Chapter 5: Unexpected Encounters and Lingering Questions

The infirmary, which had felt stifling just moments before, suddenly grew cool, as if a refreshing breeze had swept through it.

‘My mood… it’s a bit strange.’

‘Does he even know how handsome he is, acting like that?’

Just then, a *creak* echoed as the door swung open.

“What are you two doing here?”

The infirmary teacher shuffled in, their slippers dragging across the floor.

“Isn’t class still in session?”

“I fell during P.E. I’ve already applied the ointment, so we’ll be leaving now.”

I sprang from the bed. I couldn’t deny the frantic haste that seized me; I had genuinely just fallen and hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet, I couldn’t understand why I was so flustered.

My hurried exit faltered, however, when I noticed the boy beside me staring blankly.

“…”

Yoon Heesung’s eyes were wide, as if he hadn’t the slightest idea what was happening. This left me with no choice but to seize his wrist.

“Good heavens, what’s all this sand on the floor? Did you two make this mess?”

“We didn’t do it. Goodbye!”

I bowed quickly and fled, dragging Yoon Heesung along, who surprisingly followed without resistance. Fearing the infirmary teacher might detain us, I practically sprinted down the corridor. We had just reached the central staircase on the second floor when Yoon Heesung suddenly called out to me.

“Yunwoo.”

“Huh?”

He gazed at me with clear, innocent eyes before asking,

“Are you fully recovered from your cold? You missed school because of it, didn’t you?”

“Oh… right.”

Startled by the unexpected question, I subtly released his wrist. I hadn’t run or walked much, yet my heart was inexplicably pounding. How did he even know I’d missed school due to a cold? I was about to assure him I was fine.

However, the moment my gaze met Yoon Heesung’s, who was staring intently as if scrutinizing me,

“Cough.”

A faint cough escaped my lips. In an instant, his expression shifted to one of genuine concern.

“You’re still not completely well.”

Yoon Heesung behaved as if we were old friends. I, for one, wouldn’t have given a second thought to someone I’d just met having a cold.

“Make sure you take your medicine, okay? You can’t miss school again.”

“Uh, right…”

My voice trailed off in embarrassment. He, of all people, had claimed to have ‘just’ skipped school for several days. I wanted to retort, ‘You should be the one showing up,’ yet I couldn’t bring myself to say it. How could I describe this peculiar sensation? It was a mix of embarrassment and surprise, but it wasn’t unwelcome. In fact, it felt rather… pleasant.

I was bewildered by my own thoughts. Why did I feel good about it?

As I stammered, overwhelmed by an emotion I couldn’t quite name,

The bell rang.

The previously quiet school instantly erupted into a clamor. Yoon Heesung frowned, and I couldn’t tell if it was the bell that annoyed him or the sudden noise. Then, without preamble, he greeted me.

“See you next time, Yunwoo.”

“Huh?”

“Make sure you visit.”

Before I could even process his words, Yoon Heesung descended the stairs, a shoe dangling from one hand.

Our classroom was on the third floor, while the infirmary was on the second. To return to class, I would have to go up.

‘Could he possibly be going home right now? Come to think of it, he did say goodbye to me. He said ‘see you next time’.’

‘Did he really just go home?’

I was inwardly appalled. All Yoon Heesung had done since arriving at school today was appear in the middle of P.E. class, take me to the infirmary, and now leave. Could he truly just come and go as he pleased? Still bewildered, I made my way back to the classroom.

The classroom was sparsely populated; it seemed not everyone had returned yet. As I changed back into my uniform, I found myself coughing a few more times.

‘See you next time, Yunwoo.’

Yoon Heesung’s oddly ticklish greeting suddenly came to mind. While my name, “Lee Yunwoo,” was clearly emblazoned on the chest of my P.E. uniform, making it impossible for him not to know, the fact that he’d called me by name without me ever telling him felt strangely intimate. I opened my book, but my mind wandered, caught in a loop of similar thoughts.

The sound of an unpleasant voice broke my reverie.

“You saw it too, that jerk started it…”

“What’s he so proud of, even showing his face at school?”

It was Kim Youngseok and Park Hyungtae. They shuffled through the front door, whispering conspiratorially, before abruptly halting on their way to their seats. Their hushed conversation ceased simultaneously.

Our eyes had met.

A chill ran through me, as if cold water had been poured down my neck. The incident from P.E. class moments ago resurfaced in my mind. I swallowed hard, a mix of anger and apprehension causing me to instinctively bite my lip. I braced myself for the bullying I expected from Kim Youngseok.

“…”

To my surprise, Kim Youngseok merely stared back, his expression one of shock.

No, not so much surprised as… well, how should I put it?

Yes, hard as it was to believe, he actually looked a little frightened.

Kim Youngseok faltered, then quickly averted his gaze. He hurried to his desk, pulling his chair in tight, as if desperate to distance himself from me.

His abrupt change in demeanor was baffling. The boy who had been openly provoking me just moments ago was now utterly deflated. As I stared, puzzled, at the two shrunken figures,

Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Lee Yunwoo.”

“…?”

Aside from being bullied, this was the first time anyone in this classroom had ever initiated a conversation with me. My eyes widened in surprise as I turned to see Park Byungjoo.

‘What’s with him, all of a sudden?’

Park Byungjoo asked timidly.

“Why are you so surprised?”

First Yoon Heesung, then Kim Youngseok, and now Park Byungjoo. What kind of day was this?

‘Why is he talking to me…?’

Park Byungjoo was in my class, but like me, he was quiet, and we’d never exchanged a single word.

Park Byungjoo was as quiet as I was, and his friends were equally reserved. Even without considering Im Namwoo, he didn’t seem like the type to approach me. Yet, as if he had a specific purpose, he twitched his thin lips and began to speak.

“I have something to ask you… would it be alright if I did?”

“Go ahead.”

I nodded, but his carefully phrased question soon left me utterly dumbfounded.

“Kim Youngseok hit you earlier, didn’t he?”

“…”

As he asked, Park Byungjoo twitched his lips again, as if from habit, and flashed a sly smile.

“No, he didn’t.”

“But that’s what everyone’s saying?”

Park Byungjoo, pressing relentlessly, was like a persistent tick.

“If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have gone inside midway. I went in and missed it.”

He spoke, his lips twitching again as if truly regretful.

‘Why are there so many strange people in this school?’

Was the school cursed? Just as I always did, I tried to soothe myself with the thought that ‘graduation isn’t far off.’

“And he took you away, didn’t he?”

“He? …Ah.”

It wasn’t difficult to discern who Park Byungjoo meant by ‘he’. After all, I had been thinking about him myself.

Yoon Heesung. A boy with a peculiar, unique charm. Strange, yet not entirely bad—an intriguing character. Since Park Byungjoo knew him too, he must indeed be a transfer student.

Park Byungjoo then asked me the same question again.

“But why are you perfectly fine?”

“I told you I wasn’t hit.”

He was incredibly persistent. The rumors must have been wildly exaggerated. “Why are you perfectly fine?” he’d asked, despite me only being hit a couple of times with a ball. Had a rumor spread that I’d been dragged off somewhere and beaten?

“No, but…”

Instead of accepting my explanation, Park Byungjoo let out a snickering laugh.

“…”

My expression involuntarily stiffened. Yet, Park Byungjoo merely offered to introduce himself.

“My name is Park Byungjoo. You’re Lee Yunwoo, right?”

“…”

“Since things have turned out this way, let’s try to be friends.”

Then, without waiting for my response, he returned to his seat. I had never encountered someone who only spoke their mind so unilaterally.

‘He’s really… like a lunatic.’

The moment I saw his smiling face, I was instantly convinced it would be best to avoid someone like him entirely. His twitching lips, in particular, reminded me of someone.

The morning wasn’t even half over, yet my mind was a jumble of thoughts. Everything felt shrouded in mystery.

Deciding to set everything aside, I focused on solving problems. After all, I was a third-year high school student, and the Suneung college entrance exam was fast approaching.

Fortunately, classes ended without incident through the final period today. Both Kim Youngseok and Park Hyungtae remained completely silent.

Before cleaning, I went to the front to write my name on the self-study application form. Evening self-study, held after dinner, required prior application. Naturally, I intended to sign up today, but…

I hesitated, pen in hand.

‘Today, I just feel… bothered.’

Perhaps it was because of the annoying incident during P.E. class, but my body already felt weary. Moreover, since I hadn’t applied for dinner, I’d have to go home and come back to eat. The thought of eating and returning to school felt incredibly bothersome.

‘Should I just skip it today?’

It was all the same whether I studied at school or at home. I quickly rationalized my decision.

After finishing cleaning, I returned home, only to find a familiar pair of shoes in the entryway. I rushed inside.

“Mom, you’re home already?”

I flung open the sliding door. My mother, who had been lying in the master bedroom looking at her phone, sat up, her hair disheveled.

“Yunwoo, you’re home early? Have you had dinner?”

“No. I came straight from school. I’ll get something to eat later.”

“Alright.”

Sounds still drifted from her phone. I plopped down in front of my mother and asked,

“Was work not hard today?”

“What’s hard about it? It’s not hard at all, I told you. I’m just tired from waking up early.”

My mother replied, her eyes still glued to her phone.

By now, I believed her. The only residents at the villa were the madam recovering there and her son, Yoon Heesung, but Mom had mentioned there were several other employees besides her. I had thought Mom was doing everything alone because they were hiring new staff since there was no live-in housekeeper, but that wasn’t the case. They had merely hired Mom as additional help to cover a shortage of staff.