BHB 7

“Besides, Lee Taegang is always hanging around you. Every time he opens his mouth, he’s looking for you. If someone saw you two, they’d think you’re… you know?”

The guy mocked, wiggling his pinky finger.

“I’m the one hanging around him, dumbass. Why do you keep saying such bullshit?”

Yeowon kicked the persistent guy’s back again with all his might. Thanks to that, the guy who almost fell over frowned and glared at him.

“You’re full of shit. Acting tough when you can’t do anything without Lee Taegang.”

“Do you really want to d1e? Why are you picking a fight today of all days?”

“…Haven’t you heard the rumor that you two are, like, doing gay stuff?”

“Ha. They really have nothing better to do. Maybe they’re the ones who want to do gay stuff with Lee Taegang. Especially you.”

“What?”

“Are you jealous that I’m close to Lee Taegang?”

He had experienced various things while being close to Lee Taegang. The attention and gazes that poured in when hanging out with Taegang. That included guys too. Taegang’s unparalleled physique and fighting skills that even seniors avoided. The unique intimidating atmosphere that no one dared to mess with. These were things that boys of that age would admire. There were quite a few guys who would misdirect their jealousy.

“Cut it out. Stop spouting disgusting stuff about ‘gay stuff’ or whatever.”

Just then, Lee Taegang walked into the classroom. Entering through the back door, he approached with his usual group, holding a bunch of snacks.

“What’s going on?”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Taegang plopped down on the chair below Yeowon, who was sitting on the windowsill and leaned against his leg. His hair immediately touched where Yeowon’s hand was resting. It was fluffy hair that he had grown out to his nape and permed.

“This bastard says you and I are dating.”

Yeowon said indifferently while fiddling with Taegang’s hair. At the same time, he felt Taegang’s shoulders stiffen. Seeing that reaction, Yeowon thought Taegang must be quite disgusted too.

“He says we’re doing gat stuff.”

As he tattled, the face of the guy who had been picking a fight gradually hardened, and he opened his mouth as if to make excuses.

“I just heard other kids talking about it.”

His attitude changed immediately when Taegang appeared.

“Everyone’s got quite an imagination. Me and this guy, seriously.”

Yeowon laughed lightly and wrapped his legs around Taegang’s body. He couldn’t see Taegang’s face, but it was obvious.

“How gross. Right, Lee Taegang?”

He playfully squeezed Lee Taegang with his legs, but again, he didn’t see Lee Taegang’s face. All Yeowon knew was that the guy who had started the rumor got beaten up so badly the next day that he didn’t show up to school. He had a pretty good idea of who was responsible but didn’t bother confronting anyone about it. He just thought, Lee Taegang must’ve been really pissed.

That’s how he had been. Saying things like ‘disgusting’ and ‘nonsense.’ It was him who had been spouting such useless words.

And now he…

Yeowon held his head in his hands with a deep sigh. If that guy from back then knew that he was now reacting to those ‘disgusting’ things, he would probably laugh triumphantly.

Yeowon, who had been so lost in thought that he didn’t even realize the class had ended, snapped back to reality at the sound of Taegang’s voice asking if he wanted to go eat. Taegang was the same as always.

“So are you really going to get introduced or not?”

As soon as the class ended, Do Youngjae asked persistently as if he had been waiting. Yeowon waved his hand with an annoyed look.

“Later.”

“When is later—? You need to make plans if you want to… “

“He said later.”

It was Taegang who cut off Do Youngjae’s persistent words. There was a slight irritation to his voice, which made Do Yeongjae stop mid-sentence and glance at Yeowon as if to say, What’s with him? Yeowon shook his head as if to say, Just drop it. At that, Do Youngjae then pouted and turned his attention to the sleeping Jo Suchan.

“Tell me if they’re bothering you.”

Lee Taegang said quietly as the two of them left the classroom first. Lee Taegang was known for being particularly unsociable. Perhaps because of that, he still didn’t hide his discomfort when Do Youngjae or other classmates would noisily cling to him or persistently ask for something. Although he had softened a lot compared to his high school days, he couldn’t help but appear overbearing even when he just slightly lowered his voice.

“It doesn’t really bother me.”

Unlike Lee Taegang, Yeowon never found anyone particularly bothersome. The more friends, the better. Whether this was also due to his parents’ influence or not, he always preferred bustling environments or hanging out altogether. This was another aspect where he and Taegang differed a bit.

“Gang-ah.”

Someone was standing alone in the bustling hallway as people rushed out of the classroom. It was Jeon Chaemin, who seemed to have been waiting for Lee Taegang. The familiar call made Yeowon, not Taegang, hesitate.

Taegang, noticing Chaemin’s presence, furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Why are you here?”

At Taegang’s casual speech, Yeowon looked at him with seemingly surprised eyes. Although there was only a year’s age difference, it was rare for juniors to speak so casually to seniors within the university. It was due to the old-fashioned university culture where other juniors might think you were disrespecting seniors if they saw it.

“Did you have plans? I said let’s have lunch together. Oh, Yeowon’s here too. Hi. Did you get home okay yesterday?”

Jeon Chaemin, just noticing Yeowon standing next to Taegang, smiled warmly. Some juniors leaving the classroom recognized Chaemin and approached to greet him enthusiastically, almost like fans.

“Hello, sunbae! Are you taking this class too?”

One of the juniors, who had followed Jeon Chaemin into an elective course once, asked eagerly. Jeon Chaemin gave a kind smile and shook his head.

“No. I came to see Gang today.”

Jeon Chaemin naturally stood next to Taegang. Everyone rolled their eyes in confusion at the familiar nickname. Even people who called Lee Taegang ‘Taegang-ah’ were few, so they were quite surprised to hear such an intimate nickname used casually.

“You two must be close.”

When a junior carefully asked, Chaemin smiled brightly. The mole at the corner of his mouth stood out attractively.

“We worked on a contest together.”

Hearing this for the first time, Yeowon frowned and looked directly at Taegang. Taegang spoke with a seemingly tired face and a small sigh.

“Go wait in the car.”

As he quietly said to Chaemin, Yeowon’s eyes widened.

“Wait in the car?”

“Yeah.”

Taegang answered casually while handing his car keys to Chaemin. The naturalness of this action automatically made Yeowon’s mouth drop open.

“I’ll go first then. See you next time.”

Chaemin, receiving the car keys with the luxury keyring Yeowon had given him, said goodbye to the juniors and left first. After that, the juniors went their separate ways, and Do Youngjae and Jo Suchan, who came out later, quickly disappeared saying they were going to eat at the school cafeteria, noisily complaining about how hungry they were.

Finally alone in the empty corridor, Yeowon didn’t know where to start. He was angry but had no reason to be. Yet he couldn’t quell this anger.

“What’s this about a contest?”

Not wanting to act childishly, he asked as calmly as possible.

“Before returning to school. He asked for help briefly.”

“Were you two close originally?”

“We met at a private gathering.”

“A private gathering?”

At the repeated question, Taegang suddenly closed his mouth. In the inexplicable silence, Yeowon added:

“What kind of private gathering?”

As his voice deepened with the repeated question, Taegang, who had been silent, let out a ldeflating augh. At the sudden laughter, Yeowon’s brow furrowed even more, and Taegang swallowed his laughter while wiping his mouth.

“Why are you laughing?”

Annoyed by the sudden laughter, Yeowon asked irritably, and Taegang raised one corner of his mouth. This caused a deep dimple to form on one side.

“It feels like the first time.”

“What is?”

“You interrogating me like a girlfriend.”

“What nonsense.”

Taegang lightly tapped his own shoulder while smiling faintly.

“Make sure to eat.”

“…”

“I’m going.”

It was a gesture suggesting he should leave now. Yeowon unconsciously stared blankly at Taegang’s back as he left.

Was it because he was unusually conscious of Taegang, unlike usual? Somehow, this feeling was a first. The childish feeling of being secondary to Taegang. For a moment, a vague feeling of wondering who the Taegang he knew was enveloped his entire body.

Yeowon, who had been standing there, moved towards the central staircase with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. It was a position where the building’s parking lot was clearly visible. Just then, Taegang’s red foreign car was leaving the parking lot. He was the one who had chosen a bright red car, saying he liked something flashy to match his usual appearance. Although it was an exceptionally eye-catching color, it suited him eerily well, so he couldn’t dissuade him from his choice.

Watching his car drive away, Yeowon swept his face with his hand, overwhelmed by feelings he had never experienced before. He couldn’t hide the heavy sigh full of complicated emotions. It felt as though he were caught in the sticky heat of a summer rainstorm, standing still with no wind to provide relief, his body drenched in an unsettling, heavy feeling.