SMW 62

“Halt! Who do you think you’re trying to seduce my Yeo-reum? Yeo-reum, I oppose this marriage. Even if dirt fills my eyes, a sly wolf like that is absolutely out of the question!”

“Oho, Gyeong-ho. You’ve clearly never been bitten by a sly wolf. Come here. I’ll give you a proper demonstration.”

“Gasp, violence! Yeo-reum, did you see? Regardless of gender, character is everything. So just choose me instead. I’d usually pass on another guy, but for our Yeo-reum, I could consider… Yikes! You scared me!”

I was just about to grab the tie he’d tied for me and throw him to Hyemi as feed if he said one more word when the sound of something like a door being smashed echoed from somewhere. Gyeong-ho, I, and the noisy kids around us all held our breath and looked toward the back door of the classroom. However, the culprit had already stepped out of the room immediately after making the noise.

“That was Choi Seol, right? What’s with him? I thought he’d been quiet lately, but suddenly he’s throwing a fit.”

A fit, huh. I looked at Choi Seol’s desk. There, just like on a certain day of Yeo-reum’s supplementary lessons, a chair lay overturned, abandoned by its owner. It seemed the sound from a moment ago hadn’t come from the door.

Why was he angry? Naturally, I couldn’t know the reason, and it certainly wouldn’t be because of me, but the events at the stream suddenly crossed my mind, leaving my chest feeling heavy.

“Didn’t you know? He’s been in a terrible mood lately.”

At those words, I looked at Hyemi.

“Why?”

“How should I know? There are rumors that the delinquents from the lower neighborhood are messing with Choi Seol again, but honestly, I don’t think that’s it. Maybe he fought with his girlfriend.”

“Hey. He’s acting that savage over just that?”

At Gyeong-ho’s retort, Hyemi wore a look of pity.

“That’s why you’re so unpopular despite your looks. Love is something that makes the whole world feel like heaven one moment and hell the next over the smallest things.”

“Hmm, love is truly profound. But wait, why am I unpopular? What’s wrong with my looks!”

“Ugh, that’s… forget it. Yeo-reum, don’t hang out with a guy who doesn’t know how to act; come with me…”

I stood up before Hyemi could finish her sentence. I no longer had the mental capacity to listen to their conversation.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the restroom.”

I gave Hyemi a vague wave and stepped out into the hallway. It was half an excuse, but since there was nowhere else to go, I headed straight for the fourth-floor restroom.

Unlike the first, second, and third floors where the classrooms for each grade were located, the fourth floor, which housed the practice rooms, had recently been remodeled and smelled strongly of paint. Thanks to that, few people came by, so I occasionally used it when the other restrooms were crowded. Because [unauthorized copy]it was secluded, students who [Read on Read BL Novels]smoked often frequented it, so recently, the doors were only kept open during practice sessions.

Fortunately, it seemed empty now. I hurried into a stall and closed the door. Only after being alone in the narrow space against the wall could I finally breathe deeply. While I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, the image of Choi Seol’s back as he kicked his chair and stormed out played in my head. I also recalled Choi Seol, who had flown into a rage and left at the stream.

Since that day, I stopped avoiding Choi Seol. Because there was no longer any need to.

Choi Seol no longer greeted me first. And it was no longer me who looked away first when our eyes occasionally met.

I’m just air.

Even though I knew it, whenever I reminded myself of my position, my heart ached and my breath hitched. It hurt as if I were heartbroken, even though I’d never confessed.

Damn it, I felt like crying again.

I crouched down against the door and buried my head in my knees. I thought I’d become okay since quite some time had passed since that incident, but it felt like my condition had actually worsened.

It was no longer a hot summer, yet I was still enduring it. Just as I was about to start sobbing out of sheer sorrow—

“Hey. I think there’s no one here?”

I heard the sound of someone entering the restroom.

“Fuck, that’s why I told you we should come here earlier.”

“Wow, this guy is fucking hilarious. Who was the one who said not to come here because the Dean of Students hangs around this area?”

“Hey. Shut up and hurry up and give it to me. Just one hit…”

They’ve got to be crazy.

The smell of cigarettes was leaking through the gap in the closed door. Part of me wanted to bolt out immediately, but anyone who smoked at school was the type of person to act recklessly. If things went wrong, my school life for the next two and a half years could become miserable.

“Hey. But it looks like only that stall is closed?”

Is it already over for me?

I heard the sound of someone approaching. I couldn’t be caught.

I quickly checked if the door was locked. It wasn’t. Damn it. I reached out and tried to slide the lock as quietly as possible, but before I could, I felt someone approach the door. My stiffened hand wouldn’t move properly. Just as I bolted upright to defend the door, determined not to let my face be seen—

“Huh? Choi…”

Choi?

I heard a bewildered voice from outside, and then the presence in [unauthorized copy]Read on Read BL Novelsfront of the door moved away. What was that? Not missing the opportunity, I gripped the lock tightly and listened.

But I heard nothing. There was definitely someone there, but it felt as if they were intentionally suppressing their presence. Shortly after, I heard hurried footsteps growing distant. Then, a heavy silence followed.

Did they leave? I couldn’t feel any more presence. When I peeked through the gap in the door, I saw the empty sinks. They really left. I should get out quickly in case they come back. I hurriedly swung the stall door open and stepped out.

And then I immediately stepped back.

I thought there was no one, but there was. And it was someone I knew.

The “Choi” the guys outside mentioned was indeed Choi Seol. Dressed in a long coat just as he was in the classroom, Choi Seol was standing by the restroom door, staring at me. While screaming internally, I froze on the spot, not knowing what to do.

“Are you going back in?”

“…Huh?”

“I asked if you weren’t finished with your business.”

Only then, at Choi Seol’s glance, did I realize that a toilet was standing right behind me.

“It’s not like that!”

Startled, I leaped out of the stall.

“That’s… I definitely wasn’t doing my business, I just… my, my clothes were messy, so I was fixing them. Then suddenly I smelled cigarettes…”

Fearing he might misunderstand and think I was the one smoking, I stammered out an excuse, but Choi Seol interrupted.

“I didn’t smoke.”

“…”

“The guys who smoked just left.”

“Oh, I see.”

I knew that. The guys probably ran away when Choi Seol appeared. Still, since it felt like Choi Seol was making an excuse so that I wouldn’t misunderstand him in a bad way, I felt like I should pretend not to know.

I didn’t need to try too hard. Just then, the warning bell for class rang. Honestly, the regret was greater, but I forced a smile and said,

“Class is starting. It’s the homeroom teacher’s period first, so we’ll get in trouble if we’re late.”

Come to think of it, the cigarette smoke might have clung to my uniform. It would be a disaster if the teacher misunderstood. Then again, isn’t Choi Seol in the same situation? I looked up as if seeking salvation, then paused.

Was the distance between me and Choi Seol always this close?

I was sure I was by the stall and Choi Seol was by the restroom exit, but while I was checking my clothes, Choi Seol had somehow appeared right in front of me. I instinctively took a step back.

But that wasn’t the end. Choi Seol didn’t stop approaching, and I had no choice but to keep stepping backward. The moment I was pushed back into the stall I had just exited, the door closed.

What is this?

As I stared blankly at the door that had closed before my eyes, a loud voice echoed from outside.

“Which brat was smoking in here!”

It was the homeroom teacher’s voice. A chill ran down my spine instantly. The restroom was still thick with cigarette smoke. It would be terrible if I were seriously misunderstood.

“Hello, Teacher.”

Choi Seol’s calm voice sounded right in front of the door.

“Oh? Isn’t that Seol?”

I felt immediate relief at the teacher’s voice, which softened instantly as if swinging between two extremes. Right, our homeroom teacher was favorable toward Choi Seol. If it had been me, I would have been dragged out by my ear already.

Could it be that Choi Seol hid me for that reason? For a moment, I was deeply touched.

“I was waiting for Yeo-reum.”

And that emotion was shattered instantly.

“He’s taking a long time; maybe it’s constipation.”

Shame followed immediately. Honestly, I couldn’t believe those words came out of that mouth. However, Choi Seol remained calm, and the embarrassment shifted to the teacher.

“O-oh, really?”

“Yes. So it seems we will both be late for class.”

“Is that so? I understand about Yeo-reum, but as for you, perhaps you should head into class first…”

“No. Since we are close enough that even you acknowledge it, Teacher, I cannot leave a friend who is unwell behind. I will wait and we will go in together.”

Strangely, while Choi Seol’s voice was clearly calm, there was an underlying chill. The teacher must have felt it too, as there was more bewilderment in his voice than before.

“W-would you? Then… I’ll leave it to you. Just come in as quickly as possible.”

“Yes. Oh, and we [visit our site]weren’t [unauthorized copy]the ones smoking. It was already like this visit our sitewhen we came in.”

“I know. Neither Yeo-reum nor you would do such a thing. I’ll head down first. Don’t be too late.”

The sound of the teacher’s footsteps faded away. With this, the misunderstanding was cleared, and I wouldn’t be scolded for being late to class. Yet, the reason I couldn’t feel at ease was because of the phrase ‘close relationship’ Choi Seol mentioned. It felt as if he said it specifically for me to hear.

As I pressed down on my suffocating chest, the door opened again. I looked up to find Choi Seol looking down at me. The restroom lights were off, so it was dark even though it was daytime. Perhaps that’s why the shadows on Choi Seol’s face made him look quite sharp.

The events at the stream came to mind once more.

“Is the teacher gone?”

As I forced a smile while calming my churning stomach, Choi Seol gave a small nod.

“Yeah.”

“Thanks. For hiding… no, for making sure I didn’t get scolded by the teacher.”

My non-existent constipation played a big part, but I thanked him anyway. This was a topic too embarrassing to even protest.

“Well then, shall we head down to the classroom now?”

I intentionally stepped out of the stall with a lively air. Read on Read BL NovelsBut as expected, Read on Read BL NovelsI was pushed back. A large frame suddenly stepped in front of me, blocking my exit and trapping me inside the restroom once again.

As I looked up at Choi Seol in bewilderment, wondering what was happening, a nonchalant voice dropped.

“Tie my tie.”