EAR Ch 26

He wanted to retort, “Does that make any sense?”, but Oh Seungpyo seemed genuine. Faced with his confident demeanor, Jaemin felt awkward arguing further. He also thought he might be too self-conscious. People generally aren’t that interested in other people’s business.

His attempt at self-reassurance was short-lived. He wasn’t imagining the occasional glances from passing students. While they were both just ordinary high school students, they were still the conspicuous top two students in this small school. Their sudden closeness was bound to attract curiosity.

However, enduring the students’ glances seemed easier than shaking off the persistent Oh Seungpyo, who had his arm firmly draped over Jaemin’s shoulder. Since his fake confession had failed, it was highly likely Seungpyo was trying to annoy him with these petty inconveniences.

Jaemin sighed softly and silently quickened his pace. As soon as they reached the classroom, he laid down the law.

“I’m going to study now, so don’t bother me.”

“I’m going to study too, you know?”

Once they left the resource room, Oh Seungpyo reverted to his usual sarcastic self. Today, Jaemin welcomed this demeanor instead of finding it annoying. He couldn’t get used to Seungpyo’s cheesy comments when they were alone, pretending to be a couple.

The two, who had been inseparably attached, finally separated and sat at their respective desks. Leaving behind the confusing conversations and bizarre situations, Jaemin took a deep breath to collect himself. He hadn’t been able to relax for a second while lying to that sly bastard. His erratic heartbeat finally seemed to be returning to normal.

Just as he was about to regain his composure, his phone silently notified him of a new message. Since it was an SNS message, the sender was obvious. What more did he have to say after chattering away just moments ago?

‘Should I ignore it?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Jaemin tapped the screen. He couldn’t rule out the possibility that Seungpyo would come to his desk and bother him if he didn’t check.

Two messages from Seungpyo were lined up on the screen.

Let’s have lunch together tomorrow

You brought fruit today, so I’ll pack lunch tomorrow

Lunch? Jaemin was appalled and quickly replied.

We can just eat lunch together in the cafeteria, why pack lunch?

The cafeteria is too crowded, I want to eat with just you

Do you even know how to pack a lunch?

I’ll figure it out, how hard can it be?

Have you ever cooked anything?

Hey, I live with my older brother, so I do a bit

Jaemin hesitated, unsure. A packed lunch made by Oh Seungpyo. Oh Seungpyo, cooking, packed lunch…. The words felt awkward together, like mismatched puzzle pieces. It was the kind of sentence that would appear as a wrong answer choice on a test.

Taste aside, would it even be edible? Oh Seungpyo was still his rival, and he couldn’t bring himself to trust and eat a lunchbox prepared by his enemy. If he got a stomachache from eating a suspicious lunchbox, he’d have no one to complain to. Jaemin decided to offer an alternative.

If you really want a packed lunch, I’ll ask my housekeeper

No, I can do it

My housekeeper’s food is delicious, you know that

Seungpyo fell silent, seemingly agreeing about the housekeeper’s culinary skills. Seizing the opportunity, Jaemin immediately continued.

I’ll ask her to pack us lunches

Okay

I’m always on the receiving end

Several insincere hearts fluttered across the screen. He felt irritated, as if he had been tricked. Jaemin looked down at his phone with an even colder gaze.

Oblivious to Jaemin’s feelings, Seungpyo continued sending trivial messages.

I just realized

My name is Oh Seungpyo, your name is Ryu Jaemin

So?

If you take the first letters of our last names, it makes “Oryu” which means error, get it?

There’s even a saying

Love is like an error

See?

Even our names are amazing together

…Should I kill him?

Your existence is the error in my life, asshole. He wanted to reply like that, but if he fell for Seungpyo’s tricks, he’d lose. Jaemin suppressed his boiling anger and sent a long, hollow [hahahaha].

📚

Regret arrived less than 24 hours after accepting Seungpyo’s confession.

Oh Seungpyo was elated, to a degree Jaemin couldn’t comprehend, considering nothing had gone according to his plan. He sent countless messages and kept smiling whenever their eyes met, exhausting Jaemin, who had to keep up the act.

Spilled water couldn’t be gathered, so Jaemin intended to maintain this charade until finals, whether he liked it or not. However, he couldn’t shake a vague sense of unease, a feeling that he had made a mistake.

He didn’t think his assumption that Oh Seungpyo had made a false confession to confuse him was wrong. He just thought that reciprocating with a fake confession might not have been the right move. It was a blunder that hadn’t considered the difference in their personalities.

He had failed to calculate that their thought processes could be completely different. He should have considered what happened when he took Seungpyo home…. He still vividly remembered his surprise when Seungpyo, instead of becoming flustered like Jaemin would have, had reacted with a sharp, aggressive glint in his eyes when Jaemin touched that spot.

It was more likely that Oh Seungpyo, instead of doubting Jaemin’s confession, had taken it at face value and was now inwardly gloating.

It was most plausible that Seungpyo was so cheerful because he was thinking about toying with the naive Ryu Jaemin, who confessed back despite knowing it was a lie, mocking him as a nerd who’s only good at studying, and then dumping him after finals.

‘I should have just rejected him outright.’

Oh Seungpyo was proud. If Jaemin had rejected him immediately, adding a few humiliating remarks, Seungpyo would have reacted angrily, even if his confession wasn’t sincere.

After being dumped by the slutty, perverted Ryu Jaemin, with some scathing insults thrown in, would he have even been able to think straight? He would have probably flown into a rage and hurled insults at Jaemin like he used to. But it was too late to change his approach now.

Fine, let him be arrogant. The higher his pride soared, the greater his fall would be. Jaemin still had the pleasure of future revenge to look forward to.

He was staring blankly out the car window on his way home when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He checked the notification with a tired expression, expecting it to be Oh Seungpyo again, but this time it was his housekeeper. She rarely contacted him directly, but because of the lunchbox request, they had exchanged several messages today.

Jaemin, will you be eating lunch with that friend tomorrow? Tell me what he likes, and I’ll pack accordingly

The housekeeper was seeking advice on tomorrow’s menu. Jaemin wanted to be honest. Just pack anything. Since it’s for Oh Seungpyo, might as well add a laxative.

But contrary to his inner thoughts, Jaemin hesitated before replying dutifully.

I’m not sure since we’ve only eaten lunch together in the cafeteria, but I think he likes meat

Should I just make kimbap then? Is beef kimbap too ordinary?

No, kimbap is good, thank you

While the kimbap from the snack bar they frequented before class wasn’t bad, the kimbap his housekeeper made was on a different level. The school lunches at Ilyang Boys’ High School weren’t the worst, but they weren’t particularly delicious either, so being able to have a packed lunch thanks to Oh Seungpyo’s insistence felt like a small win.

“I’m home.”

Arriving home later than usual, Jaemin greeted his family listlessly and walked into the living room. He was always tired at the end of the day, but today, he felt especially drained after being emotionally taxed by Oh Seungpyo.

Just as he was about to head to his room, Jaemin stopped. Two unfamiliar guests were sitting on the sofa with his parents. He quickly bowed his head in greeting.

“Hello.”

“Hello. You must be Jaemin.”

One of the guests sat up slightly.

“I’ve wanted to meet you. We’re lucky the timing worked out. I hear you’re always at the top of your class?”

“…I’ve just been lucky on exams.”

“So humble too. You two professors have raised a wonderful son. Wasn’t your daughter always at the top of her class as well?”

Jaemin’s father gave an awkward laugh.

“We didn’t do anything special. They grew up well on their own.”

Jaemin stared at him expressionlessly. What did his father, or these unknown guests, know about Ryu Jaemin to make such judgments?

He stood there awkwardly, trying not to frown, when his mother explained, “They’re here for an interview. They’re writing an article about raising children.”

“Oh, I see. Hello.”

Finally understanding the situation, Jaemin bowed his head again in greeting.

There had always been a line of people wanting to know the secret to raising high-achieving children like him and his sister. His parents occasionally appeared in newspapers and magazines, sometimes on TV, and had even co-authored a couple of books on education.

“I should have introduced myself first, I’m sorry. Professor, would it be alright if I asked Jaemin a few questions?”

“Of course.”

They wanted to ask him questions, but they didn’t ask for his permission. As his mother smiled and nodded, the reporter turned to Jaemin.

“I won’t take up too much of your time. Just a couple of things. What do you think is your parents’ greatest strength?”

“Um… that they trust me.”

“How do they show their trust?”

“They always believe I’ll do well. So that motivates me to work harder.”

Jaemin replied with a smile. They believed he should be first in every exam and win awards in every competition. This could be considered absolute trust in their child.

“I see. So, Ryu Jaemin, what do you want to do after graduating high school?”

Jaemin maintained his smile as he looked at the reporter and replied, “I haven’t decided on anything specific yet, but… I promised my parents I’d live independently when I go to college. Our family values independence. I’m a little nervous, but I want to try living on my own when I become an adult.”

“Ah, you mentioned your daughter is currently living independently, right?”

His father, who had been observing the interview, immediately replied, “Yes, that’s right.”

“You two professors have always emphasized autonomy in education. It seems your educational philosophy has been well-received by your children.”

“You’re too kind.”

His father, smiling, was looking at Jaemin, not the reporter. Jaemin, his smile now gone, met his father’s gaze before turning back to the reporter.

“I’m in the middle of finals week. Would it be alright if I excused myself?”

“Oh, it’s exam season? I’m sorry to have interrupted. We should probably get going too.”

As if they had finished the interview and were just chatting, the reporters busily got up. He hadn’t specifically asked them to leave, but it was getting late for guests to stay.

They all walked to the entrance to see the guests off. His father said kindly, “If you need any further advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”

“Professor, thank you so much for your time today. Jaemin, study hard.”

“Yes, have a safe trip.”

Jaemin politely saw them off, waiting until they were out the door. His parents, looking slightly tired, turned around, rubbing their shoulders.

“Sorry to have interrupted you during exams. Go wash up and study. We’re going to our room now. Do you need anything else?”

Jaemin quickly shook his head at his mother’s question.

“No, I’ll read a bit and then go to bed.”

“Alright. Good night.”

Just as he was about to head to his room, his father’s voice stopped him.

“Work hard.”

“…….”

“You can only be independent if you achieve results.”

“Yes, I know.”

Jaemin bowed slightly to his father, who was standing silently. He sighed as he headed to his room after the unusually grand goodnight.

It was fortunate that it was exam season. When guests like this came, he sometimes had to play along and prove what a wonderful and bright son Ryu Jaemin was, but thanks to the excuse of studying, the whole ordeal was short.

He washed up, changed clothes, and shut himself in his room. Only then did his shoulders slump, as if a weight had been lifted. He hadn’t realized he was so tense.

What kind of nonsense did they spout in front of the reporters? Jaemin frowned, a wry smile touching his lips. He had read a bit of his parents’ book. He had stopped reading when he reached the part about how children should always be respected and given freedom of choice so they could learn independently without being told.

But what his parents said to others didn’t matter to him. Getting upset over such things would only hurt his own feelings.

He sighed, stretched his arms, and sat down at his desk. As he opened his textbook and started solving problems, his phone vibrated silently.

He had told Seungpyo he couldn’t use his phone much at home, so he could have ignored it, but… they were supposedly dating.

Jaemin opened the message window. As expected, a trivial message had arrived.

Did you get home safe?

To the silly question, Jaemin sent a silly reply.

Yeah

I miss you already, even though we just left the academy

I can’t wait to go to school tomorrow

I miss you too, we’ll see each other tomorrow

Jaemin replied with a straight face. Without having to see Seungpyo, lies flowed effortlessly.

We’ll see each other sooner if you go to sleep early, aren’t you going to study now?

You are too

Don’t stay up too late, your brain doesn’t work well when you’re sleep-deprived

You too

Look at you trying to get me to sleep early so you can study alone

I’m starting to study now, I won’t reply

Seungpyo sent a barrage of emoticons in protest, but Jaemin firmly ignored them. Seungpyo seemed to give up, sending only [See you tomorrow] with multiple hearts, and then fell silent.

Now that it was quiet, Jaemin glanced at his phone before reaching out and scrolling up. Messages from Oh Seungpyo filled the screen.

The number of messages they had exchanged today exceeded the total number of their previous messages combined. Most of it was pointless chatter. Want to go to the cafeteria together after class? Any movies you want to see after exams? Let’s go here and there after exams…. Mostly rosy plans for after finals.

Where do you want to go on a date?

I’ve hung out with friends a lot, but this is my first date, so I’m excited

To Oh Seungpyo’s feigned innocence, Jaemin replied with equal pretense.

I’m really excited too

I haven’t even hung out with friends much

What do people usually do on dates?

I searched for student date vlogs, they watch movies, go to cafes, play games

(Left align) Some people take buses to faraway places on weekends

(Left align) But it might be hard to go anywhere right after finals

Seungpyo’s concern reminded Jaemin of the game they had played before. Of course, he had no intention of going on a real date, but he needed to give an answer.

I want to play that game again, the shooting one

Then let’s go play games first, we can do that and everything else we couldn’t do then

You’re so cute when you ask for things

“This bastard thinks everything is cute.”

He was so dumbfounded that he spoke out loud without realizing it. Startled by the volume of his own voice, Jaemin quickly shut his mouth.

No, Oh Seungpyo couldn’t possibly think he was actually cute. Even if it was an act, Jaemin couldn’t understand the thought process behind calling him cute for wanting to play a shooting game. Jaemin cleared his throat and put his phone away.

Since their fake relationship would end after finals anyway, it was obvious Seungpyo was trying to confuse him with constant messages. He was probably amused by throwing things out there and observing Jaemin’s reactions.

‘Does he think I’ll fall for it just because he sends a few messages?’

Jaemin scoffed and returned his focus to his textbook. The only sound in the quiet room was the soft scratching of his pen against paper. He studied diligently for two hours, only occasionally stretching, before leaning back in his chair.

Sleepy. Lying in bed, Jaemin tossed and turned before picking up his phone again. He knew it wasn’t good to look at his phone in bed, but since he had no time to fool around except before bed, his bad habit always kicked in.

He opened his message window with Oh Seungpyo again. Scrolling up through their past conversations, he reached their very first messages.

The video Oh Seungpyo had sent, grumbling, after losing the midterm bet was still there. Lowering the volume to the minimum, Jaemin cautiously pressed play.

He was embarrassed to admit it, but Jaemin had watched this video countless times. While others might not believe it, even though he ran a secret SNS account, Ryu Jaemin didn’t particularly enjoy watching other people’s lewd behavior. He didn’t watch porn like other kids, so this video from Oh Seungpyo was incredibly stimulating, at least for him.

Oh Seungpyo’s excited voice flowed from the low-volume speaker.

[I’m making this video because Ryu Jaemin from Class 3, Year 2 of Ilyang Boys’ High School told me to.]

Right, it started like this. From the beginning, he was determined not to suffer alone.

Jaemin chuckled, watching Oh Seungpyo on the screen. When he received this video, they had only kissed and nothing more….

Now, they had done everything Oh Seungpyo had wanted to do in this video. The first semester of their second year was nearing its end. School life had always been the same, but meeting Oh Seungpyo had led to an unbelievable number of experiences.

He was too sleepy to watch the entire 30-minute video. Jaemin dragged the progress bar to the end. Oh Seungpyo, flushed after masturbating, was speaking to the camera.

[I’ve shown you enough, right? Think seriously about what I said. I’m going to kiss you tomorrow. Bye.]

Jaemin stared blankly at the paused video.

‘…I thought Oh Seungpyo was at least honest.’

Even though he sometimes found Oh Seungpyo annoying for his blunt and thoughtless remarks, Jaemin didn’t think he was the type to lie or use tricks. But to think he’d go this far to win a bet.

Come to think of it, he had said vaguely that there were plenty of things they could do besides sex. After rewatching the video, Jaemin suddenly wondered if Oh Seungpyo might demand a similar video from him if he won the bet this time. He wouldn’t want to be the only one with a hostage.

Oh Seungpyo’s face in the video, promising a kiss, was bright, unlike someone whose weakness had been exposed. When Jaemin first received this video, he replayed the same parts over and over for days. He didn’t want to admit it, but there was something about Oh Seungpyo’s confident, cheerful, and absurd demeanor that lightened his mood.

But today, he didn’t want to see Oh Seungpyo’s smiling face promising a kiss again. Hoping to lift his spirits before bed, Jaemin instead felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He pulled the covers over himself and closed his eyes tightly.

📚

I shouldn’t have pushed myself last night. I should have only studied for an hour. It’s not like I’m behind schedule.

Entering the classroom in the morning and sitting at his desk, Jaemin swallowed his early regrets. He’d been regretting things continuously since yesterday.

Nothing special had happened, but he felt more drained than expected after spending the entire day pretending to like and date Oh Seungpyo. On top of that, he had to entertain guests at home, albeit briefly. It would have been better to just do a quick review and go to bed early, but he felt strangely agitated and unwilling to rest, ending up sitting at his desk for too long.

“Oh Seung, you’re here?”

“Oh Seungpyo, did you see that show yesterday?”

Today, Seungpyo arrived at school later than Jaemin. He could tell even without looking; Seungpyo’s friends always greeted him boisterously.

The lunchbox in his bag rattled, reminding him of its existence. The only times he had brought a packed lunch to school were for elementary school field trips and for a week in middle school when the cafeteria was being renovated.

He felt embarrassed at the thought of having packed a lunch to share with a classmate. He wondered if he had fallen for Oh Seungpyo’s trick.

‘Where should we eat?’

Taking it to the cafeteria would be too conspicuous. The resource room was fine for killing time, but not ideal for eating.

Should I ask the teacher in charge if we can use the club room during lunch? He was about to head to the faculty room when a familiar voice called out from behind.

“Did you really pack a lunch?”

Who else could it be? Oh Seungpyo, seizing the opportunity.

What if he said yes and Seungpyo scoffed, saying he was only joking? After briefly considering various scenarios, Jaemin, reminded once again of the complete lack of trust between them, replied, “My housekeeper packed kimbap.”

“Kimbap? Reminds me of childhood picnics. Did you ask her to pack it?”

“No. She prepared it on her own.”

“Then let’s eat lunch in the gym today.”

A completely unexpected location. Jaemin asked, “Eat lunch in the gym?”

“There’s a door on the second floor that leads outside. Most kids don’t know about it. There’s a good spot out there for eating. Nice view too.”

“It’ll be hot.”

“There’s shade, it’ll be better than the resource room.”

Jaemin looked out the window. The blue sky was bright, dotted with fluffy clouds, and the large trees surrounding the field were lush. Eating kimbap outside on a day like this would feel like a real picnic. Jaemin belatedly nodded.

“Alright.”

We can buy drinks from the cafeteria, right? The fatigue that had been weighing on his chest like a stubborn stain suddenly lifted.