Campus Log - Chapter 36

Ryu Eun-seok pulled over the entire tissue box. His hands, tearing out tissues, looked fierce.

Grasping a wad of tissues, he roughly wiped the back of my hand. I flinched and tried to pull away, but the grip on my wrist was extraordinary.

“No, even ‘school bully’ is giving you too much credit. Some low-life scum whose life is ruined wouldn’t pull s**t like this.”

At the harsh curse that flowed from Ryu Eun-seok’s mouth, I didn’t even try to shake off his hand. I remained meekly held by him, watching as the tissues became pathetically soaked.

“Feel satisfied now? Does pouring soju on her make you think you’ve settled things?”

Even after wiping my wet hand, Ryu Eun-seok kept holding my wrist. His grip had loosened, but I stayed within it.

Setting aside whether Ryu Eun-seok might feel awkward, I realized I didn’t want to pull my hand away.

“Then either drink that and get lost.”

Ryu Eun-seok gestured toward the liquor I’d left with a jerk of his chin. The low curse he swallowed reached my ears.

“What did you just say?”

Kim Do-wan’s bloodshot eyes flickered wildly. He clearly wasn’t in his right mind. The man’s fists clenched under the table trembled uncontrollably.

Honestly, I was afraid of Kim Do-wan. I knew full well that he was inherently petty and trashy, but every time I faced him directly, I felt the power imbalance that came from gender differences.

My stomach churning was only natural.

Last time, it ended with spitting and kicking a cabinet, but I had a feeling that next time he’d do something worse. That’s why, when Kim Do-wan childishly poured alcohol on me today, I actually felt relief.

He’s not bold enough to throw punches in front of everyone. So, I didn’t feel cowed and talked back to him about apologies and the like.

Having Ryu Eun-seok sitting next to me played a part in my boldness too. Even if I got hit, I felt reassured knowing I had someone who could testify to the police.

It would be even better if he defended me here, just as he did when choosing the relay runners.

With that complacent judgment, I recklessly wagged my tongue at Kim Do-wan and allowed Ryu Eun-seok to interject with harsh words.

“Are these two ganging up now?”

But when Kim Do-wan’s chair fell backward and he shot to his feet, I had to admit I’d made a huge mistake.

“Why should I leave? It’s Hong Sang-hee who should get lost!”

Veins bulged on Kim Do-wan’s neck, and spit flew in all directions. Glaring, he shoved away the hands trying to hold him back.

“Ryu Eun-seok, are you as twisted as her? Taking sides with a b***h with no manners and talking back to your senior? Do you want to get beaten up so badly?”

Not only the students packed around the table, but even the pork belly restaurant employees were watching nervously.

“These wet-behind-the-ears punks are determined to bury a senior, damn it. I begged like trash because I was retaking the course. You won because of me, but these little shits treat people like this? Just because the kids hype you up a bit, you think you’re something…”

Around the man muttering and chewing on his anger, dangerous things were plentiful. The grill slick with pork belly grease, liquor bottles lined up at each seat, the sharp-edged tissue box, side dish bowls pooled with kimchi broth—anything could become a weapon.

I focused intently on Kim Do-wan’s ragged breathing, not taking my eyes off his hands.

Ryu Eun-seok was probably doing the same.

So when Kim Do-wan raised a gleaming pair of metal chopsticks, my hand and Ryu Eun-seok’s must have stretched out simultaneously.

The difference was that I tried to block the descending chopsticks with my palm, while Ryu Eun-seok wrapped his arms around my head and pulled me into his embrace.

“Kyahhh!”

“Hey, are you crazy!”

Shocked screams erupted from all around. As I was buried in a white t-shirt, blinking my eyelashes, the once-quiet restaurant was instantly engulfed in deafening noise.

Glancing sideways, I saw men rushing to drag Kim Do-wan away. Among them, the department representative Song Hyuk-jun was desperately pulling at the senior’s collar. If an unfortunate incident occurred at a school-authorized sports event, it would be a huge problem.

“Let go! Let go of this, you bastards!”

“Let go of what, damn it! If you’re drunk, just go home quietly.”

“Ugh, that Kim Do-wan. He’s really gone crazy.”

Men clumped together like a single mass surged out of the restaurant. As if they had bundled up all the noise inside and taken it away, the remaining people stood dazed, mouths agape.

Before attention refocused here, I quickly wriggled out of Ryu Eun-seok’s embrace. My fine hair was tousled, and my glasses were crooked on the bridge of my nose. The left lens was smudged, but I couldn’t spare the leisure to take them off and wipe them.

“Are you okay?”

A quiet question came from beside me. Unable to look Ryu Eun-seok in the face, I nodded.

“You look pale.”

Even without a mirror, I knew my face had gone white. I was startled. Though I had fully expected Kim Do-wan’s violence, Ryu Eun-seok’s sudden hands embracing me was beyond imagination.

“Want to head back to the dorm?”

Given that I’d been waiting for a chance to slip away, Ryu Eun-seok’s suggestion was welcome. I nodded quickly and stood up.