BHB 36

“…Huh?”

Myungchan’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.

“Lim Chaeyeon… the one who gave her number to Han Yeowon?”

“Yeah.”

“…Wow, that’s huge.”

“Spread the rumor.”

“What?”

“I said, spread the rumor.”

“…About what?”

“That I like Lim Chaeyeon.”

At Taegang’s sudden command, Myungchan blinked blankly but soon nodded slowly. Spreading rumors was no big deal. Myungchan hurriedly turned on his phone and started typing the big news in a group chat with students from other classes. While Han Yeowon was also famous for being handsome, Taegang’s looks were renowned even in neighboring schools. If Han Yeowon had a refreshing appearance, Taegang had a sharp, sculpted face that was popular. For someone like him to like someone… it was truly breaking news.

“I’ll tell the kids in the group chat…”

“Take this.”

Suddenly, Taegang tossed the practice question book he had been holding to Myungchan. It was the thick practice book for each subject that Myungchan had been eyeing, wishing he could have it.

“This…?”

“Yeah.”

“…Suddenly?”

“If you don’t want it, forget it.”

“No, no! I want it!”

Myungchan hugged the workbook to his chest as if he had been waiting for this.

“I’m grateful! But… why so suddenly?”

He clearly remembered being coldly rejected not too long ago. The embarrassment and hurt from that time still made him kick his blankets at night, but Taegang’s sudden willingness to give it to him now was bewilderingly scary.

“I don’t need it anymore.”

Taegang answered lightly and stood up from his seat. Suddenly, his appearance felt different. The disheveled uniform, the injuries here and there, and the subtly changed look in his eyes.

Myungchan, not understanding Taegang’s words, blinked stupidly. His puzzlement at Taegang’s sudden transformation was short-lived as the class bell rang, preventing him from asking any more questions. During the last period of the day, Taegang didn’t concentrate on the lesson at all, just twirling his pen. His behavior was so uncharacteristically off that it drew glances from the surrounding students.

***

“How long has it been since you caused trouble—!”

At the hysterical cry, Taegang repeatedly clenched and unclenched his scratched fist.

“You beat someone up?”

Taegang unknowingly let out a faint laugh at his mother’s maniacally flashing eyes.

“You’re laughing?”

Catching this reaction precisely, his mother, as if having a fit, immediately slapped his cheek. The slap was so merciless that her nails scratched his cheek.

“You’re laughing? You dare to laugh?!”

It was natural for the parents to hear about a student being beaten to a pulp. Of course, the school was trying to keep quiet about Taegang being the culprit, but there was no avoiding parental discipline. As he had expected this, Taegang remained calm.

“Why on earth have you suddenly started doing things you’ve never done before…!”

His mother, seemingly unable to understand her son, inhaled sharply and rubbed her face. With a face that showed she was too flabbergasted to speak, she tried to calm her anger.

“Right now, because of you alone, I, your father, and your brother could all be criticized. Do you understand that?”

Unable to contain her rising anger, his mother was biting her lip so hard that her refined lipstick color was completely wiped off. It was then. Before his mother’s lecture could end, someone violently flung open the door. Just from the rough sound of the door opening, one could guess how angry that person was.

“This bastard dares.”

A golf club flew towards Taegang’s back. The dull intensity was palpable. It was the 5-wood, used only when he was most angry.

As the golf club swung at his back several more times, Taegang’s body collapsed. His waist, spine, shoulders, and ribs. Taegang clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked, as the force and speed of the indiscriminate blows were so severe that it was fortunate his head wasn’t being hit.

“You beat someone up?! You, my son, beat someone up?!!”

The intensity was so strong that it seemed the golf club might bend. From the atmosphere, it appeared he wouldn’t stop unless a bone was broken or cracked. But Taegang endured, clenching his fists and glaring with bloodshot eyes.

“Do I have to swing this club as your father? Is this what it takes for you to come to your senses?”

His father threw the golf club to the anxious aide and grabbed Taegang’s hair. He pulled it up forcefully and threatened his son with fiercely raised eyes behind his rimless glasses.

“Tell me. What’s the reason?”

“……”

“Whatever made you beat someone like a dog, if you have something to say, say it now.”

Taegang frowned at the force that felt like it would tear his scalp off, clenching his jaw to endure the pain.

“Do you need more beating to—”

“If I’m beaten all night.”

“……”

“Can I stop now?”

“What?”

“This act you and mother created.”

“……”

“Pretending to be the son you raised well.”

“……”

“I’m asking if I can stop now.”

Taegang saw his father’s clenched fist trembling. He no longer wanted to be confined within the mold his parents had created. The moment he got angry enough to beat someone, the moment he swung his fist, he realized. This is the kind of person he was. Not diligent, not gentle, not righteous, but just a worthless human who enjoys swinging his fists. Of course, he could have pretended as he had until now, but he no longer wanted to wear an ill-fitting uniform.

Above all, he didn’t want to follow in Han Yeowon’s shadow, always watching his back. He couldn’t be just a passing friend to Han Yeowon, and he no longer wanted to be someone Han Yeowon could turn away from without regret. If he couldn’t match the level, he would become that level himself.

***

Taegang, practically kicked out, headed straight to the neighboring house. Today too, the house next door was brightly lit, and noisy sounds were spilling out beyond the front gate. Taegang pressed the doorbell without hesitation. He pressed once, then immediately impatient, pressed twice, then thrice. After persistently pressing about a dozen times, he heard the front door beyond the iron gate swing open. Then the sound of hurried footsteps crossing the short garden and descending the stone steps echoed in Taegang’s chest.

“What is it, why suddenly—”

As soon as he opened the gate, Han Yeowon stopped mid-sentence. He was speechless at the sight of Taegang’s terrible condition.

“Hey, what happened to your face?”

Yeowon grabbed Taegang’s face, furrowing his brow fiercely. Wounds from fighting and being beaten seemed to be plastered all over his skin. Yeowon interrogated Taegang with a face suddenly colored with worry, as if he had never been cold.

“Fuck, did you get beaten again?”

Taegang swallowed a laugh at the consistent response.

“As you can see.”

Yeowon, with a deeply serious face, examined Taegang’s condition and grabbed his wrist.

“Let’s go inside first.”

“…Seems like there are people in your house.”

Taegang pretended not to know, even though he did.

“Ah… It’s just some classmates, don’t mind them—”

“Send them away.”

“What?”

“I said, send them away.”

Taegang demanded as if it were natural. Yeowon looked slightly flustered at the bold request.

“No, suddenly…”

“I’m not studying anymore.”

“What?”

Taegang suddenly declared. He deliberately acted childishly, shamelessly.

“I said I’m not studying.”

“What are you talking about, barging in like this?”

Yeowon blinked stupidly with a dumbfounded face.

“It’s exactly what I said. I’m not going to cram school anymore, and I’m not getting tutoring either.”

“…Okay. But won’t you get in huge trouble with your parents?”

Yeowon asked with genuine concern. Taegang, hiding that he had already gone through that, continued calmly.

“I’ll probably get scolded. If I get kicked out, I’m planning to come to your house.”

“Is my house some kind of inn?”

“Is that not okay?”

“…It’s not that it’s not okay. But will you be alright? Your parents might make a big deal if they find out.”

Yeowon was indifferent as if it wasn’t his problem. Yet he worried again about Taegang getting scolded by his parents.

“But why are you suddenly not studying? You always rank first.”

“Because you don’t pay attention to me.”

“What?”

“You hang out with other guys and act like you don’t need me anymore.”

At Taegang’s gaze, devoid of any playfulness, Yeowon retorted with a face full of indignation.

“No… If you say it like that, it sounds like I ostracized you!”

“I know you go to the PC room with them all the time.”

“You have your own friends.”

“Who are my friends?”

“The goody-two-shoes.”

“They’re just parasites coveting my practice questions. They’re not friends.”

At the blunt words, Yeowon let out a deflated laugh as if dumbfounded.

“Hey, calling your friends parasites, what’s with that?”

“I told you, they’re not friends.”

“You’re always with them. I couldn’t hang out with you because you were always with them. Besides, you’re the one who ignored me.”

Yeowon looked quite wronged by Taegang’s words that seemed to blame him.

“Who was it that pretended not to know me when I was always hanging out with those guys?”

“Ha, this is ridiculous. When did I! Who was it that ignored me every time I tried to talk?”

“Always going to the PC room. Going to movies. Going to play games. Inviting people to your house without me knowing.”

They exchanged their pent-up grievances as if they had been waiting for this moment. Then Yeowon paused momentarily at Taegang’s words, which showed he knew all about his activities.