Font Size:
“Hey! Woo-young Kwon! Is that kid here? I heard you slept with Jihye Lee?”
Woo-young, who had been dozing off with his head on the desk, stirred at the loud noise. Ki-hyuk Nam rushed over impatiently and shook Woo-young’s back.
“Woo-young Kwon! Did you sleep with Jihye Lee, you asshole?”
Woo-young groggily opened his eyes, struggling to wake up. As he squinted and rubbed his eyes, his blurry vision wavered.
“Ah… what nonsense. Again?”
He had only briefly dozed off during lunch, but his voice came out deep and sleepy. Slowly, with half-closed eyes, he surveyed the classroom. The group of students gathered at the back were noisily giggling.
“Hey, hey, you’re pretending not to know anything. I heard Kim Minjae saw you and Jihye Lee going into her house at night?”
“Fuck, Woo-young Kwon, you’re a talented bastard. Pretending to not care about women while flirting with all of them. Admit it.”
At eighteen, Woo-young had become somewhat immune to the rumors that spread like balloons. But for many students who didn’t have much fun with school life, gossiping about others was the most enjoyable thing. Of course, whether the rumors were true didn’t matter.
“Must be nice.”
Go Tae-seong murmured quietly amid the noise. Leaning casually against a locker, he dribbled the basketball, his lips twitching.
“I wish I could sleep with Woo-young too.”
His voice was low, tinged with laughter.
“Ah, fuck!”
“You crazy bastard!”
At his casual remark, the others around him burst into exaggerated laughter. They were busy throwing harsh words into the air, laughing carelessly.
“Our Woo-young… he’s so fucking big.”
Thud, thud. The sound of the ball bouncing was slow and dull. Go Tae-seong stood up from his relaxed position and walked slowly toward Woo-young, who was sitting in his chair.
Woo-young chuckled at Go Tae-seong’s calm demeanor as he spoke nonsense.
“Ha… what the fuck, I just took her home.”
With sleepy eyes, Woo-young rubbed his face and pressed his palm to the corners of his eyes, as though tired.
Woo-young’s high school had separate male and female classes. Sometimes, when he walked around school, some students would talk to him, and she was one of them. One day, they happened to run into each other on the way home from school, and their paths seemed to align. Since she was struggling with carrying heavy books and a flowerpot, Woo-young just helped her carry them to her front door.
“Take me home too.”
Go Tae-seong, standing in front of Woo-young, tossed the basketball to him. Woo-young effortlessly caught it and laughed. Amid all the noise, only Woo-young and Go Tae-seong remained standing unaffected.
“Are you in line or something? You crazy guy.”
With a quick flick of his wrist, Woo-young bounced the ball lightly, and it landed directly in Go Tae-seong’s stomach. Go Tae-seong caught it easily, smiled, and tilted his chin up.
“Yeah, brother.”
Sitting next to Woo-young, Go Tae-seong rested his chest against him, the basketball still in his hands. Woo-young smiled briefly at Go Tae-seong, who was looking up at him from under his chin. Seeing the way Go Tae-seong was fixated on him, Woo-young couldn’t help but think there was something fox-like about him.
“Woo-young Kwon.”
At the call of his name, Woo-young lowered his gaze and saw Go Tae-seong’s full lips curl into a faint smile. The small gap between them suddenly felt too close. Woo-young turned his gaze to the window for no reason.
“Did you really sleep with her?”
Woo-young looked back down at Go Tae-seong, who was staring at him with dark, sharp eyes. Woo-young narrowed his eyes slightly, unsure of what the faint smile at the corner of Go Tae-seong’s lips meant.
You little fox.
A cool breeze blew in through the window, bringing with it the fresh scent of summer. The soft, subtle smell of fabric softener lingered in the air—Go Taeseong’s scent.
Woo-young turned his head again and stared at the blue leaves swaying outside the window. He then parted his lips.
“No.”
I want to sleep with you.
Wo-young’s grandmother lived in a small country house in Unil-dong, which had a tiny herbal medicine shop attached to it. It was a place she had lived in for decades, long before Woo-young was born. Unil-dong, once called undeveloped prime land, was finally redeveloped by the time Woo-young entered kindergarten after many years of planning.
Woo-young’s family, long known as one of the prominent households in Unil-dong, received a huge compensation due to the farmland inherited from his grandmother. However, even after the compensation money was deposited into Woo-young’s bank account, the family still stayed in the old, rundown country house. The sign for the small, modest herbal medicine shop was never taken down.
Woo-young’s mother, pregnant and unmarried, had returned to Unil-dong. She fought constantly with Wooyoung’s grandmother over the compensation issue. The endless arguments spiraled like a Möbius strip. Young Woo-young lived for a long time amidst loud shouts and tears, opening and closing his eyes through those painful days.
One winter night, when snow was gently piling up, Woo-young’s mother suddenly disappeared. She likely took most of the compensation money with her.
What was left behind was just his grandmother, Woo-young, the herbal shop, and the old country house.
When the sun rose, Unil-dong was bathed in light as it passed over a hill. Beyond the window, the beautiful Han River could be seen from ‘River Park Castle,’ one of the most prestigious luxury housing complexes in the area. Only the wealthy elite, who held both fortune and status, could live in these newly developed neighborhoods. They were so in demand that even paying an exorbitant price couldn’t guarantee you a spot.
Because of this, young Woo-young came to dislike the people who lived there. Development, compensation, River Park… the old house didn’t have proper soundproofing, so the chatter about these topics filled the air day and night. Naturally, all the resentment Woo-young felt was directed at that place.
He hated it all.
At about ten years old, Woo-young was angry and irritable. He didn’t even understand what words like “house,” “apartment,” “rent,” or “lease” meant, but he became the target of mockery from his classmates. After all, he was the only one who didn’t live in River Park Castle, so he was always the center of attention.
“What did you just say?”
“You’re the beggar who lives in that herbal shop, right? My mom says so! Ugh!”
“You want to die, beggar?”
Woo-young’s natural resilience wasn’t so fragile that such insults could break him. He repaid the insults with his fists.
Whenever Woo-young rolled up his sleeves, even the kids who had been taunting him would fall silent. He had grown taller and stronger than most of his peers. Sometimes, he would help kids in the same situation, and with a few punches, everything would be settled.
Because of this, Woo-young was never bullied in his class. Occasionally, when his anger got the best of him, and he fought and bled, his grandmother would apply a strange-smelling ointment to his wounds in a small, heated room.
She was silent but always cared for him with warm hands. Even in the quietest moments, Woo-young could sense that she was comforting him.
So, nothing else really mattered to Woo-young. Compared to the kids who were constantly nagged by their parents to go to after-school programs and tutoring, he felt that he was a hundred times better off.
A warm grandmother and a peaceful home.
For young Woo-young, that was enough.
However, a sudden problem arose like a bolt out of the blue. For an art assignment, Woo-young was asked to draw the car his father drove. This posed a huge problem for Woo-young. He didn’t have a father. So, there was no way he could draw a car that his nonexistent father would drive.
Frustrated, Woo-young sulked and went straight to the playground after school. He knew that if he went home in this mood, he would just end up taking it out on his grandmother. He was irritated. He didn’t want to do anything. Sitting on the swing, he kicked the ground for a long time.
“Woo-young.”
Suddenly, a voice called out to him. Woo-young looked up and saw a child he didn’t recognize standing in front of him.
“What?”
Woo-young lifted his gaze and turned his head indifferently. He didn’t care if this stranger knew his name or not. His mind was tangled with thoughts of the car drawing, dark scribbles filling his head.
“Do you want to do the art assignment together?”
“…”
“My dad doesn’t have a car either.”
“…”
“But we have a lot of pictures of cars at home. We even have a miniature car model.”
Woo-young stopped swinging and slowly looked up. The child in front of him seemed much smaller, with a delicate build, a pale face, and shadowed eyelashes. Underneath his thin double eyelids, a small mole rested at the corner of his eye.
It was dusk, and the orange glow of the setting sun made the child’s face appear as if it were painted in warm colors. Unlike the kids he usually fought with in class, this one had a calm, pretty face.
Without realizing it, Woo-young lowered his gaze in embarrassment. He didn’t want to refuse this child, who seemed to be in the same situation. He felt a sense of connection.
“Who are you?”
Woo-young kicked the ground harshly and scuffed his foot. The rusty swing creaked. At the sound, the child’s full lips curled into a soft smile.
“I’m Taeseong. Go Tae-seong. We’re in the same class.”
“…”
“We were in the same class in 1st and 3rd grade too.”
The gentle tone, unlike the harsh chatter of his peers, piqued Woo-young’s curiosity. The fact that his father didn’t have a car also intrigued him.
Was that why it happened? It was the first time.
It was the first time Woo-young had followed a stranger to their house without even knowing their name.
Without any doubt, Woo-young followed him, step by step. Go Tae-seong. The name circled in his mind as he walked, trudging along with heavy steps.
The feeling of visiting a friend’s house for the first time was strangely exciting and uplifting. So, as they passed through the narrow alleys, when they reached the magnificent front gate of River Castle, Woo-young’s heart was filled with a betrayal so overwhelming it felt almost too much to bear.
“Shit… are you kidding me?”
Woo-young’s face flushed with anger as he glared, eyes wide. But Tae-seong, who had stopped walking and turned his head, wore an expression of calm indifference.
“What?”
“Why don’t you have a car, when you live here with your dad?”
The realization that he had been tricked made Woo-young want to curse. He clenched his fists tightly, trying to stop himself from hitting Tae-seong. Even though he was furious, he didn’t want to leave any marks on his delicate face.
“I’m serious.”
“Don’t lie! Do you think I’m going to believe you?”
Woo-young yelled, his voice rising with frustration. For the first time, he felt the sting of betrayal. His insides were boiling with anger. After a brief moment of silence, the boy met Woo-young’s gaze directly.
“I don’t have a dad.”
The unexpected response caused Woo-young to fall silent.
“What?”
Woo-young muttered, watching him closely.
“I don’t have a dad. I only have my mom.”
“…”
“But… right now, my mom’s gone too. She went to America and will be back next week.”
Woo-young furrowed his brow. He didn’t know what to make of it. It didn’t make sense, yet somehow it did.
The boy lowered his gaze, his dark eyes glistening with what looked like the brink of tears.
Woo-young felt a pang of discomfort. The shadow that hung over the boy’s pale face stirred an unexpected sense of guilt in Woo-young. For a moment, he forgot that he, too, didn’t have a father.
But after a short pause, the boy lifted his head again, looking at Woo-young calmly.
“Let’s do the homework together, okay?”
Woo-young’s eyes followed the boy’s delicate fingers as they gently gripped his wrist. The gentle touch and soft voice made Woo-young’s brow furrow in irritation. He felt like he should just hit him and get it over with, but his emotions were strangely conflicted.
Damn it…
For some reason, the touch on his wrist made his skin tingle. When his eyes met the boy’s somber gaze again, Woo-young couldn’t help but turn his head away with a small grunt. Before he knew it, he was walking beside the boy, taking slow, reluctant steps, as if his feet were following the boy’s lead.
Go Tae-seong.
The first friend Woo-young had ever made in his life.
The River Park Castle, where Woo-young first set foot, was lavish and grand right from the front gate.
Flower beds with beautifully bloomed flowers, lush green trees, walls that seemed carefully woven, and tall cherry trees whose petals floated down like snow. Large townhouses were clustered together, resembling a village of dolls straight out of a cartoon.
The child walking ahead stopped. He rang the bell in front of a large gate, which was several times taller than him, and the huge iron gate creaked open.
Woo-young, frowning as he scanned the surroundings, followed him inside. The yard was much larger than he had expected. It wasn’t until after walking for a while that the house came into view.
When the front door opened, a woman greeted them warmly. She mentioned that his mother wasn’t home, so it seemed like she was the one taking care of the house. Woo-young, still stiff from the awkwardness of visiting someone else’s house for the first time, followed the boy closely. He wasn’t even sure if he could call him a friend yet.
Inside, everything was even bigger and grander than the outside. The furniture gleamed with obvious wealth, and the living room was as large as Woo-young’s entire house. It was so spacious that it felt somewhat empty.
His room was on the second floor. The boy ran up the stairs first and opened the door for Woo-young.
The large window and ivory curtains immediately caught his attention. In the middle of the room stood a big, white grand piano. A large bookshelf that reached all the way to the ceiling was crammed with books, and on top of a storage unit were rows of car figurines and various robots.
The wide space, three or maybe even four times larger than Woo-young’s room, had a cozy and charming atmosphere. It was a place that suited the delicate and fair boy.
The boy sat Woo-young down on a soft sofa and told him to wait for a moment before leaving the room. While Woo-young sat awkwardly, looking around the room, the boy soon returned with a tray full of juice, snacks, and more.
“Let’s eat this first.”
The boy set the tray down on the table and hurried over to the desk. From the drawer, he pulled out a sketchbook, crayons, and a handful of other art supplies, which he neatly spread out.
Crayons, markers, solid paint, 72-colored pastels, and about a dozen brushes. It was like a full art studio.
Woo-young sat there, still, unsure of what to do. He had never been treated this warmly before, and he felt self-conscious and uncomfortable. As he clenched his fist on his knee, wondering if he had made a mistake by following the boy, the boy quietly sat down next to him and stared at him.
A brief silence followed. After a moment, the boy, with his small white hands, opened a bag of cookies with a rustling sound and picked one up. He held the round chocolate cookie out in front of Woo-young.
“Ah.”
“…”
Woo-young, still not understanding the situation, blinked. The boy continued to hold the cookie in front of his lips, staring at him unblinkingly with his dark eyes.
“Ah, open your mouth.”
The boy’s red lips moved. Woo-young froze, confused by this strange situation. The boy, holding the cookie in his hand, didn’t seem to intend to eat it himself.
“Try it, it’s delicious.”
The sweet scent wafted up to Woo-young’s nose. He stared at the boy, who resembled a small animal in the wild, before slowly bringing his lips closer to the cookie. He bit down into the hard cookie, the sound of it crumbling in his mouth.
As the crumbs fell, the boy quickly placed his hand under Woo-young’s chin. After gathering the crumbs and leftover pieces of cookie, the boy popped them into his own mouth and smiled.
Woo-young, feeling like he had just eaten trash, chewed on the cookie. Each bite filled his mouth with the sweet taste, and he felt strangely unsettled.
After the snack, the boy and Woo-young started drawing. Woo-young picked one of the toy cars the boy had set out—a rough yet cool black off-road jeep.
As Woo-young roughly sketched a square with his crayon, he glanced at the boy’s drawing. The boy was drawing a flat sports car with a hole in the roof. His drawing, featuring bright red colors, was surprisingly delicate for an elementary school student. Woo-young, feeling a little ashamed, hid his sketchbook behind his arm.
“I go to art academy.”
Without even looking at Woo-young, the boy casually said.
So what?
Without responding, Woo-young silently filled the white sheet of paper with his drawings.
His plan to finish the homework quickly and go home was soon abandoned. The boy, who had been offering him snacks and juice non-stop, insisted that Woo-young stay for dinner after finishing his drawing. The boy listed all kinds of delicious meat dishes and other tasty menu items. When Woo-young stood up to leave, the boy’s face looked as though he might cry. For some reason, that face made Woo-young break out in a cold sweat.
Just once.
Reluctantly, Woo-young dialed his grandmother’s number. When he told her he would be having dinner at a friend’s house, she was startled, but he hung up and went on to enjoy the lavish meal the lady had prepared for him.
After the meal, as Woo-young was about to pack up his drawing and head home, the boy grabbed his arm again. He presented a stack of colorful comic books, saying they were new.
The comics, which Woo-young rarely read, turned out to be quite interesting. They lay on the floor, their stomachs pressed down, and the sound of pages turning was the only noise between them. Woo-young became so absorbed in the books that he lost track of time. “Just five more minutes… ten more minutes,” he thought to himself, and before he knew it, more time had passed.
“Woo-young.”
Woo-young looked up at the unexpected call. The boy, who had his chin resting on the floor, nodded slightly and looked at him.
“We did our homework, and we ate together…”
“Yeah.”
“So… are we friends now?”
Woo-young, still with his eyes on the comic book, turned the page without responding. He had only come today out of necessity and didn’t really want to make a friend. Especially not someone who lived in River Castle.
“I don’t have any friends.”
Even the boy’s sulking didn’t prompt Woo-young to speak. His gaze was locked on the comic book’s protagonist, but the words on the pages weren’t registering in his mind.
“Huh? Let’s be friends.”
At the quiet addition, Woo-young furrowed his brow slightly. He tightened his grip on the comic book, and the corner of the page crinkled a little.
“Woo-young.”
“…?”
“Are we friends now?”
Despite Woo-young’s continued silence and his refusal to make eye contact, the boy didn’t give up. Now, he lightly grabbed Woo-young’s sleeve and started shaking it.
“Huh?”
“…?”
“Are we friends?”
“…”
“Uh?”
Woo-young scowled and slammed the comic book shut.
“Damn it.”
He glared at the boy who was staring at him intently, then abruptly stood up from his seat. Scratching the back of his head, Woo-young half-shouted.
“Fine. We’ll be friends!”
Only after hearing the answer he wanted did a smile appear on the boy’s face.
“Okay. I’m happy. Let’s be friends.”
The words, which felt strangely ticklish, made Woo-young pack up his drawing without hesitation. He turned around and stormed out of the boy’s house, but the boy just waved him off and didn’t follow.
After that, Woo-young started hanging out with Go Tae-seong. More precisely, Go Tae-seong never left him alone. During breaks, lunch, bathroom trips, after school, and even on weekends when Woo-young wasn’t going anywhere, Go Tae-seong relentlessly followed him. At eleven years old, Go Tae-seong had a tenacious personality.
So, after they graduated from elementary school, they both entered the middle school assigned to Unil-dong, where they lived. Woo-young made his second friend at that time.
Nam Ki-hyuk was the boy who lived next door to Go Tae-seong. Their mothers were long-time friends and often got together. After school, the two boys attended private lessons and extracurricular activities together. Naturally, Woo-young, who started spending time with Go Tae-seong, became friends with another River Castle kid.
Nam Ki-hyuk, dark-skinned and small, had a gentle yet bold personality that contrasted with his appearance. Woo-young liked him too. For the first time, being part of a group called “friends” didn’t feel bad.
So the three of them started hanging out together all the time. Woo-young, who had been like a hedgehog, gradually changed his personality as he grew closer to them. He began to shed his rebelliousness and prejudices, becoming softer and more rounded. His eyes, which had always been sharp and cold, slowly began to soften after he entered middle school.
By now, Woo-young was hanging out just fine with the annoying River Castle kids. He laughed often for no reason and made friends easily without any trouble.
But unlike in elementary school, after school, their schedules were different. Go Tae-seong and Nam Ki-hyuk had to attend private lessons, and since Woo-young had no other plans after school, he joined the soccer club on the recommendation of his teacher.
Woo-young was well-built for his age and excelled in running. He quickly absorbed whatever he learned. Before long, he was playing as a striker for Unil Middle School’s soccer team, and by his third year, he became the team captain. He scored goals that often decided the outcome of tight matches, earning him popularity among his friends.
Go Tae-seong wanted to join a sports club with Woo-young, but since he was involved in various extracurriculars and art classes, there was no way for him to join Woo-young. Feeling disappointed, Go Tae-seong would sometimes bring bread or milk after school and sit by, watching Woo-young play soccer.
Woo-young was with Go Tae-seong from the time he woke up until he went to bed. There was nothing they didn’t know about each other—what side dishes they had for breakfast, what dreams they had the night before, how many questions they got wrong on a test, and what their scores were. So it was natural that Go Tae-seong had become an integral part of Woo-young’s life.
Years passed. The first time Woo-young felt a strange emotion was when he was fifteen, exactly four years after becoming friends with Go Tae-seong, in his second year of middle school.
“Crazy. Is Go Tae-seong getting confessed to? Look at that.”
Nam Ki-hyuk, chewing gum and chuckling, drew Woo-young’s attention. What he saw was Go Tae-seong standing blankly in front of the school gate, with a shy girl lowering her head beside him. They were wearing different school uniforms. It turned out they weren’t even from the same school.
Confession. Girlfriend.
As soon as these two words popped into his mind, an unexpected surge of anger rushed over him.
“Hey!”
Woo-young clenched his fists and marched over. He let out a loud yell and, without knowing why, turned around to look at them. His mind was a chaotic mess.
He was angry. He was furious, but he didn’t know why. He couldn’t think of anything to say.
Woo-young stopped in his tracks, glaring at Go Tae-seong, who was now taller than him. He shot a resentful look before abruptly turning and walking away.
He stormed home, still seething. Of course, Go Tae-seong didn’t follow him. Who would follow someone acting like a jerk in front of a pretty girl?
“Damn…”
The thought made him even angrier.
Woo-young, curled up in his room, buried his face in his pillow and cried in frustration.
“This is so annoying. I’m gonna kill him. That bastard… I hate him so much…”
He cursed Go Tae-seong, blaming him for everything. Without thinking about why he was crying, he just let all his emotions pour out.
“Woo-young, why did you leave by yourself yesterday?”
But the next day, when he met Go Tae-seong at school, he was still as kind as ever. Go Tae-seong continued to ask about Woo-young’s day, still occupying his life in the same way. Nothing had changed between them.
Woo-young didn’t mention the bizarre experience from yesterday when his emotions had completely disconnected.
It was all Go Tae-seong’s fault. He had opened up the path to Woo-young’s desires, and it was Go Tae-seong who had made them flow in his direction.
So, Wooyoung’s obsession with his friend was natural.
To Woo-young, Go Tae-seong was like a sudden downpour on his way home from school. There was no way to turn back or run home quickly, and he was bound to get drenched in the heavy rain. For Wooyoung, who didn’t even have an umbrella to pull out of his bag, it was both an accident and a necessity.
This meant that someone had taken an interest in Kwon Woo-young!
“Who are you falling for like that?”
Nam Ki-hyuk, who had rested his chin on Woo-young’s shoulder, dragged out the end of his sentence playfully. Woo-young, normally composed, suddenly frowned, embarrassed.
“It’s not about me.”
Jealousy? Liking someone? That was absurd, logically speaking.
“So, who is it then?”
“It’s not about me.”
“Who is it then?”
“Damn it, I said it’s not about me!”
Woo-young scowled, trying to shake off the annoying clinginess of Ki-hyuk.
“Kwon Woo-young—”
A calm, deep voice echoed from behind. It was Go Tae-seong. He had the habit of dragging out his words slowly. Unlike other boys whose voices had become rough due to puberty, Go Tae-seong’s voice was smooth and sweet.
Ki-hyuk suddenly lifted his head.
“Hey, Go Tae-seong! Kwon Woo-young is confessing his love to me!”
“Ah. Shut up!”
Woo-young swiftly covered Ki-hyuk’s mouth, his face hardening. His lips formed a thin line and, with a fierce look in his eyes, Ki-hyuk immediately shut his mouth. It was better not to mess with Woo-young’s mood.
“Ki-hyuk, I’ll buy you some snacks. Let’s go.”
Woo-young quickly switched to a cheerful smile as he patted Ki-hyuk’s shoulder. Then, he subtly turned his head and glanced at Go Tae-seong, who was walking toward them.
“Go Tae-seong, want to go to the snack shop?”
Go Tae-seong, who had been watching them quietly for a moment, nodded.
“Yeah, let’s go together.”
Woo-young gave a quick glance to Ki-hyuk, who was sucking on his ice cream stick. Although Ki-hyuk was smiling, Woo-young felt turmoil deep inside him.
Friend, jealousy. Friend, jealousy.
Something was wrong. His emotions, which had been bouncing all over the place, were flowing in an unintended direction.
The feeling he had for Go Tae-seong was no longer just an attachment as a friend—it was an obsession like he had for someone he liked.
He could never, never admit it.
When he returned to the classroom, Woo-young couldn’t focus on the lesson. After school, when he went out to kick the ball, he kept missing his shots.
The entire day passed in a blur. When he got home and sat at his desk, Woo-young took out his textbooks and workbooks from his bag. Tomorrow was the English vocabulary test.
He had one goal in mind as he grew older. To get into Korea University and escape the dreadful life in Unil-dong. Although it was still early to think about university entrance exams, he knew he had to prepare steadily.
A good university, a good job.
The only way out of the old house at the bottom of the River Castle hill was this.
But Korea University was a top-tier school. It would be difficult to get in with just grades alone, especially in the fierce competition. That’s why Woo-young chose physical education. His homeroom teacher had been a star on the school’s soccer team and encouraged him that if he did well in the practical exams, he could easily get into the sports department.
Woo-young understood his family situation very well. He didn’t need to ask how little his grandmother made at the tiny pharmacy. So he didn’t beg for private tutoring or to go to test prep academies. He just focused on his regular classes, and at home, he repeated his reviews and lessons.
Even on days when there were trainings or games, it was the same. Lying on the floor at home, he would stretch his tired legs while memorizing idioms. Sometimes the practice exams and notes that Go Tae-seong brought him from the academy helped, but Woo-young had rejected them out of stubborn pride in the past. Now, though, he felt he had no choice but to accept them.
To avoid falling behind, he had to run. From the start, he hadn’t been at the same starting line as his competitors, so he had to be more efficient with his time. He had to cut it, and then cut it again.
“Uh-uh… a… e… e… I… a… l…”
“To appear, to begin to show…”
Sitting at his desk in his room, Woo-young furrowed his brow as he forcefully wrote down English vocabulary words. He gripped his bangs tightly, pressing his palm against the desk, veins protruding from the back of his hand.
To appear. To be visible. To appear. To be visible. To appear…
Sighing irritably, Woo-young threw his mechanical pencil down. Ever since Nam Ki-hyuk’s bombshell comment, no matter what he did, Go Tae-seong kept appearing in his mind. It was truly frustrating.
[Today’s Common Sense]
Title: I’m troubled. Am I gay because I like a guy? haha
Writer: Anonymous
As the title suggests, I have a close friend, and we’ve been close since elementary school. Every time he hangs out with a girl, or gets confessed to, or gets along with other people, it makes me angry. Not just annoyed, but really frustrated and pissed off. Thinking about it, I think I’m jealous… but I don’t really know if this means I like him. I’ve never had a girlfriend before.
But he’s really good-looking, and when we were younger, he was much shorter than me, but now he’s a bit taller… Anyway, he’s super handsome. He’s also kind-hearted (although sometimes he acts like a psycho). He’s cute when he laughs, and when we’re together, we don’t even have to do anything, just breathing the same air makes it fun, comfortable, and I like it. Is this jealousy between friends? Or do I really like him? Please, I’ll give lots of stars! I’m serious, so please answer quickly. I’ll definitely comment.ㅠ
[6 Replies]
└ Yeah, you’re gay.
└ It’s right there in the last part. It’s fun and “I like it” haha.
└ Nope, it’s love. Fight through it.
└ You’re falling in love haha. Confess to him.
└ I support your love!
└ Date me haha.
What is love…
Woo-young’s dark eyes moved restlessly as he scanned the comments on the portal site.
They were just random people he didn’t know. Wouldn’t they throw some insults in there?
A teenager drowning in his own arrogance, a mentally disturbed person trying to control his friend’s life. A personality disaster who hates things not going his way. A weird guy. A freak.
He had been worried, but all the replies were just like Nam Ki-hyuk’s words. The world had changed, but it was less biased than he thought.
“└ You’re falling in love, haha. Confess to him.”
As Woo-young read the words blankly, he bit his lip.
Because he had made his first real friend. The first person who made him feel like he belonged—someone who had made him feel ownership, jealousy, rivalry, obsession, and all those emotions.
Even so, to call it love…
He was crazy. He wasn’t in his right mind.
He cursed inwardly. He wiped his face with both hands. But no matter how much he tried to deny it, the growing unease was undeniable.
Go Tae-seong. Go Tae-seong. Go Tae-seong.
He repeated those three words in his mouth, recalling his voice calling his name gently. As soon as the memory appeared, his heart began to pound.
Ah.
Woo-young dropped his forehead onto the desk. He tried to push away the faint images that surfaced and clean up the cluttered shelves in his mind. Just as he finished sorting his thoughts, an epiphany washed over him.
He liked him.
Go Tae-seong, Kwon Woo-young liked him.
He had been digging into his own unstable emotions, but in the end, he reached a decision.
If he couldn’t avoid it, he had to accept it. At fifteen, Woo-young decided to cleanly acknowledge his defeat. Realizing just one corner of his heart wouldn’t change anything. There was no way he could distance himself from Go Tae-seong because of some half-baked feelings. At this point, Woo-young couldn’t help but roll his eyes when Go Tae-seong wasn’t in sight, even for a moment.
Anyway, it was impossible, wasn’t it?
So Woo-young decided not to care about the definition of “liking someone.” The idea of two guys being in a relationship didn’t make sense. Go Tae-seong was a guy, and he was a guy too. There was no need to figure out why these feelings had appeared. So he didn’t even consider the possibility of dating Go Tae-seong.
He had no complaints. After all, they were the closest to each other. They could see each other whenever they wanted. Even when he went home, they would text back and forth, constantly exchanging their daily routines. They always laughed and talked together. To Go Tae-seong, Woo-young was his first. And Woo-young felt the same way.
They were the best of friends, more inseparable than anyone else.
That was enough.
Even after realizing that he liked Go Tae-seong, Woo-young’s daily life continued unchanged.
Thanks to his grandmother, who never slept in, Woo-young had been waking up early since childhood, and he always arrived at school an hour earlier than the class started. He had to. He needed twice as much time as others. Studying alone in a quiet classroom with no one around was also good for improving concentration.
However, he didn’t let his friends know about his early arrival. He didn’t like living a life that was different from everyone else’s. Go Tae-seong, who liked to sleep in, and Nam Ki-hyuk, too, always arrived later, so it wasn’t something that would get noticed.
But somehow, a seemingly small secret was quickly exposed. It was the day he saw Go Tae-seong waiting for him in front of his house, with a chauffeur in a car. Without realizing it, Woo-young got angry.
The shabby alley, the old neighborhood, and the shining luxury of the car—it didn’t fit together. He didn’t know why it made him so angry. He just hated it.
Since he refused to ride in the car, Go Tae-seong had been walking to Woo-young’s house every morning. It was less than a 30-minute walk, but it made Woo-young uncomfortable. Go Tae-seong, who should have been riding in a shiny car driven by a chauffeur, was walking with him instead.
Despite his thoughts, the time spent walking alone with Tae-seong was still good. Morning school became the time he looked forward to the most. His eyes would always open wide in the mornings.
However, on extremely hot summer mornings when he was sweating uncontrollably, or in the bitter cold winter when his ears hurt from the chill, he felt bad that Go Tae-seong was suffering for his sake.
So, on especially cold days, they would head for the bus stop. It was because Go Tae-seong was sensitive to the cold.
“Woo-young, it’s so cold.”
It was the winter of their third year in middle school, just before the vacation and graduation ceremony. The winter was unbearably cold. By now, Go Tae-seong had grown taller than Woo-young, who had been the tallest in their elementary school class by a full head, now an entire hand taller.
Along with his growth, his broad shoulders made him look even more solid. His skin, which occasionally felt firm to the touch, was also hardening. Despite attending an art academy, he was more physically fit than Woo-young, who specialized in sports. Whenever Woo-young felt envious of Tae-seong’s physique, he would do push-ups.
“Woo-young, aren’t you cold?”
Go Tae-seong, hunched up against the cold, looked down at Woo-young with a concerned gaze.
“Damn, it’s twenty below zero. Of course, it’s cold. It’s freezing.”
Standing at the bus stop, Woo-young rubbed his forearms together to warm up.
It was the middle of winter, just before the vacation began. The news was making a big deal about how the temperature had dropped to an unprecedented low. No matter how much he bundled up in a padded jacket and scarf, it was impossible not to feel cold.
Watching Woo-young stamp his feet in the cold, Go Tae-seong smiled and raised the corners of his lips.
“If we stick together, it’ll be less cold.”
With a natural gesture, his hand reached out to wrap around Woo-young’s forearm and pulled him closer.
“My hands are warm. Want me to hold yours?”
He asked softly. The contrast between his white breath and his red lips felt oddly suggestive. Woo-young, frozen stiff, quickly lowered his gaze.
“No.”
He kicked the ground with his sneaker and quickly composed himself.
He was used to moments like this now. Go Tae-seong had a knack for being playful without realizing it. Every time, Woo-young had no choice but to play along, or else he’d end up flustered. If he didn’t act natural, he’d always get embarrassed.
“Why don’t you just get inside your padded jacket?”
Woo-young teased, laughing, and Go Tae-seong raised an eyebrow. Woo-young, hands in his pockets, playfully nudged his chest with his shoulder.
“Come on, spread it out. Selfish.”
Go Tae-seong’s eyes narrowed with a mischievous glint. Woo-young chuckled and nonchalantly looked down the street, as if nothing happened. His fingers, which had almost reached out to grab Go Tae-seong’s hand, tightened into a fist inside his pockets.
“Ugh, why is the bus taking so long? It’s freezing.”
Trying to calm his racing heart, Woo-young turned his head back. At that moment, he heard the sound of a button being undone. His eyes reflexively darted to the source of the sound.
“Crazy…”
A curse slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it.
With his hands in his pockets, Go Tae-seong was pulling open his padded jacket on either side. His navy knit vest and the white collar of his shirt were now exposed.
“Why?”
He tilted his head downward, as if motioning for him to come inside. Woo-young was speechless in the face of his calm expression. After a brief silence, an absurd laugh escaped his lips.
“Are you crazy?”
“You asked me to open it,” Go Tae-seong said, tilting his head slightly and offering a loose smile in return.
Standing tall in the snowy, foggy road, Go Tae-seong seemed to shine endlessly. Woo-young felt dizzy, as if he were experiencing motion sickness. His heart raced again, thudding wildly in his chest. Woo-young forced a smile, then calmly turned his gaze away.
“Stop messing around and close it. It’s cold.”
Inside, he imagined slipping into the warmth of Tae-seong’s padded jacket, tightly hugging his solid waist.
The graduation ceremony quickly approached. Go Tae-seong, who had been the top student throughout their time at school, stepped up to the podium to receive several certificates and trophies. His towering height, now over 180 cm, was a source of strength. Woo-young watched from afar, quietly proud of him.
Graduation—he couldn’t quite believe it. When the principal gave his speech, and the school anthem echoed through the speakers, Woo-young felt a strange fluttering of excitement in his chest.
Woo-young’s grandmother came with a bouquet of flowers, and Nam Ki-hyuk was busy taking cheerful photos with his sisters. But Go Tae-seong was alone. His mother, who was overseas, hadn’t come because of work. An uncle, dressed in a suit, offered him flowers, but Go Tae-seong nonchalantly waved him off.
So, the three of them gathered, almost like a real family. In the midst of the bustling crowd, it was only Woo-young’s grandmother who had come to their graduation. It was a simple ceremony, but it felt special to share the day with them, even though Woo-young felt a little bad for Go Tae-seong.
“Okay, one, two, three!”
The two of them, holding a large bouquet of flowers, smiled brightly. Even though it was just a phone camera, the photo came out clear and vivid.
Go Tae-seong, with his bright smile and flowers, looked like a perfect match. Woo-young glanced at the photo one more time before putting his phone back in his pocket.
High school assignments were done by district. Just like at Unil Middle School, most students who lived in River Castle were assigned to Unil High School. Woo-young, who only lived in Unil-dong in name, was also assigned to Unil High School. For the first time, Woo-young was thankful for living in Unil-dong. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had a chance to attend the same school as Go Tae-seong. Fortunately, all three of them ended up at the same high school.
Perhaps they could even be in the same class, Woo-young thought, holding on to a small hope. However, contrary to his expectations, the class assignment list showed Nam Ki-hyuk in Class 3, and Go Tae-seong in Class 1. It was frustrating.
After a consultation with the homeroom teacher, Woo-young joined the soccer team, just like in middle school. It wasn’t because he wanted to be a soccer player; he just knew that excelling in it would help him get into a good college. Other sports required a lot of money, but soccer only required a uniform and cleats. If he worked hard enough, it could help with his college applications.
His physical strength was good, and his build was solid. With the results he had built up at Unil Middle School, getting into the soccer team wasn’t difficult.
Woo-young became busier than in middle school. He attended classes until the fourth period, then practiced intensely for the school league matches. The only time he saw Go Tae-seong at school was during break times and lunch. It was hard to feel motivated when he couldn’t even see his face during class, which he had secretly been stealing glances at.
Whenever they happened to run into each other in the hallway, Woo-young had to make sure to keep his expression neutral. It was because of the dark figures surrounding Go Tae-seong on either side, which he couldn’t stand. His face would stiffen unconsciously. Just being near Go Tae-seong felt like it would dirty him.
But he had expected this. Everyone wanted to sit next to Go Tae-seong. Even without doing anything, he was adored and admired. It was an understatement to say he was popular—his natural aura made him shine. Woo-young had managed to stay by Go Tae-seong’s side for three years in middle school, all because Go Tae-seong considered him a friend.
So, this was inevitable. Woo-young knew he had to accept it, but he couldn’t hide how low it made him feel.
It should have been Go Tae-seong in the same class as him, not Nam Ki-hyuk. Every time he heard the chatter from the kids sitting around him, a deep sigh would escape his lips. These were the hellish days.
Time passed quickly. Woo-young still left home early in the morning and walked to school with Go Tae-seong. The school, which was now only a 15-minute walk away, had become closer, but that short time they spent walking together felt more precious than ever.
When they arrived at school and Woo-young opened his workbook early, Tae-seong would quietly watch him before leaving. In the past, he would always disturb Woo-young asking to play, but now it seemed like he had grown up a bit. Although it was ideal for concentration, Woo-young still missed the subtle brush of Tae-seong’s hand when he reluctantly closed his textbook.
After Tae-seong left, Woo-young focused only on his classes until the fourth period. After lunch, he went outside to practice soccer, and when he got home, he repeated his review and previewing of lessons. Whenever he thought about how his body had shrunk compared to Tae-seong’s, and how solid his frame had become, he would do a handstand or push-ups.
His life, which felt like it was spinning in a hamster wheel, left no room for making new friends. To be precise, he was too busy with life to think about making any.
He only made eye contact or spoke when necessary. The only people he had comfortable conversations with were the soccer team members, but even they weren’t particularly people he enjoyed being around. By nature, he was indifferent to the people around him—except for Go Tae-seong. Tae-seong was the only one who had changed him.
Therefore, even after the midterm exams, Woo-young didn’t even know the names of most of the students in his class, except for Nam Ki-hyuk. He didn’t pay attention to Nam Ki-hyuk. Nam Ki-hyuk was fine without him and always managed to hang out with others.
It had been winter when they first entered school, but now the cherry blossoms had fallen, and a warm breeze brushed his cheeks. It was not long after the first midterms had finished.
It was just about the time dinner was starting. Woo-young, having just finished a practice game, opened the classroom door. He had forgotten his Korean history textbook, the one he was supposed to review for that day.
“Ugh, this is annoying,” he muttered, wiping sweat from his hand. The white uniform he was wearing was soaked, making him uncomfortable. The school had a shared shower room, but since his house was so close, he usually went home to wash up.
As he stretched his neck from side to side and stepped forward, the atmosphere suddenly became quiet, as if someone had thrown cold water on him. In the strange stillness, Woo-young’s eyes scanned the room like a snake. He saw the students in the back of the classroom, near the air conditioner, standing with their backs turned.
His gaze slowly moved downward. There was a student crouched under their feet. He didn’t need to see more to know what was happening. Some things never changed, even as they got older. These were the kinds of kids Woo-young had despised since he was young.
He frowned and sighed deeply. He ruffled his short hair and walked over, stopping behind them. Woo-young understood these kids’ mentality all too well.
“Hey, come out.”
He waved his hand holding his soccer cleats, and the kids who had been gathered in a circle all looked up at him. Though shorter than Go Tae-seong, Woo-young’s height was still 180 cm. His body, built from years of training, stood out.
“Move aside. Didn’t you hear me?”
At Woo-young’s low, irritable voice, the kids, surprised, cleared a path. The top of the crouched student’s head came into view.
“Hey. Get up.”
“…”
“I said, get up.”
With an authoritative tone, the student slowly lifted his head, glancing around at the others as he hesitantly got to his feet. Even standing straight, he only reached Woo-young’s chest.
He looked small and weak. His light-colored hair, seemingly dyed with something, was damp. His glasses had a noticeable crack in them. As Woo-young’s gaze drifted down, he saw the name tag “Lee Soo-hwa.”
He clicked his tongue.
“Why the hell are you guys breaking glasses…?”
There was a heavy silence after his reproach.
“Are you going to buy it again?”
No one dared speak up. Only uneasy glances were exchanged.
Woo-young’s cold, unsympathetic gaze swept across the group of kids. He could tolerate being the one being bullied, but when it came to broken glasses, the parents had to buy a new pair. There was nothing worse than having to deal with something you couldn’t handle alone. Thinking about it made his blood boil.
“I said, are you going to buy it, you little shit?”
He lifted his soccer cleat, threateningly. The kid closest to him flinched instinctively.
Woo-young narrowed his eyes and slowly lowered his gaze.
“Hey. How much is this?”
“…”
“How much are the glasses? Lee Soo-hwa.”
Lee Soo-hwa flinched, startled by hearing his name called by a stranger. The cold, long, narrowed eyes of the person made him even more scared. The boy, who was crouched down, hesitantly opened his mouth.
“U-uh… sixty thousand won.”
Woo-young let out an involuntary exhale. He couldn’t believe glasses cost sixty thousand won, thinking to himself how ridiculous that was.
With a frown, Woo-young stared at the cracked glasses, then slowly scanned the boys standing idly around him.
“Kim Jeong-ho, Park Ji-hwan… Ah, move over, Ha Min-jun, Jo Hyun-woo.”
He muttered their names while lightly tapping their chests one by one. The boys instinctively moved back a little at the gesture. Their faces were full of annoyance, but none of them dared speak up under Woo-young’s oppressive presence.
“Bring sixty thousand won by tomorrow.”
Woo-young casually placed his soccer cleats on top of a locker. He rummaged through his shorts for his phone and pulled it out.
“Before I tell everyone.”
Without hesitation, Woo-young grabbed Lee Soo-hwa by the chin and lifted his head. The soft click of the camera echoed as the boy’s pale face, wet hair, and cracked glasses appeared in the shot. Woo-young clicked his tongue in annoyance and narrowed his eyes.
He tilted his head back and stretched his arm upward, snapping another picture of the group of boys in the background. The shot came out clear. Woo-young then shoved his phone back into his pocket and grabbed his cleats again.
“I wasn’t kidding.”
He muttered indifferently as he walked back to his spot. Squatting down, he grabbed his textbook from his desk drawer. Stuffing it carelessly into his black backpack, he slung it over his shoulder.
His thigh ached from a rough tackle during the game, and he thought he’d need to apply his grandmother’s homemade ointment once he got home.
As he walked toward the back door, Woo-young paused and turned his head slightly, sensing the silence in the air.
“Lee Soo-hwa. Aren’t you coming?”
He glanced at him briefly and then turned his head away again. He had called out the name of a student he hadn’t even seen before in the half year since he started school.
Soon, he heard footsteps hurrying behind him. The sound came closer, and Lee Soo-hwa’s head appeared beside him. Woo-young glanced sideways at the boy who was walking quietly beside him, his head bent low.
Ugh, damn…
And then, as he opened the back door, Woo-young’s eyes met Go Tae-seong’s.
“What’s up?”
Woo-young’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected face. Tae-seong was dressed neatly, with a vest, a tie, and a shirt with its collar perfectly fastened to the top. He had just come out of the classroom, carrying a black backpack on his shoulder.
Woo-young hadn’t expected to see him today. He felt an awkward sense of happiness and crinkled his nose slightly.
“Didn’t you go to your academy?”
He grabbed Lee Soo-hwa’s stiff arm and pulled him out, then closed the door behind him. The door closed with a dull thud.
“Yeah, I just saw you passing by and came to say hello.”
Lee Soo-hwa’s gaze, which had briefly brushed past Woo-young, turned back to him.
Woo-young nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow with his hand holding the soccer cleats. He usually avoided meeting Tae-seong right after exercise, especially when his face was a mess and his uniform smelled of sweat. Now, suddenly, he could almost smell his own sweat, and it made him uncomfortable.
Shit, he thought to himself. If it weren’t for the sweat and the mess, I would have walked with him all the way to the school gate. He didn’t want to appear anything less than perfect in front of Go Tae-seong. He needed to leave quickly.
“Well, take care. I’ll head out first.”
He hurriedly grabbed Lee Soo-hwa’s arm and suppressed the feeling of regret.
“Who was that?”
The voice came from behind him, and Woo-young turned around.
“Who, him?”
“Yeah.”
As he pointed at Lee Soo-hwa, Go Tae-seong nodded calmly. Woo-young glanced briefly at Lee Soo-hwa’s face in response to the sudden question.
“Lee Soo-hwa.”
“Who’s that?”
Go Tae-seong, with his expression unchanged, quietly stared at Woo-young. A small dot below his long eyes gave him a cold, sharp look today. Woo-young frowned and, feeling a bit trapped for words, narrowed his eyes. Since Go Tae-seong was seeing Lee Soo-hwa for the first time as well, there was nothing he could really say. Moreover, the question was a bit strange to ask with Lee Soo-hwa right there.
Woo-young grabbed Lee Soo-hwa’s arm again. Following his movement, Go Tae-seong’s gaze shifted to Lee Soo-hwa.
“Who else would it be? Don’t you know him? He’s from our class.”
Woo-young shrugged indifferently, pretending not to care. The way Tae-seong was staring at him made him aware of the sweat on his body again, and he felt self-conscious about his messy hair, which would be noticeable once it dried.
“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up, you bastard. Let’s go.”
He waved his hand and started walking away, his steps slightly quickening. However, Go Tae-seong didn’t try to stop him anymore.
As they walked toward the bathroom at the end of the hallway, Lee Soo-hwa didn’t say anything. Woo-young had brought him out, not wanting to leave him alone in that spot, but the boy seemed completely dejected, which made Woo-young feel uneasy.
Did we even have this kid in our class? He looked so ordinary, from head to toe, with no standout features. He seemed so invisible, as if he didn’t even exist.
Since he was young, Woo-young had been sensitive to bullying. He was sick of kids like those from River Castle, who used their parents’ wealth to separate themselves into social ranks. When he entered middle school and started hanging out with Go Tae-seong, he gradually forgot about it, but now, in high school, there were still kids like this who enjoyed bullying others—it disgusted him.
When they reached the bathroom, Woo-young stood in front of the sink. A stream of water poured down. He paused, halfway through washing his hands, and looked up. In the mirror, he saw Lee Soo-hwa, who had his head down, his body hunched as if trying to make himself smaller.
“What are you doing, at least wash your hair properly?”
“….”
“Are you really going to study like that?”
With a gruff tone, Woo-young watched as Lee Soo-hwa hesitated, then slowly approached the sink. He turned on the tap and bent forward to wash his hair.
While wiping his hands with a tissue, Woo-young finally took the time to look at Lee Soo-hwa properly. He was a short boy, probably around 170 cm, with fair, pale skin and a small frame. His arms and fingers were thin.
…Is he even a guy?
No wonder he thinks he can mess with anyone. If Woo-young hadn’t had such an unusual bone structure since he was young, he might have been a victim of bullying by now, too. It was something you had to get used to if you wanted to survive in a world where the bullies picked on the weak.
Woo-young frowned and threw the tissue into the trash. He sighed faintly, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. The only sound in the room was the water running from the sink. Lost in his thoughts, he noticed Lee Soo-hwa straightening his back. Water from his wet hair dripped down his neck and soaked the collar of his shirt.
Woo-young, who had been waiting, straightened up. He grabbed a handful of cheap tissues and handed them to Lee Soo-hwa. As Lee Soo-hwa’s lips tightened, his eyes rolled away from the gesture.
Woo-young waved his hand once more as if to signal him to take them. Reluctantly, Lee Soo-hwa took the tissues. He pulled his glasses down to the tip of his nose and began wiping his forehead and wet hair busily.
Woo-young folded his arms again and observed him quietly. He wasn’t a little kid anymore, and yet here he was, a high schooler, still getting bullied. Life was tough for some people, especially when they had to deal with things like this in the midst of preparing for exams.
“Are you okay?”
At the question, Lee Soo-hwa slowly lifted his gaze. He placed his thick glasses on the tip of his nose, and his face, which had seemed a little lost, now appeared more presentable. His large eyes, round nose—overall, he had a soft, round look to his face.
Woo-young, silently studying his face, narrowed his eyes slightly.
“What’s up with you?”
“Hmm…?”
At the sudden remark, Lee Soo-hwa flinched and lifted his gaze. Woo-young watched him with serious eyes. Lee Soo-hwa, frightened by the unflinching stare, hesitated.
“Damn…”
“…”
“You look like Chopper.”
A hint of a smile slipped through the end of the sentence.
X-Piece was Woo-young’s favorite manga. The large, round eyes of the reindeer character in it reminded him of Lee Soo-hwa’s eyes.
“So cute.”
Woo-young straightened up from where he had been leaning and took a step closer to Lee Soo-hwa. Lee Soo-hwa, who had been stiff, remained frozen. Woo-young, without realizing it, let out a small laugh.
“Hey, take off your glasses.”
He grabbed the arms of the glasses with two fingers, playfully moving them up and down, watching Lee Soo-hwa’s eyes grow larger and smaller with interest.
“Then the people who like X-Piece will probably hang out with you.”
“…”
“Right?”
The corner of Woo-young’s lips curled up slightly as he grinned. As he was laughing, Lee Soo-hwa’s gaze slowly reached his smile, and in an instant, Lee Soo-hwa’s face twisted in distress. His eyebrows sharply furrowed downward.
Woo-young widened his eyes at the sudden change in expression. Lee Soo-hwa’s eyes quickly filled with tears, almost as if they had rapidly collected.
“What…”
At the unexpected turn of events, Woo-young closed his mouth. At a loss for words, he stood there for a moment as Lee Soo-hwa quickly pulled out a tissue and dabbed at his face.
“Hey, why…”
Woo-young crouched down, frowning, to look closer at him. He was at a loss. He hadn’t seen many of his friends cry, and the last time he saw someone breaking down like this was when Nam Ki-hyeok had a meltdown over an OMR card two years ago.
Big tears began to drop down Lee Soo-hwa’s pale cheeks. It seemed his casual comment about the character he liked had unintentionally hurt him. Woo-young felt a little guilty, seeing this tough kid, who had held up even when his glasses were broken, now crying over something as trivial as being compared to a cartoon character.
“Ah, why are you crying like this…”
“Ugh…”
Woo-young, his face still in a frown, grabbed a tissue and awkwardly pressed it against Lee Soo-hwa’s eyes. But what made him more uncomfortable was that, with Lee Soo-hwa’s sad face—mouth pulled down and eyebrows drooping—it actually looked even more like the character he had mentioned. Woo-young couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“Damn, hey, don’t cry… I’m sorry.”
Woo-young gritted his teeth, his lips tightly pressed. He felt like a jerk for laughing when he was supposed to be comforting Lee Soo-hwa. But his red nose and the way he was crying so unjustly did resemble the character too much.
“Ugh, uh, ugh…”
Lee Soo-hwa squeezed his eyes shut, trembling slightly. His wet eyelashes twitched. With the broken glasses hanging from his nose, Lee Soo-hwa began to shake silently.
“Ah… what’s wrong with you?”
Woo-young stood up straight, pressing his palm to Lee Soo-hwa’s eyes. He swallowed a laugh, holding it back, and took a deep breath. When he looked down at him again, Lee Soo-hwa was still crying, his face twisted in frustration, and tears were streaming down beneath his furrowed brow.
Was it really that bad? …Chopper’s cute, though.
Woo-young was at a loss for words. The sound of Lee Soo-hwa’s sniffles filled the quiet bathroom, and the situation made him more uncomfortable. This had come out of nowhere.
Ugh. Woo-young muttered under his breath and stared at him again. Water was still dripping from Lee Soo-hwa’s wet hair.
“Fuck it.”
He didn’t know what else to do, so he grabbed some tissues and pressed them roughly to the top of Lee Soo-hwa’s head. The wetness from his hair wouldn’t dry just from a tissue, but this was Woo-young’s way of apologizing.
“Crying over something like this…”
His grumbling voice echoed in the quiet bathroom. Woo-young continued to wipe his face, using up all the tissues by the sink. Lee Soo-hwa didn’t stop crying until Woo-young had used every last one.
Lhaozi[Translator]
To all my lock translations, 1 chapter will be unlocked every sunday. Weekly update for all my ongoing translations. If you have concerned in all my translations, DM me in Discord: Lhaozi(I'm a member in Shanghai Fantasy discord) or Send me message in my Email: [email protected]