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“I met some friends.”
“Ah. Right, what did the hospital say?”
His mother had been diagnosed with liver cancer three years ago.
That same year, his father’s business went under, his father disappeared, was found to have committed suicide, and they discovered a mountain of debt.
Compared to then, this is much better, Hee-woon thought as if reciting a mantra.
“…Same as always. They said I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hee-woon smiled a little.
Before the following year passed, his mother was declared cancer-free.
However, it seemed as if the cancer cells had taken all of his mother’s vitality with them when they vanished.
His mother’s body couldn’t even withstand working briefly, and ultimately Hee-woon had to take a leave of absence from school and work.
Around that same time, his older brother left for the Philippines.
Because he took half of the remaining money from selling the house, that was also when Hee-woon got beaten up by the loan sharks.
“Then, I’m off to school.”
“Okay.”
His mother went back into her room, and Hee-woon did the dishes and then went to the small bathroom.
His puffy face looked back at him from the mirror.
It really hit him that he had slept for an impossibly long time.
He showered with cold water and prepared for his tutoring session.
His clear head, for the first time in a while, worked quickly.
So even after finishing all his class prep and one assignment, there was still time before he had to leave for school.
His class was at 10 AM, so he had a full two hours to spare.
After brief consideration, Hee-woon decided to walk to school.
He’d get some exercise and save money.
It seemed like a good idea.
However, after walking for about an hour, he belatedly regretted it.
His already sore muscles ached terribly.
He considered taking the bus even then, but feeling it was a waste of the distance already covered, he walked all the way to school.
Since it was 30 minutes before class started, the lecture hall was empty.
Every Monday and Wednesday.
The days he had class with Seo Kang-woo.
Until just a week ago, Mondays and Wednesdays were days he could start vibrantly.
He was happy just to see Seo Kang-woo’s face from the morning.
He didn’t even feel tired even if he tutored until dawn.
But now, just the thought was exhausting.
How much would he torment him today?
After a few minutes, students began trickling in one by one.
“Hello, sunbae.”
Hee-woon’s expression stiffened as he turned around.
Kang-woo sat down nonchalantly in the seat next to Hee-woon and asked.
“Is it okay if I sit here?”
“Ah, yes….”
Kang-woo, placing his book on the desk, asked softly.
“Is your phone broken?”
“Huh? No.”
Hee-woon blinked at the sudden question.
“Then you’re really ignoring me on purpose.”
Kang-woo muttered.
“Huh?”
“Is your hearing not good?”
Kang-woo retorted to Hee-woon, who kept asking back.
His well-shaped hand tapped the desk nervously, so Hee-woon closed his mouth and rolled his eyes.
It seemed he was in a bad mood about something and wanted to hit him.
“You didn’t come to school yesterday either.”
“You were all over me, following me around saying you liked me, and now you’re desperate because you can’t avoid me.”
Seo Kang-woo’s eyes flashed as if he wanted to devour him.
It was the complete opposite of his quiet voice.
“Yesterday, I overslept.”
“I-it’s true. I woke up and it was already 5 PM, so I couldn’t come to school.”
Seo Kang-woo, who seemed not to believe him, only seemed to somewhat believe it after Hee-woon added that he was strangely very sleepy and slept until dawn today.
“Seeing how puffy you are, it seems plausible.”
“It’s true.”
When Kang-woo reached out and touched his eyelid, Hee-woon’s eye closed.
Kang-woo fiddled with the plump-feeling eyelid and then examined Hee-woon’s face.
His already youthful face looked even more boyish.
“I almost got angry thinking you were avoiding me again.”
His rough voice had softened.
“N-no, I wasn’t.”
As Hee-woon shook his head, Kang-woo’s fingertips brushed through his hair.
Mussing up his hair, the scent of shampoo wafted out.
It was a cheap fragrance, but it felt rather nice.
“Did you eat breakfast?”
“I woke up earlier and ate ramen.”
“You eat that crap at home too?”
Watching Kang-woo frown, Hee-woon suddenly remembered what he had said earlier.
Just in case, he picked up his phone and opened KakaoTalk.
Seeing Hee-woon suddenly look at his phone mid-conversation, Kang-woo frowned.
“What are you doing right now, sunbae?”
“Huh? I thought it was a dream….”
Hee-woon’s eyes widened.
Glancing at the phone, Kang-woo’s brow smoothed.
“How did you get my number?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know it?”
Kang-woo, instead, asked back casually to the surprised Hee-woon.
And he laughed softly.
“Sunbae, you really slept like you were out of it.”
Hee-woon looked at Kang-woo, who was stroking his head, in confusion.
Kang-woo, meeting his gaze, raised an eyebrow and hummed, ‘Hmm?’
“Ah. Can you give me your number?”
“……Yes.”
Hee-woon moved his lips and answered.
Seo Kang-woo, wearing a smile, took out his own phone.
Hee-woon’s phone immediately vibrated.
“Did the call go through?”
“Yes.”
Seo Kang-woo’s phone screen came into view.
[Hee-woonie]
Kang-woo noticed Hee-woon’s gaze, laughed, and said, ‘Ah, this?’
“Should I add a heart?”
His eyes sparkled.
“…No.”
Hee-woon answered quietly and saved Kang-woo’s phone number.
He didn’t want to save it, but with Kang-woo right next to him, he had no choice.
                                               ****
“Now, form groups of 3-4 people and come to the front.”
“The group that comes first gets priority in choosing their presentation order.”
At the professor’s words, the students in the lecture hall busily moved about.
They called out to classmates sitting far away or spoke to someone seated nearby.
Since many had already formed groups, a line quickly formed in front of the professor.
Hee-woon blinked as he watched them.
He had attended one semester after his military leave of absence, then took another two years off.
Many of his original classmates had graduated, and Hee-woon wasn’t very sociable to begin with.
Hee-woon glanced sideways.
Seo Kang-woo was resting his chin on his hand indifferently.
Sensing the gaze, he turned his head and smiled faintly.
“I really hate group projects.”
‘You too, sunbae?’
Kang-woo asked for agreement with a friendly smile.
Hee-woon nodded.
Last semester, he did a group project with a classmate he wasn’t close to, and in the end, Hee-woon had to do everything himself.
Group projects made his skin crawl, but due to the nature of the business major, presentations and group projects were extremely common.
Still, this semester, one major subject had a report assignment, and the other was an individual presentation, so that was somewhat fortunate.
“Hmm…. Who should I do it with?”
Kang-woo, chin still propped, scanned the lecture hall.
When it was time to decide groups, Hee-woon usually grew anxious, feeling like he was waiting to be chosen, but Seo Kang-woo looked very relaxed.
But it seemed Seo Kang-woo had decided to do the project with him.
Hee-woon couldn’t say a word about it and just fiddled with the hem of his T-shirt.
He kept imagining Seo Kang-woo kicking him in the stomach right here.
“Hey, Hee-woon.”
Someone called Hee-woon warmly from behind.
Hee-woon’s face stiffened slightly as he turned around.
Lee Hyeok-jin.
It was that very same classmate who had freeloaded off him last semester.
“You haven’t formed a group yet, right? Let’s do it together.”
“Three people is perfect.”
Ah, damn, it’s too late now.
Are we going to end up presenting during exam period?
Without even waiting for an answer, Hyeok-jin counted the number of people standing in front of the professor.
Kang-woo stared intently at Hee-woon’s face for a moment, then asked gently.
“Hee-woon sunbae.”
“Do you have someone in mind for the group?”
At Kang-woo’s words, Hyeok-jin frowned slightly, then scratched his head and said.
“What.”
“Is there anyone besides me who would do it with you, Woo Hee-woon?”
When Hyeok-jin thumped his back, Hee-woon swayed like a paper doll.
Kang-woo’s gaze fell on Hee-woon’s slightly disheveled hair.
“Ah….”
As Hee-woon hesitated, Kang-woo added another line.
“The two people I mentioned.”
“They’re good at making PPTs and presenting well.”
He had never said such a thing.
Hee-woon stared blankly at Kang-woo.
Thump.
Hyeok-jin hit his back again from behind.
“Ah, decide quickly.”
“If you guys can’t, we have to join other people’s groups.”
“Why are you so slow?”
“…I don’t care who I do it with.”
“Really?”
“Then I’ll go talk to the two of them and come back?”
“I’ll try to get the best date possible.”
Hyeok-jin patted Hee-woon’s shoulder a couple of times and went to the front of the classroom.
Seo Kang-woo and Lee Hyeok-jin.
Looking at Hyeok-jin’s retreating back, Hee-woon thought he’d end up doing this group project alone too.
“…What?”
Noticing Kang-woo staring intently at him, Hee-woon asked cautiously.
Kang-woo held his gaze a little longer, then shook his head and chuckled.
“Ah, f*ck.”
“Our presentation is in two weeks.”
“The week right before exams.”
Hyeok-jin, who had returned, said with a frustrated expression, pressing his forehead.
His expression was so convincingly distressed that Hee-woon thought maybe Hyeok-jin would put in some effort this time.
But it didn’t take long to realize that thought was wrong.
                                               ****
To decide on the presentation topic and content, they needed to meet and have several meetings.
Lee Hyeok-jin only attended the initial meeting on the day they formed the group.
And from the time they tried to schedule the next meeting, he kept making excuses.
He couldn’t on Monday because of his part-time job, the next day he had an important appointment, that day was his free period….
He had known from the moment Hyeok-jin said he’d take charge of the presentation.
If he left the presentation to him like this, it was obvious he’d stumble because he didn’t know the content.
Lately, Hee-woon’s stress was at its peak.
Just Seo Kang-woo’s existence alone was a massive source of stress, and on top of that, it was exam period and he had a group project.
Furthermore, he had no money, and he had to help his tutoring students prepare for their midterms.
[Ah, really sorry.]
[I forgot I had an appointment that day.]
[Can’t you two just do it and let me know?]
Reading the KakaoTalk from Hyeok-jin, Hee-woon let out a sigh.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
“…I am eating.”
Hee-woon put down his phone and picked up his chopsticks.
This was already the third lunch he was having with Seo Kang-woo.
Even on days he had no classes, Seo Kang-woo came to school without fail to have lunch together.
And now, they were having dinner together at Seo Kang-woo’s house.
‘But tomorrow is Saturday, so I guess we won’t have to have lunch together.’
He pitied himself for finding solace in such a small thing.
“You’re just playing with your food.”
At Kang-woo’s muttered complaint, Hee-woon, startled, scooped a large spoonful of rice.
He quickly emptied his bowl while keeping an eye on Kang-woo.
I’m going to have indigestion again today, Hee-woon thought.
“Sunbae.”
“You know what?”
As the meal was nearing its end, Seo Kang-woo opened his mouth.
His subtle tone made Hee-woon uneasy for some reason, and he hesitated before asking.
“…What?”
“It’s been a whole week since we slept together.”