Jinhyuk drops Jihoon off and goes into his room, never to come out. Sujin, worried about him, knocks on the door.
“Jinhyuk…can I come in?”
“…”
Sujin sighs at Jinhyeok's unresponsiveness and finally opens the door. When she enters, Jinhyeok is found crying under the covers, his large body tucked into his. Jinhyeok is startled by Sujin's sudden action. However, he refuses to show his crying, so he remains under the covers.
“Why did you come in without permission..”
“I knocked? You just didn’t answer.”
“…Why are you coming in?”
Soojin forcibly removes Jinhyeok's blanket and says.
"Let's put this aside and talk."
"Oh, what are you doing..!"
When she pulled back the blanket, Jinhyuk's eyes were red. He looked like he'd been crying. Soojin shook her head at Jinhyuk's face and spoke.
"Hey Jinhyuk, I'm sorry for saying something rude earlier. But..."
"No need to apologize."
"uh?"
"There's no need to apologize."
Jinhyuk turned his back to Sujin and went under the covers. Sujin was frustrated by Jinhyuk's behavior and spoke.
"Hey, listen to what people have to say."
"Oh, okay!"
"Little brother, I'll give you some advice on how to succeed in love.
Jinhyuk is moved by Soojin's words that there is a way to succeed, so he turns his head slightly towards Soojin and asks her bluntly.
“…What is it?”
“Do you always follow Jihoon around?”
"..what."
Jinhyuk thought about what he had done to Jihoon.
Soojin is right. Jinhyuk always chased after Jihoon.
“…Oh, that seems right..”
“Oh my, you idiot. It’s no fun to just chase after someone as handsome as you!”
“..What the hell are you talking about.”
“Jinhyuk, when you’re flirting, you need to be gentle.”
“…Honeymoon?”
Jinhyuk looked at Soojin with suspicion. "Push-pushy? I never understood that kind of thing. Why would someone act so deceptively toward someone they liked? It felt like a test. Jinhyuk didn't like push-pushy. But now you're telling me to push-pushy with Jihoon?"
Sujin looks at Jinhyeok with suspicion and says in disbelief.
“What is that look in your eyes?”
“…”
Tiring-!
Jinhyuk's phone suddenly rings. He immediately checks his phone to see the DM. It's Jihoon.
Sujin says after seeing Jinhyuk's actions.
"You idiot. What are you doing now? What am I supposed to do if I see the call so quickly?"
“Wouldn’t it be better if I could see the contact information quickly..;;”
“Hey, what should I reply with?”
“Of course we should go to school together..”
Sujin hits her forehead at Jinhyeok's words and says.
"Oh, little brother... You acted like that to Jihoon today, and you're going to go to school really well? Huh?"
“…What can I do? I want to go with you. What can I do?”
"Oh, it's so frustrating. Just trust me just this once. Tell me you're going with Hyunsoo. Then there's a 100% chance Jihoon will ask to go with you."
“Why would you do something like that..;”
"Oh, just trust me once!"
”….“
Jinhyuk contacted Jihoon and felt guilty. Why was he doing this to Jihoon?
Jinhyuk sent a DM and showed it to Soojin.
“Is it okay?”
“Haha, that’s right. Then I’ll contact Jihoon right away.”
"Oh my..."
Meanwhile, Ji-hoon felt a slight sense of disappointment at Jin-hyeok's unusual behavior. Ji-hoon usually didn't DM Jin-hyeok first, so why hadn't he contacted him yet? Finally, Ji-hoon sent Jin-hyeok a DM, asking if he wanted to walk to school together. He waited for Jin-hyeok to respond, and then a reply arrived. Ji-hoon paused for a moment upon seeing Jin-hyeok's reply.
“…You’re going with Hyunsoo..? With me...”
Ji-hoon was embarrassed by Jin-hyeok's reply and sent a DM.
At that moment, Jinhyuk and Sujin waited for Jihoon's reply. And then a reply came.
"…crazy"
Sujin said, pleased with Jinhyuk's reaction.
“Hahaha! Have you seen my little brother? How are you feeling?”
“Why are you campaigning with just this one thing?”
“Oh my? What do you think?”
”….“
Jinhyuk was just happy that Jihoon asked him to go together for the first time. Jinhyuk had always been the one to say things like, “Let’s go together first,” “You’re cute,” etc., but for Jihoon to say something like this… It was amazing. Jinhyuk continued to ask Soojin after seeing Jihoon’s reply, and Soojin was proud and told him. At that moment, Jihoon felt uneasy because Jinhyuk’s behavior was colder than usual. He didn’t know what to do because it felt like Jinhyuk, who was always so affectionate, was suddenly drawing a line.
So, the DM between the two ended, and Jinhyuk learned what to do tomorrow as Soojin said and went to sleep. Jihoon wanted to ask more questions when Jinhyuk and Hyunsoo said they had something to do, but he couldn't because he thought Jinhyuk would hate him even more.
“I told you to sleep well, why didn’t you sleep well?”
So Ji-hoon fell asleep with a feeling of anxiety.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
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The next morning.
On a morning when everyone else was heading to school, Ji-hoon went to school alone for the first time in a while. When he arrived at the classroom, Jin-hyeok and Hyun-soo were already there, chatting away. Ji-hoon felt a pang of resentment toward Jin-hyeok's behavior, but he tried not to show it and greeted him casually.
"Hello..haha everyone was here first."
"Oh Ji-hoon hi~"
"hi."
Jinhyuk didn't even glance at Jihoon, merely offering a cursory greeting. Jihoon felt a pang of pain, but he had no choice but to sit down and speak to Hyunsoo.
"I heard you two went to school together today. What were you doing?"
Hyunsoo tilts his head at Jihoon's words and says.
"Huh? The two of us? Like us…"
Jinhyeok covered Hyunsu's mouth by stepping on his foot, afraid that his actions would be discovered when he heard Hyunsu's answer, who didn't know anything.
"Aaah!!!"
Jinhyuk covered Hyunsoo's mouth and walked out of the classroom. Left alone again, Jihoon stared at the two as they left, his head hanging in anxiety.
“…What the heck. They’re out again...”
Jinhyuk and Hyunsoo outside the classroom.
Hyun-soo, who was dragged out without knowing anything, says as he lets go of Jin-hyeok's hand in the hallway.
“Hey, what are you doing!”
"ha…"
“What is it, why are you doing that?”
”…“
Jinhyuk couldn't answer Hyunsoo's question right away. He knew his current behavior would seem extremely pathetic. But Jinhyuk, believing this was the only way to get Jihoon to approach him, spoke to Hyunsoo.
“…I’m going to keep my distance from Jihoon for the time being.”
"? why"
“…I just think you like me.”
"what..?"
"I...I lied and said I couldn't go to school with you today because I was doing something with you. So just know that."
"no.."
Hyunsoo was dumbfounded by Jinhyeok's words. He looked at Jinhyeok pitifully and said,
"Hey, do you know what you're doing?"
"..It's called a honeymoon."
"What...? Suddenly? I heard you don't like flirting."
“…It’s just a personal matter, so don’t ask like that;”
“Really…; Hey… Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
“What do you regret?”
“Ugh… Okay. Think about Jihoon’s position.”
"what?"
"The person who always approached you first suddenly draws the line. How hurtful that is."
“…”
Jinhyuk was speechless at Hyunsoo's words. "I know you were bullied at school, but if I suddenly act like this, Jihoon will be really hurt. So, should I be honest with you? Then you'll just end up following me around again. I just want to receive some love from Jihoon."
Jinhyuk sits down, lowers his head, grabs his hair and speaks.
“….Fuck, I know that too.”
“What’s wrong with this kid..?”
Jinhyuk rose again from his seat and spoke to Hyunsoo. His expression didn't look particularly good. His gaze was fixed on the floor, and he was biting his lip. He spoke to Hyunsoo, his mind clearly in turmoil.
"...Just until Jihoon approaches me first. As soon as he approaches me first, I'll stop. So...just help me until then."
Hyunsoo was taken aback by Jinhyeok's unfamiliar actions and words. He simply couldn't understand why he wanted to do something like this. Since Jinhyeok was his best friend and this was his first time experiencing something like this, Hyunsoo decided to help him.
“Haa… I get it. I get it, so just straighten up a bit. Can you go into class with that kind of face?”
“…Then I have one more request.”
“Oh, what is it;;”
“You’re better at fighting than me. If something happens to Jihoon, help him out.”
“Hey.. you have to do that..”
"I know. I'll help, too. But you go first. I'll go behind. There are some kids at Hasang High School nearby who are bullying Ji-hoon."
“Oh yeah…”
So, the two finished their conversation and entered the classroom. Ji-hoon was sleeping face down on his desk. Jin-hyeok saw him and wanted to pat Ji-hoon's forehead, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Hyun-soo shook his head at Jin-hyeok's appearance and sat down.
It was lunchtime, and the three of them got up to eat. Ji-hoon, wanting to eat lunch together, summoned up the courage to speak to Jin-hyeok.
“Jinhyuk, eat your lunch…”
"Hey, I told you what the chairman was doing today. You guys should eat together."
Ji-hoon stared at Jin-hyeok's back for a long time at Jin-hyeok's action of leaving first. Hyun-soo, who was watching Ji-hoon with a hurt expression, sighed and took Ji-hoon to the cafeteria.
The two, having received their meals, sat down. Ji-hoon stared into space, munching on his food. Hyun-soo, watching, tried to cheer him up.
"Our Jihoon, eat a lot~"
“Ah..yeah..haha”
Ji-hoon forced a smile to Hyun-soo's expression. Hyun-soo felt sorry for Ji-hoon, thinking to himself.
‘Ji-hoon… You’re having a hard time because of that love-hate bastard…’
While eating like that, Ji-hoon asked Hyun-soo carefully.
“..Hyunsoo over there.”
"huh?"
“..Did I do something wrong to Jinhyuk?”
"ok..??"
“It’s just… I feel like Jinhyuk has been avoiding me since yesterday.”
Hyunsoo was at a loss after hearing Jihoon's words. "Why am I suffering because of that idiot?!"
“Haha.. Kim Jinhyuk? Why?”
“We used to go to school together, but suddenly he said no. He didn’t even contact me yesterday. He didn’t even tell me to sleep well. Also…”
Hyunsoo was dumbfounded by Jihoon's words. "Isn't this just dating?" But Hyunsoo, unable to show it, asked Jihoon.
“Um.. If that’s the case, then Jinhyuk likes you to that extent, right?”
"uh..?"
"No... You said you liked me as a friend. I'm friends with Jinhyuk, but I don't contact him like that. You know that too..."
“…That’s true, but”
"Well... I might be able to sense it, but if you're in love, there's no need to worry about what others think, right? I'd support you if you two said you liked each other..."
”….“
“Ahem, don’t think too deeply about it. That’s just how he is..;;”
“…Okay, I understand.”
“Ji-hoon, let’s eat and go to the store. I’ll pay.”
“Haha..good.”
Ji-hoon's feelings became complicated after hearing Hyun-soo's words. Do I like Jin-hyeok...? Is it really romantic feelings?
Ji-hoon pictured Jin-hyeok. Manly, handsome, and affectionate. Unlike Jin-hyeok, who was incredibly popular with the ladies, Ji-hoon looked feminine, timid, and unpopular. Would someone like him really be compatible with someone like Jin-hyeok?
Meanwhile, Jinhyuk was secretly watching Jihoon and Hyunsoo from a corner of the cafeteria. His expression was grim, and seeing Jihoon unable to eat properly broke his heart. He wanted to go over to Jihoon and feed him everything, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Jinhyuk, too, couldn't even scoop up a few spoonfuls before Jihoon and Hyunsoo left, and he followed suit.