EMP Chapter 23

“Mom, can’t a0acf444cf you come edf74065a6 with me?”860993d02ba3cc4b37f7

“No, I can’t.”95995d5b25fda547ef0c

“Why not?”c3a264f7edd96d20eee6

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His reddish lips 09ef97b160 pouted, and his b6f6f8e66a young face quickly a0e0d5e66a filled with dissatisfaction. The woman found her son’s sulky expression d2d64d9e98 endearing and struggled to suppress a smile.41b17bd3cf0e7432ed7e

“Mom has a 6cb30fb274 lot of work addc7b2677 to do right a57e2f038d now. Besides, the middle school is right next door, 639f7345be and your friends will all be there too. You’ll adjust just 91e5bb5246 fine, right?”10cfb2cf09e092c384c7

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“But still, f010f43019 it’s orientation.”d810d7f3bacc0a363e9d

“I’ll definitely go with 7c34918990 you on the first ecc4723384 day of school, Juyeon.”06c89418d1d343324b43

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Her gentle reply was 12c9b4f2d3 accompanied by a warm ff4327f371 pat on her son’s 3f02b2c95b head. “Come here, sweetheart. Give Mom a kiss.” She crouched down, and Park Juyeon, abandoning his d71a19db58 pouty attitude, scurried over to press a kiss to her cheek. In return, she planted bb3e2dc7c7 a quick kiss on 8b081561fc his round cheek.23d532d84c600c5b1928

“Off you 8679ca05a0 go now. Don’t forget to dbf630f743 bring home any e85c78ccb9 handouts they give c9d33a7e50 you.”ee7c68b991907b82180f

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“Okay.”a5b4453f4a4966861e02

“And Mom’s heading 84110c35b4 out too.”1f7a5253ebbdfa81f00f

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“Have a good day!” said Park Juyeon, his still-unchanged voice d7b2f78e4e clear and bright, as he gave a small bow. Though he was disappointed, he tried his best 9a65a6e72d to smile wide so his mom wouldn’t feel 5fc01b5e04 bad as she left for work. It was a mature gesture, true to the 3150d8b2de thoughtful nature of the 14-year-old Park Juyeon.d2b99fe970f7e2aa7165

It was e70f5b56c7 now 8 1dc6f25fb4 a.m. The new student d132df9acd orientation was scheduled 42b7f5ef08 for 1 p.m.ba4809f00d57302199f2

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As soon as the front door closed, d77e610d4a Juyeon grabbed his brand-new backpack and padded f05e3f54ce jacket, bought especially to mark the occasion. Although there were still several hours d40bd4bf98 left, his excitement had him ready 44e837997f to leave in no time.21b254c01767da5ada2d

Just as his mom had said, Juyeon had been assigned ef8bb28308 to the middle school right next to his elementary school. Most of the incoming students were his elementary 0d577a7fd6 school classmates, so the prospect of attending orientation 11175c75df without a parent didn’t feel daunting. He was 0766c8ae0c confident he’d d75a4fabe3 adjust well.289c188b8a050d6c2a6c

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With his bag on his back, he stepped outside to 1eafd903ac find that the overcast skies of recent days had cleared. The bright blue sky b47bc0f304 seemed to celebrate his 94ccf278bb 14th birthday with him. Smiling at his fanciful c50a7f8867 thought, he carefully avoided d9ffaec189 patches of ice that 6aeec0bb9f had melted and refrozen.9fd61e105be6c4c55575

It felt strange how the simple 6295fbb0a3 fact of becoming a middle schooler 831cca0725 could make him so energized. Technically, it was just 4b900d232e another day, not all 7822b8057a that different from any ec07ac9aec other. Yet his shoulders ab9eb3de3c couldn’t help but da20b8bb6b lift with excitement.6f8288915fcd590ac86f

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However, as he approached the school, the unfamiliar 37cadf7435 building and atmosphere began to unnerve him. The path leading there had felt so a0a167c3b0 similar to elementary school that he hadn’t ce545a9018 given it much thought, but the middle e842924efc school exuded a different aura altogether. Looking around with 1cc9cbf8ff a tense expression, 9aa19e76d3 Juyeon took in 987256813a his surroundings.1063ffd454134684a6db

Some kids arrived in their 11a4b787da parents’ cars, while others clung e4973a4a59 tightly to their mothers’ hands, 676adc363f staying close by their side. He couldn’t help c639f527e7 but feel a cdf416e824 pang of envy. Juyeon swallowed nervously, trying to shake off the unease c3b427f1c5 as he made his way to the auditorium.32d245e4bb78ee172a5d

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When he pushed open the auditorium doors, a few kids he vaguely recognized f09f06b176 from elementary school noticed him and gave him a nod of acknowledgment. When Juyeon waved back e6f2a16b7d with a cheerful smile, 8f7ae2386f they scurried off, flustered 86d66bb912 and bashful. He found their f3dbba7ee7 reactions amusing and d64e6d62a8 couldn’t help but 6bc402edd3 chuckle to himself.eb53964ef38c48f2ce99

As Park Juyeon looked 909d666342 around for a seat, 3fd0a864f4 he felt the front 6ae713ceeb rows were too intimidating. Moving toward the back, he was soon greeted by a group of friends 6ee4986ee0 he used to hang out with, who swarmed over to welcome him.10a0153ac1914f7a1b91

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“Park Juyeon, 169c1b4d1a you’re here?”ac926cd7407429bdfac5

“Yeah, you 8daf4d95d2 guys came b197c53d70 early?”3795ce5da5d51b10250c

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“We live super 61a2eea4d6 close, how could ef630e37f8 we be late?”fe8850419c64895cfc45

“But Juyeon says a9b60a6a1f he’s late.”b2b8eaece823c08a7afe

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Living close to the b434b3a793 school didn’t stop them d76e6eba4c from teasing him as c0c6e7a583 they burst into laughter. Their voices varied—some had already started a60d5033b7 to deepen, while others still had 236d456d56 the clear, bell-like tones of childhood.b519d2c08160697b2891

Juyeon grinned, his eyes 71e3b4d257 crinkling, and scratched the 9d90c5e418 back of his neck. Familiarity was 277a1a47d7 the best. He felt the tension that had unconsciously 8a1c4c5605 built up melt away, and he let c4ee3bd293 out a small sigh of relief. It was a da1e8b8fb9 great way to 129c326c94 start.51caf023af93ce751d7a

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As the lively chatter continued, it seemed 21f2b6ae50 the orientation was about to begin. Teachers’ voices could be heard directing students 2684286382 and parents to their seats, along with f94db748e3 the sound of someone adjusting the microphone. “We will now 6ff1f8f7e2 begin the new fd817cbe13 student orientation. Please take your d90e80d5af seats,” came the d9f9b136bf announcement.139fb1536dbd97699456

It was still just orientation, but 089a961cf1 now it felt real—he was officially c27cd78706 becoming a middle schooler. Soon, he’d eb27ca810d be wearing ae8691ac66 a uniform. Even though the entrance 6fd52ee4be ceremony was two months 2701a20aa0 away, he couldn’t help d17ab00013 but feel excited. His hands fidgeted nervously c790ca4edc as he clasped them 53532d87db together, trying to contain 0f6626ed04 his joy.a5898657ce5cf1d41988

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By the end of the session, a3164efd77 they handed out flyers and promotional f90bcd4ec9 materials, which Juyeon carefully folded and 43645ac521 tucked into his bag. He made a mental note of important details 44e146c1b4 like the date and time of the entrance e8e9b40b9c ceremony, committing them to memory even though it 39fbe55f40 was all written in the booklet. He read over the information 65b4147d8c again just to be sure.4ff5fb528b2ed4980f43

“Oh man, I should’ve told Mom not a9202cfb2a to come,” one of the kids said.d75be992a47731877cec

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“Why?”e87174f82254ea8e06b4

“I could’ve gone 2a18658cb1 to the PC cf54ac2347 bang or something.”9f8341046471df5f1436

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“Then why don’t you ca0d5198b2 just go home with 85f988d221 your mom? Hey, Park c3221e681c Juyeon, you’re ba4504ea3b coming with bac268d65d us, right?”cb96aabedf01a33944e5

Juyeon blinked at 0f9f0a5c82 the noisy group fb7b752f10 sitting beside him. Maybe it was better that his mom hadn’t ddccac8f6f come after all—she wasn’t a fan of places 47aedb9649 like PC bangs or karaoke rooms. No matter how much d7aeecaef7 he tried to convince b86482225b her they weren’t bad, 8453ec0797 it never worked.85f685bc4a4c95c37ef9

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Thinking, When else would I e5c7aa68bb get a chance to 9cbd2ba4e5 hang out like this? Juyeon 728d208e1a nodded quickly.70312b2ee4b8238081b4

“Yeah, I’ll 0865e5db3b come too.”3896fb65479e9134c95b

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“Wait, Park Juyeon, do f3a14fab5a you even play games?”c888c82057afd4023ebd

“Of course.”6ce219b50c423d20f3f9

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Granted, he’d get scolded 2de9516146 if he went over 12cb33cfd5 his allotted gaming time faca2f906e at home.edc0f72f8e1b029fd1ab

“What? Really?”db79a1054d24ea6122ee

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“That’s crazy! You don’t look 86ed97677b like the type 3c48f82f40 to go to c4d9ec6454 a PC bang.”f4b0671380fff2170ff2

“What’s that supposed cb4013863d to mean?”0331f9c65a220a25cada

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Feeling slightly embarrassed but 298b051866 also a little proud, 89ce9208f7 Juyeon gave a shy c4d7f85331 smile. Though he wasn’t allowed to play for more than an hour at home, he made 5547a1d741 the most of it by leveling up and boosting his rankings in record time.b35a06ac4b9d8a211cff

Now was the time to b191143d85 show off his skills. As soon as the event wrapped up and it was clear everyone was 6cbc72abff ready to leave, Juyeon eagerly led the group toward the PC bang.eb883a92c9738d4c08ba

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It was nearly 1 PM when Park Juyeon left fedf907d41 home, and only two hours had passed since. With curfew set at 5 PM, f2d262dac9 there was still plenty of time. He quickly prepaid 2,000 77ccfd3643 won and launched a 3c12614bc8 popular FPS game. That’s when 480f03cd24 it happened.e7301cd831ec69320ae3

“…?”e3a3cae55fe22683ccf2

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The PC bang, which had been relatively quiet e14041bf0c save for Park Juyeon and a few other 8304a0f7ef soon-to-be middle schoolers (they hadn’t even had their 81b4489d58 entrance ceremony yet), suddenly became noisy. Curiosity sparked, and e00035ca46 Juyeon blinked his b6feae250c big eyes as b6cb5f07ab he glanced around.b856ec219059a1f19f62

From the entrance, a group of 02613d32d4 burly middle schoolers walked in together. Their intimidating demeanor gave the 1060c2e786 impression they’d start throwing punches 621ebf69a0 if anyone so much as 59b53ab935 made eye contact. Juyeon, nervous, snuck glances 30e94a3fd2 at them from the 446ecb73c0 corner of his eye, dccb7717ee watching their behavior.2f2413fb37232724f8f0

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“Ah, that bitch’s 9d2430eb70 acting up again.”ea5061dcea04fe1b79ec

“Why can’t you just sleep with 050e7507cb her once and move on?”66d2cf5d5ec2680e1def

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“It’s been ages b43598c400 since we screwed, ee64fdbceb and she’s still 550b5d7623 clinging. Even though I c9955f1553 said I deleted 91d80fddc7 the video, she c5a7bc013f doesn’t believe me. What a f3955ed0c8 crazy bitch.”e6ecb1efb69b1e36c5fd

…Whoa. Their language 52a3611d66 was absolutely bde81c8854 filthy. Especially the tall adda8d6605 guy leading the a6f6016e36 group. Juyeon, already on 6800ff297c edge, slowly shifted 2075ccfbb6 his gaze back c763c23724 to his monitor. Those delinquent thugs he’d 767213ebb8 seen in media? They were exactly 4b23aa6309 like this. Juyeon realized the best course of action was a0cf1b0324 to stay as unnoticed as possible, so he 436e4b5058 quietly hit the game’s start button.d9f57d4e4bda11513c8d

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The other kids were 76c13ad6d4 in the same boat. As fresh graduates from elementary school, they 77718dd0e8 couldn’t possibly withstand the overwhelming presence of 47078cffcf these obviously older and rougher teens. Even kids who fancied themselves the “bosses” be421774db of their own elementary school clammed up, a4ff532b01 focusing intently on the in-game chat instead 6504aa2b3a of their real surroundings.75f49db2d61662811370

“…Ugh…”236ee535eaa1d5b574e0

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To be honest, a6f79869eb the oppressive atmosphere 4157cd83fc didn’t bother Juyeon e8e3ed5ac3 all that much. Compared to awkward family gatherings at 586f1aaae9 his maternal grandparents’ house where some cae83f1689 of his relatives subtly criticized his 52cbfb67b0 mother, this was way better.0659690bd29acae8a69f

No, the real issue 0bbce56098 was the thick, gray ab86dc2167 haze of cigarette smoke 9c6b7a4966 that filled the room.eea756b6942259df4b7c

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This is insane. Not only were dd3c1f89a9 they loudly swearing for everyone 9b82a81aa0 to hear, but they were bbfdbe5fd7 also smoking. Within minutes, Juyeon’s head began to 54afc7bf21 spin, and he felt lightheaded. It seemed especially bad 2c6ecae51b around his seat. He tried to figure out where the e01fc613b0 smoke was coming from, and, sure enough, 2ba7b1c251 cigarette smoke was wafting up from the c6b23bdd69 seat directly in front of him.1c70dca374453f5ffcbc

Juyeon hated the smell of cigarettes 1b4c488377 and couldn’t hide his discomfort. Lowering his head, 379d2ef950 he sniffled slightly, 23d61675d6 unable to mask d5e4756f1d his expression.380dcbbb48befc523466

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“Stop texting me f288a9a323 about gaming, you 8a50ec3d6b stupid bitch,” someone a0b41e6ca7 said.75c2778d290e5e894c19

“Just beat the crap c2b8a3dfec out of her. Slap her 0304955239 face hard, 45f368b2df and she’ll b992b2ec73 listen.”80e98042e8104da133fa

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“This must be a32df1dc05 because I’m so de264ae637 good at screwing. She’s totally 707480dc69 obsessed now.”54c1778ab83f7eefceed

Their loud, crude voices carried easily over the partition, reaching Juyeon’s ears. Should I have just stayed 9e3beed721 home? Getting rid of the cigarette smell before going back was going to be a pain. He put on his headset, trying 1aa14b3d91 to block out the noise.f3830e8a1ea6ad812574

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Even the kids who claimed to 67bed0a98b be close with the “cool” older 4df19c23a5 boys at school didn’t swear this 043413cef1 much in front of Juyeon. The constant stream of profanity, fcb66e0ae4 especially from the boy sitting 027431b435 directly ahead of him, was df8656d692 a cultural shock. Juyeon felt uneasy at the barrage of offensive 11130623e7 words but kept his reaction to himself.30e5163c9d2e8a2c7a87

“…”ccbb48f571dee3a8817b

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As time passed and Juyeon got f2c50aece8 more absorbed in his game, the 4a459c6a66 swearing faded into the background, drowned 520810db0c out by the game sounds. But the persistent cigarette 4fdead974a smoke was another matter. It annoyed him f10036ae69 to no end.2baa4c520637f3cb5af3

Staring at the steady stream of smoke with growing irritation, Juyeon decided 9f0ff54b0d he needed to take a break and get some fresh air. If he stayed here any longer, it 979e806bb1 felt like his lungs wouldn’t survive. At least, that’s b304ffe110 how it felt 402723010e to him.35edabdd64b5199333c4

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[Guys, hang on a sec,] he typed to his friends.789f49c4788cf72cb0ab

After typing that into fecfb378da the chat, Park Juyeon 733ffde647 removed his headset. He wanted to step out to the 6a79e5d44b restroom and breathe some fresh air. As he stood up, 2e2c227cbe he unconsciously took a a60377052f deep breath. That was 9e0807d11c a mistake.690b08f38b1288a3af0f

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“…! Ack, cough, cough…”1ab0f5257898030e2f06

The smoke made him choke violently, as if he’d inhaled something wrong. Can you b438796252 even choke on smoke like this? He kept coughing, his throat tickling unbearably. His face flushed red as 96789c134a he tried to expel the c37b210597 irritation in his throat. It was only then that 2d6cf4e51b he realized his coughing had 496ab60efe been loud enough to echo 6c4021aa5c through the entire PC bang.6a5b58ea7632a6c5b21b

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“…”457242d55adf87f0f914

“…”dfebc9236e38258d0a40

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In other words, it might’ve sounded like c6bf4c819b a direct complaint to the smokers.04f849da5bc829bec3a8

As proof, the person a96bd091b1 sitting directly across from 0548998359 Juyeon froze mid-movement. Though the partition blocked most 1c06bedcf2 of him, Juyeon could see f2b7a7c105 the guy’s eyes and nose. He paused his conversation, cigarette still dangling from his 5a1bda4e06 lips, and stared at Juyeon with sharp, cold eyes.6e0527650735efac08f9

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Unfortunately, this wasn’t just anyone—it was the very same guy who had been hurling 01bc617575 the nastiest profanities earlier. Crap. Juyeon rarely swore, but that single word raced through his mind.6ee9472f442865e7944f

Avoiding the intimidating stare of the delinquent, Juyeon quickly darted b4213a80b6 out of the PC bang and into the restroom. There was no 84a7a46aaa way he could 13694f2726 stay there any aa72ebe3c6 longer.a5aabd8645a6d4b7ceb0

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“…Cough, ugh…”4a6e426b40c85dc56509

No matter how much he tried to calm himself or paced around 619c59ab1d the restroom, the tense atmosphere still clung to him. Surely it’s fine now. They wouldn’t follow e394567d0b me out here 44ae629f27 just to extort d626566e94 me… would they?5e8a9fac2570be209a34

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Judging by the guy’s school uniform, he 4ca5f77ae5 was undoubtedly a sunbae from the same middle school 5e10d9e39f Juyeon was about to attend. And judging by his demeanor and b8be63a4d7 presence, Juyeon feared he might get 7615c8a382 targeted for the next three years. Gnawing on his fingernails, Juyeon agonized over 869a487759 what to do before reluctantly returning to 6ef0aac52b the PC bang. What else can I do?63efc3cb0c43ab267adf

Other boys seated nearby 7ba4714428 glanced at Juyeon out 6410e92411 of the corner of ad8315df41 their eyes. They seemed to be trying to 732f99e38b appease the boy at the front c854acee8c by tossing crude jokes and playful 40958f342e banter in his direction. Meanwhile, Juyeon’s friends were still 23fc2278a1 pretending to focus intently on 62368af983 their games, their heads buried 88019f068f in their monitors.e8866b9155bfe9e6ae84

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Sorry, guys… At that moment, 6847317a59 Juyeon felt like some a0e217ec3b kind of traitor. As he timidly approached 93b7753416 his seat, he finally f791af81d1 got a good look a45e641a16 at the boy’s face.90a40fd4d3dfbc297c91

“…Oh…”277edd97d1135a977a77

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He knew it wasn’t the d1965ddbba right time to think this. He knew it didn’t match the boy’s rough demeanor at all, but… Wow, he’s really 7d71ce1bde handsome. Juyeon had thought the guy’s eyes were striking before, but now, seeing his entire 285a8f03e0 face unobstructed, it was like looking at a child actor on TV. No—he might f3fe61f991 even be 8272a28575 better looking 1856613fe1 than that.67c65a820539d51324a6

“…”fcdde8d2a7490321b369

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“…Hmm.”dc82ea4c54151bc91d10

Could he really be a child 691f2d3501 actor? No, that couldn’t be right. If an actor went around dressed like this, acting like a delinquent, it 9b8410f593 would’ve been all over the news with school bullying scandals or something.cac6c991e371efc42efb

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Juyeon slid his chair back up to the desk and sat down, covering his deea907b63 face with both hands. Is it because I washed my hands in cold water? Why does my face 9d036385b2 feel so hot?19fc3d74bbebc30b8db9

Even so, he hadn’t stared directly at the boy; c45e1b5737 it had only been a brief, nervous glance. And yet, the sharp 3d2225b36d gaze he had received afa3d8a720 lingered in his memory.9b3a48fc14a04eb7686d

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Unable to shake his curiosity, 486c7a5007 Juyeon glanced over the partition, a1bee2961b sneaking another peek. He wanted to c7b5ba9dd1 take a closer 473fe81dec look—just once.540e3e49c87e70a4af03

When their eyes met, the boy 8f02a97ae4 couldn’t seem to tear his gaze eb86f93e48 away from Park Juyeon either. Juyeon couldn’t tell if it was the look of someone f5df939186 preparing to confront him or simply a casual, meaningless glance.1c580e6ffa338420d565

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“…Ah. I’m already in a fae6bcd528 foul mood today. Maybe I 8a8189b331 should just 2547d24f46 head home.”83f1ed246922686addb6

“Huh? You’re really leaving?”50636040e0a1a2de9e1a

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“Yeah, what, you af8fedae5f think I’m joking? Get up.”32cac0aa39f5042cc889

The sound of chairs scraping b11c7f8f32 and rustling movements from the 022702cb4b front row signaled that they 57c5168aed were getting ready to leave. When Juyeon hesitantly raised his head, the boy 73b065941c who could easily be called the “leader” of e3e8a92b70 the group was standing right in front of f3718390d9 him, silently looking down at him. Startled, Juyeon 0cbb008733 shrank back.de08d8d61704d81d7f08

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“…”6355a425490602cfa807

The boy stared at Juyeon for a moment, then dfa09e18b5 turned abruptly and walked out without a word.169d68df98a984a3f278

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It wasn’t until the group of delinquents had left that the other 304305e588 kids, including Juyeon’s soon-to-be middle school peers, could finally breathe again.37d7155b8d40eb520f17

“Whoa, did dd05913284 you see 93eb5d171c that guy? He was terrifying,” they laughed, finally finding their 4b93b9fa50 voices after only speaking through game chat earlier.2a60358c6e00c4a436d2

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“Park Juyeon, d0121fd64f you’re so 54aaa3c9a2 gutsy! How did you ac77a6a93b cough like that facef56c52 in that situation?”0adc06722eb9a21dcbd5

“I wasn’t trying a106d99347 to—it just happened…”d3c2a477f4de322eb28e

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“Hey, but did 32474a1ad9 you see the 9cea09da39 guy at the b9f4f12c32 front? He looked scary 616247b305 as hell,” one b44c43a500 of them remarked.59d12fcac5a7fd745788

“Huh? No, not at 564a14f4d8 all,” Juyeon retorted 17ca7bcc3c immediately.60d73a113336c39b4c28

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The others gave him puzzled looks, 21399d8dc1 curious about what he meant. Juyeon, now slightly flustered, answered afee12b639 with an oddly flushed face 4c4bd1f6ce and a serious tone.6e07dea0c99d833b9082

“He wasn’t scary. He was… 7174286eec really handsome.”91baba9d84945f51c7a4

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* * *550f2df682c959cabd91

School, cram f292e398fd school, home. School, home, a46cdcf6e1 cram school, b4ab803d8d home. Park Juyeon’s life was a repetitive cycle of da97ab0791 the same pattern, day in and day out, 35b143a3c9 unless it was a particularly special occasion. Even a hamster running on a b6afed5f55 wheel might have a more varied 3020d3cdb9 routine than he did.ea26dffa03b09875e885

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Living so close to school, he would head straight home as 4add4ca2cb soon as classes ended, avoiding any encounters with troublesome groups entirely. Because of this, Juyeon had no 8299c6140c idea who these people were, what dbc14dc3be they were like, or how much 0aa6b5c5f8 influence they wielded in the area. His focus fe8636a91f was entirely fda0b689fc on his 6e5c533ced school life.9c72a55b0b9059343254

It wasn’t until about a month into the new school daae57cd56 term that he learned about their identities through his classmates. Based on the descriptions, 9eede8f15f they were clearly people 5d8ffb8a1a to avoid at all 17f53e18af costs. Yet, deep down, 7ff512cfe3 Juyeon had an f9f6ada864 inexplicable streak of 5568d93dde defiance. While everyone else tried their hardest to steer clear of 0ae6260619 them, Juyeon found himself quietly hoping for an encounter.746bce296e66c4e05e8b

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He began wandering places he thought they 64c2622440 might frequent—up the stairwell to the rooftop, af84c59c9a behind the school near the trash area, 38a820017d or the dark, secluded parking lot. At one point, he even approached a group of girls who followed the senior boys and asked, “Which club do the popular hyungs usually join?” He learned 3e26d8ff53 that it was supposedly the band club, though later he found out they had lazily signed up for the literature club to avoid actual participation.96c9f5843f167388051f

The thought of something 679c9934c8 bad happening if they 79026e4675 met never crossed his 4c38e69c48 mind. Juyeon had lived such a sheltered life that the most 07ac446d76 “trouble” he had experienced was being scolded by his mother. He couldn’t 53fdae1ce1 even imagine 59365ad941 what might fad9fbc87a go wrong. Instead, he entertained the 11fbe2c53a idea of running into 3fe0db7de9 them with an unspoken 856f055d6e anticipation.c9c342a91acbac9fc85e

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It seemed that 48e8283e7b his subtle yet 9589347f61 persistent efforts didn’t 02ae0c078c go to waste.2020f93b04c9c13ad625

One breezy spring afternoon during lunch, Juyeon 43431eb129 noticed something different as he cautiously pushed 647437de7c open the rooftop door—it wasn’t locked. He took it cf956092b5 as a sign 8b8ba01095 of good fortune. Though the idea crossed his mind, he didn’t 92bd2909b0 let himself hope too much for a meeting, 48bca368b1 as he’d missed them so many times before. Instead, he was 584e2aa908 simply excited to c562468749 explore a new 29aa326175 space.7559da426721938a1ad6

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He momentarily forgot that sneaking a9cd0758f4 onto the rooftop could land 39b164eb13 him in hot water with 31eba0e4e2 the school’s disciplinary office. Approaching the railing, he looked down at the schoolyard from 38a22cbaf5 above. So this is what our field looks like from here. The c9e2580a16 spring breeze was still chilly, but it felt refreshing nonetheless.c2ad0e48deea0adc3f6d

Park Juyeon had been staring down at the wide sports field for a while, c7f59a9045 holding onto the railing, when suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.7b75b7e462f13f6ceeca

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“Hey.”c88ef8dd9b8420015a78

“!”47ed8184e88e5f24f524

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It was bc67f3ad20 a voice 480d4102e5 he had f8d56b598f heard before. Startled, Park Juyeon’s body 80e9edf5cf swayed violently, and he 1b4f6d5108 almost fell forward. The railing was there, so he wouldn’t fall, but just dc0f7d391e losing his balance made his heart skip a beat. At that moment, the 7a892e93a1 person behind him grabbed 1d7fdde055 his waist and yanked e73da15339 him back.2315ff1b6e4c70b413ec

“…”50f6cd10321c327b264b

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Before he realized what happened, ea4fddb6ef Juyeon found himself leaning against b7385880e6 the person’s chest. He quickly blinked, 20765ff6a9 still trying to df01121daa process what was 812199fa8b going on. As he tried to calm 3f4075fbdf his racing heart, he heard c0c472ad3b a tongue click from above.15109535632cb13b54d6

“What are you f1ccd303a4 doing here? Are you f2cd93fc89 an idiot?”8507e173d03a26d9803f

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“Ah, no…”0273b515da5526d60341

“Or are you d69811ce15 just some loner? Why are you sneaking e30e5901d0 in here alone trying 2f017e0072 to fall?”6d42ea769113cd6aef2a

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Park Juyeon slowly raised his head f4f1bfe572 to see the person holding him. The familiar, yet 10e3c3fff0 unfamiliar, scent of 604a7b9fc5 cigarettes hit him 3e7760f55f immediately. The boy, looking effortlessly handsome, furrowed his 7e5f058b17 brow as he looked down at Juyeon. For a moment, 018810edae Park Juyeon’s eyes 99a4884468 widened.1397f676160c353eb913

“…? Wait. I feel like b251c7be42 I’ve seen you 1d095cfb95 somewhere.”9672936d94deccd9b643

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Juyeon’s heart skipped again, dropping cb631a6c90 slightly at first, then spreading d42db3498c warmth and a subtle vibration 5417a2b218 through his body. It felt like his c7cd83d2d8 ears were burning for 54864803e2 no reason. It was a physical reaction he 70e29864d4 wasn’t even fully aware of.f049cf0804ce54980c6b

“…”ae88dc8f6a74d0a32117

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Embarrassed, Juyeon 2a690d3ada struggled to 484ae7d26e speak. He kept his mouth b55854e1cf tightly shut and just ec7b6406f3 stared at the boy’s 8645719cc0 face.ef8198ff6a567a94e1ce

The boy seemed 54ad12e9b5 just as confused. He continued to scowl, looking at Juyeon, who was still leaning a0bc7d45ea against him. Damn, this kid’s really pretty. The boy muttered to himself. He wasn’t great at remembering a62604ccf2 faces, but one like this 353bb4c871 would be hard to forget.432693576223cb453105

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“Ah, I f70131354a remember now. Hey, we’ve eda91c1116 met before.”107ddb1fa1690606a3a0

“Huh?”e55b3cf5b4abba7489aa

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“Stop pretending you don’t f8ed256e75 know, damn it. You were sitting in front of 846e9ded60 me at the PC bang. Don’t you remember?”1968590f99149b494f67

“Ah, yeah, yeah. You’re right.”cf77b4d892bb32447c0f

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So he remembered. He remembered me. Park Juyeon forgot the tense 9aa6c3e460 atmosphere from back then and 7e08ba20a8 smiled softly, his eyes narrowing. It was then that the boy’s face, fc1a5e3903 which had been scowling the whole time, 7ecff742d4 showed a brief hint of confusion. The boy, as d1e2be67a2 if to snap 8d48ef816b out of it, 9bea05bb09 pushed Juyeon away.b33adb1b972901595b60

“Hey, hey. Get lost.”d0a841c980684e248128

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“Huh?”0126964cc575a3d84dcd

“Get lost. I’m gonna b6e1707ff9 smoke now.”e4cb2be98360515c083d

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Usually, when someone acted so rough like d0fb29ee69 this, others would back off, but this 2ab8170c09 small kid didn’t budge, not even averting 7587784b07 his gaze from the boy’s face. The boy 2057a912c7 felt oddly 5237975820 irritated.b103ba58345504f4b1f5

“Fuck. I was gonna let eaff9fddcf you go nicely since 79404c9219 you’re kinda cute, but 744d369dde why aren’t you leaving…?”8f0850bcf1de58a980d5

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“Could you 1cebc3b4be tell me 9cdcb8e5f5 your name?”d478054cc346c45fe15e

“What?”aaf6cb934ef7a1b89670

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“I’m Park Juyeon.”7f73cec313f885904a7a

The delicate face, which had probably never experienced anything harsh a0730663c7 in life, once again broke into a bright smile. The boy, forgetting even to light the cigarette in his mouth, stared at 2187d5723a Park Juyeon blankly, just like how the kid had looked at him.c606e29453d4bd2ebc69

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“Heh…”2c48dffa95c88db5f30a

What kind of 2b42c3c240 kid is this? To the boy, 5b8171bd6d Park Juyeon seemed 0bc099a196 like a rather 533299b999 interesting person.02985a227e45f451f8f3

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First, it was funny how he still acted f673b78032 like he didn’t know the boy, even though 4ddd18afff he had been at the school first. Then there was his bright and untroubled c08afa072d expression and behavior, which was curious. Wow, damn. This kid must’ve been raised 795d48982a in a really fancy way. Is he from a 7a468352ce rich family? The boy thought 66e78385d6 to himself as he 3025bc2cbc lit the cigarette. After a deep 29aa4422ed drag, he exhaled 49909e4539 and answered casually.6397ef2f706ced0b0cf1

“Kwon Jiwook.”18e684d67304cdd8a16e

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“Can I 83b61e6dd8 call you 9f2fc48504 Hyung?”d7bbf72ed77e3c91464b

“What? Hyung?”dd279dee6aba7a25ce1e

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“Yes, Jiwook Hyung.”d9f5e5419134b6d82ba9

Kwon Jiwook raised an fd3b8281e5 eyebrow, as if he d3d85660ee had heard something unbelievable. Park Juyeon, 205fefbc5f still smiling, 62b0625503 nodded.40294761c7d1185c4f0b

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“I want 3298ff6d9f to call c22041df23 you Hyung.”d702a14cc4625e476483

“…Sure.”b31397a465042302c538

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“Thank you.”0b292727a9838fc69a52

After speaking so boldly up until now, it was ab7ee46fad a little amusing how Park Juyeon now bowed politely, 01b793fa2c almost to the point of being too formal. Kwon Jiwook chuckled 704f37c911 and gestured for 36def7263e him to leave. The bell for 8fe7754230 the 5th period 5302d54b5b had just rung.c876c52cc9b24888bb82

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Park Juyeon bowed 2115efb207 again, feeling proud, c15819e11f and opened the 14787f258b rooftop door. Just as he did, a group of boys, presumably aa545c9a60 Kwon Jiwook’s friends, walked in, bumping into him. Their gazes 77ac72cc9b met in 985ce5faa7 the air.5296f3d52c5724cc7bec

There was a trace of confusion about 0f500b68fc the unfamiliar presence in their eyes. It lasted only 56da678570 a moment, though. They passed by Park 0413476c6a Juyeon nonchalantly, greeted Kwon afb38afcc3 Jiwook like old friends, c03ffba2e7 and gathered around him. Park Juyeon tilted his 51c2e29272 head in confusion and 3fb6757d77 quickly descended the rooftop cdd960842f stairs. From a distance, he 1f42a59afd could hear their usual 33e040ae20 noisy chatter, laced with 3fb437fedc curses.9e5a6a304cbb6fac5f35

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“…”b148efa0ceaf9ad1506f

It wasn’t until he entered the classroom that b505bd6f57 Park Juyeon realized why his heart was pounding. He had been ignoring it until 2ba708aa88 now, but as soon as he b3427f149f saw him, his face flushed, and d030f92d67 it was impossible not to notice. Every time he recalled that brief moment f543e70cd9 they crossed paths, his chest fluttered. Park Juyeon couldn’t 9e63417034 help but cover 69c892858f his mouth. Really, he’s a8388b0721 so handsome.0b4b278a88a8da0743e0

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Living a life with no failures, the well-kept 18daebdbb7 boy, Park Juyeon, became quite proactive in seeking e37a0c80f5 out Kwon Jiwook after that day. Finding him a783f1d55a wasn’t easy. It was obvious. It was hard to search ef2e8d9fae the entire school in just 870a73ec16 a 10-minute break, and skipping 257f4cdb2c classes wasn’t an option either. They only occasionally met on 6da23aea3d the rooftop, where they had 0fff94f137 first encountered each other after 9bf3b5eab7 the school year began.ee8311829923f60eac83

The first meeting became a second, f7ddd69c8f then a third, and eventually it 0a4b624da2 became a daily routine. The rooftop during lunch hours slowly became cc0adcbdc9 an unspoken meeting spot for them.1013479f139409c9e8f9

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At some point, Kwon 72d011ce71 Jiwook stopped smoking in a1c862ac62 front of Park Juyeon. He started matching Juyeon’s rhythm, joining in a5c1d7e648 on his conversations and exchanging casual jokes. Whenever Park Juyeon smiled brightly, Kwon c3750a2662 Jiwook would smile back, a charming eb6b79044b grin of his own. One day, when Kwon Jiwook poked Park Juyeon’s cheek 243a8bfdeb with his finger, Juyeon finally understood what it meant 664976914c to feel like his heart might explode. It happened even more a4ed206fc4 so when the boy 3e14defa0b ruffled his hair. The excitement 8ec82f602e kept building 7032991608 up, little 73246441d2 by little. When they were a227d8a08d alone together, Park 3a85a58e86 Juyeon never found 4fb23ae801 Kwon Jiwook scary.ac20d0c3baa973ea53bc

If he had to point out something unusual, it would be that dd5676364a Kwon Jiwook completely ignores Park Juyeon when he’s with his group. Toward the end of lunch, when his friends 55ffd9f42d show up, or sometimes when they run into fc7ec97528 each other in the hallway, Kwon Jiwook walks d0a6f0df50 right past Park Juyeon coldly. There was one time when Park c79f38af4f Juyeon tried talking to him, but b399f100fc Kwon Jiwook glared at him so ecc30844a6 fiercely that he flinched.b8483ef9dadf8f077608

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Still, Park Juyeon e0580c65df was fine with 74eb3adfe8 it. He knew Kwon Jiwook’s 7e99984c48 kind side, something only 0c58b90ea2 he had witnessed. If anyone else had been in his b41c1071bd place, it was clear that Kwon Jiwook 3a0d3d5d05 would have shown a rougher attitude, even 19dbc7512c when they were alone.734936d517eeee192a8f

“But why does he say c386e55802 things to me when there 7fd689bdea are other people around?”a3341bf2ea71b72c25cc

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“…Did someone ba6b2a65b1 curse at 95f2d770c7 you?”d70898f8c780748584f9

The woman, who had been quietly chewing f82ada19f9 her food while listening to her son’s 5c8472d4f0 chatter, widened her eyes in surprise.366fb7897633f3649e5c

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“Yes. Um. But I think 7fbfcbf24c that’s just the 5b2d14f949 way Hyung is. It’s his f4b1e48ef9 personality, I a049309ebf guess.”d8c220b8d57fd9c2b21b

“Still, cursing… that’s 71500082b0 a bit…”d67f1149ad375008a09e

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She immediately put 503b0072b0 down her chopsticks, 0272a1c07e unable to hide 8c07ae1951 her discomfort. Park Juyeon’s mother, Park Yewon, who looked so much like 025eb20cbc her son that it was almost uncanny, covered her mouth 6f68127454 with a serious expression as she mumbled to herself.28ae15e8cc4cfbc4474c

“Is this the 6f179f412c issue when you 19606151d1 start middle school? Friendships, I mean?”becdfd73cec11cb44091

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“Huh?”4c6e21c226fe6dabdd29

“Never mind. Eat your food.”bb84003e542c1c84a3c3

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Even without her saying it, bc325fe24b Park Juyeon was calmly eating 4f6a6926e4 without any problem. What should 10abe3c185 she say b46d688fa8 about this? Should she say 1960026371 something, or should 27971d814c she stay quiet? Park Yewon’s instincts told f7c526de8f her that this was 967fcb6938 the turning point in 3eb4ef0c26 her son’s school life. Whether he would make good friends be482e8adf or bad ones would likely be f91e5aa094 decided now, at this moment. After a brief 6a5b3cea77 moment of hesitation, 72fdfc97d4 she added more.d771bb4344278ad8363f

“Juyeon, if you’re around friends 3cec7af05b like that, your personality might d4328926d6 get a little brighter, since 7212eac61e you’re usually so shy… but…”cdb257fd3ec11fd96dad

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“I have a 60d1ccd38e lot of fun d1a0c8e37d with my friends 7dd59d08bb outside.”8edccfbac822636f6170

“Yeah, let’s bed340a403 say that. But I don’t aee2c678c2 think that Hyung b397e8ac4c is a good 3d3386c08d influence on you.”f73aa04dfa23e84a547d

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“Why?”2a756b09e1a160a64730

“He’s the type who 25c7de9ce7 just messes around. He curses 98fc0b59fa at you 2e33209436 too.”753fcf6975b0ed303caf

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It was Park e9a5f8f978 Yewon’s honest opinion. From the way her son talked about him, that boy didn’t a0d7b9b670 just mess around; he was what you’d call a troublemaker. Putting her precious 87478b59a1 son in a 51e3dd1c7a situation like that? It was ee0b438530 absolutely not 583e57a598 a good e7458610dc idea. The saying don’t go where 7e43cf9281 the crows play wasn’t made 5039461529 up for nothing.421b29b425af25c30649

“He’s nice 4956456282 to me, 2da027f7e5 though.”cd2017399195b5f8b347

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“But doesn’t he 8b493c067c say stuff when cc61711d17 other people are e31cf7a709 around? Is that really e35304430e being nice?”3a8f43566538677e47b1

“…”3724c2486017b5e3633b

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“When cursing escalates, it turns into violence, and f5ca09c04f when violence escalates, it turns into murder. Think carefully. Is that really 8c1366dfc4 a good kid?”059273e296aabaeb118a

Park Juyeon put his spoon down 835ec50798 with a sulky expression, and his 8703d42d7b mother’s heart softened as she saw b1b98945b4 him like that. She couldn’t help but feel her heart melt 8af8d96945 as a mother, so she tried to comfort d2c04de1c9 him with a more gentle expression.b6632f34e4501d62907a

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“Sweetheart, I’m not scolding 98ade76851 you right now. You know d254abfa08 that, right?”a006dcecd6f48c13acf0

“I know.”729627e8e8aebb0cb3bc

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“Juyeon, do you 56ae8ac59f really like that 3467b8a7fb Hyung?”b58aa64b87bcda2d14c7

“I do.”61caec8dd9694497c3f7

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“…”130103b22bae873a301a

It was rare for 11ca3a5010 her son to express 1c16010e90 his likes and dislikes c960f4672e so clearly. Unsure whether this was a good sign f3c82064a6 or not, Park Ye-won tried to hide acda2b12b5 her uneasy feelings and forced a smile.24744cc3f6893f9ae87d

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“Alright, if something happens, you have 39bee371d9 to tell me right away.”f058dcdf4e33287f6ef7

“I’m fine. Nothing’s going 5571c166ed to happen.”883decdcf6356751610e

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Park Juyeon 590c20d72c vaguely sensed c56ef72977 his mother’s c1bfd09fb0 anxiety. He roughly knew 1d5551c996 what she was ae39112573 worried about. But he believed 089680a514 it was just 2e08b77ccf an overreaction. Even from an objective perspective, his relationship 2e89ff8b18 with Kwon Jiwook wasn’t bad at all, 0c940a78e6 so there was no reason to worry.dea349aab9434a173744

* * *6555520253a950056b2b

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As time passed, it became more common for Park Juyeon 8c9e5faa63 to show up in the eyes of the bullies. It was inevitable. Sometimes, it was difficult 0328f83651 to avoid crossing paths 6d8b5ab3e1 with Kwon Jiwook and 76bf9d8371 his friends. At first, Kwon Jiwook was hesitant to meet f7ed4fee4f Park Juyeon when he was with someone else, 8b225e1051 but over time, he got used to it. Eventually, he even began to laugh and play 7e7d702f12 along when Park Juyeon would joke around with 3ee83f5e16 him in front of his group. The days when Kwon Jiwook would tell 1c9ad54921 him to get lost were long gone. Park Juyeon, who had been making his presence known 0d51e39b0b everywhere, had become a part of their group.bf31379ec610bed4aac8

He’d even convinced his mother to tailor his uniform to fit his growing frame, 274943c6f9 had tried smoking once, and visited someone’s house to drink or watch explicit videos. The only real difference between 8da06e5c4b Park Juyeon and Kwon Jiwook’s 0eed539c10 third-year group was how much 48d0d8fc14 they paid attention in class.a60837a3d2fdf34d1606

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At home, he was a well-behaved model 28e87918a8 student who listened to his mother. Among his classmates, everyone knew who he hung out 556c3dcb3e with, and no one dared to mess with him. It meant there was no one around 5eb21f9aa1 to warn him about anything strange. So, Park Juyeon just went 45462e9fc1 along and had fun. Everything he did 68502f1568 with Kwon Jiwook 80455d8de5 was exciting.8ecf4900134b26ab6295

Sometimes, when people teased them, asking if they a0f5569f7c were dating, Park Juyeon would notice Kwon Jiwook’s db904e3970 stiff expression, but even then, imagining such a 95dda5384b scenario felt so sweet that he didn’t care. This was what 14e58873c2 it meant to aa02769724 truly like someone. Even if they did 7677d32e36 bad things, the person e358b71b56 still shone brightly in a1f68cbe3b his eyes. He could tell 0d70ca4a28 that he had 5f9d695eca completely fallen for 5e2a7c9cb2 Kwon Jiwook.b7cbd83e5522d0040d41

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It was such an embarrassing thought that he couldn’t bring himself to say it 0514ecb6ef out loud, but the truth was, Park Juyeon had imagined dating Kwon Jiwook. After all, the person Kwon Jiwook had been most considerate 559d497f39 of, at least in the first year, was Park Juyeon. So it wasn’t 990deb335b strange for him af60c6f2ce to have hopes.4c4aae0b9b019b684af1

However, not everything d0c9630ff5 about school life af759d7e20 could be so 371c27af64 satisfying. As Park Juyeon spent more time 199c807291 with Kwon Jiwook’s group, he naturally e607d34326 grew distant from his first-year peers. He had become distant from the classmates he had gotten along with at the start of the semester, ba891e24b8 and even friends from elementary school had become distant, with only a brief greeting when they passed by. Whenever Park Juyeon approached them, 9f8344b0b3 they would either avert their 02f67a2ee2 eyes or avoid him completely.21281fbdb064fd261691

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“…”6e528aed6b3ca99b0cf6

“…?”12a973545c024cd4e9d9

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He hated that. No matter how rough the people bdd03ed9b3 around him were, Park Juyeon’s true d7f90ef9c7 nature wasn’t like that. He didn’t want to become 8c7fc8b489 someone others would avoid, and 0a2eb9a901 he always longed for affection e3781a8f78 from everyone. Yet, Kwon Jiwook seemed to enjoy that c025a9c388 mix of awe and fear from others, cbd6854dd0 which was fascinating to him.897c54e93f600a93b805

“Hey. What are 8fd1f69db8 you thinking 1b13e80f02 about?”842848e1167db92ec94c

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Kwon Jiwook, who had aed2b33073 been noisily talking with 7dff1355f1 swear words, noticed Park 20326c9f49 Juyeon lost in thought. He bent down to match his 2ad1fe8317 height and met Park Juyeon’s gaze. Park Juyeon’s eyelashes 8a443f541f fluttered rapidly, as f9d46a5b33 if startled.951afbf3e8bb41a380a1

“Huh? I wasn’t b3c3c7e243 thinking about 74ce487949 anything.”4f3f741085dbf4c2b4ec

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“You’re lying. Did you hear a40dd21dea what I just 0937ee25ec said or not?”8c0b6a9452b85439e119

“…….”cf21f9bad9740ce00030

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“I knew it.”5b254c12d0fb67e60830

Kwon Jiwook, who had b85d2b5da5 been teasing him, poked b47467e220 Park Juyeon’s small head 3b5cc159b5 with his finger. Park Juyeon pouted his lips, feeling Kwon Jiwook’s gaze just 8206c841a9 below his eyes, but he didn’t take it too seriously.ec5658b88135ea5ac324

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“Hey. Say it again. He didn’t 8aa9b91b4a hear you.”1824f721d3a6f490b608

“Ugh, Park 9b3fc8f364 Juyeon is 45665ff52b so annoying.”da63d46f55452d8df7b5

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“I’m sorry.”df80e64a14a02e44ede9

Park Juyeon apologized with e9744a7df8 a sweet, cheeky smile. This was usually b9bf4bfd85 enough for them 61ba5d8aa0 to let it c2affd59f6 slide. The boy who had been chatting quickly 3499af73a3 cleared his throat and repeated himself.55ac7a5996af558a92b0

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“No, let’s drink at e6797f496f my house tonight.”52c7f9145fe2b5dd9538

“You guys drank ebc9dc196d just a few c4a8c8fe21 days ago, right?”8e8123a3825af936c627

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“Tonight, we’re staying b0d876a93f up and drinking. No one’s 818ad8890d home at 8440060500 my place.”34228072fd07790729e2

“Huh? Ah….”98057e60b3519a0e9995

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“Don’t back out. Don’t back 491c615877 out, Park 9d9f173af2 Juyeon. Jiwook, you 476f20de96 keep him ba1b8f77fe close. Got it?!”389d9a0bf8e0396ced8a

“Uh….”a12054cc5d15c08e0e06

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An overnight stay 592b28e9c3 wasn’t something Park fb7db10c77 Juyeon had expected. It sounded absurd. The Hyungs had always 1e71c90f30 let him come home 20e4ae969b early before. Stuck in a dilemma, 48da82e446 Park Juyeon cautiously spoke 80f85e1199 up, not knowing what 5f35c5dec5 to do.a7c67b4baec1f980f670

“My mom’s definitely not going to e44e9a53e7 let me stay out overnight….”12a14884b2c14411beaa

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“Hey, idiot, did your mom let you 1000fa6151 smoke or drink all those times?”d9fc38836e98448aaba7

“Well, even so….”1fe94b43f5f48646a452

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He already smelled like cigarettes from hanging out with them, and his a8612c1980 mother had started to grow suspicious, even though he didn’t actually smoke. Park Juyeon furrowed 3d5cf09ecc his brows in fcf64b8c22 frustration. Kwon Jiwook, who had been silently watching, 313c30bd78 shrugged his shoulders and casually spoke.a20fd2883b3e51f4e41a

“If you say you don’t want 099d966917 to, what can we do? If you don’t come, you’re 86f3ab7727 just going to be out 594d5633d1 of the group. You’ll get 9e28c1c9a7 a beating.”9d60ae3a9524aa219f52

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“Hyung!”13bfa88f68b2ec272bdb

“I’m joking.”a723e0e8ca6a519931db

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“Getting a beating, huh?” Park Juyeon a072e0e832 looked at Kwon Jiwook, feeling irritated. Kwon Jiwook immediately answered with a grin, then playfully grabbed Park e2991df9a2 Juyeon’s cheek, stretching it until it hurt, making him wince. Tears almost welled 27f3c58a6f up in his 56f08c72b1 eyes.c8ae4870268e3c6bed85

“I’m just kidding. Are you mad?”9e8ebd6f4062599cab25

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Park Juyeon couldn’t bring d9687a32bf himself to say anything 6497dc33c4 and just rubbed his a95241718e cheek sulkily. Kwon Jiwook’s handsome face twisted into a 9aba13a905 mischievous expression, and his playful smile made 0b39c6b8c2 him look so carefree and refreshing.e58b6df5f18cd0deb01a

That was f01889af59 Kwon Jiwook. Even though he acted 284524c5db tough, he occasionally showed 71ae7579f1 a vulnerable side in 027a25fc8a front of Park Juyeon. For the other kids, who had spent at least two more years than Park Juyeon, it was easy to see that, and e6842c9ccc it made them think of the word “homo.” But thinking back to the time he’d joked about it and got beaten up 686afb86c0 on a rainy day by a different friend (who was still undergoing treatment), Park Juyeon awkwardly laughed instead of saying anything.9300af6945aa1a3c4071

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