Back to the us the the three of them were crouching near the corner while I was leaning casually against the wall.
Park Dong held the letter loosely between his fingers, letting it dangle.
Kwangwoon lowered his head slightly. "Sorry… seriously, for asking this kind of favor."
"…I never said I'd pass it along," Park Dong replied flatly.
"Ah. Right." Kwangwoon gave a small nod. "Just do whatever you think is best."
Suwon, standing between them, stayed silent the entire time.
Kwangwoon hesitated, clearly missing the right moment to leave.
"…Aren't you going in? Didn't you say you had night study?"
Park Dong answered calmly, "You go ahead, hyung. It's safer to go in during break time so I don't get caught."
Just then, Suwon's phone buzzed.
He checked the message.
It was from Jisung.
Your homeroom teacher was looking for you, so we said you went to karaoke lolol.
Suwon glance beside and look up to me showing his phone.
"Already got caught."
Park Dong simply closed his eyes, already accepting the beating waiting for him tomorrow.
Or maybe later tonight.
Kwangwoon glanced at the three of us, but his eyes stopped on me.
"That time we met at Suwon Station… what did he say again? Giryang, I mean. It looked like he was talking about something with Hyorim… or maybe I'm overthinking it."
Park Dong and Suwon both turned to Seojin, silently letting him talk.
I noticed their stares.
"I think he's trying to make a move on Seolhyo," I said, as if it were no big deal.
Kwangwoon let out a dry laugh. "I knew it… He's always asking me how Hyorim's doing. Even though I told him she's already dating someone, he just won't stop. Did Hyorim say anything about it?"
Seojin pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and placed it in his mouth. "Say what? There's nothing to say."
"…You're right." Kwangwoon rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, I heard about what happened between them, but he probably won't stop. Hyorim's pretty and kind that's exactly why. Maybe it's more than that, since he's never acted like this toward any other girl."
He stood up, brushing his hands against his knees.
"Personally, I just hope he doesn't take it too far. Giryang's kind of a weird guy. Whatever. You two can figure it out yourselves."
He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned his head slightly toward us.
"I'm really going now. You guys might get scolded because of me."
He faced forward, muttering quietly, but loud enough for us to hear.
"Sorry… and thanks."
Seojin already knew exactly what Kwangwoon was talking about, so he stayed silent, the lollipop resting between his teeth.
Suwon, however, frowned slightly.
After hearing that, he looked up.
"What do you mean, kind of weird guy?"
Park Dong smacked the back of his head. "Why are you asking, dumbass? Seojin didn't even seem to care that much."
Suwon rubbed the back of his head, glaring at him. "...I'm just curious, you dumbass."
Kwangwoon glanced back at them and let out a quiet sigh. "...I already brought it up, so I might as well tell you guys. Saying it myself sounds kind of ridiculous, but like I said Giryang is a weird guy."
He paused for a second before continuing.
"Sure, most guys are into girls to some extent, but that bastard likes them way too much. To the point where it honestly feels… kinda morally wrong."
Suwon looked at him in confusion.
Kwangwoon went on, voice lower. "Maybe it's because they're easy for him to flirt with. Who knows..."
Park Dong shot him a flat look, clearly unimpressed. "...Moral? That's really not something you should be saying."
"Yeah… I know." Kwangwoon scratched the back of his neck. "Anyway, 'girls' might not even be the right word. He's more like a Pokémon collector. A greedy one at that."
Suwon raised a brow. "Didn't he scold you for cheating before?"
Kwangwoon let out a humorless laugh. "He said what he's doing isn't cheating since he doesn't even have a girlfriend to begin with. Unlike me, he doesn't go for girls from the same school. That psycho has his own set of rules… and that's what makes him scary."
Park Dong tilted his head. "Then what about the two of them dating before?"
"That was before he got his eye surgery," Kwangwoon replied. "And it turned out insanely good. After that, he changed."
"Ah…"
He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze drifting between them before stopping on Seojin.
"Anyway," he said calmly, "knowing you two are already dating, he probably doesn't stand a chance. But still… keep an eye on Seol Hyorim. Just in case."
Park Dong tilted his head. "You're his friend. Is it really okay to tell us all this?"
Kwangwoon looked at them for a moment, his expression unexpectedly steady.
"You guys are different from us. You're good kids. I just felt like you deserved to know."
He paused, then added more quietly,
"And honestly, since he used to date Hyorim, he should know better than anyone else… who'd want their girlfriend to be treated like some kind of Pokémon?"
A faint, smile tugged at his lips.
"And more importantly… Hyorim is someone Rina really cares about."
Park Dong snorted under his breath. "...They both said they'd kill you if they ran into you."
Kwangwoon immediately stiffened, his eyes darting around the hallway on instinct.
He adjusted the strap of his bag and took a small step back.
"...Right. That's exactly why I should get going."
He turned halfway, then hesitated for a split second before waving lightly without looking back.
"I'm leaving for real this time. I've got somewhere to be."
-
Hong Aera and Giryang stood in the quiet alley, the faint buzz of the nearby arcade machines spilling into the street.
Giryang turned his head toward her and flashed an easy smile.
"Wanna go win some plushies? I'm pretty good at it."
Aera's cheeks warmed almost instantly.
"I-If you insist…"
He chuckled softly and led her to the nearest claw machine.
With a few precise movements, he maneuvered the claw and effortlessly snagged a Pikachu plush. He handed it to her like it was nothing.
"For you."
Before she could properly thank him, he spoke again, almost casually.
"I'm actually heading to a friend's place later. We're drinking."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as his face moved closer to hers.
"Aera… have you ever tried drinking with your friends?"
Her face flushed a deeper shade of red at the sudden closeness.
"Y-Yes… I've tried it a few times."
Giryang let out a small chuckle.
"You have? Same here. It's actually pretty nice. When you're drunk, your true feelings tend to come out."
"Y-Yeah…" she replied, clutching the plush a little tighter.
He smiled, eyes fixed on her.
"Do you want to come with me?"
Aera hesitated. "Won't your friends mind?"
Inside, her thoughts spiraled as she squeezed her eyes shut for a brief second.
What the hell… why am I stuttering so much?
This is so embarrassing.
Giryang straightened and waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't worry. They won't mind."
He took a step forward, gesturing for her to follow.
"Come on, let's go."
They soon arrived at the place. Inside, two guys and one girl were already seated on the floor.
Jang Jihoon was thin, with a straight bowl cut and even fringe resting neatly across his forehead.
Beside him sat Jung Seung-hyun, heavier in build with a brown skin tone, his medium-length layered hair longer at the back, almost like a slight mullet, with the top loosely tied back.
The three of them looked up the moment they got inside.
"Who is she?" Jihoon casually ask seemingly not bothered that much.
Standing just a step behind Aera, Giryang casually rested a hand on her shoulder. "Just someone I know. Let's all drink together."
Aera's face flushed faintly, a thin sheen of sweat forming as she hugged the yellow plush tightly to her chest."H-hello…"