GBH 125

As lunchtime approached, the sun blazed directly overhead.

Bang-!

As the starting gun split the sky, students facing off on both sides rushed towards the tug-of-war rope laid out in a long line. Their momentum was as fierce as a herd of rhinoceroses charging through water.

Song Yi-heon, positioned at the front, shouted as he pulled on the rope.

“We can do it!”

With his abs tensed and a shout rising from his core like rich beef bone broth, he instilled fighting spirit. The teamwork of the students pulling the rope on the same side swelled like a balloon, and no one was halfheartedly pulling the rope.

Heave-ho, heave-ho! They pulled the rope in sync with their collective shouts. The red ribbon tied to the middle of the rope swayed back and forth over the centerline on the grass. The opposing team’s shouts were no less intense, suggesting the victory wouldn’t come easily. 

Song Yi-heon yelled out, “Lie down-!!”

Following his cry, the students holding the rope suddenly leaned back. The red ribbon that had been dancing over the white line followed them, crossing over the white line, and the opposing team that had been holding firm was dragged along, their feet scraping the ground. The outcome was clear.

Tweet-!

“Woohoo!”

Along with the whistle, a small flag waved over the winning team. The joy of victory exploded like fireworks, spreading on the wind carrying the savory smell of delivered food. The students hugging and jumping found their empty stomachs rumbling loudly after all the sweating and exertion.

“Let’s eat lunch!”

Despite having just met today, Song Yi-heon sat in a circle with Doyoung’s friends like old pals, shaking his bowl of jajangmyeon. As the noodles danced inside the plastic-wrapped bowl, his mouth watered. Just as he was about to peel off the wrap with his wooden chopsticks and sprinkle red pepper powder, a student distributing the delivered food said:

“Huh? We’re one jajangmyeon short.”

It was obvious that the food ordered for the exact headcount was short because of the uninvited guest, Song Yi-heon. He quietly put down his bowl of jajangmyeon. He pondered what to say as he handed over his already mixed bowl to the student who didn’t get any.

‘Should I say I mixed it for you? I added lots of red pepper powder thinking you’d like it spicy?’

“There’s one left here.”

As someone from another group handed over a leftover jajangmyeon, Song Yi-heon buried his nose in his bowl and slurped up the noodles.

The Chinese restaurant owner had included an extra serving for the homeroom teacher, but the teacher had separate lunch plans with other teachers, so Song Yi-heon lucked out with a free meal.

“You’re really good. Do you work out?” After satisfying their immediate hunger with a few bites, Doyoung’s friends showed interest in Song Yi-heon. 

The friend Doyoung brought, saying he transferred today, participated in the sports festival as if he didn’t know the word ‘awkward’. If it weren’t for the transfer student giving his all as if there was no tomorrow, the scores between the blue team and white team would have been different.

Grateful and welcoming to the transfer student, Doyoung’s friends asked without hesitation, “Did you transfer today? What’s your name?”

“Kim Deuk-pal.”

“Pfft-!”

As Doyoung, eating jajangmyeon next to him, choked, Song Yi-heon patted his back firmly. The other kids had similar reactions, so Song Yi-heon wait a moment. He was aware that using his real name would be troublesome since he had sneaked into the sports festival, so he gave his soul’s name, but it seemed the uncommon yet endearing name was shocking to today’s kids.

“Is your name really Kim Deuk-pal?”

“Yeah.”

“Really? Your legal name?”

“Why? Is it weird?” Song Yi-heon tilted his lips and raised his head to make eye contact. His clear eyes shone brightly.

The original Song Yi-heon usually covered his face with his bangs, so it was unclear, but his face with light pigmentation had something different about it. Already feeling that way, when he stared straight at them, the kids involuntarily shrank back. They pretended as if they had never intended to tease the transfer student about his name.

“No, no, it’s just unique. Who said it was weird?”

“That’s right. We were just surprised because it’s a name you don’t hear often these days. Deuk-pal, have some sweet and sour pork too. Want some cola?”

Song Yi-heon willingly went along with the kids’ attempt to change the subject by accepting the offered sweet and sour pork. As he chewed, the sweet and sour sauce covered his mouth, already oily from the black bean sauce. With each bite of the pork inside the batter, the meat’s oil seeped out, enhancing the flavor.

The taste was incredible. Food really depends on seasoning.

“By the way, where did you live before? Why do you look familiar to me? Have we met somewhere before?” One of the boys tilted his head, wondering if he had seen Song Yi-heon playing ball in the schoolyard during lunch breaks. 

Doyoung, the one who had lied about Song Yi-heon being a transfer student, stepped up to defend him, perhaps feeling a sense of responsibility, “D-Deuk-pal really did transfer today. His face is just kind of common, you know.”

“It’s not common at all.” The boy narrowed his eyes and stared at Song Yi-heon’s face. 

Knowing that making excuses at times like this would only backfire, Song Yi-heon stared back shamelessly and slurped up a strand of jajangmyeon before responding. The group next to them was noisy.

“Hey! Don’t pour the sauce! Ah-, it’s ruined! You poured all the sauce!”

“What’s wrong? Sweet and sour pork is meant to be eaten with the sauce poured over it.”

“You rude bastard, are you eating it all by yourself?”

“What? Eating it all? Are you supposed to dip sweet and sour pork? Want to tear up the roof of your mouth?”

“Does eating that tear up your mouth? Why? Maybe you should drink flat cola too!”

“Guys, don’t fight. Why are you fighting on such a nice day?”

The argument in the neighboring group grew louder. Unable to stand by, some from Doyoung’s group got up to break up the fight. At a glance, it seemed like a fight that would end after a few shoulder bumps between two loud-mouthed boys. 

Song Yi-heon turned his back on the fight and neatly rolled up some pickled radish with the oily noodles. Indeed, jajangmyeon after sweating was delicious.

* * *

Jung Eun-chae and Se-kyung didn’t eat lunch. When lunchtime came, Jung Eun-chae sent the classmates who had been searching for Song Yi-heon with her to the cafeteria, but Se-kyung quietly shook his head. He intended to continue searching for Song Yi-heon without eating lunch.

Thinking that Se-kyung, being Song Yi-heon’s closest friend, would be just as worried about the situation as herself, Jung Eun-chae felt a tacit understanding and didn’t try to stop him.

“Se-kyung, let’s just check the nearby jimjilbang, and if he’s not there, we’ll go to the police station.”

“Okay.”

The two walked past the cafeteria towards the parking lot. On a distant path, students from other classes were heading to the cafeteria. Unlike the usual scene where students would rush to the cafeteria like a herd of angry bulls when the bell rang at the end of fourth period, today was different. Sensing the dissonance, Se-kyung’s brow furrowed slightly.

Se-kyung doesn’t like lunchtime. Even though there’s a time difference, in the bustling cafeteria that resembles a crowded marketplace with the whole school gathered, the rice feels like chewing on dry sand.

But today, the path to the cafeteria was quiet. Even the third-year students going for lunch were walking in leisurely, as if they had no rush. With the first and second-year students out for the sports festival, the remaining third-years seemed relaxed with fewer competitors.

Sports festival.

The changed Song Yi-heon participated enthusiastically in school events as if he harbored regret for not being able to attend school. Even during the school festival, he joined in with the juniors to help with preparations. Such a Song Yi-heon wouldn’t be any different for the sports festival. He would probably throw himself into it with abandon.

“Teacher.”

“Did Yi-heon contact you? …Se-kyung?” Jung Eun-chae quickly turned around and flinched at Se-kyung’s fierce smile. 

It was the kind of smile you might see on Sun Wukong after realizing he had been toyed with Buddha’s palm all day, a hot anger sublimated into a smile.

“I think I know where Song Yi-heon is.” Se-kyung spoke softly. It seemed like he might have gritted his teeth slightly at the end.

It was strange that they hadn’t thought of the sports festival until now.

* * *

The highlight and finale of the sports day was the relay race. With the highest point allocation, it was a game where a final reversal was possible, so the white team, lagging in points, aimed for a last-minute comeback, while the blue team burned with determination to block the white team’s counterattack.

The relay runners, who had been solemnly rotating their ankles and shoulders in front of each class as if sharpening knives, gathered on the inside of the urethane track when the time came. Cheers erupted behind their grave footsteps, as if they were going off to war. As it was a race involving both first and second-year students, the scale of cheering was on a different level. Unlike before, when they had been leisurely waving cheer sticks under the tent, now they came out from under the tents and surrounded the track where the relay would take place.