Chapter 2: Deviation (3)

“Got any money?”

Two days later, during lunch.

As soon as I set my tray on the table, my friend Juho, sitting across from me, threw out this question.

“As if.”

“Yeah, I guess not. We’re both living on scholarships. Ugh, I really want to buy a camera.”

I wondered why he even bothered to ask.

This school is as expensive as its reputation. There’s a limit to how much the government can cover. We end up shouldering that burden in tuition fees.

At least with scholarships, we won’t get kicked out over tuition as long as we don’t cause any trouble. But for poor folks like us, tightening our belts is the only option.

Of course, even if I had spare cash, I couldn’t lend enough for a camera. It was a pointless question either way.

“Hey, what if we picked up some part-time work during break? Think there’s anything that pays around 500 a month?”

“What kind of lunatic would pay a part-timer 500 a month?”

“True. Guess buying a camera is out of the question.”

Juho agreed easily and started picking at his rice with his chopsticks.

His constant chatter about cameras clearly meant this was about his filmmaking. He’s an aspiring film director, after all.

As I chewed and swallowed my side dishes, I asked:

“Didn’t you buy a camera with the club funds when you started the film production club?”

“Yeah. Thanks to you getting a few non-members to join. I’m grateful.”

“Save your thanks.”

It wasn’t that big a deal to deserve gratitude.

At this school, there are students admitted through exams, and others selected based on competition results or publication records.

Students like me in the former category are called ‘academic track’, while those like Juho in the latter are ‘arts track’.

I think he mentioned winning a youth screenplay competition once.

Among them, arts track students tend to be more active in clubs.

The instrument players are involved in orchestra or band clubs. I heard the sports kids gather in an ambiguously named ‘sports club’ to share the school’s funding.

On the other hand, academic track students like me have no reason to join clubs, and even if we do, we have no intention of participating.

So I just helped gather some people to put their names down, allowing the club to receive funding.

Anyway, I don’t want him groveling in gratitude. I waved my chopsticks, and Juho chuckled before continuing his explanation.

“But that’s school property in the end. I want to buy one for personal use too.”

“I see.”

Well, that leaves even less room for me to help. Even if we increased club members for more funding, it would still belong to the school.

I nodded encouragingly, and Juho resumed picking at his food. Seems he wasn’t really looking for a solution.

After a moment of silence, Juho spoke up again.

“By the way, do you know Ji-hoon?”

It was an unexpected question.

I swallowed my food before asking back:

“Who’s that?”

“Ah, well, I guess you wouldn’t. He’s a junior at our school.”

Juho nodded as if understanding himself.

I tend to know faces of academic track students above and below my year. Given his reaction, this Ji-hoon was probably an arts track student.

Juho gave a wry smile and said:

“Actually, a few days ago, he got caught by a teacher hugging his girlfriend in a secluded spot.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Apparently his parents came to school today. I heard his mom and dad were bowing their heads in the staff room. Getting caught dating is grounds for disciplinary action, and they were caught red-handed.”

“Wow…”

All this fuss over getting caught hugging.

What an impressive school we have. I couldn’t hold back a derisive laugh.

“Whoever it is, I feel bad for them. This school bans everything under the sun.”

“I know, right? He was crying on the phone. Said he’d have to break up with his girlfriend.”

“Break up?”

That seemed odd. I tilted my head and asked:

“Can’t they just date in secret? If they avoid hugging in hidden corners, they shouldn’t get caught.”

“No way. The whole point of dating is to hug in hidden corners.”

“Then they should hide it better. It’s obvious the school would react like this. They could at least wait until graduation.”

“You just don’t get it. Love can’t be held back.”

Is that so?

I’ve never liked anyone enough to go on about love. And I don’t plan to anytime soon. I couldn’t help but hear talk of ‘not holding back’ as if it were from another planet.

I dared to guess this guy didn’t have such experiences either. I barely swallowed a sarcastic comment and just chewed on an innocent sausage instead.

◎

It turned out to be more than just idle gossip.

Notices were posted all over the school announcing that the two had received 7 days of in-school community service as punishment. I even saw a first-year student picking up trash with tongs in a busy corridor. It was sad to see their expression frozen with what seemed like humiliation or some indescribable emotion.

But no one said a word about it.

Myself included.

It’s natural for everyone to want to spend their three years here quietly, keeping their heads down. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down, after all.

No matter what happens at school, the clock keeps ticking mercilessly. The moment my phone screen showed 12:00, everything around me went dark. It was lights out time.

In the darkened dormitory, another quiet race began.

Meanwhile, I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

I knew I should start studying right away. While I was doing this, other students were probably flipping through their books. If I were at least sleeping, it might be different, but just lying here like this was no good at all.

But today, I couldn’t muster the will.

If I had to pinpoint a reason, it was probably the story I heard from my friend, and the face of that junior I saw walking down the hall.

It wasn’t that I suddenly felt a sense of justice for a junior I’d never even heard of. I just didn’t like how the school made all these rules and then punished anyone who broke them.

In any case, it’s a stifling place in many ways.

Just then, I remembered the brief escape I’d made two days ago.

When I ignored the warnings and sneaked out, then breathed in the night air under the moonlight. My heart had pounded like never before.

And then, meeting So-yul by chance and having a secret conversation.

…Maybe I should go out for a bit today too.

It should be fine. I got back safely without getting caught last time. Plus, didn’t So-yul say she sneaks out quite often and has never been caught?

So if it’s just for a moment, just a very short while, it should be okay.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I immediately got up from my bed.

I knew exactly where to go.

They say the first time is always the hardest.

I slipped out of my room and strode straight to the machine room. From there, I didn’t hesitate to go inside, pushing through the machines to reach the stairs.

As I bounded down the steps, I almost felt like I was going on a fun outing.

When I opened the iron door at the first-floor exit, a clear night sky welcomed me once again.

The walking path behind the dormitory. A mundane scenery I’d be sick of seeing during the day felt different now.

Standing there, I spread my arms and was about to take a deep breath…

“…So you came out today.”

…When suddenly, a female voice came from my left.

I was so startled I barely managed to hold back a cough. Even though surveillance is lax in the early hours, if they heard coughing outside, someone would come to check. I could have been caught red-handed.

Unaware of my efforts, the owner of the voice walked up to me with her hands behind her back.

As expected, it was So-yul.

“Don’t scare me like that. I almost coughed.”

“Just don’t be scared.”

I didn’t know such a groundbreaking method existed. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity, and So-yul tilted her head back to look up at me. Standing like this, her small stature was quite apparent.

Then she whispered:

“Why didn’t you come out yesterday?”

“Come out where?”

“At night, outside the dorm.”

“I never said I would.”

This time, So-yul was at a loss for words. My response seemed to hit the mark, as a wrinkle appeared between her brows. I’m not sure if she was trying to glare at me or what, but it wasn’t particularly intimidating.

Separately from that…

“So were you waiting for me yesterday?”

If she expected me to come out, she might have. I couldn’t think of any reason why she’d wait for me, but if she was just bored sitting alone, I could sort of understand.

But So-yul snorted:

“Why would I wait for you?”

Her tone was prickly. She turned her gaze to the boys’ dormitory door. Well, she’s right. Maybe I was being a bit self-centered just now.

Then So-yul turned her back and started walking towards the path.

“Anyway, just follow me.”

Suddenly telling me to follow. That explanation was sorely lacking.

Of course, I didn’t need to ask where. She was probably going to sit on the bench on the walking path and pretend to play an invisible piano again.

If there was anything I was curious about, it was just one thing:

“Why should I follow you?”

So-yul turned her head slightly and said quietly:

“You made me wait yesterday.”

“…Didn’t you say you weren’t waiting?”

“…”

Once again, So-yul was at a loss for words.

This time, she was definitely glaring at me.

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