A Scorching Day Chapter 18

Gawon’s eyes snapped open at the clattering sound of the door.

His mother must be leaving for work. The clicking of high heels, the sound of the van door closing, and the vehicle driving away were vivid, as if happening right next to him. The poorly soundproofed walls let in the events of the alleyway without filter.

He must have dozed off while lying down for a moment earlier. Since he rarely took naps, Gawon was quite taken aback.

‘…What time is it.’

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Gawon fumbled around for his phone. It was already getting dark in the room, making it difficult. He finally got up, turned on the light, and spotted his phone thrown some distance away.

As soon as the light came on, the memories that had briefly fragmented in his unconsciousness quickly stitched themselves back together. Ki Joon’s sly grin as he spoke in front of the school gate. His own trembling hand as it slapped his face. The anxious and sorrowful steps as he ran, muttering endlessly that he was sick of everything, that he wished it would all just go away.

As soon as he got home, a call came from Ki Joon, so he immediately declined it. Then he set his phone to silent and tossed it aside somewhere.

After briefly looking at his mother’s sleeping face, lying as if dead, Gawon quietly entered the bathroom and showered. He stood for a long time under the water stream that ficklely alternated between hot and cold.

He had nowhere to put his upset feelings. The resentment and sorrow trapped in his chest raged aimlessly. He wished he could just scream out loud at something.

But that was always only in his imagination. After finishing his shower, Gawon quietly curled up in the corner of the room and lay down.

Afraid that his mother would wake up if he dried his hair, he chose to cover himself with a thick blanket with his hair still wet. His exhausted body and mind flickered weakly like a candle before the wind, and at some point, they quietly went out.

And when he opened his eyes, it was already late evening.

His hurt feelings were still there, but he had to study for today. He’d never harbored the vain ambition of being top of the school without even attending a single academy, but he had to at least stay in the middle. Only then could he break this tiresome cycle of poverty and escape the damp, sticky back alleys.

Stumbling around, he picked up his clothes and put them on, then slung on his bag. He planned to go to school even now to study for a while. Finally picking up his phone, Gawon casually lit up the screen and his eyes widened.

“…?”

He saw several messages from Ki Joon. One missed call, and several messages. There was even a chat message. The call had been placed again right after being rejected earlier, and that was it.

With startled eyes, Gawon checked the chat room first. And at that moment, he couldn’t help but freeze. His heart dropped all the way down.

Ki Joon

[I absolutely, absolutely did not mean it that way.]

Ki Joon

[It was my cat’s name. I swear]

The attached photo was a conversation with someone else. A girl’s message cutely asking to see the cat, and Ki Joon’s replies, indifferent and short, unlike how he treated Gawon, proved it.

That he had misunderstood.

‘…It was the cat’s name.’

His ears burned as if someone had set them on fire. The heat spread instantly to his temples and forehead, then down his face to his neck.

Gawon bit his lip, not knowing what to do. Unable to keep staring at the screen, he turned off the display and sat down on the spot. Squatting, he rubbed his face with his palms several times. He felt like he was going to die of embarrassment.

He recalled Ki Joon’s bright, beaming face as he cheerfully asked him to come over to his house. The face that, even after being slapped across the cheek, didn’t curse or get angry, but calmly held him and asked what was wrong. The firm voice saying he’d apologize, so if he’d done something wrong, to please tell him.

His chest churned. He felt ashamed for causing a fuss all by himself, and sorry to Ki Joon, unable to figure out what to do. Gawon picked up the phone he’d placed on the floor with trembling hands.

How should he apologize? He must be really angry. If I apologize, will he even accept it? He probably won’t want to be close to me anymore. No, I’d be lucky if he doesn’t start bullying me.

But that’s for later. Right now, I have to call. Even if he curses me out, I need to apologize first. Steeling himself, he turned the screen back on. Before calling, he saw the accumulated messages and checked those first.

Gawon’s eyes were now filled with shock.

Ki Joon

[Can you come out and talk? I’ll wait. I’m in front of your house now.]

His mouth fell open involuntarily. Gawon hurriedly checked the time the message had been sent. He’d arrived home around 5:30, and it was now 8:30, so….

He felt dizzy. It was like being hit on the head a second time. Gawon dropped everything he was holding—his bag and all—and turned the doorknob, flinging the door open. Even as he ran out like crazy, he couldn’t believe it.

It couldn’t be. There was no reason for Ki Joon to stand there for hours waiting for him. He shouldn’t have. What was someone like him worth? What was he, who had misunderstood on his own, cursed him out, and even slapped him, worth?

No, that’s not it. Ki Joon couldn’t be here. That message was probably just sent for the sake of it. There’s no way a guy who was misunderstood, hit, and cursed at would follow him here and wait this long.

No way. No way.

The words he’d muttered over and over scattered instantly, falling from his throat.

“…K-Ki Joon.”

Gawon’s dry, cracked voice rang out quietly.

About ten meters ahead, leaning against a low stone wall, Ki Joon stood exactly as he had when they’d left school. The hooded zip-up he wore over his uniform and the backpack slung over his shoulders were unchanged. Just as his message said he’d wait, he had truly been waiting for him. Like a fool.

“…Why are you… here?”

Gawon barely squeezed out his choked voice. For some reason, he felt like he was going to cry. Staring intently at Ki Joon’s face, standing idly under the streetlamp, an inexplicable emotion boiled up from deep within his heart.

“I said I’d wait.”

In the darkness filling the alley, Ki Joon’s voice resonated. His voice, with its usual weight and texture, warm like the grain of wood.

“Then why…!”

He knew very well that he wasn’t in a position to be angry right now. He had to apologize first. For misunderstanding him earlier, for being sorry. For hitting him and cursing at him recklessly. And yet, his nerves kept getting frazzled, and his voice grew sharper.

“Are you stupid? Who told you to follow me? Who told you to wait!”

“…”

“Why… when I wasn’t even answering your calls, why were you standing here waiting! Why!”

His voice cracked with emotion. Unable to contain the surging feelings any longer, he lashed out wildly at Ki Joon. If he didn’t vent even this pathetic anger, he felt like he would truly fall apart. He’d already shown Ki Joon the very bottom of himself. There was no more shame left to show.

He couldn’t understand it. What was he to Ki Joon? What was someone like him that this guy would go this far? The unfamiliar situation plunged Gawon into deep confusion.

He was dumbfounded by Ki Joon’s actions—waiting all evening for him, who hadn’t even read his messages. He hadn’t wanted to show him such a shabby house, and he hated Ki Joon for chasing him all the way here and waiting for him.

If he’d been unfairly misunderstood and hit, he should rightfully have returned the insult. He should have blamed him for forgetting all the kindness he’d shown him. But Ki Joon didn’t do that, and Gawon simply couldn’t understand why….

Ki Joon slowly raised his hand and scratched the back of his head. He grinned sheepishly, deep dimples forming on his face.

“…Sorry for following you without asking. But when you left like that, I just couldn’t let you go like that….”

“…”

“I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding quickly, and I ended up following you without thinking. I’m sorry.”

Step, step. Ki Joon, who had been leaning against the wall, moved his feet closer. Gawon unconsciously took a step back.

He was frightened and running away. Not even knowing from what. This boy, who approached him step by step with an inexplicable stubbornness and gentleness, was frightening. It was a world far too unfamiliar to Gawon.

“…Are you okay?”

But Ki Joon closed the distance Gawon had retreated. No, he gladly closed it. He was unhesitant. As if he knew Gawon’s hidden, fearful retreating heart.

Soon Ki Joon was close. Gawon stood frozen, unable to run further. At a distance where he could reach out and touch him, Ki Joon extended his hand. Then, carefully, he stroked Gawon’s hair.

Like the snowflakes that had adorned the March sky the day he first saw him, Ki Joon’s touch fell gently upon his hair. Ki Joon’s warmth gradually seeped in. Slowly, warmly.