episode_0032

This semester, I took a total of 7 courses.

A total of 21 credits.

One of them was an online course.

I managed to arrange my schedule so that Tuesdays were free by combining the remaining 6 courses.

I thought I had planned a satisfactory academic schedule for myself.

I was prepared to not have any acquaintances in the same classes.

Being used to going to school alone, it didn’t bother me.

Of course, now that I’m taking the same elective class as Miru and Ye-seul, being alone in class felt a bit distant.

Well, it wasn’t so bad.

I realized now that having someone you know at school is actually quite nice compared to going alone.

The problem is.

“Hehe, we’re in the same class for this course too.”

I didn’t expect to have another subject in common with Miru.

Out of the 6 courses I’m taking, 2 of them are the same.

“You’re taking this too?”

“Yes.”

“You weren’t here last week.”

She definitely wasn’t there for the first class.

“I had some personal matters to attend to that day.”

“But aren’t you a freshman? Is it okay for you to take this?”

This course was for second-year students.

Taking this as a freshman was unusual.

Although it’s not normal for a third-year student like me to take it either, I had forgotten everything during my military leave for 2 years, so there was no other choice.

“That’s right!”

“But why this one?”

“I understand all the first-year courses, so I took this one.”

“Is that even possible?”

I had never once understood anything in a university course.

Understanding what?

Where did that alien word come from?

“You’re lucky. You can take the same class as your brother.”

“That’s true.”

I don’t know if it’s really luck or if it was intentional.

Miru sat next to me.

Naturally closing the distance was her way of showing friendliness.

Thanks to her, the eyes of many juniors in the lecture hall were on me.

Anger, jealousy, annoyance.

Their gazes were piercing.

Ouch.

As I turned my head, I met the eyes of a junior.

“Uh, uh….”

With red eyes, he was glaring at me while biting his lip.

Even though we made eye contact, he didn’t try to avoid my gaze.

‘Look at this guy.’

How arrogant.

I thought about saying something, but I kept my mouth shut.

This isn’t the military, and he’s not my junior.

‘Yeah. Let’s just let it go.’

At times like this, it’s better to stay calm.

Maybe he’s one of the guys in the department who likes Miru?

Just being with her seemed to make them jealous.

Well, I’m not the type to pick fights, so I just ignored it.

Just then, the professor arrived.

The boring lecture is about to begin.

“Well… Today’s class is….”

I was already feeling drowsy from the slow and dragging tone of the professor.

Dizzy.

Trying to focus on the lecture, I noticed the corner of a notebook in my field of vision.

-Not enjoying the class?

In cute handwriting with a red pen, the words caught my eye.

When I turned my head to see who it was from, Miru was smiling brightly at me.

-Focus on the class.

I quickly scribbled out the words.

As a returning student and a third-year, every point mattered to me.

Already feeling like I might get fewer points just because I’m a third-year, I knew I had to work harder.

So I tried to focus on the class.

“Tsk….”

A soft mutter came from beside me.

Miru pouted her lips and looked at the blackboard with a sulky expression.

Clearly, she was upset.

Even though I tried to focus on the class, her expression kept bothering me.

-Are you upset?

I wrote in my notebook.

-No. I’m not upset.

Then, the cute lion drawing a frowning face with raised eyebrows.

Clearly an angry expression.

-You’re mad because I didn’t tell you?

No, it’s not. It’s just a misunderstanding. And it’s not because of that.

With a sudden turn of her head, she looked at me.

Even to anyone else, it was a face of misunderstanding.

After a moment of contemplation, I started writing again.

– I should focus on studying. We can chat during break time.

– There’s a charm in chatting secretly during times like this.

She responded to my words of frustration.

– I need to get good grades.

– It’s okay. If you don’t understand something, we can study together.

– Where?

– We can go to the library or rent a study room. If there’s no place, we can study at your place.

How should I start a conversation?

The expression of frustration from earlier seemed to slightly return.

And Mi-ju started writing again.

– Since we’re taking the same class, I wanted to ask. Yesterday, Ye-seul said that your personal training session was really good. What did you do?

– Personal training?

What did I do?

Exercising naked, suffering on the rower, enjoying the climax…

I couldn’t bring myself to tell Mi-ju, who was looking at me with pure eyes.

– Just squats and focusing on lower body…

– She said you did machine exercises?

I couldn’t answer and just looked ahead.

I can’t answer this.

I didn’t even go to the gym…

Mi-ju grabbed my shoulder and shook it.

“What is it? Tell me.”

She whispered softly with a curious voice.

How should I say it?

That the rower is an exercise machine that works on the chest and it tickles…

I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

– Tell me.

She was so insistent that she practically shoved the notebook in my face.

I was suddenly wide awake.

– I’ll show you next time we go to the gym. It won’t be fun if you know in advance, right?

Only then did Mi-ju calm down.

Thanks to Mi-ju, I didn’t doze off during class.

Should I be grateful?

***

“Oppa, do you want to have lunch together?”

With Mi-ju’s question, we found ourselves alone together after a long time.

She was the same as always.

Always the same, always with the same scent.

I remembered that the pork cutlet was the best menu.

“The pork cutlet here is the best.”

Even that was the same as always.

As we stood in line to order, a man approached Mi-ju.

“Hey, Mi-ju?”

He pretended to know her.

He was a very neat man with glasses and a tidy shirt.

Even though his eyes were still, they seemed to be smiling.

Is he the student council president?

Just by looking at his face and attire, you could guess that he held an important position somewhere, even if he wasn’t the student council president.

He approached with a smiling face.

A man who seemed to be likable to anyone.

Next to him was a big guy in tight-fitting clothes.

But when Mi-ju saw the man, her expression changed.

It was a look of disgust, completely different from what I had shown during class.

Even if you saw a cockroach coming out of the living room, you wouldn’t make that face.

Mi-ju, who always showed a bright smile, was making this expression.

It wasn’t a harsh expression, but rather, it was a bright man she was looking at.

What on earth happened?

“Go away. I don’t want to see your face.”

“Mi-ju, it’s sad to hear you say that. We didn’t end things badly.”

“We never even started.”

“Really? Did I misunderstand something?”

“Stop it. I don’t want to deal with you. I clearly said I didn’t like you, and I never had any intention of meeting you.”

“Why are you like this? You’re making people out to be bad guys.”

The man took another step closer.

And Mi-ju took a step back.

I could sense something between the two of them.

“Stop it.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t like it. I’m telling you to stop.”

“Haha, is he your boyfriend…?”

The man looked at me.

As I met his gaze through the unfamiliar glasses, I felt an inexplicable chill.

I unconsciously furrowed my brows at the tingling sensation running down my spine.

A chill that made my hair stand on end.

It was a gaze as sharp as a venomous snake.

I’ve seen someone with this kind of gaze before.

A damn platoon leader who called the new recruits “bastards” in the military.

Strangely popular among the officers and senior soldiers, but treated the new recruits harshly.

He had the same eyes as that bastard.

And this kind of person…

“Yes.”

If you don’t firmly push him away, he’ll stick to you like glue.

“Is that so?”

He tilted his head, looking at me and Miju.

“Surprising. You two don’t seem to match at all.”

Hearing that, I wrapped my arm around Miju’s shoulder.

Miju didn’t reject my hand either.

As if she had been waiting, she leaned her face against my shoulder.

It was a bit awkward, but it seemed to deceive quite well.

“It’s none of your business.”

“Well, that’s true.”

The man laughed.

But his eyes were not laughing.

At a glance, it seemed like he was smiling, but looking deeper, his pupils looking at me were cold and distant.

“Alright. Even though you two don’t match well, if that’s the case, I should step back.”

Even so, he didn’t leave for a while.

“See you later. It would be fun to see a couple together.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Hehe, you never know. Kang Jun, let’s go.”

The man left.

The bulky guy standing next to him glanced at me for a moment.

“Exercise…?”

A sudden question.

I didn’t know what it meant, but I nodded in agreement.

“Okay.”

Then I followed the man.

It seemed like he was avoiding me.

I took Miju, who was trembling with anxiety, outside.

I shouldn’t stay here for too long, even for Miju’s sake.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s because of me.”

“We’ll talk about it later. Let’s calm down for now.”

I should give her a warm drink to calm her down.

How much time had passed?

After drinking the warm tea and calming her anxious mind, Miju slowly spoke.

“He was a senior from another department that I took classes with in my first semester. We just got together for a group project, had a meal, and then distanced ourselves like we were dating.”

“What’s his name?”

“Ju Yeonseok.”

Ju Yeonseok.

I should remember that.

“And the bulky guy next to him?”

“Kang Jun. He’s the guy who always follows Ju Yeonseok around.”

“Got it. I should avoid them for a while.”

He was trying to take advantage of Miju, who was good at getting close to people.

I think I know what to do.

But…

“It gives me chills.”

Just making eye contact with him made me angry.

He seemed nice at first glance, but what’s up with him?

What kind of person is he?

I shook my shoulders to shake off the remaining uneasiness.

“I told him I didn’t like it several times, but Ye Seul intervened and took care of it.”

“Ye Seul?”

“Yes, Ye Seul’s parents work in the police department.”

“I see.”

“That’s why he backed off. He was bothering me because Ye Seul wasn’t there.”

Miju sighed.

“I’m sorry. And thank you for protecting me…”

“I’m sorry for calling him my boyfriend. I thought he wouldn’t back off otherwise.”

“It’s okay. Thanks to you, that guy backed off, so it’s a good thing.”

Miju smiled at me.

Why does she look sad today, despite her bright smile?