SAV Chapter 18

Even from far away, because he was so tall, I could see his reflection in the convenience store’s glass wall.

 

He was holding his phone in one hand, an earbud in one ear, and kept muttering something to himself.

 

And he was wearing glasses. The very glasses I had given him.

 

Cha Eunseong’s glasses were a famous, high-end, ultra-lightweight frame with a distinctive design. So just a moment ago, when I was about to open the convenience store door and saw Choi Jeha wearing the glasses I’d given him, I was so certain it was him that I bolted like a criminal.

 

He was so full of pride that if he knew I’d caught him wearing the glasses I gave him, he’d be so embarrassed he’d never wear them again.

 

So, after watching the focused profile of Choi Jeha studying for a while, I quietly turned and headed home.

 

If I had to describe my feelings on the way back…

 

I was simply happy.

 

***

 

The late spring sunlight streaming through the classroom windows was strong from the morning.

 

My body felt sluggish, and though I’d barely woken up, I was already getting sleepy. But that didn’t last long-when I saw the scores written on the bundle of papers our homeroom teacher brought in, my drowsiness vanished in an instant.

 

I checked again, thinking a digit was missing, but sure enough, it was a single-digit score.

 

‘What the heck? Is Cha Eunseong out of his mind?’

 

With these grades, not only was college out of the question, but even normal life seemed impossible. I cradled my head in my hands and groaned softly.

 

“This time, our class produced both the top student and the very last place.”

 

The homeroom teacher’s gaze landed on me. It was the look of someone who’d given up hope.

 

Of course, first place would be Choi Jeha, and as for last place, I didn’t even need to check-my report card might as well have said, ‘You, you’re last.’

 

As I stared grimly at my grades, Kim Juyoung leaned over toward me. Ever since he took my seat right after being discharged from the hospital, it had somehow become his. The one who lost it didn’t even seem bothered, always grinning by Juyoung’s side.

 

“Looks like the last digit’s missing. Ask the teacher if there’s a mistake.”

 

Startled, I crumpled my report card and stuffed it in my desk drawer. Did he really have to say that so loudly? Worried someone might have heard, I glanced around and locked eyes with the homeroom teacher, who was looking at me with exasperation. I awkwardly looked away.

 

Where I looked, Kim Juyoung was smiling slyly.

 

It seemed he’d raised his voice on purpose to tease me. This jerk-his face might be pretty, but his heart was anything but.

 

“Cha Eunseong.”

 

I answered right away when the homeroom teacher called.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Stop grinning and study for once.”

 

“I was just about to.”

 

What was the point of all those late-night academy sessions? Even if my brain were carved from stone, I’d do better than this. Even if I gave every excuse-bad condition on test day, or accidentally misaligning the answer sheet-there’s no way I’d mess up every subject.

 

Look at those consistent numbers. I was always a poor student, but Cha Eunseong’s grades were on another level. It wasn’t just bad; it was like… there was no brain at all.

 

‘At this rate, I’ll never even set foot on a college campus.’

 

I bit my lip and crumpled the report card even tighter in the drawer.

 

“And remember, today’s the deadline for the school trip fee.”

 

As soon as the teacher finished, I glanced at Lee Gyuseong. When our eyes met, he gave a crooked little smile. Just seeing that sly expression told me he hadn’t put it back where it belonged. I was sure, but with no proof, I couldn’t do anything and just felt frustrated.

 

“Teacher, is our whole class going?”

 

One student asked.

 

“What do you care?”

 

“I was just curious what happens if you don’t go.”

 

“You come to school.”

 

At the homeroom teacher’s words, the whole class groaned.

 

“Ugh.”

 

“That’s insane. I’d rather just go on the school trip. Who would come to school instead?”

 

Apparently amused by the reactions, the teacher added another comment.

 

“And self-study until fourth period.”

 

“Ugh, that’s the worst.”

 

“Guess I’ll just go.”

 

“I was thinking of skipping because I was lazy, but now I’ll go.”

 

“Yeah, I’d rather be lazy than come to school and study.”

 

“Exactly. Anyone in their right mind would just go.”

 

“But, we do have someone in our class who’s not in their right mind.”

 

“Who?”

 

“The guy obsessed with studying.”

 

The students glanced over at Choi Jeha’s seat.

 

“Not the one obsessed with Omega?”

 

“Pfft.”

 

They started snickering among themselves.

 

I liked traveling. Even when I was being bullied, I stubbornly participated in every school event for three years. But this time, I didn’t think I could.

 

Spending four periods alone in this big classroom for three nights and four days, zoning out by myself-how lonely would that be?

 

‘At least one person should stay behind.’

 

I felt like it had to be me.

 

Ever since becoming Cha Eunseong, maybe I’d come down with “good kid syndrome” or something. I kept wanting to look like a good person in front of Choi Jeha.

 

Thoughts turned into actions.

 

I shot my hand up toward the teacher. The teacher pointed at me with his chin, giving me permission to speak.

 

“If today’s the deadline, does that mean I can still cancel?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Personal reasons.”

 

“What kind of personal reasons?”

 

“After seeing my grades, I’m so devastated that I don’t think I should be off in Jeju Island right now. Call it self-reflection?”

 

“If you’re thinking of just taking the money, you can skip the self-reflection.”

 

The teacher answered absentmindedly, tidying up the materials on the desk.

 

“So I can request a refund for the trip fee through my parents, right?”

 

“Yeah, just make sure to request it today.”

 

As soon as I finished talking to the teacher, Kim Juyoung tapped on my desk.

 

“Ugh, what? You’re suddenly not going? So what am I supposed to do by myself?”

 

Kim Juyoung pulled his eyebrows down, making a disappointed face.

 

“How are you alone? Everyone knows you’re the most popular kid in the whole school.”

 

Muttering about how he wasn’t that popular, Kim Juyoung raised his hand and looked at the teacher.

 

“Teacher, I want to cancel too.”

 

“Oh, now what’s your reason?”

 

The teacher frowned, pulling down Kim Juyoung’s raised hand.

 

“Juyoung, what’s up with you?”

 

Unlike when I called, the teacher looked at Kim Juyoung with surprisingly gentle eyes.

 

“After seeing my friend’s single-digit grades, I felt a strong urge to help him study!”

 

“Why would you blurt that out, you lunatic?!”

 

I snapped and yelled without even realizing it. Instantly, the whole class burst into laughter.

 

Embarrassed, my face burning red, I covered it with my hand and lowered my head.

 

“Such a clown.”

 

The homeroom teacher shot me a glare, then said anyone who wanted to cancel should come to the office after class, and left the room.

 

“Are you trying to get yourself killed? Why would you bring up someone else’s grades?”

 

As soon as the teacher left, I glared at Kim Juyoung, my fists clenched and trembling.

 

“Let’s just say this is your punishment for deciding on your own without talking to me.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about? Why do I have to be punished by you?”

 

“You really don’t know?”

 

“I’m asking because I don’t, you maniac.”

 

Kim Juyoung frowned and shot me a glare. I didn’t know what was going on between Cha Eunseong and Kim Juyoung, but Juyoung’s face was clearly full of hurt. I wanted to ask more, but the classroom door slid open and the English teacher came in, so I couldn’t.

 

<Me: I told you to put it back where it belonged, didn’t I?>

 

<Lee Gyuseong: No idea what you’re talking about?^^>

 

<Me: Are you seriously saying you don’t know?>

 

<Lee Gyuseong: Yup>

 

<Me: 30>

 

<Lee Gyuseong: ?? What are you even saying>

 

As soon as class ended, I messaged Lee Gyuseong.

 

Now he was pretending not to know anything, answering with nonsense the whole time.

 

Even in our previous DMs, there was only a mention of 300,000 won, but no clear evidence of where it came from, so it was hard to pin him down. I was sure there was some truth in the conversations between Cha Eunseong and Lee Gyuseong, but unless someone had recorded them, there was no proof, so Gyuseong was just playing dumb.

 

If I reported it to the police, they could check the bank’s CCTV, but then this would get back to Choi Jeha’s grandmother, and that made me feel completely stuck.

 

Laughing at me, Lee Gyuseong got up and headed to the school cafeteria.

 

“Sigh.”

 

I glared at his back, let out a deep sigh, and took out my lunchbox. Cha Eunseong usually ate a good lunch at the school cafeteria, but today I’d specially asked my mom to pack me a lunch. I’d been worried about Choi Jeha, who’d been living off expired convenience store food lately. If he couldn’t even manage a packed lunch, how was he ever going to manifest before graduating college?

 

So today, I’d prepared a lunchbox. Two, in fact.

 

But while I was messaging Lee Gyuseong, Jeha’s seat had emptied-he’d disappeared somewhere.

 

‘Seriously, he’s going to drive me crazy.’

 

He was the kind of guy you could never let your guard down around.

 

If I were Choi Jeha, I’d be so exhausted from working late-night part-time jobs that I’d just eat and pass out, but he had so much stamina that every time I looked for him, he was never at his desk.

 

I wondered if he was somewhere stuffing his face with a triangle kimbap again, so I closed the lunchbox and stood up.

 

Just as I was about to head into the hallway, I ran into Kim Juyoung, who was coming in from washing his hands in the bathroom.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

He gently grabbed my wrist and asked in a soft voice.