Chapter 9: The Unavoidable Senior.

Yooha glanced back and forth between Kim Eunchae’s face and the poster on the wall after hearing the question.

It was strange for Kim Eunchae—who wasn’t even in the same class—to ask, but Yooha shook his head once before answering.

“No….”

“Why not?”

Kim Eunchae shot back so loudly it echoed down the hallway, as if she’d just heard something absurd.

Kang Sohyeon frowned slightly and smacked Kim Eunchae on the arm in Yooha’s place.

“Hey, Kim Eunchae. Why are you making such a fuss at Yooha? You didn’t even go to our orientation.”

“No, it’s just… since Yooha’s in Class 1, I thought maybe I could at least hear a real-life Shin Joowon review…….”

“Honestly, you lose all self-control the moment someone’s handsome….”

Kim Eunchae rubbed her arm as if it hurt, despite the thick padding she was wearing, and answered back without backing down.

Yooha could only roll his eyes as he listened to the two of them. He couldn’t understand what his being in Class 1 had to do with Shin Joowon at all.

As if she’d noticed Yooha’s confusion, Kim Eunchae leaned in and whispered quietly.

“Shin Joowon sunbae is in Class 1. Same class as you.”

“Ah…….”

Yooha let out a weak sigh at the unexpected revelation, his fingers fidgeting aimlessly.

Major requirements were taken by class, but electives were often mixed, so he’d never imagined Shin Joowon would be in the same class.

Contrary to his expectation that they’d never cross paths again, his points of contact with Shin Joowon kept increasing one by one.

Given how much he already owed him, it wasn’t exactly welcome news.

But Kim Eunchae, on the other hand, looked positively proud of the fact that Yooha and Shin Joowon were in the same class.

“Have you ever actually seen him?”

“There’s one lecture we take together….”

“What? Really? Then you have seen him. How is he? Is he handsome?”

“Kim Eunchae, stop pestering Yooha. If Seongyeong were here, you’d already be getting smacked.”

“I’m just curious! I can’t even ask?”

Kim Eunchae pouted at Kang Sohyeon’s scolding but finally stopped bringing up Shin Joowon, though her face clearly said she wanted to keep talking.

Yooha gave her an awkward smile and once again scanned the poster with “Orientation” written in large letters, deliberately trying to clear Shin Joowon from his mind.

Even as a freshman, when participation in department events was practically expected, Yooha had never attended a single one because of his part-time job.

Back then, rumors spread—mostly among classmates active in student council—that he was selfish and unwilling to make sacrifices for the group, and others soon joined in.

Without meaning to, Yooha had become someone his classmates didn’t want to associate with.

Now, imagining himself sitting alone among a crowd full of uncomfortable faces with no one he knew, made an intense pressure press down on him, separate from the fact that he was used to being alone.

He probably wouldn’t attend any department events until graduation.

Swallowing the thought, Yooha looked away from the poster, just as Kang Sohyeon and Kim Eunchae checked the time and said goodbye.

“Yooha, we’re heading off. Class starts soon.”

“See you later! Yooha, tell me more next time!”

Yooha waved awkwardly at the two figures as they walked away, then took a steadying breath as if to collect his unsettled thoughts.

As though trying to push his noisy worries far away, he gripped the handle and pushed open the locker room door with force.

****

After class, Yooha went straight to the library, as usual.

The first thing he did was organize books.

With more books being borrowed and returned, the cart filled up much faster than it had the week before.

After neatly shelving the last book, Yooha washed the dust from his hands thoroughly and exited the restroom.

Only then did he finally feel like he could breathe.
He headed toward the central staircase to go down to the first-floor reading room.

“Um… sunbae….”

Just as he stepped down onto the first stair, someone hurried over and tapped his shoulder.

Turning around, Yooha saw a first-year who worked the same shift. They’d exchanged polite nods before, but never spoken properly—he didn’t even know her name.

“I’m sorry, but….”

Her trembling voice and teary expression were alarming.

Yooha’s face grew serious as he tilted his head, and she held out a small piece of paper—it was a printout from the book search terminal.

“No matter how much I look, I can’t find it, and he keeps asking me to find it… I don’t know what to do. Could you help me?”

She glanced nervously over her shoulder as she handed the paper to Yooha.

Yooha followed her gaze. The distance made it hard to see the man’s face, but his slouched posture alone radiated irritation.

Worried he might have been saying something unpleasant, Yooha quickly took the paper.
There were plenty of patrons who took their frustration out on student workers.

“I’ll find it. Is it… him?”

“Yes… thank you….”

Yooha sent her down to the first floor, knowing he was far more familiar with the library layout than a new freshman.

After taking a deep breath to prepare himself, he walked briskly toward the person who’d requested the book.

As he drew closer, the face became familiar.

Ah.

It was him—the senior he’d seen chatting casually with Shin Joowon in Strategic Management. Min Gihwan, two years above him.

Yooha bowed lightly, and Min Gihwan slowly scanned him from head to toe with a crooked gaze.

“I was wondering where I’d seen you.”

Min Gihwan muttered to himself.

The tone sounded oddly mocking, making Yooha tense as he lowered his eyes and spoke.

“…If you could sit for a moment, I’ll find it right away.”

After another small bow, Yooha checked the call number on the book spine and moved without hesitation.

Sensing someone behind him, he glanced back slightly—Min Gihwan was following, rather than waiting.

Yooha tried to ignore him and walked deeper into the stacks.

It should be around here….
He checked the call number and title again and again, but the book was nowhere to be found.

Since it hadn’t been there when he organized earlier, someone must have skimmed it and placed it incorrectly—or shelved it wrong entirely.

Yooha scanned from the top shelf down, then crouched to check the lower rows.

He was so focused he didn’t notice Min Gihwan’s gaze lingering on the neat curve of his head.

“…Ah, found it.”

A thin book—easy to miss—finally caught his eye.

Comparing it with the printout, Yooha confirmed the title and author before standing up.

Their eyes met.

Yooha felt slightly embarrassed.

“This one… is it correct?”

“Yeah.”

Min Gihwan looked him up and down once more before snatching the book from his hands.
Yooha followed him out between the shelves, rubbing the fingers that had been brushed by paper edges.

They ended up descending the stairs together, separated by only a short distance.
As their footsteps echoed out of sync, Min Gihwan stopped at the landing and spoke.

“You’re in Business Administration, right? Second year?”

“Yes? Ah… yes.”

“What was your name again….”

“Jin Yooha.”

Something about it felt off, but Yooha assumed it was just casual curiosity from a senior.

Min Gihwan resumed walking, stroking his chin as he asked again.

“You work at the library?”

“…Yes.”

“What class are you in?”

“Class 1.”

“Really? I’m in Class 1 too. How come I’ve never seen you?”

Min Gihwan tilted his head exaggeratedly, as if he genuinely couldn’t understand.

Yooha said nothing, biting gently into the soft flesh inside his cheek as his heart beat uneasily.

When they finally reached the first floor, Yooha realized why Min Gihwan might not look favorably upon him.

Shin Joowon was there, casually tossing a lighter into the air and catching it with one hand.

“Why did it take so long to find one book?”

“It was a pain in the ass to find.”

Min Gihwan shook the thin book as he replied.

Shin Joowon slipped the lighter into his pocket and shifted his gaze toward Yooha, who had frozen in place.

Even while talking to Min Gihwan, his eyes just like in the lecture hall before were fixed on Yooha.

They looked close. Friends, even.

Whatever others thought of him, Yooha knew Shin Joowon’s opinion of him was probably already terrible and there was no way his friend would have a good impression of him either.

Especially after what happened yesterday.

“Seeing you again.”

“Ah—hello….”

Unable to meet his eyes, Yooha bowed deeply.
Without thinking, his gaze flicked down to Shin Joowon’s shoes.

They were different from yesterday’s black sneakers with no familiar logo.

For some reason, the dizzying thought crossed Yooha’s mind that these, too, might be worth sixty million won.

At least he wasn’t holding a drink today.

And he wasn’t in such a rush he couldn’t watch where he was going.

That, at least, was something to be grateful for.