Paper Friendship Chapter 9

Choi Juoon stood in front of the urinal, unzipped his school uniform trousers, and began to urinate. Since I turned my head away immediately, I couldn’t see Choi Juoon’s face. Based on the sound alone, Choi Juoon’s actions were natural, without a hint of awkwardness. Given the ongoing embarrassing situation, I just scrubbed my hands vigorously.

My best friend just saw me kissing my girlfriend. That’s it. It’s okay. This is nothing, it’s nothing. It has to be nothing.

I wanted to escape this situation quickly, but the excitement wouldn’t settle down.

As I was lost in thought, Choi Juoon approached me. I turned my body slightly to make space for him. Choi Juoon also turned on the tap and started washing his hands. I pulled out a paper towel and dried my hands. My heart had calmed down slightly, but only slightly.

“You look like you’re having the time of your life.”

Choi Juoon sneered in a low voice from next to me. I don’t know why he followed me all the way to the restroom just to—just to—sneer at me from right beside me. I started to get increasingly annoyed.

Choi Juoon washed his hands very, very slowly, pulled out a few paper towels next to me, and wiped his hands. Then he looked at me and said:

“Wash your face, too.”

I turned the tap back on without a word. After washing my face with cold water, I could feel my pounding heart finally settling down. I heard the sound of Choi Juoon’s footsteps as he quietly watched me from the side and then walked away.

“Did you kiss Joo Sunhye?”

I thought I’d misheard. I immediately turned around to look at Choi Juoon. Choi Juoon was leaning comfortably against the wall with his usual expressionless face. It seemed closer to pure curiosity than malicious mischief. I considered not answering, but as I dried my face with a paper towel, I replied quietly:

“No.”

“Lee Juun, you really seem to like doing it in front of others.”

Choi Juoon was still sneering. It was an obvious taunt, but I didn’t even have the energy to retort, so I tossed the used paper towel into the trash can. Then I grabbed the bathroom doorknob. That’s when Choi Juoon said:

“Then how far did you guys go? I only went as far as kissing her.”

Is this bastard really crazy? Even though I stiffened, Choi Juoon kept spitting out words.

“Was it good? Good enough to make your face turn that red?”

“….”

“Tell me a story about how it was kissing Joo Sunhye. I’m curious.”

Choi Juoon gestured to the spot next to him with his chin. Then he took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth. Just as he was about to light it, I reached out and snatched the cigarette from him.

“This is inside a study room. If you get caught here, you’re really getting expelled.”

Choi Juoon glared at me with a twisted expression. Then, after roughly shaking out his hair, he slowly lifted his body from the wall he had been leaning against. I felt a sudden wave of intimidation.

“Lee Juun, why are you acting up so much lately?”

“…Hey, even Choi Moongi didn’t get expelled for this…. If you do, you’d be the second one after Sungjin hyung, aren’t you ashamed?”

“….”

Choi Juoon threw his head back and let out a long, heavy breath. I could feel that Choi Juoon was genuinely, immensely furious. Honestly, I was terrified. Truly terrified. My body kept trembling even while I stood still. It had been a long time since I’d seen him look this scary, not since we were in middle school. Choi Juoon lowered his head slightly and held his forehead. Then he muttered in a very low voice:

“What should I do with you? Honestly, that’s all I think about these days.”

Why? Choi Juoon is incredibly angry right now. But why? Why is he so angry? Why, why to this extent…. I couldn’t understand Choi Juoon’s behavior. Then, a thought flashed through my mind.

Ah.

By any chance, is he still in love with Joo Sunhye?

Thinking that, Choi Juoon’s current behavior made sense. I see. Joo Sunhye, whom he dated briefly in middle school…. Still…. That’s why….

But… Joo Sunhye is dating me now, right? I’m Joo Sunhye’s boyfriend, right? And above all….

“You’re the one who introduced me to Joo Sunhye….”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. For a brief moment, Choi Juoon’s pupils wavered. It was truly a fleeting moment, but that image was deeply etched into my mind. And seeing that, I knew for sure.

This bastard…. He still has feelings for Joo Sunhye. That must be why he’s acting like this.

Choi Juoon bit his lip. Then he glared at me. We made eye contact for a moment before I was the first to lower my gaze. I can’t fight Choi Juoon, and I don’t want to. Above all, Choi Juoon right now…. is too scary. Just as I was about to look up and try to speak:

“Ah!!!”

This crazy bastard grabbed me firmly in the crotch. Instinctively, I doubled over and escaped from Choi Juoon’s grip. Then, with a thud, I punched him squarely in the face.

The moment I saw Choi Juoon clutching his forehead with his hand, I fled the restroom at top speed. I ran straight out of the study room. I jumped down the stairs. Once I was outside the building, I leaned against a wall. Then, my legs gave out, and I sat right there on the ground.

It didn’t look like Choi Juoon was chasing me. My heart was pounding like it never had before, and my hands and feet were trembling violently. In particular, the hand I’d used to punch Choi Juoon was still clenched tight. The cigarette I’d taken from him was still in that hand.

It was my first time hitting Choi Juoon. No, it was my first time hitting anyone this seriously. No matter how much I tried to calm down, I couldn’t. My heart was truly pounding like it was going to burst.

I suddenly thought of the kids around me who smoked whenever they felt anxious. I put Choi Juoon’s cigarette in my mouth. But when I actually tried to light it, I realized I didn’t have a lighter. My hand was shaking as if I were having a seizure.

But just then, a tremendous force grabbed me by the back of the neck and pulled me upright. I was so terrified that I didn’t even have the courage to look back. Is it Choi Juoon? Should I have run further away? I didn’t even breathe. Like the Tin Man, I made a creaking sound as I turned around.

It was the benevolent-looking Mister from the study room.

“You’re the student Juoon, right?”

And just like that, I was expelled.

I was the second person to be expelled, right after Sung-jin hyung, who had invited his friends to the study room to drink.

∞ ∞ ∞

With the study room Mister watching from the side, I packed up all my belongings. There wasn’t much to organize. He refunded all the fees for the remaining period in cash. I had been wondering how I would manage to go back into the study room where Choi Juoon was, but I hadn’t expected this method. I hadn’t wanted it either….

Either way, the study room Mister had essentially acted as my sturdy shield. Even so, I was worried I might run into Choi Juoon, but that didn’t happen at all.

“I’m sorry. Thank you for your hard work.”

I left with a monotonous greeting. The Mister said he had thought I was a good student, so he was disappointed. I had nothing to say in response, so I just kept apologizing and bowing my head repeatedly.

I didn’t even have to wonder how to contact her; when I got home, there was already a message from Joo Sunhye.

Joo Sunhye What’s up with Choi Juoon?; 10:37

For a second, I thought I had sent it myself. Because I was thinking exactly the same thing as Joo Sunhye. I read her message through the preview and didn’t reply. I had so much to say, and every single thing required full concentration to convey.

But I couldn’t focus right now. I had zero energy left. I didn’t know where to even begin talking about Choi Juoon. To put it simply, I was afraid of facing Choi Juoon tomorrow.

I arrived home, dropped my bag on the bedroom floor, and laid down on the bed immediately. I could see my phone screen lighting up. I closed my eyes and thought, Just a moment, let me lie down for just a moment….

∞ ∞ ∞

I opened my eyes to find it was morning. I was still exhausted, so I slumped over my desk the moment I arrived at school.

“Were you tired from hanging out with Joo Sunhye?”

Park Yoonchul said as he sat in the seat next to me. I nodded vaguely and turned my head toward Park Yoonchul. Park Yoonchul played with his phone while rambling about yesterday. He said he had been playing and drinking with the guys at the bowling alley.

“At what time?”

“Around ten?”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

When I asked jokingly, Park Yoonchul replied nonchalantly:

“Choi Juoon said you were tired?”