LA0S | Chapter 11

As soon as the regular classes ended, the two headed to a fast food restaurant near the school. It was a rare occasion for Lee Jinha to be leaving school grounds at this time for a purely personal reason, rather than for part-time work.

Kim Chayoung loosened his school uniform tie slightly and stood in front of the kiosk.

“What do you want to eat? I promised I’d treat, so order whatever you like.”

“You might regret saying that.”

“I’m not the type to regret things. Can’t I do at least this much for the hero who brought glory to our class?”

Well, if he says so, why not go all in?

“Five hot chicken burger sets.”

“Hot chicken… five sets?”

Uh. Lee Jinha nodded nonchalantly. Seeing Kim Chayoung’s eyes widen, it seemed he hadn’t expected such a large order. That’s why I warned him.

“Is that okay? I mean it, no need to hold back.”

“Huh?”

He had prepared a comeback, but all that came out was a puzzled “Huh?” It seemed like a lesser amount than he thought. Muttering under his breath, Kim Chayoung hit the kiosk several times. The tray was nowhere near enough, and they had to go back and forth twice.

Passersby glanced at the towering stack of burgers.

Lee Jinha savored the freshly served burgers. For him, having missed meals yesterday and likely to skip tomorrow’s as well, it was just a chance to eat while he could, but he didn’t expect Kim Chayoung could eat so much either. Despite his broad shoulders and long limbs, he didn’t look particularly burly.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

Kim Chayoung asked as he took a big bite of his burger, sauce marking his cheek.

“No, I’m eating.”

From there, they began to eat their burgers in silence. What they called eating seemed more like inhaling or gulping. Empty wrappers piled up one after another.

The thick, spicy patties and the slightly dry buns typical of fast food tasted especially good that day. He stuffed several fries into his mouth at once.

After a while, Lee Jinha felt Kim Chayoung’s gaze on him. Lifting his eyes slightly, he saw Kim Chayoung leaning on one elbow, watching him. He wasn’t sure how long Kim Chayoung had been looking.

“What are you looking at?”

His tone was more confrontational than he intended. His voice was low and his expression stern, which might seem even more aggressive. This had caused him trouble back in middle school too.

“Just watching you eat so deliciously. It’s kind of entertaining.”

What did that mean? Frowning, Lee Jinha stared back at him. Kim Chayoung still leaned on one elbow, tilting his head slightly, a pose too mature for an eighteen-year-old but fitting him perfectly.

“Just eat, don’t worry about me. If you need more, just say so.”

Weird guy. That was Lee Jinha’s second impression of him.

“Lee Jinha. What are you thinking about so seriously?”

“Nothing much. Did you finish the synopsis? What do you think?”

Lee Jinha shook his head dismissively, not revealing that he had been thinking about their past encounter. Kim Chayoung looked displeased for a moment, then sighed lightly and turned his gaze back to his notebook.

“I think the possession story has the most commercial potential. The cliché of a nondescript character gradually becoming stronger, and the fun of seeing a new boss mob with each quest.”

Kim Chayoung gave the third synopsis the best review. His sense and intuition were sharp, so it was worth listening to him. Naturally, a story favored by the artist would likely turn out well.

“Isn’t there a big demand for zombie stuff too?”

“Hmm, zombie material isn’t bad but… if we’re picking, it’s a bit niche. Let me start by sketching some main characters. Got any traits you absolutely want included?”

“Not really at the moment.”

“Alright, then I’ll just go with my gut.”

They agreed to decide on the final synopsis at their next meeting. The meeting ended earlier than expected. There weren’t as many differing opinions as anticipated. Despite Kim Chayoung’s dissatisfaction, their conversation flowed well.

“Haven’t had dinner yet? Want to go grab something to eat? There’s a fast food place under the school.”

Fast food, of all things. Watching him speak so nonchalantly, he seemed genuinely unbothered. Then I should probably respond in kind, even if it’s just foolish pride.

“That works. I’ve been craving a burger anyway.”

Lee Jinha packed up his notebook and stood up.

There were many Hanguk University students in the restaurant near the school, easily recognizable in their varsity jackets. Some glanced over at the two as they approached the kiosk. They found a spot near the entrance, pretending not to notice the looks.

“What do you want to eat?”

His voice sounded deeper and more resonant than Lee Jinha remembered.

Why do I even compare such things? Lee Jinha chuckled to himself at his own absurdity, and Kim Chayoung blinked, surprised.

“Hey. Lee Jinha…”

At that moment, his phone buzzed noticeably. Although he didn’t intend to look, he inadvertently saw Shin Yoona’s name on the screen. It was just a preview, so he couldn’t tell the exact content, but it seemed to ask what he was up to.

Kim Chayoung didn’t check his phone, seemingly unaware of the message. Lee Jinha decided it wasn’t his place to mention it and dismissed the thought.

“Just order yours. I’ll handle mine.”

“Why? It’s easier to do it all at once. It’ll come out faster too.”

“There’s no need for you to pay for mine as well. It’s much simpler to split the bill.”

Kim Chayoung’s cheek twitched slightly, a sign he was irked.

“You’ve become less of a jerk.”

That was almost a serious joke.

“So have you.”

Lee Jinha countered.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Where else would you find someone as much of a jerk as me?”

He shrugged off the tension with an easy gesture, not looking to start a fight with someone who clearly didn’t want one.

“I’ll pay. I did leave you hanging last time. Although I had no choice but to block your number.”

The word ‘block’ sharpened Kim Chayoung’s gaze slightly.

The hot chicken burgers they used to enjoy in high school had thankfully been discontinued for a while. Wait, why did I think that was fortunate?

Lost in thought for a moment, Kim Chayoung returned with the food he had ordered.

“They’ve really cut down on the portion.”

All Kim Chayoung had ordered was two burgers and some fries.

“You haven’t changed a bit, always been a good eater since the old days.”

Kim Chayoung pointed at the five burgers meant for Lee Jinha and laughed. It wasn’t particularly funny, but his lips spread wide in amusement. Lee Jinha lifted the burger to his face, shielding himself from the laughter.

By the time they were unwrapping the third burger, the ketchup for the fries had run out.

“I’ll get some ketchup.”

“No. Just eat it like this.”

Despite the objection, Kim Chayoung walked to the counter.

While he was away, his phone kept vibrating on the table. It was probably a text, not a call, given the short vibrations. Likely Shin Yoona? It was possible, considering how familiar Kim Chayoung seemed with her friends. But what did it have to do with me? I shouldn’t care.

“Here.”

Kim Chayoung dumped a heap of disposable ketchup packets on the table, forming a small mound.

“Did you raid the counter?”

“They just gave me all this when I asked for some ketchup.”

From where he was sitting, Lee Jinha could see the counter. A fast food employee in a red apron hastily pretended to be busy.

Maybe that was as generous as they could be towards Kim Chayoung.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.”

Lee Jinha replied nonchalantly, astonished by the mountain of ketchup packets.

“You’re not seriously going to use all ten, are you? How are we supposed to eat all this?”

“That’s why you shouldn’t get distracted.”

Who got distracted?

“You’ve been getting phone vibrations this whole time.”

He couldn’t help but mention it, annoyed by the constant buzzing.

“It’s nothing.”

“Could be something urgent. You should check.”

As he stuffed a ketchup-laden fry into his mouth, he spoke as if it were no big deal.

With a sigh, Kim Chayoung showed obvious reluctance but checked his phone. He didn’t reply, just put it back in his pocket.

“Not going to answer?”

“It’s not important.”

“Funny guy. You freaked out over me not replying to your texts. Bet the person who texted you now feels the same.”

“At least I didn’t block them.”

There it was, the blockade again. But Lee Jinha had nothing else to say. Kim Chayoung took a big bite of the last remaining burger.

“When did you start… no, never mind. Not the time for that.”

Kim Chayoung babbled something incomprehensible, then tilted his chin thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile seemed more forced than usual. Watching someone eat had always been one of his quirks. At first, it was awkward and embarrassing, but after nearly two years, Lee Jinha had grown used to it.

Now, however, it was incredibly uncomfortable, as if he was experiencing four years of discomfort all at once.

“If you don’t want fries thrown at you, look away.”

“No fries left to throw.”

Where did all those fries go? Soon, only the ketchup Lee Jinha had squirted out remained on the tray.

“Should I order more? You want?”

“Leave me alone.”

“If I could, would I be doing this?”

With that, their conversation came to an abrupt halt.

“Hey. You were originally a Comp Sci major.”

After the shock of their unexpected reunion, that was the first question that came to Lee Jinha’s mind.

It was hard to believe that someone who had enrolled in the Comp Sci department at World University had transferred to Art School. Kim Chayoung had always liked numbers; he found the exact results comforting.

“It suited me more than I thought. I knew I was a genius, but I was even more of a genius than I thought.”

“Try saying that to someone else and see how they react.”

Despite the blunt reply, Kim Chayoung’s eyes twinkled. He still had a strangely joyful expression as he spoke.

“My classmates are nice too. They don’t shun me even though I’m four years older. They call me ‘hyung’ and follow me around.”

Considering the times they had come to Hanguk University’s pojangmacha with seniors like Shin Youngmin and Shin Yoona, that gave a rough picture of his life at university. No doubt they looked for and called on Kim Chayoung several times a day.

“How about you?”

Now, it was Kim Chayoung’s turn to ask.