LCL 9

I think I understand why the seniors don’t like this professor. Everyone left the classroom with tired faces. A class that was supposed to end at 5:50 ended at 5:57, which was quite frustrating.

Still, the hallway was unusually noisy. I looked back toward the classroom without being noticed. Lim Dae-han was carrying textbooks and there were seniors around him. They were seniors with loud voices who were already involved in the student council committee.

Originally in our department, it was common for people to go around individually, but there were also loud groups wherever you went. The seniors who liked Lim Dae-han were like that.

Senior Hyuna was also in the student council, so I thought she might have come to meet her senior, but I couldn’t figure it out properly since I couldn’t see her well. She probably said something to Lim Dae-han. There were always people like that clinging around Lim Dae-han. It was like that even in high school. It’s a familiar situation.

I also received an offer from the student council, but I declined it because it didn’t seem like a good fit for me. Looking at my senior student council committee and classmates hanging around drinking, it seems I made the right choice.

I kept glancing back, wondering what was going on. Senior Seong-hong, who had a particularly loud voice, was pestering Lim Dae-han. Lim Dae-han flatly rejected whatever proposal he made.

“I’m busy. I have to go home. I have something to do when I go home.”

Things to do at home… I’m sure they’ll just eat and laze around. Whether on the bed or the sofa. But even though Senior Hyuna probably didn’t know about such circumstances, she also helped Lim Dae-han.

“That’s right. He says he can’t even do assignments with me because he has to go home. What kind of drinking is there for someone who can’t even do assignments?”

The seniors left the lecture hall together since there didn’t seem to be any major issues.

“Ah, this punk. He’s going home in such a hurry. Did he hide something?”

The irritated senior’s voice rang loudly in the hallway. Was it necessary to speak like that?

Even the classmates who were talking turned around to look at them. They all seemed surprised. I took the opportunity to confidently look at Lim Dae-han.

“What are you saying, seriously.”

Lim Dae-han frowned. No matter how much Seong-hong senior crossed the line, for him to get that serious… I gulped for no reason. Even though I wasn’t involved in that situation, I felt self-conscious, wondering if I’d get scolded by the seniors for being ill-mannered. But unexpectedly, instead of the atmosphere getting tense, the other seniors took Lim Dae-han’s side too.

“Park Seong-hong, don’t talk like that.”

It was just my feeling, but when Park In-gong becomes a senior, I think he will become like Senior Seong-hong. Senior Seong-hong, who was criticized, scratched the back of his head and apologized.

“Sorry.”

Still, he didn’t give up on Lim Dae-han.

“Then don’t miss it on Friday. I’ve been talking about this since yesterday, alright?”

“I’ll see.”

“Ah, I don’t know why he’s so charming even though he has no manners.”

Senior Seong-hong nodded and praised Lim Dae-han. Despite facing such a brash Lim Dae-han, he seemed to like him. It was quite peculiar.

“I’ll go first.”

After brushing off the clinging senior, Lim Dae-han fiddled with his phone as he passed by his peers. Since he usually hangs around the seniors, he doesn’t interact much with his peers. 

The reason we haven’t encountered any difficult situations until now is also because he hasn’t really spent time with us. At least one of the few peers he talked to greeted him.

“Dae-han-ah, take care.”

Lim Dae-han, who was looking at his phone as he passed by, turned back. He looked at me, then the other peers, then at me again before lightly smiling at the peer who greeted him.

“Yeah, bye.”

I felt a slightly strange emotion. Back in high school, I was the only one who exchanged greetings with him. Hi, take care, see you tomorrow, I’ll contact you – those somewhat awkward but polite greetings.

Things definitely changed a lot after coming to university. There were many people who treated Lim Dae-han casually. Even though just our school uniforms changed to casual clothes. Or maybe people’s tastes changed after coming to university?

Clearly in high school, everyone felt uncomfortable around Lim Dae-han. The only ones who were friendly with him were the ones who openly declared “I’m a rascal.”

My pocket vibrated. I took out my phone and saw it was from Lim Dae-han.

Lim Dae-han: [See you at the west gate]

Me: [Okay]

I bit my lip. My peers murmured.

“Did he put on cologne?”

“It seemed like it. I don’t know. Why?”

“Just. He doesn’t look like the type to wear cologne.”

Somehow Lim Dae-han, who had disappeared from sight, became the topic. While Lim Dae-han dresses simply, he always wears cologne. He keeps his hair in a short style too, but I actually don’t know why he wears cologne.

Is it one of the few ways he grooms himself? That’s why I sometimes wore cologne too. …Actually, I secretly took some that my brother used.

A grumbling voice came from nearby. Predictably, it was Park In-gong.

“I don’t know why I dislike him acting cool so much.”

I sided with Lim Dae-han. Even when I was in high school, I had Jung Ji-pil, so I was used to getting rid of such ugly jealousy.

“What do you mean acting cool? He just said goodbye and left.”

“Yeah. Did he really need to say ‘bye’? He could have just said ‘going’ or ‘yup, bye.'”

It was strange that the people around me didn’t particularly like Lim Dae-han. They felt uncomfortable and showed inferiority. Maybe I was destined to hate Lim Dae-han?

Even when I didn’t know him well, I never hated him. I was scared of him, but I didn’t hate him. It seems like I used to quickly avoid him whenever our eyes met. It’s really strange.

It wasn’t just me who sensed Park In-gong’s insecurity. My peers made snide remarks criticizing him.

“In-gong, stop acting inferior and pretending to be cool. Don’t think smoking two or three cigarettes makes you look cool.”

Park In-gong grumbled but didn’t say anything. As we went down the stairs, one of my peers suggested:

“Should we drink on Friday too?”

“Oh, good idea.”

“A senior actually recommended a good place, so let’s go there.”

Opinions quickly aligned. Even Park In-gong, who had been grumbling, immediately clapped saying it was a good idea, like nothing had happened. It was nice how simple-minded he was.

Friday…I recalled what the seniors had said to Lim Dae-han in the lecture hall about Friday.

‘Then don’t miss it on Friday. I’ve been talking about this since yesterday, alright?’

‘I’ll see.’

The chances of Lim Dae-han going to a drinking party were not high. Of course, both he and I had gone out drinking separately before, but we had never gotten extremely drunk and wandered around. The thought of a partner waiting at home felt quite burdensome. So, I usually tried to finish early and come home.

I didn’t particularly think that was a good thing. At twenty years old, I couldn’t afford to waste my college life that had just begun. Neglecting my classmates in the name of dating and failing to make connections was just as regrettable.

And I don’t drink alcohol all the time, so what? Lim Dae-han can drink with his seniors, and I can drink with my classmates.

Being too close to each other only leads to dependence. At least, that’s what I thought.

“What about you, Young-hyun?”

“I’ll go too.”

“Then…the only one not going is In-gong?”

“Hey, I said I’m going too…!!”

Park In-gong’s voice rang through the air. Even in the not-so-quiet building, his whining was unrivaled.