---
"Hey, what is this?"
Lee Seok-min handed me my phone. What the? What's wrong with my wallpaper? It was a new wallpaper I'd never seen before. A photo of Kwon Soon-young. Why didn't I notice it until now?
"I didn't do this..?"
" then? "
" ah,.. "
"That bastard Kwon Soon-young..."
Yesterday, I saw Kwon Soon-young briefly touching my phone. It was clear she'd changed my wallpaper. How did she get my password?
"Aren't you going to change the background?"
"Yeah. I'll just leave it at that."
" why..? "
***
Lee Seok-min was at a student council meeting, and Kim Min-gyu was caught by a teacher on his way home, so I was walking home alone today. As I was passing through the school gate with my earphones in, someone called out loudly from a dark alley. "Oh, again."
***
"Kwon Soon-young, what are you doing? Aren't you going to work?"
"No. Do it, do it."
"What's wrong? Why are you spacing out like that?"
"Brother, I think I like you again."
"What are you talking about?"
"Seol-ah."
"I started liking Seol-ah again..."
***
"Why me..?"
'Were you on your way home?'
"Oh, yeah."
'Then you'll have plenty of time, right?'
" a little,.. "
"Do you have something to say..?"
'Is that so? I just called to kill time?'
"Then I'll go..."
'Where are you going? Light a cigarette for me and go.'
"...Okay. Give me the lighter."
I felt like I had to hurry up and finish up and go. All he had to do was give me a lighter, but he even put a cigarette butt in my hand. Then the kids grabbed their bags and yelled, "Teacher, Hanseol, she's smoking."
My mind went blank.
***
'First, I'm going to take a smoking cessation class. I'm going to call my parents too.'
"Teacher,"
'Why did you smoke?'
'Seol-ah isn't like that.'
" ... "
'Tell me why. Why did you smoke?'
"I didn't smoke."
'What do you mean you don't smoke? I can smell cigarettes.'
"Why did you ask if you weren't going to believe me?"
' what? '
'No. First, come to school tomorrow with your parents.'
'I need to talk to my parents.'
"No. There's no such thing as parents."
'Bring anyone.'
***
"What? What happened?"
"What do you mean you smoked?"
"It's a lie. I was just fooled."
"It's them again?"
I left the teachers' office and closed the door. I ran into Lee Seok-min, who was standing in front of me. Perhaps he'd overheard me in the office, he started asking me what was wrong. I simply said, "I was just fooled." Lee Seok-min immediately recognized who had done it.
"I'll be spending a long time with my parents tomorrow..."
" ... "
"I wonder if Seungcheol oppa will have time."
"What about Jeonghan hyung?"
"I hope Jeonghan oppa doesn't know that I'm going through something like this."
***
"Hello. I am Choi Seung-cheol, Seol-ah's guardian."
'Oh, are you Seol-ah's father?'
"Seol-ah, it's not my dad,"
'First, please sit here.'
" yes. "
'Did you know that Seol-ah smokes?'
"What does that mean?"
'Oh, didn't Seol-ah tell you?'
'Seol-ah, I got caught smoking yesterday.'
"Seol-ah, she's not that kind of girl."
'I knew it too.'
"Have you heard the story from Seol-ah?"
"Seol-ah doesn't smoke cigarettes or anything like that."
"Another student might have framed you."
'Father,'
"I guess I'll call it a day."
"Please call me back when you know for sure."
***
'Guys, we're going to have a bag check today. Put your bags on the desk and go out into the hallway.'
'Huh?! Why are you suddenly checking my bag?!!'
'I think the teacher made a mistake. Get out of here quickly.'
'Ah, teacher!!'
***
I questioned the teacher's promise to search our bags. What did Seungcheol say? Lee Seokmin and I were comfortable enough to leave for the hallway, but those kids were still in the classroom, wondering if we had cigarettes in our bags.
'Ah, sh*t's done! '
'How did Damtang find out?'
'Ah, *foot... no way.'
'Hey, Hanseol.'
"Why, why."
'What the heck? Did you tell us there were cigarettes in our bags?'
The kid came closer to me. Lee Seok-min, who had been watching from the side with his arms crossed, blocked the kid's path as he strode toward me, feeling he couldn't just sit still.
"Let's not come any closer."
"Let's talk there. It's a good distance."
'Ha, shit. Today is a tough day.'