A Scorching Day Chapter 20

The place Ki Joon took him was a pojangmacha.

Though it was a pojangmacha, the atmosphere wasn’t so much for adults drinking heavily as it was centered around students. Perhaps because it was located near the academy district. There were even a few students in school uniforms. They seemed to have stopped by after their academy classes to grab something simple like udon before heading out.

“Hello.”

“Joon, you came?”

As if to prove he was a regular here, the owner, who had been diligently stirring the broth, acknowledged him. “Yeah~” Ki Joon answered modestly with a smile, then pulled out a plastic chair with a scrape.

“Sit here.”

“…Okay.”

I could have done that myself. Ki Joon, sitting across from him, grinned. Despite having stood still for hours waiting for him, he was full of energy. Thinking back on what had happened earlier made him feel sorry again, but there was nothing he could do about it.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Me, just anything. The same as you.”

“Really? Then I’ll order for you.”

Ki Joon called out, “Auntie!” and rattled off the menu. Gyeranmari, two udon bowls, one stir-fried pork, and one stir-fried webfoot octopus. As always, it was a considerable amount, but now Gawon knew. That Ki Joon would eat it all without leaving a single bite.

Seeing the food, his appetite roared fiercely. Today, at least, Gawon didn’t pick at his food but ate eagerly. Along with the voice saying, “Student Joon, eat a lot, and your friend too,” two colas were placed on the table.

Gawon bowed his head slightly and slurped up the noodles. After chewing and swallowing all the food, he covered his mouth and asked quietly.

“Do you come here often?”

“Hmm. Sometimes after practice.”

“…With other friends?”

“Well… sometimes, but I usually come alone.”

Suddenly, he became curious. Who did he come here with? Since he always practiced late at the gym, he probably came with the gym people.

Unconsciously thinking that far, Gawon furrowed his brow for a moment. The voices of kids gossiping about Ki Joon and the gym hyungs came to mind.

‘…They say the gangsters have already scouted him.’

‘I talked to hyung Seongjoon yesterday, and he said he really likes Ki Joon.’

He probably came with those hyungs. Gawon put down his chopsticks with a troubled expression. He simply couldn’t picture it. Ki Joon hanging out with those hyungs—who were rumored to not only do the usual drinking, smoking, and biking, but also casually engage in worse things.

“What are you thinking about?”

A low voice woke him from his thoughts. When he looked up, Ki Joon was tilting his head, asking. Gawon chuckled, pulled a napkin from the side, and handed it over.

“You got sauce on your mouth.”

“…Oh.”

Ki Joon’s eyes widened, a rare sight. As he hurriedly wiped his mouth, his earlobes were slightly flushed. It was exactly the same as Gawon’s own state in the alley earlier. Now that the tables were turned, a playful mood crept in.

“You got some here too.”

“…Huh? Here, here too?”

When Gawon pointed to his smooth cheek where nothing was there, Ki Joon’s ears turned even redder. Watching him flusteredly rub his face here and there with his hand, Gawon eventually let out a pfft of laughter.

“It was a lie.”

“…”

Ki Joon stared at Gawon with a dumbfounded expression, his mouth half open. Seeing him unable to say anything, just moving his lips, Gawon felt a strangely satisfying sense of triumph.

“You know how to lie too?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Wow. Yoon Gawon is a total liar. A liar.”

“That’s childish. And why is your face turning red?”

“It’s… embarrassing, okay.”

The warm broth filled his stomach contentedly. The plump gyeranmari, the spicy stir-fried webfoot octopus, and the stir-fried pork were all delicious. The conversations they shared sitting across from each other, the glances, laughter, and playful banter slowly filled his empty heart.

By the time he knew it, the hollow and sore feeling in his chest from the afternoon had been replaced by a sense of fullness. He couldn’t help but admit it. The time spent with Ki Joon was somehow special.

∞ ∞ ∞

“Hey, you got a girlfriend now?”

“Ugh.”

His arms, which had been doing push-ups at a fast pace, collapsed instantly at those words. He’d been counting up to 241, 242…. With his face planted on the floor, Ki Joon glared at Ahn Seongjoon with a resentful look.

“Ah, hah, hah… What, suddenly…. Hah.”

“Look at this bastard. He’s suspicious as hell.”

Ahn Seongjoon, who had been sitting next to him playing a game on his phone, grinned. His snake-like upturned eyes curved stylishly. He swiftly straddled Ki Joon’s panting, red-faced body and bent his arms behind his back.

“Ah, hyung. Come on.”

“Come on, my ass. Spill it fast. It’s suspicious, you bastard.”

“What is?”

“You, that’s what. Lately, huh? A bastard who never used to do that is now smiling goofily at his phone. The whole vibe has completely changed, hasn’t it?”

Ki Joon, lying face down with his arms bent back, quickly pulled his right leg out to the side. As he twisted his body nimbly and forcefully arched his waist, Ahn Seongjoon, losing his center of gravity momentarily, lurched forward with a huff.

Ki Joon, grabbing him by the collar at just the right timing and tossing him aside, straddled his stomach. But even while pinned underneath, Ahn Seongjoon smiled slyly.

“Hyung can tell just by looking. Well, it was actually more suspicious that a guy with your looks didn’t have a girlfriend until now. You never showed interest in girls, said you wouldn’t accept introductions. I was starting to wonder if you were gay.”

“I’m perfectly healthy, you know.”

“Well, you are… huge. Right here. Like some kind of black eel….”

“I am pretty big.”

Ahn Seongjoon started cackling annoyingly, making crude jokes. Ki Joon ignored him and got off his body.

He got back into position and started doing push-ups again, but only for a moment. After bending and straightening his arms three or four times, Ki Joon stopped and asked in a sheepish voice.

“…Does it show?”

“What does. That big thing of yours?”

“Not that. You were talking about the vibe earlier.”

“Kekeke, right. This bastard. He’s got a girlfriend.”

Again, that annoying voice cackled and teased him. He shouldn’t have asked. Frowning, Ki Joon increased the speed of his push-ups.

“Hey, you bastard. Instead of just laughing on the side, how about you work out too?”

The gym owner, coming out of the shower room, pretended to hit Ahn Seongjoon’s shoulder with a wet towel. Leaving him grumbling that he was just taking a short break after going at it all along, the owner immediately asked Ki Joon.

“Oh, right. You’re entering the competition, right? Joon. The deadline is next week, so why haven’t you applied yet?”

“Ah.”

Ki Joon sprang up, stopped moving, and let out a blank exclamation. As he just scratched the back of his head uselessly, the owner added with a puzzled look.

“You have to enter, of course. Joon, how can our gym’s star player not compete?”

“Yeah, man. Go out there and wipe the floor with them all. Like last year.”

If his situation were like last year’s, he would have already completed the application long ago. Just thinking about fighting fresh opponents from all over the country, rather than the same old guys at the local gym he went to every day, was thrilling and exciting.

But Ki Joon couldn’t answer easily and hesitated. On the way back from settling individually with the victims of the trouble he’d caused at his previous school, his father’s oppressive voice came back to him.

‘Is this what you train for? To go around causing trouble like this?’

The voice, coldly mocking, had informed him bluntly.

‘Don’t do this shit anymore. If you get in my sight one more time, even that beloved sport of yours will be over.’

His father usually left him almost entirely alone, but Ki Joon didn’t have any major complaints about that. Even if he couldn’t expect the warmth of a loving family, at least materially, he had tried to provide without lack. Ki Joon knew that he simply didn’t know how to express it, but he acknowledged and cherished him as his only son.

He was that kind of person, but when he was scary, he was ruthless. He couldn’t be compared in any way to ordinary strict fathers.

Occasionally, when he was physically punished, it was common for bones to break. When he talked back fiercely, he had been confined several times. The absurd farce, where men he usually called uncle and followed closely would watch him and prevent him from leaving the house, only ended when the school principal called.

Knowing his father’s temper, Ki Joon had been keeping a low profile lately. Staying as inconspicuous as possible, being careful. Going quietly to school, stopping by the gym to train, and then going straight home. It seemed like it would be even more troublesome to get involved with Ahn Seongjoon, who attracted trouble, or the other hyungs, so he avoided that as much as possible. At night, they often contacted him to hang out, but he made excuses and declined.

He’d been told to stay as inconspicuous as possible. His father, who occasionally looked into his affairs, would surely not be happy if he placed in a competition this time either. He’d made it clear that moderate training was fine, but using it to get into college was not allowed.

Still… he hadn’t said not to compete at all. After a moment’s thought, Ki Joon soon answered brightly.

“…Please register me, Coach.”

In the end, the answer was fixed at one. Giving up without even trying wasn’t in his nature.

“Good! That’s a great decision.”

The coach didn’t hide his delight. This beloved student, who participated in numerous competitions every year and consistently brought back medals, had significantly contributed to raising the center’s prestige.

Preparing for the competition wasn’t much different from his usual training. After steadily going through the steps, from basic conditioning to sparring, it was already 9:30 PM. Ki Joon quickly took out his phone.

[Gawon. Are you at school?]

[I just finished practice.]

Should I shower while waiting for a reply? Or wait and shower after? As he deliberated, a welcome reply came immediately.

Yoon Gawon

[Yeah. I’m done too. You worked hard training]

Worked hard. Training, worked hard…. Ki Joon’s mouth corners curved up. His fingers, tapping out replies, were faster than ever.

[Are you really tired?]

[If you’re okay, wanna go eat burgers?]

[I’m getting hungry around this time lol]

Thump, thump. His heart pounded fiercely. Even faster than when he was doing push-ups.

After sending it, he worried if he was being too clingy, if he was suggesting they meet too often lately, and if Yoon Gawon would find him annoying. Uncharacteristically for the straightforward him, he was overthinking when—

Yoon Gawon

[Okay]

That single word opened up his chest. Something bubbled up like a spring. After exchanging messages to set the place and time, Ki Joon rushed into the shower. He lathered up with more foam than usual, humming a tune as he washed.