PUPPY 7

If you’re handsome and tall with a good personality, you’ll quickly win people’s favor. Seowoo witnessed this principle with his own two eyes through Juwon.

“We have self-study today. Who wants to play soccer against Class 7?”

Juwon, standing in the middle of the classroom, shouted as he held up a worn-out soccer ball that looked like it had been brought from the gym.

“I’m gaming.”

“Yang Juhyeon said he’ll play goalie.”

“Ah… I’m gaming.”

“Kang Hyeonjae and Kim Dongwon, your attendance is mandatory.”

Kim Dongwon turned off his cell phone screen and got up from his seat, and Yang Juhyeon shot his hand up.

“Quick, three more people.”

Juwon shouted, tossing the soccer ball into the air and catching it. Then he looked at Seowoo and made a gesture as if to pass the ball. When Seowoo, who didn’t really play intense sports like soccer, shook his head, Juwon made a disappointed face.

“Me.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s go. I’m going to attack like Haaland today, so defend well.”

“I want to argue, but I can’t.”

Juwon, having quickly gathered people to play soccer, boasted. It was a joke that would have earned him jeers if anyone else had said it, but since he had scored an incredible goal in the last inter-class match, they had no choice but to accept it.

Bouncing the soccer ball, Juwon left the classroom with the other kids. Seowoo watched Juwon’s back as he turned away, then opened his book.

Although his overall relationships with his classmates were amicable, Seowoo’s only ‘real’ friends were Dongjae, Dongwon, and Juhyeon. They were the best of friends now, but they hadn’t become friends naturally.

A long time ago, Oh Dongjae’s family had been hospitalized for a minor car fender bender. He had naturally become close with Seowoo while sharing a hospital room, but he later found out it was because of his parents’ earnest request.

‘Dongjae, thank you for playing with Seowoo.’

Young Seowoo had felt an emotion that was hard to define as he heard his mom say those words while holding Oh Dongjae’s hand tightly. It was a mixture of shame, misery, and the relief he felt at Oh Dongjae’s answer that he understood.

‘Seowoo is sick, so he can’t do things like play soccer… Just in case he gets left out, Dongwon and Juhyeon…’

He had naturally become friends with Kim Dongwon and Yang Juhyeon because they were Oh Dongjae’s friends, but his worried parents had always earnestly reminded the two of them about Seowoo’s health as well.

That’s why becoming friends and getting close to Juwon held a special meaning for Seowoo. It was because Juwon was a friend he had made on his own, he who was so timid and cautious about forming relationships with others.

Of course, he had been a bit scary at first…

Seowoo opened his workbook and read through the passage, underlining it. But the words just wouldn’t enter his head. To him, Juwon was a friend he had made with quite a bit of difficulty, but to Juwon, he seemed to be just one of many friends. Scolding himself for what a childish thought that was, Seowoo shook his head and looked at the problem.

🦴

「On my way, wait」

「Okay, take your time」

Fifteen minutes before self-study time ended, a text came from Juwon. He had thought Juwon would go straight to the cafeteria after soccer, but the message said he was coming to the classroom.

Dongwon and Juhyeon always got into a ready stance even before the bell rang and shot out at an incredible speed, and the other students also descended upon the cafeteria like a swarm of locusts. At those times, Seowoo also had to let his friends drag him as he ran panting to the cafeteria. It was nice that he could go eat lunch at a leisurely pace since Juwon transferred.

“Wow, did all the kids leave already?”

Juwon asked, looking at the empty classroom. Seowoo, who was left alone, nodded. Juwon, wearing only a black short-sleeved t-shirt, had a slightly damp face and hair, as if he had just washed up.

“Did you win?”

At Seowoo’s question, Juwon nodded this time with a smile.

“I’m hungry. What’s for lunch today.”

Juwon whispered as if to himself while walking down the empty hallway. As soon as Juwon’s words ended, Seowoo recited the lunch menu.

“Black rice, clam and soybean paste stew, seasoned cucumbers, frozen persimmon.”

“Ryu Seowoo, were you hungry?”

He hadn’t been expecting a reaction, but Seowoo’s answer, as if he had been waiting, seemed cute, and a chuckle escaped Juwon’s lips.

“…A little.”

“So that’s why you memorized the lunch menu.”

“I just remembered it.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m hungry too.”

After saying that, Juwon placed both hands on Seowoo’s shoulders and pushed Seowoo forward. A laugh burst from Seowoo as he was pushed forward powerlessly.

The people standing in front of Juwon and Seowoo in line were Yang Juhyeon and Kim Dongwon, who had run out earlier.

“You guys ran off so fucking fast after soccer, why are you eating now?”

Juwon asked in a puzzled voice after recognizing the two.

“This is our second time.”

Kim Dongwon and Yang Juhyeon, who had gone straight to the cafeteria as soon as soccer ended, had already finished one meal. Just then, Oh Dongjae approached his friends with weary steps.

“What’s with your hair?”

“Oh Dongjae, did something happen to you?”

Juwon and Seowoo, who hadn’t come to school with him in the morning and were seeing Oh Dongjae’s buzz cut for the first time, asked with surprised expressions.

“He said he broke up with his girlfriend and shaved his head.”

Oh Dongjae, who had cut his hair so short that it wouldn’t be strange at all if he entered a Buddhist monastery right now, asked while holding his lunch tray.

“What’s for lunch?”

“Yeah. It’s repeat pork stir-fry today—”

“Repeat pork stir-fry?”

Juwon asked at Kim Dongwon’s answer.

“Spicy pork stir-fry comes out so fucking often.”

“Spicy pork stir-fry again? Oh, repeat pork stir-fry. That’s how it happened.”

When Seowoo added the missing explanation from the side, Juwon said in a playful voice, “Say ‘repeat pork stir-fry’ again.”

“Repeat pork stir-fry.”

“Why is your pronunciation so cute.”

At Juwon’s words, Yang Juhyeon and Kim Dongwon next to him also pronounced “repeat pork stir-fry” in an exaggeratedly cute tone.

“Repeat pork stir-fry.”

“Wepeat po-wuk sti-w fwy.”

Juwon, with a lunch tray in his hands, wiped the expression from his face and deadpanned with a cold look in his eyes.

“How do you manage your physique? You eat about the same as us but you don’t gain any weight at all.”

Kim Dongwon asked, looking at Juwon who was taking big bites of the mediocre-tasting spicy pork stir-fry. Juwon’s arm muscles, wearing a short-sleeved shirt alone among students in their winter uniforms, stood out more than ever.

“Yang Juhyeon took all that fat.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“But Dongjae, how did you end up breaking up?”

Seowoo, who had been quiet among his bickering, eating friends, couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked Oh Dongjae. Just last week, Oh Dongjae had been drawing up a 30-year blueprint for the future with his girlfriend.

“He made such a fuss and then they ended up breaking up.”

“Shut up…”

Oh Dongjae said in a weak voice.

“I saw her earlier, she gave Oh Dongjae the cold shoulder.”

“Forget her. There’s no hope.”

At Kim Dongwon and Yang Juhyeon’s words, Oh Dongjae sighed again. Just then, three girls approached the five of them. One of them spoke to Yang Juhyeon.

“Yang Juhyeon, enjoy your meal.”

Then, laughter and inaudible words could be heard from the girls as they walked away again.

“…What was that?”

As the three disappeared, Kim Dongwon asked, his eyes wide. There was no way the girls would suddenly be concerned about Yang Juhyeon’s meal; it seemed they had just greeted Yang Juhyeon because he was the most approachable.

“Did you see Lee Yerin next to her?”

“Didn’t they say she’s a trainee somewhere?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen her up close, she’s so fucking pretty.”

As Yang Juhyeon whispered in a small voice, Kim Dongwon and Oh Dongjae also nodded in response. Regardless of what the three of them were chattering about, Juwon diligently ate his food.

“Hey… Cha Juwon, I think Lee Yerin is interested in you.”

“What are you talking about.”

Juwon said, furrowing his brow.

“Didn’t you see Lee Yerin looking at you just now?”

“…”

The prettiest girl in school. Lee Yerin’s nickname was Goddess. No other descriptor, just Goddess.

“Ryu Seowoo, you saw it, right? Lee Yerin looking at Cha Juwon.”

When there was no particular reaction from Juwon, Yang Juhyeon this time spoke to Seowoo as if asking for his agreement. Seowoo recalled the scene he had witnessed a moment ago and slowly nodded his head.

“Ryu Seowoo says so too.”

At Seowoo’s answer, Juwon put down his chopsticks at the triumphant looks on his friends’ faces, who had gained confidence.

“Hey, hey, try to get her number later.”

“Get what.”

“The fact that she purposely came back this way means she’s definitely one hundred percent interested.”

“Forget it.”

Despite his friends’ encouragement, Juwon consistently showed a lack of interest. Instead, he looked with a pleased expression at Seowoo, who was sitting in front of him and diligently finishing his lunch. Yang Juhyeon, whose gaze followed Juwon’s, said to Seowoo.

“Ryu Seowoo, were you that hungry? You’re practically a black rice vacuum cleaner right now…”

“I’m telling you, ask her if she comes by again tomorrow. I think she’ll give you her number.”

“I’m not interested. We should have some time left after lunch, let’s play basketball.”

“Why aren’t you interested? She’s so fucking pretty.”

Even Oh Dongjae, who had been wallowing in the afterglow of his breakup, was surprised by Juwon’s words about not being interested in Lee Yerin and asked.

“I’m not interested because I’m not. Are you going to play basketball or not.”

Dongwon was surprised by Juwon’s reaction, which seemed like genuine disinterest in girls, not bravado. Then he started teasing Juwon with a weak smile.

“Huh, what’s with Cha Juwon. Is he gay?”

“Our school is the only one in this neighborhood that’s separated by gender. Did you perhaps come here to pursue a naturally developed relationship?”

“He came to an all-boys class to pursue a naturally developed relationship?”

“Could it be something like, ‘my ideal type just has to be a guy’?”

Seowoo, who had been diligently chewing his food with his cheeks puffed out, frowned slightly. It was a common joke made to guys who weren’t interested in dating. It was the same inconsiderate joke, thrown out with the certainty that there were no gay people around, that they were now making to Juwon, but listening to it made him feel uncomfortable.

“Do you have a crush on someone in our class, yes or no?”

“Think whatever you want.”

“Ah, is that an admission.”

When Dongwon extended his hand as if holding out a microphone, Juwon let out a small laugh. Seowoo, who was lifting his head after a spoonful of soybean paste stew, met Juwon’s eyes.

“Yeah, I admit it.”

At Juwon’s answer, Seowoo lowered his head again and shoveled the clam and soybean paste stew into his mouth.