* Please note that this article is a fabrication based on a creative work. *
*Please note that there is profanity.*
As I walked to eat, surrounded by them, the long cafeteria line split in half like the Red Sea. With Min-gyu's arm around my shoulder, I walked through the line, my head bowed low under the harsh stares of the crowd.
"Kim Min-gyu, can you take your hand off Yeo-ju's shoulder?"
"Why, are you jealous?"
"Oh, so that's it."
"Wow-. Seungkwan Boo is really into it."
Thanks to Seungkwan, I escaped Mingyu's grasp, but he remained firmly by my side. When I held his plate, he served me side dishes, and on either side of me, they served me rice and soup.
Contrary to my intention to eat alone, I ended up eating with them, and I couldn't raise my head because Seung-gwan was sitting across from me and looking at me with a burdensome expression.
If I keep doing this, won't I get a turtle neck?
"Eat quickly."
"Uh, yeah..."
"Even the female protagonist looks pretty when she eats haha."
"Shut up and eat."
I practically buried my nose in my plate as I ate, trying to avoid this moment as quickly as possible. I felt like I'd vomit if I continued eating, and with nearly half of my meal still left, I got up.
"Huh? You already ate it all?"
"Yeah... I'm full, I'm full."
Seeing me like this, Seungcheol was startled and asked me, and I quickly fled. Fortunately, they seemed to be continuing to eat, so I felt relieved. As I was going to put down the trays, a foot suddenly appeared out of nowhere and I tripped and fell.
" ah! "
"Oh, what the heck, it's dirty."
" ... ... "
"Aren't you going to apologize?"
"Me, me, "
"Hong Yeo-ju, stay still."
The food was still on the plate, so it was scattered all over the floor, and the sleeves of my uniform shirt were soaked with soup.
My feet were sticking out of the table, but I was in a situation where I needed to apologize, and as I was about to say sorry, familiar voices came towards me.
" are you okay? "
"Yeah... sorry..."
"Don't say you're sorry."
Seungcheol and Mingyu bent down and asked if I was okay, and Seungcheol draped his shawl over my shoulder. Thanks to them, I was able to stand, and only then did I frown at the pain in my arm.
"Are you hurt?"
"Huh? Oh, no,"
" ShitHey, I apologize."
" ... ... "
"Apologize. Can't you hear me?"
Seeing my expression, Seungkwan grabbed my wrist, hurled a curse, and then walked towards them. He didn't open his mouth when I asked him to apologize, but he slowly opened his mouth when Wonwoo spoke.
" sorry.. "
" sorry. "
" are you okay... "
"Let's go to the infirmary."
As soon as I finished speaking, Seungkwan said that we should go to the infirmary. He grabbed Minkyu's sleeve that was wrapped around me, worried that something might happen again as the kids watched him.
When we arrived at the infirmary, the nurse wasn't there, perhaps because it was lunchtime. They sat me down on the bed and, with a familiar air, took out some medicine. Seungcheol lifted my arm and applied the medicine. It didn't sting, but they grimaced as if they were in more pain, and I chuckled softly.
"Huh? The heroine just laughed!"
"So, I saw it."
" uh...? "
"You look prettier when you smile."
"Keep smiling like that, don't always bow your head."
I didn't know if I could do it, but I nodded slowly.
"Ah! The heroine grabbed my arm earlier haha. That means she trusts me that much, guys."
" Shit"Take a shit."
"You're talking nonsense again."
"No, I'm telling you, really?! Right, Yeoju?"
"Huh...? Yeah, that's right."
" what?! "
Min-gyu's sudden remark startled me, and I unconsciously grabbed it, but I said it was okay since I had grabbed it. Seung-gwan looked at me in shock. Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, I averted my eyes and fiddled with the bandage on my arm.
It's a bit scary... haha..
As we arrived at the classroom, all eyes were on us. I shut my eyes tightly and returned to my seat. I gathered up the trash the kids had thrown at me earlier. Seungkwan, watching me, sighed and opened his mouth.
"Every time someone harasses you, tell us."
"Huh..? Oh, it's okay."
"It's because we're not okay, tell me."
" huh... "
Sunyoung took the trash in my hand and tore it up, and I pulled out my workbook, trying to lick my lips.
The afternoon flew by quickly, and since I hadn't done anything special after school, I was studying alone at home or in the library, so I was packing my bag. After the assembly, I grabbed my bag and left the classroom. I heard a voice following me, and my steps stopped in their tracks.
"Haha, my lady."
"Hey, I'm going to take you home haha."
".. It's okay, it'll be quick if you take the bus."
"Let's go together just in case."
As I turned around, their eyes met mine, and they smiled awkwardly. Min-gyu raised his hand, making himself look even more awkward. I nodded subtly at their words and walked alongside me, not following them.
But as I left the building and walked across the playground, a thought struck me. Clearly, if I were to drop him off at my house, I'd be bragging about my wealth just by looking at the building, so I was racking my brain over what to do.
At that moment, my phone vibrated and I got a call from my brother.
"Yeah, oppa."
- Are you done with school? Come out, it's the main gate.
"Huh? Oppa, are you at school?"
- I came to pick up our heroine~ Come quickly!
"Yeah~"
My brother called me today and told me to hurry out, asking why I was coming to get him. I didn't know what was going on, but I was relieved that thanks to him, they wouldn't find out.
"My brother came to pick me up.. haha."
"Brother? Is Yeoju's brother here?"
"Then let's just go to the main gate together."
I hung up the phone and turned to face them. They stared intently at me as I spoke, momentarily taken aback. They were startled when I called them "oppa." As I reached the front gate, I saw my oppa's car right in front of me. I greeted them and ran out of breath.
"Brother!"
"Are you here? Are you Yeoju's friends?"
"Huh? Oh, in the same class.. heh."
"I think it's my first time seeing Yeoju's friends. But I think I've seen them a lot somewhere...?"
My brother stared at them as they got into the car, put on their seatbelts, and left.
Meanwhile, when they saw the female lead's bright smile whenever she answered the phone or ran to her brother, they felt dizzy for a moment.
"You laugh so well..."
" ... The female protagonist must have had a hard time, right?"
"Yeah, but I guess you didn't tell your family."
"Jeon Won-woo knows me like a ghost."
" Ha-, thatyoung"I guess I should kill them or something."