LMO 35

The area in front of the school gate instantly became as crowded as Gwanghwamun Square during the 2002 World Cup semifinals. It was so noisy and chaotic that it was hard to even hear what they were shouting. You could believe it was measuring the limit of decibels that humans could endure with their ears.

Unable to bear it, I covered my ears.

“Quiet!”

At Lee Beom’s command, the surroundings instantly became as silent as a graveyard. I awkwardly removed my hands from my ears.

Lee Beom, with his hands in his pockets, approached me. The collarbone revealed by his unbuttoned shirt came into close proximity. His shadow fell right in front of me.

“Seong Hae-jun.”

“Huh?”

“You explain.”

“No, even if you ask me to explain…”

“No matter what anyone says!”

Startled by Lee Beom’s sudden shout, I flinched and pulled my neck back.

“I.”

“……”

“Will only believe what you say.”

At Lee Beom’s words, the crowd of students gasped. I could feel the blushing onlookers watching with shining eyes.

The area in front of the school gate was silent, as if waiting for my answer. Lee Beom’s serious black eyes followed me intently. The rest of the Four Heavenly Kings, standing behind Lee Beom, also looked at me with eyes mixed with trust and concern. The numerous gazes focused on me sent a chill down my spine.

I felt like throwing up. But unfortunately, I had no explanation to give.

Because I didn’t know what was going on either!

“I really don’t know anything, he suddenly…”

“Hae-jun is such a bad guy,” Do Yun-hyeok muttered bitterly. Is he still acting? I stopped talking and snapped my head up to look at Do Yun-hyeok. And I regretted daring to glare at the mad dog. I met his eyes, which were flashing with emotion. My knees felt weak.

“To abandon someone like this……”

Do Yun-hyeok, who let out a bitter chuckle, didn’t seem normal at all. He really is a crazy person. Without realizing it, I stepped back and grabbed Seong Hae-min’s clothes tightly.

“But you’re still pretty, which is the problem.”

As soon as Do Yun-hyeok finished speaking, Lee Beom, who shot forward like an arrow, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Even amidst the imminent conflict, the students with their indomitable archiving skills were busy pulling out their mobile phones to record the current situation. Jeon Jae-hyung was, as usual, in charge of collecting the mobile phones today.

“Just because your mouth works doesn’t mean everything you say is true. Don’t spew dog shit.”

“What are you going to do? Because it’s not dog shit.”

Do Yun-hyeok smirked, looking at Lee Beom. Both of their eyes were becoming grotesque, like rotten pollack. The air was so tense it felt like it could explode at any moment. It seemed like a fight would be unavoidable with this kind of friction.

‘And if this continues…’

A drama script unfolded in my mind.

The incident that occurred on the way home today would, at the latest, reach the school teachers by tomorrow, carried by the lighter-than-feather tongues of those who witnessed it. And it would be clear as day that I, Seong Hae-jun, who was believed to be a diligent model student, would be known as the main culprit. I, who was thought to be a student who enhanced the school’s academic enthusiasm, would suddenly become the ringleader causing disputes with students from another school…

My reputation among the teachers would plummet, and then my college entrance exams…

Lightning struck in my head.

‘They can’t fight!’

“J-just a moment, the promise… it, it seems like there was one!”

With strength I didn’t know I had, I rushed forward and clung to Lee Beom’s arm. Lee Beom frowned, and Do Yun-hyeok lowered his eyes with a disappointed expression.

“It’s not ‘seems like there was one,’ you really promised.”

“Um. First, let’s both calm down.”

Lee Beom’s grip on the uninvited guest’s scruff slowly loosened. Do Yun-hyeok, with a victor’s smile, brushed off his collar that Lee Beom had released. Seong Hae-min’s voice was heard from behind.

“Why didn’t you say anything, Hae-jun?”

The voice calling me trembled so much that anyone overhearing it would think I had suffered a desperate betrayal after years of trust. I wanted to scream, “I’m the one who got backstabbed, not you!”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because there was nothing to say!”

Do Yun-hyeok, smiling coolly, snatched my answer away.

“If you’re going to push me like that, would I say anything?”

Do Yun-hyeok sneered with a laugh. I was flabbergasted. Who would believe such harsh words?

However, Seong Hae-min, the last pure soul in this era, believed anything concerning Seong Hae-jun without question. Hae-min’s gentle voice began to waver, growing moist.

“Is… is that true, Hae-jun-ah…?”

“Idiot! You believe that crap, ugh!”

I was about to shout, “You believe this?”

But before Hae-min’s cry could finish, Do Yun-hyeok yanked me forward. As my head was pulled back weakly, a heavy motorcycle helmet was placed over it. My vision darkened, and the world’s sounds receded as if I were submerged in water.

Do Yun-hyeok, lifting me as if I were a toy, placed me on the back of his motorcycle. It all happened in an instant.

“Sit still, Princess.”

If I’m a princess, does that make him a villain?

Setting aside the bizarre notion of calling me “Princess” when I’m a guy, the phrase “sit still” sounded like “go to the other world.” In crude terms, it meant “die.” Looking at his behavior, it didn’t seem like I was wrong to hear it that way. I had never felt my blood pressure surge this much in my life. Was I going to die like this?

I tried to throw off the helmet that was blocking out the outside noise, but no matter how Do Yun-hyeok had put it on, this damn helmet wouldn’t come off. My haste only made it worse. While I fumbled with the helmet, wrestling with it, the deranged Do Yun-hyeok smiled brightly and delivered his parting line to the Four Heavenly Kings.

“Then, Hae-jun is mine!”

And right there, with everyone frozen like statues, he took me and sped off.

Instead of complaining about him having too much fun, I was busy trying to stay alive, barely holding onto Do Yun-hyeok to prevent my head from splitting open from the jolt of the motorcycle’s sudden acceleration. Without any chance to explain, I left the school gate with Do Yun-hyeok.

Do Yun-hyeok had a delinquent streak, no less than Lee Beom. Since he had made outrageous claims about “claiming” me before, I had resolved not to have any physical contact with him, but such resolutions crumbled easily in the face of self-preservation.

The surroundings blurred past at an incredible speed. To survive, I had no choice but to cling to Do Yun-hyeok’s waist. I felt him tense his muscles where my palms touched near his abdomen. I felt the rock-hard, sculpted muscles against me.

I was so dumbfounded that I wanted to lash out with a fist, a petty act of revenge, but I held back, afraid the mad dog would mistake it for an affectionate gesture.

Do you avoid something because you’re afraid of it?

No.

This dog was not only dirty but also terrifying.

The place Do Yun-hyeok took me was in front of a clothing store. Considering he had just kidnapped me from school, it was an absurdly random location. But I didn’t have time to question Do Yun-hyeok about the situation. I was too disoriented from being dragged along. It was similar to when I was dragged out during a past blind date. I was simply bewildered.

What was inside the mad dog’s head?

I doubted he knew himself.

It felt foolish to be wary of him.

“Why are we here…?”

“Why?”

“…”

After gathering my thoughts, I asked with a dry mouth, struggling to speak. He shamelessly asked back. He looked genuinely curious about my question. I shut my mouth. The biggest mistake was thinking I could have a conversation with this person.

“Did you really forget, Princess?”

That “Princess” nonsense again!

“…”

“You forgot.”

Staying silent wasn’t a good solution either. I let out a deep sigh and asked as if talking to myself,

“What on earth…”

“We were supposed to go to a club together. Don’t you remember?”

“When was that!”

“You’re mean.”

“…”

“I guess I was the only one excited and looking forward to it.”

What kind of new bullshit is this! Do Yun-hyeok muttered gloomily. Because he so shamelessly painted me as a wicked person, I lost my chance to get angry. He looked genuinely disappointed. I was speechless. I was being outmaneuvered every time.

I gave up on trying to think rationally with Do Yun-hyeok.

He wasn’t human. He was a dog. A truly mad dog at that.

“I’m really disappointed…”

Do Yun-hyeok slumped his shoulders. For a moment, he looked so genuinely crestfallen that I almost thought, “Did I do something wrong?” But I bit my tongue and snapped back to reality. It was hard not to fall for his smooth facade when he was determined to deceive me. His acting didn’t seem fake at all.

No way.

‘It can’t be that… everything up to now was genuine?’

The moment that terrifying thought crossed my mind, Do Yun-hyeok grabbed me and strode into the clothing store.

Watching Do Yun-hyeok’s handsome back, I decided to believe that all his past actions were just a flawless method acting performance. I didn’t know his intention, but it had to be acting. If he truly believed all those words himself, that was beyond my reach.

“Whatever happens, happens.” I gave up on Do Yun-hyeok, who was like an insurmountable cement wall.