Today was a complete failure.

According to the plan, I should have already been home, reviewing the pages I’d set out for today, and memorizing forty new vocabulary words—more than I did yesterday. But thanks to an unexpected obstacle, everything got derailed.

I don’t like it when my plans go off-track, but I wasn’t so heartless that I could just leave someone who was crying because of me. So, I stayed and patted his back until his tears slowed down. However, there wasn’t much I could say to him other than to tell him to stop crying.

As I patted his shoulder and checked his expression, time passed by without me noticing. It wasn’t until much later that his crying finally stopped, and I told him to go back to the classroom, but he followed me with swollen eyes, trailing behind like a puppy.

I guess he probably didn’t want to go back and get scolded, and I couldn’t blame him for that.

Even so, I wanted to tell him that skipping school was unacceptable, but instead, I clicked my tongue. Seeing his downcast face made me feel uncomfortable for some reason.

I tend to walk quickly, so I intentionally slowed my pace to match his. He was probably shorter than me, and his footsteps behind me were slow and sluggish.

When I nodded in response to his question about whether I lived at River Castle, we were about 10 minutes from the school gates. At the fork in the road where our paths would split, I decided to walk slowly and chat with him on the way home, if nothing else. But he didn’t speak a word, not even a breath. Neither did I.

After the long silence, we finally reached the fork in the road. As I was about to turn around and wave my hand, I felt him rush up behind me.

“What, aren’t you going?”

“…”

I raised my eyes. He had his head down, lips tightly pressed together. Even if I asked him why he was following me, there was no response.

“Seriously…”

I stared at him, bewildered, and let out a sigh.

“…Do whatever you want.”

I frowned, shaking my head. It felt strange to say anything because I still felt bad for making him cry earlier.

I kept walking ahead for a while, but eventually, I stopped. His forehead bumped into my back as he had been quietly following me, his head lowered.

“Ugh, what?”

“…”

“Why are you following me, you bastard?”

I turned to look at him, narrowing my eyes. I figured I’d let him follow to see how far he would go, but by the time we crossed the street, we were right in front of my house. He still hadn’t said a word. No matter how unremarkable he seemed, I didn’t want to let a stranger know where I lived.

“Hey, Lee Soo-hwa.”

“…”

“Are you planning to follow me all the way to my house?”

Woo-young raised his eyes. Lee Soo-hwa’s ears turned red.

“Could you say something?”

Despite the mocking question, Lee Soo-hwa remained silent, his lips sealed like someone who had swallowed honey. His face, in contrast to his swollen eyes, looked pale and drained. His gentle eyes looked as if they might shed more tears with the slightest touch.

Woo-young, standing with his shoulders slightly turned, let out a long breath. He could clearly see that Lee Soo-hwa was terrified, even though he hadn’t done anything. It was absurd that he was still stubbornly following him.

Sighing, Woo-young lowered his head and rubbed his aching forehead. He glanced up at Lee Soo-hwa. The guy, trembling with fear, looked like a puppy trailing behind, asking for food. In short, he seemed utterly pathetic. Woo-young had never encountered someone like this in his life.

“Aah… damn.”

Woo-young ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He didn’t want to be angry about something like this, but he couldn’t just leave someone following him silently. He wasn’t that kind of person.

“I’m leaving.”

He muttered and looked down at him for a moment. Lee Soo-hwa flinched, his shoulders shaking.

“Don’t follow me from here on. It’s an invasion of my privacy.”

“…”

“I’m telling you, I won’t say it again.”

Just as he was about to turn away without any further words, Lee Soo-hwa lightly grabbed the edge of his uniform. Woo-young stopped walking and turned his head. Lee Soo-hwa’s lips trembled, and the broken glasses added a pathetic aura to his appearance.

“…W-what?”

“What?”

“…I… I’m sorry…”

His voice was soft and trailed off into a barely audible whisper.

“Are you serious? You followed me all the way here just to say that?”

Woo-young responded with indifference, clicking his tongue. He had thought Lee Soo-hwa was going to say something important, especially after skipping study hall, but it was nothing of consequence.

“…Yeah.”

Lee Soo-hwa nodded faintly, his shoulders still hunched up in a defeated posture.

“Wow…”

Woo-young exclaimed, though in his mind, he had to swallow his frustration. He could think of a lot of harsh words, but he chose not to say them. With a look of annoyance, he cast his gaze elsewhere. The sunset beyond the hills was already spreading a red glow.

“Yeah, it’s fine. You followed me all the way here just to apologize, huh? Damn, I’m so grateful, I might even cry…”

“…”

“Are you done? Can you leave now?”

He said it casually and glanced at him. Since Lee Soo-hwa didn’t seem like the type to back down easily, it seemed better to just send him off. It also meant that he would have to skip reviewing Korean history for today.

An awkward silence followed. Woo-young waited for him to turn around and go back, but something felt off.

“What’s going on?”

“…”

“What now?”

Seeing Lee Soo-hwa’s head hung low, Woo-young felt uneasy. Then, he noticed Lee Soo-hwa’s cheeks twitching nervously, and his fingers, holding the edge of his shirt, were trembling slightly.

Something wasn’t right. Woo-young narrowed his eyes, sensing that something was about to happen.

“Aah, please.”

He tilted his head back and looked up at the sky for a moment before looking down at Lee Soo-hwa again. His brows, which had been level before, now furrowed deeply in frustration. This was the same face he had seen just an hour ago. Woo-young furrowed his own face in disbelief. With a serious expression, he grabbed Lee Soo-hwa’s wrist.

“If you cry again, I’ll curse at you. I’m telling you.”

“…”

“Sigh… damn.”

Woo-young placed his hand on his waist, shaking his head in exasperation. He couldn’t make sense of what was going on. It was just so absurd.

What’s with this guy? Is he crying because he doesn’t want to go home? Is he scared to go home? Does he have some messed-up situation at home too? Is this some kind of school and family abuse thing?

Woo-young remembered a conversation with a friend, Go Tae-seong, who once said that people from River Castle often had complicated family issues. Given Lee Soo-hwa’s unusually timid nature and his current behavior, it didn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. The thought made Woo-young feel uneasy. His mind was clouded with all sorts of disturbing thoughts.

“Why are you acting like this? Say something.”

Woo-young sighed and ran his hand through his hair in annoyance.

“Look, I don’t like repeating myself. I’ll give you three seconds.”

“…”

He hadn’t expected an answer so quickly, but Lee Soo-hwa finally spoke, albeit in a murmur.

“What?”

“I… I want…”

Lee Soo-hwa slowly raised his head and looked at Woo-young with his wet, tearful eyes.

“Say it again.”

His voice was barely audible, barely a whisper. But Woo-young took a deep breath and patiently leaned forward to hear him better.

“I… want to be… friends.”

Woo-young’s eyes widened in surprise, his expression confused. He felt a strange déjà vu, recalling moments from his own past.

‘Are we friends now?’
‘Huh? Let’s be friends.’

He suddenly thought of young Go Tae-seong, pestering him about wanting to be friends when they were kids, with no clear reason behind it.

Woo-young examined Lee Soo-hwa closely. After a moment of silence, the sunset’s glow colored Lee Soo-hwa’s face, and the image of young Go Tae-seong seemed to overlay his features, leaving Woo-young feeling a strange sense of disbelief.

This guy… there’s nothing about him that’s familiar, and yet… it feels like déjà vu. How strange.

“You want to be… friends…”

Lee Soo-hwa, who had been the one to initiate the conversation so boldly, now seemed at a loss for words. Woo-young, who had been quietly watching him, rubbed his face with his palm.

Friends. What’s so special about that? Why do people get so excited about it?

It wasn’t a difficult thing. It wasn’t that he was antisocial; life was just busy, and he had been too indifferent to others. He looked down at Lee Su-hwa briefly and, with an air of irritation, patted his shoulder.

“Alright, go ahead.”

“…Really?”

Lee Soo-hwa hesitated and pulled his hand away.

“Yeah, I’ll be your friend, so go now.”

With a sigh, Woo-young pointed his chin toward the end of the alley. Lee Soo-hwa blinked, still dazed, then nodded slowly. His face, once shadowed, seemed to brighten a little, though it might have been a trick of the light.

“Go on, quickly. I’m really late now because of you.”

“…Okay…”

“Ugh. Hurry up and run.”

Annoyed, Woo-young’s sharp tone seemed to spur Lee Soo-hwa into action. He nodded more assertively and then took a few steps back before turning around and running. The sound of his hurried footsteps echoed down the alley.

“Jeez…”

Woo-young couldn’t help but let out a short, bitter laugh as he watched Lee Soo-hwa sprinting away. He tilted his head slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. The exhaustion was starting to hit him hard.

Lee Soo-hwa’s figure disappeared as he turned the corner. Only then did Woo-young turn away. It was exhausting to have done something so unnecessary. Lee Soo-hwa was definitely an oddball.

He kicked a stone lying on the ground and walked slowly. The red sky, tinged with the setting sun, was beginning to fade as the light softened.

“Dammit, what a mess.”

He thought to himself that he might go to bed an hour later tonight, then turned the corner. But just as he did, he ran into someone he hadn’t expected to see: Go Tae-seong. He was leaning casually against a wall, looking much like he had at school—neat and composed.

“Go Tae-seong!”

Woo-young called out without thinking. The surprise of seeing him was overshadowed by how glad he was to run into him. Hurriedly, he walked up to him and stopped in front of him.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Go Tae-seong lifted his head at Woo-young’s voice. A faint shadow cast across one side of his face, following the curve of his straight nose. His pale, smooth cheek was tinged with the red glow of the setting sun. His elegant features blended perfectly with the rosy hue of the light.

“When did you get here? Were you waiting for me?”

A grin spread across Woo-young’s face before he could stop it. He hadn’t expected to see him again today, so soon after he had only planned to meet him the next morning. It had been even more surprising because, while thinking of Lee Su-hwa, he had also been reminiscing about his childhood with Tae-seong.

But Go Tae-seong, standing with an almost defiant posture, didn’t approach. He simply stared at Woo-young. His face didn’t show the usual warmth of a friend, and he seemed a little more distant than usual.

“What about you?”

Woo-young, who had been smiling, raised his eyebrows in surprise. The words didn’t come out as expected; it was more of a question than an answer.

“Huh?”

“Why are you here?”

Go Tae-seong slowly stood up, his shoes making a soft scraping sound as a small stone rolled away. Woo-young watched, confused, and glanced back at him.

“What do you mean? This is the way to my house.”

“You already passed by earlier.”

Go Tae-seong’s answer was curt and direct, leaving Woo-young speechless for a moment. His eyes traveled up Go Tae-seong’s neck, finally meeting his gaze. There was something off about Go Tae-seong’s expression, something that made Woo-young uneasy.

“Quite a while ago.”

Go Tae-seong tilted his head slightly as he stood close, his dark eyes staring intensely at Woo-young, as if hiding something.

“Why didn’t you respond to my messages?”

“Oh.”

“Why didn’t you answer the phone? If you weren’t going to, then why are you even carrying your phone?”

Finally, Woo-young fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his phone.

Usually, after school, they would casually check in with each other, telling the other they had arrived home or were studying, just a normal part of their routine. But today, with all the distractions from Lee Su-hwa, he had completely forgotten. He hadn’t even realized his phone was on mute.

“I didn’t see them. Sorry.”

Go Tae-seong closed his mouth at that short answer. Woo-young absently fiddled with his phone, checking the messages. The red circle at the top of the conversation indicated there were already dozens of missed notifications.

[Tae-seong: Woo-young. 17:30]
[Tae-seong: What are you doing? Are you on your way? I’m heading to the academy. 17:33]
[Tae-seong: Kwon (emoji) 17:34]
[Tae-seong: Woo (emoji) 17:34]
[Tae-seong: Young (emoji) 17:35]
[Tae-seong: Why are you ignoring me? 17:36]
[Tae-seong: Let’s do a voice call 17:37]
[Tae-seong: Missed call 17:37]
[Tae-seong: Let’s do a FaceTime 17:39]

[Tae-seong: Missed Call 17:40]
[Tae-seong: (photo) 17:40]
[Tae-seong: (video) 17:41]
[Tae-seong: A gift and a message have arrived. 17:42]

Woo-young, scrolling with his thumb, let out a hollow laugh. The gift icon was a jar-shaped banana milk, and the photo and video were fake.

It had only been about an hour and a half since he cut off contact, but looking at the chat full of his messages, Woo-young felt bad, as if he had unintentionally ignored Tae-seong.

“Woo-young.”
“…Yeah.”
“What have you been doing all this time?”

When he looked up, their eyes met.

“Ah, because of Lee Soo-hwa…”
Woo-young suddenly felt embarrassed at the direct, piercing gaze. He scratched his head and lowered his eyes. Every time he met that gaze, it felt like his insides were being exposed, and he felt his ears heat up for no reason.

“Yeah. So what were you doing with him?”
Tae-seong’s black eyes slowly scanned Woo-young’s face.

“It’s been 1 hour and 40 minutes since we parted at school, and you’re still not home? What were you doing?”

His soft, low voice had a slight authoritative tone.

He lightly placed his hand on Woo-young’s shoulder. Woo-young’s eyes followed the finger resting on his shoulder.

“Well… it’s a long story.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me?”
Since it wasn’t really his business, Woo-young avoided the question with a vague answer.

Suddenly, Tae-seong’s grip on his shoulder tightened. The sudden pressure made Woo-young awkwardly think about his scruffy appearance. He was worried his uniform, which was stiff and dry from walking, might smell.

“He just kept chasing after me to be friends.”
Woo-young casually pushed Tae-seong’s hand away, a little too easily. He smiled awkwardly as he met Tae-seong’s steady gaze.

“It’s really funny. You were also pestering me to be friends. Do you remember?”

He almost added, That’s why I suddenly thought of you, but swallowed the words. As he grinned, Tae-seong remained silent, just watching him. Woo-young felt a little embarrassed, so he shoved his phone in his pocket and asked.

“But why are you here? Why didn’t you go to the academy?”

“Just.”

Tae-seong lowered his eyes softly and began to fiddle with Woo-young’s shoulder again.

“What? You’re just going to skip like that?”
Woo-young gave him a puzzled look at the disinterested answer. It seemed like Tae-seong had something he wanted to say, judging by his fidgeting lips.

“…I’m no longer in the same class as you, and I don’t have time to hang out…”
Tae-seong muttered quietly. His black eyes seemed to have a shadow in them.

“While Kwon Woo-young is over there being all friendly with some stranger, it’s just… frustrating.”
As the words ended, the pressure on his shoulder increased. The tight grip made Woo-young wince.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Woo-young slapped his arm. Tae-seong had clearly misunderstood something.

“I’m really busy, you know? You think I’m just goofing off because I’m into sports?”
Tae-seong fell silent.

“I don’t have time to mess around. If I want to get into a good college like you, I barely have time to sleep. I’m already late and have a ton to do today.”
Woo-young mumbled, glancing at Tae-seong with irritation. He was always living a packed schedule, and Tae-seong often envied him for his free-wheeling lifestyle. Woo-young suspected that today’s comment came from that frustration.

“If I were actually wasting time, it wouldn’t be fair.”
There was no time for leisure. The idea of attending the same university was something Tae-seong had always said as a joke, but it had turned into an unspoken promise between them, that they would both focus on school and grades.

“Just wait. Even if I don’t come first in the whole school, I’ll still get in.”
“…”

“Huh? You don’t believe me?”
Woo-young tapped his chest with a clenched fist. Tae-seong’s eyes, which had been hard and unreactive, softened just a little. Woo-young caught the subtle change and smiled slyly, elbowing him in the side.

“Huh? No answer?”
Tae-seong, who had been lost in thought for a moment, finally gave a faint smile at the corner of his eyes.

“…Yeah, I believe you.”

As he nodded, Woo-young shook his head from side to side and laughed. His body was already stiff and tired, but seeing Taeseong made him feel like he was full of energy.

“Yeah, just follow me. I’ll still let you take the top spot, so don’t worry.”
“Okay, hyung.”
Tae-seong threw his arm around Woo-young’s shoulder and pulled him into a side hug. The intense strength made Woo-young sway slightly. The smile on Tae-seong’s face was casual, as if nothing had happened.

“Crazy bastard.”
Woo-young chuckled with a sound that was almost a sigh. But then, he had to turn his head. It was Taeseong’s relentless skinship that made him feel awkward. The faint scent of him seemed to make his face burn.

“Tch, you’re heavy. Tae-seong.”
He deliberately frowned and pushed Tae-seong’s arm away. He knew it wasn’t anything, but for a brief moment, he wondered if Tae-seong was doing this because he was jealous.

Crazy thought. Crazy thought. His heart was pounding in his ears for no reason.

“I don’t know, I’m tired. Carry me.”
“Why are you tired? No, why didn’t you go to the academy? Did you just skip it?”
“Yeah. I didn’t want to go.”

At Woo-young’s firm response, he turned his head. He couldn’t help but sigh as his eyes fell on Tae-seong’s profile. What a mess this was, he thought.

“You’re really out of control, aren’t you?”
Woo-young raised his eyebrows. Tae-seong, with his body relaxed, leaned into him lazily.

“Hyung, teach me something. Woo-young, teach me.”
“Ah, you’re really insane…”
Though he muttered a curse, he couldn’t hide the slight smile on his face.

“Why?”
Tae-seong, still grinning, dragged out his words. The mischievous smile lingered on his face as he looked at Woo-young. Woo-young laughed awkwardly, closing his eyes and running his hand through his hair.

“Fine, what do you want me to do? Just tell me, I’ll do it all.”
With a natural response, Tae-seong lightly rested his forehead on Woo-young’s shoulder.

“Next year, I want to be in the same class as the super cool soccer team senior.”
“…”
“Except for Nam Ki-hyuk.”
He sighed and rubbed his eyes against Woo-young’s shoulder. Looking down at him, Woo-young blinked. He turned his head and bit his lip. He was getting dizzy from all the attention and constant touching that he didn’t understand.

“Won’t your mom get mad?”
Despite his inner thoughts, Tae-seong asked casually.

Since entering high school, they hadn’t visited each other’s homes. The biggest reason was Tae-seong. He had a tutor who took care of everything for him—his grades, academy, meals, and even health care—while his mother was abroad.

The kids called that man “Kkaebi,” a shortened version of “dokkaebi” (meaning a goblin). Tae-seong hated him intensely. Since high school, the man had been living with him and becoming more controlling than before. He was a very particular and tiresome type.

“It’s fine. It’s better than losing Kwon Woo-young.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Woo-young scowled as he pushed Tae-seong’s chest away with his arm. But Tae-seong didn’t budge and stayed in his spot. When it came to sticking close without hesitation, no one could match him.

“Woo-young’s seat is mine.”
Tae-seong whispered with a mischievous voice.

“As soon as I see someone else in your seat… that guy’s dead.”
His warm breath tickled Woo-young’s ear, making his heart skip a beat. He quickly turned his head to avoid his gaze. His face was starting to burn.

“Shut up.”
“Huh? You have to answer.”
Tae-seong, still with that grin, leaned his head slightly against Woo-young’s.

Really crazy, crazy bastard.
Woo-young had to stop thinking nonsense. Tae-seong was the type to act like a fox. He shouldn’t get excited or think too much about his meaningless words.

“Yeah, yeah. You can have it all. Do you want me to cut off my arms or legs for you?”
Woo-young answered bluntly, trying to push aside his strange feelings. He tried to convince himself that it was just a simple obsession, an excessive affection from his childhood friend. After realizing it, he had promised himself not to do anything that would make him feel guilty. He didn’t want to keep deceiving himself or fall into self-loathing thoughts.

An awkward silence followed. As he looked away, he met Tae-seong’s meaningful eyes. Tae-seong was staring at him quietly.

Slowly, Tae-seong lowered his gaze and started playing with Woo-young’s wrist. Woo-young flinched instinctively and narrowed his eyes. It was just a brief touch, but it sent a shiver up his spine.

“What’s this, are you really going to cut them off?”
Tae-seong tilted his head slightly with an amused expression.

“I feel like you’re forgetting about me lately… You should prioritize me, Woo-young.”
“…”

“Are you going to keep upsetting me, Tae-seong?”
His voice had a hint of affection, which made Woo-young let out a sigh.

“Crazy, stop with the bullshit.”
He forced a smile, but the hard look in his eyes contradicted the curve of his lips.

Priorities. This was the promise he had kept better than anyone. He felt foolish for trying to assign meaning to his words, even though he knew they were just meaningless. The air around him felt heavy, and he couldn’t shake the strange feeling of guilt building inside him.

“…Move, save the affection for Nam Ki-hyuk.”
Woo-young shrugged him off, irritated. Tae-seong’s arm was as stiff as iron. Despite his joking expression, Woo-young’s annoyance was starting to rise.

It wasn’t fair to make someone fall for you when you couldn’t even like them back. If this love were a game, Tae-seong should have been out of the game from the start. To be honest, everything that had happened between him and Woo-young was Tae-seong’s fault.

“That low-level bastard doesn’t belong anywhere near you, Woo-young. I’m pissed off that I’m not even in the same class as you because of him.”
Tae-seong muttered irritably. The reason being that Woo-young and Nam Ki-hyuk were in the same class, and Tae-seong wasn’t.

“Let’s graduate quickly and get rid of that cabbage-headed bastard.”
He lightly gripped Woo-young’s shoulder with his large hand.

“How old are you, and you still can’t eat cabbage? Grow up already.”
Woo-young replied sarcastically, surprised at his words. Tae-seong hated cabbage intensely.

“I’m never eating cabbage even when I’m fifty.”
“Are you a kid? That’s hilarious.”
Woo-young laughed quietly, though it wasn’t genuine.

His self-made theory was always a mess. But the answer was clear. He felt like his insides were being squeezed out.

“Why are you using my stuff when you have your own?”
After finishing his shower, Woo-young glanced at Tae-seong, who was lying on the floor of the room, playing a game on Woo-young’s phone.
“I’m out of battery.”

They really ended up together at home. It had been a long time since it had just been the two of them here. They often visited each other’s houses, but whenever they did, Nam Ki-hyuk was always with them. Since Woo-young became aware of his feelings, he had intentionally avoided making plans where they were alone together.

“Charge it. The charger’s next to the desk.”
“Really?”
“It’s not like this is your first time here.”

Woo-young, wearing a short-sleeve t-shirt and with his dress shirt unbuttoned, glanced at Tae-seong before plopping down in front of the desk. There seemed to be an awkward tension in the air for no reason.

“I’ll go shower too. Give me some clothes. Underwear too.”
“Uh… I don’t have new ones. Want to go home and get them?”
“It’s fine. Just give me the ones you wore.”

Woo-young frowned as he crouched in front of the drawer. He rummaged through it and pulled out a t-shirt, pants, and the most recent pair of underwear he had bought.

The neatly folded clothes were soft, and there was a faint scent of fabric softener. But Woo-young couldn’t help but grab the underwear with a stiff expression. His hands felt sweaty. It was just a clean pair of black briefs, but somehow, it felt so embarrassing.

Damn, if I had known, I wouldn’t have opened any of these.

He let out a deep sigh and handed the clothes to Tae-seong, trying to act as casual as possible. Tae-seong looked at them for a moment before getting up and heading toward the bathroom. The door clicked shut. Woo-young, leaning against the wall, slumped down to the floor, letting out a long sigh.

This is crazy… really…

He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with both hands. He imagined Tae-seong showering in the small, old bathroom. He could almost hear the faint sound of water, even though it shouldn’t have reached him. His toes tingled, and his throat felt dry. This was a disaster. There was no way he could focus on studying with his mind in this state.

“How is he?”
Woo-young turned his head at the voice coming from behind him. Tae-seong was lying on the blanket his grandmother had laid out, playing a game on his phone. Even after Tae-seong came out of the shower, Woo-young stayed at the desk for a long time. Of course, nothing he read had registered in his mind.

“Who?”
“That person from earlier.”
“Oh, Lee Soo-hwa?”
“Yeah.”

Woo-young tilted his head at the sudden question. He had only met him for a day, so he didn’t know much about him.

“he seems nice.”
“Nice?”
“Yeah, he’s nice… and… he kind of reminds me of someone.”
“Who does he remind you of?”
“Chopper. If he takes off her glasses, he looks like a dog. I’ll show you later.”

Woo-young couldn’t help but chuckle. Then, suddenly, a memory popped into his mind, and he snapped his fingers.

“Ah, but don’t say that in front of her. He cried a lot when I teased him about it… he’s a little sensitive, I think?”

Tae-seong stopped tapping on his phone, his fingers freezing.

“he cried?”
He stared at Woo-young with a stiff look in his eyes.
“Yeah.”
“In front of you?”
“Yeah.”

“Did you calm him down?”
“Of course I did. I’m not just gonna leave him crying because of me. Anyway, he’s a bit slow, but he’s the exhausting type.”
As Woo-young recalled the memory of comforting him for a long time, he twirled a mechanical pencil with his fingers. Lee Soo-hwa. he was a bit cute… but he really needed to toughen up.
“he’s an idiot.”
“What?”
At the quiet mutter, Woo-young turned to look at Tae-seong. Tae-seong, lying across the blanket, set his phone down with a thud. He didn’t respond, but Woo-young understood he wasn’t going to explain.
“I think I’ll be friends with him.”
Tae-seong propped his intertwined hands behind his head and looked at the ceiling. His dark, unreadable eyes stared off into space. Woo-young tilted his head in confusion.
“All of a sudden?”
“he’s should be my friend because of Kwon Woo-young, right? What, do you not like it?”
“Well… whatever.”
At Tae-seong’s sudden comment, Woo-young rubbed his chin. If he got closer to Tae-seong, maybe the people who used to bother him would start to act more carefully around him. It didn’t sound like a bad idea.
“Let’s sleep now, Woo-young. I’m tired.”
Woo-young, who had been sitting absentmindedly at the desk, furrowed his brows. It was nearly midnight. Yet, he hadn’t even memorized a single word from his study goals.
“Yeah, go ahead and sleep.”
He planned to sleep after Tae-seong did. The room was small, and it wasn’t as cramped as before. If they were going to lie on the blanket, they had to sleep very close to each other. Just the thought of it made his face turn red.
“Turn off the lights quickly. I can’t sleep if it’s bright.”
Tae-seong urged in a teasing tone. Woo-young, feeling embarrassed, had difficulty controlling his expression. The small room was brightly lit even with just the desk lamp on.
… Ah, damn. What should I do?
Caught in serious thought, Woo-young hesitated.
“Woo-young, I’m really sleepy. If I sleep now, I’ll only get six hours of sleep.”
“…”
“What if I don’t grow because of you? Are you gonna take responsibility?”
Tae-seong’s persistent tone made Woo-young let out an awkward laugh. Why did his words always go in that direction? There was no way to beat Tae-seong at his own game.
“Crazy. What more could you grow from that? Do you want to be a basketball player or something?”
Seeing Tae-seong yawn, Woo-young slowly got out of his seat. Thud. When he turned off the light, the room went completely dark. He crawled into bed beside him. For a moment, he thought Tae-seong’s arm brushed against his. Lying flat in the pitch-black room, Woo-young stared at the ceiling, tense.
Right, they say the person who likes the other more loses. Though the definition of ‘like’ is kind of blurry.

Suddenly, Woo-young opened his eyes. His gaze wandered. The soft rustling of hair and Tae-seong’s pale cheek came into view. His neat eyelashes and a distinctive beauty mark near his eye. His sharp, prominent nose, and plump lips followed in his line of sight.
It was Tae-seong.

It suddenly hit him—he had really fallen asleep with him last night. He had been wide awake for a long time, unable to sleep, but finally, with Tae-seong’s steady breathing, he managed to drift off. The realization made his heart stop for a moment.

It wasn’t a dream.
As soon as he realized, his heart began to race. Even though he hadn’t gotten any sleep and was just waking up, his mind, which had been fully awake, was now clearer than ever. Woo-young lowered his gaze. Tae-seong’s long arm, wrapped around him as if holding him tight, was in view. The feeling of his arm resting lightly on his waist was extremely clear. In an instant, his body went rigid.
Crazy…
Without meaning to, Woo-young let out a low groan. He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again. Tae-seong smelled like the shampoo Woo-young used. It was the same scent, but somehow it felt much sweeter and strangely alluring. Suddenly, his neck felt hot.
When he realized it, his heart began pounding faster. He felt like his heartbeat might wake Tae-seong up. He knew he should push him away, but he couldn’t do it.
Just 10 seconds more, no, 30 seconds more…
Woo-young let out a slow breath, almost as if trying to breathe out his frustration. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and his eyes traced over Tae-seong’s peaceful face. His black hair, contrasting against his fair, smooth skin, made his features look flawless.
Ugh… He’s so damn beautiful.
He wanted to tease him, poke his doll-like face, stretch out his soft cheeks. He wanted to hug him. Just once, just this once, he wanted to hold him. A sudden impulse to stretch his arm toward him overcame him. His hand, resting on Tae-seong’s body, twitched awkwardly as if it had been replaced by a robotic arm.
What if he wakes up?
You idiot, no. Don’t do it.
Woo-young gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut again. But the desire that had flared up like a spark shattered his fading sense of reason, and the remnants of his restraint crumbled away.
So easily, his instincts took over, and his arm wrapped around Tae-seong’s solid back. “Mmm.” Tae-seong, shifting in his sleep, buried himself further into Woo-young’s embrace. Woo-young flinched unconsciously. But he didn’t release the arm that held him. After a moment of stirring, Tae-seong fell silent again.
Wow… damn, I’m crazy. I’m crazy, Kwon Woo-young. You’re such a damn pervert.
He inwardly freaked out, grinding his teeth. His anxiety was so intense that he wanted to shake his legs. His cheeks were burning red as he exhaled deeply.
If I get caught… If I get caught, I’ll just pretend to be asleep.
Despite his anxiety, overwhelming emotions surged through him. Even his exhaled breath seemed to vibrate.
No, damn it… it feels so good…
Woo-young let out an empty sigh. Was it really possible to feel this stirred up just from holding his tall friend? He still couldn’t believe it—holding Tae-seong in his arms.
With his eyes closed, he hugged him tightly. Even though it wasn’t bare skin, every place they touched felt heated. The air felt so thick, like he could almost breathe out steam from his nostrils and ears.
Tae-seong, I’m sorry… just for a moment, just a moment more.
As he whispered an apology that would never reach him, he pressed his cheek against Tae-seong’s soft hair. The sweet scent of it seemed to melt away his guilt. Ah. This feels so good. So damn good. Overwhelmed by emotions, he even made a wish—if only Tae-seong would stay asleep just for one more day.

“Tae-seong, wake up.”

Woo-young, rubbing his wet hair with a towel, nudged Tae-seong’s body with his foot.
“Hurry up. Grandma says you need to eat and go.”
When Woo-young shook his foot with more force, Tae-seong, deep in sleep, twitched his eyes. Woo-young couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle at the sight of his furrowed brows and the sleepy, innocent face that looked so cute.
“Hey. If you don’t wake up, I’ll leave first. There’s still plenty of time, so just sleep some more if you want.”
“…Where are you going? No, I don’t want you to go.”
Suddenly, Tae-seong’s large hand shot out and weakly grabbed Woo-young’s ankle. Without even opening his eyes, he muttered in a sleepy voice, looking up at Woo-young, who let out a half-laugh.
He still doesn’t want to be apart, huh? That obsessive attachment, so obvious only when it comes to me, had always driven me crazy since we were kids. Even though I knew it was a feeling completely different from what I had.
Woo-young, with the towel draped around his neck, crouched down in front of him. He muttered quietly, words that Taeseong wouldn’t understand.
“Hey, do you really like me that much?”
“Mm…”
“Crazy.”
He let out a laugh, wiping his face with the towel, not expecting an answer to come back.
So cute, so damn cute. What’s wrong with him? Why was he born this way, confusing people’s hearts like this? If only he were a little less sharp or even a bit uglier… damn it, why was he born so perfect that it messes with people’s minds?
Tsk, clicking his tongue, Woo-young sat down on his knees and quickly yanked the blanket away. Taeseong, still with his eyes tightly shut, curled up like a little bean. Watching him, Woo-young’s lips curved into a soft smile.
“If you don’t wake up in 3 seconds, I’m going to tickle you.”
A mischievous glint appeared in Woo-young’s eyes as he leaned over Tae-seong. This was a method he often used to wake up the heavy sleeper.
“Three. Two.”
“….”
“One!”
As soon as Woo-young’s hand reached his waist, Tae-seong instinctively curled up. With a forceful movement, Woo-young lunged at him and began to tickle his side with relentless hands.
“Wake up already!”
“Ah…! Please, Woo-young…”
Tae-seong, still curled up, muttered in a hoarse voice as if in pain. He was usually calm and laid-back, but when he was in the process of waking up, he was always a mess.
It was a rare, unguarded side of Tae-seong that no one else got to see. Whenever Woo-young noticed that he was special to Tae-seong, his heart would unknowingly race with excitement.
“Still not waking up? You’re really not going to get up?”
“Ah, fuck, don’t do it… Ah!”
Suddenly, Tae-seong grabbed Woo-young’s wrist with surprising strength. Then he yanked him forcefully toward him. Woo-young’s face was pressed into Tae-seong’s chest, his head trapped by Tae-seong’s firm hand. He stumbled back, his posture faltering as Tae-seong’s grip was unrelenting.
The skin that pressed against Woo-young’s cheek was solid and firm.
“…Five more minutes. Woo-young, five more minutes.”
Tae-seong mumbled in a pleading tone, his breath so close to Woo-young’s ear that it sent a shiver down his spine. It felt like there was a strange tickle even though nothing had actually touched his ear.
“Hey, okay, let go already…”
Woo-young let out a light exhale, his breath getting caught in his throat. Just an hour ago, he had been secretly holding him while he slept.
Suddenly, the strong grip on the back of his head pressed down harder. Woo-young’s face flushed from the scent that filled his nose. He knew it was just an unconscious gesture from Tae-seong in his sleep, but his heart, which had no sense of timing, began to race wildly.
Woo-young squeezed his eyes shut, not realizing it.
Ah… this is insane.
Woo-young kept trying to hold onto his patience, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Three, two, one. After counting exactly three seconds, he broke free from Tae-seong with a rough movement. He couldn’t do anything more. Swallowing the rapid heartbeat in his chest, he grabbed the towel and wiped his red face furiously.

After waking Tae-seong, who was still groggy, Woo-young ate breakfast with him. Woo-young’s grandmother, as usual, scooped up a large serving of rice, commenting that Tae-seong had grown so much. Oddly enough, Tae-seong, who usually had a small appetite, ate everything she gave him without leaving a single bite.
After getting ready for school, Woo-young went outside for a brief workout. As he stretched and moved his stiff body, he noticed a black sedan parked quietly on the other side of the wall.
The car seemed familiar. He had seen it somewhere before. Before he could even process the thought, a man stepped out of the car, as if he had noticed Woo-young’s gaze.
The man, impeccably dressed in a suit, walked toward Woo-young. His presence seemed out of place against the old green gate and the low concrete wall. The sound of the gate screeching open as he stepped through echoed.
“Woo-young student.”
The man stood in front of Woo-young and handed him a stiff shopping bag.
“Here’s a new school uniform, vitamins, the shake you need to have in the morning, and some nutrition supplements for lunch and dinner. You’ll know what to do with it.”
Woo-young’s face stiffened as he took the bag. He hadn’t expected to see someone like this in front of the house. Looking inside, he saw a clean uniform and some bottles of medicine.
The man, who had been silently watching Woo-young, finally spoke.
“Tae-seong needs to stick to his routine. With the entrance exams coming up in a few years, we can’t afford to break the flow he’s had so far.”
His dry voice matched his formal appearance perfectly. Woo-young furrowed his brows at the stiff tone and blunt delivery. While he had occasionally seen this man around during his childhood, it was the first time they had exchanged words like this.

“The lady doesn’t like it when your son acts recklessly. If this kind of unauthorized behavior continues, it won’t end well for him,” the man said coldly, his gaze sweeping over Woo-young.
“I’ll make sure to properly warn Tae-seong when he comes back today. If this happens again, I won’t let it slide. Woo-young, you’d better be careful as well. If necessary, feel free to contact me first.”
Ignoring Woo-young’s lack of response, the man took out a business card from his wallet and handed it to him. Woo-young stared at the card for a moment before slowly accepting it.
“Woo-young, you’re smart, so I’m sure you understand. Now isn’t the time for defiance,” the man said, adjusting his jacket.
Having finished speaking, he turned around without hesitation. Watching him leave, Woo-young’s eyes twisted with discomfort.
Tae-seong surely didn’t ask him to come all the way here. He’d heard about how the man controlled Tae-seong’s daily life, but he never expected him to show up so early in the morning and lecture him. A growing sense of irritation seeped up inside Woo-young.
“Can’t a student just sleep over at a friend’s house once in a while?” Woo-young muttered softly, staring at the shopping bag in his hand. His voice was sharp, and his lips curled upward slightly.
The man stopped in his tracks, a brief silence hanging in the air.
“Why is his mother so picky? She never even bothered to meet me. No, logically, if she really cares about her son, she shouldn’t live like that. She didn’t even come to his graduation ceremony.”
Woo-young kicked the ground with the tip of his sneaker. The man tilted his head slightly, his emotionless face tightening further at Woo-young’s words.
“You’re being unnecessarily intrusive.”
“I know, I’m just like that,” Woo-young replied nonchalantly.
The man frowned at his casual response. As if to ignore him, the man started to turn away, but Woo-young called out to him again.
“Mister.”
The man glanced back at Woo-young, the tension in the air growing heavier, almost as if the atmosphere itself had frozen.
“Tae-seong will be fine on his own,” Woo-young said, his voice calm.
The man, lips pressed tight, stared at Woo-young for a long moment.
“I’m serious,” Woo-young added, giving a light smile and shrugging.
Without responding, the man turned and climbed into his car. With a heavy hum, the car slid away, disappearing from sight. Woo-young didn’t take his eyes off the car, watching it vanish behind the low wall.

“Hey.”
Walking to school, Woo-young called out to him. Tae-seong, walking beside him, turned his head to look at Woo-young. His freshly ironed uniform and clear face looked flawless. Woo-young, feeling a bit out of place, lowered his gaze to the ground.
“Is it okay for you to skip school like you did yesterday?”
“No, it’s not.”
Tae-seong’s casual response made Woo-young exhale sharply. He had hoped, for a moment, that maybe he had gotten permission, but of course, that wasn’t the case.
“Then why did you do it yesterday?”
The words came out more irritable than he intended, the thought of the man’s warning still bothering him. Woo-young could clearly picture Tae-seong getting scolded once he got home after school.
“Stress… Impulsive rebellion?”
Tae-seong laughed lazily. Woo-young frowned, watching his face light up with an unaware smile.
“Since when do you have stress?”
Woo-young asked, feeling oddly irritated. Tae-seong, who hated being scolded, had been particularly quiet about the man’s visit earlier. He had mentioned the new clothes but said nothing about their conversation. It wasn’t surprising, as no one would feel good about receiving such a lecture.
“What, can’t I be stressed?”
Tae-seong replied nonchalantly, clearly oblivious to Woo-young’s frustration. He leaned closer and casually draped his arm over Woo-young’s shoulder again. Woo-young could still smell the shampoo Tae-seong used, the same as his own.
“I guess you didn’t know, but I’m super sensitive and emotional.”
“What are you talking about? You’ve got no heart or tears.”
Woo-young frowned and pushed Tae-seong’s chest away with his hand. Tae-seong, unfazed, took a few strides ahead, and Woo-young, who had been trailing behind, followed with a sigh.
“Wow, you’re so indifferent. So cold.”
“…”
“Woo-young doesn’t understand me at all. You really hurt my feelings.”
Tae-seong’s words, tinged with sincerity, made Woo-young stop in his tracks. What did he know? He didn’t even understand his own feelings. It was frustrating to hear him speak so casually when his own thoughts were a mess.
“Why are you talking like that? I’m just worried that Mr. Lee is going to scold you. He said he’d really make things hard for you if you don’t listen.”
Woo-young glared at him, his eyes narrowing.
“From up close, you’re taller than I thought. Damn, one hit from you, and I’d probably just bruise.”
His irritated voice echoed down the quiet school hallway. Woo-young sighed and ran his hand through his short hair.
Tae-seong was just naturally gifted. He had never once lost his spot as number one, and that wasn’t just because of the oppressive educational system. It was clear from just watching him for a little while that he was doing everything on his own.
Tae-seong definitely hadn’t slept over at anyone else’s house. The last time he had stayed the night at his own house was probably almost half a year ago. Woo-young couldn’t help but feel frustrated, even though he knew it wasn’t Tae-seong’s fault.
Tae-seong, still unaware of Woo-young’s frustration, chuckled playfully.
“It’s fine. If I get kicked out, I’ll just sleep at your place again, eat the food your grandma makes. I’ll have the best of both worlds.”
“Shut up. Don’t say things like that.”
Woo-young muttered, throwing his words out with irritation. As he opened the classroom door, he was greeted by a surprised look from In-young and Soo-hwa.
“Ah.”

Woo-young stood quietly, looking down at him. Beneath his eyes, Soo-hwa’s round crown was visible. As Soo-hwa, who had been standing still, slowly raised his head, their gazes met in mid-air. Upon seeing Woo-young, Soo-hwa’s eyes widened. Without his glasses, his large eyes with drooping corners stood out even more. However, he quickly lowered his head and seemed to try to pass by, shrinking his shoulders as if pretending not to notice.

“Hey.”
Woo-young raised an eyebrow and grabbed Soo-hwa’s shoulder as he tried to pass by.
“Uh, y-yeah?”
Soo-hwa slowly looked up at Woo-young with a stiff expression. His pale eyes darted away nervously, and his fingers, which were tightly gripping his bag strap, had turned white from the tension. He seemed fidgety as if unsure how to react. Woo-young glanced at his hands.
“Hi.”
Woo-young’s husky voice echoed softly through the quiet hallway. Soo-hwa, looking like he had just snapped out of a daze, didn’t say a word and kept his mouth shut. Woo-young couldn’t help but laugh lightly, seemingly amused by the scene.
“Aren’t you going to say hi?”
“…?”
“You don’t say hi to your friends? Didn’t you learn that in elementary school?”
While speaking, Woo-young tugged at his bag, pulling it backward. The bag lifted awkwardly, and Soo-hwa was pulled along helplessly, looking like a cat being held by the scruff of its neck.
“Is that why you don’t have any friends? Hmm? Why are you carrying your bag again at this hour? Are you skipping school?”
“N-No, it’s not like that…”
Soo-hwa quickly shook his head, looking like he was about to break out in a cold sweat.
“Hi, Soo-hwa.”
A sudden voice made him freeze and glance up. Standing behind Woo-young, Tae-seong greeted him with a friendly smile. Soo-hwa, staring blankly at the squinting eyes, nodded in response.
“Uh… oh, hi…”
Soo-hwa hesitated, nodding slowly. With his chin resting lightly on Woo-young’s shoulder, Tae-seong looked down at Soo-hwa with a distant gaze.
“I’m Woo-young’s friend. We’ve known each other for almost 10 years.”
“…”
“Tae-seong.”
The name sounded drawn-out in Tae-seong’s slow speech. He smiled again, and Soo-hwa nodded again in acknowledgment.
“Ah, I’m Soo-hwa…”
“Mm, I’ve heard a lot about you from Woo-young.”
Woo-young let out a quiet laugh at the unexpected comment.
“Are you on a blind date or something?”
He asked while letting go of the bag he had been holding onto tightly. Tae-seong straightened his posture with a playful expression.
“Hey, does Soo-hwa like blind dates? Should I introduce him to some girls?”
Woo-young frowned at the suggestion from behind him. There was no way someone like Soo-hwa, who couldn’t even speak a proper word in front of him, would be interested in girls. Still, Woo-young had to give credit for Tae-seong’s good-natured humor.
“Crazy. What girl would be interested in this guy?”
“Why not? There’s no guy who doesn’t like girls.”
“…?”
“Right, Soo-hwa?”
Tae-seong’s casual remark slid by smoothly, almost as if he didn’t care about the response. Woo-young shot a glare at Soo-hwa, cursing under his breath.
“There’s a guy right next to you who doesn’t like girls.”
Soo-hwa, as expected, had no idea how to respond. He was biting his lip, looking like he didn’t know what to do. Woo-young couldn’t help but think that Soo-hwa’s character was so clearly defined.
“Forget it. Soo-hwa, where are your glasses?”
Woo-young asked, waving his hand in front of Soo-hwa’s face. Soo-hwa slowly shook his head.
“…Oh, um… I ordered new ones. Since they’re custom-made, it’ll take some time…”
“Those were really thick, though. Can you even see anything now?”
Woo-young said casually. He seemed to be examining Soo-hwa carefully, as if trying to figure out how much money his family had. It didn’t seem like Soo-hwa came from a poor family, but Woo-young thought he might report the guys who bullied Soo-hwa for not paying for his glasses if they didn’t bring the money. At least, he could make an issue of it to put some pressure on them.
Just as Woo-young was about to speak, a phone vibrating interrupted him. He rummaged through his pants pocket and saw the name “Grandmother” on the screen.
“What’s up, Grandma? Is something wrong?”
He squinted as he walked into the classroom. A harsh voice could be faintly heard through the phone. Woo-young turned his head and gave Tae-seong a quick gesture, signaling him to leave.
Left alone, an awkward silence settled between Soo-hwa and Tae-seong. Tae-seong, standing at an angle, stared intently at Soo-hwa.
“You don’t have to feel bad or pressured about yesterday, Soo-hwa.”
His voice was low and steady, as if speaking to calm him down.
“That’s just how he is. He does that to everyone.”
Tae-seong smiled faintly and crossed his arms. Soo-hwa, unsure of how to respond, gripped his bag strap tightly. Behind him, Woo-young’s voice continued to mumble into the phone, unheard by either of them.
“That’s why he always has guys falling for him. He can’t show it in front of them, but he’s all shy and awkward on the inside. He’s such an idiot.”
Tae-seong exhaled and tilted his head slightly, still smiling.
“Our Woo-young’s a bit special, huh?”
His tone was light, half-joking, but there was a hint of mockery in it. Despite not doing anything overt, Tae-seong’s relaxed demeanor filled the air with ease.
Once again, there was a brief silence. Soo-hwa’s face grew more tense, as if freezing in place.
“Oh, I didn’t mean you, Soo-hwa.”
Suddenly, Tae-seong lightly patted Soo-hwa’s shoulder.
“Just making sure you didn’t misunderstand. I just wanted to let you know that you don’t have to feel burdened because of Woo-young.”
“Ah… No, I…”
Soo-hwa blinked slowly, unsure of what to say. Tae-seong, watching him quietly, smiled again, his eyes crinkling. It was a warm, soft smile.
“Anyway, see you around.”
With the same playful look in his eyes, Tae-seong turned and walked away, leaving Soo-hwa standing there, his eyes blinking slowly as if still processing what just happened.
Woo-young started hanging out with Soo-hwa. As a result, not only Ki-hyuk, who was in the same class, but also Tae-seong naturally became friendly with Soo-hwa.

At Unil High School, there was no one who didn’t want to be friends with Tae-seong. From the so-called “popular kids” to even the top students who roamed the halls, everyone wanted to be around him.

With Woo-young, who had a reputation for being involved in a few fistfights and was known for his strong personality, and Ki-hyuk, who was well-connected with nearly everyone in school, it was inevitable that the people who had bullied Soo-hwa would disappear. Soo-hwa’s grades, which were already at a high level, continued to improve as he enjoyed a more stable life. Unlike before, when he had always seemed tense, he gradually became more relaxed, and Woo-young felt a quiet sense of pride watching him.

Tae-seong was especially kind to Soo-hwa, a side of him that Woo-young hadn’t seen with others. It was unexpected, but ultimately it was a positive development, so Woo-young felt a little relieved.

School life continued just like before, and time passed quickly. After taking various exams, mock tests, and final exams, a year had already flown by. The cold winter returned to Unil-dong. The students, who had been living hectic lives, finally entered a long winter vacation.

Woo-young hated the vacation. There was no reason for it, but the thought of not being able to see Tae-seong every day left him with a sense of emptiness. As the days went by, his feelings for him didn’t fade in the slightest. On the contrary, as time passed, his improper desires grew stronger.

At seventeen, it was said that male sexual desire was statistically at its peak. So, it was only natural that Woo-young, approaching his eighteenth birthday, would begin to feel attracted to Tae-seong.

When Tae-seong casually threw an arm around his shoulders, causing a knot in his lower abdomen, or when their fingers accidentally brushed against each other, causing a tingling sensation in his chest, or when Woo-young found himself wanting to press his lips to Tae-seong’s thick, pouting ones right in front of him, or when he wanted to run his fingers over the veins of Tae-seong’s hand—these feelings kept rising. Eyes, nose, lips, ears, neck, forearms, fingers, even the pronounced ankle bone above his white socks…

The swamp that was slowly pulling him in deepened, becoming thicker and more suffocating. Woo-young, who had never thought to act on his desires, often found it hard to resist his impulses.

He wanted to grip those long fingers tightly. He wanted to pull Tae-seong close again, just like that one time, or even imagine pressing his lips against Tae-seong’s. Every time he thought about it, a thrilling electric current seemed to pulse through his body. Goosebumps would form on his skin. While he’d had various experiences in the past with one-sided love, he had never acted on them with Tae-seong. That was the last boundary he couldn’t cross. He didn’t want to feel the emptiness and self-loathing that would come with the aftershocks of a wave-like regret.

However, despite the feverish one-sided love, it didn’t stop Woo-young from his feelings. At some point, he began thinking about Tae-seong more and more often. He felt guilty, but in the end, that was all it was.

After all, it was something no one knew about, something done in secret.

The fantasies grew stronger the more he indulged in them. Even while taking a shower, he would think of Tae-seong. When watching a video that Ki-hyuk had shown him, Tae-seong’s image would come to mind. His thoughts spiraled, one after another. Just imagining Tae-seong with his eyes closed made Woo-young’s heart race.

Tae-seong too, he thought… Tae-seong, just like me…

It was insane.

The innocent, pure crush he had once had slowly deepened with time. Woo-young wanted Tae-seong so badly that it felt like he might die from it.

Woo-young started hanging out with Soo-hwa. As a result, not only Ki-hyuk, who was in the same class, but also Tae-seong naturally became friendly with Soo-hwa.

At Unil High School, there was no one who didn’t want to be friends with Tae-seong. From the so-called “popular kids” to even the top students who roamed the halls, everyone wanted to be around him.

With Woo-young, who had a reputation for being involved in a few fistfights and was known for his strong personality, and Ki-hyuk, who was well-connected with nearly everyone in school, it was inevitable that the people who had bullied Soo-hwa would disappear. Soo-hwa’s grades, which were already at a high level, continued to improve as he enjoyed a more stable life. Unlike before, when he had always seemed tense, he gradually became more relaxed, and Woo-young felt a quiet sense of pride watching him.

Tae-seong was especially kind to Soo-hwa, a side of him that Woo-young hadn’t seen with others. It was unexpected, but ultimately it was a positive development, so Woo-young felt a little relieved.

School life continued just like before, and time passed quickly. After taking various exams, mock tests, and final exams, a year had already flown by. The cold winter returned to Unil-dong. The students, who had been living hectic lives, finally entered a long winter vacation.

Woo-young hated the vacation. There was no reason for it, but the thought of not being able to see Taeseong every day left him with a sense of emptiness. As the days went by, his feelings for him didn’t fade in the slightest. On the contrary, as time passed, his improper desires grew stronger.

At seventeen, it was said that male sexual desire was statistically at its peak. So, it was only natural that Woo-young, approaching his eighteenth birthday, would begin to feel attracted to Taeseong.

When Tae-seong casually threw an arm around his shoulders, causing a knot in his lower abdomen, or when their fingers accidentally brushed against each other, causing a tingling sensation in his chest, or when Woo-young found himself wanting to press his lips to Tae-seong’s thick, pouting ones right in front of him, or when he wanted to run his fingers over the veins of Tae-seong’s hand—these feelings kept rising. Eyes, nose, lips, ears, neck, forearms, fingers, even the pronounced ankle bone above his white socks…

The swamp that was slowly pulling him in deepened, becoming thicker and more suffocating. Woo-young, who had never thought to act on his desires, often found it hard to resist his impulses.

He wanted to grip those long fingers tightly. He wanted to pull Tae-seong close again, just like that one time, or even imagine pressing his lips against Tae-seong’s. Every time he thought about it, a thrilling electric current seemed to pulse through his body. Goosebumps would form on his skin. While he’d had various experiences in the past with one-sided love, he had never acted on them with Tae-seong. That was the last boundary he couldn’t cross. He didn’t want to feel the emptiness and self-loathing that would come with the aftershocks of a wave-like regret.

However, despite the feverish one-sided love, it didn’t stop Woo-young from his feelings. At some point, he began thinking about Tae-seong more and more often. He felt guilty, but in the end, that was all it was.

After all, it was something no one knew about, something done in secret.

The fantasies grew stronger the more he indulged in them. Even while taking a shower, he would think of Taeseong. When watching a video that Ki-hyuk had shown him, Tae-seong’s image would come to mind. His thoughts spiraled, one after another. Just imagining Tae-seong with his eyes closed made Woo-young’s heart race.

Tae-seong too, he thought… Tae-seong, just like me…

It was insane.

The innocent, pure crush he had once had slowly deepened with time. Woo-young wanted Tae-seong so badly that it felt like he might die from it.

As they entered their second year, more specific famous figures emerged within Unil High School. At the center of it all were Go Tae-seong and Kwon Woo-young. As usual, the two were always together. They were the kind of people who stood out even when they were alone, but together, they attracted even more attention.

Just walking down the hallway together would spark whispers. In the cafeteria, Woo-young could feel the eyes darting toward them. Rumors spread about them being aspiring actors or idol trainees, and stories about them were exchanged in hushed tones behind their backs.

But that wasn’t all. Occasionally, unfamiliar girls would approach them. They would stare at them without any hint of shyness, make eye contact intensely, or lightly touch their arms while smiling. Compared to the shy middle school days when girls would nervously hand over chocolates or notes before running away, these girls were much bolder.

Every time this happened, Woo-young would just brush it off with a nonchalant attitude. Since he wasn’t interested, he could easily dismiss their actions as insignificant. However, when he saw the girls approaching Tae-seong with love-struck expressions, it was hard to contain the rising irritation within him. Even after Tae-seong’s firm rejections, Woo-young couldn’t help but feel down about it.

As this situation repeated over and over, Woo-young developed a sort of neurosis. Whether on his way to the snack stand or going to lunch, whenever an unfamiliar girl approached, his body would stiffen instinctively.

Tae-seong had a perfect image — long, beautiful hair, a small and neat frame, and a well-designed school uniform complemented by light makeup. Woo-young would always worry that Tae-seong might fall for one of these girls, especially given how attractive they seemed. Throughout the semester, such incidents repeated countless times.

At eighteen, it was only natural to be interested in the opposite sex. Everywhere on campus, Woo-young could see couples, faces full of love, sticking together even though they were in separate classes. Even his closest friend, Ki-hyuk, was steadily getting girlfriends.

The restless anxiety continued to grow. Tae-seong was incredible. He could probably date anyone if he wanted to. Woo-young felt insecure, thinking that one day, Tae-seong would end up with a beautiful girlfriend, one far beyond what Woo-young could ever compare to. He had a feeling that inevitable day was coming.

However, by the end of the semester, Tae-seong still hadn’t gotten a girlfriend. He simply focused on his studies and spent the rest of his time hanging out with his friends. Contrary to Woo-young’s fears, it seemed that Tae-seong wasn’t particularly interested in dating.

Why was that? What kind of girl did Tae-seong like, that he never even glanced at any of these girls? Was he just too picky because he was so good-looking?

Woo-young began thinking about all the girls who had tried to get close to Tae-seong. As time passed, he became increasingly curious about his taste in women.

Was he into the sweet and cute type, with soft eyes and a bob haircut? Or did he prefer someone with sharp eyes and red lips, someone more on the sexy side? Maybe he liked girls with no makeup, with long flowing hair, who looked innocent?

What type did he like? Younger girls? Someone his age, or maybe older? Based on his usual personality, Woo-young thought he’d prefer a noona, a slightly older girl who would dote on him and treat him like a cute little brother. But on second thought, maybe Tae-seong would like a younger girl who was sweet and innocent, someone who would act childish around him. Or maybe, he could picture Tae-seong with a girl who was easygoing, someone like an old friend, who would joke around with him casually.

Lost in his thoughts, Woo-young sighed. No matter what type of girl he imagined by Tae-seong’s side, it seemed like it would always be a perfect match. After all, it was Tae-seong. Just his presence alone could make anyone look good next to him.

But there was one person who didn’t fit at all. One person who would never match with him. Someone unnecessarily big, rough, with no real charm or beauty to speak of.

Kwon Woo-young. Himself.

This wasn’t like when he’d been consumed by childish jealousy and anger, redirecting his feelings in a twisted way. The images in his mind had become clearer, more concrete, over time. Imagining a delicate and beautiful girl by Tae-seong’s side, someone who fit perfectly with him, was far more unsettling than Woo-young had ever expected.

“Go Tae-seong.”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you get a girlfriend?” “Yeah.” “Why?” “Why should I?”

Woo-young was at a loss for words as he looked into the innocent, dark eyes of Tae-seong.

“Well… It’s because there are a lot of girls who like you.” Woo-young slightly furrowed his brows and scratched his forehead with his finger. Taeseong, resting his chin on the desk, tilted his head slightly. The intensity of his gaze made Woo-young’s breath catch.

“So, what about you?” “Huh?” “You have a lot of girls who like you, but you don’t date any of them.” “…” “Hey, Woo-young. Why don’t you date anyone?”

The unexpected question caught Woo-young off guard, and he slowly blinked. He never imagined that Tae-seong would ask him something like this.

“Ah, I…” “Yeah?” “I…”

The words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat, like a fishbone lodged in his windpipe.

…Because I like you.

He swallowed the words he couldn’t say and tightened his grip on the mechanical pencil he was holding. It felt like sweat was slowly forming in his palms. After taking a brief breath, Woo-young forced a smile, raising the corner of his lips.

“You must have really high standards, huh? No one’s good enough for you?”

He gave a sly, casual laugh, trying to act indifferent, and flipped to the next page of the workbook he had been pretending to solve.

The light curtains fluttered through the window, and a warm breeze gently brushed Woo-young’s ear, the last breath of June.

Tae-seong let out a soft, almost imperceptible chuckle and leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. He looked up at Woo-young through the strands of his hair.

“Yeah, well, having a beautiful guy like Tae-seong to look at all the time must have raised your standards.” The casual words made Woo-young grin despite himself.

“Ugh, you’re unbelievable.” “What? Is that not true? Is there anyone at our school more handsome than me?” Tae-seong asked with an innocent expression that didn’t match the seriousness of his words. Woo-young couldn’t help but glance down at him. The serious face, waiting for an answer, seemed oddly endearing.

“You’re hopeless… Yeah, yeah. You’re perfect.”

And so, Woo-young could only smile slyly. Unfortunately, Tae-seong was one of those rare people who was perfectly self-aware.

“What? Am I not handsome?” Tae-seong’s eyes narrowed as he dragged out the words with a teasing smile. His long eyes slanted slightly.

“No, no. You’re really handsome.”

“But why are you talking like that, Woo-young?” “Huh, what do you mean?” “Why are you reacting like that? Huh?”

Tae-seong, sitting up, poked Woo-young in the side with his finger. Woo-young flinched without realizing it and frowned, though he kept a smile on the edge of his lips.

“Hey! Don’t do that. I have to finish this before lunch break is over.” “Damn, I really didn’t like that. Say it again.” “Ah! I told you, stop!”

Woo-young burst into laughter and waved his hand, trying to brush it off. Tae-seong’s serious expression over something trivial made him laugh involuntarily.

“Just go ahead and date, seriously. Date someone.” At the sound of a tongue-click, Woo-young turned his head. It was Nam Ki-hyuk, who was stuffing his mouth full of bread, complaining that the lunch menu was terrible.

“Ah, you’re already in the middle of your own cute little romance, aren’t you? Male No. 1, Male No. 2.” Beside him, laughing, was Park Jin-woo, who had known Ki-hyuk since middle school. Because there were many familiar faces in the newly assigned 2nd-year Class 1, Woo-young’s group had unexpectedly grown larger.

Tae-seong, Woo-young, Lee Soo-hwa, Nam Ki-hyuk. And Park Jin-woo, Kim Jin-seong, Yoo Young-jae, Lee Jin-ho. A total of eight people. With four new additions, Woo-young often found himself forgetting their names. Whenever they spoke, he’d have to check their name tags.

Woo-young’s gaze slowly drifted, eventually landing on Lee Soo-hwa, who was standing awkwardly next to Park Jin-woo.

“Hey, Chopa.” “Yeah?” “Come here.”

Soo-hwa, caught off guard by the sudden call, trudged over, holding chocolates and a lollipop in his hands. He’d been wearing contact lenses instead of glasses for a while now, which made Woo-young’s favorite character’s appearance even more striking.

“Hey, have you lost weight recently?” Soo-hwa had definitely adjusted better to school life, appearing much brighter than before. But Woo-young didn’t like seeing him hang around with those shady guys. He was worried that they might talk behind his back when he wasn’t around, due to Soo-hwa’s innocent nature.

“Why are you running around instead of studying?” Woo-young squinted at Soo-hwa, who smiled shyly as he stood in front of him. His large eyes crinkled in a cute way, making Woo-young chuckle softly. Wow, he was actually becoming quite admirable, learning to smile without any retorts.

“Here… take this.”

Soo-hwa’s small hand placed two lollipops on Woo-young’s desk. Woo-young picked one up—one was grape-flavored and the other strawberry.

“You always buy me these kinds of things.” “Thanks, Soo-hwa.” “Uh-huh.”

Tae-seong, who had already unwrapped his candy, popped it into his mouth. With his hands in his pockets, he leaned back in his chair and smiled slightly, the white stick of the lollipop sticking out between his plump lips. Woo-young looked away, his heart slightly fluttering.

Every Wednesday is a day without evening study (self-study) at school. Once a month, this “no evening study” Wednesday was a kind of free time. Woo-young spent this day hanging out with his new group of friends, sometimes forming teams to play basketball or volleyball. Of course, he also made sure to study hard.

“Hey, hey. How about we bet on a game later? Not burgers, but tteokbokki? Should we ask the others to go to Parang Parang?” He’d accidentally discovered the taste of it at an internet café, thanks to Park Jin-woo and his gang, who didn’t care much about grades. The competition fit Woo-young perfectly since he had a strong desire to win.

Woo-young got hooked on the appeal of MOBA games, where strategy and tactics determined victory. It was exhilarating to win through careful planning. After playing a few times, he started to gain more confidence. It was the first time he found something more interesting than soccer.

So on days without training, Woo-young and the others often went to the PC room to play. Even Tae-seong, who seemed like he wouldn’t care about such things, occasionally joined them at the PC room, though it was just for short periods, squeezed between his academy and tutoring sessions. But Woo-young still enjoyed those brief moments together.

It was fun, and it felt even better when they played together.

Every time I saw Tae-seong turn away with that displeased expression, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. If only Tae-seong weren’t so busy, how wonderful it would be. We could sit side by side, and he could teach me how to play games, we could eat cup noodles together, and laugh and talk while basking in the thrill of victory.

The more I found it fun, the more I just wanted to do it together. It was only natural to want to do things I liked with someone I liked.

That’s why today was a pretty special day. It was the day we were supposed to bet on games with Park Jin-woo’s gang, and the day Taeseong had promised to join us. A whole week ago, Tae-seong and Nam Ki-hyeok had made a flimsy excuse to skip a tutoring session. Lee Soo-hwa also didn’t show up at school, saying he had something going on at home.

Tae-seong and the PC room, huh. Just thinking about it made me excited, and I couldn’t concentrate in class.

“Hey, I’m going on a date with Su-jeong this weekend. Should I wear the smiley T-shirt I bought last time, or the skull V-neck? Which one looks cooler? Oh, and I’m wearing cotton shorts.” Nam Ki-hyuk was fussing around, holding his phone and taking selfies. Tae-seong, who had been absentmindedly watching the moving filters, replied nonchalantly.

“If you don’t want to get dumped, throw both away.” His words made me burst out laughing. Woo-young glanced at the clothes. They were supposed to be for their 22nd day anniversary, ordered from an online shop, but they looked terribly cheap. As usual, Ki-hyuk had absolutely no sense of fashion.

Woo-young, sitting at his desk and shaking his legs, suddenly reached out and pulled Ki-hyuk into a tight hug.

“Why are you meeting her again?” “Ah!” “Don’t meet her. Meet me. Let’s date.”

Woo-young teased him casually. For some time now, he had started openly expressing his feelings to everyone. His carefree behavior, originally due to Tae-seong, had become a part of his personality. The process of adapting to this was long and annoying, but he had adjusted quite flexibly. It was natural for Woo-young, given his already playful nature.

This was the real Woo-young. The one who clung to his friends and was openly affectionate to those he liked.

“Are you crazy?” “Yeah. I’m crazy. I’m crazy about Ki-hyeok.” “Ugh. Damn… I think Woo-young’s really lonely these days.”

Ki-hyuk shrugged his shoulders, disgusted.

“Sorry, but I only have Su-jeong. I don’t deal with guys.” “I’m fine with that.”

Woo-young leaned his head on Ki-hyuk’s shoulder and smiled slyly. As he lifted his gaze, his eyes met Tae-seong’s. He stared at Tae-seong’s long eyes and the small mole on his face, pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

“Why?” Tae-seong asked, meeting his gaze without a word. His round, dark eyes were so pretty. Woo-young smiled with a twinkle in his eyes and opened them just a little wider.

“How about we date?” After a moment of silence, Tae-seong let out a small chuckle. His dark, unreadable eyes were deep and calm, making it hard to know what he was thinking. Woo-young felt a pressure in his chest, as if he were drowning in those eyes. With a smile still on his face, he looked away.

It hadn’t been long since the first period started, but before he knew it, it was already time to go home. Amidst the hurried cleaning and packing up, Woo-young rested his chin on his hand and absentmindedly twirled the sharpener in his fingers, lost in thought.

He recalled the image of Tae-seong’s slender fingers moving over the keyboard. His fingers were so pretty, and Woo-young liked them. Sometimes, when he watched him, he felt the urge to intertwine their fingers and hold on tight.

The thought of him being all flustered and getting killed the first time he tried playing a game made Woo-young smile. He was planning to be nice and give him some tips on how to play.

First, he’d sit him next to him and tell him which champion was the best. Ah, he was also going to tell him that mixing spicy noodles with spaghetti was really delicious. Even though Tae-seong was picky with food, Woo-young knew he’d like it. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to hurry up and go.

“Tae-seong! I’m calling you!”
Suddenly, Kim Jin-seong, standing by the door, waved. The boys who had been sitting together turned their gazes toward the back door. At the corner, colorful slippers and the fluttering hem of a school uniform skirt could be seen.

The previously noisy atmosphere instantly quieted down. Tae-seong, sitting in his seat, lifted his gaze. Without asking who it was, he smoothly pushed his chair back and stood up. Woo-young’s eyes followed his figure as he walked toward the door.

“Wow, she’s really pretty. Who’s that?”
“…”

“Shit, the vibe is definitely off the charts.”

Kim Jin-seong, who had rushed over, made a playful comment.

“What’s going on? Didn’t you see the name tag? What’s her name?”

Park Jin-woo, who had been sweeping the back of the classroom, also came rushing over and asked Kim Jin-seong.

“Uh, she wasn’t wearing one.”
“Too bad. Let’s ask her when she comes back. Isn’t it that girl? Park Joo-hee? The one who said she’s preparing to be a model?”
“I don’t know. She had long brown hair and really big eyes. Double eyelids too.”

Without realizing it, Woo-young’s eyes hardened. He clenched and unclenched his fist on top of the desk, trying to shake off the feeling.

It’s probably nothing. Tae-seong had never once had a girlfriend despite countless confessions over the years. Today was one of the rare days since he entered the 2nd year that Tae-seong was out of school, hanging out with people outside. There was no need to spoil his mood with pointless thoughts.

But despite his rational thoughts, his legs started shaking. He considered pretending to go to the bathroom, maybe follow her out, and get a glimpse of her face. He also thought of interrupting their conversation with some nonsense, just to get in the way.

Jealousy surged up. Woo-young, with his lips curled in a slight frown, nodded his head in frustration.

“Damn. Why are there so many people trying to get with Tae-seong?”

“Wow, what’s up with Tae-seong?”
Nam Ki-hyuk, who had just joined the conversation, burst in with a dramatic tone. He sat down heavily at Woo-young’s desk, stretching his neck toward the back door.

“She was really pretty. What’s the deal with her vibe?”
“I don’t know.”
Woo-young mumbled nonchalantly, as he opened a mobile game on his phone. He selected a fighter jet from the colorful options and pressed the next button. The red jet zoomed through the screen, shooting bullets in all directions.

It’s fine. It’s fine. He had to act like it was fine. After all, as always, Tae-seong would probably refuse her and it would all be over quickly. So… So there was no need to pay attention to this. No need to waste energy on jealousy.

“What, is she confessing or something?”

“Hey. No, no! I saw her when I came in, and it looked like they knew each other? The girl’s eyes were literally hearts. Insane. It’s the first time I’ve seen Tae-seong smile like that. I think they went to the back yard?”

Nam Ki-hyuk babbled without any sense of caution. Woo-young’s eyes subtly narrowed.

“…I guess they’re going to fool around with love.”

The words slipped out in a low, unintentional voice. His lips twitched, failing to maintain a neutral expression.

He absentmindedly pressed the slow-loading screen of his phone with his finger. The phone his grandmother had given him as a gift for school was already outdated.

“What’s with you, Woo-young? Your expression is so—…”

Nam Ki-hyuk, with his head lowered, peeked at Woo-young’s face. In that moment, he realized what he’d said and hurriedly forced a smile.

“Ah! Tae-seong is mine, damn it. If everyone’s gonna fool around with love, who’s left for me… At least we’re lucky that Nam Ki-hyuk gets rejected so often.”

His loud voice casually slipped out.

“What are you saying? I’ve got so many girls who like me, you know?”

Nam Ki-hyuk’s face contorted as he took out his phone.

“Wanna see? Hey, check this out. Before I started hanging out with Su-jeong, this girl was all over me, saying she liked me.”

He shoved a photo of a girl with cat whiskers drawn on her face right in front of Woo-young’s eyes. However, Woo-young didn’t even glance at it, his gaze fixed on the plane shooting bullets in the game. Without realizing it, he was biting down on his lip.

This sucks. There was no way he could focus on the game now. In his mind, Tae-seong and the unknown girl’s faces kept inflating like balloons.

“Hey, hey, let’s go! Yeong-jae and Jin-ho are already at Jun-Pi’s place!”

Park Jin-woo, who had suddenly appeared, grabbed his bag. At that, Nam Ki-hyuk jumped up with excitement. Woo-young, who had been slouched in his chair with his legs spread wide, kept his eyes glued to the phone screen, holding it horizontally.

“You go ahead. When Tae-seong comes, I’ll bring him along.”

He mumbled as he pressed the screen repeatedly. His face was cold and expressionless, but his long legs trembled, revealing his nervousness.

“Okay! Hurry up and come!”

“Hey! Woo-young! Get ready to buy tteokbokki!”

Nam Ki-hyuk and Park Jin-woo’s group, all grinning, shuffled out of the classroom. Woo-young remained frozen in place, staring at his phone screen. The fighter jet that had been destroyed earlier was now trapped in the dismal black-and-white screen.

‘Defeat. Try again next time!’
[Retry]

He hovered his thumb over the retry button, lost in thought.

Next time. Next time. Next time.
Would there even be a next time?

The ticking of the clock echoed, and the endless time dragged on slowly.

10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes…

In the empty classroom, only Woo-young remained. A shallow breath escaped between his slightly parted lips. Slumped like discarded laundry, his limbs hung loosely as he tilted his head back and ran his hand through his hair.

Damn it… What the hell is he doing? Why hasn’t he shown up yet?

He was irritated. Pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he stared at the ceiling before dropping his head.
His eyes landed on the phone in his hand. He had tried to hold back because he didn’t want to be petty, but he couldn’t take it anymore. At this rate, not only him but also the others would definitely have something to say. So, he reluctantly added an excuse.
Just as Woo-young was about to dial Taeseong’s number, a message notification popped up.

[Tae-seong: I don’t think I can make it today. 17:01]

‘Can’t make it.’
Those five words stabbed him coldly in the chest.

“Ah… damn it.”

Woo-young scowled, letting out a rough breath. His fingers clenched the phone so tightly it seemed like he might break it. A rush of hot emotion surged up.

It was the first time. He had never once broken a promise with him. But now, because of some girl he barely knew for a few months, Woo-young had been pushed aside in Tae-seong’s priorities. Just that fact alone was enough to wound his pride.

It was a promise. A promise he made with me first, Tae-seong. You even skipped a class for it and lied to your parents. And you’re going to break it over some girl? Is she that important? More important than me?

Betrayal, like a wildfire, swept over him, and his hand trembled. The image he’d been imagining all day crumbled into nothingness. Things he had only vaguely hoped for were now starting to face him as harsh reality.

Breathing heavily, Woo-young closed his eyes. He wiped his face with his palm, still hot from anger, and exhaled a long, deep breath. There was no justification for his anger. So he had to calm down.

[Are you having a good time? Enjoy yourself! Hehe.]

His finger hovered over the keyboard, but then it stopped. Staring blankly at the message he had typed, Woo-young pressed the backspace key. This wasn’t right.

[Why all of a sudden?? What happened??]

He bit his lower lip, unsure. This didn’t feel right either.

[You bastard. Fucking betrayer. You trashy piece of shit.]

…No. This was definitely not it.

“Ah, damn it…”

He tightened his grip on the phone. The anger seemed to seep out in layers with each breath.

He wanted to call him immediately and shout at him. Tell him to stop this bullshit, stop meeting some random girl, and just come back. The urge to scream bubbled up violently. But just as that thought flashed in his mind, he imagined Tae-seong’s cold expression—one he had never seen before. His gaze, full of contempt, crushed Woo-young painfully.

“Ah…”

Woo-young groaned, furrowing his brow at the heat rising in his eyes. All the ugly emotions inside him boiled over. His sharp, angry feelings churned like black smoke, thick and suffocating. Though he knew it, he didn’t want to put out the fire. He wanted to burn in it; he was so hurt and angry that he almost wanted to suffocate.

His fingers, wandering aimlessly like they were lost in a maze, finally landed on a message and pressed send. He hated the situation where he couldn’t stand up and shout his anger, yet couldn’t accept it either. It was a position he despised, but he had no choice.

[Just]
[Can’t you just come?]

The cursor blinked behind the unsent words. Woo-young, staring at it without the courage to press send, closed his eyes. A quiet sigh escaped through his teeth.

“Ha…”

He bent forward, resting his chin on his knees, then buried his face in his hands.
Giving up was hard. The outline of his obsession with him was becoming clearer. The resolve he had built so carefully was easily shattered by petty jealousy. The more he became aware of it, the more he was met with nothing but miserable defeat.

Without sending a reply, Woo-young closed the chat window. Over the past three years, he had solidly built himself up in his own way. He wasn’t stupid enough to make mistakes just because of a sudden wave of emotions. He had already gone through the trial and error of almost straying off course.

[17:07 I’ve got something, I’m leaving first.]

He found Nam Ki-hyuk’s name and tapped it, quickly typing out a message. As expected, the phone soon began to vibrate. With a sigh, Woo-young pressed the call button. It was Nam Ki-hyuk calling.

“Yeah.”

What’s this? Why are you saying this all of a sudden?
“I’ve got something to do.”

He muttered as he began packing his bag. For the first time in a while, he was in a terrible mood. He didn’t want to do anything in this state. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at the game.

Wait, what the hell are you talking about!
Nam Ki-hyuk yelled through the phone. The loud scream made Woo-young grimace.

How the hell did you ditch the academy? Forget about Tae-seong, but why the hell are you leaving? Damn it!
“Just do it without me. You guys need the numbers anyway.”

His calm reply made Nam Ki-hyuk let out an exasperated sigh. Given how strict his family was, ditching the academy must have been a huge deal for him, so Woo-young understood why he was throwing a fit. But the frustration was mutual.

Damn it, still, come! Just come and watch!
“I don’t want to. It’s a pain.”

Come on! This is not how it works! Damn, you’re such a fucking traitor!
Ki-hyuk’s voice, still full of anger, screamed in his ear. Woo-young clenched his phone tightly. His head throbbed. The most annoying thing right now was himself.

“Enough, I’m hanging up.”

Is it because of Tae-seong?
The words struck him like a punch. Woo-young’s face stiffened. After a brief pause, he kicked his desk leg hard. The chair, unable to resist the force, toppled over with a loud crash.

“Damn, what the hell is he talking about?”

Woo-young stared blankly at the chair on the floor, then slung his bag over his shoulder. From the other end of the phone, Ki-hyuk was still huffing angrily.

Isn’t it true? Damn, can’t you live without Tae-seong?
“What?”

Woo-young stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide with shock.

Can’t you live without Tae-seong, you crazy bastard? Why the hell are you leaving me out like this, all of a sudden?
Ki-hyuk spat out harsh words. The venom in his words hit Woo-young like a punch in the gut.

“Shut the hell up…”

Without realizing it, Woo-young bit his lip hard, then let go. He switched the phone to his other hand and slowly wiped his face with his palm.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. He shouldn’t show it. He shouldn’t let anyone see it. Kwon Woo-young…

“It’s because Tae-seong isn’t here, right? So you guys should just do it yourselves, Ki-hyuk. Grandma already told me to come early today… Damn it, let’s do it next time. Are we just going to live for today and die tomorrow?”

Woo-young forced his lips into a smile. With a softened tone, he barely managed to put on a crooked grin.

Ugh! This is so fucking annoying! Damn, hang up!
The call was abruptly cut off after Ki-hyeok finished ranting. As soon as the call ended, the half-hearted smile on Woo-young’s face stiffened. As he walked, he roughly loosened his tie, choking his neck. His breath became easier, but each step grew heavier.

‘It’s because Tae-seong isn’t here?’

Ki-hyuk’s angry words now sounded like mocking sarcasm. His chest tightened with an unbearable weight.

‘Damn it, can you not live without Tae-seong?’

What’s the big deal… So what…

Muttering a response no one would ever hear, his face contorted in frustration.

He tried to hold back the overwhelming emotions. No, he tried to learn how to endure them. But no matter how hard he tried, things didn’t go the way he wanted.

Tae-seong wasn’t even in love with anyone, and he didn’t have a girlfriend. It was just some girl he didn’t even know who called him out, and he went along for a bit. And yet, Woo-young was this angry. It was an anger he couldn’t control. He suddenly realized how pathetic his own situation was.

Pathetic bastard. What kind of mood do I think I’m in, getting all worked up when I can’t even say what’s on my mind…

The emotional rollercoaster was getting unbearable. This damn feeling that kept coming back, just when he thought he could forget it, always made him feel small. But the sharp emotions weren’t fading; instead, they were piling up, rotting inside.

Standing still in the middle of the field, Woo-young let out a deep sigh.

I shouldn’t show it. I can’t let anyone see this.

With that thought in mind, he lifted his head, dropped the dejected feeling, and walked towards the PC bang where Ki-hyuk would be.

Ding. As the door opened, a clear bell sound rang out. Woo-young stepped into the room, sluggishly scanning the area. He saw several familiar backs lined up, seated together.

Exhaling deeply, he took a step forward. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, he silently stopped behind Ki-hyuk’s chair. Leaning down, Woo-young whispered softly in his ear.

“Hey.”

“Aah, damn it! You scared me!”

Ki-hyuk jumped, knocking his keyboard aside with a start. His face turned beet red with shock. Woo-young chuckled, having anticipated the reaction. Ki-hyuk, realizing it was Woo-young, puffed out his nostrils and made a silly face.

“What’s up? You said you weren’t coming?”

Ki-hyuk asked, looking embarrassed and flustered. He was naturally a good-natured guy, and it showed. Woo-young pulled out an empty chair and sat down, powering on the computer.

“Ah, I was going to make up an excuse about Tae-seong, but someone had to throw a fit.”

“What excuse? What are you talking about?”

“You barked like hell. I thought my ears were going to explode.”

“What excuse? What are you talking about?”

Ignoring Ki-hyuk’s persistent questioning, Woo-young focused on the screen, entering his username and password.

“Forget it. Do you like me? You were almost crying earlier.”

“Ah, shut the fuck up! Stop talking nonsense! What the hell, are you going to talk or not?”

“Well, would you know if I said something?”

Woo-young leaned closer, throwing out words that might catch Ki-hyuk’s interest. Matters of romance were always their biggest topic of conversation. It was clear they’d snap at any bait thrown their way.

“What is it! Are you into girls too?”

“I don’t know.”

“Wait, are you serious? Who is it?”

Ki-hyuk paused the game and turned to look at Woo-young, suspicious.

“I have someone, bastard.”

“Who is it! Stop being so secretive! That’s so shady.”

Woo-young laughed at his simple reaction. He’d already received contact details from a few girls before, so making up a little excuse was easy. Ki-hyuk, grumbling, was distracted by something else. Park Jin-woo, who had been adjusting his headphones, shouted from behind him, eyes still fixed on the screen.

“Isn’t it Kim Yoo-hee? The one who asked you to introduce her to Woo-young?”

“Seriously?”

Ki-hyuk’s eyes widened. Woo-young smiled without answering.

“No way. Looks like that’s it. This bastard used Tae-seong as an excuse to meet a girl. Damn… what a sneaky guy. Would sell his country for a girl. He’s like Lee Wan-yong!”

“Damn, that’s too far.”

Woo-young furrowed his brow, and Ki-hyuk grabbed his arm and shook him.

“Damn. Don’t live like that, okay? You’re gonna make me so mad. Wait, you broke your promise with her? For real? Because of me? Seriously? Woo-young the hero?”

“Yeah, you whiny bastard. If you know, be good to me from now on.”

Woo-young shrugged and tapped on the keyboard. It seemed like the storm had passed. Ki-hyuk was simple-minded, but he was still a decent guy.

With a smile back on his face, Ki-hyuk focused on the game again. Woo-young, clicking his mouse, glanced at his phone on the desk. It was silent, no messages or notifications.

Sighing, Woo-young swallowed his growing irritation. He turned the screen off, no longer wanting to deal with it.

After spending about two hours at the PC bang, Woo-young ended up playing random games alone, as one person had dropped out. He ate tteokbokki on Ki-hyuk’s team’s dime, who had lost.

In the middle of the game, Woo-young received a message from Tae-seong. Despite being in the middle of a heated match, he quickly grabbed his phone and checked the preview notification.

‘Where are you?’ ‘What are you doing?’

Simple questions. Woo-young didn’t even open the message and just turned the phone off, unread.

While eating tteokbokki, the phone rang. Woo-young quickly muted it and ignored the call.

Outside the window, the sun was setting, and the day he had been looking forward to had already ended. His annoyance boiled over. He didn’t want to talk to Tae-seong anymore. The more he thought about it, the more infuriating it became.

“Woo-young, what’s Tae-seong doing?”

Ki-hyuk asked while chewing his tteokbokki and fiddling with his phone.

“Nothing. He’s just eating tteokbokki.”

Woo-young answered, glancing at him, then took a sip of his cola. Ki-hyuk nodded and continued typing on his phone, likely replying to Tae-seong, but Woo-young didn’t care to listen.

When he got home, Woo-young went straight to bed early. The day he had hoped for, with no training, ended quietly and uneventfully. As soon as he closed his eyes, the image of the broken plane and the black-and-white screen flickered before his eyes. Try again, next time. Even the hope he hadn’t had before seemed shattered. He didn’t think he’d ever have that kind of luck.

“Damn it, Woo-young.”

He muttered to himself as sleep still wouldn’t come.