Chapter 22: The Chairman’s Invitation

Instead of eating together, Min-hyeon had a simple lunch of the sandwich Heon-jae had bought for him. As he ordered his share of coffee, he asked Heon-jae.

“Aren’t you drinking anything?”

“Not really. Not thirsty.”

“Who drinks because they’re thirsty? You drink because it’s hot.”

“I don’t like drinking things when I’m not even thirsty. I’m full.”

“You’re really something. You barely eat meals and hardly snack—what did you eat to grow so big?”

“Hmph. My species is different from yours.”

“What did you say? Ah! Mine’s ready.”

Even though he’d said he wasn’t particularly thirsty, the moment Min-hyeon received his drink, he put the straw to his lips and sucked down the coffee continuously like someone dying of thirst. Finishing the grande size in just a few gulps, he lightly shook the takeout cup. The ice inside clinked together.

“Ah, that hit the spot.”

“If you say you’re not thirsty one more time, you’ll probably chew up the cup too.”

Heon-jae teased Min-hyeon, who had even opened the lid and started eating the ice. Completely unfazed, Min-hyeon crunched the ice nonchalantly.

“It’s because it’s hot. Ah, I love ice.”

“Don’t bite the ice—just let it melt. You’ll ruin your teeth.”

“Such a nag.”

“Want me to show you what a real nag is?”

“Never mind. Let’s stop at verse one, just verse one.”

Min-hyeon pretended to cover Heon-jae’s mouth with his hand. Though his hand hadn’t actually touched, Heon-jae grabbed it and pressed it against his own mouth.

“Aaah! Hey! That’s gross!”

Having ended up crushing his friend’s lips with his palm, Min-hyeon pulled his hand away in disgust. Watching Min-hyeon shake his arm off and shudder, Heon-jae chuckled.

“Don’t you know you shouldn’t touch bare skin on days like this?”

“Days like this? Why? What day is it today?”

“It’s hot, so you sweat. It’s sticky.”

“I don’t sweat.”

Heon-jae pointed at his own face as if to say “see?” Min-hyeon grimaced.

“Aren’t you hot at all?”

“You know I don’t mind the heat.”

“…Do tall people naturally not get hot?”

“Why? Is there someone else who doesn’t get hot?”

“Yeah. There is.”

A shy smile briefly appeared on Min-hyeon’s face and vanished. Just thinking about Jun-ho made his mouth want to spread into a grin. He really must like Jun-ho a lot. Min-hyeon’s ears flushed slightly red. It wasn’t very noticeable, but to Heon-jae—who was taller and looking down at him—it was clear.

“Who is it, this person?”

Instead of letting it slide with a vague answer like usual, Heon-jae pressed persistently. Min-hyeon was briefly puzzled but answered honestly.

“There’s a senior I’ve gotten close to lately through group projects—that hyung doesn’t mind the heat either. Yesterday, I was drenched in sweat and dying from the heat, but that hyung said he wasn’t hot at all and looked completely fresh. How does he do that?”

“Is that the senior you drank with until you got wasted?”

“Huh? Yeah. Jun-ho hyung.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Heon-jae wore a peculiar expression. Min-hyeon was too focused on keeping his loosening facial muscles in check to notice.

“But that senior—Jun-ho hyung—he must have made a good impression on Min-woo hyung. He even let you drink together. It took me months just to get permission to visit your house. Didn’t it take over a year back then?”

“It took way over a year. You first came to our house during summer break of sophomore year.”

“Min-woo hyung, I’m disappointed. I didn’t think you’d be so discriminatory.”

Heon-jae genuinely seemed hurt. Before his misunderstanding of Min-woo could deepen further, Min-hyeon quickly clarified.

“Did he give permission? That’s why I was trapped at home all weekend. Phone confiscated too.”

“Aha.”

Heon-jae nodded. Then he immediately added.

“I’d like to meet that senior sometime too. Tall and doesn’t mind the heat—sounds like we have a lot in common.”

“Yeah. I wish I could introduce you to him too.”

As the person I like.

Just thinking that made his heart pound. Min-hyeon tossed all the remaining ice into his mouth at once. His ears felt warm.

Jun-ho hyung
Sorry. I think I’ll be a little late.
13:43

Already at the main building, pacing near the entrance while waiting for Jun-ho, Min-hyeon sighed with disappointment upon reading the message. Since Min-woo’s pickup time was fixed, the later Jun-ho arrived, the less time they’d have together. If only Jun-ho could come even a minute earlier. Min-hyeon’s eyes drooped gloomily.

13:44
I’m fine.
I’ll go up to the rooftop first and wait,
so take your time and come safely!

Please come as fast as possible—run if you can.

He wanted to send that, but he wasn’t a child throwing a tantrum over a hopeless wish. Sending a mature reply, Min-hyeon trudged into the main building.

“Maybe this is for the best. Unlike last time, I can take it slow from the start without making a fool of myself gasping for breath.”

Walking through the still-silent main building corridor, Min-hyeon muttered aloud to himself for no reason.

The corridor, which felt several degrees cooler than the sweltering outside, was pleasantly cool—but its eerily quiet, people-less atmosphere gave off an indescribable gloom. Whether it was because the high ceilings made light feel more distant or because the main building’s lighting was dimmer than other buildings, the corridor was strangely shadowy.

He was long past the age of fearing monsters in closets, but he couldn’t help glancing around nervously, worried that something might jump out from a dark corner.

Passing by the chairman’s office at the junction between the main entrance and the stairs, Min-hyeon unconsciously held his breath. This was where he’d encountered Hae-soo and Miran. What if someone came out of the chairman’s office again this time? He felt a little tense. At least he hoped it wouldn’t be Hae-soo.

Hae-soo hadn’t actually harmed him, but there was something about him that felt ominous. Fortunately, the chairman’s office door remained firmly shut and quiet until Min-hyeon had completely exited the corridor.

Sighing in relief and patting his chest, Min-hyeon leisurely set foot on the first stair leading to the second floor.

‘It’s boring going up alone—maybe I’ll count how many steps there are?’

When Jun-ho arrived later, what expression would he make if Min-hyeon told him how many stairs there were? Giggling at the thought, Min-hyeon suddenly saw a human shadow appear before him.

“Huh!”

It felt as if he’d dropped from the sky. Lost in thought, Min-hyeon hadn’t heard footsteps descending the stairs or sensed anyone’s presence at all.

Startled, Min-hyeon staggered and nearly fell backward, barely catching himself on the railing.

“Oh my. I seem to have startled you. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine! Hello!”

Blocking Min-hyeon’s path was Miran. Dressed in a dark navy dress with a high neckline reaching above her neck, her hair neatly pinned up, she smiled gently. Even with a kind smile, her natural charisma was overwhelming. The large-pearl necklace over her dress was remarkably elegant and refined.

“We meet again here. How nice to see you.”

“Yes! I’m also very happy to see the chairman again.”

Though it was obvious from his stiff posture that he wasn’t actually happy at all, Miran’s smile deepened as if she found Min-hyeon’s earnest insistence endearing.

“Oh my. How did you know I’m the chairman? Did Jun-ho tell you?”

“No. Actually, I searched online. There was an article with a photo, so I found out.”

That day, when Miran had come out of the chairman’s office, Min-hyeon had gone home and searched on a portal site—and she really was the chairman of this university. For the head of a large educational foundation overseeing elementary, middle, high, and university all at once, there were suspiciously few search results—but the photo from the university entrance ceremony, showing her giving a welcome speech, was definitely Miran.

They didn’t look much alike, even though both were beautiful—so what exactly was their relationship? They certainly didn’t seem like mother and child.

Min-hyeon wondered for a long time about her relationship with Jun-ho, given how familiarly she treated him, but couldn’t reach a conclusion. One thing was clear: Miran and Jun-ho were close enough that she’d arranged a personal space for him on campus.

“I see. I don’t like having my photo taken, so I’ve never allowed any photos in articles—I didn’t know one had been published.”

“Well… you looked beautiful.”

“Oh my. Thank you. Our Min-hyeon has such a way with words.”

Miran smiled softly. Completely flustered, Min-hyeon waved his hands.

“No, I’m not just saying that—I really mean it!”

“Is that so? Thank you. But Min-hyeon, where were you headed?”

“Ah. To the rooftop.”

“The rooftop? Why such a dangerous place?”

“We have a filming project, so it’s for that. Jun-ho hyung should be coming soon too—he said he’d be a little late, so I was going to go up and wait.”

“I see. Then you’d be bored all alone—would you like to have a cup of tea with me while you wait?”

“Th-that… Yes! Thank you!”

“Good. Then let’s go to my office.”

Min-hyeon followed Miran, who led the way, toward the chairman’s office.

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