Formless Chapter 28

The steps that were about to turn back stopped abruptly.

Since I’m already out, should I buy breakfast and go to school early?

Heewoon checked the announcement that the bus would arrive in 7 minutes and entered the convenience store right behind the bus stop. His heart pounded.

Jingle—

“Welcome.”

“Yes…”

Heewoon bowed his head and looked around. A chocolate bar caught his eye. The price was 800 won.

He placed the chocolate bar on the counter and took out his wallet from his back pocket. He took out the card as naturally as possible and handed it over.

“Yes. That will be 800 won.”

Heewoon held his breath the moment the part-timer swiped the card. His heart thumped heavily. If it was frozen again, this time he could just pay with cash. The money Seo Gangwoo gave him yesterday for taxi fare was enough to equal Heewoon’s allowance for a month.

Then, a small screech sound was heard, and a receipt came up. The part-timer handed the card back. Heewoon, who stood blankly after receiving the card, was asked by the part-timer with a puzzled look,

“…Do you want the receipt?”

“Ah, no. Thank you for your work.”

Heewoon took the chocolate, bowed his head, and went outside the convenience store. With the jingle sound of the door closing behind him, he let out a long breath.

He sat on the bus stop bench and pushed his wallet into his bag. He decided to always carry his wallet in his bag now, afraid of losing Seo Gangwoo’s card.

Just then, his cell phone vibrated.

[Seo Gangwoo]

His chest felt chilled when he saw the name. Heewoon took a deep breath and answered the call.

—Where are you?

“The bus stop.”

—Classes today start at 1 p.m. Why did you already come out?

“I got confused….”

—I’ll come that way. Let’s have lunch together.

“Okay.”

He hung up and sighed. He didn’t want to eat lunch together. Thinking back on his actions yesterday made him dislike the idea even more. He was definitely a little drunk and had said unnecessary things and even talked back to Seo Gangwoo. It was surprising that he hadn’t been hit even once.

Heewoon unwrapped the chocolate with a depressed expression.

Seo Gangwoo arrived very quickly. By the time Heewoon put the whole chocolate bar in his mouth in just a few bites and tossed the wrapper in the convenience store trash can, a car was parked on the road.

As soon as he got into the passenger seat, his arm was pulled, and their lips met. Heewoon didn’t push Gangwoo away this time. His heart pounded because they were kissing on the roadside where many people passed, causing his shoulders to repeatedly hunch.

A large hand gently stroked the back of his neck as if trying to ease his tension. When their locked lips separated briefly, a languid breath came and touched him instead.

“I wondered what you did with 800 won.”

A low voice flowed out, keeping his upper lip barely touching Heewoon’s.

Heewoon thought for a moment and guessed that the card transaction details were sent via text message. Gangwoo rubbed and wiped Heewoon’s lips, then gently cupped his cheek.

“Did you buy chocolate?”

A hint of a smile flickered in the eyes that met his. Heewoon nodded blankly, saying, “Yes.” Then, Gangwoo straightened his upper body and moved away.

He rested his hands loosely on the steering wheel, looked straight ahead, and suddenly smiled. Heewoon glanced at Gangwoo, who was smiling to himself, and fastened his seatbelt.

Seo Gangwoo’s car was parked near a large three-story seolleongtang (ox bone soup) restaurant. They were guided to the quietest third floor. Even though it wasn’t yet 12 o’clock, the first and second floors were bustling.

Soon, the seolleongtang and several side dishes were neatly served on a tray.

A moment ago, he had been hungry, but perhaps because he ate the chocolate, or perhaps because Seo Gangwoo was sitting across from him, he had no appetite. Watching Gangwoo, who was eating quietly, Heewoon chewed slowly and thoroughly for a long time, eating only a little bit.

Seo Gangwoo, who seemed uninterested, suddenly spoke.

“You’re just picking at your food again.”

“Huh? No, I’m not….”

“Hmmmm….”

Gangwoo rested his chin in his hand, looked intently at Heewoon’s face, and made a humming sound in his throat. He was lost in thought, his gaze fixed on Heewoon. Heewoon grew uneasy, tightly gripped his spoon, and glanced at Gangwoo.

“Ah. Eat.”

He spoke as if apologizing to Heewoon, who couldn’t eat because of him. And, smiling faintly, he added as if it were nothing,

“I was briefly thinking about pouring alcohol down sunbae’s throat.”

Heewoon’s face went pale.

He bowed his head deeply and tried to eat in a way that looked appetizing somehow. Seo Gangwoo’s gaze, which was stuck on his face, only disappeared after Heewoon took a few large spoonfuls.

🧸

Gangwoo drove Heewoon to the front of the business school and left. Heewoon didn’t go straight in but stopped by the convenience store in the building across the street. His stomach felt a bit bloated, so he intended to buy some digestive medicine.

Heewoon, who picked up a glass bottle from the refrigerator and headed for the counter, stopped abruptly.

If I use the card, a text message will be sent to Seo Gangwoo.

If multiple text messages were sent, Seo Gangwoo might get annoyed, so it might be better to buy everything he needed at once. Actually, he worried that if he spent a large amount all at once, Seo Gangwoo might complain, but he concluded that most amounts wouldn’t be a big deal to Seo Gangwoo.

Heewoon turned around and picked up a few drinks, several snacks, and one ballpoint pen. What else did I need to buy? After thinking for a moment, he picked up a few more bags of chips, hugged them all with both arms, and placed them on the counter.

“23,500 won.”

Though not as much as before, his heart pounded when he handed over the card. The payment was completed without issue.

He took the fairly heavy plastic bag and went to the business school. He went up to the second floor and put everything in his locker, except for the digestive medicine and one drink he would consume immediately.

There was no contact from Gangwoo while he attended back-to-back lectures until 6 p.m., so Heewoon went home feeling relieved.

It was fine today since he didn’t have tutoring, but it was actually a bit awkward pretending to go out for tutoring every evening.

So, he thought about what he should tell his mother all the way home.

He took off his shoes and went inside, hearing his mother’s voice from the room.

“It’s not much, but from what I checked, it’s about…”

She seemed to be on the phone. Heewoon quietly opened the sliding door. Still, the sound made his mother quickly turn around, and Heewoon greeted her with his mouth shape.

“Yes, unnie. I’ll call you back later.”

His mother hung up the phone. Heewoon looked curiously at his mother, who seemed a little surprised, and asked,

“Is that Auntie?”

“Oh, oh….”

“Is Auntie doing well?”

“Well, the same. Ahem, dinner. Shouldn’t you eat dinner?”

His mother’s demeanor was suspicious, but Heewoon didn’t notice because he was busy thinking about how to naturally concoct a lie about tutoring.

“Yes. But Mom, listen to me…”

His mother, who was about to go to the kitchen, turned around. His mother’s face looked tired and depressed, as usual. His mother used to be someone who laughed heartily even at trivial things.

When did she become like this?

When she was diagnosed with liver cancer, his father’s funeral, when they tore apart the house containing his family’s memories…. There were many other moments that came to mind.

Heewoon generally felt sorry for his mother.

And sometimes, he tried to feel sorry for his mother.

“A really rich student joined recently, and they pay so much that I decided to quit all my other tutoring jobs.”

Heewoon said with a bright expression.

“Oh?”

“Well… it’s also group tutoring, so I’m getting paid more than before.”

Seeing his mother’s eyes widen, Heewoon anxiously clenched his fist. No matter how he thought about it, it was a very flimsy lie. Heewoon swallowed dryly, watching his mother’s lips part.

“Oh my, that’s wonderful!”

His mother smiled brightly. Soon, a slightly excited voice burst out.

“Our son will be able to sleep well now, then.”

I wonder how well you’re rumored to teach that they pay that much. Heewoon stared silently at his mother, who patted his hip and looked pleased, then said softly,

“…It’s wonderful indeed.”

Despite being a student at a prestigious university, it made no sense for a college student’s tutoring to pay so much, nor for a rich student to take group tutoring, but his mother didn’t know that. It was truly fortunate that his mother didn’t know much this time.

“How much do they pay?”

At his mother’s question, Heewoon paused before answering.

“…3.5 million won.”

Watching his mother muttering about how great it was, Heewoon felt his throat tighten. He felt guilty about hiding the amount of money from his mother. But that was much better in many ways.

Because if he were to harbor resentment toward his mother one more time, he felt he wouldn’t be able to bear it then.

“Don’t look for more tutoring jobs, just do that one, Heewoon. Understood?”

His mother, who spoke with a smiling face, had slightly red eyes.

“Yes.”

Heewoon truly did not want to resent his mother.

🧸

“Hyukjin sunbae is taking a leave of absence.”

Heewoon’s hand, reaching for a book in his locker, paused.

“What? Did he get hurt that badly?”

“Looks like it. I take accounting with that sunbae. I wanted to beat the hell out of him when he always copied my assignments, but now I suddenly feel a little sorry for him.”

“It’s that sunbae’s last semester, right? But…”

The sound of the conversation faded away. Heewoon moved his halted hand and took out his book. Snack items were stacked in front of the book he had stood up in the back, making a rustling sound. Heewoon closed his locker and hugged the book tightly to his chest.

He went straight to the classroom. Entering through the back door, Heewoon stood there and quietly looked at Gangwoo’s back, who was sitting with a book placed on the adjacent seat.

“Excuse me, I need to pass.”

“…Ah, I apologize.”

Heewoon bowed his head and walked forward, avoiding people. And he quickly reached the seat next to Gangwoo.

“Sunbae is here?”

Gangwoo moved the book and greeted him gently.

“Hello.”

Heewoon greeted him quietly and needlessly opened his book, pretending to read. Fortunately, the professor came in soon after.

“I will call the roll. Alright, Kim Ye-won—.”

“Yes—.”

Heewoon took his eyes off the book and stared intently at the professor. He slightly cleared his throat in case his voice wouldn’t come out. Since they started calling names from the senior students, Heewoon’s turn came quickly.

“Woo Heewoon—.”

“Yes!”

Heewoon answered clearly. Only after making eye contact with the professor did he bend his back, which had been rigidly straight.

“Ah.”

But he heard a sound of laughter next to him, and when he turned his head, Seo Gangwoo, resting his chin in his hand, was smiling. When Heewoon looked at him curiously, he shook his head.

“Lee Hyukjin—.”

“Professor, Hyukjin sunbae took a leave of absence.”