GBH 102

The longest middle finger pressing against his lips left no scars. Every time he kissed Song Yi-heon before, he’d end up with bruises from punches or bites that drew blood, but this time, perhaps thanks to the basketball bet, his lips were unharmed. Se-kyung believed that Yi-heon had stayed still because he needed those “5 minutes where I’ll do anything you ask.”

Even though recalling kisses that weren’t of Yi-heon’s own will made him feel miserable, Se-kyung couldn’t stop. Se-kyung, who needed to cling on by liking Yi-heon more, was the weaker one.

As Se-kyung suppressed the childish urge to tell Yi-heon not to be so friendly with Yeon-ji, someone called him from behind.

“Se-kyung.”

It was a female student with straight black hair and a slim, pale face. If this were a romance manga, she’d have a similar art style to Se-kyung and would be cast as the female lead. This was Park Yoon-hee, who was always second in the school rankings, right after Se-kyung. 

Having just left the teachers’ office, she immediately thanked him. “Thank you.”

As Se-kyung couldn’t recall anything to be thanked for and smiled as if he didn’t understand, Park Yoon-hee added, “About the principal’s recommendation for Korea University.”

Korea University, always ranking first in any media survey of domestic university rankings, was a place every student who went through the regular education system in South Korea dreamed of attending. It was the kind of university that elementary school kids would boast about attending without knowing the reality, only to realize as they grew older that it was a place they could never enter with their abilities.

“I heard you gave up your spot for me. The homeroom teacher told me.”

Se-kyung was the first to be offered the principal’s recommendation for Korea University. He had consistently ranked first in the school and had an excellent student record, making him the most likely to be accepted. But Se-kyung had declined the recommendation. It wasn’t that he intended to give it up for Park Yoon-hee. She just happened to be the student with the next best grades and record after Se-kyung, but it seems the story had been twisted.

“It’s thanks to your hard work.”

“Still… you worked hard too.”

Despite being second to Se-kyung for three years, there was no trace of anger or hostility in her. Her flushed cheeks and gentle smile were too friendly to be merely packaged as a benevolent rival.

Park Yoon-hee valued Se-kyung’s supposed concession more than her own efforts in gaining this opportunity, and Se-kyung knew why she was acting this way. 

When Se-kyung responded with a smile, the girl’s blush deepened and she asked urgently, “Are you not applying to Korea University?”

“My mock exam scores are in the safe range, so I’m planning to apply through regular admissions.”

Se-kyung didn’t apply for the principal’s recommendation because he was confident enough to get in through regular admissions. Choi Myung-hyun’s brainwashing not to be greedy had an influence, and he also wanted to see how Song Yi-heon would react if he heard Se-kyung had given up the recommendation.

Guessing that the reaction might be similar to how Yi-heon had reacted to the male student who tried to use Se-kyung for a study group at the beginning of the first semester, Se-kyung wiped his relaxing mouth.

He needed Yi-heon. Not the original Yi-heon, but memories with the Yi-heon who might disappear at any moment. So that even if Yi-heon vanished overnight, he could lean on the remaining memories.

“Ah, right. Your mock exam scores are good too. That’s fortunate. We can go to the same university.”

Though Se-kyung hadn’t said anything, Park Yoon-hee tried to hide her unconsciously revealed true feelings with an excuse.

“I mean, it’s fortunate that you can go to Korea University too. You said you wanted to study Business Administration, right?”

Se-kyung knew this girl liked him. Park Yoon-hee had never confessed to Se-kyung. But whenever she saw him, she would adjust her clothes or touch her hair, her voice would rise, her cheeks would flush, her actions would become busy, and her eyes would become clearer – all these physiological changes pointed in the same direction.

The handsome, well-built, and kind Se-kyung had encountered many students sending similar signals throughout his school life. Se-kyung quickly picked up on these signals with his innate sensitivity.

It was this same sensitivity that allowed him to distinguish the foreign soul inhabiting Song Yi-heon’s body.

The changed personality and habits in just one season, the disappeared trauma, the skilled fighting.

While others might dismiss these as simple changes, Se-kyung’s sensitivity concluded that this was an entirely different person. And his sensitivity was correct. The process of uncovering who the changed Yi-heon was had been somewhat rough, but Se-kyung had endured well.

Choi Se-kyung is violent. With little emotional fluctuation and low empathy, he was fearless. Growing up suppressed by Choi Myung-hyun, this nature had never been realized, but though repressed, it hadn’t disappeared.

For example, Se-kyung spent summer nights chasing after Song Yi-heon, dealing with intimidating gangsters without being paralyzed by fear. He will do well on the college entrance exam too. Since he’s not nervous, he’ll take the exam as if it’s just another practice test.

Having spent his formative years under Choi Myung-hyun’s supervision, Se-kyung didn’t realize his violent and twisted nature. 

If he dates Park Yoon-he, Se-kyung will treat her well. He’ll plan flawless dates, remember anniversaries, and when they come of age, engage in appropriate physical relationships – exemplifying an ideal romance.

However, Yoon-he will grow increasingly uneasy over time. She won’t be able to confide in friends because she won’t be able to pinpoint the source of her unease. The perfect boyfriend’s ingrained kindness is also perfect, so she won’t realize that Se-kyung’s kindness is superficial and her occasional “I love you”s are merely formal.

Even if Yoon-he, who is also quite smart, discovers Se-kyung’s kindness is superficial, she won’t uncover the twisted nature hidden beneath. She’ll never fully understand the root of her unease.

Even if she accidentally discovers it, there’s nothing Yoon-he can do. This girl can’t handle Choi Se-kyung.

Right now, Yoon-he’s heart flutters and she smiles shyly at Se-kyung’s consideration in matching her pace, but she lacks the power to control Se-kyung’s twisted inner self. It wasn’t just Yoon-he. Among Se-kyung’s peers, only Song Yi-heon had discovered his true nature.

The changed Yi-heon denied the oppression weighing on Se-kyung and acknowledged his twisted inner self. In front of Yi-heon, Se-kyung became an ordinary high school student.

This was why Choi Se-kyung became vulnerable to Song Yi-heon.

“Aren’t you going to see the festival?”

“I was about to.” Se-kyung answered with a grin. 

Though he disliked noise and wanted to go home, Yi-heon would be roaming the festival grounds. That alone was reason enough to go. 

“Let’s go down together. I’m meeting friends too.”

It was already noisy in the central lobby before even leaving the building. Se-kyung, recognizing many faces, returned greetings pouring in from all directions while searching with his eyes for the bench where Yi-heon had been. But Yi-heon had left with Yeon-ji, leaving the bench empty.

Inevitably, he joined the crowd with Park Yoon-he. As soon as they merged with the throng, the acrid dust rising from the field made his tongue feel rough and his breath stuffy.

On the field, long tables were set up under blue tents for each club to showcase their exhibitions or promote their clubs to attract visitors.

It was an environment where bumping into people was unavoidable. Se-kyung’s ingrained kindness made him wrap an arm around Yoon-he’s shoulder to prevent her from colliding with others, though he would have preferred to be separated from Yoon-he by the crowd.

While students and outsiders were evenly spread across the field, there was one particularly crowded spot.

“Se-kyung, look, something fun seems to be happening over there. Shall we go?”

Dragged by Yoon-he, they arrived at a large-scale participatory event organized by several clubs together. Being tall, Se-kyung could easily see the center of the event where participants were paired in male-female couples.

“What was that again? That, earphones, that thing.”

“Bluetooth earphones! How many times do I have to tell you!”

Indeed, the first prize was Bluetooth earphones. The second and third prizes were also quite expensive for high school students to offer, so the game was somewhat intense and the participation fee was high. Perhaps because of this, the participants were fired up with enthusiasm, and speaking of enthusiasm, Song Yi-heon, who never missed out, was occupying a spot with Kim Yeon-ji on his back.

“We promised. The winner of rock-paper-scissors gets to keep it.”

“Don’t you change your words. Hold on tight.”

As Yi-heon instructed, Yeon-ji gripped his shoulders and clutched the pole tightly. Her gaze fixed on the balloon they needed to pop was quite solemn. Yi-heon, carrying Yeon-ji, was no different. In terms of fighting spirit alone, they were already in first place.

“Huh?”

However, upon discovering Yi-heon, Se-kyung tilted his head in disbelief. Last night, Yi-heon had kissed him, yet here he was carrying another girl on his back, holding her thighs. He had told Se-kyung they couldn’t do that, but he was voluntarily supporting Yeon-ji’s thighs.

It was just a game, and their desire to win first place was excessive, but Se-kyung didn’t want to consider such trivial points. Blind love made people petty, and the sea of jealousy was incomparably vast. The originally violent and twisted Se-kyung didn’t shed pitiful tears.

“Yoon-he.”

“Yes?” Yoon-he, who had brightened at the sweet and sticky call that seemed about to drip honey, blinked her eyes as if unsure she had seen correctly.

“Shall we do it too?” Se-kyung, who she thought would be as sweet as his voice, wasn’t smiling at all.