Ch.8787. Sect

Sunlight so warm it was almost hot.

Suhyeok frowned as he woke up to the heat that only a midday sun could produce.

He fumbled across the bedsheet, searching for the air conditioner remote.

It was a sign that the season had arrived when one simply couldn’t survive without it.

All classes for the first semester of sophomore year had ended, and all that remained was waiting for grades.

Opening his phone screen, Suhyeok found his device unusually filled with group chat notifications.

[Anyone available for an end-of-semester party~]

The opening message was from President Seo-eun.

Below it, updates from juniors and the 23rd cohort stretched out.

[Ah! Unni! I need to go back to my hometown, so when is it?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[I’m definitely coming! Gotta have another round with the seniors!]

[Good people, good place, anytime^^]

[Is Kang oppa coming? Oh! And Suhyeok oppa too.]

It was like a bustling marketplace.

A hearty, old-man-like laugh escaped Suhyeok’s lips.

Just reading the messages felt noisy, as if they came with audio support.

I wonder if Juyeon is coming…

No matter how far he scrolled, Juyeon’s name didn’t appear.

Hana and Seo-eun were attending.

Choi Kang couldn’t make it due to prior commitments.

From the looks of it, Suhyeok seemed to be the only male from the 23rd cohort.

[I have some personal matters to attend to]

Just then, news from Juyeon appeared.

[I’ll join next time ㅜ]

…Is that really true?

Though he believed excessive doubt was poisonous, Suhyeok couldn’t shake his inner suspicion.

Juyeon had declared she needed distance from Suhyeok.

Perhaps she wasn’t coming to the party because being with him made her uncomfortable.

If that was true…

“Haah…”

Suhyeok pressed his forehead as if he had a headache.

Maybe I shouldn’t go?

In the band Spirit, Suhyeok was the newcomer, while Juyeon was the established member.

In other words, if Juyeon was avoiding the gathering because of Suhyeok’s presence, it would be like a rolling stone displacing a fixed one.

Pondering alone wouldn’t yield an answer.

Finally, Suhyeok gulped and scrolled down his contacts.

The dial tone continued.

[Hello?]

Juyeon’s voice came from the other end.

[Hey. Juyeon. It’s Suhyeok.]

[…Yeah.]

[Can I ask why you’re not coming to the end-of-semester party?]

[Hm? I wrote there that it’s for personal reasons.]

[What kind of personal reasons?]

If it’s going home, say going home.

If there’s a prior engagement, say there’s a prior engagement.

He thought if it was something simple, she could be transparent about it.

[…I’m planning to stream.]

[Stream? But the party is on Tuesday.]

[I’m thinking of streaming daily during the break.]

They had already discussed streaming frequency last week.

Suhyeok remembered it clearly.

-I just want to do it at a level that’s not too burdensome.

-Hmm… right now it’s twice a week, so during break, three times? Maybe four if it’s a lot?

-Y-yeah. If I get that popular, I might consider seven days a week…

[Streaming is good, but since the semester is over, wouldn’t it be nice to hang out with everyone one last time…? Just as a celebration.]

He couldn’t force her to socialize instead of practicing.

But Suhyeok wished Juyeon would join them.

[…I’ll think about it.]

That was the best answer Juyeon could give.

[Yeah. I think everyone would be happier if you came.]

[Did they ask you to call me?]

[No? This is just me…]

Suhyeok’s voice trailed off.

[I just wanted you to be there too.]

Juyeon’s grip on her phone gradually tightened.

[I see.]

Silence fell.

The girl who had been right beside him just days ago now felt infinitely distant to Suhyeok.

[If I decide to come, I’ll let you know in the group chat.]

[Okay. Thanks.]

The screen turned red.

Once again, Juyeon was the one who hung up first.

She pretended to be busy, as if she had urgent matters, but that wasn’t the case.

“…Just do one of the two.”

Either don’t be kind to me.

Or be kind only to me.

His words about wanting her there were sweet.

So sweet that she regretted not recording that moment.

She pulled the blanket up to the top of her head.

Who could it be?

The girl Suhyeok always wants to whisper such words to.

She tried to picture the face of this nameless girl.

He said she was extremely pretty.

Someone like Hana, probably?

Someone who sparkles so brightly that someone like me doesn’t even compare.

Someone you can’t help but fall in love with just by looking at them.

Suhyeok’s voice once again created a large ripple in Juyeon’s heart, which had been trying to compose itself.

The measure of necessity varies from person to person.

That’s why we don’t automatically assign the same value to identical objects.

Just as something filled with precious memories for one person might be nothing but a worthless antique to another.

The girl Suhyeok had a crush on was treating something Juyeon desperately wanted as if it were nothing.

Envy turned to jealousy.

Jealousy turned to hatred.

Juyeon hated that girl who tormented Suhyeok without any intention of accepting him.

She felt sorry for Suhyeok, who might have become like a fish in a tank.

And she felt even sorrier for herself, who had come to like him.

“End-of-semester party…”

I actually wanted to go too.

* * *

“Lee Suhyeok! Over here!”

As he looked around the restaurant, Hana raised her hand and gestured toward Suhyeok.

“Sit here.”

Hana patted the seat next to her.

Suhyeok wouldn’t know how much effort Hana had put into keeping that seat vacant for him.

“Okay.”

“Suhyeok hyung! We’re gaming tomorrow, want to join our 5-queue?”

The end-of-semester party had started at 6 PM, quite early.

The male juniors from the 24th cohort, who had taken over an entire table, all looked at Suhyeok at once.

“I’ll… see?”

It wasn’t a happy 5-queue train ride.

If he got dragged in there, he’d have to be their hands and feet for at least four hours to secure victory.

“Is everyone here? Is everyone here?”

Seo-eun, sitting across from him, stood up and started counting.

“The 23rd cohort is all here, and for the 24th… Hyejung and Sohye said they weren’t coming, so… we’re good!”

Green bottles lined up on the table.

Soju glasses filled with the glug-glug-glug sound.

Hana, who was sticking close to Suhyeok, was in a state of perfect mental preparation.

-Absolutely do not get drunk.

-Absolutely do not throw up.

Just thinking about the scene she had made on the festival day still made her face flush.

Honestly, if she were Suhyeok, she would have lost all interest and wouldn’t even see herself as a potential romantic interest, 500% guaranteed.

“Lee Suhyeok.”

Hana poked Suhyeok’s thigh with her index finger.

“Yeah?”

“I’m not going to get drunk today.”

Though he wasn’t sure of her intentions in saying this, Suhyeok nodded up and down.

“If I get excited and try to drink more, stop me.”

I’m not drinking because of you.

So you have to stop me.

“But will you listen to me, Hana?”

Having experienced drunk Hana several times, Suhyeok wasn’t confident.

He didn’t want to say it, but drunk Hana was truly like a beast.

“…I will.”

Hana smiled brightly, as if confident.

“If it’s you, I’ll listen. Lee Suhyeok.”

Suhyeok felt his face heating up.

It was happening again.

Attaching meaning to such insignificant words.

Indulging in fantasies when the other person had no intention of giving anything.

Honestly, since giving up on not liking her was also giving up, Suhyeok had no choice but to resolve this flutter with alcohol.

“Thank you all for your hard work this semester!”

“Good job everyone!”

“Cheers!”

Nicely grilled samgyeopsal.

After downing a shot of soju each, the members immediately dove into the meal.

“Hana unni, what are you doing during the break?”

“Me? Well, part-time job, and that competition I’m entering, things like that?”

“When did you say the competition was?”

“Early August.”

Sitting across from Suhyeok and Hana were Taeho and Jiyeon.

Before coming to the gathering, there had been quite a heated debate between the two.

-No! I’m telling you, Suhyeok hyung and Hana noona are a thing! You’ll see when we get there!

-What are you talking about? Suhyeok oppa was having something with Juyeon unni. And honestly, if we’re talking about who’s a better match, it’s Juyeon unni, right?

-You’re not getting it. I saw them! That wasn’t just a friend vibe.

-Look, honestly speaking, why would Hana unni settle for Suhyeok oppa? There must be something wrong with your eyes.

The two had entered full observation mode, pretending not to listen while focusing on the occasional conversations between Suhyeok and Hana.

“Lee Suhyeok. What do you like to dip your meat in the most?”

“Me… um… ssamjang?”

“So you just eat meat with ssamjang?”

“I eat it with perilla leaves and garlic too.”

“Then make one like that for me.”

Hana dangled the tongs in her hand.

Oil dripped onto the grill with a sizzling sound.

“I’m grilling the meat. Aren’t you going to feed me?”

Only then did Suhyeok, who had placed perilla leaves in his hand, begin preparing.

He had made the ssam but hesitated, wondering how to give it to her.

Hana leaned forward and opened her mouth, clearly indicating she wanted to be fed.

“Ah.”

The ssam went right into her mouth.

Watching Hana chew with apparent delight, Suhyeok unconsciously thought he wanted to make another one for her.

“It’s delicious!”

Hana expressed her gratitude before even swallowing.

-See, I told you I was right. Isn’t this flirting?

-Hmm… but then what was going on with Juyeon unni?

-The two-timing theory for Suhyeok hyung emerges

The two juniors whispered and giggled.

Blinking as he watched them, Suhyeok thought:

‘Are those two flirting…?’