Since Han-gyeol and I had decided to have night study and dinner together, we stayed after school.
However, there was this awkward gap between the final bell of the 7th period and the time we’d set for dinner. And since I hadn’t signed up for any after-school classes, it was just Han-gyeol and me, alone in the empty classroom.
Just the two of us. Completely alone.
Why wasn’t anyone else around?
What should I even talk about?
Fighting games? Schoolwork? Class president elections?
Or perhaps delve into movies or dramas we both enjoy watching?
I found myself realizing how little I actually knew about Han-gyeol.
Eventually, I just glanced at him as he was studying next to me.
I couldn’t help but notice that Han-gyeol had surprisingly long eyelashes for a guy, and his skin was somewhat pale...?
The way he sat upright while studying made him look like an honest person.
Seeing such an honest person was rare these days, so I wondered—what kind of person does Han-gyeol like?
‘..?’
Who does Han-gyeol like?
In the first place, what kind of person would Han-gyeol be interested in?
Would it be someone cute? Or perhaps someone very mature? Or someone cool?
What would be their height, or body type?
What kind of personality would he prefer?
Maybe he likes something unexpectedly radical?
Ah, he was in the literary club, so maybe it’s a girl he knows from the club?
Or maybe a girl from the same class?
However, I had never seen him talk to any girl other than me. And he didn’t really converse with anyone else in the class either.
-Thump-!
“Hey-! You’re here! Han-gyeol! Let’s go play basketball!”
A boy from our class burst into the room, holding a basketball and looking for Han-gyeol.
There were still about 30 minutes left until dinner, so I thought for sure Han-gyeol would go...
“Ah, sorry. I’m in the middle of asking Eun-ha a question.”
“Ah, are you studying? My bad. Then let’s play next time!”
“Sure.”
The boy from our class immediately closed the classroom door and ran off to another class.
“You didn’t go because of me?”
“Hm? No, I really have a question to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Um... I can’t solve this geometric progression problem. Can you help?”
Han-gyeol pointed to a problem in his reference book.
It was a problem I recognized, maybe because we bought the same reference book.
“Ah! Where are you stuck?”
“I’ve found the first term, I just need to find the common ratio, but I don’t know where to look for the scale factor.”
“Hmm... Since it’s a sector, you can use the radius to find it. You got that far?”
“Yeah. The ultimate goal is to find the length of S2′s radius, but should I use the rectangles to find the scale factor?”
“Um... That could be a way, but I solved it with the right triangle.”
“Aha—so would this work?”
Han-gyeol traced through the problem with focused eyes.
“Ah! I think you can handle it on your own from here.”
“Oh— it was easy. Guess I was overthinking by trying to solve it within a rectangle.”
With ease, Han-gyeol solved the problem.
“Wow, you did it? I only gave you a hint.”
“Your hint was spot-on, that’s why it worked. Thanks for the help.”
“Come to think of it, the mock exams for March are the week after next... I’m worried.”
“Don’t worry too much. It’s not like it’s the June or September mock exams.”
“You seem pretty relaxed, Han-gyeol? I haven’t even properly studied social studies yet...”
We were in our third year of high school now, so we couldn’t just play around all the time.
If only Han-gyeol and I had been in the same class during the second year, it would have been more comfortable to hang out.
“I’m the same.”
“What?! Han-gyeol, did you just read my mind?”
“Huh?”
“Are you really a mind reader? That’s starting to freak me out!”
“No... Considering it’s March, most people probably haven’t finished studying social studies yet, right?”
“Ah—”
So that’s what it was about.
After that, we naturally started studying together.
Han-gyeol picked up things faster than I had expected.
It was quite interesting to see how smoothly he solved math problems.
Just five minutes before dinner time, we closed our reference books.
“We got a lot of studying done.”
“Haha, we did, didn’t we? It’s more effective when we do it together.”
“I didn’t disturb you, did I?”
“Not at all! The questions you asked were actually challenging, so it was a good review for me.”
“That’s a relief. Alright, let’s go have dinner.”
“Sure.”
We packed up our bags and headed to the cafeteria.
“Today’s dinner menu is—”
“Ah-! They might be serving stir-fried beef brisket and bean sprouts?”
“Wow— you memorized the menu?”
“Ah—”
What could one do when they felt like they have a very big appetite?
I had been maintaining my weight, but I was eating a bit more recently.
So today, I decided to have a smaller portion.
“Your serving seems smaller today?”
“Ah, haha... I’ve been eating a bit more lately.”
“No worries, you’re on the skinny side anyway, so it’s fine if you eat more.”
Han-gyeol spoke without an ounce of hesitation.
I felt a bit embarrassed, but it also felt nice.
“Haha... thanks for saying that.”
“That’s why you should eat more.”
Han-gyeol generously picked up a portion of beef brisket with his chopsticks and placed it on my plate.
“Just so you know, I haven’t used these chopsticks yet.”
“Ah-! That’s not a problem, but then you won’t have much left to eat.”
“Me? I don’t like beef.”
“Don’t lie—! Who on earth doesn’t like beef?”
“I’m serious. Enjoy it. I wouldn’t eat it even if you gave it back.”
Ugh... How could I refuse when he put it that way?
“Alright... I’ll eat well, then...”
It was both embarrassing and touching to be cared for like this.
Just as I was about to take a bite, I noticed Han-gyeol staring intently at me.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because it’s a pleasant sight?”
“What?”
“Just enjoy your meal.”
Honestly, I couldn’t fathom what he found so ‘pleasant’ about it.
He was a guy filled with mysteries from head to toe.
***
After dinner, we were on our way home.
Han-gyeol and I exchanged brief goodbyes at our usual parting spot.
“See you tomorrow, Han-gyeol.”
“Yep, take care. See you tomorrow...?”
“Absolutely, you take care too, Han-gyeol.”
“Will do~”
After watching Han-gyeol walk in the opposite direction, I headed home. Although we were going our separate ways, my mouth was still enjoying the orange-flavored candy he had given me.
I had bought him some Yōkan, a jelly-like snack he likes, but I still felt a little guilty for always mooching candy off him. Conveniently, there was a convenience store on my way, so I went in.
“Welcome.”
“Hello.”
After a quick browse, I finally found the Yōkan section. Never did I think I’d be buying this in my lifetime.
I grabbed three packages and took them to the counter.
“That’ll be 3,600 won.”
“I’ll pay with a card.”
“Sure, insert the card here. You’re good to go.”
“Thank you.”
The weather is still cold, so they won’t melt in my bag, right?
As soon as I arrived home and took off my shoes, a weird creature jumped at me.
“Eun-ha! Oh, my special sister...”
“Ahhhh! What the hell are you doing?!”
“Would you help this poor brother of yours just once?”
“What now? If it’s about allowance, I’m also on a tight budget, so no!”
“It’s not about money!”
“Then what is it?”
“Will you listen?”
“No.”
“Why?! Don’t you want to help your one and only brother who is suffering?!”
It was not that I particularly minded, but...
I looked down at my brother with a somewhat affirmative expression.
“What is it?”
“Ah! You remember Han-gyeol, right? The saint who helped me with my computer specs?”
“Yeah, but what does this have to do with him?”
“I tried assembling the computer myself and... well, I messed up.”
“Then go to a computer store.”
“I already took out all the components and botched the assembly a bit. I don’t have the guts to repackage it and take it to a store.”
“You’re not expecting Han-gyeol to help, are you?! How can I ask him for such a favor when I have only known him for a week!”
“Why not?! You’ve already gone to movies and bookstores together! A favor like this should be fine!”
“Absolutely not! Do you think Han-gyeol is some kind of volunteer? He’s busy too! Just go to a computer store!”
“I can’t! They might charge extra if I bring it in this condition!”
“Then you should’ve gone in the first place! Han-gyeol is off-limits! He’s busy!”
“Ahhhh! I’ll buy you pizza!”
Should I really kill him?
“Still no.”
“Really, really no?”
“No!”
“Really, really, really no?”
“No, I said!”
“Well, it can’t be helped then...”
For some reason, he gave in easily. But then he naturally snatched my phone from my hand and moved the screen toward me.
“Face ID is quite handy...”
“Give it back!”
“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll call Han-gyeol myself!”
Suddenly, he started scrolling through my contacts.
“You jerk—! Give it back!”
“Aha! Helping a brother in need is common courtesy! Ah, Lee Han-gyeol. Hmm, what a noble name!”
“Ahhhh! Don’t dial! Don’t dial—!”
But that damn brother of mine actually called Han-gyeol. That too on speaker.
“Are you insane? What are you going to do if he actually picks up?”
“Ahahaha! Let’s hear what Han-gyeol sounds like!”
-Click!
The call connected and Han-gyeol’s voice came through.
-Hello?
I quickly kicked my godforsaken brother in the ribs.
“Aaargh!”
Snatching the phone from my fallen brother, I took over the call.
“Uh, uh, I’m sorry! My brother was playing a prank... Ha ha...”
“Help me out, Han-gyeol-urgh!”
I continued the call while pressing down on my brother’s head.
“Stay still! I said it’s not happening! Han-gyeol, you can hang up!”
“Save my computer-urgh!”
-Your computer?
“Don’t worry about it! My brother’s just spouting nonsense!”
But it seemed Han-gyeol had heard the whole fiasco between me and my useless brother.
-If it’s the weekend, I could help...
“Yahoo! Han-gyeol! I’ll welcome you with open arms!”
“No way! It’s your mess, so you clean it up.”
“What! Han-gyeol offered to help!”
“No! Han-gyeol’s busy!”
-Haha! No worries, I’ll come over this weekend!
-Click!
Han-gyeol ended the call after saying that.
“Really!”
“Yahoo!”
“Idiot! Drop dead! Just drop dead!”
“Aaargh! Why?!”
“Now I have to clean up because of you!”
This damn brother of mine... URGHH!!!
--- The End OF The Chapter ---
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