Paper Friendship Chapter 23

“She has a good personality. You don’t even have to say anything, you can just sit there. If you don’t like eating, just say hello at least.”

“Ah, I said I don’t want to.”

A light argument went back and forth as we headed to Choi Juoon’s house. Just eat by yourselves, please. I didn’t understand why on earth I had to be squeezed in between the two of you to eat. Choi Juoon kept wanting to introduce me to Jin Seyoung. When we arrived at the house, since he tried to drag me along by force, I said it quite firmly.

“I’m going home.”

The conclusion ended with my victory. Upon hearing those words, Choi Juoon went outside alone.

∞ ∞ ∞

Two weeks passed, and when there was less than a week left of vacation, I said I was going home again while eating dinner. Choi Juoon didn’t frown like last time. He didn’t even look at me, and said.

“No.”

“I need to get some fresh air now.”

Then Choi Juoon told me to at least see Jin Seyoung’s face once before I left. Since I didn’t want to do that, I lay down on the sofa and answered.

“I don’t want to.”

“She’s going back to her region soon.”

Choi Juoon said seriously. By this point, it felt like the two of them had made some kind of bet involving me. I asked because I was genuinely curious.

“You two can just see each other…. Why are you trying to call me that much?”

“Why, you ask? Because you’re my closest friend, that’s why.”

Closest friend.

Hearing those words, two thoughts collided. First, being acknowledged as the closest friend by Choi Juoon’s own mouth. And… friend. The fact that we are friends. Why? Choi Juoon and I are friends, right. Once again, my chest ached. Lately, this happens often. Why on earth is it like this?

“Why are you trying not to see her?”

Choi Juoon said in a slightly angry voice.

“I have Joo Sunhye.”

I said it somewhat seriously, but Choi Juoon laughed, huh. It was half-truth, half-lie. The reason I lied was… honestly, I just didn’t want to see Jin Seyoung. Because I felt like my 50 percent lie was going to be found out, my heart pounded. So, I naturally just stared at the TV.

Why don’t I want to see Jin Seyoung? Even to myself, it was an action I couldn’t understand.

Anyway, whether it was me returning home or meeting Jin Seyoung, everything ended up fizzling out.

Since that day, Choi Juoon didn’t bring up Jin Seyoung to me. Jin Seyoung and I didn’t run into each other even once during summer vacation. Even on the day Jin Seyoung went to the region she was originally from, Choi Juoon left around six o’clock as usual and came in around seven. He was still with two cups of coffee.

If there was anything different from usual, it was that there was a light blue Post-it note that read, ‘Fighting, Juooni-duul (Juoon & company) ♥’. The handwriting was round, very pretty, and cute.

Compared to the first semester, the atmosphere in the class in the second semester became really heavy. Even the kids around me who didn’t study were at least sitting there. And not long after, we took the September mock exams.

Some time passed, and the September mock exam report cards came out. Since Choi Juoon and I had decided to show each other first when the report cards came out, I didn’t look at my report card and waited. I had thought about just looking at it first, but I loyally waited in front of Choi Juoon’s classroom.

The door to Class 4 opened, and they came out one by one. I only exchanged light greetings with Joo Sunhye. Joo Sunhye and I had only met briefly on the first day of the second semester, and after that, we only kept in touch occasionally. Joo Sunhye was especially very busy preparing for flight attendant interviews.

But no matter how long I waited, Choi Juoon didn’t come out. When almost all the kids had come out, I went into Choi Juoon’s classroom. Choi Juoon was sitting in his seat, and the boys were circling him. Even from a distance, Choi Juoon looked to be in a very bad mood.

Choi Juoon saw me, stood up without any particular greeting, and walked past me. One report card that looked like Choi Juoon’s was turned upside down on the desk.

“Why is Choi Juoon like that?”

“Ask him yourself.”

I asked Choi Moongi, but unexpectedly, Kim Uije answered. When I looked at Kim Uije, Kim Uije also looked at me. And suddenly, Choi Moongi ran to me and said, “Comfort Juoon a bit,” and the two of them left the classroom together. For a moment, I felt an unpleasant emotion, but…. I didn’t think too much of it and headed to Choi Juoon’s seat.

Looking at the situation, it seemed Choi Juoon’s grades didn’t turn out well. But he had said he did well on the day of the mock exam. Was it a marking mistake? Or did he miscalculate his estimated score?

Thinking this and that, I placed my test paper upside down next to Choi Juoon’s, just like his. A little time passed, and Choi Juoon returned. The smell of cigarettes was very strong. Before I could say anything, Choi Juoon crumpled the test paper on the desk and threw it into the trash can. And while picking up his bag, he said.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh….”

I hurriedly grabbed the one remaining report card on the desk and followed him. After walking a bit, Choi Juoon stopped in his tracks, saying he would smoke a cigarette for a moment.

When Choi Juoon had just lit his cigarette and taken a deep drag, Choi Juoon’s phone rang. Choi Juoon checked his phone, narrowed his brows even further, ran his hand through his hair, and said.

“Ah…. Shit, seriously….”

“….”

“Lee Juun. Wait a second.”

And he went far away to take the call. I watched the situation blankly, then slowly leaned against the building wall and sat down. Since I didn’t have anything particular to do, I finally checked the report card I was holding.

“Wow….”

My eyes widened.

The grades turned out completely, immensely well.

I hurriedly looked around. Choi Juoon was still far away talking on the phone. After confirming that, I shifted my gaze back to the report card. It definitely wasn’t like this during the estimated scoring, did I make a marking mistake? But the mistake turned into a miracle. Seriously, if I maintain these grades until the Suneung exams…. I could aim for not just universities in Seoul, but prestigious universities all over the world.

First, I felt like people from all over the world would gather to scout me if these grades were revealed to the world, so I hurriedly covered the report card over my chest. And I put my hand on top of it, trying to calm my heart.

What should I do, I feel sorry for Choi Juoon…. I did so well…. Should I switch to the regular admissions path even now…. I barely calmed my heart and checked the report card again. Everything except one was a Grade 1. One inquiry (elective) subject was a 41, which was a Grade 3.

“Oh, but I didn’t take this inquiry subject test….”

Only then did I look through the report card from the beginning, step by step. The name is Juoon. It’s mine, right? It’s my name. Then, as I moved my thumb slightly…. The surname was Choi.

This was Choi Juoon’s report card.

“Ah, what is this….”

My body slid down along the wall. By the way, then where is my report card…. Is it in the trash can right now? What kind of twisted, twisted, twisted, twisted, twisted irony is this…. I firmly believed that Choi Juoon definitely, absolutely, did not intend this.

But should I go and save my report card even now? However, I had come too far to go rummaging through the trash can right now.

Then, I heard the sound of Choi Juoon walking over. He looked to be in an even worse mood than before. I put the report card into my bag without a word. As for me, it probably turned out as I expected.

We headed back toward the study room. Your report card is with me, you know? Even someone as oblivious as I could tell that it wasn’t the atmosphere to say something like that. So I just walked quietly, until Choi Juoon brought it up first.

“Sorry. I’m in a bad mood. Did yours… come out well?”

“Just…. it came out as I expected.”

Anger was layered here and there in Choi Juoon’s voice. I could feel him trying to suppress his emotions as much as possible. I thought for a moment, then spoke with all my sincerity.

“Choi Juoon, you will definitely do well on the Suneung exams. You studied hard. Even if it, well, didn’t turn out well as you expected right now…. The result will be good.”

“The September mock is important. But I ruined it….”

“Hey, it’s okay.”

“Forget it. You’ll be surprised when you see my grades too…. Ah, let’s just eat. What do you want to eat? I’ll buy.”

I’ve already seen them. And I was surprised for a different reason. Even though I comforted him, Choi Juoon continued to have a cold reaction. By this point, I even thought, Are we sure we saw the same report card? No matter how I thought about it, they turned out well….