Ch.6868. Tempo

After finishing their performance at the first semester festival, the band club temporarily lost their sense of purpose.

The next official event on their schedule was the winter concert in the second semester, which wouldn’t happen until two seasons had passed.

In other words, there was no longer any fixed reason for them to come to the club room for practice.

Following the excessively busy period of late April and early May, mid-May had settled into a calm, lake-like routine of quiet days.

“You came again today!”

Choi Gang slapped Suhyeok’s back repeatedly.

“Got to. Exercise.”

The fitness project that had been interrupted by midterms was still ongoing.

If anything, Suhyeok seemed to have developed more of a taste for it now.

He had definitely felt it while preparing for the performance.

Physical stamina was essential for band activities.

If it were just about practicing together, that would be one thing, but college students have more to do than just club activities.

He needed to keep up with assignments for each course and diligently participate in occasional team projects.

What he needed to balance all of this was robust physical strength.

Of course, simply becoming healthier in a straightforward way was also a major part of the reason.

“Suhyeok oppa. Hello.”

Sohye, who had now abandoned her resentment about Suhyeok coming to the gym, nodded her head up and down in greeting.

“Sohye. Hi.”

The juniors Suhyeok had conversed with the most were Taeho, who was in the same guitar line, and Sohye, who exercised with him.

Just these two people.

“Oppa. Let’s make a bet.”

“A bet…? What kind?”

Whether it was about grades or billiards,

all the Spirit members were people who couldn’t resist betting.

“Gang oppa says he’ll buy you a meal if I lift more weight than you.”

Suhyeok looked up at Choi Gang as if asking what his intention was.

“Competing with me wouldn’t be a fair game! It’s better for beginners to compete with each other!”

Though what he said wasn’t wrong, Suhyeok still hadn’t heard why he needed to participate in this game.

“Don’t tell me… you’re scared of Ji Sohye, Lee Suhyeok?”

“…So if I win, you’ll buy me a meal?”

“Are you hoping to get a free meal after beating a girl?”

Internal conflict washed over him.

Personality was one thing, and pride was another.

Somehow, declaring that he would get a free meal here felt like something in his masculinity was being severely bent.

“Alright… let’s do it.”

“Yay! Oppa, I’m going to be really serious, so don’t go easy on me, okay?”

Sohye rolled up her t-shirt as if wanting to show off her muscles.

Her arms were so soft that it would be an exaggeration to say anything was bulging there.

“I couldn’t beat you if I wasn’t serious anyway.”

…Nevertheless, the difference in the weight they could lift wasn’t as much as expected.

“Great! Then let’s crush it today too!!”

Choi Gang, excited at the thought of working his triceps, entered the stretching zone with a big smile.

Now that Suhyeok had learned the basics of how to use the equipment, he was just diligently following the routine he had set.

“Haa… haa…”

Beads of sweat trickled down.

With a feeling that was both painful and rewarding, Suhyeok wiped his forehead.

After finishing one set, he briefly checked his phone, and there was a notification showing a message had arrived.

[Suhyeok]

It was Juyeon.

[Yeah?]

[What are you doing?]

[I’m working out with Gang and Sohye]

Juyeon, who was munching on snacks in her room, moved her thumb once more.

[Should I try working out too?]

Somehow, hearing that Suhyeok was doing it with the Spirit members made her a bit curious.

[That would be good. Gang is a good teacher]

[He doesn’t make it super hard, does he?]

[Well… a little at first?]

In truth, it wasn’t just a little—it was quite hard.

[Then take me with you next time]

A smile formed on Suhyeok’s face as he looked at the screen.

What’s this?

Does she think it looks easy because I’m doing it?

Juyeon should also get a taste of Gang’s spicy training…!

After the hidden camera incident, Suhyeok had developed a taste for revenge tactics.

“Lee Suhyeok!”

Startled by the thunderous shout, Suhyeok almost dropped his phone.

“Geez! What?”

“Why are you on your phone during sacred exercise time!”

“Ah. Juyeon says she wants to work out with us too.”

“…Park Juyeon?”

Choi Gang asked with a surprised expression, as if he hadn’t just been shouting.

“Last year she swore she wouldn’t come until the day the earth was destroyed. She’s finally surrendered.”

Though Suhyeok had no idea what she had surrendered to, he just went along with it.

After an intense hour of exercise, Suhyeok’s group decided to go for lunch.

Since they had asked in the group chat who wanted to join for a meal, Seo Eun was also at the cafeteria table.

“Ahh~ I’m so thrilled that we’ll be done with the semester in a month!”

Seo Eun’s mind was already filled with thoughts of going on trips with the members.

The beach would be great!

Or the mountains!

She felt that anywhere would be fun as long as she was with the members.

Exploring good restaurants was a given.

And it would be nice to get some amazing photos too!

“What do you prefer, Suhyeok? The beach? Or mountains?”

“I…”

He couldn’t decide since he had only been to both places with his family.

But if he had to choose based on activities, the beach would be…

It had been quite a while since he’d gone swimming, so he thought it might be nice to go.

“The beach?”

“Wow~ Could it be that Suhyeok wants to see us in swimsuits?”

Seo Eun poked Suhyeok’s side repeatedly as if suggesting he had naughty intentions.

“I mean, if I were a guy, I’d be curious about what Hana looks like in a swimsuit too.”

“I’m not particularly curious.”

Choi Gang, who was chewing on meat across the table, interjected.

“Gang doesn’t need to cheat because he has a virtual avatar girlfriend~”

“Compared to you all, Luka is nothing short of an angel.”

“Sure~ Whatever you say~”

Everyone has different tastes.

Seo Eun chose understanding over persuasion.

“Do the freshmen have any plans?”

Seo Eun asked Sohye with a bright smile.

“Us? Well… some kids who live in the provinces are going home, so I’m not sure.”

“You guys could go visit their hometowns.”

“Hyejung says her place is a boring countryside with nothing to see.”

“Then you should all spread out a map, find the center point, and go there!”

This was actually a method Seo Eun had adopted last year.

“But if we do go to the beach, how would we get there?”

Suhyeok, who was trying to visualize the specifics, asked Seo Eun.

“Us? I think we’d probably take an express bus.”

“I have a driver’s license!”

As Choi Gang volunteered, Seo Eun tried her best to stop him.

“I’m still too young to die!”

“I’m a good driver!”

“No way! I’m not riding in your car!”

Another day of bickering between the president and the members.

Suhyeok rested his chin on his hand and gazed out the window where sunlight was streaming in.

This really is so different from last year.

Suhyeok was getting used to this lively scene.

* * *

“This is difficult…”

Hana stretched her hand upward, repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fist.

Having spent her life giving relationship advice to others, she was now at a loss when it came to her own love life.

She thought the atmosphere that night had been good enough.

They had spent the festival day almost like a date.

They seemed to have confirmed each other’s feelings to some extent.

But Suhyeok hadn’t crossed the line to approach her.

What was missing?

Was the impact of her drunken mistake that night so significant?

But using that as a reason didn’t make sense because Suhyeok had waited for her for three whole hours despite her being late.

If he had disliked her mistake, he wouldn’t have shown up at all.

So that couldn’t be the reason…

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was sinking into a deep quagmire.

At the same time, practical considerations were weighing heavily on her heart like shackles.

Suhyeok would become a soldier in a few months.

Would this tender feeling she harbored now remain unchanged in the future?

She had met Suhyeok in March.

They had only known each other for barely two months.

In contrast, military service lasted 18 months.

That meant being forced to wait more than five times longer than the time they had known each other.

Of course, she understood well enough that she liked Suhyeok and that he was a good person.

Dating him would certainly be nice.

Just holding his wrist and walking back and forth felt so good; she thought she might faint if they ever kissed.

But if Suhyeok was hesitant to confess because he didn’t want to burden her with his departure…

If that was the reason…

Hana needed to give him reassurance.

‘I’m confident I can wait for you.’

She needed to say these words to be with him.

And she thought this wasn’t something that could be said lightly.

Not as a casual remark.

She didn’t want to tell Suhyeok a lie just to date him.

That wasn’t the way to treat someone precious.

“Okay… let’s wait…”

Lee Suhyeok must have his own thoughts too.

And Hana wished he would hold onto her.

If he conveyed his feelings with sincerity, Hana felt she could give him the assurance that she would wait for him.

Yeah… instead of being impatient, I’ll wait…

But still…

Somehow, Hana was annoyed that Suhyeok hadn’t contacted her at all since that day.

Fine, don’t confess!

But you should at least contact me!

She was about to type out a complaint message but pouted and held back.

Let’s see who wins this game.

As she was glaring at the screen with fierce eyes:

[Hana. If we were to go on a trip, do you prefer mountains or the beach?]

“What… what’s with this crazy progression…”

Hana felt her head spinning.