Ch.6363. Little by Little, Slowly Forward

Mid-May.

I was sitting at my desk solving problems when I suddenly put down my pen.

Outside the window, bright sunlight poured in. Looking at the weather that had already grown hot, it seemed summer was just around the corner.

“Phew.”

Even sitting still, I felt sticky with humidity. It really does seem like the seasons have changed. The saying that spring and autumn have disappeared, leaving only summer and winter, doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

I gazed out the window and rested my chin on my hand.

Yes, it’s already May. After the final exams end in a week, it’ll be June, and if I endure the heat, summer vacation will be here before I know it.

Thinking about the worries complicating my mind, I unconsciously sighed. Until now, my family hadn’t said anything, but they’ve slowly started talking about my future career.

I evaded by saying it wasn’t something I could answer right away and that I needed to think about it.

“Career…”

To talk about a career, I’d need to have something I want to do first.

In my previous life… though that sounds strange to say, anyway, I graduated from a teachers’ college.

But that was actually considering my grades and family circumstances. I didn’t apply to teachers’ college because I really wanted to be a teacher.

In other words, now that I don’t have to consider family circumstances, I could dream of something else.

“Sigh.”

Even so, I still had many concerns. Without realizing it, I let out another sigh.

—Whoosh.

…At that moment, someone suddenly blew a warm breath into my ear. Startled by the strange sensation, I shrank back and turned around in shock. There was only one person who would do this to me.

“…”

Since we couldn’t make noise, I touched my right ear and asked with my eyes. However, for some reason, she just looked at me with a pouty face.

“What is it? Why are you doing that?”

I asked Hwa Nabi in a hushed voice.

It’s currently 11 AM. Normally, English class would be in full swing, but the classroom is dead silent.

The reason is that the subject teacher is absent. From what I heard, it’s because of some meeting or something.

So now we have an unexpected self-study period, and making too much noise would disturb others.

Knowing this, Hwa Nabi answered me in an almost whispered voice.

“…I called you several times but you didn’t answer, so I thought maybe you were dozing off during self-study.”

“Ah… did you?”

I must have been too deep in thought to hear her.

“Sorry, but why did you call me?”

“Um, could you help me with this?”

What Hwa Nabi held out with a prim expression was a math workbook. I asked in surprise.

“What? You’re studying?”

“Yes, why?”

“No, I’m just surprised.”

“What’s surprising about studying during self-study time?”

“…”

It’s certainly a textbook answer, but hearing such words from none other than Hwa Nabi left me unable to hide my surprise.

Is this finally the fruit of my painstaking efforts over the past two months? When we first met, she was so distracted and would constantly interrupt her studies to chat. I don’t know when she reached this level.

Secretly swallowing tears of emotion, I explained the answer with trembling hands.

“For this one, you do it like this.”

“Ah… I see. But Siwoo, why are your hands shaking? Are you feeling sick?”

“Huh? No, I’m fine.”

“Really? That’s good then.”

With that brief exchange, our conversation ended. I was about to straighten up when I paused.

“…”

My eyes caught the solution method for another problem she had solved. The formula itself wasn’t wrong, but solving it that way would be an inefficient use of time.

“Nabi, wait a moment.”

“What is it?”

“About problem number 4 here, you don’t need to solve it like this.”

Drawing on my expertise from years of teaching students, I continued explaining in a way she could easily understand. The application of formulas, the fastest way to derive solutions… things like that.

“Like this, understand?”

After muttering for quite some time, I looked at Hwa Nabi, thinking I’d explained enough. But she was staring intently at my profile, not at the workbook.

“…Why are you looking at my face? Look at the workbook, the workbook.”

“Siwoo.”

“…What.”

“Do you have time after school today?”

Her tone sounded just like men trying to pick up women. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but I answered her question anyway.

“I do, why?”

“Then, come somewhere with me.”

“I don’t mind, but where do you want to go?”

“Ah, that dessert we couldn’t have last time…”

-Slide.

Just then, the classroom door opened roughly. In the quiet classroom, everyone in Class A, including us, simultaneously looked toward the front door. The buzz-cut head that had instantly drawn everyone’s attention shouted loudly.

“Hey everyone, the homeroom teacher said the 4th period schedule has changed!”

“What, suddenly?”

“What is it? What changed?”

“Math is out, PE is in!”

***

PE time.

Chungha Highschool’s PE classes are joint sessions where two classes combine. Though they call it a joint class, besides doing warm-ups together, there’s hardly anything we actually do jointly.

“Ugh.”

Anyway, after stretching once, I sat down in a spot where I could see the basketball hoop. Jinhee approached me and invited me to play dodgeball, but I politely declined.

Normally I would have happily joined in, but there was a reason I turned Jinhee away.

That reason was…

“How about half-court?”

“Sure, we don’t have many people anyway.”

“Okay, first team to 21 points wins.”

I wanted to watch Han Siwoo play basketball with his classmates.

“Han Siwoo, are you good at basketball?”

“Huh? No, I haven’t played much.”

“Really? Then Lim Hansol, you team up with Han Siwoo. He says he hasn’t played much basketball.”

I hugged my knees as I watched him, smiling so widely it looked like his mouth might tear.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen him play sports. He has a pretty good physique, so I wonder if he’s good at physical activities?

While I was thinking about this, the teams were formed. From their positions, it seemed he was on a team with the class president and vice president. The other team consisted of a boy with short hair and two others whose names I didn’t know. It looked like they were playing 3-on-3.

The game started with a whistle from the student acting as referee. The first possession went to his team, who had won rock-paper-scissors.

“Han Siwoo, catch!”

As soon as the class president shouted, he dashed forward. He caught the ball in mid-air with a stylish form, even though it was flying in a trajectory that normally would have been impossible to catch, and then dribbled at an incredible speed.

-Clank!

He jumped high and successfully dunked. The defender from the opposing team who had tried to block him said with a dejected expression:

“Come on, what high school student can dunk? Honestly, did you lie about your age?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Hey, Han Siwoo saying he’s never played basketball before is definitely a lie. Mark him closely.”

After this pointless exchange, the game continued.

Though I’m not knowledgeable about men’s sports and can’t describe it precisely, I could tell he was dominating the court, running here and there.

Literally, he was flying across the court, almost toying with the opposing team.

-Clank!

“Wow, you’re making a jump shot even with tight defense? Are you even human?”

“This cheating bastard, saying he’s never played basketball before?”

I involuntarily frowned at their colorful insults. But the person being insulted didn’t seem bothered at all.

The corners of his mouth were twitching slightly… as if he was actually enjoying being cursed at.

“…What’s so good about that?”

Is this some form of male communication that women don’t understand? I felt annoyed for no reason, pouted my lips, and continued watching.

“Hey, this isn’t working. Let’s switch teams.”

“Yeah, with Lim Hansol and Han Siwoo on the same team, we’re getting crushed. Let’s switch quickly.”

“How should we change it?”

After about five minutes of watching the game with my chin on my knees, I sensed someone behind me.

Glancing back, I saw some girls I didn’t recognize, probably students from another class.

“Hey, look at him.”

“What? Who?”

“There, that guy. The one with silver-dyed hair. He’s really good.”

“He is good. Is he on the basketball team?”

Though the praise was for him, not me, my shoulders rose proudly. Yes, Siwoo is pretty good.

“But, isn’t he handsome?”

“……”

I flinched involuntarily at the sudden appearance evaluation, my shoulders twitching. Without thinking, I turned to see who had made such a comment.

She was a girl with slightly above-average looks, with a cute face that men would probably like.

“Should I go give him a drink later and ask for his number?”

“Huh? You’re going to get his number? Do you like him?”

“No, it’s not like that. I’m just saying I could ask, right?”

“…Excuse me.”

Just as I was about to speak, a loud whistle blew at the worst possible timing. The girl who had made the problematic comment and her friend immediately stood up.

“…Huh?”

I’d lost my target. I stared at the retreating backs of the girls with bewildered eyes.

Oh no. I need to go stop them.

I tried to stand up quickly but immediately sat back down. A tingling sensation was rising from my toes.

“Ouch…!”

I’d been sitting with my knees together for too long, and now my leg was cramping at the worst possible moment!

“Would you like a drink?”

While I was clutching my calf, the cute-faced girl approached him and offered him water.

“Huh? Do I know you?”

“No, I don’t know you either.”

“…Then why are you giving me water?”

“Well, I’d like to get to know you from now on?”

No way… she’s openly trying to hit on someone else’s man! I was boiling with anger inside, but I couldn’t shout out. If I did, I’d just be treated like a crazy person…

Ah, what should I do? I want to jump in and separate them right now, but my legs are too numb to move. As I was stuck in this dilemma:

“Ah… if that’s the case, I’ll pass. I won’t take this.”

Suddenly, his face hardened as he coldly replied. It was such a cold response, so unlike the person I knew, that even I felt my heart sink for a moment.

“Huh? Why?”

“What do you mean why? I said I don’t want it, do I need a reason?”

Perhaps because his attitude was more severe than expected, the girl who had offered the water stepped back with a surprised face. Then, as if taking her place, the girl beside her stepped forward and glared at him.

“Hey. Why are you talking like that? What’s so wrong about offering you some water?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“What do you mean that’s not it? Did she ask for your number or ask you to date her? Aren’t you overreacting just because she offered you a bottle of water?”

“So-Sohee. Stop it. You’re making him uncomfortable.”

“No, why should I stop? Hey, why are you acting like this?”

At first glance, it might seem like she couldn’t control her emotions, but I sensed it immediately.

This is a tactic.

One person picks a fight and lashes out, while the other pretends to hold her back. It’s a kind of good cop, bad cop strategy…

Anyway, that’s not what’s important. This is a fox trick that all women know. The evidence is in the upturned corners of the mouth of the girl who’s supposedly restraining her friend. They’re deliberately causing a scene to direct all the attention to one person.

But guys don’t usually notice this. What should I do? Feeling urgent, I forced myself to stand up.

“Ow!”

Perhaps due to the sudden movement, my legs gave out and I fell to one knee. I involuntarily let out a loud cry, which caught the attention of him as he was sighing deeply, and our eyes met.

“Huh?”

Surprise flickered in his eyes as he looked at me. That surprise quickly turned to concern, and he immediately came over to me, putting everything else aside.

“Nabi, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine… Ah.”

My legs gave out again as I tried to force myself up. Alarmed, he came closer and grabbed my waist, lifting me up.

“You don’t look fine at all. Can you stand without me?”

“N-No… I can’t stand.”

I’m not exaggerating—my legs are trembling so much I can’t stand properly. I leaned against him as he tried to support me.

At that, the girls who had been using tactics on him just moments ago glared at us with wide eyes.

“What, you have a girlfriend? Wow, unbelievable. How can this be?”

“Sohee, let it go. Let’s just leave.”

They’re the ones who should be shocked, yet they’re getting angry at us. I’d like to snap back at them, but that would only give them something to latch onto.

I pretended not to hear them, and he seemed not to have heard either, focused on checking my condition. Though unintentional, we both ended up ignoring the girl’s words.

Frustrated by this, the girls glared at us intensely before eventually snorting and walking away.

I inwardly sighed with relief. I’m glad we didn’t get entangled with them.

Just as I was letting my guard down, he tapped the top of my head while supporting my waist.

“Nabi, are you really okay?”

“Yes, what?”

“I asked if you’re really okay.”

He looked me up and down and asked carefully. Perhaps because I had unintentionally made him worry, his voice was very serious. I changed the subject to reassure him.

“Yes, but you seemed to be talking with those girls just now. Did I interrupt something?”

“Huh? No, it’s fine. I’ve never seen them before.”

“Why would girls you’ve never met offer you water?”

“That’s what I’d like to know… Maybe they were from Shincheonji?”

Shincheonji? Is he serious? I couldn’t help but examine his eyes.

…They were the eyes of pure innocence, completely clueless.

It’s probably the latter with high probability.

“…Um, Siwoo.”

Actually, whether it’s the former or the latter doesn’t matter.

What’s most important is that he dropped everything and rushed to me.

“Yes, what is it?”

“My leg hurts too much to walk. Could you take me to the infirmary?”

“Really? Does it hurt a lot? Do you want to leave early and go to the hospital?”

“No, it’s not that bad. I think I’ll feel better after resting in the infirmary.”

“Alright, let’s go together. I’ll take you there.”

“…”

So, for his commendable behavior…

…I should give him a reward.