Chapter 68
Our destination was a beer pub near the back gate, famous for its delicious side dishes. Thanks to arriving early, as Ryu Eun-seok had suggested, we were able to secure a corner table.
As we sat facing each other, the students who had arrived earlier glanced our way. More precisely, they were looking at Ryu Eun-seok. The man, accustomed to the stares that followed him everywhere, didn’t mind and poured cool water into two cups.
I pressed my body against the backrest to avoid being caught in their gazes. Sitting in the corner because of Ryu Eun-seok was useless. No matter where I sat, wherever this guy was, a spotlight would shine.
But now, asking to sit separately wasn’t in my favor. In a place like this, where familiar faces gathered together, Ryu Eun-seok was practically my only refuge. Just imagining sitting among people whose names or student IDs I didn’t know made me feel like breaking out in hives.
Even though I had come all this way with the resolve to become closer to more people, I was already shrinking back, unable to muster any courage. I felt exactly like a clueless new soldier thrown into the middle of enemy territory.
I suppose everyone has clothes that fit them.
“Wow, Sang-hee noona!”
Song Hyuk-jun, who entered the pub shortly after, boasted his loud voice as soon as he spotted me. I questioned the fundamental reason for choosing this seat.
“Dong-ha said you were coming, so I told him not to lie. I’m truly touched, noona. I will do my utmost to ensure no incidents happen today. So please stay until the end.”
The class representative chose the seat next to Ryu Eun-seok instead of the center table. For me, it was a reassuring choice. Song Hyuk-jun was a decent guy except for his excessively loud voice, so he would serve as a useful shield.
“But are you two wearing a couple look?”
Song Hyuk-jun, who had picked up the menu, narrowed his eyes and glanced back and forth between me and Ryu Eun-seok.
“Your clothes are the same. Ah, no, they’re a bit different. When I saw you at the entrance earlier, I thought a couple was sitting there—”
“Stop saying weird things and order first. I’m hungry.”
Fortunately, Ryu Eun-seok cut off Song Hyuk-jun’s couple talk. At that, the class representative returned to his duties and went around the table taking everyone’s orders. Meanwhile, I folded up the cuffs of my shirt, trying somehow to create a difference between Ryu Eun-seok and me.
“Aren’t you overthinking it?”
Ryu Eun-seok placed a tissue in front of me and slightly curled the corner of his mouth.
“It’s not like anything terrible will happen if people misunderstand.”
“I just don’t like being misunderstood.”
A more sullen retort came out than I intended. Even before finishing the sentence, I realized I had been too rude. To hide my embarrassment, I quickly picked up the utensils Ryu Eun-seok had laid out for me.
“Don’t be so repulsed. It hurts the feelings of the person being misunderstood along with you.”
Ryu Eun-seok’s lower lip pouted slightly. I fidgeted with the innocent tissue and lowered my gaze.
I lowered my gaze. If only there were some side dishes, I could have stuffed my mouth with food.
“Hello.”
Just then, a greeting came that broke the awkward silence at our table. Lee Dong-ha was standing there, breathing heavily.
“Is this seat taken?”
Without even waiting for an answer, Lee Dong-ha took the seat next to me. Along with the close presence, a strong perfume scent stung my nose. It wasn’t this strong at lunch earlier. He must have used perfume to cover up his disheveled state right after finishing exams.
Not that I was in any position to talk. Wasn’t there someone here who had even taken another shower before coming?
The tips of my fingers, which had been rolling tissue into little balls, stopped abruptly.
Come to think of it, why had I applied cosmetics? Why had I even washed my hair for an end-of-semester gathering? At the sudden questions, heat rushed to my cheekbones.
“Dong-ha.”
Ryu Eun-seok from across the table called the junior’s name in a gentle low voice.
“Did you not shower?”
“Huh?”
Lee Dong-ha’s voice shot up. The junior, frantically pulling at his collar and sniffing himself, looked clearly flustered.
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