1st in class hides regression

Seo Jae-gyeom didn’t respond to my question.

 

He just ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

 

By this point, I was getting annoyed.

 “Seo Jae-gyeom, you’re acting weird today. Don’t make it hard for me, just tell me. What’s wrong?” 

I questioned Seo Jae-gyeom, who remained silent. After a few more prodding, he sighed and spit it out.

 “Today… the vice president is coming.” 

The vice president.

 

That meant his father.

 

A wealthy man who had fathered Seo Jae-gyeom out of wedlock and thought he’d fulfilled his parental duties by peeking in every now and then.

 “It’s the first time in months that he’s coming and mom’s getting nervous. She’s been telling me to come home early ever since.” “…Then why did you say you were going to the cafeteria on a whim?” 

‘Was it to talk to mom?’

 

Seo Jae-gyeom nodded in response to my question.

 “Uh.” “Is that why you’ve been on edge all day?” “…Uh.” 

‘No wonder…’

 

I glanced around the counseling room, not bothering to hide my confusion.

 

Stacks of test papers.

 

An unkind answer sheet with answers scribbled on it and a teacher’s textbook tossed to me for reference.

 

And an 18-year-old boy with a complicated family history.

 

‘By the way, around this time, Seo Jae-gyeom suddenly went on a trip and didn’t come to school for a few days.’

 

So that’s what this was about.

 “Seo Jae-gyeom.” “…Yeah.” “If you’re in a bad mood, tell me. I’m in trouble because of this or that. Don’t go around blowing smoke up everywhere.” “…….” “What you did to me today was an act of anger. What did I do?” “…I’m sorry.” “Good. Don’t do that again in the future.” 

I nodded and took off the cardigan I was wearing and hung it on a chair. I grabbed the nearest stack of test papers.

 

I jerked my chin across at Jae-gyeom, who stood there like a monk.

 “Are you good at handwriting?” “Huh?” “I’ll grade the first half and hand it over to you, so write why they got it wrong underneath the questions they got wrong. I’ll finish first, and then we can split the rest.” “…….” “What are you doing? Sit down.” 

We’re running out of time.

 

The sooner he sits down, the sooner he gets home.

 

Slowly, I push a freshly graded test and textbook to Seo Jae-gyeom, who sits across from me.

 “Why are you still? Don’t you have a red ballpoint pen?” 

I prodded Seo Jae-gyeom, who didn’t move. He glared at me, and I rephras

e my question.

 “Is this it?” “What?” “Aren’t you angry?” “Angry?” “You said I took out my anger on you. You said you got burned. Are you going to let it go?” “What….” 

‘Of course I’m not happy.’

 “I’ve heard your side of the story, I understand you deserved it, and I’ve heard your apology.” 

‘What does he want me to do, plaster him?’

 “It’s a virtue of a cultured person not to be overly outraged by small things.” 

And it’s not really a blow, whether he cares or not.

 

I say something along those lines, but Seo Jae-gyeom’s gaze doesn’t leave my face.

 

His brown eyes bore into mine.

 “What?” “…You look different since yesterday. You look like an adult.” 

‘Well, I “am” a grown-up.’

 “Is it because I dumped you and then pretended to be okay with it?” “Nah.” 

‘Why are you suddenly excited?’

 “Don’t fall in love with me because I look different. It’s embarrassing.” “It’s not like that.” “Well, then.” “It’s just… weird.” “There’s plenty to be weird about. Come on.” 

Seo Jae-gyeom stretched out his still hand and gave him a ballpoint pen.

 “Commentary here.” 

He opened the textbook and added.

 “If I look different, it’s because I used to like you, and I was nervous around you. Now I’m not.” “What’s that?” “My behavior is more natural. When I’m nervous, I get stiff, and you have to treat it like it’s pretty.” “You want me to be pretty?” “No. You should feel sorry for him. If she really liked me, she wouldn’t act like such an idiot. That’s just the way she is.” “…….” “End of conversation. Come on, let’s go. You should go home.” “…Yeah.” “…….” “…….” “…….” “…….” “I’ll show you a completely different me…♪” “Fuhak!” “?” 

Suddenly spit terror…?

 “Are you trying to be funny? How can you not be serious for a minute?” “I’m totally serious right now, I’m practicing for my music performance evaluation.” “Don’t be ridiculous, seriously…!” “You think my singing is funny? I’m going to get a perfect score.” “If you get a perfect score, I’ll give you everything I have.” “Don’t regret it.” “Boy you gotta be aware~~~~~♪.” 

For a while, the only sounds in the counseling room were me circling and crossing things out, and Seo Jae-gyeom writing.

 

The noisy hallway quieted down, and the sunlight streaming in through the counseling room’s windows baked orange.

 

Suddenly, Seo Jae-gyeom spoke.

 “Kang Dahye.” “Yes.” “I’m sorry.” “I know. Because of you, even I am being held here. Take this favor to your grave.” “That, too and also in the morning.” “Morning?” “I was being childish.” “Oh.” 

I thought he apologized for that earlier.

 “Forget it. You’re right to be annoyed. You’re up early, you’re coming with Jisoo, and I barge in and interrupt you.” 

I said,

“It’s important that you like Jisoo as much as I like you.” 

I nodded that I understood.

 

Then Seo Jae-gyeom denied it.

 “I didn’t wake up early today because of Han Jisoo.” “What?” “My mom woke me up because she was making a lot of noise this morning.” “Oh.” “How can you wake up early just because you like someone? I’m not willing or able to do such a thing,”

Seo Jae-gyeom said firmly.

 “Yeah… I guess you’d never do that.” 

He lives a life where he always puts himself first.

 

I looked at the clock on the wall and mumbled something in response to Seo Jae-gyeom, who usually woke up early to see me every weekend.

 

It’s already been an hour, even though I said I’d be quick. Seo Jae-gyeom’s cell phone had been vibrating incessantly since earlier.

 

He pretended, but I could see he was getting impatient.

 “Seo Jae-gyeom, you should just go first.” “What?” “You go first. I’ll do the rest.” “How can I do that? I’m the only reason you’re here. It won’t take long if we do it together.” “We’ve been working together for an hour and we still have this much left. When we’re done, you’ll have a midnight snack, not dinner. Just go now.” “…….” “It’s not free. Coffee next time.” 

I’m not using this as an excuse to fake a date, so just send me a gif. I’ll eat by myself.

 

I forcibly snatched the test paper and ballpoint pen from Seo Jae-gyeom’s hesitant hand.

 

When he still refused to go, Seo Jae-gyeom barely stood up when his phone vibrated once more.

 “Thank you so much.” “I know.” “I’ll buy coffee and candy.” “Candy?” “It’s White Day next week.” “Oh.” 

I nodded, unimpressed.

 “Yeah, get me a big one.” 

‘If you leave now, you’ll only come back on White Day.’

 

By then, he’ll have forgotten about this mindless promise.

 “Go, go, go.” 

I shooed away Seo Jae-gyeom, who kept looking back, and closed the door.

 

When I turn around, I see that there are still a lot of ungraded papers.

 “Ehhh.” 

I try to think positively. I had to study geography anyway.

 

Of course, staying positive didn’t make what should have taken me an hour go by in ten minutes.

 

After what felt like 100 years….

 “…Wow. I only have 10 classes left.” 

I was leaning back in my chair and dusting off my hands when Jisoo opened the door to the counseling room and poked her head out.

 “What? Didn’t you go to a cram school?” “Yeah….” “Why?” “Just.” 

Pouting, Jisoo walked into the counseling room.

 “You want me to do all this?” 

She looks at the stack of test papers, frowns, and sits down where Seo Jae-gyeom was sitting earlier. He says he’ll help, but he’s slow to act.

 

Jisoo, who had been pursing her lips with a look that said she had something to say, opened her mouth.

 “Kangda….” “Yes.” “Are you mad at me because of Seo Jae-gyeom?” “What?” 

What kind of nonsense is that?

 “No… Even at lunch today, you only seem to talk to me casually. You didn’t even come to visit me once during break today. No Kotok replies, no…” “Ah.” 

That’s just because I’m studying during recess…

 “It’s not like that. I didn’t tell you. I don’t like him anymore.” “You don’t like him anymore?! Why?!” “It’s just that… something more important than Seo Jae-gyeom came up…?” “What’s that?” “Math. I’m trying to win the Fields Award.” 

That’s what Do-yeon and I were talking about earlier. Do-yeon said I could listen to the rest of her lecture. Jisoo looked at me as I spoke.

 “But you know what…” “Yeah.” “Can you not be too close to Woo Do-yeon?”