PM CHAPTER 3.1

Holding the long-awaited uniform in his hands, Do-won felt a mix of emotions.

It wasn’t exactly joy at officially becoming a promotional ambassador… Rather, it was a strange sense of belonging.

Instead of simply being part of a large structure like school—where he had drifted along, following the same path as everyone else—he now felt tied to something much smaller and more specific.

Even as a child, Do-won had never once joined something as common as the Cub Scouts. He had seen kids in blue uniforms gathering on the playground after school, playing games meant to build teamwork, but to him, it had always looked incredibly foolish.

“Pitching a tent on a field makes you more cooperative? And you have to buy a uniform just to do that?”

The only clubs he had ever joined were the ones that were mandatory in middle and high school. Even then, he had picked something that allowed him to stay on his own path—the film appreciation club—so much so that he could hardly remember who else had been in it. The same went for group uniforms. The only ones Do-won had ever owned were his school uniform and gym clothes.

So, was this his chance to experience something different?

Participating in a group activity not because it was required, but voluntarily. Wearing matching outfits with others.

It wasn’t as ridiculous as he had thought.

“Weren’t the uniforms supposed to be ready next week?”

“Someone seemed eager to wear theirs.”

Lost in thought, Do-won suddenly heard I-rok’s quiet response. He had been so focused on looking at the uniform that he paused upon hearing those words.

Even with all the noise around them, those words struck him strangely hard.

For a moment, the thought crossed his mind—was he talking about me?

Slowly, Do-won lifted his gaze. I-rok was standing at an angle, looking straight at him without looking away.

“…What?”

Was the someone in his comment really him? Had I-rok seen him getting all worked up over the uniform?

Just then, I-rok turned his head away, his face composed as he firmly reminded Do-won not to lose it.

Hadn’t he acted like he didn’t care before? He’d given Do-won a hard time more than once, making it obvious when he didn’t approve of something. And yet, now he had gone out of his way to get the uniform early just because Do-won seemed eager to wear it? What was going on…?

A mix of embarrassment and an unfamiliar emotion swirled inside him.

Just as Do-won was about to think, I guess I finally get to experience kindness from this warm-hearted robot, I-rok’s firm voice rang out, shattering the illusion.

“You’ll realize during today’s tour that this job is harder than you think.”

It was as if he wanted to make sure Do-won didn’t get too comfortable with his delusion.

“One of the reasons for giving you the uniform early was to strengthen your sense of belonging, so I hope you won’t find it too tiring or troublesome and give up easily. Make sure you see your responsibilities through to the end.”

“……?”

(Disliking the hassle of ambassador work) + (Easily giving up on planning programs) = Baek Do-won.

Having finished his mental calculations, Do-won cursed under his breath.

“Shit… He’s totally talking about me, isn’t he?”

I-rok’s words were carefully phrased, with the subject and object cleverly omitted, but Do-won understood instantly. Every single thing he said was a direct hit aimed right at him.

The emotional impact of receiving the uniform crumbled in less than three seconds. Forget the kindness of a warm-hearted robot—this felt more like, “I’m giving you this uniform so you feel pressured to do your job properly.”

“What kind of guy even does that?”

Even when Do-won tried to think positively, he just couldn’t. The moment he started to let his guard down, I-rok would cut him down with that razor-sharp tongue of his.

Grinding his teeth, Do-won forced down the irritation creeping up his neck. He glared at I-rok’s smug-looking face before crumpling the tie in his hand and stepping closer.

“I-rok-ah. Can you… help me tie my tie?”

Go on, spend the rest of your term as my babysitter.

“……?”

Irok’s expression clearly said, ‘What’s with the tie?’ His brows furrowed in confusion, and Do-won smirked inwardly. Confused? Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel right now.

“I don’t know how to tie a tie.”

“…….”

“And it’d be kind of embarrassing to ask the younger guys to do it for me since I’m the hyung.”

“…….”

I-rok’s eyebrow twitched. Was he thinking, ‘This idiot doesn’t even know how to tie a tie?’

“If you really can’t do it, well… I guess there’s no choice. It’s not that big of a deal if I don’t wear it, right?”

How does it feel to have an idiot on your team?

Putting on a deliberately resigned expression, Do-won tossed the tie onto the table as if giving up. The moment he did, Irok swiftly reached out and grabbed it. Letting out a long sigh, he muttered under his breath.

“Haah… Just put on your uniform.”

Success. Keeping his expression neutral, Do-won bolted off. I-rok was more compliant than expected.

As he changed, he could barely hold back his laughter.

By the time he returned—having put on his uniform faster than anyone—I-rok was perched on a desk, staring blankly into space. When Do-won approached, I-rok turned to face him with his usual stoic expression, but he looked… drained. Like he was about to sigh but was forcing himself to hold it in.

Pathetic. Do-won sneered internally.

In the next moment, the tie slipped around his neck.

“There’s a reason we wear uniforms.” I-rok’s voice was low and firm.

“Maybe you wouldn’t know since you just coast through life, but wearing the same tie, nametag, and even buttons—it all carries symbolism and meaning.”

“Got it.”

Do-won answered half-heartedly, letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

I-rok must have noticed because his hands yanked the tie a little too roughly.

Do-won narrowed his eyes.

Pretends to be all proper, but this guy has a seriously nasty temper.

Well, that meant he was pretending otherwise while giving him subtle hints right to his face. He might as well just outright insult him. Do-won, who had never been treated like this before, found Han I-rok’s provocation quite refreshing. Refreshing in the sense that it was incredibly annoying.

‘But my temper is worse.’

There was nothing to gain from raising his voice here. Han I-rok would just put on his usual indifferent expression, making Do-won look like a fool getting worked up on his own. He needed a different approach this time. If Han I-rok was so skilled at treating people like idiots, then fine—he’d play along.

“Like this, tie the knot and turn it over. Hold it around here and tuck it in.”

Han I-rok, as if reciting from an official manual, began explaining in a monotone voice, seemingly trying to teach him how to tie it. As expected, Do-won didn’t really listen.

“The tightness… Is it okay?”

As Do-won nodded at the moderate pressure around his neck, Han I-rok’s fingertips, which had been lowering his collar, brushed against the nape of his neck, making Do-won visibly flinch. His hands were ice-cold, almost robotically so. Pausing for a moment at Do-won’s reaction, Han I-rok glanced at him briefly before finishing up and lowering the collar properly.

“It’s not a difficult method, so make sure to learn it.”

“It’s convenient when you do it for me, though.”

“I can’t do it for you every time.”

With a short “Yeah,” Han I-rok turned away. But… from now on, you’re my designated tie assistant. You’ll be doing this every time.

Hiding his scheming thoughts, Do-won smiled innocently, eyes crinkling. He’d make sure to torment Han I-rok thoroughly until he realized he’d seriously miscalculated.

—

The students had all gathered, and finally, the first campus tour began.

Leading such a large group—or even just guiding someone—was a first-time experience for Do-won, but it wasn’t as difficult as he had expected. Perhaps the students were mature for their age, as they followed directions well without any major disruptions.

If anything, Do-won was the one having the most fun. Under the bright, warm sunlight, walking through the campus put him in a great mood, and his steps were noticeably lighter.

“The lake path is a popular date spot for campus couples. During cherry blossom season, the entire lake turns white with falling petals—it’s quite a sight. If you become freshmen here, you’ll get to see it for yourselves.”

Do-won spoke as they passed by the lake on their way to the next building.

“But at the same time, it’s also a place you shouldn’t get too close to. Legend has it that anyone who falls into this lake contracts every single disease known to mankind!”

“Haha!”

“Every year, at least one or two drunk students decide to hold a swimming contest here.”

His lighthearted joke was well received. Grinning, Do-won led the students toward the entrance of the next building when Han I-rok quietly approached him and spoke in a low voice.

“Stick to the script.”
Knew he’d say that.

“A little ad-libbing is fine, isn’t it?”

“Technically, no.”

Knew he’d say that too.

“I just have too much wit to keep my mouth shut.”

“…Then I’ll take it from here.”

Han I-rok briefly made a disgusted expression before speaking firmly, almost like a warning. Then, with his long legs, he strode forward.

Do-won called after him, “That’d actually be great, thanks!” and pumped his fist in the air. Seriously, would it kill him to say things nicely?

Maybe he should be grateful it ended at that. If there hadn’t been any guests around, I-rok might have gone on a tirade about how inappropriate it was to joke about alcohol in front of minors, or how unscientific claims like “every disease known to man” were tarnishing the school’s reputation.

Do-won chuckled at the thought of letting those words go in one ear and out the other.

To tease I-rok a little more, he stuck close to him even during lunch. When I-rok got up to fetch water, Do-won got up too. When they cleaned up after eating, he stood so close they were almost linking arms. He could tell I-rok was getting annoyed by the unusual behavior.

“…Go clean up that table.”

“Why? Can’t we do it together? I thought I was supposed to stick to you.”

“That didn’t mean I was going to teach you how to throw out trash.”

Despite his words, I-rok didn’t push Do-won away, probably because he didn’t want to contradict himself. Enjoying the game, Do-won kept hanging around him, too caught up in his antics to realize how inefficient his actions were.

The tour group eventually reached the auditorium. The program inside was scheduled to last about an hour, marking the final segment of the campus tour. While the students were given a short break, the student ambassadors began preparing for their presentation.

“I-rok!”

Do-won called him without fail.

“I think there’s something wrong with this file….”

He was setting up the computer, his face and voice dripping with exaggerated helplessness. I-rok strode over, took the mouse from Do-won’s hand—his fingers as cold as ever—and, with a few clicks, quickly found the problem.

“The file got corrupted because of a compatibility issue. Here, use this version instead.”

I-rok pulled a USB from his jacket pocket and handed it over before turning to leave, already heading back to his own tasks.

Always so prepared.

But Do-won wasn’t done with him yet.

“I-rok!”

His brows seemed to furrow slightly, but he approached again without looking particularly irritated.

“What.”

“It won’t run at all. I tried launching the program, but nothing’s coming up.”

“This one was missing ActiveX. Just download—”

“Oh. I have trauma with the word ‘active,’ so be careful with that.”

“……”

That look on his face—like he couldn’t believe the nonsense he was hearing—sent an electrifying thrill all the way to Do-won’s fingertips.

—

After enduring all three verses of the unexpectedly stirring school anthem, the campus tour finally came to a successful end.

As was always the case with club activities, the event naturally led to an afterparty with drinks. Even there, Do-won made sure to secure his seat right next to Han I-rok.

Now dressed comfortably in a sweatshirt instead of his formal uniform, I-rok looked noticeably tired. His already deep-set eyes seemed even darker than usual.

Well, of course he’d be exhausted. Not only did he have to lead a massive group of students around the campus all day, but he also had to follow behind and pick up the school regulations Do-won kept conveniently ‘dropping’ everywhere.

“Han I-rok, you worked hard today.”

That’s what you get for messing with me.

With a bright smile, Baek Do-won raised his glass toward him.

I-rok hesitated for a moment, then lifted his own glass—but instead of clinking it against Do-won’s, he brought it straight to his lips. As if frustrated by Do-won’s unfazed attitude, he downed his beer in large gulps.

Watching this, Do-won smirked to himself. So, he was a little more emotional than he let on.

And so, Do-won’s relentless pursuit continued.

“My bad… I’m just so clumsy….”

He deliberately messed up documents or corrupted public files right in front of I-rok, feigning an innocent mistake before mumbling a half-hearted apology. (But after doing it too many times, I-rok had started glaring at him with terrifying intensity, fixing the problem in seconds without a word before walking away. It seemed even scolding him was too exhausting now.)

“I’ll do it too!”

He also attended every meeting without fail, volunteering for every promotional ambassador activity I-rok participated in. (Judging by I-rok’s expression, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.)

“I’m just—really curious, so I have to ask….”

During discussions, he would pretend to ask innocent questions, feigning genuine curiosity while actually just challenging I-rok’s every statement. Thanks to Do-won, meeting times became significantly longer and more inefficient.

At one point, an exasperated I-rok even counterattacked by asking if Do-won had actually finished writing the tour guidebook.

“Han I-rok!”

Do-won didn’t stop at the meetings—whenever he spotted I-rok anywhere on campus, he would shout his name loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.

Each time, I-rok would scowl, pull his cap down lower, and mutter, “Keep it down in the hallways,” like an elementary school teacher before quickly disappearing.

“Haha, this is fun.”

The surprising thing was that Han I-rok wasn’t particularly good at rejecting people. If he really didn’t want Do-won participating in the activities, he could’ve easily used his authority as part of the executive team to kick him out. But instead of saying anything, he simply furrowed his perfectly sculpted brows.

And yet… Even while shaking his head in disapproval when Do-won handed him a tie, he still played the role of a tie shuttle without fail. No matter how often Do-won annoyed him with pointless chatter on KakaoTalk, he always responded promptly, never leaving a message unread for long. His replies were short—just “Yeah.” or “Mm.”—but he answered diligently nonetheless.

“Guess he doesn’t know how to leave someone on read.”

Maybe he just couldn’t ignore things like this? He really was rigid in a way. Do-won chuckled to himself as he replayed their conversations in his head, where the last message always belonged to I-rok.