male friend

07. Variable

male friend,

Episode 7. Variable

Lunchtime. The two returned to the classroom after lunch and sat down next to each other. Yeoju was still busy eating, her excitement growing.

박지민

Eat all day?

윤여주

…what should I do if it doesn’t melt?

Finally, because she had been biting on it for so long, the entrance of the thrill had become stuck to her tongue. As the female protagonist struggled to pull it off, Jimin immediately took it away.

And then he holds it in both hands and kneads it. Jimin presses the hardened part of the thrill, tensing the tendons in his hands. Yeoju's heart flutters again here.

박지민

I think it might have melted a bit now?

Jimin readily offers it to the female protagonist. Seeing his cold, red palm, the female protagonist unconsciously thinks to herself, "Why are people so affectionate and chaotic?"

윤여주

oh…!

Unlike before, the sweet ice cream that went into her mouth just right made the female protagonist open her eyes wide and smile.

Jimin looked at the female lead with eyes like she was looking at his own daughter and smiled along with her.

윤여주

What are you doing after school today?

박지민

Tutoring.

윤여주

So I have to go right away?

박지민

No. There's still some time left, why?

"That's good." Jimin, his eyes bewildered by the words the heroine blurted out unconsciously, asked her, "What?"

윤여주

… … No.

윤여주

Let's go together after school.

"Glanced at Jimin," the female lead said, observing him closely. For someone who had a crush on him, it was a significant decision and suggestion.

I can't even count how many sentences raced through my head before I finally got around to saying those words. The words the female protagonist finally blurted out were a sort of date proposal.

After about three seconds, Jimin, who was still staring at Yeoju, had no change in expression. Yeoju, sensing the awkward atmosphere, spoke first.

윤여주

… kid, that’s what I mean

박지민

Okay, let's go together.

윤여주

…Huh. Really?

윤여주

I was just saying that…

박지민

I need to check on the kid.

윤여주

… You take care of the kid more than me, now?

"I strictly follow the line. It's not your kid, it's my kid." Jimin chuckles at the sight of the female lead, who is usually full of excitement, resolutely shouting that.

윤여주

…What, why are you laughing!

박지민

I didn't laugh.

윤여주

Huh, I saw it all? You just laughed like it was ridiculous!

박지민

No, it wasn't like that.

윤여주

… I said I saw it all, but I said it wasn’t until the end.

As the female lead looks away with a pouty expression, Jimin bursts out laughing again.

박지민

Are you upset?

윤여주

Wow, what. I'm not that narrow-minded.

박지민

I'm upset, right now.

Now, seeing the heroine's attitude of not even responding, Jimin just looked at her and then pulled a chair closer and sat down.

Then, after trying to soothe them a few times to get them to stop whining, if they feel like this isn't enough, they'll whisper in their ear.

If you don't stop being so pissed off now, I won't walk home from school with you later.

윤여주

You already promised that!

박지민

If you don't talk to me, it's like the promise never happened.

윤여주

… … It’s a total lethal blow.

윤여주

…I'm talking to you now, okay?

박지민

Okay, that's it.

At Jimin's unique, bright smile, the female protagonist's heart melts and she can only feel the excitement that has already been eaten.

윤여주

……and you.

박지민

huh-.

윤여주

… J, don’t keep looking at me from so close.

윤여주

Every time this happens, I feel so embarrassed.

Bang. Just then, the back door near them opened with a loud crack, and a loud noise could be heard, almost shattering the door. It sounded like the sweet moment between them was about to end.

The female lead, whose heart almost fell, pretended to hold her chest and sighed, so Jimin asked if she was okay.

The two men's gazes naturally turned toward the back door. The man who opened the door and came in turned his gaze toward the female lead.

"Jimin, you seem to have time to hang out with a girl."

A large man with a spiderweb tattoo on his neck. He was dressed in a raw uniform that didn't even show the L-shaped part of his uniform.

At first glance, his worldly, unfashionable attire made it hard to believe he was a student. But then again, judging by the way Park Jimin spoke to him and said things, he was definitely a student…

Park Jimin, taking advantage of the moment I was distracted, slid into my field of vision. He bowed low, said he was going somewhere for a bit, and exited through the back door.

The guy who called Park Jimin seemed to be following Park Jimin, but then he stopped for a moment, met my eyes for a while, and then left.

As soon as the back door closed, the frozen atmosphere began to melt away, and the classmates began to gather in groups and talk.

I avert my gaze from the back door, sit up straight, and think deeply…

Somehow, I feel like I've seen that guy somewhere.

As several periods passed like that… Park Jimin wasn’t even seen in the classroom.

Since Park Jimin had long since fallen out of the teachers' radar, no one asked about his whereabouts.

I couldn't concentrate at all throughout the class because the empty seat next to me was bothering me. When I came to my senses, it was the end of the class.

After the closing ceremony where I listened to the same teacher's words as always... I quickly got up from my seat to look for Park Jimin, but it was none other than Jeon Jungkook who spoke to me.

전정국

I don't see Park Jimin. Where did he go?

윤여주

…I don't know. I haven't seen him since lunchtime.

윤여주

A really tall kid called me and I went over… .

At the heartbroken voice of the female protagonist, Jeongguk frowned for a moment, then turned off his phone and asked the female protagonist again. What?

윤여주

uh…?

전정국

Who called Park Jimin?

윤여주

…Huh? Huh. I don’t know who it is,

전정국

……no way.

윤여주

… No way?

Jeongguk's expression gradually distorted, and soon, a small swear word could be heard from his mouth. The female protagonist, who was not immune to foul language, flinched inwardly.

Before she could even ask why, Jeongguk was already running out of the classroom. Yeoju, who had missed her timing, also left the classroom, filled with questions.

No matter how much I looked around the school hallways… I wonder if the missing Jimin was the only one burning inside Yeoju.

When they finally reached the first floor, the female protagonist saw a familiar male silhouette loitering in front of the infirmary and cautiously approached him.

As he approached, his back seemed suspicious. Finally, when the heroine stood right behind him, it was a coincidence that he was the man who had been following him.

윤여주

…?

윤여주

…!

윤여주

Hey, Park Jimin…!

It was none other than Jimin, whose once-beautiful face was now etched with red marks. Even his lips had long since been covered in scabs.

The female protagonist was quite surprised to see Jimin covered in small and large scars all over his body except for his cheeks, nose, and chin, and grabbed his cheeks.

윤여주

Why is your face like this…!

윤여주

It's because of that kid earlier...?!

Even though Jimin, who had a wound where Yeoju's hand had touched, was groaning, Yeoju had no intention of letting him go.

Because just this morning, her face, which was so pretty and white, was now covered in bruises.

윤여주

…Should we go to the police station right now?

윤여주

Follow me, let's go right now

The heroine tried to drag Jimin away with her own strength. It was a no-brainer. Instead, she ended up being held captive by Jimin.

When the flustered female protagonist stares up at Jimin, it is Jimin who matches the female protagonist's eye level with his clear eyes.

박지민

Sorry, I kept you waiting.

++ Even after coming back so hurt, the first thing you said was worrying about the female lead.