Chapter 8: The Absent Student’s Gaze

Lee Yunwoo gazed, captivated, into Yoon Heesung’s eyes.

Within those dark irises, even darker pupils were discernible. Yet, remarkably, his eyes shimmered with a pristine clarity.

‘Could they be both dark and bright at once?’ Lee Yunwoo found themselves staring blankly into those seemingly innocent eyes.

A terrible impulse struck them in an instant.

“You…”

Despite their agonizing deliberation the previous night, Lee Yunwoo’s lips parted as if a lock had simply sprung open.

“Why weren’t you at school today?”

Their heart pounded the moment the words escaped. Lee Yunwoo had never acted like this before, had never been this kind of person; yet, impulse had triumphed over reason.

Lee Yunwoo waited for a reply, feeling quite dramatic.

“……”

Yoon Heesung, however, merely looked puzzled. It was as if the question, ‘Why do you care?’ was etched onto his forehead.

With the atmosphere diverging from their expectations, Lee Yunwoo swallowed dryly once more.

A sense of foreboding proved accurate.

Yoon Heesung’s answer was utterly simple. In fact, it was the same as last time.

“Just because.”

There was no sincerity in his tone.

“Just because?”

“Yeah. I just didn’t go.”

Lee Yunwoo, unconsciously echoing his absurd reply, watched as Yoon Heesung even nodded, as if thinking they had asked again.

This unnecessary courtesy left Lee Yunwoo feeling deflated. ‘If he doesn’t want to talk about it, he should just say so directly.’

‘Well, never mind.’

It seemed their interference had been for naught. All the steam had gone out of them.

Lee Yunwoo decided to just tell him about the homework.

“Where’s your room?”

“It’s on the second floor.”

Yoon Heesung answered, then simply stood still. Lee Yunwoo was taken aback, having naturally assumed he would lead the way.

‘When someone asks where your room is, it obviously means they want to go in and talk. Why is he pretending not to know?’

After an awkward silence, he suddenly asked, “Are you going home?”

“Are you going home?”

“I just told you I came here to help you with your homework!”

“Ah. Follow me.”

Yoon Heesung uttered a rather foolish sound, then finally led the way upstairs.

The second floor mirrored the first in its general layout.

The only differences were a slightly smaller living room, a veranda accessible from behind the living room, and several room doors situated where a kitchen would typically be.

Yoon Heesung entered the leftmost room in the hallway.

The room was surprisingly ordinary.

Though it was large enough to contain several of Lee Yunwoo’s own rooms, the furnishings within weren’t as stunningly luxurious as those downstairs.

There was a simple bed, a desk, a small sofa, a large monitor, and speakers.

And books. So many books.

“I knocked down the wall,” Yoon Heesung explained, seeing Lee Yunwoo surveying his room. “It used to be a separate study and bedroom, but it felt too cramped.”

Lee Yunwoo hadn’t been looking around for that reason. They shook their head, genuinely impressed.

“You must really love books.”

One entire wall was adorned with bookshelves, packed tightly with books.

Lee Yunwoo approached and began to browse. The shelves appeared organized, yet lacked any consistent system.

They weren’t arranged alphabetically, nor by publisher or author.

One peculiar detail was the abundance of children’s fairy tales, enough to make anyone assume a child lived there.

“Not really,” Yoon Heesung replied. “Oh, if you want to read anything, feel free.”

“No, I don’t read books.”

Lee Yunwoo tore their gaze from the bookshelves and moved to the desk. Textbooks for every subject were lined up there.

It was highly unlikely Yoon Heesung carried all these heavy textbooks back and forth between home and school. This, too, was a clear sign he wasn’t attending classes.

A bitter taste filled Lee Yunwoo’s mouth. ‘Why does Yoon Heesung hide his reasons?’

‘Is it because he thinks I wouldn’t be much help even if he told me?’

‘…Which is true, actually.’

“Are you taking Economic Mathematics?”

“Yeah, I am.”

Yoon Heesung nodded, then pulled an Economic Mathematics textbook from the shelf.

His large, fair hand, though somewhat knobbly, still seemed strangely delicate as he handed the book to Lee Yunwoo.

The book was brand new.

‘Has he given up on studying too?’

Even for a transfer student, a high school senior’s textbook shouldn’t be this pristine.

It seemed he wasn’t just skipping school; he wasn’t studying either.

“The teacher said to solve the practice problems. And to write the equations separately in a notebook.”

“Okay.”

Yoon Heesung, now standing beside Lee Yunwoo, replied obediently, but his expression suggested he wasn’t likely to do it.

Lee Yunwoo stole a glance at his gentle eyes.

It seemed Yoon Heesung had lived his entire life without any friction.

Growing up in such a home, under doting parents, he must have been raised with utmost care.

What could have happened to such a Yoon Heesung that he was now unable to attend school?

If he couldn’t even come to school, it might not just be similar to Lee Yunwoo’s situation, but even worse.

This thought sparked a strange sense of camaraderie. Pity also stirred within them.

Perhaps this was what his mother felt. Her son was handsome and well-built, yet couldn’t attend school properly; how heartbroken she must be.

Lee Yunwoo was curious about what Yoon Heesung had endured. They wanted to know his true circumstances.

Perhaps they simply wanted to know Yoon Heesung better. The two feelings were so similar, it was hard to distinguish them.

However, if he didn’t want to talk, there was nothing Lee Yunwoo could do.

Still, even so…

“Hey, you know…”

“Hm?”

‘He doesn’t have to say anything if he doesn’t want to, but I wish he’d come to school.’

After all, Yoon Heesung had been the first person to help Lee Yunwoo. He had picked them up on the field and brushed off their knees. He had even readily extended an invitation to visit his home.

“Are you not coming to school tomorrow either? You can’t keep skipping if you want to graduate…”

Upon hearing those words, Yoon Heesung took a step closer to Lee Yunwoo.

He approached as if to share a secret, startling Lee Yunwoo instead.

Standing right before them, Yoon Heesung asked, “Should I go?”

“……”

‘Is he asking me whether he should go to school or not?’

It was absurd, amusing, and bewildering all at once.

As Lee Yunwoo remained speechless, Yoon Heesung asked again, clearly enunciating. “Tomorrow, should I go to school?”

It wasn’t that Lee Yunwoo hadn’t understood. It was simply not a question meant for them.

Yet, Yoon Heesung was utterly serious. He waited for Lee Yunwoo’s answer with the same docile obedience he showed when nodding ‘yes, yes’ to whatever they said.

‘What if I tell him to come?’

A strange feeling bloomed upon seeing that.

‘…Would he actually come?’

What welled up from the center of Lee Yunwoo’s chest was a sensation they had never experienced before.

Instead of being faint, it was intensely concentrated. It carried a thick, undeniable scent.

‘Who am I to say?’

“……”

Lee Yunwoo’s mouth felt dry and parched. They wished for a sip of water.

Just as one would help a stranger being bullied, or invite an acquaintance to their home, Lee Yunwoo was likely saying this casually. It felt unfair that they were the only one reacting so sensitively.

Yet, they wanted to savor this feeling a little longer.

“Yeah. Come to school.”

At Lee Yunwoo’s words, Yoon Heesung smiled radiantly. He replied as if he had been waiting.

“Okay, I’ll go.”

“……”

Lee Yunwoo was momentarily stunned. ‘Am I weak to his face? Is it because I’ve never seen anyone this handsome in my life?’

Feeling flustered, they closed the book with a sharp *thud*.

Lee Yunwoo tried their best to act nonchalant. It seemed it would take a long time to get used to Yoon Heesung’s smiling face.

****

Outside, the light was a faint, bluish hue.

Even that would soon vanish. It was time to go home.

Lee Yunwoo had originally intended to simply explain the homework and leave immediately. They wouldn’t have lingered had Yoon Heesung not offered his desk so naturally.

‘[…He wants me to sit?]’

‘[Stay a little longer.]’

‘[…]’

‘[You said you’d visit, didn’t you?]’

Being with him always made Lee Yunwoo feel drawn into things. ‘What was the reason they couldn’t refuse?’

‘Was it because of what Mom said, or because of my own promise?’

As Lee Yunwoo vaguely settled down in the villa to study, Yoon Heesung naturally sprawled out on the sofa.

He played a phone game, then read a book, completely ignoring Lee Yunwoo.

‘If he was going to do that, why did he invite me over in the first place?’ The question was self-evident.

Yet, whenever Lee Yunwoo spoke to him, Yoon Heesung responded well. He truly was peculiar.

It wasn’t enough to simply dismiss it as ‘you never know with rich people,’ as their mother had said. Something more was needed to explain him, though Lee Yunwoo couldn’t quite pinpoint what.

It wasn’t that Lee Yunwoo disliked him. If Park Byungjoo was strange and mean, then Yoon Heesung seemed strange and kind.

‘Time to go home.’ Lee Yunwoo gathered their bag.

As they slung the bag over their shoulder, Yoon Heesung finally paid them attention.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to go home now.”

“Why?”

Instead of answering, Lee Yunwoo looked at the clock. Yoon Heesung followed their gaze to the wall clock but still seemed to demand an explanation.

“Because it’s late.”

Yoon Heesung, however, seemed oblivious.

“You can sleep over.”

“I can’t.”

Lee Yunwoo, who had just curtly refused, hesitated for a moment. Yoon Heesung seemed to lack the perception to understand what they meant.

“If I sleep here, my mom will have to sleep alone at home tonight.”

“……”

At that, Yoon Heesung made a subtle expression. Lee Yunwoo couldn’t tell if he didn’t quite understand or if he wanted to hold them back, but they turned to leave nonetheless.

However, they soon stopped.

Yoon Heesung had no friends, couldn’t adapt to school, and was being bullied. Although not confirmed, he must have endured something terribly cruel.

Lee Yunwoo felt they shouldn’t be mean to him too.

Hesitantly, they blurted out a single sentence.

“I’ll come again tomorrow instead. …I might be a bit late, though. I’ll come after evening self-study.”

After all, there was also what their mother had said.

But now, Lee Yunwoo really had to go. The sky would darken quickly.

In this neighborhood, half the streetlights had burnt-out bulbs, making it difficult to even see one’s feet after sunset.

“Alright, I’m really leaving now.”

Lee Yunwoo said goodbye one more time. Yoon Heesung seemed to have no intention of seeing them to the door, as only Lee Yunwoo’s footsteps echoed down the stairs.

It wasn’t something to be disappointed about, yet Lee Yunwoo felt a pang of it.

However, as they reached the first floor and crossed the living room, a voice dropped from above, just as it had before.

“Yunwoo.”