episode_0249

***

A few days later.

As the season gets colder, so does the sun’s return time.

The time when the moon peeks out from the window and softly illuminates its delicate face.

Inho was receiving tutoring in his room on the second floor.

It was a math class, and I was listening to the concepts explained by Yoon Shia and solving application problems.

Yoon Sia looked closely at the student’s face.

At first glance, his eyes were fixed on the workbook and he seemed to be concentrating on the class, but Yoon Si-ah immediately realized that this was not the case.

“…….”

Apparently thinking about something else.

It was unfamiliar to see him thinking about something so intently, so Yoon Sia watched him in silence.

“…….”

He looks a little dazed, as if he’s worried about something.

It was similar to what I saw when I first heard the news of my father being hospitalized.

“Inho.”

A few minutes to observe. As time seemed to pass by inexorably, Yoon Si-ah decided to rescue In-ho from the swamp of deep thoughts.

“…….”

In-ho did not respond to her calls.

I just quietly looked at the workbook.

“Kang In-ho.”

Yoon Sia called his name and slightly shook his shoulder.

“Ah… yes?”

Only after external contact did Kang In-ho react.

“Can’t concentrate today?”

She looks at it with concern, not rebuke.

Could it be that the problem is caused by bad friends? Yoon Sia guessed.

I am a student who is determined to walk the right path. It was her hope that that promise would not be broken.

“Ah, it’s just… I’m a bit like that today.”

He turned his eyes to the workbook and avoided gaze.

“Still, I’m an adult. If you have any concerns, tell me. I’ll help you.”

Although he was an adult who had not yet shed his student identity, she still comforted him.

“Are you a teacher?”

Perhaps because those words resonated, he opened his mouth with his eyes still on the workbook.

“Yes, I will help you.”

Yun Sia answered without hesitation.

Truly, she wanted to help him.

There is an altruistic desire to help an outstanding student,

The selfish feeling that only by removing the dark shadow on his face would he feel at ease coexisted.

Kang In-ho’s eyes turned to her.

He slowly glanced at Yun Shia.

At first glance, it could have been misunderstood as a sexually harassing gaze, but Yoon Sia did not take it particularly unpleasantly.

This is because there was no feeling of being searched with lust.

Kang In-ho, who was looking at her with serious eyes, smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Thank you for your words, but it’s okay. I have to solve my responsibilities myself.”

What came back was rejection. Yoon Sia pouted her mouth without realizing it.

“Responsibility is something an adult can say. What responsibility does the student have?”

Surprisingly cold words came out of my mouth.

“Teacher?”

He looked at her, surprised by her sharp reaction.

Big, big.

Yun Sia smiled awkwardly and cleared her throat.

“Inho. The teacher still thinks Inho is too young to solve problems on his own?”

She patted his thigh with a gentle look on her face.

Swoosh, swoosh

While In-ho was at a loss as to what to do with the hand running down his thigh, Yun-sia continued speaking.

“Because Inho has no social experience yet. What is right or wrong? What to do or not to do… It’s hard to tell these things, isn’t it? Huh?”

Yoon Shia looks at him as if asking for consent. Still smiling face.

“So, if you have any problems, consult me. Got it?”

Yun Sia nodded, as if asking people to nod along with her.

“…….”

Kang In-ho thought as he looked at Yoon Sia with his mouth slightly open, wondering if he had forgotten to make a sound.

What are you saying to someone younger than me?

***

The next day, Shin Jeong-ah did not show up for morning class.

Normally, In-ho would have just ignored it, but perhaps because of the conversation with Kim Jin-tae, his eyes were drawn to Jeong-ah’s empty seat throughout class.

After having lunch with several students, including Sang-Hoon Jeong, he tilted his chair back and pondered.

Is it the right choice to contact Shin Jeong-ah?

“Isn’t it funnier to contact you now?”

I had a feeling that if he contacted me, Shin Jeong-ah would definitely receive it, but I had a strong feeling that the urgent contact would actually make the situation worse.

“I was complacent.”

Was he paying attention to distance himself from Shin Jeong-ah? The method of increasing the distance was a failing grade in many ways.

Although it was not a situation she created, Shin Jeong-ah’s status in the school fell infinitely because of what happened in the classroom the other day.

Jin-tae explained that if Shin Jeong-ah’s friendship had been good, there would have been no problem, but since she had accumulated karma by hanging out with him, the reaction was quite significant.

It is said that Kim Jin-tae, like a fierce bulldog, is preventing bullies from crossing the line, but Kim Jin-tae’s status has also fallen. Their status will slowly sink, like being in a swamp.

That’s why Kim Jin-tae lost his pride and asked Kang In-ho for help.

“What should I do….”

Since he spent his school days having nothing to do with bullying or bullying, he couldn’t find a suitable solution.

He had no choice but to continue worrying without being able to come up with a clear answer.

Meanwhile, lunch time was over, and the class led by the homeroom teacher began.

While class was in full swing, the back door opened and Shin Jeong-ah came in.

Everyone’s eyes were on her.

“Did you go to the hospital well?”

The homeroom teacher asked Shin Jeong-ah in an indifferent voice.

“Yes.”

Shin Jeong-ah answered those words bluntly.

“Please take your seat.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the homeroom teacher resumed class.

“…….”

As she entered her seat, her eyes met his for a moment.

As if she wasn’t feeling well, she was thinner than before, and there were dark half-moons under her eyes.

She sat down, hung her bag on the chair, and looked at him again.

A silent exchange of glances takes place like that.

After class ended and the homeroom teacher left, the classroom became noisy again.

A moderate noise filled the classroom, and Shin Jeong-ah quietly got up as if to hide herself from the noise and passed by In-ho.

Going back out the back door felt like going to the bathroom.

“…What is this?”

Shin Jeong-ah passed by and dropped a note on his desk.

Kang In-ho looked at the door she left through and unfolded the crumpled paper.

[Let’s talk briefly after today.]

The note had a simple business written on it, and In-ho felt an ominous feeling for some reason.