Chapter 18

“What floor was Yoon-woo’s class on? Uh, ah, right, it was the third floor. I’m on the 3rd floor too… … .”

Ji-eun opened her mouth again after arriving in front of the elevator in the Liberal Arts center.

Until then, Yoon-woo only thought of Bunny.

He was deliberately doing that.

Bunny’s bright voice… … . The song that Bunny sang… … .

A person who likes to talk like Ji-eun cannot be silent without a reason.

And the reason Ji-eun was silent now must have been because of Yoon-woo.

Because she didn’t say anything after I caught her who was about to fall down the stairs.

Yoon-woo knew very well what to do in such a case.

He considered himself a non-existent person and kept himself away in an inconspicuous corner.

If he unnecessarily opens his mouth or puts his face in front of that person, he will be beaten and cursed.

People who were silent in front of Yun-woo were always thinking of some complicated thoughts that Yoon-woo did not know.

For example, the silence of his father who lost hundreds of millions of won while doing stocks, or the silence of his mother, who was having an affair with a young professor.

If Yoon-woo intervenes without notice, of course, it will only make their mood worse.

Needless to say, Yoon-woo is the cause of the silence.

Anytime, anywhere, Yoon-woo is better off keeping his mouth shut.

So, even though Yoon-woo was also going to the Librral Arts center, he didn’t say anything to Ji-eun.

He deliberately walked slowly behind Ji-eun, trying to get out of her sight.

Perhaps the fact that Ji-eun spoke again was the fruit of these efforts.

“I see. Then be careful.”

“Uh, huh? Yoon-woo, where are you going? Aren’t you on the 3rd floor too? The elevator is coming down… … .”

“I want to go up by foot.”

“Why?”

“Just because I prefer to walk up.”

Yoon-woo was also not indifferent.

Ji-eun, who clearly seemed uncomfortable with Yoon-woo, would not want to ride the elevator with Yoon-woo.

And to be honest, Yoon-woo doesn’t usually ride elevators.

Because he didn’t want to be confined in a narrow space.

There were times when he felt like he was about to fall.

A heavy anxiety squeezed his lungs, choking his breath, and the sound of his pounding heart seemed to ring directly in his head.

I feel like I’m about to vomit because the oxygen supplied to my brain isn’t enough.

Sometimes I felt that way even when I was alone in my bedroom.

The already low ceiling gradually descended, and I seemed to crumple flat like a cockroach crushed by a wheel.

The only thing that saved Yoon-woo from such a feeling was Bunny.

“Ehh… … . Are you going to leave your Noona, who almost fell, and go away like that? Ah~ I’m so lonely~ I’m so lonely~”

Ji-eun suddenly spoke in a playful tone without even looking at Yoon-woo until now.

Yoon-woo seemed to understand why Ji-eun was doing this.

This is a kind of indication.

It indicates a proposal that Ji-eun doesn’t feel the discomfort that she felt before.

Therefore, it is a procedure to confirm each other’s intention to act friendly again, even on the surface, and maintain the same relationship as before.

Because of her character of prioritizing the maintenance of her relationship over the discomfort she harbors inside her, many people would contact her and ask to meet her. Yoon-woo cannot be stubborn when Ji-eun does this.

“Okay. Then let’s go together. What class is yours, Noona?”

“Understanding literature. As the professor is crazy about attendance, I have no choice but to listen to this. There are only 20 students in the class, so the professor has memorized faces and keeps talking and making eye contact with everyone. I hate it.”

“Why did you apply for that? I think it does not have a good review.”

“It’s because of the scores. But, it’s so boring.It’s seriously no fun.”

“I see… … .”

There were several classmates in the elevator who went to hear the ‘Thoughts and Expressions’ class, but they were not pretending to know each other, so we just ignored them.

It was fortunate that there weren’t any faces Ji-eun knew.

She’ll say hello to anyone who knows her due to her personality.

If she’s having fun with her classmates, Yoon-woo will become just their background character, and they will realize that the person they really want to talk to is not Yoon-woo.

“Yoon-woo. Thank you so much for helping me earlier… … . Then, see you later after the class.”

“Yeah, goodbye noona.”

After greeting Ji-eun in front of the classroom, Yoon-woo entered the classroom.

As soon as I entered, I felt a sense of bitterness.

Lectures for freshmen are the time Yoon-woo hates the most.

Unlike large lectures where people who barely know each other sit together, this essential liberal arts lecture with about 40 people in the same class is friendly to each other.

Except for Yoon-woo.

That pleasant air was too heavy for him.

Practical English, the next lecture, is also a required lecture for freshmen.

So Tuesday and Thursday were especially depressing days for Yoon-woo.

During the essential education class, the loud talk about the Mutiny festival could be heard even though he didn’t want to.

Hearing that, even though Yoon-woo was a college student himself, he didn’t envy college students.

Yoon-woo has always lived as an alienated person from the group since elementary school, but when he was in middle school and high school, when he was outright insulted and criticized by the groups, he felt more comfortable there than here.

It was because of the compassionate gaze of the group here who approached him with kindness and consideration and looked at him with a pitiful expression, saying, ‘Why can’t you be part of this group when we care so much?’

Occasionally I got a call asking if I would like to join the MT or if I would like to come to a drinking party, but I knew that it was only a courtesy.

Tl/n : [ MT: Membership Training (MT) is an event held among university students in South Korea. These events last roughly two days and are considered a free-form training session, where students spend time socializing with peers in the same academic majors or clubs, often at a remote location. ]

It was clear that he would be more embarrassed if he accepted.

In addition, when Yoon-woo entered the classroom, some groups in the classroom stopped talking and glanced at him, which further stimulated his sense of victimization.

Were they saying something that he shouldn’t hear?

Or is it that they just don’t like a stranger entering their harmonious space?

Still, it was fortunate that such a class only existed in the first year.

‘Lee Yoon-woo, he was coming with a girl earlier?’

‘Was the girl pretty?’

‘She was a very small and cute person.’

‘What, then I guess he wasn’t gay?’

‘Did he just go out because our classmates didn’t notice? Too much really.’

‘If that’s the case, I’m a bit unlucky… … .’

‘Ah, you don’t know yet. Instead of that, let’s ask if it’s okay this Friday, so tomorrow is the class meeting. Anybody want to ask?’

‘You do… … .’

‘Now, let’s not just recommend him. What are you doing to a kid who disrespects us? He doesn’t want to hang out with us.’

‘Maybe there’s something else going on.’

‘Don’t you want to see Yoon-woo Lee? I want to hear his voice.’

‘I want to hear his voice, so let’s ask if he’ll come to the party tomorrow.’

‘Eh? uh… … .’

‘What was his excuse last time?’

‘He said it was difficult to pay the participation fee because he didn’t have money.’

‘Are we going to just say it’s free this time?’

‘Still, he can’t be the only one.’

‘Why not? I will pay for it.’

‘No, it’s strange for anyone to participate in it for free… … .’

In one corner of the classroom, I could hear girls whispering in low voices.

I don’t know what they’re talking about, but the professor hasn’t even come in yet, so why aren’t you talking in a loud voice?

Yoon-woo knew the answer roughly. It’s because the girls who sold Yoon-woo as trash in high school were like that.

It was a day filled with a lot of pain.

Ji-eun was blatantly reluctant to hear his voice, and he caught her from falling, but even than she looked at him unpleasantly.

My classmates whisper in a low voice so that I can’t hear them.

No, it’s too early to judge.

Is there a law that says they cannot talk about Yoon-woo?

And also, there is no law that secret talk must necessarily be gossip.

So what, are you going to talk about dirty things in the classroom?

While I was thinking about it, I heard the name Yoon-woo Lee being mentioned among the women.

Then there is only one answer.

What’s wrong again this time? What did he do wrong, what are those people cursing about him?

In this classroom, Yoon-woo was more lonely than when he was alone.

Yoon-woo became dizzy with the feeling that the ceiling was going to crush him at any moment, so he buried his face in his desk until the professor came, and lay down for a moment to catch his breath.

“Oh, Yoon-woo! We meet again!”

“Because I took a class in the classroom in front of your classroom… … .”

“Have you left any classes?”

“Yes, practical English. How about noona?”

“I have another one, but it’s not a liberal arts center.”

“I see. Will you go to Hye-rim’s home later in the evening?”

“I’m thinking… … . I don’t want to eat vegetables… … . What do you want me to do?”

“I want noona to come.”

Because the person who should be with Hye-rim is Ji-eun.

If someone has to get out of there, the person who should disappear is Yoon-woo.

And if there is only Yoon-woo, Hye-rim would get bored. Then Hye-rim will get tired of this relationship sooner than Yoon-woo thinks.

“Uh, huh? really? Do you really want me to come?”

“Yes.”

“uh… … Then what am I going to do?”

But it was then.

“Senior Ji-eun? It’s Ji-eun, right?”

“Huh? Oh, aren’t you Saebyeol? Long time no see.”

“Yes that’s right.”

“Are you in the same class as Yoon-woo?”

“Yes, senior, senior, please convince this person. He never comes to class meetings. We have a drinking party tomorrow.”

A girl named Saebyeol joked with Ji-eun.

Could it be because of this girl that his name came out while they were whispering earlier?

I hate it.Today is the worst.

There are people who suddenly become more ethical when they go from high school to university.

Even people who were excited to say trash things when they were in high school, when they become college students, they feel proud of saying, ‘I am an archaeologist’ and suddenly set high ethical standards here and there.

It is just the means of self-satisfaction.

For example, even those who used to say, “I don’t like him, so let’s not call him.” Now, they said, “I’m not a good person who won’t come to parties and MT, and I’m a good person who tries to persuade others to join groups and parties.”

And a person like Yoon-woo is such an easy prey for self-love.

In particular, that girl named Saebyeol is the worst.

She is a person who greets him every time they make eye contact, and earnestly encourages Yoon-woo, who does not want to come, to come to the meeting and participate in MT.

Someone who reminds me of Hye-rim Cho, a 4th grader.

What would happen if Yoon-woo said that he’s going to participate?

What if Yoon-woo goes beyond a simple greeting and pretends to be close to that girl more than necessary?

I have already verified what happened when I was in the 4th grade of elementary school.

The class president, Hye-rim Cho, burst into tears… … .

All Yoon-woo could do was endure the humiliation, respond to the girl’s greeting by waving a little with an awkward expression, and keep refusing the invitation to the meeting, thinking hard about excuses.

If you do that, the girl pretends to be sorry and makes a gesture that she is sad, and then shows off to her friends the self-esteem Yoon-woo hurt in a way.

However, this time, she asked Ji-eun to persuade Yoon-woo without telling him directly. Maybe she knew that was not enough with her persuasion.

Yoon-woo had already told Ji-eun that he couldn’t get along with the classmates, but when another girl told Ji-eun, he was embarrassed.

Maybe it’s conveying the message, ‘This person is an anti-social person who doesn’t fit into the crowd, so don’t get too close to him’.

Because the conversation of an insider woman is full of traps and hidden intentions.

But Ji-eun’s answer to Saebyeol was something that Yoon-woo didn’t even think of.

“Yoon-woo has a young girlfriend waiting for him to eat every meal together, so no matter what anyone says, he can’t go without her permission, okay?”

“Yes?! Uh… … Are you talking about a senior? Senior and Lee Yoon-woo… … .”

“No, not me. Don’t you call me a ‘cute kid’? So why does a kid like me have to date? He’s meeting the goddess of the business department.”

“OMG… … Really? Yoon-woo Lee?”

The girl named Saebyeol looked at Yoon-woo for the first time and said:

Although Ji-eun’s words were not true, he didn’t see the need to deny it.

Hye-rim’s name didn’t come out, and even if it’s called “xx goddess,” it’s just a joke between them, because other students in this department don’t know Hye-rim.

If he denies in front of her for no reason, Ji-eun will only be embarrassed.

Why would Ji-eun lie like that?

Did she still appreciate his help on the stairs? So is she preventing Saebyeol from stealing Yoon-woo from her?

“That… … Anyway, I think it will be difficult to attend the drinking party.”

“Ehh … Huh… … I’m sorry.”

Saebyeol went back without a word. This time she looked noticeably more pitiful than usual.

This may be because she sent her sympathetic feelings to Yoon-woo and failed to achieve her original purpose of making him intoxicated with her goodness.

“Thank you, Noona.”

“What? Didn’t I tell the truth?”

“What’s the truth about that?… … And, it was hard for her to keep asking questions like that without even wanting me to come anyway.”

“Yoon-woo, you… … . Do you really think so?”

“Huh?”

“You’re pretty much too… … . Anyway, I’m late for class. I’ll go now. See you later!”

“Yeah, see you later, noona.”

Just hold on a little longer. Now, if you hold on a little longer, you can go back to your room and talk to Bunny.

With that in mind, Yoon-woo tried to get all the bad things out of his head today.