Ji-hoon had been asleep for a while. When he opened his eyes, Jin-hyeok greeted him with a warm smile.
"did you sleep well?"
"huh…"
Jinhyuk, who hadn't slept properly for days, was in terrible condition. Dark circles had appeared under his eyes, and he looked tired. Jihoon was distraught that Jinhyuk had become like this because of him. Seemingly sensing Jihoon's feelings, Jinhyuk spoke.
“It’s not your fault. So don’t worry.”
“Yeah..yeah…”
Bam-
“Guys, let’s eat pizza!!!!”
Sujin and Hyeonsu bought pizza and came into the hospital room.
They set up food around Ji-hoon and started eating. Seeing Ji-hoon not being able to eat properly, Soo-jin and Jin-hyeok looked at him with worried eyes. Then Soo-jin spoke.
“Are you okay, honey? You’re not eating properly. Should I buy you something else?”
“Huh?? No..! I’m fine.. haha”
Ji-hoon, who had no appetite at all, munched on a piece of pizza. Jin-hyeok's heart ached even more at Ji-hoon's seemingly fine appearance. Meanwhile, sensing a more subdued mood than usual, he tried to lighten the mood by playing a prank on Hyun-soo.
“Haha, sis~ I’m a little sexy right now.”
"what.."
"What is it like?"
Hyunsoo spoke to Soojin, his shoulders raised high. Soojin, already hearing the situation, looked at him in disbelief and slapped his head.
“Hey..you really..!!”
"ouch…"
Soojin glared at Hyunsu. Normally, Soojin would have joined in the fun, but instead, she groaned and looked at Hyunsu. Hyunsu was taken aback by Soojin's unfamiliar behavior. Trying to lighten the mood, he wondered what was going on...
“N..sister..? What’s wrong...”
“..You idiot, if you were seriously hurt, what would you really do?”
“Uh…huh…?”
Soojin was worried about Hyunsoo. What if he got seriously hurt fighting like that? He just seemed so immature. Hyunsoo knew it wasn't right, but he appreciated Soojin's concern for him.
Hyunsoo understood Jinhyuk in that moment. This was the feeling called love.
Hyunsoo looked at Soojin with a red face, and Soojin looked dumbfounded.
“Hey, are you sick? Why is your face..”
“H..Huh??? No!! Nothing..”
Jinhyuk looked at the two of them pitifully and shook his head, and Jihoon laughed. Then Jinhyuk said to Soojin.
"That kid's good at fighting. What's he worried about?"
Soo-jin tilted her head at Jin-hyeok. Jin-hyeok spoke behind her, as if telling her to be quiet, while Soo-jin wasn't looking. Jin-hyeok, seeing Hyun-soo in that state, clicked his tongue and turned to Ji-hoon.
"hey…!"
"what."
"Sister... I can't fight... It hurts too much."
“If you’re sick, don’t fight..!!”
This noisy, bickering atmosphere. Ji-hoon enjoyed it. Yes, this atmosphere. The peaceful atmosphere I longed for. People who genuinely cared for me even when I was hurt. If it weren't for these people, would I have been able to live such a happy life?
Ji-hoon looked at the three of them and smiled. Jin-hyeok, seeing this, smiled and said to Ji-hoon.
"Oh, you laughed"
"Uh..huh..?"
"Hey hey!! Jihoon laughed!!! He laughed!"
"Oh, that's right, Jihoon, you're smiling like that. How pretty you are..ㅠㅠ"
"Uh..eh..?"
Ji-hoon's laughter only made him love those who spoke to him like this even more. Hearing Soo-jin, Hyun-soo, and Jin-hyeok speak, Ji-hoon burst out laughing and began to laugh even harder. Ji-hoon's laughter erupted, and Jin-hyeok, Soo-jin, and Hyun-soo all joined in. The hospital room was filled with the laughter of the four.
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Ji-hoon was discharged from the hospital. The trauma made it difficult for him to fully return to his former life, but Jin-hyeok continued to protect him.
“What are you doing, Jinhyuk….”
Jinhyuk walked around Jihoon like a bodyguard while he was walking to school with him. Jihoon, who was displeased, found Jinhyuk's behavior funny and burst out laughing.
“What.. why are you laughing..”
“ㅋㅋㅋ It’s so funny”
Jinhyuk's heart warmed when he saw Jihoon smiling.
Every time I saw Jihoon smiling, my excitement grew even bigger.
Inside the school classroom_
As they entered the classroom, the surrounding students whispered to Jinhyeok and Jihoon. Jihoon looked around nervously, but Jinhyeok pulled him closer and spoke to the others.
“Hey, everyone shut up.”
At Jinhyuk's words, all the students around him fell silent. Jihoon liked Jinhyuk's protection. This feeling made his heart race. Could it be that Jinhyuk likes him...?
Ji-hoon looked up at Jin-hyeok. Tall, with a sharp nose. Even the charming mole under his eye. Jin-hyeok looked even more handsome today, and his heart raced like crazy.
Jinhyuk looked down at Jihoon, and when their eyes met, he smiled affectionately.
"what's the matter?"
Ji-hoon looked at Jin-hyeok, who he had just met, and his face turned red as he avoided eye contact.
“Uh..uh..it’s nothing..”
“Hey, hyung, you’re here!”
Hyunsoo appears with a bandage all over his face.
That day, the wound hadn't fully healed yet and was covered in bandages. When Hyunsoo approached and put his arm around Jinhyuk's shoulder, he looked dissatisfied.
“What’s with that kid’s expression?”
“Get out, before you get hit again.”
“…scary guy”
The two bickered again today. Jihoon looked at them and smiled.
During break time, the three of them headed to the store together. Once there, the girls swarmed Jinhyeok and Hyeonsu.
“Hyunsoo, what’s wrong with your face?? Are you okay?ㅠ”
“Hahaha it’s okay~”
Jinhyeok, who had been looking at Hyunsoo pretending to be gentle, clicked his tongue.
“Jinhyuk! Do you want some chocolate milk??”
"no."
“Jinhyuk, would you like some jelly?”
“I don’t like it.”
Jinhyuk treated the girls who approached him coldly. While they were surrounded by girls like that, Jihoon was picking out food. He paid first, then approached Jinhyuk and handed him his favorite jelly.
“Jinhyuk, eat this.”
“Are you giving it to me?”
“Yeah haha I like it so I hope you like it too.”
Jinhyuk took a bite of Jihoon's jelly without a care and liked it.
“Oh, it’s so delicious! Thank you.”
Jinhyuk always refused all the girls' snacks, but the girls were dumbfounded when they saw him eating them without any problem.
You said you didn't like jelly until just now... and now you're eating it right away..?
“Huh…? What is it now?”
“ㅋㅋㅋ Legend..”
“Oh, this is annoying..”
The girls got annoyed at the sight of the two and left the place. JinhyukHe didn't pay any attention to what was happening and just stared at Jihoon. Hyunsoo shook his head at the sight of the two and tactfully left the room.
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The three of them finish their remaining classes and go home together.
Jinhyuk protected Jihoon, preventing something as terrible as before from happening to him. Jihoon simply found Jinhyuk's appearance amusing. However, Jihoon's heart was different. At some point, Jihoon, who had been feeling a thrill from Jinhyuk's actions, simply denied it.
Ji-hoon suddenly brought up the topic of college while heading home.
“You guys… do you have a target university?”
“Target university?”
"university…"
Hyunsoo's face was flustered at the mention of "college." It was obvious Hyunsoo, a non-student, hadn't even considered college, and Jinhyuk answered with a serious tone.
"Well, there is a place I want to go."
"Oh, are you studying?"
"You're not crazy, you idiot."
"Ji-Hoon, what university are you aiming for?"
"I'm Korean lol"
Korea University. The number one university in South Korea. Ji-hoon, a good student, wanted to study hard and attend a good university. Jin-hyeok, who didn't particularly have any college aspirations, was surprised when Ji-hoon mentioned Korea University.
"Korea University..?"
"Wow... Jihoon is good at studying."
"ㅋㅋㅋIt's not that much.. "
Jinhyuk thought about Korea University. His current grades weren't enough to get him into the university.
"Jinhyuk, what university are you aiming for?"
"Uh..uh..?"
Ji-hoon was taken aback by Jin-hyeok's question. Jin-hyeok stuttered as he answered.
"N..Me too Korea..haha"
"Really? It'd be so much fun if we all went to a Korean university together later on! Haha."
Seeing Ji-hoon's bright smile and happy expression, Jin-hyeok vowed: no matter what, he would go to the same university as Ji-hoon.
“Ah~ What kind of Korean university is this… university… do I really have to go there?”
"My older sister goes to Korea University. She's taken a few breaks from school, so if you enlist in the military, you'll probably be able to attend with her."
“From today on, your goal is Korea University!!!!”
Hearing Soojin's announcement that she was attending Korea University, Hyunsoo's goal was set for that day. Jihoon beamed at the sight and imagined how much fun it would be to live college together.
"If we were together like this... it would be really fun."
Tillyrik-
"Are you here?"
Soojin welcomed Hyunsu and Jihoon, who had come to visit Jinhyuk's house. Soojin, who had been at home all day, stared at him with her hair tied back roughly in a ponytail. Hyunsu, who saw her, lost his mind.
"..You're pretty even without makeup."
“Haha I know too”
“Ugh.”
Ji-hoon spoke, looking back and forth between Soo-jin and Jin-hyeok.
“But they really do look alike…”
Jinhyuk and Sujin looked at Jihoon with the same face and said.
“No!!!!”
"no..!!"
Ji-Hoon, surprised by the sudden reaction, opened his eyes wide and said.
“Uh...I’m sorry…”
Hyunsoo burst out laughing, and Jihoon smiled sheepishly. After eating at Jinhyuk's house, Jinhyuk and Jihoon went into Jinhyuk's room. Once inside, they sat down on the bed, and Jihoon immediately lay down.
“Ah, the bed is so soft~”
“Haha, do you like it?”
“Yeah haha I’m so full and so comfortable.”
Jinhyuk looked at Jihoon, who was sprawled out on the bed, defenseless. Jinhyuk, blushing, looked up, delighted that Jihoon, who looked like a baby, was lying on his bed.
“Why are you looking at me like that lol”
“Huh..? No..”
Ji-hoon got up and took the graduation album from Jin-hyeok's bookshelf.
“Can I look at this?”
Jinhyuk was embarrassed, but Jihoon showed it to him, so he said he understood.
While browsing through elementary and middle school yearbooks, I came across Jinhyuk and Hyunsoo's ID photos. Jinhyuk was, as expected, handsome, and Hyunsoo was handsome, but their images were the complete opposite of their current image.
“This..Hyunsoo..?”
“Yeah, it looks scary.”
“Wow.. It seems completely different from now.”
All the pictures of Hyunsoo, his face covered in bandages from constant fights. His gaze was a stark contrast to his current state, a fierce one. Jihoon looked at Hyunsoo with curiosity. Jinhyuk, feeling a surge of jealousy at such trivial things, flipped through the yearbook.
“Stop looking. Turn away.”
“Hahaha then I guess I’ll have to see you.”
While I was looking at the album for a while, Hyunsu and Sujin came into the room.
“Hey~ Come play with us too~”
“What, I’m looking at a graduation album?”
The four of them suddenly gathered together.
I laughed while looking at Jinhyeok and Hyeonsu's graduation photos.
“Wowㅋㅋㅋ Lee Hyun-soo looks so scaryㅋㅋㅋ”
“Oh, sister… don’t look at this… ㅠㅠ”
Soojin laughed as she looked at Hyunsoo's graduation photo. Flipping through a few pages, she came across Jinhyeok's photo from the cross-dressing competition.
“Mchㅋㅋㅋㅋ I decorated it.”
Jinhyuk's face flushed red with surprise, and he covered the photo with his hand. Jihoon, unable to see the photo, tried to push Jinhyuk's hand away, but Jinhyuk's strength was too strong for him.
“What.. I want to see it too.. Yeah?”
“….Ah, this really won’t do..”
“Ah…please…ok?”
Jinhyuk fell for the sudden aegyo. Jihoon finally burst into laughter upon seeing the photo. His handsome face, which didn't suit his clothes, looked like they were about to burst. As expected, he was handsome in person, and even with makeup on, it was still funny.
“Ah..stop looking..”
“Hahahaha but you’re handsome so it looks okay?”
"…..really?"
Ji-hoon took Jin-hyeok's graduation photo. Jin-hyeok couldn't stop Ji-hoon, who smiled and loved even this dark history of his. Jin-hyeok simply stared at Ji-hoon, who smiled happily.