LA0S | Chapter 14

The synopsis hadn’t been finalized yet. True to his word, Kim Chayoung had drawn the protagonists of the two stories most likely to be chosen. I had already seen his artwork before, but it felt different now. It was strange yet amazing to see the protagonists I wrote about come to life in his drawings, way more than I had expected.

“Swipe through. There’s more behind.”

As I swiped the screen, the protagonist of another synopsis appeared. Fitting for the fantasy genre, there was a character dressed in battle gear and casual clothes, viewed from the front and side. There were also faces showing a few expressions like laughing or angry.

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“Uh, this one?”

Below the protagonist’s left foot, a cute penguin with adorable wings floated. Its yellow, small beak, round body, puffy cheeks like steamed buns, and protruding belly were deadly cute. In fantasy, a cute mascot was a surefire way to capture readers’ attention. It was even cuter than I had imagined while writing its features.

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Honestly, I couldn’t believe that this cute creature was created by Kim Chayoung’s hands. Pretending to look closely at the drawing, I sneakily lifted my gaze. Kim Chayoung’s hands laid neatly on the table were visible. They seemed bigger than during high school. Hands that would not be outdone by bears or tigers, not looking rough despite their size due to his unusually long and neat fingers. And not just the fingers, the nails tinged with a light pink seemed perfectly shaped for playing the piano.

“I paid special attention to the mascot.”

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A hot breath settled above my forehead. Oops. Startled as if ambushed, Lee Jinha jerked his head up. A pair of deep black eyes that were indistinguishable from the pupils were staring straight at him.

“Gah!”

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“Ack.”

Both their screams rang out simultaneously. Lee Jinha cradled his forehead with both hands and bowed his head, while Kim Chayoung covered his mouth and chin, squeezing his eyes shut.

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“Why did you suddenly lift your head? You did that on purpose, right? I’ll consider it a mitigating circumstance if you tell me honestly.”

Kim Chayoung’s voice came from above, slightly pained between the words.

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“You scared me first. Who told you to be so close?”

“I didn’t know you were concentrating that much. How is it? Do you like it?”

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“What nonsense. Like it? Not at all.”

Lee Jinha snapped sharply. It was just curiosity that made him look; he definitely didn’t like Kim Chayoung’s hands. Kim Chayoung’s surprised eyes widened.

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“Are you reacting so fiercely because you hate it that much?”

“Hey. Kim Chayoung… you…”

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“Even if it’s harsh, aren’t you being too extreme? Don’t you even consider the person who drew it? I feel let down.”

Kim Chayoung’s lower lip slightly jutted out, really feeling upset.

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That wasn’t the problem now. Instead of responding, Lee Jinha stared intensely at Kim Chayoung, who slightly tilted his head.

“Why? Suddenly find me too handsome?”

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“You’re bleeding right now.”

His thick and smooth lips were bloodied.

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Lee Jinha’s forehead felt like it was about to split open, and given the unexpected blow, Kim Chayoung couldn’t possibly be unscathed. Rather, Kim Chayoung looking unaffected seemed odd. Doesn’t he feel pain?

Kim Chayoung, as if puzzled by the statement, stuck out his tongue and licked his lower lip. The red tongue slowly moving over the thick lips created an indescribably strange atmosphere. Lee Jinha, holding his breath, followed the movement of Kim Chayoung’s Adam’s apple with his eyes.

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“Tastes like blood.”

“What kind of obvious statement is that? Of course it tastes like blood if you’re bleeding. Are you okay?”

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Kim Chayoung, who usually had no trouble with studies or sports, sometimes acted cluelessly in weird ways.

Kim Chayoung licked his lips again and then squinted his eyes. Ew. Gross. A faint mutter was heard.

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“Are you an idiot?”

Tch, Lee Jinha clicked his tongue shortly and rummaged through his bag. There should be some ointment here… ah, found it. He wouldn’t have cared if Kim Chayoung had hurt himself alone, but he felt somewhat responsible for the situation. It wasn’t because he was worried about Kim Chayoung. He muttered excuses to himself while handing him the ointment. Kim Chayoung squinted suspiciously.

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“Whose is this?”

“What do you mean whose? It’s mine. Don’t blame me later, just apply it.”

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“Why would you carry ointment around?”

It was rare for someone to carry ointment around, not a bandage or pain reliever. Moreover, the ointment Lee Jinha handed over was rolled up to 1/10th of its original size from the bottom.

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“Do I have to explain that to you?”

Lee Jinha gave the same response Kim Chayoung had on the stairs of the humanities building. Kim Chayoung’s eyebrows twitched slightly. He chuckled briefly and said, “Right, for now.” It was almost a murmur, and Lee Jinha ignored it.

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“Is this ointment even still good? It looks nearly unusable.”

“Just press hard, it’ll come out.”

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Hmm. Kim Chayoung made an indistinct sound and leaned his elbows on the table, sticking his head forward.

“You apply it. I don’t have a mirror, and I might put it in the wrong place.”

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“Do you want your lips to burst again?”

“Go ahead and burst them if you want to take responsibility. I’d welcome it.”

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Kim Chayoung smirked, lifting his chin slightly. His face got even closer.

“Why, you readily offer your neck but can’t apply ointment?”

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The displeasure in his voice continued.

What does he mean by offering my neck? Am I crazy? I opened my mouth then closed it again. Kim Chayoung, with a stubborn look, seemed unwilling to do anything if it wasn’t applied. Let’s just do it and get it over with. I pressed the ointment tube hard with a final feeling of squeezing out the last drop. A trickle of opaque white ointment appeared.

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Kim Chayoung didn’t blink, watching me intensely. As if he wouldn’t miss a single thing I did. His gaze was oppressive.

“Can’t you close your eyes if you hate the sight?”

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“If I close my eyes here, wouldn’t that be even weirder?”

Lee Jinha winced, apparently letting his thoughts slip out.

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“Everything’s weird to you.”

Kim Chayoung answered by lowering his eyelids. His long, lush eyelashes quietly settled down. Not a single feature on his face was unattractive.

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Lee Jinha’s fingertips twitched. He hesitated to apply the ointment to the torn lips, not understanding his own reluctance. Lee Jinha, what are you doing?

Eventually, instead of using a tissue, Lee Jinha tore a page from a notebook to wipe his sticky fingertips.

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“Wasn’t that the last bit?”

“I just remembered I hadn’t washed my hands. Gross.”

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“The problem is you, not me?”

“Yeah. Me.”

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Lee Jinha brazenly responded to the incredulous query. He tossed the rolled-up ointment tube, now nothing more than a scrap of paper, in front of Kim Chayoung. Kim Chayoung licked his lips and picked up the ointment that rolled to him. Why he didn’t throw it in the trash was beyond understanding. Understanding him was a tough task, so giving up was easier.

Lee Jinha turned his attention back to the tablet. Having the characters visually represented seemed to help solidify the story direction. Though he hadn’t discussed it with Kim Chayoung yet, Lee Jinha was really fond of the penguin. The protagonist’s appearance and physique were well done too. The problem was…

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“The battle clothes are fine, but why are the casual clothes so tacky? Rejected. Redraw it.”

Kim Chayoung, fiddling with the ointment, opened his mouth in disbelief. The wound had just stopped bleeding, but a drop of blood formed again.

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“I can accept criticism about the looks, but I can’t take the fashion critique.”

Kim Chayoung rarely got serious, but this time he did. Lee Jinha caught the rapid up-and-down glances of his eyes. The intent gaze was too obvious to ignore.

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“Hey. You’re no fashion expert either.”

“I still think I dress better than you.”

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“I’m ordinary too, you know?”

While he couldn’t claim to dress well, he thought he was decent enough. And though he had lashed out in frustration, in reality, Kim Chayoung had matched his clothes well to himself.

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“Lift your right arm.”

“Why my right arm all of a sudden?”

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“Just do as I say.”

Lee Jinha reluctantly lifted his right arm.

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“Good. Now place it on your chest.”

Following Kim Chayoung’s instruction, he placed his hand on his left chest. Thump, thump. The faint sound of his heartbeat resonated in his palm.

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“Ask your conscience again. Are you really just ordinary?”

“Crazy guy.”

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That figures. Confirming what he had suspected, Lee Jinha lowered his arm irritably. Seeing Lee Jinha’s disgusted face, Kim Chayoung’s cheeks twitched upwards.

In the end, they couldn’t find common ground on the protagonist’s fashion.

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After finishing my evening part-time job, I was on my way home. Despite the late hour, the bustling area near the university was as bright as day. Today, I finished right at closing time without any extra hours. At the beginning of the semester or after exams, it was common to work until dawn. It had been a while since I left work on time, making my steps unusually light. Having kimchi pancakes and mussel soup with the leftover ingredients made the evening even better.

Today, I need to meticulously plan up to episode three. Until now, I only dabbled in writing as a hobby, but embarking on serious writing meant there was much to learn and discover. After seeing the characters, I felt ambitious.

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Kim Chayoung (Contest Illustration)
Tomorrow 12:00 at the library GG (11:01 PM)

I sent a single circle as a reply. As soon as I sent it, the number 1 disappeared.

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