By Zephyria 
He found it amusing that he didn’t dislike this atmosphere where he didn’t have to force himself to speak or answer, this relationship where only silence drifted around. To feel the opposite of how he felt when he first saw Jeon Jae-hyung. How much have I adapted to the Four Heavenly Kings? He let out a long breath.
The second hand moved without pause. When would he have to return to the field? How long could he lie here? He didn’t want to get up. He had finally found a quiet and cool place; there was no way he wanted to go back out to the field.
In the meantime, Jeon Jae-hyung had fallen asleep again. His neatly closed eyelids remained shut without stirring, even with considerable tossing and turning. He was so neat.
He quietly watched Jeon Jae-hyung, who had even brought his grubby Bboongyi doll on a dusty sports day, and then woke him up.
“Jeon Jae-hyung.”
“Mmm.”
“You…”
“……”
“Why are you doing this, being one of the Four Heavenly Kings?”
“Mmm…”
A thought crossed his mind, wondering if it was okay to ask such a thing, but he asked anyway. He felt like Jeon Jae-hyung would tell him frankly. Unlike the other Four Heavenly Kings, who indulged in over-interpretation and overreaction.
Jeon Jae-hyung mumbled with his lips. The Bboongyi doll in his arms swayed with his mumbling.
“I didn’t necessarily intend to become one of the Four Heavenly Kings…”
“Really?”
Can you end up doing something you didn’t intend to do? Especially something like the Four Heavenly Kings?
Seeing his puzzled expression, Jeon Jae-hyung adjusted his hold on the Bboongyi doll.
“Just because.”
Just because?
“Maybe because we’re friends…”
“Friends? Is it out of loyalty?”
“That’s right. The four of us became close in middle school… and suddenly everyone started calling us… the Four Heavenly Kings… Seniors, and kids from other schools too.”
It was rare for Jeon Jae-hyung to explain things so volubly, so he listened curiously and roughly understood the situation. Four handsome delinquents like that hanging out together, so people gave them names like the Four Heavenly Kings. Like some idol group.
If that was the case, the real problem was that they had no intention of correcting it. Even if it wasn’t formed by them saying, ‘Let’s form the Four Heavenly Kings club!’, looking at them now, they weren’t just not correcting it; they seemed to be enjoying the title and reputation?
Seeing Jeon Jae-hyung answer so compliantly, another question that had been bothering him rose to his throat.
“Jeon Jae-hyung-ah.”
“Yeah.”
“You have the brains for studying, so why do you fight? You said you don’t like physical contact, so why do you fight? Someone like you could become a model student with just a little studying.”
“…That’s.”
Jeon Jae-hyung blinked. He blinked along with his languid movement.
“It couldn’t be helped.”
“……”
“Because there was someone to protect…”
His voice trailed off.
To protect someone, you go around acting like a thug with a club? Does that protect them? It was a question for him.
But he didn’t ask who the person Jeon Jae-hyung was trying to protect was. He declined to get any more excessive information. It would only be troublesome to know details that were too specific for the level of closeness he had. He declined to hear hidden stories and feel indebted by secrets.
“My younger brother…”
“Ah.”
But Jeon Jae-hyung kept rambling about things he hadn’t been asked.
“He’s frail…”
“……”
“So he was bullied…”
Stop!
The words “Don’t say it” welled up in his throat, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter them.
It was the first time he had seen Jeon Jae-hyung with such a forlorn expression. He had thought the guy just lived with a languid, sleepy face. It wasn’t just his expression; the seriousness of the content was also serious. He couldn’t bring himself to cut him off harshly, so he nodded at an appropriate moment, drawing a line.
“I see.”
“Mmm.”
Even so, it didn’t mean he agreed with the act of fighting and being a delinquent to protect someone. It wasn’t his way, which was based on law, order, and discipline.
“Then can I ask one more thing?”
“Mmm?”
“Can you really protect them by breaking school rules… by fighting, no matter what?”
“Yeah.”
A sharp, decisive answer came back. His eyes, always languid and drowsy, now showed a conviction as hard as steel.
“If you become one of the Four Heavenly Kings, won’t your brother be in more danger?”
“Why…?”
“If you fight, you make enemies. What if your enemies attack your younger brother to get to you?”
“But…”
“Then isn’t your fighting ultimately putting your brother in more danger?”
“There are enemies anyway… it can’t be helped…”
“Can’t be helped? Isn’t that irresponsible?”
He retorted, as if shooting words. Jeon Jae-hyung, whose speech had slowed again, blinked his eyes slowly.
“So…”
A gentle breeze blew through the trailing words. The curtain fluttered. The sunlight, shining through the tree shadows, swayed.
Jeon Jae-hyung’s words continued slowly, like a crawling turtle.
“I’m trying to climb up.”
“Up?”
Up what? He was bewildered.
What does climbing up mean? Going to heaven? Or going north?
“Soon there will be…”
“What?”
“A large-scale national…”
“Ah.”
“In the school alliance ranking battle…”
“Stop, stop.”
“Mmm?”
He had heard something he shouldn’t have. So that was what ‘up’ meant. He didn’t want to know.
Right, he had forgotten for a moment, but thanks to this, he could be reminded. This was a novel. And an internet novel at that!
Expecting normal, law-abiding citizen sensibilities from a character in an internet novel where things like ‘large-scale national school alliance ranking battles’ happened routinely was abnormal.
Just because Jeon Jae-hyung was comfortable didn’t mean he wasn’t one of the Four Heavenly Kings. He was a fool for trying to have a serious conversation with the Four Heavenly Kings.
“Yeah. You don’t have to say more, I get it.”
“Mmm…”
What could he do if they insisted on being that way? Looking at Jeon Jae-hyung, who nodded his head obediently, and the Bboongyi doll held preciously in his arms, he had to reconfirm his situation.
Yes. This was inside an internet novel.
“……”
The same silence as before enveloped the surroundings. Yet, contrary to before, he felt displeased. Every breath he exhaled felt irritating.
“Haa…”
Ah, I want to be alone!
The lying position felt uncomfortable, so he kept tossing and turning. The cozy, leisurely comfort he had felt just before was long gone. He marveled at how quickly a person’s feelings could change.
Thump-thump-thump.
Just then, the hallway echoed, and the sound of running, which had been heard from afar, gradually grew louder.
Judging by the commotion, it wasn’t the footsteps of just one person. At least two people were sprinting down the hallway with ferocity.
Rattle, bang!
“Huff, Hae-jun-ah!”
“Jjooniieeeeeeek! Min-ah, Min-ah!”
And as expected. Seong Hae-min and Min Si-hu burst into the infirmary, forcefully sliding open the door. He replied without even looking towards the door.
“Be quiet… my head is ringing.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“Si-hu did it wrong……”
“Are you okay?”
“Hae-jun-ah, how’s your body?”
Beyond the two, who bowed their heads as if repenting dejectedly, Lee Beom and Yeon Su-hwan appeared like shadows, a step behind.
The Four Heavenly Kings, Yeon Su-hwan, and himself. This group composition, in the infirmary. It was familiar.
The infirmary must have bad energy.
He swallowed the sigh that was about to escape.
“My head hurts a bit.”
“This won’t do. Hae-jun, let’s go to the hospital right away.”
“I’ll try resting for a bit.”
“What if something happens while you’re resting?”
Yeon Su-hwan had answered, but Seong Hae-min stepped forward anxiously. Since it was the day of the sports festival, taking leave and going to the hospital wasn’t a bad option, but if I suggested going now, it was obvious everyone here would follow. Why invite more trouble?
“I’m fine.”
“Still, you need to go to the hospital.”
Seong Hae-min was insistent. He clearly intended to take me to the hospital, even if not right now.
“Then I’ll go to the hospital by myself.”
“That’s not allowed!”
“Why?”
“It’s too dangerous. You’re not in good condition, and what if you run into those Jeseong High School guys on the way….”
Seong Hae-min trailed off. I unconsciously looked at Jeon Jae-hyung. As if he had the same thought, our eyes met. Seeing his slow blinks, I raised my eyebrows.
See?
That’s what I wanted to say.
“Then let’s go together tomorrow. I want to lie down and rest today.”
“Okay… Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’ll get better if I rest. For now, I want to rest alone. Alone.”
My emphasis on ‘alone’ made the people in the infirmary exchange glances. But I decided not to back down from their unspoken pressure. Based on their past behavior, bulldozing them was the most effective tactic. I shamelessly stated my opinion.
“It’s safe inside the school, right? I’ll rest alone. Being around so many people makes my head hurt more.”
“Lunch….”
“I can go to the cafeteria during lunch break.”
“Still, just in case, maybe one person should….”
“Please. Okay? Let me rest alone.”
I pleaded without preamble. Seeing the clear dismissal in my words, everyone reluctantly agreed and turned to leave. As expected, stubbornly insisting was the answer with these guys.
“That’s a shame. I was looking forward to cheering you on, Hae-jun. Rest well, and let’s meet next time.”
Yeon Su-hwan winked and was the first to leave, followed by the others who had come to see me, gathering their things and exiting the infirmary. Even Jeon Jae-hyung, who had been sitting guard, reluctantly stepped outside at my gesture.
Yeah, hurry up and leave. Let me rest alone!
Just before the sliding door closed, my eyes met Lee Beom’s as he turned to shut it.
“When you’re feeling better.”
“……”
“Come watch the relay race this afternoon.”
With that, the infirmary door closed.
Finally, I was alone.
I drew the curtain around the bed and closed my eyes.