After-school secret club

First day of the club

It has already been two weeks since I transferred here. Looking back on everyday life during that time, it honestly wasn't as bad as I'd expected. I adapted quickly to the new school, and I even made several friends to talk with. As I was continuing what I thought was a fairly satisfying life, I finally ended up joining that strange club in the gym storage room.

I only found out later, but apparently it took Jaehyun a full week just to persuade the members to let me join. It wasn't even an organization formed through the school's normal procedures, and because the atmosphere was so closed off, they tended to be reluctant to take on new members. Whatever the case, he seemed glad that I was joining the club at all.

"You've really had it rough all this time. I somehow managed to soothe that stubborn jerk and get his permission."

"You really didn't have to. Thanks."

"It's fine, I wanted to do it. I was getting tired of seeing the same face every day, anyway."

When Jaehyun flung open the storage room door, a cozy and pretty hideout filled my vision.


"You don't know the club name, do you?"

"No."

"It's Next Door."

"Huh? Next Door?"

"He said he named it that so we could feel as relaxed as if we were in a friend's next-door house."

"Who did?"

"Han Dongmin."

The way they talked so casually made it seem like Dongmin and Jaehyun were pretty close.

"Who's the other one?"

"He's a male senior in 3rd year. He should be here in a bit."

After finishing his sentence, he looked around and brought over a desk that had been placed in the corner, then set it down in front of me. It was spotless, without a speck of dust.

"You can do whatever you want here. You can study. You can play games too. Oh! We even watch movies sometimes. There's a beam projector, see? You can watch using that."

"Wow. That's on a different scale."

"Right? Dongmin did all this. Anyway, he's a crazy bastard."

How on earth had they made a space like this without getting caught by school staff and students? It didn't seem possible that he designed all of it alone.

"Strictly speaking, Dongmin's older brother secretly helped him—he bought all this equipment too."

Well, that made sense. No way a single student had set up an entire space like this by himself.

"Is he rich? These things look expensive."

"Less rich and more chaebol. Supposedly his father is the chairman of some major conglomerate... I wasn't told properly, so I don't know exactly."


An oddly meaningful expression that flickered across his face for a moment bothered me, but for now I decided not to press it. As if to brighten the heavy mood, Jaehyun introduced me to different parts of the hideout.

"Anyway, this is for studying. Over there we've got board games. Oh, and there's also a guitar and a violin. Have you ever played bass?"

"Breathe when you talk."

"Okay."

After pouring out words without stopping, he seemed to run out of energy and flopped onto the sofa. I, too, sat down beside him, reading the room.

"By the way, why aren't the other two here yet?"

Speak of the devil, and the devil appears—the two of them soon opened the door and came in. The person standing behind Dongmin was probably that 3rd-year senior.

"Looking for me?"

"Whoa, you finally made it. Why are you late?"

"I was on cleaning duty today."

Dongmin, who had been standing next to him, glanced at me, then tossed his bag aside and picked up the remote to turn the heat up.

"Aren't you guys cold?"

"Uh... I'm okay."

"I mean—we're not even wearing outerwear. I'm hot right now."

At that shameless response, he threw the remote as if venting his irritation, and Jaehyun caught it with practiced ease. They fit together so naturally it felt like a comedy skit.

"Oh right, Hyung, you haven't met Chaeyeon yet, have you? Introduce yourselves."

He had a somewhat blunt, aloof-looking face, and he only gave me a slight nod.

"......"

"Ah, geez!! Seriously. At least remember his name. It's Park Seongho, and as you can see, that guy's kind of rude."

"Hey."

"Why? Did I say something wrong~"

Even after that chilly warning, he still just grinned. What an odd combination of three people, impossible to tell why they were all grouped together in the first place.

"Chaeyeon. Still, once you get close to them, they're not so bad in their own way. You trust me, right?"

"...No."

"Sorry."

While we were talking, Dongmin cut in and suddenly held out a key to me. He still looked a little unconvinced.

"Take it. It's the clubroom key. Don't lose it."

A key with a blue house-shaped key ring attached. Cute and tiny, as if it embodied the identity of the hideout itself.

"You already heard everything about what goes on here from Jaehyun, right? You can leave anytime, and if you want to stay, then stay as long as you like. No one's stopping you."

His tone was extremely vague. Was he hoping I'd stay? Or hoping I'd leave?

"Yeah. Anyway, I'm glad they took me in."

"I don't know if this is right."

Dongmin let out a troubled sigh, but he didn't seem nearly as sharp as before. What on earth was behind that briefly cold face? All at once, I wanted to know.