A Scorching Day Chapter 9

“I’m hungry. Want to go to the snack bar?”

It was a few days after he’d been dragged off by Heo Yeonggyu’s gang and heard about Ki Joon. Right after first period ended, Ki Joon suddenly approached and asked that.

Gawon couldn’t help but be taken aback. He looked behind him, glanced around beside him. The kid sitting behind him was asleep, and no one was nearby. Gawon blinked and asked back.

“…Were you talking to me just now?”

“Yeah. To you, Yoon Gawon.”

Ki Joon smiled brightly. He said that while looking Gawon straight in the eye, without checking the name tag on his chest again. The fact that he remembered his name stirred an inexplicable flutter.

“…Why?”

“I’m hungry and want to eat some bread.”

“No, I mean why are you asking me to go with you?”

“Because I want to go with you. Hm? Come on, go with me.”

Watching Ki Joon grin and conspicuously rub his belly, Gawon involuntarily thought of a big dog. The kind that begs its owner with its whole body to go for a walk… that kind of dog.

“I’ll pass, so go with someone else.”

But Gawon shook his head coldly. Putting aside the reason Ki Joon kept acting this way toward him, he didn’t want to get tangled up with him any further.

The mere mention of the word “gangster” made Gawon feel like vomiting. He had no reason to share trivial little moments with Ki Joon, who was deeply entangled with that world.

Right now, it was hard to see that side in Ki Joon, but someday he would see it in Ki Joon’s eyes, tone, and mannerisms. The very traits of those people he so despised.

It was better to keep his distance now than to be disappointed and hurt later. He didn’t want to experience again the emotions he’d felt time and again while watching the backs of kids who had rashly approached him only to turn away. The bitter regret and self-destruction directed at his foolish self, who had so easily given his heart to anyone.

“I’m really hungry… I want to go to the snack bar.”

“…”

“I want to eat bread… I want to drink chocolate milk…”

But as he’d felt last time, Ki Joon was quite persistent. He repeated himself as if he knew no other words, rubbing his belly with a pitiful expression.

One by one, the other classmates’ gazes began to prick at them. Gawon’s ears flushed red. Why on earth was he doing this? He wanted to snap that out, but he didn’t want to provide any more spectacles for the other kids. They’d already had more than enough entertainment thanks to Heo Yeonggyu’s gang.

In the end, Gawon sprang from his seat and glared at Ki Joon, muttering in a small voice.

“Follow me.”

Gawon took the lead and went out the back door of the classroom. Unluckily, as soon as he stepped into the hallway, he ran into Heo Yeonggyu’s gang, but they saw Ki Joon trailing behind him and passed by without any reaction toward Gawon. If Ki Joon hadn’t been there, they would certainly have picked a fight.

Ki Joon caught up and placed his hand on Gawon’s shoulder. Reflexively, Gawon tried to push his hand away, then made a puzzled face.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No, it’s because you said that earlier.”

Ki Joon, with his arm draped gently around Gawon’s shoulder, kept giggling at whatever was so funny.

“You said ‘Follow me’ with such charisma. It was cool.”

“…Are you making fun of me?”

“I’m not teasing, I mean it.”

A sudden surge of emotion welled up. Gawon forcibly pulled the arm restraining him off, stood up straight, and glared at him.

“Why are you doing this to me? Why are you being so annoying?”

“Huh?”

“You saw me… getting beaten up that day. There’s nothing good for you in hanging out with me like this. If you get close to me, the other kids will bully you too, so watch yourself.”

Gawon snapped in a voice that even he could hear was sharp and bitter. He figured that would be enough for Ki Joon to understand and back off. Separate from the fact that this kid was involved with gangsters, Gawon hadn’t forgotten the kindness he’d shown him.

That was precisely why he didn’t want to get entangled with him any further. He didn’t want Ki Joon to suffer like those kids who had reached out a small helping hand to him and ended up being viciously bullied along with him.

“Wow, do I really have to worry about all that just to go eat a piece of bread with you?”

But the reply that finally came back was utterly deflating. Seeing Ki Joon raise his eyebrows as if to say he was hearing all sorts of nonsense, Gawon felt a surge of anger.

“Do you even listen to what people say…!”

“I get it, Gawon.”

Ki Joon called his name, his voice excessively gentle. Gawon’s venomous momentum deflated in an instant.

“I’ll watch myself. Okay?”

“…”

“So now you can go eat bread with me, right?”

Saying it as if it were nothing, he tilted his head playfully with a “Hm?” and brought his face close. Ki Joon’s face was so near that Gawon reflexively shoved it away with his palm. He could feel the handsome lips pressing against his palm curve into a smile. Haha, a clear laugh broke out.

“Let’s hurry.”

It was a voice handsome enough to make even a guy’s heart race. He couldn’t understand why a guy who was gifted in everything—face, voice, whatever—was putting up with his prickly remarks and still acting this way.

The arm he’d forcibly removed was somehow back on his shoulder again. The forearms touching were hot. The faint scent of fabric softener wafted over, familiar, burrowing into his nose. In the corner of his averted gaze, he caught a sharp jawline and a thick throat. At the unfamiliar feeling of his heart fluttering and racing, Gawon whipped his head away.

“What do you want to eat?”

Only when they reached the snack bar did Ki Joon let go and ask. After hesitating briefly, Gawon shook his head.

“…I’m fine.”

“Why? Let’s eat together. I’d feel awkward eating alone.”

“I didn’t bring money.”

“I’ll buy. Hurry. Hurry hurry.”

Ki Joon urged and gestured with his chin toward the counter. Seeing the crowd of guys swarming like piranhas, Gawon felt rushed himself and blurted out.

“Chocolate milk.”

“Two? Three?”

“…Huh? Obviously just one.”

“Okay.”

Gawon was bewildered. Doesn’t everyone usually just get one? What kind of question is “two or three”? Gawon stood there with a puzzled look for a moment, then soon saw what Ki Joon had in his hands upon his return and gaped blankly.

“…Are you going to share with the others?”

“No? Why would I.”

In Ki Joon’s hands were three chocolate milks and four loaves of bread. He wondered why on earth he’d bought so many if he wasn’t going to share, but that question was soon resolved on the way back to the classroom.

Ki Joon… devoured all of it like some kind of crocodile. After forcibly handing Gawon one bread and one milk—despite Gawon saying he was full enough with just the milk—he housed the rest—meaning two chocolate milks and three breads—into his stomach as smoothly as flowing water.

Yet he didn’t eat like a pig, greedily. With a demeanor that adults would call hearty, Ki Joon ate and drank neatly.

Gawon could only watch the process, mesmerized. He involuntarily recalled the mukbangs he sometimes watched on YouTube when hungry.

“…You… eat a lot.”

The words slipped out without him meaning to. Ki Joon, who had shoved the last piece of bread into his mouth and swallowed, dusted his hands off and gave a slight smile.

“Right? I hear that a lot.”

“Aren’t… aren’t you full?”

“I just took the edge off my hunger.”

Hearing the natural reply, Gawon couldn’t hide his surprise. If he ate that much, he’d probably be full until dinner. Though he couldn’t eat much anyway… At any rate, Ki Joon was definitely not average for a guy his age.

It was just before entering the classroom. Gawon’s steps, which had been hesitating little by little, came to a complete stop. Then, a large hand gently wrapped around Gawon’s forearm.

“Gawon.”

A warmth that felt like it would burn enveloped his arm. Gawon stopped and quietly looked up at Ki Joon. His eyes—which he thought had been built up layer upon layer through enduring countless things—were looking straight at Gawon.

“Let’s have lunch together later.”

His hand was exceptionally hot, but beyond the temperature, there was something more intense about contact with Ki Joon. Like a carving knife that shaves wood to leave marks. He didn’t know why it felt so strange every time his body touched this kid.

…No, actually, he thought he knew. It was because Ki Joon had called his name—the name no one had ever called so affectionately before.

Because that playful yet gentle voice, along with that intense and wild body heat, was shaking him violently. Because it was messing up the heart that had maintained a void-like equilibrium by letting go of all expectations toward the world.

‘I’ll watch myself. Okay?’

If Ki Joon, who had said that and smiled so brightly, had approached him with the intention of deceiving or mocking him, then he was truly a malicious bastard. Worse and more despicable than anyone else in this class. If that were truly the case, Ki Joon shouldn’t have said those things with those eyes and that voice.

But—if, just if, Ki Joon hadn’t approached him to mock and trample him. If this was really… his genuine intent.

Then even more so, he shouldn’t let this kid “watch himself.”

“No. …I always eat alone.”

Looking straight into Ki Joon’s eyes and refusing clearly, Gawon left him behind and slowly walked into the classroom. Returning to his seat, he placed his book on the desk and flopped face-down onto it.

His heart was beating strangely fast. It was an unsettlingly unfamiliar feeling. All of it was because of the body heat of that kid who had recklessly invaded him. Because of the traces left by that hot carving knife.