What usually came to Beomgyu's mind when he felt a sudden pull toward someone? A strange, unexplained feeling—one that caught him off guard and lingered longer than it should. It was distracting, unsettling. He didn't like it.
Right now, his mind couldn't stop circling around that man—the teacher he'd bumped into earlier. There was something about him. Something different. Something extraordinary. Beomgyu hated how intrigued he felt. After all, he barely knew the guy. What if he turned out like everyone else? What if this was just another deception waiting to happen?
At present, Beomgyu sat alone at a cafeteria table, his earpods playing mellow music in his ears while his eyes drifted between the pages of a book. The soft tunes helped him calm down, helped distract him from the noise in his head. But his peace didn't last long.
A tap on his shoulder startled him, and he flinched. Looking up, he recognized the face of the classmate who had tried to get his attention earlier.
"Hello there. Sorry for scaring you," the boy said with a sheepish grin. "I've been calling you, but I guess you didn't hear me."
Beomgyu stared at him blankly, offering no reply. He wasn't sure what this guy wanted—or why he'd approached him at all.
With a nervous chuckle, the boy sat down beside him uninvited. His bright, childish energy immediately made Beomgyu uneasy.
"Why are you sitting here all alone? Don't you have any friends?" the boy asked innocently. "Well... you do look like a loner. Maybe if you talked to more people, you wouldn't feel so lonely?"
Beomgyu furrowed his brows. "That's none of your concern. Why are you even here? Don't you have class?"
The boy nodded enthusiastically. "I do, but I asked to go to the restroom. On the way back, I figured I'd grab a snack and saw you sitting here. By the way, you were so cool earlier. The way you answered Sir Choi's question? Seriously, you sounded like a genius."
Beomgyu's lips twitched slightly. He wasn't used to compliments—and this guy's energy was overwhelming. Still, the praise didn't go unappreciated, even if the delivery was odd.
"You should head back before Sir Choi notices you're gone," Beomgyu mumbled, returning his gaze to his book.
The boy leaned in with a grin. "Actually, I don't think I will. I'm interested in you, so maybe I'll skip the rest of that class. Oh—did I even introduce myself? I'm Huening Kai. It's really nice to meet you! I hope we can be friends."
Beomgyu blinked.
Suspicious.
That's the word that came to mind. If he were to describe Huening Kai, "weird" and "childish" might fit just as well. His enthusiasm was almost... too much. Yet for some reason, Beomgyu didn't feel threatened by him. There was a strange sense of sincerity behind those bright eyes. But sincerity didn't equal trust—not right away.
"M-My name is Choi Beomgyu," he finally said, hesitant. "Nice to meet you… I guess."
Without missing a beat, Kai reached out and shook his hand with pure glee, his smile almost angelic. Beomgyu couldn't help but wonder what it must feel like to smile that easily.
"So," Kai said, leaning in, "what do you think about Sir Choi? Isn't he so handsome? Those dimples! And his voice? I could listen to him all day. It's like... music."
Beomgyu simply stared, expression unreadable. Kai clearly had a huge crush on their teacher. While Beomgyu didn't quite understand the obsession, it seemed harmless enough—if a bit dramatic.
As Kai continued to gush over Sir Choi, he suddenly let out a loud, joyful squeal that drew the attention of students nearby. Beomgyu's eyes widened in alarm. Embarrassment surged through him. Could this guy please lower his voice?
"I like him. I think I really like him. I wanna date him—I'm gonna win his heart!" Kai declared boldly.
Beomgyu let out a heavy sigh. That was enough. He stood up to leave, grabbing his things.
"Where are you going?" Kai asked, latching onto his hand before he could walk away.
"Somewhere quiet," Beomgyu replied bluntly.
Kai beamed. "Great! Let me tag along. We're friends now, right? Friends stick together!"
Beomgyu resisted the urge to groan. How had this happened? He'd spent years longing for companionship, but now that someone was at his side, it felt... intrusive. Maybe it was just because he wasn't used to it. Maybe time would change that.
So he let Kai follow him as they wandered around campus, waiting for their next class. Along the way, Kai continued talking—mostly about Sir Choi and his overwhelming affection for the teacher.
"Do you think he'll like me back? Gosh, I'm seriously going crazy over him," Kai sighed, shaking Beomgyu's arm. "It's like I'm under a spell. I don't even know him, but he's all I can think about! What do I do, Beomgyu-sshi?"
"You do realize it's illegal to have a relationship with a teacher, right?" Beomgyu replied dryly. "He could lose his job—or worse. You should stop fantasizing."
Kai waved him off. "Pfft. Who cares about laws? As long as your love is real, that's what matters! Love is freedom, Beomgyu-sshi. You should know that."
Beomgyu rolled his eyes. "Still not a good idea."
"Fine, fine. Then I'll just keep it low-key. A secret romance, you know?" Kai winked.
Honestly, Beomgyu wasn't even sure he considered Kai a friend yet. The boy had appeared out of nowhere and declared friendship within minutes. Shouldn't friendship take time? Shouldn't it involve shared stories, trust, something real?
He didn't even know anything about Kai's background. His life, his interests, even his age. And he hadn't known Kai liked guys—until now.
Still... Kai wasn't entirely unpleasant. Annoying, sure. Over-the-top, definitely. But maybe it was better to have one weird person who stuck around than none at all.
Before long, the time for their next class arrived—Literature.
Beomgyu and Kai walked in together and took seats beside each other. As usual, the classroom buzzed with loud chatter. Beomgyu couldn't wait to go home. This day had drained him.
As he pulled out his handbook, the room suddenly went silent.
Beomgyu looked up—and froze.
Standing at the front of the class was him—the man he'd collided with earlier in the hallway.
His heart skipped.
Even the students around him fell into a stunned hush. Kai's jaw dropped.
The teacher's posture radiated confidence, his aura magnetic. He smiled at the class, and Beomgyu felt that same unsettling wave wash over him again.
"Hello, everyone," the man greeted, his voice smooth and captivating. "It is very lovely to meet all of you. I am Choi Yeonjun, your teacher in Literature."