BHB 79

When even Lee Taegang joined in the mockery, Yeowon breathed a short sigh. “Don’t be childish.”

“The rumors are all over the place.”

“Right. Maybe I should date a woman for the rumors to stop.”

When he retorted childishly, Lee Taegang looked down at his obliquely with a gaze that couldn’t take the joke as a joke.

“Maybe I should tell Youngjae I want to go on another blind date.”

Finding Lee Taegang’s reaction amusing, Yeowon twirled his pen and glanced at him. Their eyes met directly.

“You find this really funny, don’t you?”

“Why did you provoke them in the first place?”

“Everything feels like shit this morning.”

“You too? Same here.”

Lee Taegang’s gloomy energy must have spread to the other students, as the whispering began to fade. The mischievous group that had been giggling cleared their throats and returned to their original positions, pretending not to notice.

Just as the atmosphere in the lecture hall was settling down, Do Youngjae and Jo Suchan entered noisily, leading their group. They were the noisiest group among their peers, and the largest in size. Full of student council members and those known for their wide connections and love of gatherings. Since Do Youngjae was the one who led such groups everywhere, the noisiness was inevitable.

“Did you get home safely yesterday?” Do Youngjae asked as he plopped down in the seat in front of him.

“Yeah. Seungha hyung says not to call you anymore.”

“Oh, why!”

“He says you’re so cheesy he can’t stand talking to you.”

“Come on, places like that are more fun with someone like me. Both you and Seungha hyung are so taciturn, barely speaking—what fun is there in drinking with just the two of you?”

Do Youngjae had a point. But they weren’t drinking for fun, so his purpose was different from his.

“But why is the atmosphere like this?” Do Youngjae, ever the perceptive class representative, quickly read the mood.

“I was bullied.” Yeowon dramatically tattled with a shameless face. 

Several people flinched.

“You were? Aren’t you usually the one doing it?”

“Want to die?”

Do Youngjae smiled broadly and shook his head mechanically.

Yeowon stopped joking and quietly conveyed his message so others wouldn’t hear. “It seems to be because of the rumors, take good care of that sunbae.”

“Did something really happen?” Do Youngjae noticed Jeon Chaemin tensely on guard in the direction of Yeowon’s nod and asked seriously.

“They just acted childishly. But he seems really affected, so keep an eye on him.”

“Alright.”

Yeowon no longer wanted to get involved in Jeon Chaemin’s affairs. The result had been these widespread rumors and an incomprehensible confession. The outcome hadn’t been good.

But seeing him trembling over something so trivial, he couldn’t just ignore it. He had a knack for looking pitiful. Yeowon exhaled a silent sigh and inadvertently turned his head, meeting Lee Taegang’s eyes, who was looking in his direction.

As the professor entered and the chatter subsided, Yeowon gestured without making a sound and asked, “What?”

Lee Taegang sucked in his cheeks strongly as if displeased and rolled his tongue slowly, “You must be busy. Spreading yourself around everywhere.”

At his sarcastic remark, Yeowon barely suppressed a laugh that was about to burst out, “Jealous again?”

“Go to hell.”

“Or are you upset? You’re the one who slept with that sunbae, but the rumors are about me and him.”

“This is fucking hilarious.”

“What is?”

“Are you jealous too?”

Yeowon’s casually smiling lips stiffened. Hit right on the mark, he kicked the leg of the chair he was sitting on.

While they were giggling over something trivial, the side of his face opposite to Lee Taegang felt itchy. When he unconsciously turned his gaze, his eyes met exactly with Jeon Chaemin, who had been stealing glances at him. Of course, Jeon Chaemin averted his eyes in less than a second. Discomfort crept up, and Yeowon scratched his cheek with a sour expression.

***

Yeowon flicked the tip of his fingernail with a bored face. After flicking it a couple of times, he stared across with displeasure. Across from him, Lee Taegang was seen seriously scribbling with a pen, with several major textbooks open. When he thought they might go eat after class, the place he abruptly brought him to was the library.

Although it wasn’t one of Seoul’s top three prestigious universities, perhaps because it was known for being wealthy, quite a few well-known family heirs were enrolled. He and Lee Taegang were among them. The donation money from parents asking the school to take good care of their children seemed quite substantial, as this school was more famous for its splendid library building than for its employment rate or honor.

The grandeur is reminiscent of famous foreign cathedrals, with high ceilings and hanging artificial gardens. Even the entrance used an AI system that verified entry passes. It was a place that had both classical beauty and advanced systems, so even outsiders came for tours.

“Just come alone.”

After sitting idly for over 30 minutes, Yeowon was bored to death. With his chin propped up, he tapped Lee Taegang’s long legs that extended from the seat in front to his own. It was amusing to see Lee Taegang even wearing glasses when studying. Still, there was some entertainment in observing this rare sight.

“You should study too. You need to graduate at least.”

The line completely mismatched the tattoo visible on his collarbone through his open collar.

“It’s not like I came to university to study anyway.” He knew his situation was pathetic, but hearing such practical nagging from Lee Taegang made him feel awkward. Yeowon pretended not to care and flicked his fingernail tip again.

“Well. You did come because of me.” Lee Taegang snorted while examining his textbook on the stand.

“Huh?” Yeowon found his laughter ridiculous and raised his lips crookedly in disbelief, “Who said I came because of you?”

“You’ve been glued to books since winter break of your second year in high school because of me. You gave up all your favorite things—PC rooms, sports, fighting.”

“That… I did it because I had to. Not because of you.”

“Oh really?”

“You’re the one who came to this school because of me.” Yeowon looked at him crookedly and smiled obliquely. 

As if responding to his provocation with a refusal to lose, Lee Taegang let out a deflated laugh and once again propped his chin, meeting his stubborn gaze directly. “That’s right.”

At this unexpectedly straightforward answer, Yeowon’s smile briefly stiffened.”What?” 

“I said that’s right. I could have gone somewhere better, but I deliberately came here. You know it all.”

It was true. It was a fact they both knew. He had tried to dissuade him from applying below his abilities, but he was adamant. But he hadn’t tried too hard to stop him either. As Lee Taegang said, since he was going to university because of him, it only made sense to be at the same school. It was something they both knew. That they had both come to this school because of each other.

“Because of you.”

When he emphasized it further, Yeowon, despite knowing this fact, felt embarrassed and averted his gaze. 

Feeling suddenly hot, Yeowon fiddled with his nape and tried to respond as calmly as possible,”…Good that you know.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected response, Yeowon couldn’t maintain his composure and opened his textbook, pretending to be distracted. He flipped through the book, which had nothing but doodles here and there, and tapped the desk. Embarrassed by his inability to hide his flustered state, Yeowon suddenly stood up.

“I’ll go buy something to drink.” Yeowon hastily left his seat to hide the heat that had spread to his nape. 

Why was he becoming so conscious of things that were known facts and had never bothered him before? There was only one reason. Because he was very conscious of Lee Taegang. Why be so conscious of every little thing? 

‘Like an idiot.’

Yeowon came out to the library lobby, placed his hands on his waist with an annoyed face, and exhaled deeply. Finding his rather pathetic appearance pitiful, he couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic laugh.

He walked to the vending machine in the lobby and searched his pockets for his wallet. He couldn’t find the wallet that he thought would naturally be in his back pocket. Thinking about it, he realized he had left it in the inside pocket of his coat and chewed on a curse mixed with irritation. At that moment, a pale hand holding a card appeared from behind.

“… What would you like to drink? I’ll treat you.”

The one who appeared hesitantly was Jeon Chaemin, whose face had become even more awkward to see lately.

“Look who I meet at the library.”

Jeon Chaemin smiled awkwardly and expressed his pleasure at seeing him. Although it must be equally uncomfortable for Jeon Chaemin to see him, instead of avoiding him, Jeon Chaemin had approached him first. It meant he had no intention of avoiding hIm at all.

“Are you preparing for exams?”

Someone who knew very well that he wouldn’t be doing such preparations asked again, pretending not to know, in order to continue the conversation. Yeowon looked down at Jeon Chaemin, who was trying hard to keep the conversation going despite his lack of response, and exhaled a silent sigh as he pressed the vending machine button twice.