CBR 23

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Economic descriptions and characteristic portrayals were one of his specialties. Jaewon scribbled a montage right underneath Kim Dojun’s name in the first character column and moved on to the next.

“That kid with bandages wrapped around his head next to Kim Dojun is Kim Seungbin. He’s sparing with words, taciturn, and his specialty is silence. He’s in charge of chicness in BDSM. Though it looks like he’s bored by everything, his nonchalant expression—which isn’t quite the case—is his signature face. He’s a veiled figure so almost nothing is known about him… and rumors are rampant that he’s the actual power broker of Jonse High.”

A static yet provocative impression, and a muscular, high-tension body line that transformed his school uniform into neo-casual wear. He was the handsome man Jaewon had seen in the morning. Jaewon marveled at his own discernment in recognizing a rising star in advance and scrutinized him closely. Drawn with a single stroke of an artist’s brush, his eyes were so far away that it was impossible to tell whether they were open or closed.

‘Slit-eyed…. The strongest bastard.’

Jaewon was certain. Next to his portrait, he jotted down: ‘Twice as strong when he opens his eyes. Protagonist candidate. Even if not, the protagonist’s love rival. A mystique-shrouded character full of secrets, but infinitely close to transparent blue in front of true love.’

“The kid smiling like a loose screw next to Kim Seungbin is Park Gyujin. His nickname is Smile Angel, and he’s the only one in charge of kindness among the four. He’s sweet and kind to everyone, but especially leaves his liver and gall bladder with the girls. Because of that, he got flak early in the first year for playing the field, but everyone soon learned it wasn’t on such a small scale anymore. Now people call him Gyujin and the ocean.”

Following Ma Chayun’s guidance, Jaewon shifted his gaze. Park Gyujin. Pretty enough to be mistaken for a girl at first glance, he was smiling the whole time for reasons unknown. His pale skin, smiling mouth, and overall soft impression contrasted with Kim Seungbin. Looking at the two of them like a white stone and a black stone on a Baduk board, Jaewon added a note:

Overflowing with peach Blossom luck, but lacking substance—a classic hollow-bread playboy type. Characterized by finding his true match only as a side story after the protagonist’s romance comes together. The type to stop the protagonist from the side when he gets pissed. Urgent need for recruitment.

Precautions: Risk of evolving into a nagging meddlesome sister-in-law.

“Lastly, the one wearing the gym uniform is Kang Yuchan. As you can see, he’s in charge of cuteness, and… it’s a plot twist that he’s a physical education specialty student when his face looks like he rubs baby lotion on it. Even though he looks that fresh, beware because he’s a heavy swearer full of craziness. They say once he gets angry he’s terrifyingly ruthless, but no one has witnessed it firsthand yet. Since he’s such a prankster, the established theory is that making him angry is impossible. Hyung looks like he’ll pull off that difficult feat again, so exercise caution repeatedly.”

With a gym jersey hitched up to his chin and whistling, the male student naturally had a swaggering posture. In contrast to his uniquely youthful impression, his entire body was long and solid. Squinting his eyes, Jaewon watched Kang Yuchan closely and carefully moved his hand.

Looks unblemished and bright, but deep down likely has family troubles. Especially high probability of having a story related to a sister. Cute and mischievous, but a real man when it comes to love. Currently a baby face, but high potential for a glow-up once his baby fat sheds.

Finishing his profiling, Jaewon wore a deep, thoughtful expression as if lost in contemplation. Tapping the notebook with the tip of his pen, he asked as if something had just occurred to him.

“What is Kim Dojun in charge of in the group?”

“Why, sexy charisma of course.”

Realizing he had been careless, Jaewon changed the subject.

“Do those guys eat cafeteria food too?”

“Yes. Kim Seungbin and Park Gyujin sometimes ditch, but I heard Kim Dojun generally eats well without being picky. Man, how did he learn so well in so many areas…”

Ma Chayun praising Kim Dojun to the high heavens every time his name came up somehow gave off a sense of incongruity. Having reverence for someone higher up in the hierarchy was a natural phenomenon, but it felt different from that. Jaewon felt uneasy, but decided to let it slide for now.

“What about the other one?”

“Kang Yuchan? That guy eats three bowls as a baseline.”

“A monstrous fellow.”

“Amazing, right? The art department head even got inspired by watching Kang Yuchan eat and sublimated it into a work of art. The title is {Portrait of a Great Human}, and it should be somewhere in the school.”

An artist’s muse—he lacked nothing to walk a tightrope between love and friendship. While Jaewon was looking at Kang Yuchan with the eyes of a corrupt official, Ma Chayun, heading toward the serving window, stopped in front of the menu board. His complexion turning earthy in an instant, he muttered mournfully.

“Such a people obsessed with carbohydrates…”

Ma Chayun hurriedly vanished, saying he would go sit down first. Jaewon was served millet rice, japchae, fried dumplings, napa cabbage kimchi, and kalguksu, lost his mind for a moment, and then barely managed to pull himself together and move. When he sat down opposite Ma Chayun, the surrounding students flinched and one by one picked up their lunch trays and stood up. A table emptied in the blink of an eye, and Jaewon, searching for ingredients other than glass noodles inside a dumpling filling, asked suspiciously.

“I somehow feel like Gregor Samsa, am I being sensitive?”

“You don’t look like a cockroach on the outside yet, so rest easy. Everyone must have found it burdensome to share a seat with hyung.”

“My, oh my. Is it because I changed my lotion?”

Showing dismay, Jaewon felt his cheek.

“Living with this face, I feel like I finally understand why the Bible says ‘Be not afraid’ when angels reveal their presence in front of humans.”

“Don’t say something that would get you slapped even by Buddha. Hyung is Kim Dojun’s man, why would anyone stay with you and risk misunderstandings?”

“What? Misunderstandings, my foot! Do you think just any Tom, Dick, and Harry can have a scandal with me!”

“Damn it, won’t you lower your voice? Have some shame as a human being!”

Enraged, Jaewon raised his voice in pitch and pointed aggressively into empty air as Ma Chayun grabbed him in a panic. Just as the surroundings were growing noisy, someone slammed a lunch tray down right next to Jaewon.

“I was wondering who’s been staring at me so passionately since earlier, and it turned out to be my sister-in-law?”

The cheerfully spoken voice sounded unfamiliar to his ears. Jaewon turned his head with a bewildered expression. A male student, looking as cute and fresh as an idol, had approached his side.

“Your back of the head was so sexy I almost thought about sending a headshot.”

His cheerfully smiling face was brimming with murderous intent. Slouching lazily as if draped over the chair, Kang Yuchan wrapped his arm around Jaewon’s back. Confusion made Jaewon’s pupils waver. He looked like a kids’ channel, but his tone and actions were a No Kids Zone.

“Thanks~ for the reporting-bread my sister-in-law fed me. Thanks to that, I got cursed out to my heart’s content at home and got kicked out bare-bodied in this midwinter weather, almost freezing to death.”

Bending his upper body swaggeringly, Kang Yuchan tapped Jaewon on the shoulder. At the threatening gesture, Jaewon calmly closed his eyes. They say people reap what they sow, but even a farmer throws away subpar crops; he had the freedom not to harvest his bad karma. So, while racking his brain for a wise way to make excuses, a booming shout interrupted.

“Hey!”

From the direction of the sound, a pretty male student wore the face of a creditor of ten years.

“I finally caught you, you little punk. You’ve really crossed the line properly. A bastard like this wouldn’t be enough even if I packed you alive in a crushed-pear drink to make a Tank Boy out of you. Stay right there.”

Pointing at Jaewon, Park Gyujin unleashed fierce curses. The agitated, panting momentum was no less than a matador eyeing a muleta. Jaewon turned his head to look at Ma Chayun.

“Didn’t you say he’s sweet and kind to everyone?”

“I forgot to mention it’s limited to girls.”

Ma Chayun said with a solemn look, as if he had no face to show. Before Jaewon even had a chance to blame him, a lunch tray dropped right beside him with a loud thud! Jaewon furrowed his brow with all his might to prevent the kalguksu broth from invading his eyeballs.

“You report a student just for smoking a little? Trash of a bastard.”

“Does your father happen to be a politician?”

His logic was so extraordinary it reeked of political color. Impressed, Jaewon asked, but unfortunately Park Gyujin didn’t seem to hear anything.

“Because of you, I got reported and dragged here and there, and all my dates fell through—how are you going to take responsibility? It was hell trying to appease Gayoung after she cursed me out dirty and soothe Najung’s sulking, but I still haven’t gotten a reply. I even heard Dami noona tell me not to contact her, so what are you going to do about this, you bad bastard!”