IOSMC Chapter 4-2 (Part 3)

My grades were good enough to qualify without needing CSAT scores, so I stopped preparing for the test.

Maybe because everything was falling into place, I started to feel a bit more at ease.

Of course, I might have had some breathing room now, but that didn’t mean the people around me were doing any better.
And since my days largely revolved around being there for the kids, nothing had drastically changed.

I continued tutoring I-ryeong and Ha-jung like always, and I spent my time comforting Eun and Hee-jun, who were still tense with nerves while waiting for their exam results.

The only real change, if you could call it that, was checking in on how the study abroad process was coming along every now and then.

So my days passed—feeling a little different, and yet basically the same.

But then, finally, today brought something that could actually be called an event.

We were all gathering at my place for filming.

Originally, we were supposed to meet in the first week of the month.

But Eun and Hee-jun had too many practical exams lined up, so it didn’t work out.

We kept postponing it, and after Eun’s last exam wrapped up yesterday, we naturally settled on today.

The reason the meetup ended up at my place… is honestly kind of sad.

At first, Ha-jung, fed up with the endless cycle of home-school-academy, had suggested we film at a library for a change of pace.

But after seeing how drained we looked yesterday, he had no choice but to admit that none of us had the energy to be running around outside—so the plan shifted to staying in.

From there, it became a matter of whose place we’d meet at.

Eun didn’t like having people over to his house.
The rest of us lived with our families.

Which left only one option—my place.

And that’s how it was decided. Everyone would be coming over to my house.

“Next month is right before the CSAT, so we agreed to meet at home… When are we ever going to film outside? Is it even possible to shoot outside?”

I recalled Ha-jung’s face as he mumbled that with a hopeless expression. I shook off the memory of that face as I put the drinks I’d just bought into the fridge.
There was nothing to drink at home except water, so I’d rushed out to buy some.

Since Ha-jung had been so disappointed about the outdoor shoot being canceled, I’d planned to cheer him up by watching a movie he’d always wanted to see—but of all things, it turned out to be a horror film, so I was a bit worried.

“Ugh… I hate scary stuff.”

I wrinkled my nose and muttered as I closed the fridge door and left the kitchen.
Then I headed to the living room and flopped down onto the sofa.

It wasn’t like I wasn’t sleeping, but for some strange reason, I felt tired every single day.
With a little groan, I grabbed the nearest cushion.

I buried my face deep into the cushion and lazed around until I heard the sound of someone punching in the door code.
There was still a good amount of time left before the promised hour, but for some reason, I had a feeling it was Eun.

Besides my parents and our housekeeper, only Eun and Hee-jun knew the code—but it was too early for it to be Hee-jun.
With that thought, I sat up. Still on the sofa, I quickly finger-combed my hair into place.

I stayed seated and just craned my neck to see who had arrived.
As expected, Eun was standing at the entrance.
He was taking off his shoes, arms full of stuff, and when he seemed to sense my gaze, he lifted his head.

His light brown hair swayed softly, and the stiffness in his eyes gently melted.
The hallway sensor light flicked on, detecting his movement. His already-clear eyes gleamed even more brightly under the sudden light.

“Un, I’m here!”

With both hands raised high, Eun called out cheerfully.
I laughed at his adorable greeting and walked over to the entrance.

“Welcome! But what’s all that in your hands?”

“This? They’re gifts for you, Un. I thought really hard about it and only bought the things you like, so you have to eat them by yourself.”

The way he firmly insisted I couldn’t share them was so ridiculous and cute that I let out a snort.
He frowned slightly, saying he was serious.

“I brought this because I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me up until now. So only you eat it. Don’t share it with the others.”

“Got it. I’ll eat it all by myself.”

When I nodded obediently, Eun finally looked satisfied and smiled.
He naturally walked into the kitchen and began putting things away as if he lived here.

I was the one who lived here, but honestly, anyone watching would’ve thought this was Eun’s house.
He neatly placed anything that didn’t need refrigeration on the corner of the island counter like it was second nature.

And I just sat at the table and watched.
Maybe it was because his hands were so pretty—even just watching him organize things wasn’t boring at all.

After finishing up, Eun came and sat next to me.
He turned his chair to face me and then wriggled around until he rotated mine too, so we were sitting face to face.

The situation—where we were now sitting directly across from each other because of his hands—was so ridiculous I couldn’t help but laugh.
And when I laughed, Eun laughed too.

On his pale face, his clear, snowflake-like smile settled lightly like it belonged there.

I was staring at his face like I was under a spell when, suddenly, a question popped into my head.
I knew it was too soon to ask and that it was a bit random, but I said it anyway.

“Eun… do you think you’re happy right now?”

“What’s with the sudden survey?”

“Just….”

I had nothing meaningful to say and no good way to say it, so I replied blandly while rubbing my cheek.
Eun, who had been watching me with gentle eyes, let out a small laugh and stood up from his seat.

He took out a chocolate pound cake from the fridge, then opened the cupboard like he always had and took out a plate.

He carefully transferred the cake onto the plate, then pulled out a knife.
His hands moved delicately, trying not to ruin the shape of the cake as he cut it.
While doing so, he let out a small hum.

The faint line that appeared across his otherwise smooth brow looked like the signature of a famous artist drawn in the corner of a painting—it blended into his face without disturbing it at all.
Still looking down at the cake, he opened his mouth, head bowed.

“Is it because you like me too much, Un?
They say that when you really like someone, you start wondering all the time—whether they’re happy or not.”

The only things I could see were the light brown bangs covering half his forehead, the faint line across his brow, and the soft eyelashes fluttering above his downward gaze.

When I didn’t answer, Eun slowly lifted his eyes and looked at me.
At that moment, the soft yellow light of the kitchen glowed in his pupils.

That light spun inside his eyes, tracing slow circles like a carousel.

I stared into that light for a long time, then lowered the hand I’d been resting my chin on.
Leaning my upper body forward on the table, half-slouched, I asked Eun:

“Who said that?”

“I read it in a book, so I don’t remember who said it.”

He answered my question with a light smile that looked like it might scatter away with even the smallest breath.
I had asked who said it, but I wasn’t all that curious about the source anyway.
I just nodded a couple of times.

Anyone else might have been annoyed by my halfhearted response, but Eun simply smiled and resumed cutting the cake—his hands moving again as if our conversation had never paused.
The sweet scent rising from the cake lifted my mood.

Eun must have noticed I was staring at the cake, because he went and brought a fork.
Then, with a small piece neatly cut and ready to eat, he held it out to me on the fork.

As I took it, the tapping of my foot against the floor stopped.
The regular kitchen sounds faded away, and in their place, only the sound of our breathing remained.
Bringing the cake to my mouth, I murmured:

“Yeah? That person must be really smart.
Because I think it’s true.
I think I’m wondering stuff like that because I like you too much…
Yeah, I think I’m asking because I like you so much, Eun.”

At those casually spoken words, Eun suddenly lifted his head, surprised.
His reaction caught me off guard—had I said something strange? I blinked in confusion.
But then, as if he were waiting for the right moment, Eun gave me a slow, soft smile.

“I… I think I’m happy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m happy.”

Even with the sharper look on his face from the weight loss and stress of preparing for his practicals, Eun’s smile was kind and warm.
As I watched a faint flush rise to his pale cheeks, I took a bite of the cake.
After swallowing, I casually asked another question.

“Do you think Hee-jun feels the same?”

“I think so. There’s no reason for us to be unhappy, right?
Especially when we’ve got such a good… friend like you, Un.”

At those words, I smiled with a look of relief.
It really was a relief.
Even though we’d completely diverged from the story—the novel where no matter what hardships they faced, the two would end up happy—Eun and Hee-jun were still happy.

It felt like proof that what I’d done hadn’t been pointless, and with that joy, I took another bite of cake.

* * *

Barely five minutes into the movie, Ha-jung, who had been sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, suddenly asked everyone:

“Do you guys have anything you want to do once the CSAT is over?”

That out-of-nowhere question prompted a variety of reactions.
Eun tilted his head, then looked at me.
I-ryeong rubbed his chin and said, “Not sure?”
And of course, Hee-jun, who had been resting with his head on my thigh even before the movie started, said nothing at all.

None of us, myself included, seemed all that interested in actually watching a horror movie, so not one of the three of us told Ha-jung to stop asking random things and focus on the movie.

Finding it funny, I smiled a little and lowered my hand to gently stroke Hee-jun’s hair.
Though we had turned the movie volume down, I carefully cupped my hand over his ear just in case.

Eun blinked at me like he was wondering what I was doing.
Worried the sound might wake him, I whispered softly, and after letting out a quiet hum of understanding, Eun glanced at Hee-jun and leaned his head on my shoulder.

“Hmm, it’s not something I want to do after the CSAT exactly, but… I want to go see the sunrise at the beach with you guys on New Year’s.”

I lowered my shoulder slightly to make Eun more comfortable as I mumbled the words.
Ha-jung, who had been staring at the screen as a loud scream rang out, somehow heard him and quickly turned his head.

“The sunrise?”

“Yeah. Kinda cliché, right?
Still, I think it’d be nice to watch the sunrise with people you like. No?”

He smiled, eyes crinkling slightly, as if he wasn’t really sure himself.
Ha-jung turned all the way around to look at me, narrowed his eyes, and let out a thoughtful hum.

“I’m in!
Though, for some reason, I feel like the three of you will end up going without me…”

“Then just come with us.”

“Seriously? Well, it’s not like there’s only one chance to see the New Year’s sunrise.
If we miss it next year, we can go the year after!”

With a cheerful voice, Ha-jung leaned on I-ryeong, who was sitting next to him.
Like an octopus, he wrapped his arms and legs around I-ryeong’s limbs, giggling as he said they should all go together.

Though he didn’t seem particularly good with scary movies—flinching every time something frightening came on screen—even as he kept his eyes on the movie, I-ryeong smiled and said he’d love to go.

“If Sa-eon hyung is going too.”

“I’m the one who suggested it! I’m telling you, our I-ryeong only likes Lee Sa-eon.”

“Yes.”

“At least pretend to deny it a little—say it’s not true or something. But look at him, just saying ‘yes’ right away.”

“Well, it’s true.”

He said it casually, then turned his head and looked at me.
A bright red flash from the screen lit up I-ryeong’s pale face, tinting it a soft pink.
Looking up at me with cheeks flushed like a child with a high fever, I-ryeong opened his mouth.

“You’ll come too, right, hyung?”

“Yeah, next year.”

The one who reacted to my answer wasn’t I-ryeong, but Eun, who was leaning against me.
“Next year?” he repeated my words and furrowed his brows slightly.

“We don’t know what our schedules will be like the year after.”

Even though I said it lightly on purpose, Eun still looked unconvinced and silently turned his head away.

After that, we didn’t really watch the movie and just kept chatting about whatever, until eventually, we all fell asleep.

If someone asked me about the plot of the movie, I honestly wouldn’t have anything to say—we watched so little of it.
We did put on a horror film, but all I remembered was feeling like I had a weird, unpleasant dream rather than being scared.

The one who woke me up was Hee-jun.

It felt like someone was calling my name, so I forced my eyes open—only to meet Hee-jun’s gaze as he looked down at me.

It was just a brief moment, but he gave a small smile, then lightly tapped my cheek and told me to get up.
I turned my head to dodge his hand and stretched out.

Even though I’d fallen asleep to screams, pained groans, and strange, skin-crawling sounds, I actually felt pretty well-rested—better than before I fell asleep, anyway.

After that, we ate the food Eun had made, then for some reason, the five of us all crammed into a single bathroom to brush our teeth before saying goodbye.

Once the four of them left, the house grew quiet in an instant.
While I sat alone in the silence, a message came from my mom asking when to book the plane ticket.
I stared at that text for a long time before typing my reply.

「Right after graduation.」

After her short reply of “Got it,” my phone went silent again.
I stared at it for a while, then laid down on the carpet.

I sprawled out on the soft carpet, then slowly rolled over onto my side.

Lying like that, I stared out the window for a while before closing my eyes.

* * *

[Comments]

@hamstar×××: LMAOOOOO the way he smacked the other friends awake but suddenly got all careful when waking the hamster… I lost it. Was he trying to make it obvious they’re dating? Damn, must be the honeymoon phase…

⌎ @jiwoo×××: Please don’t say things like that. Those two aren’t dating.

⌎ @hamstar×××: Huh?

⌎ @jiwoo×××: I said, those two aren’t dating, so don’t go making two perfectly normal guys gay.

⌎ @hamstar×××: Huh???

⌎ @jiwoo×××: What are you doing right now? Are you joking? Do you think this is funny?

⌎ @hamstar×××: Huh???

⌎ @hamstar×××: No like wait huh?? They’re actually a thing??? I thought you were joking;; sorry

⌎ @hamstar×××: But like… they really do look like they’re dating though…?

@gmlwns×××: What the hell did I just watch?

⌎ @gmlwns×××: I watched it five times and I still didn’t get it so I played it twenty more times and I still don’t get it. Are they really just friends?? No way… there’s no way…….

@user-oufrhd×××: “I think it’d be nice to watch the sunrise with people you like”…… Damn, guess even friendship requires dating-tier commitment these days. No wonder I’m single and friendless lmao

@16354hug×××: And just like that, I’ve lost another friend.
But I’m not alone.
Because this video will cause hundreds of thousands of people to lose a friend.
Hehehe… heh… heh……
Hh… huh…
Wait that’s weird…
Why do I feel lonely…??
I’m not lonely… h-heh…….

@gkdmstkdjs×××: Bro I’m LOSING it!! Look at his mouth—he always calls him “Hamster + surname” but when waking him up he dropped the surname…!!

⌎ @user-syfjfk×××: Why do we have to keep losing perfectly good friendships because of videos like this, OP please I’m begging you.