WYK 6

After the weekend, Jeong-yoon and Chae-heon will be on weekly duty together.

As Jeong-yoon had told Chae-heon, he was the first to arrive at school and opened the classroom door. He worked hard on his weekly duty. Jeong-yoon quickly rose from his seat, erased the blackboard, and pressed his foot against the garbage bag before Chae-heon came. He watered the flower pots in advance and cleaned the desk.

‘Was I originally this diligent?’

Even while questioning himself, his body moved almost automatically.

Strangely, he wanted to look good to him, and to impress him. It was as if he had turned into an impatient teenage boy, eager to do things for a girl he liked. It may have seemed absurd for him to feel this way about another guy, but that’s how it felt.

A few days passed like that. It was a weekly duty that Jeong-yoon mostly did alone, but he didn’t complain.

Chae-heon approached just before dinner time, while he was tidying up the trash cans she had pressed down with his foot and tying up the garbage bags. He had gone to the teacher’s office and returned almost immediately.

“You’re doing it alone again today. Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Wait. Let’s do it together.”

Chae-heon said apologetically as he looked alternately at the already-clean blackboard, the moistened window pot, and the garbage bag Jeong-yoon was tying.

Jeong-yoon brushed off his hands playfully after tying the bag and gave him a charming side glance.

“Compared to what you do, being the class president and all, this is a piece of cake.”

“…”

“If you have a lot to do, you can go. I’ll finish up. I’m good at throwing away the trash. I’m good at this stuff!”

Jeong-yoon spoke while patting his chest proudly. His face was beaming with satisfaction.

‘Well, I seem to exude quite a bit of responsibility and look cool’

Such a thought popped up in his mind. Chae-heon looked at Jeong-yoon with slightly widened eyes and then soon returned to his usual light smile.

“Thank you. As always.”

“…”

Jeong-yoon couldn’t help but stare at Chae-heon with a blank expression as if enticed. The late afternoon sun glistened and broke through his well-kept hair. Jeong-yoon found himself thinking, as he stared at the golden sun trapped in his irises and his neatly lifted lips, that Chae-heon’s smile, which had always seemed rather dull, appeared remarkably vibrant today.

Soon, Chae-heon lifted the garbage bag next to Seo Jeong-yoon in one hand.

“I’ll throw this away.”

Jeong-yoon suddenly came to his senses.

“Well then, I’ll come with you. I’m a bit bored.”

Chae-heon nodded.

The two of them walked side by side towards the garbage dump. Despite being together, neither of them spoke. Jeong-yoon didn’t have much to say, and Chae-hoon, who wasn’t much of a talker to begin with, remained silent.

Thinking back, it had always been like this. He was always at the center of the group, yet upon closer inspection, he didn’t actively participate in conversations. Still, he never felt excluded from conversations, probably because he responded appropriately and timely.

“Okay.”

“I see.”

“Is that so?”

“Good.”

Their conversation was limited to this. But perhaps due to his inherent presence, even though he was just smiling and nodding, he gave off the illusion of actively participating in the conversation.

As they reached the end of their silence, they arrived at the garbage disposal area. Chae-heon lifted the blue lid and swiftly deposited the trash bag. Thud, the lid closed shut. Jeong-yoon, who had his hands in his pockets, turned around and gazed at the sky behind Chae-heon’s back.

The sunset in the distance was truly breathtaking.

***

Present.

As they entered the expressway, the scenery outside the car window became uninteresting. He had seen various signs and sights while in the city, but here, all that met his gaze were the rigid cars and road barriers that looked exactly like any other road.

Jeong-yoon squirmed in her seat out of boredom. However, there was no way he could express his boredom while someone else was driving. Especially if it was Chae-heon.

A long silence continued in the car.

Jeong-yoon suddenly recalled the memory of the time when he and Chae-heon shared a weekly duty.

As the end of the week approached, Chae-heon had started coming in earlier than Jeong-yoon. As a result, the two of them spent their quiet time together in the classroom before other students arrived.

Jungyoon would listen to Chae-heon’s squiggly notes in the stifling silence, or steal glances at the back of his head as he listened to music with his earbuds. However, what came to his mind more vividly than those sounds or sights was the early morning air that had enveloped them both. It was a bit chilly, but somehow pleasant.

Chae-heon’s voice cut through Jeong-yoon’s trance during those moments of reminiscence.

“Have you eaten?”

“…Huh?”

“Have you had a meal?”

Only then did Jeong-yoon snap back to reality. He lifted his head, his mind still processing Chae-heon’s question.

“No. Why?”

“If you haven’t, let’s eat together.”

Chae-heon spoke dryly while his gaze fixed in front of him.

Jeong-yoon glanced down at his stomach, almost wondering if it had grumbled without him realizing. A sign for a rest area 500 meters away passed by. Chae-heon subtly turned the steering wheel. It was pointing toward the rest area.

***

Luckily, they found a parking spot right in front of the rest area building. After stopping the car, Chae-heon unbuckled his seat belt and went outside. Jeong-yoon also scratched his cheek before opening the car door. There was not even a simple conversation between the two.

The surroundings were now enveloped in the darkness of the night’s shadow.

Jeong-yoon stretched his arms and yawned. Chae-heon silently watched Jeong-yoon, wondering if he was waiting for something or not. Jeong-yoon lowered his hand and rubbed his eyes before Chae-heon pointed towards the building.

“Let’s go.”

Chae-heon then turned around without waiting for Jeong-yoon to respond. The car door “beeped” as it closed.

‘What’s this? At least wait for an answer before you go.’

Chae-heon walked ahead as usual with his back turned. Jeong-yoon trailed behind, grumbling.

Jeong-yoon’s height was 177.2 centimeters, slightly above average. But Kang Chae-heon was much taller than average. Maybe that’s why it felt a bit awkward to keep up with his quick pace.

‘It hurts my pride.’

It annoyed him for no good reason. His seemingly unfriendly behavior only toward him, how Jeong-yoon chased his back, and the somewhat awkward situation of having slightly shorter legs than Kang Chae-heon– they were all just petty annoyances.

Suddenly, he recalled the day of the high school physical examination.

Kang Chae-heon slightly lowered his shoulders and bent his head as he stepped onto the measurement scale that day, in contrast to his usual confident posture. He straightened up again after hearing the measurement student say “189.8,” as if to say it was a relief not to exceed 190. He smiled warmly as if implying it was a good thing he didn’t go over 190.

Is there a big difference between 189 and 190? If it were him, he’d just round it up and proudly say 190. That’s what Jeong-yoon thought, but Chae-heon, the person involved, seemed to feel differently.

Jeong-yoon stopped reminiscing and quickened his pace. Looking back slightly, Chae-heon slowly slowed down his steps. Suddenly, the two entered the room with their shoulders facing each other in a straight line.

Standing in front of the counter, Chae-heon took out his wallet. The atmosphere naturally suggested he would handle the payment. Observing this, Jeong-yoon suddenly extended his hand towards Chae-heon. Two bills fluttered in his hand as he held them out.

“I’ll pay.”

Even though he already got a ride, he couldn’t just get a free meal. That wouldn’t sit right with his conscience.

Chae-heon stared at Jeong-yoon with a slightly wry expression. Jeong-yoon shook the bill as he avoided Kang Chae-heon’s gaze.

“You have driven, I should at least pay for the meal. I have that much conscience.”

“…”

“Do you want to eat pork cutlet?”

Chae-heon raised his eyebrows lightly and quickly replied.

“No, hamburger steak.”

“That’s 2,500 won more expensive.”

“I’ll add a bowl of rice.”

“…Okay.”

Jeong-yoon nodded and pulled out another ten thousand won bill. He had just ridden his car, so spending an extra 4,000 won was no big deal.

But he found his own thoughts amusing. If buying a meal was about adhering to principles, just how many principles had Chae-heon violated when it came to others?

After receiving their meal tickets, they sat down. There was no conversation. Jeong-yoon considered taking out his phone to do something, but it didn’t seem appropriate, so he abandoned the idea. Instead, he examined the pattern on the table. The imitation marble design looked like an owl with spread wings.

Then, Chae-heon’s voice echoed above his bowed head.

“Seo Jeong-yoon.”

“Yeah?”

Jeong-yoon quietly raised his head. Chae-heon looked at him with eyes that didn’t look very friendly.

“Am I burdensome?”

“What?”

“You don’t take what I buy and you always look uncomfortable.”

“…”

Jeong-yoon didn’t respond but licked his lips. Chae-heon’s dark eyes stared at him.

Was it burdensome and uncomfortable? Actually, that was right. He never dreamed that Kang Chae-heon would notice his feelings.

However, it was a bit unfair… It wasn’t that Jeong-yoon disliked Chae-heon. It was quite the opposite – he liked him too much, so he had to restrain his feelings. But he couldn’t just answer with, “I like you so much that I’m afraid it might show.”

Not knowing what to say, he maintained an awkward silence.

What did he think of Jeong-yoon’s silence? Chae-heon crossed his arms and stared elsewhere. Jeong-yoon lost the timing to answer and only pursed his lips, then he turned his head toward the counter.

‘I heard that crossing arms in front of someone means rejection or refusal.’

He muttered such meaningless words in his heart.

Number 501. His number shone on the license plate. Jeong-yoon quickly stood up to get his food. He was relieved he could escape the awkward situation.

As Jeong-yoon returned with his tonkatsu, Chae-heon also brought his hamburger steak. They sat facing each other, silently cutting their food with their knives. The meat was tender and sliced perfectly

Jeong-yoon mumbled to himself.

‘Uhh. It’s like standing alone in front of ten interviewers.’

Could it be because of the strange conversation earlier? Even though it was the same silence, the atmosphere was a bit different now.

Chae-heon stopped cutting and looked up at Jeong-yoon. Jeong-yoon also looked at him. Chae-heon opened his mouth, his face almost expressionless. Those words were of a kind that Jeong-yoon could not have expected.

“I have a lot of money.”

“Huh?”

…What? Jeong-yoon tilted his head with a puzzled expression. Did Kang Chae-heon brag about his money in front of him? Why?

Chae-heon continued to speak in a flat tone.

“So, don’t dislike or feel burdened by it.”

It was still an incomprehensible statement.

Jeong-yoon blinked his eyes. ‘I have a lot of money.’ What audacity to say that with his own mouth. It might seem shameless, but coming from Chae-heon, it sounded natural, so Jeong-yoon nodded involuntarily. If someone like Kim Min-soo said such a thing, he would have cursed and asked how dare he talk about money.

Seo Jeong-yoon scratched his cheek.

“Uh, okay. You have a lot of money. Congratulations.”

“Yeah.”

“But our family isn’t that poor either.”

“Good for you.”

“…”

What kind of strange conversation is this? Jeong-yoon played with the cabbage covered in ketchup.

Whether Kang Chae-heon knew about Jeong-yoon’s inner thoughts or not, he resumed cutting with the knife as if the conversation just now never happened.

Seo Jeong-yoon also continued to cut his pork cutlets. It was silent again.

After finishing the somewhat heavy meal and brushing their teeth, they got back into the car. It was a strange journey of doing everything without saying anything. Jeong-yoon put Chae-heon’s portable toothbrush kit in the glove compartment and tossed his into the backseat bag.

The car drove down the highway in silence.

Jeong-yoon stared ahead absentmindedly. As there was nothing else to do, he internally criticized other reckless drivers.

‘He’s not using his turn signal and cutting in. Is he insane with his lane changes inside the tunnel? What a reckless driver.’

On the other hand, Chae-heon drove in a very self-assured manner. Not pressing the accelerator too hard, not slamming the brakes in a hurry, not driving aggressively, yet not too slow either. It was very Chae-heon-like even in his driving. It was quite remarkable how everything from one to ten about anything he did was very Chae-heon-like.

The car gently swayed. Jeong-yoon wondered if it was due to Chae-heon’s skillful driving that resembled a cradle’s rocking, or was it because hadn’t slept well due to drinking with Kwon Mi-hee until late last night that fatigue started to settle in his body. Apart from the excitement of being alone with Chae-hon, his body felt so comfortable.

Jeong-yoon struggled to lift her heavy eyelids. But it seemed to be in vain. Soon, her vision faded into darkness. And like that, Jeong-yoon fell into a short but sweet slumber.