LCL Ch 5

I gave the answer, but Lim Dae-han slapped Jung Ji-pil. While waiting for a response, he cut the bread roughly. Then he picked it up with a fork and handed it to me.

I took a bite of the bread, then belatedly realized I had accepted the fork. No matter what, eating bread with a fork at a café… habits can be scary.

“Well, when we go to university…”

“Yeah.”

“I thought it might be better to act less familiar, more like others, in the eyes of others…”

As I trailed off, Lim Dae-han looked at me and sat down.

“Why does it have to be like that?”

“Well… I’m worried it might seem obvious that we’re dating when we go to university. There were many times when I almost made mistakes in high school.”

I looked closely to see if Lim Dae-han getting angry. Contrary to expectations, he raised his hand to rub his face and then tilted his head towards Jung Ji-pil. Jung Ji-pil rolled his eyes and pretended not to notice Dae-han’s piercing gaze.

“Ha…”

Lim Dae-han Dae-han let out a short, hollow laugh. At the same time, there was a thud as the table shook. Lim Dae-han kicked the table leg with his foot, trying to get Jung Ji-pil’s attention.

“Oh, why are you kicking me?”

That’s what I thought, but it seems he kicked Jung Ji-pil’s leg.

“Did you do that?”

Jung Ji-pil swallowed his saliva and questioned Lim Dae-han.

“Hey, did I say something wrong? You guys, what do you expect me to do with you guys running around like that? Making it obvious that you’re dating when you go to university? Ki Young-hyun would really like it. He’s already a timid kid.”

Lim Dae-han’s gaze shifted towards me.

“Just look at it now. What kind of friend feeds you drinks and bread… Hey, imagine me and Ki Young-hyun doing that. Would it look good?”

“No, I’m going to discard you before that.”

“You already have!”

“So, what do you suggest?”

“So, I suggested it to Young-hyun. It shouldn’t be like this. A guy like you…”

“Watch what you say, bastard.”

In the end, Jung Ji-pil kept his mouth shut. I just fiddled with my fingers. Even that felt boring, so I grabbed the straw wrapper and crumpled it in my hand.

“What do you want to do?”

Lim Dae-han placed his hand on my thigh, gripping it tightly as he asked. I tore the wrapper. What…

“I want that too…, Even if we don’t necessarily stay together at school, we live together anyway…”

“Are you guys living together?”

Jung Ji-pil asked in surprise. Only then did Lim Dae-han let go of my thigh. He leaned back, resting his back against the sofa.

As the warmth faded, my skin felt colder. I absentmindedly rubbed my thigh with my hand, nodding my head. Did I forget to tell Jung Ji-pil?

“Yeah. We decided to rent a place together. We’re moving next week.”

Actually, it was one of Lim Dae-han’s parents’ apartments, but I didn’t bother explaining. Ugh. Sure enough, Jung Ji-pil started fussing. He lowered his voice.

“Do your parents know?”

“Yeah, anyway… for now, since we’re moving out.”

“Hey. Then you should be more careful. You guys stood out a lot in our classroom. It might be worse in college. But living together… where? In a studio apartment?”

“No…, apartment.”

Jung Ji-pil was astonished with all his might.

“Geez. Are you crazy? Set up a household, set one up.”

“I prepared it.”

Finally, Lim Dae-han put an end to it. Jung Ji-pil frowned openly at the words that slipped from his lips. Come to think of it, I hadn’t really thought about life after college.

It does seem like we should be careful. I don’t want unnecessary gossip spreading around. Besides, Lim Dae-han stands out too much.

I hesitated and looked at Lim Dae-han. He took a sip of the drink in front of him. I chewed the ice that came with it.

“Do it that way. University is a big deal.”

Lim Dae-han nodded and answered half-heartedly. I glanced at him and grabbed his fingers that were on the armrest.

“… Are you mad?”

When I asked carefully, Lim Dae-han kept his mouth shut. Feeling worried, I grabbed the first joint of his index finger and shook it gently. Lim Dae-han, who had been sitting stiffly, momentarily displayed a pensive expression before unable to resist, he smiled slightly. His lips lifted silently, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“… It’s good.”

Jung Ji-pil only clicked his tongue and shook his head disapprovingly.

***

Flowers bloomed everywhere and green leaves covered the branches. White puffy clouds were spread high in the sky. With every step I took, the scent of flowers filled the air, and in the warm atmosphere, even the ground felt like a cozy blanket.

It was literally the kind of weather that comes to mind when you think of ‘spring.’ Is this what it means to be intoxicated by the weather?

“It’s wonderful…”

I muttered to myself without realizing it. Lim Dae-han, who was walking beside me, playfully poked my cheek with his index finger and asked.

“What’s so good about it?”

Giving me a playful jab, Lim Dae-han snatched away the textbook that I had in my arms. We shouldn’t be doing this in front of the main gate. I glanced around discreetly, but with so many people around, it seemed unlikely that anyone would recognize us.

We passed by the main gate adorned with the name ‘Yunhwa University.’ Our strides didn’t match perfectly, but we knew each other’s pace, so it wasn’t uncomfortable. Although most of the time, it was Lim Dae-han who adjusted his pace to mine.

The main gate felt somehow awkward. It had only been about a month since we started attending this college, but it wasn’t a route we took often. The road that Lim Dae-han and I took was the west gate. The apartment we lived in together was closer there. If we drove, we intentionally parked in that parking lot.

Although the main gate was close to the Business Administration building, I don’t think I will have to go there much when going to and from school. If it weren’t for the errand from the teacher assistant I happened to meet today, I was planning to go to the classroom separately.

“Let’s try it again.”

I whispered closely next to Lim Dae-han. Lim Dae-han made eye contact without answering. The corners of his mouth twitched as he hid a smile. He must think it was funny that we kiss like this every time.

But in order not to make a mistake, I had to put in effort and effort. I initiated the question first. Since it was my own script, I could easily answer my own questions.

“Do you have a place of your own?”

No. I live with my parents.

“No. I live with my parents.”

“What about your lover?”

We’ve been dating since high school and we get along well.

“We’ve been dating since high school and we get along well.”

“Are you close with Ki Young-hyun?”

I threw a probing question. As expected, Lim Dae-han said nothing.

“Yeah… we went to the same high school, that’s all.”

With many eyes watching, I couldn’t prod him, so I urged him softly. Lim Dae-han exhaled deeply, like a sigh.

“We went to the same high school but weren’t close. Why do you ask about Ki Young-hyun? Are you interested? He has a lover.”

I had rehearsed the dialogue from before college to this moment. I knew I didn’t need to go to this extent, but being prepared in advance had its uses.

Actually, because Yunhwa University had such a large number of students, except for a few, most seniors didn’t pay attention to junior students, but unfortunately, Lim Dae-han and I ended up being the focus of that attention.

In fact, if I counted all the questions we had answered until today, I couldn’t count them on my fingers. Yesterday, a senior I met in the liberal arts class asked where we were from, if we lived alone, and so on… They asked questions that were awkward for us, given that we weren’t close.

I responded as if I had been waiting. I hid the fact that Lim Dae-han and I lived alone together in an apartment 40 minutes away on foot from the school, or about 10 minutes by car, and said we were commuters. I did the same when asked by senior students.

“Now it’s your turn.”

Lim Dae-han, who was walking down the street just looking straight ahead, asked. Since his gaze was so distant, I thought he wasn’t asking me. I shrugged. It felt light without anything in my arms. I confidently replied.

“I went to high school with Lim Dae-han, but we’re not that close. But he probably has a lover?”

Strangely, the words came out awkwardly, but Lim Dae-han just laughed it off. What was so funny? It was such a struggle to get him to listen when rehearsing lines.

When I asked, ‘Do you have a lover?’ he said, ‘Yes, Ki Young-hyun.’ And if I asked, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ he’d say, ‘I have a boyfriend.’ After I grabbed his head and complained about why he didn’t listen, he started to memorize a little.

By the way… It was a bit weird to say he has a lover. I think it would be okay to change the lines a little.

“Lim Dae-han’s lover is really scary. Should I change it like this?”

As I mumbled to myself, he grabbed me by the nape of my neck and shook me. My head swung helplessly from side to side.

“Eek!”

I let out a yelp. Lim Dae-han chuckled lightly.

“That’s much better. Leave it at that. My lover will scratch me all over if I get caught doing something wrong.”

Lim Dae-han let go of the nape of my neck as if he had never done so before. Then he patted my shoulders. Knowing the nail marks scattered across my shoulders, I shrugged it off.

I didn’t really want to do it yesterday, but I gave in to temptation. Honestly, how could I resist when Lim Dae-han was lying on the bed with his legs tangled, kissing me incessantly?

“Ahem.”

Ignoring last night’s thoughts, I hastened my steps towards the Business Building. Our classmates were probably in class by now, so it seemed like a good time to part ways.

Due to the season being what it is, I wanted to sync my steps. Normally I should have said goodbye or see you later, but I missed the timing so I just walked down the street in silence. Lim Dae-han, who was walking next to me, suddenly stopped.

Walking while only looking at the ground, I belatedly raised my head. Unconsciously, I furrowed my brows. Oh, no.