nerdier than that.
Chase Prescott: [Yeah, now]
Just as Jeong-in checked the reply, there was a tapping sound at the window. He instinctively approached the window and pulled back the curtain. Chase’s face was outside the window.
“Ahhh!”
Jeong-in reflexively screamed but quickly covered his mouth with both hands, realizing his mother was home.
“Jeong-in? Is everything okay?”
His mother asked, probably hearing him through the open door.
“I-I stubbed my toe on the furniture!”
“That’s terrible! Should I bring you some medicine?”
“No, it’s not that bad!”
Jeong-in hurriedly closed his bedroom door first and then turned back to the window. Chase was making a gesture to open the window, with a relaxed smile on his face. Jeong-in hastily unlocked it and opened the window.
Chase pushed his long legs through first and smoothly climbed through the window into the room. His movements while breaking into someone else’s house through a window were so natural that Jeong-in found the situation surreal.
“‘nm’? That’s the most half hearted text I’ve ever received.”
Jeong-in’s face flushed with embarrassment. Wasn’t that supposed to be cool? Should he have added an emoticon at the end? He must have misunderstood what being cool meant.
“Hi.”
Chase greeted him anew, standing in the middle of the room. The two faced each other awkwardly in the small room, feeling the strange current flowing between them.
Chase’s gaze slowly swept the room before stopping at the desk.
“Were you studying?”
“…Yeah. SAT.”
“Ah, I should be doing that too.”
“Did you register for the June test?”
Although SAT tests were held every month or two, most juniors took the exam in May or June. However, students taking more advanced courses often took it in June because of scheduling conflicts with AP exams.
“For now. But Mrs. Mendez says I should submit an ACT score instead.”
Chase answered casually as he walked toward the bed.