WYK 25

Jeong-yoon lay on the sofa in the department room and stared blankly out the window. The sofa, described as “vintage” in a positive light or, according to Mi-hee, “worn-out,” was surrounded by an air of nostalgia.

It had been a while since the end of the sports festival. Jeong-yoon thought their chat over and over after he left the pub’s alley. However, there was nothing he could understand. It felt like something was twisted, like a wrongly buttoned button, but it was hard to pinpoint where it went wrong.

On his way home from the post-sports festival gathering, he rested on a bench beneath an apartment building, writing and erasing a message.

「Kang Chae-heon. What on earth did you mean?」

However, he never sent such a question.

He wondered if Chae-heon was aware of his feelings, but he hadn’t expressed them. Jeong-yoon simply felt uneasy and nervous as if he were a thief kicking his own feet. Therefore, he couldn’t bring himself to ask him further.

Anyway, time passed as usual. The closeness he thought had developed turned out to be as distant as before. An awkward relationship, close yet distant, friendly yet uncomfortable. The excitement of feeling like a child receiving a Christmas present when Chae-heon initiated a conversation also disappeared. He began to wonder if it had all been a dream and fantasy to begin with.

Jeong-yoon glanced up while absentmindedly fiddling with the doll attached to Seo Hyang-gi’s bag. Chae-heon was sitting at a table a little distance away, engrossed in studying for his major.

Come to think of it, the exams were next week. Jeong-yoon had planned to start studying intensely just two days before the exams. After all, he had diligently prepared and reviewed during regular days. But for Chae-heon, the former class president, it seemed no different. He could concentrate so well on studying even in the department room. Indeed, he set a good example.

Mi-hee, who was studying something similar to fragrance and coloring, came over to him.

“Jeong-yoon-ah, let’s study together at the library starting next week.”

“Sure.”

“Since we have many overlapping courses, I’ll copy my notes for you.”

“Thanks. Do you want me to make a copy of mine, too?”

“…No, it’s okay.”

There was a slight hesitation in Mi-hee’s response. Jeong-yoon nodded as if he understood. He was quite bad at writing, often unable to understand even his own words. Mi-hee’s refusal made sense.

Mi-hee sat down beside Jeong-yoon, giving him a playful nudge. Jeong-yoon half-heartedly nudged her back.

“Jeong-yoon, how about an all-nighter?”

“At the library?”

“Yeah. Let’s stay up together.”

Jeong-yoon pretended to think for a moment. He just hated sleeping anywhere other than at home. He liked lying on his bed in comfortable clothes after a warm shower. While Jeong-yoon hesitated before answering, Chae-heon, who had been looking down at the book with his chin resting on his hand, closed it and left the department room with a stern expression.

“…I think I’ll just go home.”

Jeong-yoon replied casually, his gaze fixed on the closed department room door. Chae-heon’s expression may have seemed indifferent to others, but Jeong-yoon, who had been stealing glances at his face for quite some time, could sense subtle discomfort within. Something seemed off.

Jeong-yoon sighed quietly as he contemplated this thought. Somehow, it didn’t feel right.

***

Perhaps because it was exam season, the library was full. The quiet, dry air that is unique to libraries hovers inside the reading room. Students wearing earphones looked at their major books with serious expressions. It was now exam time.

The library was likely full because it was the exam period. The library’s silent and dry air circulated through the study room. Students wearing headphones were looking at their major textbooks with serious expressions. It was exam season.

Jeong-yoon, who had been scribbling the same meaningless sentences in his notebook, put down his pen and rubbed his shoulders. His focus was waning after three hours of studying. He looked at Kwon Mi-hee and saw that she was still focused. He wanted to chat and have coffee together, but he didn’t want to disturb her, so he decided to go out alone.

After buying a cup of coffee from the underground store, he walked out into the connected garden. The night air felt refreshing.

‘Just one more hour and then I’ll go. I’m tired.’

Jeong-yoon sucked on the straw while listening to the buzzing of cicadas.

As he was doing so, the man smoking in front of him turned to look at him. He then looked at Jeong-yoon with a perplexed expression.

Jeong-yoon stared at him expressionlessly. Soon he stubbed out his cigarette and came towards Jeong-yoon.

“Hello.”

Do I know him? I don’t remember.

“Hello.”

Jeong-yoon didn’t know who the other person was, but he gave a brief greeting first. He was seven years old at the time. He learned a valuable greeting lesson after being scolded by his mother for not properly greeting the supermarket lady.

The man sat down on the bench where Jeong-yoon was seated. Jeong-yoon furrowed his eyebrows slightly. The smell of his cigarettes wafted through the wind, and it was strangely unpleasant. It was strange. He liked the faint scent that came from Chae-heon, but why did this person seem so unlikeable? It seemed as if even his sense of smell was reacting to the person. Jeong-yoon couldn’t understand it himself.

“Can I have a smoke?”

“No.”

In response to Jeong-yoon’s refusal, the man put the cigarette back with a puzzled expression. Then, he got straight to the point.

“Hey, the lady you’re always with, the one with long hair… she didn’t come today?”

“Why?”

“Is she your girlfriend by any chance?”

“No, why?”

Jeong-yoon answered curtly and cautiously when questioned about Mi-hee’s well-being. How dangerous the world has become these days. However, despite Jeong-yoon’s harsh tone, the man seemed relieved and even smiled.

“The atmosphere didn’t seem like you were a couple, but… anyway, it’s a relief. I’m a bit interested.”

The man was probably trying to ask if he was Mi-hee’s boyfriend or not. Jeong-yoon looked at the man with a sullen expression. What’s the big deal if he’s interested? Was he going to ask for her number? Well, our Mi-hee is quite pretty.

The man had dyed light brown hair, thick eyebrows, and a tiny mole on his cheek. He wore a small earring in his ear, and despite the slightly worn-out clothes, he still appeared charming.

Mi-hee liked handsome men. The person in front of him was handsome. But somehow, it didn’t sit well with Jeong-yoon. It might be a bit prejudiced to judge someone by their appearance, but the guy seemed like the type to make his girlfriend feel uneasy.

‘Jeong-yoon-ah. Handsome guys always cause trouble either with communication or with relationship issues.’

He remembered what Mi-hee said to him one day. First impressions were telling. The man in front of him is probably the kind of handsome boyfriend that Mi-hee has been talking about. The man shifted toward Seo Jeong-yoon and discreetly handed over his phone.

“I’m sorry, but could you give me the lady’s number?”

“No, it’s personal information. Ask her directly later.”

He said it a bit sternly, but the man didn’t show any signs of discomfort.

“I don’t come to the library often… I saw her once last time, and I came again hoping to see her by chance.”

“Oh, I see.”

Whether that happened or not was none of his business. He has had a crush on Chae-heon for several years, so why should he care about a person wandering around the library just to see their crush again? The budding essence of new love

Seeing Jeong-yoon’s indifferent yet firm expression, the man smiled amicably.

“Well, then, can you at least give me your number? If your friend doesn’t like it and won’t accept it, there’s nothing I can do. I just don’t want to miss the opportunity.”

Hmm. That was a bit of a dilemma. It was up to Mi-hee to make the decision. Anyway, the guy in front of him is a good-looking man who has a crush on Mi-hee. A handsome man that Mi-hee likes. Looking at the man through the eyes of a father, Jeong-yoon noticed the sincerity in his gaze and decided to make a slightly impolite suggestion.

“Well, excuse me, but could you show me your student ID? The world is scary these days.”

“Of course, no problem.”

The man willingly took out his student ID from his wallet.

Jeong-yoon held it up to the light of a streetlamp and examined it compared to his own. Again, he has to say how frightening the world has become. It might be a bit excessive, but it had to be done.

Fortunately, it was exactly the same as his. The hologram was also clear.

He needed to check the department, name, and student ID… if things get complicated, he might have to check in the academic information system, he thought, as he returned the student ID.

“Then give me your number and I’ll talk to her.”

“Yes! I’ll give you my number. My number is 010441…”

Jeong-yoon pressed the number the man recited with an indifferent expression. It was then.

“Seo Jeong-yoon.”

Someone’s voice came out from behind. Startled, Jeong-yoon almost dropped the phone but managed to catch it. Not only was his name called unexpectedly, but the voice was also too familiar.

The man and Jeong-yoon both turned around at the same time.

Chae-heon was standing there like a mountain.

Chae-heon sometimes shows up unexpectedly at times and places that Jeong-yoon doesn’t expect, and today was one such case. He’s not even Hong Gil-dong, yet he appeared out of nowhere like this.

“Oh? Hi.”

Jeong-yoon greeted mechanically. The excellent greeting habit he learned while being scolded by his mother was well displayed this time as well. Chae-heon lowered his upper body and glanced at Jeong-yoon’s phone without even responding. About six numbers that had been pressed were displayed.

It feels like a strange invasion of privacy. Jeong-yoon looked at Chae-heon and his cell phone in turn. Then Chae-heon asked.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m saving a number.”

Jeong-yoon replied innocently. This was a reply he made without realizing it. When Chae-heon asked him something, strangely enough, he felt like he had to answer it. It was a peculiar thing.

Chae-heon quietly looked into Jeong-yoon’s eyes. His face was devoid of any trace of laughter, yet his gaze was dark and heavy.