A week since the paired senior-junior buddy system started.
There was exactly one thing I realized.
Park Wonbin really doesn’t talk.
No, that’s not even the half of it.
"Wonbin, how was class?"
"...It was okay."
"Did you eat at the cafeteria?"
"Yes."
"How about with your classmates?"
"...Yes."
The end.
At first, I thought I was just asking weird questions.
But I wasn’t.
He was like this with anyone.
Even when the classmates greeted him first in the hallway,
"Wonbin!"
"...Oh."
The end.
Even when a female upperclassman talked to him,
"Have you gotten used to school yet?"
"...Yes."
The end.
'Wow...'
'This is a bit much.'
*
Just then, the department had set up a lunch gathering as an OT after-party for the freshmen.
The paired upperclassmen were coming too.
I deliberately claimed the seat next to Wonbin.
"Sit here."
"...Okay."
Around us were all freshmen.
The atmosphere was noisy.
"Aren’t you looking forward to our department MT?"
"What do you want to do at the festival?"
"What club are you going to join?"
Laughter burst out here and there.
But Wonbin was the only one who stayed quiet.
He just sipped his water over and over.
'Is he not even that close with his friends...? '
Then the female upperclassman across from us looked at Wonbin and smiled.
"Wonbin."
"...Yes."
"You’re really handsome."
"...Thank you."
"A ton of girls must be hitting on you."
"..."
"..."
"..."
There was no answer.
The female upperclassman smiled awkwardly too.
"Ah, that’s embarrassing."
Someone beside me muttered softly.
"See?"
"I knew it, he’s a prince."
"He won’t even talk to people."
Somehow that sounded louder than I expected.
I glanced at Wonbin for no reason.
His expression didn’t change.
I figured he didn’t care at all.
*
After lunch, it was time to walk around campus.
The paired upperclassmen were showing the freshmen the facilities.
"The library is here."
"The student center is over there."
"The convenience store’s open until late at night."
While I was explaining, Wonbin followed quietly along.
"Any questions?"
"...No."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You don’t have to just answer me, you can ask stuff too."
"..."
Quiet again.
I ended up laughing.
"Hey."
"...Yes."
"Are you maybe scared of me?"
Wonbin looked at me with startled eyes.
"...No."
"Then why won’t you talk."
"..."
"..."
After opening and closing his mouth for a long while, Wonbin finally said,
"...I’m sorry."
"...What?"
"I’m... not good at talking."
It was so unexpected that I went blank for a second.
"Talking?"
"..."
"When I’m nervous."
"..."
"I always."
Then I finally remembered the things that had seemed a little odd.
The way he couldn’t quite make eye contact.
The way he froze when people came close.
The way he kept stopping before he could speak.
'No way...'
I stared straight at Wonbin.
"You."
"..."
"Do you maybe not talk well with girls?"
Wonbin’s ears turned bright red in an instant.
"...Yes."
"...Really?"
He nodded very slightly.
"Why?"
"...All-boys middle school."
"..."
"All-boys high school."
"..."
"...I went to."
In the end, I burst out laughing.
"That’s insane."
Wonbin looked flustered.
"...I’m sorry."
"No, that’s not what I meant."
"Huh?"
"So that’s why."
The pieces suddenly clicked into place in my head.
Why people said he was rude.
Why he didn’t talk to people.
Why he always walked alone.
Everything.
'So it was because he’s shy around people.'
I felt weirdly wronged on his behalf.
'I guess the others would misunderstand him.'
If he didn’t talk, that’s probably how he looked.
"Wonbin."
"...Yes."
"Want me to tell you something?"
"..."
"Right now, in the department."
"..."
"There’s a rumor that you’re rude."
Wonbin froze completely.
"...Excuse me?"
"They call you a prince."
"..."
"..."
"...Me?"
He looked genuinely shocked.
Seeing that face, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
"That surprising?"
"..."
"Everyone thinks you look down on people."
Wonbin couldn’t say anything for a while.
Then he muttered quietly,
"...I don’t."
That one line strangely stuck with me.
I don’t.
I really don’t.
He looked like someone who couldn’t even explain himself properly.
I sighed and laughed.
"Got it."
"...?"
"From now on, I’ll explain it for you."
"..."
"Our Wonbin isn’t rude at all."
Wonbin stared at me blankly.
After a while,
"...Thank you."
This time, he smiled a little more easily than before.
The moment I saw that, I was sure of it.
Park Wonbin wasn’t a prince.
He was just.
Someone who was missing a lot of social skills.
