WWBU - 8

“Guk! Should I come with you? Let’s go together!”  

“No thanks.”  

“Why not? I’m the class president, so I need to check the situation and report back.”  

As he passed by the stairs, Song Tae-yeon, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, clung to Guk, insisting she should accompany him. Her excuse was that as the class president, it was her duty to assess the situation. However, given how perfectly timed her appearance was, it was clear to anyone that her intentions were less about responsibility and more about her personal interest in him.  

“Enough. Step aside.”  

“Come on, Guk. Together—”  

“Are you deaf? Move your hand.”  

“What?”  

“Group 5! Everyone hurry up!”  

Behind Tae-yeon, now frozen stiff from Guk’s cold response, a classmate called out for their group’s turn. Unfortunately for her, it was her group’s turn next.  

“Tae-yeon, let’s go. It’s our group’s turn.”  

“Yeah, let’s just go.”  

Tae-yeon’s oblivious friends approached, shaking her like a statue. Stammering, she took a few steps backward, still trying to think of something else to say to Guk. But in the end, she gave up, turning away without another word. Though no harsh words were exchanged, the blow seemed significant.  

Guk had already walked away, leaving behind the stunned Tae-yeon. Adjusting Hyun-soo’s slightly slipping body, he entered the main building. As the cool air inside enveloped them, Hyun-soo cautiously cracked one eye open.  

“Um... I’m awake...”  

“I know.”  

“You know? How did you know?”  

“You’ve been fidgeting nonstop since a while ago.”  

“Oh.”  

In truth, she had regained consciousness when Song Tae-yeon had insisted on coming along. Embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping on their exchange while piggybacked on him, she had pretended to remain unconscious—but it seemed her act hadn’t fooled him.  

Ahem. Hyun-soo let out an awkward cough.  

“I can walk.”  

“...”  

“I really can walk!”  

“I said I got it, so just stay still.”  

“Why? I can wal—”  

Before she could finish, Hyun-soo felt herself lifted slightly before being settled back firmly against his back. Guk had shifted her weight to silence her constant complaints and quickened his pace.  

Caught off guard, Hyun-soo found her cheek pressed against his broad back. Thump, thump, thump. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat traveled through his skin, calm and composed—so different from her own racing pulse.  

Squeak.  

Finally, they arrived at the infirmary. The school nurse was nowhere to be found, leaving the room empty. After a quick scan of the vacant space, Guk walked over and gently placed Hyun-soo onto one of the beds. Awkwardly seated, she tugged down the rolled-up hem of her shorts and averted her gaze.  

“Lie down.”  

“I’m fine.”  

“Is ignoring people your specialty?”  

“Huh?”  

“When I say something, listen.”  

“No, it’s not that serious. I don’t need to lie down. I’m just—”  

Sighing briefly, Guk exhaled. At this, Hyun-soo clamped her mouth shut. Though his expression hadn’t changed, it was obvious he must have been tired and irritated after carrying her in the heat. Realizing it would be better to comply, she relented belatedly.  

“Okay, I’ll lie down. See? I’m lying down.”  

Hyun-soo kicked off her sneakers and pulled the thin blanket over herself, settling into the bed. Standing stiffly beside her like a wooden post, Guk gave her an incredulous look.  

“I’ll go fetch the school nurse. Rest here for a bit.”  

“How do you even know where they are?”  

“They’re probably in the faculty office or the lounge.”  

“What if they’re not there?”  

“I’ll figure it out. Just rest.”  

“Alright...”  

Receiving what felt like a subtle reprimand, Hyun-soo pulled the blanket up to her nose, hiding her face. Without another glance back, Guk turned and left the infirmary. A heavy silence settled in his absence.  

“... “  

Hyun-soo lay there dazed, gazing around the room. Faint light danced along the boundary between the white ceiling and walls. The mirror on the nurse’s desk reflected the sunlight, casting an overly bright glare.

Hyun-soo immediately turned her gaze toward the old wall fan, which rattled noisily as it rotated. It was the only thing in the newly refurbished infirmary that hadn’t been replaced. For some reason, she felt a strange fondness for it. Perhaps it was because she had always been drawn to worn-out, unremarkable things—something her mother often teased her about, calling her “pitiful.”  

Anyway, when would Guk and the school nurse return? She doubted she’d fall asleep, but soon her vision began to blur, and before she knew it, she drifted off after smoothing her hair once more.  

“Mmm...”  

Hyun-soo opened her eyes. The high, white ceiling told her she wasn’t at home. After briefly dreaming, she quickly remembered she was in the infirmary. The cool breeze from the fan gently lifted her bangs, and the thin blanket wrapped comfortably around her body. The oppressive heat she had felt earlier was completely gone, leaving her in a pleasant, refreshing state.  

Speaking of which, where was the person who went to find the teacher?  

“Yoon Guk?”  

Her small, hoarse voice called out his name. No answer came. She should have guessed when she saw the empty chair beside the bed—he had probably returned to the rest of the physical education class.  

“He left...”  

For some reason, she felt a pang of disappointment. It was an odd sensation.  

“Were you looking for me?”  

“Mom!”  

Startled, Hyun-soo turned her head toward the voice. There sat Guk on the adjacent bed.  

“You started looking for me the moment you woke up.”  

“N-No, I didn’t! Ah, it’s cold!”  

Before she could finish protesting, Guk approached and placed an ice pack on her head. A sharp chill shot down her spine, making her shiver.  

“Are you always this clumsy? Fainting after getting hit by a jump rope?”  

“...Everyone has something they’re bad at, okay? For me, it’s jump rope. What can I do if the rope scares me?”  

“Fair enough. But you’ve got a huge lump on your head.”  

“Really? Ugh...”  

Not only was she in pain, but now she had to deal with a lump. It felt so unfair. Meanwhile, watching her lie there helplessly with an ice pack on her head, Guk found her somewhat amusing.  

Perhaps that’s why he chuckled softly.  

“Huh?”  

“Why?”  

“You just... laughed.”  

Unable to finish her sentence, Hyun-soo blinked rapidly, surprised.  

“Never mind. It’s nothing.”  

So he could laugh. And when he did, it melted away his usual stoic demeanor, leaving behind an unexpectedly warm and charming expression. She wondered what kind of face he’d make if she told him how interesting she found this side of him. Would he show her that smile more often?  

“Um... Thanks for carrying me here. You must’ve been tired. I appreciate it.”  

“Thanks to you, I got to skip class and enjoy some peace. Not bad at all.”  

Guk’s response shocked Hyun-soo.  

“You like skipping class too?”  

“What do you mean by ‘someone like me’? A bookworm? A nerd?”  

It seemed Guk had a completely wrong idea about how others perceived him. Sure, he excelled academically, but where on earth did people get the impression he was a stereotypical bookworm or overachiever? Before elaborating further, Hyun-soo decided to keep her reply concise.  

“No, you’re the top student in the entire grade. You’re good at studying.”  

“I study because I have to, that’s all.”  

“I see.”  

“Do you think anyone actually enjoys class?”  

“No, probably not.”  

“Same here.”  

Hyun-soo nodded quietly. The faint sound of ice clinking against her head echoed in the silence. Then, stillness again. The whirring of the fan grew louder.  

“Um, about today... please don’t tell my mom—”  

“What’s there to tell?”  

“Right, thanks. If Mom finds out, she’ll scold me endlessly for acting like a spoiled brat. Please, I’m begging you.”  

Guk, who had been brushing his tousled hair back, gazed at her silently. After a moment, his low voice reached her ears.  

“Your sister doesn’t seem to get treated that way, though.”  

“Oh, my sister...”  

Hyun-soo hesitated, rubbing her warm forehead. Thankfully, it didn’t seem as swollen as her head.  

“My sister and I are different.”

“...”  

“A child everyone wanted and a child they desperately wished to erase—how could they be the same?”  

When she glanced up, Guk was looking at her with his usual calm and composed gaze. It had been so long since anyone other than Yeong-mi and Joo-yeon had truly listened to her that Hyun-soo felt a little nervous.  

“When my parents got married and had my sister, the whole family celebrated like it was a festival. And they had every reason to—it took them four years to finally have a precious daughter. But when I was conceived, Mom’s health was terrible, and the family’s situation wasn’t good either... They tried everything to get rid of me, but nothing worked. By the time they considered surgery, it was already too late. So they had no choice but to let me be born. And then, to top it off, I wasn’t even a son. I heard my grandfather refused to even hold me. Isn’t that harsh?”  

“...”  

“I’m not saying I don’t understand why. If you compare me and my sister, the differences are obvious. She’s stunningly beautiful, for one. And she’s good at everything—studying, art, horseback riding, swimming—you name it. As for me... well, here I am. I’m not particularly good at anything, especially studying. The only thing I enjoy is writing, but in this day and age, who makes a living off writing? Everyone just tells me to give it up.”  

“I’m sorry.”  

It was an unexpected apology. Hyun-soo looked at him quizzically, pausing mid-sentence.  

“For what?”  

“Just... Talking about this kind of stuff can’t be pleasant for you.”  

“Well, it’s not exactly fun, but I’m used to it by now.”  

Hyun-soo smiled faintly. She meant it. Guk silently gazed down at her, taking in her expression.  

Soon after, the bell signaling the end of class rang out. Cheers erupted from afar as students poured out of their classrooms. Guk stood up from his seat.  

“I should get going.”