Jaewon looked at the face before him and found himself redefining everything he’d ever known about attractiveness. The features were arranged as perfectly as if the god of Tetris had placed them himself, with symmetry and proportions that defied description. Eyes, nose, and mouth—each was a work of art on its own, but together they formed a masterpiece. His healthy skin tone radiated sensuality. And those teeth? So perfectly straight and even that orthodontists would stalk him for dental impressions.

“Did you think about me a lot while I was gone?”

There was no exaggeration in Ma Chayoon’s description. This was truly a face that must have been different from the cellular level.

“I thought about you plenty.”

Above all, those pitch-black eyes were the most striking. Staring into them gave rise to an instinctive, primal fear, like encountering a killer whale in the depths of the ocean. Frozen by this unfamiliar sensation he’d never experienced before, Jaewon couldn’t move a muscle.

“Wondering how I’d fuck you up when I found you.”

Kim Dojun spoke ominously while running his tongue over his molars. That single threatening remark burst the bubble of thoughts in Jaewon’s head like soap suds. As his wandering consciousness returned, so did the focus in his eyes. Seeing that sculptured face burning with hostility, Jaewon startled and asked politely.

“What? Me?”

“This cute little shit’s playing games again.”

He was cute, sure, but he hadn’t even started his tricks yet. Feeling wronged, Jaewon was about to protest his innocence when Kim Dojun’s expression made him meekly lower his eyes. Even wanted posters would look gentler than that face.

“Who else would I be talking to?”

Well, there were plenty of people around. Jaewon glanced around with a confused expression. The students who had been watching with interest quickly averted their eyes when they met his gaze.

‘What’s going on here?’

Jaewon was bewildered. Usually when fights broke out, he was the one collecting bets from the spectator seats. This unfamiliar position as a colosseum participant was completely foreign to him. Why was he being grabbed by the scruff like a chicken on slaughter day, getting hassled first thing in the morning?

“I wondered who the transfer student was, but I never expected the stalker bastard to show up on his own.”

“Huh?”

Stalking was certainly on the agenda, but it was a strategy he hadn’t implemented yet. The more he listened, the more confused he became. His brain shut down from overload, unable to analyze the cause and effect. Knowing that running his mouth at times like this could land him in deep debt, Jaewon clammed up like a shellfish.

“Feeling brave, are we?”

Though one of his high school nicknames had been foie gras. Jaewon was about to nod unconsciously when he sensed a threat to his survival and stayed still. The look in the guy’s eyes was so menacing it seemed he might snap his neck in one go.

“What are you doing standing there!”

The explosive situation was defused by a teacher entering the classroom. At the loud reprimand, the grip on Jaewon’s chin loosened.

“How long ago did the bell ring? Sit down, now!”

As the teacher banged the attendance book on the podium and shouted, Kim Dojun clicked his tongue and released Jaewon. Not gently either—he practically threw him, nearly sending him tumbling backward.

“See you at break.”

Kim Dojun muttered lowly at Jaewon before taking his seat. Still dazed, Jaewon soon sat down next to him.

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence hung between their desks. After a moment, Kim Dojun turned his head to look at Jaewon. Feeling unspoken pressure from that radioactive glare, Jaewon scooted his desk away. Only after three more scoots did Kim Dojun seem satisfied and turn away.

“Where did we leave off last time?”

“Teacher, shouldn’t you get penalty points for being late?”

“Quit the nonsense and open your textbooks. Midterms are coming up.”

“As punishment, tell us about your first love!”

“It was in kindergarten, I don’t remember.”

“Aw, come on~”

“Boring!”

“Really, you kids. Do you know the romance of Tulip Class?”

“Then tell us about your first night~!”

“Woo~!”

“First night! First night!”

“Shouldn’t you ask if I’m married first?”

“……”

“……”

“Open your books.”

Listening to the sound of pages turning, Jaewon fell into deep contemplation. Something was going terribly wrong. According to the original plan, he should have won Kim Dojun’s heart with bribes, then set out together with one heart and mind to find his destined partner. But what was this situation? The hostility radiating from Kim Dojun felt like radiation exposure.

This was troublesome. Kim Dojun, who embodied handsomeness with his entire being, was obviously the protagonist. If their relationship went wrong from the start, the flow of the story would descend into chaos. In other words, no matter how the story unfolded, he’d be forced to just watch helplessly. Whether the plot dragged on or got tangled up. If that happened, returning to reality could become a distant dream.

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

Jaewon began organizing his tangled thoughts. Synthesizing Kim Dojun’s words led to several propositions:

1. Kim Dojun and I are acquaintances.
2. Kim Dojun holds a deep grudge against me.
3. It seems I did something to Kim Dojun.

But since the first proposition didn’t even match up, finding a solution was impossible. He pressed his temples and searched his memory, but couldn’t find even a small clue.

‘Acquaintances? That can’t be right.’

There’s no way he would have just passed by a face like that. He would have imprisoned him just for brushing shoulders. Jaewon racked his frontal lobe throughout class but still couldn’t find an answer by the time the bell rang.

“That’s all for today’s class…”

“Yay~!”

“Don’t fool around in class just to study the same thing at cram school. Focus during class. All the test questions come from what I say.”

“……”

“Review and preview thoroughly. Don’t get complacent just because it’s early in the semester. Class president, dismiss.”

“Yay~~!”

As the teacher left, the classroom immediately became noisy. Students gathered in groups to chat or headed out saying they were going to the snack bar. Amidst all the bustle, Jaewon remained seated. With every awareness cell in his body on high alert, he watched Kim Dojun’s movements from the corner of his eye. He’d expected him to grab his collar as soon as the bell rang, but surprisingly, he sat quietly. Jaewon, who had stretched his legs outward ready to bolt, relaxed his tension slightly.

Kim Dojun was writing something intently. Watching him suspiciously, Jaewon’s gaze suddenly fell on his hands. The sight of those straight-fingered hands scratching letters across the notebook was almost poetic.

‘Even his handwriting is handsome.’

They say a person’s character is reflected in their handwriting. True to the saying that a noble appearance houses a noble spirit, Kim Dojun’s handwriting was as neat and tidy as its owner. Jaewon found himself mesmerized by the tidy yet bold script. When the notebook suddenly snapped shut, his consciousness returned like Cinderella when the magic wore off. He hurriedly stood up, but it was too late.

“Ugh.”

“So, shall we continue our earlier conversation?”

Kim Dojun mercilessly grabbed the back of Jaewon’s neck, put down his pen, and turned around. Despite his calm voice, his eyes gleamed sharply with hostility. At least it seemed he intended to resolve this through conversation. Slightly relieved, Jaewon loosened his lips.

“How many hits do you want? You decide.”

“What?”

Jaewon, who had been preparing to talk after hearing “let’s talk,” opened his eyes wide. Though the tone was as peaceful as asking what to have for lunch, the look in his eyes was serious. Kim Dojun looked at Jaewon with a magnanimous expression, repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist. Seeing those veiny forearms bulging made his spine tingle.

“Wait. Let’s resolve this dispute humanely. There must be some misunderstanding…”

“I told you clearly back then. If you’re honest, I’ll go easy on you.”

He squeezed out words urgently, but of course they had no effect. Kim Dojun’s expression and voice were calm and rational, but his eyes were crazed. It was driving him crazy. He needed to know the cause to respond, but nothing came to mind. But he couldn’t just insist he was innocent either. Looking back on his life’s footprints, even if he didn’t remember, when the other person acted like this, it was usually because he’d done something wrong.

“I don’t know what you mean… This is the first time I’m seeing you today. I think you’ve got the wrong person…”

“I gave you time to repent and you’re pulling this shit. Not even surprising.”

“No, really, I’ve never met you before, really. I’m telling the truth.”

“Hit with the right hand~ Hit with the left hand~”

Kim Dojun began rolling up his sleeves while humming some unidentifiable song. As the arm muscles hidden under his uniform revealed themselves, Jaewon felt his vision going dark.

“Fuck, there’s no way I’d forget a face as handsome as yours!!”

The surroundings fell deathly quiet as he shouted desperately. Everyone remaining in the classroom stared at them with shocked rabbit eyes.

Kim Dojun stayed frozen like a still frame. He looked considerably startled. His stunned face seemed to say, ‘How can someone say that out loud?’

“Did you hear that?”

“Incredible.”

“The rumors must be true. Kim Dojun is…”

“So he’s that guy?”

“Whisper whisper…”

Murmuring filled the space swept by silence. The crowd quickly multiplied as students who had somehow gathered peered in from the hallway.

“Ah, this crazy bastard…”

Kim Dojun covered his face as if he had a headache. After dry-washing his face several times, he lifted his head with a tired expression and hooked his foot around Jaewon’s chair leg, pulling it toward him. Startled by the suddenly closed distance, Jaewon leaned back, and Kim Dojun clamped his thighs firmly around Jaewon’s legs.

“Ack.”

The terrified Jaewon twisted his body trying to escape, but couldn’t budge. The leg strength was so powerful that no matter how much he struggled, Kim Dojun’s expression didn’t change. If he wanted, he might crush his femur. Jaewon was gripped with fear.

“No, wait… Argh! Let’s talk…”

“……”

“Homo sapiens… dignity… let’s talk, ugh…”

Kim Dojun leaned back arrogantly in his chair, watching Jaewon flop around like a salted eel as if enjoying the show. When Jaewon finally exhausted his energy and calmed down, he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. The panting Jaewon felt his mind go blank at the scent of fabric softener brushing his nose.

“Jaewon.”

A deep bass voice resonated softly. At the familiar way he called his name, as if they’d known each other for ages, Jaewon’s eyes went wide. Kim Dojun was gazing at him with an unreadable expression. Jaewon shuddered weakly at the sensation of his whole body tingling.

“You really don’t remember me?”

His voice was as soft as milk with a spoonful of honey. Confused by his suddenly gentle attitude, Jaewon nodded first. Whatever change of heart this was, it was good news for now.

“You said you were my fan.”

“Huh?”

“That I’m really handsome and perfect from head to toe.”

But then Kim Dojun started saying incomprehensible things. Speaking nonsense in a flat, calm voice made him seem like a delicately insane hothouse flower.

“Ah, but I can’t rap. Never done it in my life.”

He hadn’t asked and wasn’t curious, but since it was information about Kim Dojun, it was meaningful. Jaewon deleted useless information from his brain and stored this new fact.

“Anyway, you said I’m so cool that even guys would fall for me.”

“What bullshit? When did I…”

Jaewon’s fierce protest was cut short. Something flashed through his mind like lightning. At the same time, something that had been submerged in his unconscious floated up, and the moment it finally surfaced to consciousness, Jaewon turned pale. In his mind, now blank as a canvas, the nauseating and pathetic image of himself winking and shooting bullets of love crossed with the image of the shocked delinquent unable to speak.

“Did you think you could have me by doing this?”

Kim Dojun suddenly dropped his head dramatically and muttered bitterly. Sounds of people swallowing could be heard from various directions. Jaewon slowly turned around with the feeling of facing the apocalypse. All the onlookers had faces filled with shock and horror.

“Oh my, oh my.”

“Good heavens…”

Jaewon desperately shook his head until his cheeks wobbled, but the misunderstanding spreading like wildfire couldn’t be stopped. Meanwhile, words kept flowing endlessly from that open mouth.

“So I tried to forget too…”

Kim Dojun’s voice faded as he slowly lifted his head. Cold sweat trickled down Jaewon’s temple.

“But I couldn’t forget, you fucking bastard.”

Blue light flashed from his hawk-sharp eyes. Jaewon closed his eyes. From somewhere came the faint sound of bells.

It was the sound of his life tolling its end.

***

“Is that him? The…”

“He is handsome.”

“Look at that skin. Like a newborn axolotl.”

During break time at Gwangbok High School. While the hallway bustled with students as usual, an unusually large crowd had gathered in front of Class 2-3. They all looked at one spot with curious eyes, engaged in heated discussion. At the end of their gazes, a male student lay sprawled across his desk like spilled water.

‘Why did I do that?’

Jaewon was drying up cold like thin noodles on a drying rack. He wanted to go back two days and shoot his past self with a tranquilizer gun for selling his future for a mere 50,000 won. Was this how the retail investors felt when they sold their Samsung Electronics stocks during the financial crisis?

“Are you okay, hyung?”

At the voice from above, Jaewon weakly lifted his head. Ma Chayoon was looking down at him worriedly.

“I knew you were crazy, but I didn’t know you were this far gone. What were you thinking doing something like that?”

“What did I do?”

“Oh, are you seriously asking?”

“I’ve done so much I can’t remember everything. Tell me what.”

Jaewon lifted his head and spoke arrogantly. Ma Chayoon looked at him like he was a bug, then resolutely opened his mouth.

“You reported Kim Dojun saying if you can’t have him, you’ll destroy him.”

“……”

The rumor that started with ‘The transfer student Bae Jaewon is the man Kim Dojun is clinging to’ had already transformed colorfully. Jaewon suddenly felt his breath catch. He clutched his chest and collapsed onto his desk. Through his blurring vision, the fluorescent lights on the ceiling shone like his life flashing before his eyes.

‘At this rate, I’ll die of a brain hemorrhage before returning to reality.’

Even when the theme stocks he’d eagerly invested his hard-earned freshman money in crashed, he didn’t feel this stressed. His head was throbbing dangerously.

“Did you approach Min Yerin for the same reason? You’re really scary, hyung.”

“So do you hate me now?”

Jaewon replied, having given up on everything. If he came to his senses now, he felt like he’d give up on life. Ma Chayoon made a caught-off-guard expression at the question, then scratched the back of his head.

“…I don’t know.”

He mumbled with uncharacteristically unclear pronunciation, then dry-washed his face as if confused.

“Honestly, watching you is uniquely entertaining. How should I put it, I think I understand why my dad watches makjang dramas…”

“That’s fine then. You’re all I need.”

Finding good stocks in the market was like treasure hunting, and insider information was worth its weight in gold. As long as he didn’t lose his information source, he could seize opportunities again.

“By the way, can I keep calling you hyung?”

Ma Chayoon asked carefully, squirming as if something was uncomfortable. Not understanding the question, Jaewon frowned.

“What are you talking about? Are you going to call me noona?”

“But hyung, you’re the king’s man…”

“Aaaagh!”

Before Ma Chayoon could finish, Jaewon screamed and slammed his desk. Bang! With the loud noise, all eyes focused on him. The secretive murmuring grew louder and the suspicious glances deepened.

“Huh? Where are you going, hyung! Hyung!”

Jaewon resolutely got up from his seat. Ma Chayoon called after him desperately as he rushed out of the classroom, but he didn’t stop.

He couldn’t take it anymore. In the rumors that had snowballed instantly, Jaewon had filmed Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, and Jane Eyre with Kim Dojun. As a result, he had to endure being gawked at by the entire school during every break under the extremely dishonorable title of ‘the king’s man.’ But there was an even bigger problem.

A male lead caught up in scandal with another man—this was an unprecedented situation he’d never heard of. While what the male lead lacked should be satisfied with tears, Jaewon had never imagined he would become his only flaw. At this rate, he’d have to watch the stock price plummet before even adding this hard-found talent to his portfolio. He needed to extinguish this situation and make it as if it never happened. But what was maddening was that the person in question was maintaining complete non-response to the current situation.

Kim Dojun remained silent without offering any explanation to the barrage of questions. He’d maintain a poker face throughout, then disappear from the classroom with an annoyed expression. Such behavior naturally accelerated the rumors, and even if Jaewon wailed that it wasn’t true, it was useless. Surrounded by souls born in curiosity heaven and baptized with questions, Jaewon was about to receive the Holy Spirit. He had to do something before becoming divorced from Kim Dojun while hesitating.

Bursting through the rooftop door, the clear sky spread out before him, and below it, scruffy-looking students stood scattered, puffing smoke. Among them, one figure stood out like a crane among chickens. Kim Dojun, who had been smoking like a fashion shoot while leaning against the wall, spotted Jaewon and let out a hollow laugh.

“How did you know I was here? You stalker bastard.”

“The nicotine addicts’ sanctuary is obvious.”

Jaewon immediately retorted and strode forward. He approached right up to Kim Dojun’s face, then stepped back two paces after gauging the length of his arms and legs. Then he lifted his head with determination.

“I was wrong. Let’s forget everything and start fresh.”

It was a line like an uncle facing divorce papers, but nothing else came to mind. Kim Dojun, looking at him pitifully—full of desire to resolve the situation without a shred of remorse—opened his mouth.

“Don’t you feel like you’ve dropped something?”

Stumped by the unexpected question, Jaewon was stunned for a moment. Confused by something not in his expected answers, he suddenly remembered the cash in his pocket and frantically looked around his feet. There was no greater tragedy than losing money. As he spun in place scanning the ground, Kim Dojun’s voice continued.

“Your conscience.”

“……”

Jaewon’s bustling movements stopped dead. As he slowly raised his head to glare at Kim Dojun, he responded with an equally cold stare.

“You ambush someone playing in Jongno[1] and throw them in the Han River, and now that we’re both drowning, you want to pretend it never happened?”

“If I’d known you were this handsome, I wouldn’t have done it. Blame the sun if you want to blame something. I couldn’t see your face properly because of the backlighting.”

It was all true, so he had no defense, but as always, Jaewon had plenty to say. Damn backlighting. If he’d known it was that face, even if he reported him, he would have filed a residency report in his heart. As Jaewon exploded with indignation, Kim Dojun was at a loss for words with a dumbfounded expression. Only when the burnt cigarette ash fell to the ground did he regain focus in his eyes.

“What are you talking about? What does appearance have to do with anything?”

“It matters. Nothing’s more important to me than that.”

Jaewon earnestly emphasized the importance of appearance. The most ideal form of investment Jaewon considered was value investing. Value investing meant investing in stocks trading at significantly lower prices than their intrinsic value—in other words, picking out ugly ducklings from among the ducks. In short, it was a method where only diligently working investors could achieve success.

But how long would it take to invest and reap results if you had to check whether each one was a swan or a duck? The market was vast and stocks were countless, while time was limited. ‘Selection and concentration’ was essential, and promising trees showed their worth from their sprouts’ appearance. When even measuring the intrinsic value of obviously promising ones took up all your time, how could appearance not be important?

People often say you should look at a person’s inner self, but the inner self is called inner because it’s not visible. As they say, what looks good tastes good too—doesn’t something need to be excellent on the outside first to make you want to look inside? Only when the exterior is proper does the interior become worth examining.

“What… ah, this is driving me crazy. We’re speaking Korean but why can’t we communicate?”

Kim Dojun, who tried several times to say something, muttered with a sense of futility. He swept his face in confusion, then raised his eyes threateningly.

“From now on, don’t talk, just answer.”

“What kind of open church closing nonsense…”

“Shut up and answer what I ask.”

He protested the contradictory command but was blocked by a rough rebuke. Sensing the atmosphere was serious, Jaewon obediently closed his mouth.

“Do you know Kim Jonghak or not?”

“No. Is he handsome?”

He couldn’t understand why this Kim Jonghak guy was causing such a fuss. When Jaewon answered promptly, Kim Dojun’s face contorted absurdly. He’d asked with the mindset of watering all weeds since you never know which might bloom into flowers, but judging by the reaction, it seemed to be a common weed. He immediately erased Kim Jonghak’s name from his temporal lobe.

“If you had either conscience or eyesight, you couldn’t ask that.”

“Then I don’t know. I only remember handsome guys.”

Jaewon proudly declared his conviction. Kim Dojun, looking at him incredulously, sneered with one corner of his mouth raised.

“So screwing me over like that wasn’t planned but just an incredibly perfect coincidence?”

“Of course. It was just part of implementing social justice. I couldn’t just stand by while innocent youths who couldn’t possibly know the taste of cigarettes were ruining their environment and health.”

“…Social justice?”

Jaewon nodded decisively with a smile. Usually at this point, the other person would either lose their reason and attack or be persuaded by logic and calm down, and Kim Dojun seemed closer to the latter.

“It was the same as punishing Ahn Doo-hee with the rod of justice. I had no personal grievance against you.”

“You sure put effort into your bullshit.”

‘Was I found out?’

He thought he’d almost won him over, but the quietly listening Kim Dojun turned hostile, and Jaewon clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“What a waste of time listening to your running mouth. Get lost.”

“Hey now. This is problematic, you should know better. I have my position too.”

As Kim Dojun turned away as if they were done, Jaewon grabbed him with a serious expression.

“After hearing my situation, you should let it go and help clean this up. The kids are hotly and dirtily misunderstanding our relationship. At this rate, they’ll say we’re in divorce proceedings.”

“How is that my problem?”

“How can you say something so irresponsible?”

Shocked by the unexpected statement, Jaewon looked up at Kim Dojun blankly. Looking at him pathetically, he pulled out his phone and shoved it in Jaewon’s face. The screen showed a message inbox about to burst from oversaturation.

• Lee Yongcheol: Kim Dojun, I heard you’re dating a guy these days~ You spectral bastard, why didn’t you tell me? I was trying to introduce you to girls for nothing~~~ Contact me if you get interested in women again~

• Kim Myeonghwan: What does he have that I don’t

• Kang Heewon: Oppa~ My friend wants me to introduce you. She’s not just randomly hitting on anyone, she’s the prettiest at our academy and super popular. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll give you her number~

‘Is this bias-free world okay?’

Jaewon became serious. The packed messages were all shouting “born this way.” Skipping the stages of understanding and acceptance, they went straight to making moves without giving any chance to clarify the rumors. Watching the endless serenades flying into his message box made him dizzy.

“How’s that? Don’t you think you’ve ruined an innocent youth’s life?”

Kim Dojun coldly looked down at Jaewon, who had become a mute who’d eaten honey, and interrogated him. His attitude said speak up if you have a mouth. While it seemed everyone was being excessively enthusiastic for a ruined life, raising questions here would probably get him kicked like a shuttlecock on Lunar New Year. Jaewon forced himself to shake off his dubious feelings and clenched both fists.

“I’ll take responsibility.”

“That’s obvious.”

For Jaewon, who usually lived as far from the word responsibility as oil from water, this was a statement made after great deliberation, but Kim Dojun responded as if it were nothing new. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at Jaewon with arrogant eyes.

“How will you take responsibility?”

“First…”

“Say it in one sentence following the five W’s and one H. Don’t talk as much as possible. The more I hear, the more pissed off I get.”

“……”

He felt strong resistance to the unfair words, but that wasn’t what was important now. Jaewon suppressed his fiercely stirring rebellious nature and continued calmly.

“As soon as possible, we’ll hold a press conference in the broadcasting room to clarify the rumors and proclaim our innocence. Because we’re nothing to each other.”

“I’m sure people will believe that. Are you naive or stupid?”

Despite coming up with the most efficient method possible, Kim Dojun scoffed as if it were hopeless. His distinctly uncooperative attitude was enough to shake the already anxious Jaewon.

“Why wouldn’t they believe it! It doesn’t make sense!”

“Whether it makes sense or not, they believe what they want to believe.”

His tone was calm as if stating an absolute truth, but Kim Dojun’s eyes were sharp. But such things couldn’t enter Jaewon’s unseeing eyes. The ethereal rhetoric worthy of a politician was infuriating. Jaewon asked in a trembling voice while clutching his blood-rushed head.

“Right now… you’re talking like it’s someone else’s business, but what’s the reason? They’re saying you and I are in love, you bastard.”

“As long as it’s not me, why do I need to explain it to everyone?”

It was a contradictory reaction compared to showing him messages and holding him responsible for the situation. For some reason, he seemed completely unconcerned with how things unfolded. His emotionless eyes were more like watching Jaewon’s reaction. It was clear he never even expected Jaewon to solve anything.

“No, I can’t! Damn it! I hate it! Absolutely not!”

“What?”

Finally exploding, Jaewon lost his reason and shouted hysterically. Such a miraculous face he’d discovered with difficulty, a once-in-a-lifetime perfect face! He wanted to avoid delisting the blue-chip stock he’d barely found with his own hands before even investing. With lottery foxes and 2 billion won rabbits waiting in reality, things were getting uniquely twisted and he felt like going crazy.

“You hate it?”

“What?”

At the sudden words, Jaewon asked back with a blank expression. Kim Dojun’s face had already lost all traces of amusement and hardened. At that moment, chills crept eerily up his spine. Jaewon was very familiar with this sensation. The exact sensation he felt right before clicking on a mine in Minesweeper…!

“That’s an interesting thing to say. Why do you hate it?”

“Well, that’s because we’re both guys…”

“Unbelievable. Who are you to reject me?”

Kim Dojun already seemed to hear nothing. He laughed incredulously, tilting his head and running his hand through his hair. Black rage burned in his fiercely narrowed eyes. As overwhelming anxiety struck, Jaewon’s body temperature began dropping rapidly.

‘Fuck, this isn’t it?’

The situation was flowing in a strange direction. Jaewon desperately denied it, but thoughts of being fucked flooded his mind in black waves. He staggered backward with a pale face.

“D-don’t do this. We can’t be together.”

“Honestly, I was going to ignore it because it was annoying. It’s not like guys approaching me and backstabbing me is new.”

“You’re doing great. I’d be endlessly grateful if you kept ignoring me like that.”

“But I changed my mind.”

“No, fuck! God!”

Jaewon wailed and fell to his knees, but Kim Dojun didn’t care at all.

“I’ve become interested.”

The moment he spoke with a completely uninterested expression, déjà vu pierced through Jaewon’s body. Looking at those eyes burning with determination, he recalled a passage from a book he’d read in the not-so-distant past. Jaewon began shaking his head frantically like a madman.

“Please, anything but those words…!”

“You’re the first bastard to reject me.”

A whisper more terrifying than Black Monday burrowed into his ears. Jaewon, who stopped breathing for a moment, collapsed like someone who’d gambled away their kidneys at baccarat.

Soon, a blood-curdling wail echoed across the clear blue sky.

“I was your first? Damn it, no!!”

***

Life never goes according to plan—a simple truth evident just from watching real-time stock tickers. Yet reality shows countless retail investors still betting their entire fortune on manipulated stocks only to be slaughtered like pigs in Majang-dong. The reason is baseless optimism thinking ‘I’ll be different,’ naivety not knowing insider information couldn’t possibly reach their ears, and laziness in not preparing for variables—endlessly repeated throughout humanity’s economic history. How consistently foolish humans are. Jaewon gazed somberly at the black crowd that had gathered, acutely feeling this time-honored stupidity. Just as sparrows never pass by a mill, students succumbing to entrance exam madness couldn’t miss this scandal of the century. In truth, Jaewon wanted to avoid the crowd that had descended on Class 2-3 to investigate their relationship, but Kim Dojun wouldn’t let him go. For some reason, he kept Jaewon conspicuously by his side.

“Dojun-hyung! Please look here!”

“Ah, don’t push!”

“Hyung, just wave once please!”

“Please look diagonally to the left!”

Flashes went off from all directions and a barrage of shutters followed. The sight of students scrambling to shove their phones in Kim Dojun’s face was reminiscent of a congressional hearing. Jaewon watched the situation, having lost all ability to cope. Even he, who had always attracted attention with his brilliant mind and outstanding looks, had only received this level of interest when he scored perfect on the college entrance exam. In contrast, Kim Dojun seemed very familiar with this surreal situation. He was waving and smiling like a governor in front of a ballot box. The more Jaewon felt Kim Dojun’s popularity, the more haggard he became.

But suddenly Kim Dojun pulled Jaewon’s shoulder. Jaewon, who had been wearing a death mask like a eunuch receiving poison, swallowed his breath. At the grip that seemed about to burst his bicep, his eyes bulged.

“Ugh.”

“Smile. Don’t ruin the mood.”

Kim Dojun whispered ominously in the ear of the writhing Jaewon. Jaewon suppressed a hiccup and stretched his lips sideways.

“They’re whispering. What are they saying?”

“Must be whispering sweet nothings of love.”

“Aren’t they going to kiss?”

“They look like a painting together.”

If this situation had to be compared to a painting, Artemisia Gentileschi’s “Judith Beheading Holofernes” would be the appropriate work, but Jaewon had no desire to add commentary.

“Is it true you two are dating?”

“Why are you suddenly dating a guy? Did you always like men?”

“Please tell us how you two met!”

Despite the barrage of questions, Kim Dojun didn’t give clear answers. He just looked down at the questioners with an inscrutable expression. Jaewon actively used his facial muscles to appeal his innocence, but no one looked at him. Desperately grasping at straws, he frantically poked Kim Dojun’s side, but his body was so solid that he had to swallow a scream as his finger bent. Jaewon gritted his teeth in rising venom.

‘Since it’s come to this, I’ll go all out.’

“The truth is we’re absolutely fucking nothi—”

“No. What can I do if he says no?”

Just as the mouth of truth opened, Kim Dojun grinned and ruffled Jaewon’s hair. The refreshing yet somehow sad smile, like a youth drama protagonist’s, stirred paternal instincts. Jaewon’s jaw dropped. His head creaked as it turned, and his shaking eyes met the masses. Chaos existed there before the beginning of light. Before he could even control the situation, a low voice drove in the nail.

“Be good to him. Don’t bully him.”

He meant bully him all you want. As Jaewon froze, cheers and jeers erupted around them.

“Oh my god, breaking news. The transfer student dumped Kim Dojun!”

“Wow, crazy. I just got goosebumps.”

“Dojun, stay strong! Fighting!”

“I’ll support your love, oppa!”

Amidst the unwanted blessings pouring down, several students ran out of the classroom covering their faces. As Jaewon stared blankly at them, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

“Please take care of me from now on.”

Kim Dojun spoke with a fresh smile, looking like a porn actor’s portrait painted by a shoujo manga artist. Jaewon, who had been staring up at him blankly, eventually curved his eyes gently and smiled back.

“Same here. You fucking *&[email protected]) bastard.”

***

“Is that him?”

“Yeah. He told Dojun he was being presumptuous for looking at him, that he shouldn’t even dream of it.”

“Oh my god…”

“He’s living up to his looks, right? Really playing true to form.”

The female students huddled together murmuring had eyes like hawks eyeing prey. Jaewon, who had been sitting on the hallway windowsill protecting himself with white curtains and a poetry book, looked outside with unfocused eyes.

‘If I jump now, can I reset?’

Jaewon, who wouldn’t even pee in uncertain directions, immediately loaded save data and restarted whenever things went wrong in games. If only he could reverse the situation like game characters who resurrect at revival points after dying from monster attacks, Jaewon was willing to die and fix things a hundred times. But remembering he was just an extra without even detailed settings, he carefully preserved his body.

‘How did it come to this?’

He didn’t want to give up on Kim Dojun. Of course, given how things had turned out, the right thing would be to cut losses cleanly and delete him from the watch list. But lingering attachment kept grabbing his ankles. Kim Dojun’s appearance was too perfect to give up on like this.

After much contemplation, Jaewon changed his thinking. There’s a saying, “To err is human, to forgive divine.” It means humans are born to make mistakes. (*Note: That’s not what it means.) Even blue-chip stocks leading market rallies fluctuate, and delisted companies sometimes resurrect dramatically. It would be foolish to block a handsome man’s potential just because of some mistakes.

With renewed determination, Jaewon got down from the windowsill and headed straight to the classroom. Kim Dojun was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed and eyes closed, with sunlight breaking white over his sculptural figure. Momentarily captivated by the sacred sight, Jaewon came to his senses and cleared his throat.

“Hey, mister.”

When he threw out the forceful comment, Kim Dojun’s eyes snapped open. Black pupils appeared beneath elegantly drawn eyes. The blue-tinged irises flashed fiercely.

“Can I see you for a moment?”

“You’re already looking.”

“Can’t you grasp the double meaning and fundamental context? I have something important to discuss, so follow me to the rooftop…”

“Say it here.”

Jaewon was greatly shocked by Kim Dojun’s answer. Creating new options threw chaos at Koreans accustomed to multiple choice. Rarely at a loss for words, Jaewon gaped like a fish before deciding to get straight to the point.

“Looking at it every way, we should reconsider our relationship.”

Dojun’s brow narrowed and his eyebrows twitched. Jaewon’s liver shrank momentarily, but he mustered courage.

“It’s natural that you fell for my charm. I understand. You’re not the only one. But you’re making a big mistake right now. There will be many more bastards who’ll reject you in the future. You have a rose-colored future ahead of you—are you going to ruin it blinded by momentary lust? Let’s stop here for both our sakes. Love isn’t a sin, but not being able to hide it is. It’ll be hard, but forget…”

“Shut up before I file a claim for psychological damages.”

Kim Dojun growled threateningly as if he couldn’t listen anymore. Jaewon’s persuasion, which had been continuing endlessly like Tartarus where bronze anvils take nine days to reach, finally stopped. Terrified, Jaewon shut his mouth tightly and initiated Plan B.

‘If logic doesn’t work, go for emotional appeal.’

“I had circumstances. I absolutely didn’t mean to do that… I swear on my wallet. Please believe me, please.”

Jaewon sadly poured out the story of why he had no choice but to report him. He expressed how, while suffering from financial hardship, he was blinded by small change and committed such an outrageous act without recognizing such an esteemed person, and that he was truly repentant.

“Jaewon.”

Kim Dojun, who had been silently listening to the pitiful monologue, spoke. His voice was calm but imposing. He uncrossed his arms and beckoned with his finger. It meant come closer. As Jaewon hesitantly approached, a large hand yanked his tie.

“Ack.”

It was truly tremendous strength. Kim Dojun only moved his wrist, but Jaewon’s whole body shook as he was dragged. The distance between them, which had been as far as between Finns, closed instantly. Close enough for noses to touch and breaths to mingle.

“I have something to say.”

Eyes black as the abyss gazed at him. Jaewon unconsciously fumbled around and grabbed the edge of the desk. Otherwise, he felt like he’d collapse right there and cause trouble with Kim Dojun. As Jaewon endured, feeling an inexplicable fear, Kim Dojun, who had been pulling his tie again, came close to his ear. Wet breath brushed into his ear where the fine hairs stood on end. The moment Jaewon swallowed a groan, a thick voice probed his ear canal.

“Go buy some bread, you bastard.”

Smack!

Something stingingly slapped his cheek. When he opened one eye that had squeezed shut from the stinging sensation, he met eyes with King Sejong[2]. What had hit his cheek was a bill. At that moment, Jaewon’s heart began beating like crazy.

“Wh-what…”

Where he urgently averted his gaze, a sensually handsome face was waiting. The face with one corner of the mouth raised in mockery was sharp as a drawing. The moment he encountered both blue-bearded King Sejong and bronze-skinned Kim Dojun simultaneously, Jaewon’s face flushed red. He shook off the hand binding him as if burned and fled without looking back.

“Huff, haah, huff…”

Only after completing the hallway run could Jaewon stop. He grabbed the stair railing and panted before collapsing.

“…Ugh.”

A sharp pain stung his cheek. Jaewon groaned and touched his face. A small cut had formed, as if from paper. As the sensation of the bill sticking to his cheek came back to life, his waist trembled.

‘This is the first time someone’s hit me with money.’

In his younger days when he couldn’t control the concentration of truth in his words, he got hit a lot. Of course, every time he was hit, Jaewon would wield the people’s cane to deliver legal judgment, but fists always arrived before police cars, and once damaged, the body took considerably long to recover. After experiencing this firsthand, his life motto became ‘prevent getting hit as much as possible, and if hit, report it.’

But right now, he didn’t feel like reporting it. Even though his skin was cut and scarred. This was unprecedented in his life. It was utterly confusing.

‘And it’s new money too.’

Jaewon looked down at the crisp bill standing stiff in his hand with mixed feelings. The sensation of being hit with fresh bills dangerously heightened certain feelings.

His stomach was churning and his heart pounding—he wasn’t in good condition. Jaewon shook his head frantically, trying to shake off the restless feeling. At this rate, he felt like he’d awaken to an unknown world. As he groaned and stood up—

“Are you Bae Jaewon?”

Someone tapped Jaewon’s shoulder. When he turned around, he saw a group of female students.

“So?”

“We have something to say to you. Can we talk for a moment?”

“Aren’t we talking right now?”

“What’s with him?”

When Jaewon asked puzzledly, the girl snorted as if dumbfounded and looked back at her group. Only then did Jaewon properly face them and was startled. Their eyes were all gleaming like Hebrews looking at a lamb before sacrifice. Instinctively sensing danger, he texted Ma Chayoon ‘If I don’t return in 10 minutes, call the police’ and followed them out. The group arrived at a remote corner at the end of the hallway, where Min Yerin was waiting.

“Oh, it’s the pretty one. Hi?”

“Ha. Unbelievable, really.”

“So shameless.”

When Jaewon greeted her warmly in recognition, snickers erupted from various directions. Min Yerin, her eyes puffy as if from crying, glared at him venomously.

“You hit on Dojun, didn’t you? Ha, and I didn’t even know…”

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

“What gives you the right to hurt him?”

“What?”

An aggressive response came out at the baseless accusation. He’d been the one suffering mental and physical threats all day—it was utterly unfair. Just as Jaewon was about to protest strongly, pearl-like tears dropped from Min Yerin’s eyes.

“Some people want him so badly they could go crazy, just thinking about him brings tears… But I have to just watch from afar, dying while holding back, so what gives you the right to hurt him?”

As she trembled like a cosmos flower pouring out her words, the surrounding girls began sniffling one by one, wiping their eyes. An extremely bad premonition covered Jaewon’s back like a swarm of fire ants.

“…You know…”

“No. I don’t. Don’t say it.”

“He really can’t stand scary things.”

“Oh, Lord…”

Jaewon covered his face with both hands in despair.

“When watching movies, buy him squid instead of popcorn. He doesn’t like tough things, so he prefers the body over the legs. And he can’t eat spicy food, so if kimchi seems too spicy, rinse it in water once before feeding it to him.”

“You’re like an encyclopedia. Why don’t you just date him?”

“And don’t tell him he’s handsome too often. He’ll become even more handsome.”

He tried suggesting a direction where everyone would be happy, but she seemed to have already reached a state of oblivion.

“For alcohol, cheap stuff doesn’t agree with him, so absolutely no more than five shots of soju, and one bottle of beer is his limit. His drunk behavior is really bad, so be careful…”

“His tolerance is that pure but he has bad drunk habits? Damn…”

“If you make him cry, I won’t let it go. You have to treat him tens, thousands, tens of thousands of times better than I would. If you don’t, if you don’t…”

Min Yerin, who had been speaking without pause, trailed off as if choking up. The crying sounds of the surrounding students grew louder. Jaewon turned his head to look out the hallway window. Looking at the sun shining in the blue sky, he thought.

‘I wonder how cold the Han River is?’

“Hyung!”

His spirit departing for the other world was able to return thanks to Ma Chayoon who caught up belatedly.

“Hyung, are you okay? Oh no. It’s Min Yerin and her gang. The ones who rush to reset Kim Dojun’s seat partner every time and mercilessly destroy their opponent’s emotions. There’s nothing good about getting close to those lowlifes, so come here. But why are your hands shaped like chicken feet? This can’t be. Your fingers are curled up and won’t straighten! How are your feet? Now that I look, you’re walking like a macaroni penguin. Can you walk alone?”

Jaewon left with Ma Chayoon’s support. Walking while receiving the students’ piercing glares, his anger gradually boiled over. If Min Yerin had been the protagonist from the start, things would have been much easier to resolve, but why was she taking out her frustration when she wasn’t up to the task? Native Korean Bae Jaewon, who couldn’t stand injustice, whipped his head around.

“So who told you to be born so pretty?”

“Wh-what?”

“Don’t speak so easily when you don’t know others’ feelings. It’s annoying.”

“…What does that mean?”

“Let’s go, Ma Chayoon.”

Feeling refreshed after venting his temper, Jaewon turned away without regret. But before taking three steps, he remembered the errand Kim Dojun had given him and groaned in pain.

“I need to buy bread.”

***

“Ma’am! I want the Shiny chocolate bread!”

“That was the last one! Next!”

“No!”

“Do you have bulgogi burger?!”

“Those sold out earlier!”

“Liar! That’s a lie!”

“Ah, don’t push!”

The school store located in one corner of Jonse High School. The scene where transactions occurred by the second was reminiscent of a dawn wholesale fish market. Students scrambled to hold out bills, their fates divided by the store lady’s selection.

“Ma’am! Please take my money!”

“This is my last supper before I start dieting tomorrow! Give me the sweet potato pizza bread!”

“Where do you have to lose weight! Eat this and diet with energy!”

“Aaaah! Ma’am! I’m starting a diet tomorrow too!”

Those engaged in fierce physical struggles showed no mercy to each other, and as a result, the checkout counter was about to burst with the crowd. Jaewon just stared blankly at the scene. Even he, who had made a name as a seat hunter on Line 2, couldn’t muster the courage to squeeze in at this density.

“There’s something called the balloon effect.”

Ma Chayoon, standing beside Jaewon, pushed up his glasses with his middle finger and began.

“This school’s cafeteria corruption has deep roots. As you know, hyung, corruption isn’t something that can be eradicated overnight. No matter how hard the anti-cafeteria forces try, the corruption continues, so the cafeteria quality keeps deteriorating, and naturally students’ dependence on the school store has only increased. As problems kept arising, it became a serious issue the school could no longer ignore.”

“The hayrice I ate yesterday was still insulting to human dignity though?”

“The school started limiting the store’s sales volume as their solution to the problem. Especially bread and instant foods that could substitute for meals.”

“Oh dear.”

Jaewon clicked his tongue. It wasn’t particularly surprising as a typical Korean solution, but it was gloomy that there seemed no prospect for cafeteria improvement.

“Both students and the store protested, but the school used student health as their excuse and other schools’ average store sales as justification. Nonsense, really. It might be normal sales volume at other schools, but it was woefully insufficient for our school’s students. But the unfair contract was eventually signed, and excess demand at the store became normal at this school.”

Finishing his explanation, Ma Chayoon gazed at the checkout counter with mixed feelings. Jaewon followed his gaze. Students were still fighting tooth and nail. Their efforts to catch the store lady’s eye were like moths drawn to a flame.

‘It’s like a scene from hell.’

Jaewon looked at them solemnly. It was an unfamiliar sight. Throughout his school years, he’d had no connection with the school store. Not only did he avoid unnecessary expenses, but he saw no reason to pay money for things that didn’t help his health. Besides, in a 10-minute break, he could memorize several English words—it was a waste of time and money in many ways.

“Buying bread at this time is practically impossible. It’s the second period break when humans are hungriest. You need to be at least one of tank, dealer, or healer to even compete. Tank-style frontal breakthrough of that crowd… impossible with hyung’s physique. Dealing means PVP with whoever bought bread, also hopeless. Healing depends on usual virtue… but hyung’s personality is shot, so no.”

Ma Chayoon’s systematic explanation continued. In short, it was his first day on bread shuttle[3] duty. For Jaewon, who had lived as a god of studying throughout his school years, it was an unspeakable humiliation. During exam periods, students used to line up to offer tributes to borrow his wisdom. That was now a brilliant past that had passed by.

Jaewon closed his eyes and activated his happiness circuit. Well, someone of Kim Dojun’s caliber should operate a few bread shuttles to maintain his reputation. Besides, wasn’t this a chance to get closer to Kim Dojun through the friendship blooming between bread exchanges? So aside from the unimaginably harsh working conditions… it was a profitable business. Thinking this way, Jaewon desperately turned away from the pandemonium unfolding before him.

“So what bread am I supposed to buy?”

“Oh-ppang.”

“Want to get death-ppang (punched)?”

Ma Chayoon’s expression instantly turned menacing. Jaewon was about to confess that he’d rushed out with just money before hearing what bread, but shuddered remembering that face holding bills and grinning like a thug. His throat suddenly felt itchy too, so he scratched vigorously.

“I don’t know. I think just buying anything would work.”

When Jaewon replied with pursed lips, Ma Chayoon suddenly asked as if just remembering.

“By the way, who asked you to do this?”

“Kim Dojun.”

“Kim Dojun? It’s surprising he’d ask someone to buy bread.”

“Yeah. He really couldn’t be more heinous.”

“Hmm… Maybe he’s testing your love? Like a princess asking suitors to bring blue roses.”

“……”

“Stay strong, king’s man. To wear the crown, you must bear its weight.”

Jaewon was too choked up to continue and covered his eyes. Though he desperately wanted to give up and lie down, he had to salvage his relationship with Kim Dojun that he’d messed up like station udon[4]. There would never be someone that handsome again. The beauty of the boy he’d seen while putting up tutoring flyers was shocking too, but he was closer to beautiful. Not knowing whether the jackpot would come from the handsome one or the beautiful one, he couldn’t lose either.

“Let’s retreat for now. The warning bell rang.”

Ma Chayoon, who had been sending him a wistful look, patted his shoulder encouragingly and left the store. Jaewon looked at the now-empty and desolate shelves before following him.

When they returned to the classroom, Kim Dojun was taking out his textbook for the next period from his bag. Jaewon approached him and stood with his weight on one leg.

“The store was swarming with humans like cockroaches, how am I supposed to get bread? You knew I couldn’t buy any when you sent me, right? You should give proper subcontracting orders. Don’t desecrate the sanctity of labor.”

How many contractors blame subcontractors when problems arise from wrong orders? When he strongly condemned Kim Dojun, cracks appeared in his expressionless face and he smiled almost imperceptibly. Captivated by that mysterious sight, Jaewon didn’t even notice him standing up.

“Jaewon. Think about it.”

Kim Dojun opened his mouth while draping his arm around Jaewon. It was a light, friendly gesture, but the weight on his shoulder was considerable. Jaewon barely maintained his balance, putting strength into his legs that swayed like reeds. Kim Dojun, who had been gently stroking his arm with an affectionate touch, eventually brought his face close to Jaewon’s cheek and whispered eerily.

“If it were easy, would I have asked you to do it?”

“…!”

“Let’s get along well. Okay?”

Among the various qualities of an alpha male, the foremost is conciseness. True leaders don’t speak at length. They employ sophisticated metaphors for elegant and economical communication. Derivative skills include awareness games starting with jokes, communication ending with a single shoulder pat, and so on.

As Jaewon politely gathered his mouth and hands, Kim Dojun patted his shoulder encouragingly. He sat back down, crossed his legs, folded his arms, and jerked his chin.

“So you came empty-handed?”

If he’d come empty-handed, he’d have been buried in the ground. Jaewon hurriedly held out the chocolate bread. He’d barely obtained it through inspired haggling after catching a student who’d succeeded in buying bread.

“For now, urgently…”

“I don’t like this.”

Kim Dojun cut him off without even listening. Momentarily speechless, Jaewon just blinked like a toad.

“You didn’t know?”

He stared at Jaewon with an expression asking why he didn’t know something so obvious. Looking at those ink-black eyes, Jaewon felt a sharp déjà vu. This was exactly the expression of that military senior bastard who’d tormented him with ‘Guess what I’m thinking.’

“How would I know when you never told me? I’m not a prophet.”

“If you don’t know, you should be ashamed. Memorize this from now on.”

At the harsh rebuke, Jaewon trembled with humiliation. He’d always been cursed for babbling about what he knew, but this treatment as an ignoramus was a first. After trembling, he took a deep breath and sat down. Just as he regained his composure and was taking out his textbook from the desk drawer, Kim Dojun suddenly extended his hand.

“What?”

“Change.”

“There isn’t any?”

“I didn’t expect you to hand it over voluntarily, but you’re really going to pocket it all. Whatever you do, it’s beyond imagination.”

When he made a serious face at the absurd demand, Kim Dojun smiled fishily. Jaewon felt the absurdity residing in his left brain packing its bags and demanded in a shrill voice.

“The bread cost 1,200 won, minus 8,800 won for service fee, what’s left?”

“Service fee? Who decided on a service fee?”

“What? So you give quests without rewards? What a fucking exploitative bastard?”

“Someone who failed the quest is talking about exploitation while wanting rewards. Plus you want 8,800 won for the effort of buying 1,200 won bread? Creative economy[5]?”

Jaewon flinched at the unfamiliar term. It wasn’t terminology commonly heard in the era of flip phones. Surely it didn’t mean the economic policy promoted by the shamanism-based 6th government… it must be the concept founded by business strategist John Hawkins. Having expertise in math, his economic knowledge seemed exceptionally deep too.

“For such high-quality labor as mine, that’s a bargain, and you don’t even appreciate it!”

Jaewon banged the desk and scolded solemnly. As the bizarre scene of two peddlers fighting in the marketplace unfolded, students held their breath watching them. The sound of snack crunching came from various corners of the classroom.

“Hahaha…”

Kim Dojun suddenly burst into laughter. At the sight of him laughing defenselessly like a seven-year-old boy, Jaewon stared at him in a daze. The sight of that face, which looked like it wouldn’t bleed if stabbed, softly crumbling gave him an unfamiliar feeling. Jaewon twisted his body at the itchy sensation on his back.

“Bae Jaewon. Do you know what you don’t have?”

“Besides money, not particularly…”

After laughing for a while, Kim Dojun propped his chin and asked affectionately. Though it seemed like nonsense out of nowhere, Jaewon answered unconsciously. The sight of those cool eyes curved like crescent moons with mirth made his mind dizzy. He even felt bewitched by some mysterious phenomenon.

“The answer. You have no answer.”

But the strange moment was brief, as Kim Dojun completely changed his expression as if nothing had happened. The warm atmosphere turned cold as if doused with water. Jaewon suddenly recalled the idiom ‘seven-year-old I want to kill.’

“Jaewon. Your labor cost is 10 won.”

“What?”

“You’re worth 10 won.”

He spoke matter-of-factly as if telling Jaewon something only he didn’t know. Jaewon was greatly shocked. Since reaching working age, his value had always far exceeded minimum wage. This was partly thanks to frequenting the labor office like his own living room, but because he fully utilized his excellent intelligence. Therefore, Kim Dojun’s valuation was truly absurd.

“Wh-who decided on 10 won?”

“I did.”

“!!”

At his stammering, Kim Dojun replied as if asking why he’d question something so obvious. Rather, his expression of disbelief and scoffing put the final punctuation. It was dictatorial logic that his word was law, but looking at Kim Dojun, it was undeniable. A superior physique as if a different species, a face that promoted reproduction, eyes that dominated other males… He was an apex predator incarnate.

‘With a face as logic, I have no confidence in winning.’

Jaewon’s mental state and common sense burst in sequence. The pride of a super worker ant who’d never failed in capitalist society crumbled weakly before the handsome dictator.

“And you need to pay back 100,000 won with your 10-won body.”

“What? Are you crazy? Why should I?”

“Thanks to someone, I got reported for cigarette butts I never threw away, had my face exposed, got disciplined, paid fines. It was a wonderful experience.”

“Ah… f-fines.”

Caught off guard, Jaewon stammered speechlessly. When making public interest reports, he’d only been obsessed with the reward money he’d receive, never thinking about the fines the reported would pay. It wasn’t his business. But now that he might have to pay that money, Jaewon became polite.

“No, teacher. Why are you charging me for something you should claim from the government…”

“Let’s do our own work ourselves, all by ourselves. Independent children~”

Kim Dojun, who had been quietly watching Jaewon struggle, sang. Staring straight into his eyes while humming expressionlessly, he sent chills down his spine.

‘This guy is real.’

Pros recognize pros. Sensing extraordinary crazy energy from him, Jaewon changed his mind.

“Damn it, fine, I’ll pay it back. There, happy?”

A mere 100,000 won, he could just report other smoking youths and recycle the money. Jaewon boldly took money from his wallet, slammed it on the desk, and glared at Kim Dojun triumphantly. Dojun calmly looked down at the fluttering ten thousand won bills on the desk before speaking.

“The early repayment application date has passed, customer.”

“What?”

“If you’re going to calculate, do it properly. With labor worth 10 won. If you slam down cash in a lump sum, the total repayment amount would be 120 million won.”

“What?”

Jaewon’s eyes bulged as if they’d pop out at the words recited bureaucratically like a bank teller. He screamed, but Kim Dojun didn’t even blink. Adding insult to injury, he even waved both hands lazily like a parking attendant obligatorily confessing love to customers.

“What kind of thing is this? What country’s calculation method is this?”

“It’s transparent accounting reflecting 200% early repayment fee on the amount calculated by applying standard rates to domestic minimum wage.”

“Hey, are you really a high school student?”

Even Myeongdong loan sharks wouldn’t be this vicious. His fighting spirit broken by the hellish calculation, Jaewon’s voice trembled. Being told to pay back money he’d never even touched in his life, even if it was in a book, made him want to cry.

“If you don’t like it, pay it back another way.”

Kim Dojun suddenly reached out and grabbed Jaewon’s collar. Before he could resist, his upper body was yanked forward, and the chair scraped loudly against the floor. While he was dazed by the wafting fabric softener scent, a large hand firmly grabbed his waist.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how different high-quality labor is.”

The low laughing sound buzzed in his ears. Jaewon, who had been blinking blankly, gradually came to his senses at the hand groping his waist. The large, firm hand secretly felt along his ribs and abdomen as if measuring something. Goosebumps instantly rose.

“L-let go of this!”

When the startled Jaewon flailed, Kim Dojun released him as if throwing him away.

“J-just buy you bread and that’s it, you yeast-like bastard. Don’t touch my body.”

“Good sensitivity. Is your whole body an erogenous zone?”

When Jaewon huffed with a red face, Kim Dojun asked mockingly. It was a statement worthy of being reported for sexual harassment. But the expression with one corner of his mouth raised was so sexy he couldn’t. When an Esquire cover actor makes dirty jokes, it’s talent donation, not reportable.

“Look at that red face. I could eat you right up.”

“Ugh…”

He tapped Jaewon’s chin up with his index finger. At the thug-like touch, Jaewon was helplessly defeated. The grinning face spun dizzily before his eyes. Fear, sweetness, sensuality, humiliation, shame, interest… Raw emotions poured onto his face. Throwing changeups without pause, he made his mind hazy. Above all, his un-high-school-like skillfulness left Jaewon incapacitated.

“I’ll pay it back through labor, so stop…”

“You should have come out like that from the start.”

When the desired answer came out, Kim Dojun smiled satisfactorily. He nodded with a magnanimous expression and patted Jaewon’s cheek.

“Let’s get along well, slave.”

They say the difference between thugs and mafia is the face, and Kim Dojun, who engaged in gangster behavior, was cool in every action. The moment their eyes met his pitch-black gleaming pupils, he felt like being sucked into a black hole. Jaewon shuddered and moved his chair as far from him as possible.

‘What’s happening to my body?’

Collapsed on his desk, Jaewon groaned and questioned himself. His lower abdomen was hot and tingling. Not knowing what to do with sensations quite different from a stomach ache.

Jaewon wasn’t accustomed to skinship beyond retaliatory violence. This was due to his own values that dating before marriageable age wasn’t profitable. Though he had many suitors thanks to his decent shell, he had zero romance experience. And he was quite vulnerable to situations he had no experience with.

The moment those solid-jointed hands had traced his body came back as phantom touches on his skin. It was like the hands of a slave trader touching merchandise. Jaewon felt self-loathing. Though he couldn’t define the sensations dominating his whole body, it wasn’t a feeling someone about to be sold to a deep-sea fishing boat should have.

He must be cursed. Like a pharaoh cursing grave robbers, he’d been cursed for putting his face against King Sejong’s royal visage. As he wondered if he should perform an exorcism and raised his head—

“…Huh.”

A sculptural face filled his vision and Jaewon swallowed his breath. Kim Dojun was lying on the desk in the same position, eating bread. His eyes staring intently at Jaewon were persistently black like a cat looking at a toy.

“Ah, what now.”

“I’m doing fan service.”

“What?”

“So you can see my face a lot.”

Despite the irritation, he pressed on without blinking. Jaewon wanted to go back to the past and sew his mouth shut. Eating bread heartily with that glossy face, he was surprisingly hateful.

“Didn’t you say you don’t like that bread?”

“I don’t like it.”

“Then why are you gobb… why are you eating it.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t eat it.”

“Are you going to keep talking back to your hyung?”

Jaewon threw tantrums when losing arguments due to missing links. It was like an old man overturning the game board when at a disadvantage. But Dojun didn’t care and continued his eating show. Lying with one cheek pressed against the desk while munching, he added.

“If you’re picky, you won’t grow tall.”

His laughing eyes became languid. Having lived with above-average height, Jaewon was indifferent to height, but being told this by someone a whole head taller was annoying.

“I’m fine not growing any taller.”

“Sure. Living cute is good too.”

“Why do you keep looking? Can’t take your eyes off my face?”

“You look interesting.”

Dojun said while quietly examining the bickering Jaewon. It was a statement open to various interpretations, but he seemed to just say what he saw, with no other meaning. Though Jaewon was usually as confident in his face as his grades, at this moment he felt like a particularly unattractive monkey. While trapped in unfamiliar feelings, Dojun spoke again.

“Looking like that, you hate me.”

It was a statement thrown carelessly into empty space. Jaewon unconsciously turned his head. Their gazes tangled as they stared at each other. Nothing could be read from his calm face, empty to the point of hollowness.

It was a quiet time. Beyond the window, occasional bird chirps pleasantly mixed with the teacher’s lecturing voice, and the still chilly early spring breeze rustled sleeve edges. The pupils that had been only dark sparkled in various colors as they caught the sunlight. Unknown things were mixed within them. As if he should, Jaewon buried his gaze between the pages.

When the fourth period ended and lunch time came. When he looked up again, Kim Dojun had disappeared. Jaewon stared at the empty desk for a while before getting up. After wandering around the quieted classroom, he approached Ma Chayoon.

“Hey, Matcha. About Kim Dojun.”

“If you’re curious about something, ask him yourself.”

“Why would I when I have you?”

“Hyung, you’re his man.”

Jaewon grabbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. He couldn’t die yet. He gritted his teeth and said.

“Youu… embarrrrass meee… Please help with honorificsss.”

“Well, that’s how new brides are. What are you curious about?”

But when Chayoon actually made room for him, he hesitated. Questions clearly floated through his mind like clouds, but they wouldn’t form into sentences. After stalling for a while, Jaewon finally asked randomly.

“Is he good at math?”

“Math for Kim Dojun… He’s beyond just being good. Every year he sweeps awards from various competitions and Olympiads. He’s been famous as a math genius since he was young. Last vacation there was even a rumor he went to Las Vegas and won $200,000 playing blackjack at the casino.”

“Dang. No wonder his calculation methods smelled like a card sharp.”

Even his abilities being unrealistic was terribly attractive. Men good at math were always sexier than those good at home economics. Jaewon felt satisfaction, defeat, and love-hate while noting the newly acquired information.

“Let’s just go eat.”

Jaewon said, snapping his notebook shut. But Chayoon, who was packing his carrier, didn’t even glance at him.

“From today, you’d better find another lunch mate.”

“What are you suddenly saying? Don’t do this.”

“Hyung, you know better than anyone that you’re not worth eating with.”

“Who else would take in someone like me besides you?”

“Ah shit, damn… That’s so fucking true.”

Ma Chayoon roughly yanked the carrier handle. Standing with hands on his hips, silently looking down at the ground, he seemed genuinely conflicted. Just as Jaewon smiled deviously, a loud shout came from outside.

“It’s BDSM!”

The two looked out the window almost simultaneously. For some reason, students were swarming on the playground, and four male students were passing through that crowd. At the sight reminiscent of a popular idol group, Jaewon looked at Ma Chayoon.

“Looks like Kim Seungbin got discharged after being hospitalized with a concussion. Really, what kind of gutsy bastard… Ah, no. Anyway, since he cracked Kim Seungbin’s skull, he must be tough.”

“Who are they that it’s such a fuss?”

“This school’s Four Heavenly Kings. Those four. In order: Kang Yuchan, Kim Dojun, Kim Seungbin, Park Gyujin.”

Jaewon’s lazily blinking eyes snapped open. The Four Heavenly Kings! The stocks he’d been searching for had finally gathered in one place! Unable to hide his excitement and anticipation, Jaewon exhaled through his nose with sparkling eyes. Seeing Jaewon’s sudden interest, Ma Chayoon launched into a full explanation.

“You could say they’re our school’s poster boys. Studies, fighting, whatever. Plus outstanding looks and solid wealth… They lack nothing. Ah, Park Gyujin is a bit ambiguous except for his face, but since Kim Seungbin is so cheap and popular with girls, they just include him. Anyway, those four are collectively called BDSM.”

“B… what?”

When he asked again, doubting his ears, Ma Chayoon thought he’d spoken too fast and repeated slowly and clearly.

“Bad Dynamite Sexy Monsters.”

‘Jesus…’

Jaewon regretted asking for an explanation. Reality always surpassed fiction. Though he’d prided himself on reading plenty of internet novels, Jaewon realized he was still unripe grain. He humbly adjusted his mindset and ordered Ma Chayoon to guide him to the cafeteria. But Ma Chayoon refused with a serious face.

“I have other people I eat with, you know? Do you know how disappointed the members were when I skipped yesterday to take care of hyung?”

“That group that hates cafeteria food or something? Why does such a group even exist? Anyone alive would hate that taste.”

“Even dead people would be pissed enough to open their coffins and come out. And it’s not hate, it’s loathing. Be careful with expressions, like how opposition and ruling parties are different.”

“You think opposition and ruling parties are different? Poor, innocent youth.”

“That’s why I play with hyung, I guess.”

“Hey, you can’t just suddenly say the truth like that.”

“Anyway, I have to go now. I’m late. The members will be waiting.”

“So you’re telling me to go eat cafeteria food alone? How heartless. Don’t you have any sympathy?”

“You think anyone can receive sympathy? You think terminal miracles just happen? Nothing in this world is achieved without blood, sweat, and tears.”

“That’s true.”

Jaewon, who completely agreed with Ma Chayoon’s last words, reflected on his complacency. He changed his attitude and decided to professionally evoke sympathy. First, he decided to use his knees, the cheapest of his body parts.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. What are you doing? Can’t you get up quickly? Like a human who’d kneel even at a breeze on leaves.”

“I don’t have the courage to check the menu alone. I’d like you to be by my side.”

“……”

“I’m not asking you to be with me forever. I won’t ask for much. Just until I can stand alone, just until then. Please.”

When he spoke earnestly with clasped hands, Ma Chayoon’s eyes wavered. Not missing that moment, Jaewon made dramatic gestures, and Ma Chayoon seemed to struggle before letting out a heavy sigh.

“Fine. Just until hyung adapts to this school. No more than that.”

“Of course. Thank you so much.”

“Damn. The Jonse Foundation is the root of all evil. How long will they create innocent victims…”

Ma Chayoon muttered resignedly and led the way, dragging his carrier. Jaewon got up, dusted himself off, and followed with a grin. While passing through hallways and going down stairs, he asked Ma Chayoon whatever came to mind.

“By any chance, are there any handsome guys in your anti-cafeteria group?”

“Huh, isn’t Kim Dojun enough? This is going to be trouble.”

“What are you talking about? Have you ever seen a farmer plant just one flower in an orchard? You must not know because you’re still young, but it’s good to fill your surroundings with beautiful people while you’re even one year younger. Life’s too short even if you only see good things.”

Jaewon advised with the heart of making chicken soup for the soul. Ma Chayoon, who had been listening blankly with his mouth open, suddenly came to his senses and glared.

“Damn, why are you putting so much effort into such nonsense?”

“So are there handsome guys or not?”

“The kids are all decent… but honestly, there’s no one more handsome than me.”

‘So there’s no future.’

Looking at Ma Chayoon acting pompous while running his hand through his hair, Jaewon made a cold judgment. He decided to boldly abandon the hopeless market and focus on the sure thing.

“Do B… I mean, do the Four Heavenly Kings eat cafeteria food too?”

“It seems absolutely unlikely, but surprisingly they eat diligently. Oh, there they are.”

Where Ma Chayoon pointed as they entered the cafeteria, four male students were standing. Jaewon suddenly felt his vision brighten and opened his eyes wide. Uniquely tall and handsome, their style was distinctly different from others. If the surrounding students were Jackson Pollock’s abstract paintings, the four were Alphonse Mucha’s masterpieces.

Jaewon took out his notebook and pen as if entranced. The time had come to seriously build his portfolio. Montages were the basics of profiling. Though Jaewon had no great talent for art, his eye was sharp. Carefully observing the Four Heavenly Kings, he soon moved his pen.

ㅡㅡ^

-_-

^-^

_

Economic description and characteristic portrayal were among his specialties. Jaewon scrawled the montage under Kim Dojun’s name in the first person column and moved on to the next.

“The one with bandages on his head next to Kim Dojun is Kim Seungbin. He’s quiet, taciturn, and his specialty is silence. He’s in charge of being chic in BDSM. Everything seems bothersome to him, but his indifferent expression that’s not quite like that is his signature face. He’s a veiled figure with almost nothing known about him… Only rumors abound that he’s the real power holder at Jonse High.”

Static yet provocative impression and a muscular, tension-filled body line that transformed the uniform into neo-casual. It was the handsome guy from this morning. Jaewon admired his own insight for recognizing a promising talent early and examined him closely. His eyes, drawn as if by an artist’s single stroke, were so hard to tell from afar whether they were open or closed.

‘Squinty eyes… The strongest one.’

Jaewon was certain. Next to his portrait, he wrote ‘Twice as strong when eyes open. Protagonist candidate. Even if not, rival for the protagonist’s love. Mysterious figure with many secrets but transparently blue in front of destined love.’

“The one laughing like he’s missing a screw next to Kim Seungbin is Park Gyujin. His nickname is Smile Angel, and he’s the only one in charge of kindness among the four. He’s sweet and kind to everyone, especially entrusting his liver and gallbladder to girls. So in early first year, he was cursed for playing the field, but everyone soon realized it wasn’t on such a small scale. Now they call him Gyujin and the Sea.”

Jaewon shifted his gaze following Ma Chayoon’s guidance. Park Gyujin. Pretty enough to be mistaken for a girl at first glance, he was constantly smiling as if something was endlessly amusing. His pale skin, grinning mouth, and overall soft impression contrasted with Kim Seungbin. Looking at the two like white and black stones on a go board, Jaewon added notes.

Full of romantic complications but a typical all-show-no-substance playboy type. Only meets his true match in a side story after the protagonist’s love succeeds. The type to hold the protagonist back when they’re pissed. Urgent need for recruitment.

Caution: Risk of evolving into a meddling sister-in-law.

“Lastly, the one in gym clothes is Kang Yuchan. As you can see, he’s in charge of cute… His face looks like it needs baby lotion, so being a sports specialty student is unexpected. Despite looking so fresh, he’s foul-mouthed and full of weirdness, so be careful. They say he’s terrifyingly scary when angry, but no one has witnessed it yet. Since he’s so playful, the established theory is that it’s impossible to make him angry. I feel like hyung will accomplish that difficult task again, so be extra careful.”

The male student whistling with his gym jersey hanging to his chin indeed had a rough posture from the start. Despite his particularly youthful impression, his whole body was lanky and firm. Jaewon narrowed his eyes, watching Kang Yuchan intently before carefully moving his hand.

Looks carefree and bright but probably has family troubles. High probability of issues especially related to an older sister. Cute and playful but a real man in love. Currently baby-faced but high potential to explode when baby fat disappears.

Having finished profiling, Jaewon wore a contemplative expression as if lost in thought. Tapping his notebook with his pen tip, he suddenly asked as if just remembering.

“What does Kim Dojun handle in the group?”

“Well, sexy charisma, of course.”

Realizing he’d been careless, Jaewon changed the subject.

“They eat cafeteria food too?”

“Yes. Kim Seungbin and Park Gyujin occasionally escape, but I heard Kim Dojun generally eats anything without being picky. Really, how did he learn so many things so well…”

Ma Chayoon praising him to death every time Kim Dojun came up somehow felt off. While it was natural to have reverence for higher-ranking individuals, this felt different. Jaewon felt uneasy but let it slide for now.

“What about the last one?”

“Kang Yuchan? He eats at least three servings.”

“What an incredible guy.”

“Amazing, right? The art club president was so inspired watching Kang Yuchan eat that they turned it into an artwork. The title is ‘Portrait of a Great Human,’ and it’s displayed somewhere in the school.”

An artist’s muse—perfect material for someone walking the tightrope between love and friendship. While Jaewon gazed at Kang Yuchan with the eyes of a corrupt official, Ma Chayoon, who had been heading to the serving area, stopped in front of the menu board. His complexion instantly turned ashen as he muttered miserably.

“Like a nation obsessed with carbohydrates…”

Ma Chayoon hurriedly disappeared, saying he’d go sit down first. Jaewon received his serving of mixed grain rice, japchae, fried dumplings, kimchi, and knife-cut noodles, lost his soul momentarily, then barely pulled himself together and moved. When he sat across from Ma Chayoon, the surrounding students flinched and one by one stood up with their trays. A table emptied in the blink of an eye, and Jaewon, who had been searching for ingredients other than glass noodles in the dumpling filling, asked uneasily.

“Why do I feel like Gregor Samsa? Am I being too sensitive?”

“At least you don’t look like a cockroach yet, so relax. Everyone must have felt burdened sitting with hyung.”

“Oh dear. Is it because I changed my lotion?”

Jaewon touched his cheek with a troubled expression.

“Living with this face, I’m starting to understand why angels in the Bible say ‘Fear not’ when appearing before humans.”

“Don’t say things that would get you slapped even by Buddha. You’re Kim Dojun’s man, so who would want to sit with you and get misunderstood?”

“What? What misunderstanding? Do they think just anyone can have a scandal with me!”

“Damn it, won’t you lower your voice? Have some shame as a human!”

When the enraged Jaewon raised his voice and pointed at the air with veins bulging in his neck, Ma Chayoon grabbed him in alarm. Just as the surroundings became noisy, someone slammed a tray down next to Jaewon.

“I wondered who was staring at me so intensely, turns out it was sister-in-law?”

The cheerful voice was unfamiliar to his ears. Jaewon turned his head with a puzzled expression. Next to him had appeared a male student who looked cute and fresh like an idol.

“No wonder the back of your head looked so sexy I almost gave you a headshot.”

The cheerfully smiling face was full of killing intent. Kang Yuchan sat sprawled in his chair and draped his arm behind Jaewon’s back. Jaewon’s pupils shook in confusion. He looked like a kids’ channel but his speech and behavior were no-kids-zone.

“Sister-in-law, I enjoyed the Mexican reporting bread you made. Thanks to that, I got cursed out at home and almost froze to death getting kicked out naked in the dead of winter.”

Kang Yuchan leaned forward casually and patted Jaewon’s shoulder. At the threatening gesture, Jaewon calmly closed his eyes. They say you reap what you sow, but even farmers throw away poor crops—he had the freedom not to harvest his karma. While he was thinking of ways to cleverly evade, a loud shout interrupted.

“Oh!”

From where the sound came, a pretty male student had a face like a creditor from ten years ago.

“You bastard, perfect timing. You’re so fucking done. Even if I grind you up and put you in a fermented skate tank alive, it wouldn’t be enough. Stay right there.”

Park Gyujin pointed at Jaewon and hurled vicious curses. His agitation, huffing with excitement, was no less than a bull that had seen a muleta. Jaewon turned to look at Ma Chayoon.

“I thought he was sweet and kind to everyone?”

“I forgot to mention it’s limited to girls.”

Ma Chayoon spoke solemnly as if embarrassed. Before he could criticize him, a tray crashed down next to Jaewon with a THUD! Jaewon frowned hard to prevent the noodle soup from penetrating his eyeballs.

“A student smokes a little and you report them? You piece of trash.”

“Is your father in politics by any chance?”

The logic was so extraordinary it had political potential. Jaewon asked in admiration, but unfortunately Park Gyujin seemed to hear nothing.

“Because of you I got reported and called around everywhere, all my appointments fell through. Gayoung cursed me out so badly and I thought I’d die trying to appease Najeong who got upset, and she still hasn’t replied. Dami-noona even told me not to contact her, what are you going to do about it, you bad bastard!”

Pouring out his resentment like a waterfall, his voice eventually trembled. Jaewon, who had been counting the number of girls appearing in his words, spoke up when no new names emerged.

“Three fell through? Then I’ll introduce you to three new ones.”

“What?”

“What?”

The table stirred at the shocking proposal. Ma Chayoon, who had been eating consommé soup, looked at Jaewon with wide eyes before frowning deeply.

“People aren’t objects—”

“R-really?”

“……”

A voice full of delight cut off Ma Chayoon’s words. Park Gyujin had his mouth hanging open with an expression that couldn’t be more interested, his eyes sparkling. The appearance of a subject coming to beat the complaint drum just seconds ago had completely vanished.

“Not recognizing such a capable person… May I call you hyungnim? No wonder I had a good feeling from the first time I saw you. Please take good care of our Dojun.”

Park Gyujin sat right next to Jaewon with a bright smile. He began chattering while rubbing his palms together.

“I heard your connections are exceptional. Can I ask you if I’m curious about something?”

Jaewon secretly opened his notebook under the table as he spoke. In the middle of the page white as fresh snow, the words ‘Female Lead Candidates’ sat lonely at the top.

“Huh? Haha, how embarrassing. Even so, I only know half our school.”

“Then let’s start light. How many female students are in Class 1-1?”

“19.”

“Excluding the ones with lots of friends.”

“Then 13.”

“Exclude the bullies too.”

“Excluding Pyo Dokseon, Jung Yeonwoo, and Ki Sejin… that’s 10.”

“Among them, how many wear glasses?”

“7.”

‘This guy’s useful.’

Impressed by the quality information, Jaewon added ‘Female-exclusive Siri’ to Park Gyujin’s profile.

“Good. Looks like I’ll have many uses for… I mean, many occasions to look for you. I’m counting on you.”

He patted Gyujin’s head and looked at him with satisfaction. Ma Chayoon stared at Jaewon with questioning eyes before quietly asking.

“You know three girls that Park Gyujin doesn’t? Do you know that many girls, hyung?”

“I’ll get to know them from now on.”

“Isn’t this pure fraud?”

Jaewon mouthed ‘watch your mouth.’ Then made an expression like a head court lady commanding three thousand palace women. Ma Chayoon looked at Kang Yuchan and Park Gyujin with shaking eyes, but they were busy engaged in verbal warfare.

“Sister-in-law looks scholarly but has a surprising twist. Very nice. 3-on-3 is perfect.”

“What? Why 3-on-3? Don’t fucking add your spoon to my solo introduction meeting, you pig.”

“Were you going to hog them all yourself? You greedy fatso. Where’s your loyalty when I hooked you up with Rahee and Maye? Did you give them to your dog?”

“…Did you just insult our Ddoddo?”

“Ah, you context-blind bastard!”

The two buzzed like fireflies corrupted by lust, fiercely opposing each other. Ma Chayoon realized he was the only sane one and resumed eating.

“Seems there are many girls.”

Just then, a tray landed on Park Gyujin’s head with a thud. When Jaewon looked up too, Kim Dojun was looking down. Without taking his eyes off Jaewon, he added.

“Our Jaewon has.”

At the affectionate address, Jaewon’s face scrunched up and Dojun smiled slightly. It was clearly a friendly expression, but it made the viewer’s neck feel cold.

“Unexpected.”

“Hm? Why. Sister-in-law seems like they’d be popular.”

“You saw correctly. I’ve always been on the side where demand exceeds supply.”

When Kang Yuchan made a polite comment, Jaewon readily accepted it.

“See? Is this face of a quality that would lose anywhere?”

“……”

He enthusiastically extolled his own beauty with his palm under his chin. The crowd alternately looked at Jaewon and Dojun standing beside him, then fell silent.

“I’m handsome. I only look inferior next to him due to the relativity squid phenomenon.”

“You sure say you look like a squid in a complicated way.”

Ma Chayoon, unable to listen anymore, chimed in with a solemn expression. Dojun sat down and said to Gyujin in passing.

“If you’re desperate and eat just anything, you’ll get sick.”

“Hm?”

“What if there’s poison in it?”

When Gyujin made a puzzled expression, Dojun gestured toward Jaewon with his chin.

“Did hyungnim poison my food?!”

“Why would I go to such trouble for you?”

“??”

As Park Gyujin jumped up, Jaewon snapped at him like a poison toad. While Gyujin went blank trying to understand the meaning twice, he glared at Kim Dojun with white eyes. Then discovering Kim Seungbin beside him, his face brightened.

‘A face I want to see even while looking at it.’

Jaewon smiled contentedly at Kim Seungbin like a sushi restaurant owner looking at flatfish in a tank. As if that sight bothered him, Kim Dojun raised one eyebrow.

“Why are you smiling like a pervert?”

“Should I cry when looking at a handsome face? How rude. I’m not such an inconsiderate person.”

“Manners? Common sense? Is that something hyung should say?”

As Ma Chayoon shuddered, Jaewon became puzzled. Wasn’t that something he could say? While he was making a confused expression and getting angry, Kim Dojun slowly opened his mouth.

“Jaewon. Should we do an acrostic poem?”

He asked quite warmly with a gentle smile. Puzzled by the random suggestion, Jaewon nodded. It didn’t cost money, so there was no reason not to.

“Start with ‘slave.'”

“Sla.”

“Slave.”

“Ve.”

“Shut up and eat.”

“……”

The acrostic poem ended quickly. Kang Yuchan leaned his head back and asked Kim Seungbin.

“Where did you go?”

“Teachers’ office.”

“You’re getting called around like crazy. Did you find the bastard who cracked your skull?”

When he shook his head silently, Kang Yuchan clicked his tongue as if expecting it.

“Have you seen this guy remember anything besides Park Gyujin’s face? He wouldn’t know even if they were right in front of him. Wasted effort.”

It seemed they’d already gone through one round of screening, as Kim Dojun spoke indifferently while sitting down. Avoiding his eyes, Jaewon wrote ‘Selective face blindness’ in Kim Seungbin’s profile notes. It was a story worthy of making him a protagonist. He liked Kim Seungbin even more.

“The name tag? Didn’t you see the name?”

“I saw it but don’t remember.”

“Ah. Of course, bastard.”

At the bland answer, Kang Yuchan bent his head back in frustration and rubbed the back of his neck. Jaewon, who had been listening carefully to their conversation, lifted the corner of his mouth. It seemed the game of love tag with the girl he’d had a fateful collision with had begun. For something designed urgently on site, it was smooth progress. Proud of himself, Jaewon puffed up his chest and smiled contentedly.

“Wow, look at him smiling at Kim Dojun. Do you like him that much?”

“Dojun must be happy. Being loved.”

But the villains wouldn’t tolerate even a moment of peace. At the pouring jeers, Jaewon lost his millennial appetite and put down his spoon. He anxiously stared at the knife-cut noodles swollen like denominator glass noodles. Having buttoned the first button wrong, he needed to do after-service, but it was fitted in a star shape so he couldn’t figure out how to fix it.

“If you got a sister-in-law, shouldn’t you have introduced her to us first?”

“Right. How could you not say anything? How many group date spots did I create by selling you out, and they’re all gone and I’ve become the boy who cried wolf. Do you know how hard it is to recover once you lose credibility with girls?”

“No. Why would I need to?”

“Ha. You don’t need to, is that it? Fine, act superior while you can. Hard workers beat geniuses, after all.”

Park Gyujin ranted excitedly. Just as Jaewon was about to kindly teach him there was no such law in this world, Kang Yuchan casually asked.

“But do you really like this person?”

At his question with a curious expression, the conversation stopped dead and silence flowed. Everyone’s gaze focused on Jaewon as if by agreement, then a full-scale debate opened.

“Come to think of it, isn’t he too different from your usual style?”

“Tastes can change. Love moves.”

“Even so, I didn’t know a lunatic would be your type.”

“What did he fall for?”

“Maybe he wanted to deviate. People go crazy if they just eat rice all the time.”

“But potassium cyanide?”

“Can I ask why no one’s pointing out that I’m a man?”

Jaewon asked weakly as they delved into exploring his charms, but was cleanly ignored. He desolately picked up a fried dumpling, and Kim Seungbin, who had been leaning back running his tongue along the inside of his cheek, spoke.

“Maybe he’s being blackmailed.”

Jaewon twitched at the biased misinterpretation. Of course he started it first, but no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Kim Dojun self-destructed saying he couldn’t die alone, so they both perished—who was he blaming? But exposing this truth would be like rubbing salt on a crab’s shell. Jaewon shut his mouth to conserve energy.

“Or he’s fixated on something weird again.”

“It’s not like that, so just eat.”

Kim Dojun, who had been eating silently, countered his words. But when Kim Seungbin still stared, he lightly kicked the leg of his chair. Only then did Kim Seungbin look away and exhale sharply through his nose.

“But doesn’t sister-in-law look like someone?”

At the suddenly thrown question, gazes gathered in one place. Park Gyujin, who had been carefully examining Jaewon’s face, looked around and asked again.

“Hm? Right? No one comes to mind?”

The hands busily moving over the trays paused. The surroundings suddenly became quiet and an awkward air crossed the table. Just as Jaewon sensed something strange, Kang Yuchan broke the silence.

“What’s this meat… I mean, friend’s name?”

When he suddenly spoke, Ma Chayoon looked up from cutting his T-bone steak.

“Ma Chayoon. Currently serving as vice class president of Year 2 Class 3, helping the transfer student adapt to his new school. We were in adjacent classes in first year, so it’s regrettable you don’t know me.”

“Our friend doesn’t eat cafeteria food but brings lunch? You must be loved at home.”

“I won’t deny that since it’s true, but I think those who eat cafeteria food have safety insensitivity. Of course, it could be seen as the bold spirit of Koreans born in a ceasefire country living only for today…”

“The side dish lineup is no joke. Your mother must be skilled.”

“It’s the housekeeper’s skill, but could you stop being interested in my lunch? Your gaze is very unpleasant.”

“But isn’t the amount too much? Looks like you desperately need someone’s help?”

“Put away those dirty chopsticks. If you come any closer, I’ll report you.”

“Overeating is bad for your health, friend. I’ll be your health guardian.”

“Aaah! Aaaah!”

As something long and thick mercilessly pierced the red flesh, Ma Chayoon screamed and writhed. He shuddered and had a fit, but Kang Yuchan continued displaying dazzling techniques. Watching the scene with familiar eyes, Gyujin stuck out his lower lip and grumbled.

“A bastard who’d steal his nephew’s crayons… Anyway, doesn’t he look like someone?”

“Not really.”

“Ah, he does. Hyungnim, haven’t you heard you look like someone?”

When the surrounding reactions weren’t great, Gyujin turned the arrow of questions to Jaewon. After pondering, Jaewon recalled the person he thought he resembled most.

“Jung Woo-sung?”

“Are you crazy?”

Seeing the majority didn’t quite agree, Jaewon thought it must have been Kang Dong-won after all. Just as he was about to suggest another answer, his phone vibrated. Jaewon squinted at the flip phone’s external screen then quickly answered.

“Yes. This is Bae Jaewon.”

• Hello. I’m calling after seeing your tutoring ad…

“Yes, yes. Ma’am. Yes.”

Jaewon immediately stood up and politely adjusted his grip on the phone with both hands. He bowed elastically while pushing his chair under the table with his foot. Glancing at his watch, it was time for parents who’d finished their morning schedules to catch their breath over tea. The fish were starting to bite the bait. Jaewon’s eyes flashed sharply.

• Is now a good time to talk? Ah, is it still lunch time?

“No, I just finished eating. Please speak comfortably. Yes, yes.”

Jaewon wedged the phone between his ear and shoulder and lifted his tray with his freed hands. Just as he was about to quickly leave, someone grabbed his tray.

“Where are you going, slave?”

“I’m trying to do some side work. I’ll work shortened hours today.”

“Look at this attendance. Trash.”

“Of course. Look who my master is.”

Jaewon smiled and pulled the tray, but it wouldn’t budge. While wrestling with Kim Dojun’s superhuman strength, another hand joined in grabbing the tray.

“Where are you trying to go?”

“Don’t do this. Let go.”

“Are you leaving me now? Dropping me into this ghoul’s clutches?”

“Look at that rhyme. The future of Korean hip hop is here.”

As Ma Chayoon spoke without breathing, Kang Yuchan, who had been skewering grilled asparagus, zucchini, potatoes, and button mushrooms in a line, sent praise. Jaewon coldly looked down at the desperately clinging Ma Chayoon before speaking.

“Save yourself, as a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, as a bird from the snare of the fowler.”

“You fucking bastard!”

When he spoke solemnly like a Puritan believer, Ma Chayoon lost his reason and went wild. Jaewon let go of the tray like cutting off a lizard’s tail and bolted.

• What? What did you say?

“Proverbs 6:5, my favorite verse. It’s something I always make sure to tell my students. Fate is what you’re born with, but life is what you make of it.”

• Ah…

The confused caller seemed moved by Jaewon’s words. He continued consulting diligently while fleeing.

“That’s how important the student’s own will is for learning. That’s why we conduct a learning aptitude test before student enrollment. The test takes thirty minutes and results are given the same day at the earliest, the next day at the latest. If the student’s academic ability is deemed suitable, we proceed to salary negotiations. Since detailed consultation is more accurate in person than over the phone, I’ll visit and discuss. When would be convenient for a visit?”

• Oh… can you come today?

“Of course.”

At the entranced question, Jaewon smiled gently and took out his notebook and pen. After writing down the visit date, time, location, and student’s name, he hung up. But before he could close the notebook, calls and texts poured in continuously, forcing him back into phone consultation bliss.

“Yes, Ma’am. Yes. That’s right. Please go ahead. Ah, you can’t hear because it’s noisy around me? I’ll move locations right away.”

“That’s right. Education is truly the greatest legacy parents can give their children. How admirable.”

“Yes, then I’ll see you later.”

Inquiries continued well past lunch time. When the afternoon filled with consultation appointments, Jaewon decided to leave early. As they say, even scenic Geumgang Mountain is best viewed after eating—finding the protagonist was important, but securing means of livelihood came first. He immediately went to the administrative office to get his transcript, then escaped outside school. At a nearby large bookstore, he bought several popular workbooks, went to a PC café, and created test papers, curriculum guides, and lesson plans. Though it was time-consuming work, he could complete it quickly by recalling memories from reality. Of course, it was simplified compared to the original accumulated from years of know-how, but it was usable in a pinch.

“Hmm…”

Jaewon, who had been organizing visit addresses and planning optimal routes, stopped and sank deeply into his chair.

‘It feels like looking at a banquet table with lots set out but nothing to actually eat.’

With his years of brilliant tutoring experience, he had the ability to guess student types just from talking to parents. Like how master anglers can sense a trophy catch just from the fishing float’s movement, he could distinguish the promising ones.

There were two ideal types of tutoring students: those full of will but wandering without know-how, and wealthy brats. The former were gems who developed greatly in a short time just by teaching problem-solving techniques, rewarding cases to teach. However, being rare, they weren’t easy to meet, and since exams were heavily influenced by luck stats, there were many variables before achieving good results. That’s why Jaewon came to prefer rich family brats.

For this type, parents’ requirements were surprisingly modest—most didn’t even expect grade improvement and were satisfied just keeping them chained to their desks. With no pressure about grades and tuition payments deposited punctually into his account, it was better than royal jelly. Jaewon just had to grill the student during tutoring hours.

But the places that had contacted him so far didn’t give him the right feeling. Though he wasn’t in a position to be picky between cold and hot rice, Jaewon wanted stone pot rice if possible. Lost in contemplation, he didn’t even notice a call coming until the elementary student next to him told him, and he barely answered.

“Ah, so fucking loud. What are you doing not answering? Are you deaf from old age?”

“No way. I can hear better than when you were in your father’s testicles. Yes. This is Bae Jaewon.”

• You’re the student who posted the tutoring ad, right?

An elderly woman’s voice flowed from the receiver. Jaewon, who had answered without much expectation, shot up from his half-reclined position.

“Yes. That’s right.”

• I laughed for quite a while reading your ad. You write so entertainingly. I enjoyed it thanks to you. I called because I was charmed by the student’s writing skills.

“Haha. Not at all. Thank you for viewing it favorably.”

• My grandson used to enjoy studying, but lately he seems to have strangely lost interest and I’m worried. I don’t want to make him do what everyone else does, and I think studying with you could be fun. How about it, would you like to try teaching my grandson?

The tone was gentle but exuded dignity. Jaewon felt his radar reacting strongly but hesitated to answer. It lacked the decisive punch to turn on the green light.

• I’ll take care of the pay generously, so don’t worry.

‘Bingo baby.’

Jaewon internally cheered and clenched his fist. The three major elements for entrance exam success were the student’s stamina, parents’ information power, and grandparents’ economic power—this was a goldmine case with the addition of the student’s indifference. Jaewon buzzed excitedly like a bee discovering a secret garden.

“It’s an honor, Elder. Since it’s not proper to continue discussing over the phone, I’ll visit right away to pay my respects. Could you tell me your home address and available visiting hours?”

• Alright. Oh, though we did the interview casually like this, you need to come with proper documents. I might not care, but my daughter-in-law doesn’t let even a speck of dust slide.

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The student’s mother was indeed a woman with extraordinary charisma. Receiving guests while sitting on a throne-like sofa in a reception room the size of a playground, she reminded him of a white lion. Jaewon was shocked first by her tremendous beauty, then again by her emperor-like aura. She scanned the documents with sharp eyes, occasionally throwing basic but penetrating questions at Jaewon. The final interview concluded with her paying the tutoring fee in advance.

The promised salary was three million won per month. It was an exceptional amount considering his time and experience, but Jaewon was indifferent. To him, money in this world was no different from game currency, travel expenses to return to the lottery ticket left in reality.

‘Wait for me, my lotto. I’ll return soon.’

“I put the deposit under Ban Hwi-hyeol, so check later…”

“What?”

At his bewildered response, she raised her eyes and stared silently. As a cold silence settled, Jaewon realized his mistake and withdrew the question.

“Um… oh… ah, yes. Understood. Thank you.”

“The housekeeper will guide you to the room, so follow her.”

“Yes.”

He moved briskly following the employee waiting beside him. As Jaewon climbed the stairs, she added from behind.

“I expect you to deliver what you’re paid for.”

“?”

When he stood there blankly, unable to grasp her meaning, she waved the flyer Jaewon had made. Only then did Jaewon understand and bowed repeatedly.

“Of course. I’ll do my best with what you’ve entrusted to me.”

‘They say unlucky people don’t even get bear gallbladder when they catch bears.’

While some people reincarnate as the youngest son of a chaebol family when entering books, this was just experiencing life on site. Feeling deep skepticism about his situation, Jaewon walked down the hallway, his dead-fish eyes glancing at the artworks placed throughout. The employee who had been walking ahead stopped in front of a door.

“You can enter this room. Refreshments will be prepared soon. What would you like to drink?”

“Bring me tea. A cup of Queen Mary… with thinly sliced orange floating in it.”

Jaewon left his melancholy words and entered the room. The room, large enough to play tennis in, truly had everything. From a large TV occupying an entire wall to a 5-channel speaker system, a perfect home theater environment was established, and console game machines were displayed by type in the storage cabinet below. Additionally, the latest computer, DVDs filling the bookshelf, model toys densely displayed in the showcase. Jaewon couldn’t close his mouth for a while at the sight that perfectly recreated a teenager’s Neverland.

‘In this environment, even Pythagoras would fold triangles with paper.’

While standing troubled in the middle of the room, he heard a voice from behind.

“I said I don’t need to because I’m a genius… Geniuses don’t study. I know you’re planning to tie me up here and go see old man Kim.”

The unfamiliar voice was deeply submerged as if just woken from sleep. The defenselessly cracking voice with each syllable created a strange sensuality. When Jaewon turned around as if entranced, a model-like slender figure was walking from far away.

“I keep saying I don’t like old man Kim. He’s absolutely not happening even if dirt enters my eyes, so come home early.”

The boy who finished his firm notification in a toneless voice hung up the phone. He stared down at the closed folder for a moment, then ruffled his hair with an annoyed expression. While Jaewon was captivated by the boy’s physique presenting a new paradigm of human proportions, he lifted his head. The moment their eyes met—those light brown pupils glowing translucently like containing sunlight—Jaewon unconsciously screamed.

“Oh!”

A face endlessly radiating beautiful light that could cause a white night phenomenon nationwide, a body that passersby might mistake for a stolen statue and report if he stood still without speaking. It was the beautiful boy he’d seen while putting up tutoring flyers.

“Hey, we meet again like this. You rascal, you said you’d contact me but went through grandmother. Good job.”

Overjoyed, Jaewon rushed over in one bound and embraced him. Meeting a blue chip at a tutoring job he’d gotten to make ends meet—there was no windfall like this. It was like going to a restaurant part-time job and meeting Warren Buffett who came for lunch.

“…I thought I’d finally gone crazy.”

At the incomprehensible words, Jaewon looked up. For some reason, the boy was wearing a self-deprecating smile. Jaewon narrowed his eyes at the not unfamiliar sight. There were quite a few students who contacted him enchanted by the ad but then regretted their choice and backed away when the lesson day came. The boy was probably like that too.

‘Not a chance. I absolutely won’t let go.’

“Right, this moment is exactly when you go crazy for studying. Choosing me was the best decision of your life. Now, instead of standing here, shall we go sit?”

Jaewon clung to the boy like a sundew and led him to the desk. The contract was already sealed, but if the student changed his mind and threw a tantrum, things would get complicated. He needed to enter mind control before that.

“It wasn’t a dream.”

“Hm? What?”

Jaewon, who missed the words while pulling out a chair, asked again. Then focus returned to the boy’s blank eyes and he smiled like a charming villain. Captivated by the contradictory beauty, the boy leaned forward and gripped the desk. The hands grasping the edge were delicate as jade, but the tendons standing out on the backs were extraordinary.

“Bang.”

Long fingers flicked his forehead. The boy, standing in a thoroughly delinquent posture, was pointing a finger gun at Jaewon’s head.

“It should explode when I do that.”

The boy muttered with his head tilted askew. There was no order or context to his words, but the energy was too serious to dismiss as mere nonsense. Puzzled by the suspicious behavior, Jaewon soon guessed the cause and furrowed his brow.

‘I haven’t covered drug addicts before.’

Since rich young masters with sound minds were rare, he’d accumulated response manuals through various hardships, but he had no protocol for drug offenders. However, green recognizes green. While contemplating whether to start with marijuana, the employee set down a refreshment tray on the desk.

“Queen Mary with premium Florida oranges floating in it.”

Transparent orange slices thin as pufferfish sashimi floated in the antique teacup. The tense air loosened with the third party’s appearance. The boy who had been glaring at Jaewon as if to devour him withdrew his hand and flopped into the chair. His head still tilted at an angle. Brief silence lingered while the employee placed a cup in front of him and withdrew. When the sound of the door closing came, the boy asked.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-three.”

“You’re a hyung then.”

“I’m a teacher.”

“Hyung.”

“Teacher.”

When Jaewon pressed, the atmosphere became subtle. As if familiar with this situation, he blew his bangs up with a puff. Having been assigned a Pokémon, it was time for training.

Jaewon placed his bag on his lap and opened the zipper. The bag’s interior was full of liquor bottles, cigarette packs, and adult magazines. Specially selected items brought as favorability boost items. Jaewon sighed and pulled out workbooks from among them.

Students could be broadly divided into good ones, bad ones, and weird ones. Good ones would worship you if you just raised their grades, so no special handling was needed. Bad ones came with bravado and rebelliousness as standard features requiring caution, but they’d definitely fall for one of alcohol, cigarettes, or women, so handling wasn’t difficult.

The problem was the weird ones. General training methods didn’t work on those born with different chromosomes. You had to customize carrots and sticks for each individual, which wasn’t ordinarily troublesome for Jaewon who had withered after losing 2 billion.

‘But complaining is for amateurs.’

Jaewon reconstructed his facial muscles and surfaced his alternate personality. A personality formed after catering to parents who wanted someone friendly enough to win children’s favor while firmly maintaining discipline, strict enough to achieve results quickly but not using corporal punishment. He smiled benevolently and neatly arranged the workbooks on the desk.

“These are the workbooks that will be with us from today. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I prepared various types.”

“Aren’t you curious how old I am?”

Jaewon replied gently without looking at the boy.

“One of 0-19 years old.”

“You’re too indifferent to your student.”

“Adults in the new country aren’t curious about minors’ ages. Now, let’s start with the basic test. Open your book.”

“Where do you live?”

“In your heart. Open the book.”

“Your name.”

Jaewon felt today’s kindness quota was depleted and looked up. About to show his true colors with one glare, he swallowed his breath seeing the boy’s face. His faintly trembling eyes desperately wanted something. Before he could question that yearning, Jaewon was captivated again. The face calling for prayer coexisted with both childlike innocence and worn-out prostitute duality. It was like…

‘The face of an angel abandoned in a red-light district.’

“Did your mother perhaps do prenatal education in Ibiza?”

Jaewon asked unconsciously. The boy’s eyes widened slightly, then he shook his head with a faint smile.

“Never mind then.”

Though he said that, Jaewon was torn with conflict. Even at this moment, the lottery’s validity period was approaching, and the boy with nation-toppling beauty was a strong protagonist candidate. Daily bread was important, but anxiety struck that his life might be factored while leisurely teaching calculus. After agonizing, he regained composure only after recalling his home’s empty rice container.

“What’s our friend’s name?”

“What do you think?”

Jaewon asked again, but the boy grinned and evaded answering. The melancholic appearance had disappeared, replaced by a relaxed face.

“I wasn’t asking because I didn’t know, Hwi-hyeol.”

“That’s my dad’s name.”

‘A true-blooded royal who even knows the family tree.’

Jaewon felt his heart racing. With trembling hands, he took out his notebook and added a new profile.

“Then your name is.”

“Guess.”

“Teacher is old and lacks patience… no, creativity. Please tell me before something happens to my person.”

“If you tell me your birthday.”

“What school do you go to?”

“Teacher, you’re type O, right?”

“Is there someone around you who’s clearly nothing special and ordinary but keeps coming to mind, bothering you, completely dominating your thoughts?”

“Do you have an ideal type?”

‘What a fucking annoying brat.’

After a series of collective monologues, just as Jaewon swallowed curses and raised his head, he spoke.

“Haeyul. Ban Haeyul.”

The boy spoke slowly and clearly as if trying to imprint his name. A voice that was slow but not dull, calm but with felt fluctuations, left a strange lingering in his ears.

“Pretty name, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So you can’t forget it.”

Some emotion seeped into the calmly speaking voice. Jaewon, who had been scribbling in his notebook, looked up. The moment their eyes met, he forgot what he was going to say and went blank. He felt like being sucked into irises transparent as glass marbles. Staring at the face carved like marble, Jaewon spoke with a dazed expression.

“But you’re really pretty.”

By the time he realized the thought had jumped out of his mouth, it was already too late. At the unfiltered raw sound, cracks appeared in Haeyul’s composed face, and he made an amused expression.

“Are you hitting on me now?”

“No, that can’t be.”

“You are.”

“What are you saying? I just said what I saw…”

“Ah, it’s up.”

His tone was casual as if talking about someone else’s business. So natural that Jaewon doubted his ears for a moment before hastily raising both hands.

“Calm down. I’m a man.”

“I don’t discriminate between men and women.”

“This is crazy.”

“Why. Because you like it?”

When he faltered after grasping the situation, Haeyul smiled with his eyes and stood up. Just one person standing up, but it felt like being hit by a massive tsunami.

‘A complete brat. Perfect.’

At the large-scale natural disaster-like situation, Jaewon felt a distant thrill. A genius face with a trashy personality—the investment appeal was explosive. Not only was he worthy of the top 5 stocks in the portfolio, but if done well, he could be a one-decision stock guaranteeing a super-speed ending.

“Oh! What’s that?”

“There’s a mole here. Cute.”

“This is very belated, but I like women.”

“I like both.”

“Damn it, do your parents know you go around like this?”

“Your cheeks are like rice cakes. I like rice cakes.”

When communication failed, Jaewon rolled his eyes looking for something that could be a weapon. The guy was a precious investment stock, but he couldn’t turn this novel into “My Ass Says It’s You.” But the desk area was spotlessly clean, and the only usable thing was the liquor bottle in his bag. He took a deep breath and glared.

“Sit down, you bastard. I said you’re pretty, not that I want to have sex with you.”

Beatings were medicine for mad dogs, but in Joseon, commoners who touched even a nobleman’s hair got rolled up in straw mats. Jaewon, a forced non-violence advocate, snapped venomously and Haeyul’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I might be the first to reject you, but if you fall for me, you’ll die.”

With an irritated expression, he pulled out level test papers from his bag and threw them. The thick bundle of papers landed on the desk with a slap.

“Solve all of these by next time. I’ll have you explain your solutions, so don’t cheat.”

“What happens if I don’t?”

When Jaewon threatened, Haeyul asked in a gentle voice. The half-crazed look in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a languid expression as he smiled round and round.

“If you don’t study, I’m the only one who loses, and that can’t happen.”

Silver spoons could do nothing and still be in their parents’ palms. Even if they did absolutely nothing intensely throughout school, when the time came, parents would part the Red Sea like Moses to open a path, but not for Jaewon. Thrown into the cold market economy, performance was his only protection.

“Of course, you can do whatever you want. If you’re confident you can handle the consequences.”

Jaewon blustered like a puffed-up old rooster while quickly packing his things. Since he had no prepared countermeasures, he needed to escape before his bluff was exposed.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Don’t talk to people getting off work.”

“You could stay longer.”

Ignoring Haeyul muttering as if disappointed, he headed straight for the door. Without hesitation, he grabbed and turned the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. After wrestling with the doorknob for a while, Jaewon sensed something strange and narrowed his eyes. His gaze, suspicious of the lock, slowly rose. The door, which looked larger and taller than normal room doors, had six or seven locking devices attached.

‘Suspense?’

As Jaewon doubted his eyes and reconsidered the genre, he sensed someone behind him.

“What. You can’t even open a door.”

Haeyul, who had somehow approached, spoke with laughter in his voice. At the loving gaze as if watching a stupid, fat animal, Jaewon became displeased. Just as he was about to express his displeasure, his vision went dark. Haeyul’s hand had blocked his sight. While dazed by the pleasantly cool temperature of the hand, metallic clicks sounded repeatedly. When the hand covering his eyes was removed and Jaewon opened his eyes again, the door was open.

“I had something to say.”

He spoke as if catching Jaewon who was striding out. Jaewon glanced back and exhaled shortly while crossing his arms.

“I’ll listen as long as it’s not about not doing tutoring. What is it?”

When he spoke as if doing him a favor, Haeyul smiled and bent down. Shadows fell across his vision and slow breathing sounds approached. Every time lukewarm breath brushed his skin, fine hairs rose causing minute spasms. When chills ran through him like having the flu, his neck felt eerie and his body trembled.

“Take care.”

After exhaling the words like a sigh, he stayed like that for a while before slowly withdrawing. Jaewon, who had wasted time disproportionate to a simple farewell, tried to vent as usual but strangely no words came out. Whether he’d been doused with some cosmetic, the terribly sweet scent kept dulling his thoughts. After glaring at Haeyul who leaned against the doorway smiling like a fox while waving lazily, he had no choice but to leave.

Since it was late, Haeyul’s mother provided car service. As the car that had exited the underground parking garage entered the main road, nearby cars slowed down to secure safe distances. While crossing the bridge, the city’s night view spread outside the window. Jaewon gazed blankly at the skyline dyed in twilight.

‘Today’s sun is setting.’

Lost in thought, he opened his notebook. The enigmatic letters on the pages showed his performance so far. Though only five had filled the profile section, they were all blue chips, so it could be considered a great harvest.

‘The portfolio is complete.’

However, Jaewon didn’t let his guard down. Complacency was forbidden in the world of investment. The most basic premise of investing was that returns and risks always accompanied each other, and even portfolios composed of blue chips couldn’t be free from market risk. The capricious and hysterical investment market sometimes deviated from normal trajectories, causing unprecedented situations.

At the current point, the method Jaewon adopted was a mixed strategy combining value investing with diversification, rebalancing, and Nifty Fifty[6]. Nifty Fifty literally meant ‘excellent 50 stocks,’ referring to the 50 blue-chip stocks most preferred by institutional investors in America. Nifty Fifty, which referred to the top 50 stocks of the S&P 500 index composed mainly of large corporations, also meant stable blue chips relatively unaffected by economic conditions.

It was a strategy aligned with diversification, the core of investment risk management. But monitoring 50 people was beyond Jaewon’s capacity. With his realistic capabilities, about five was appropriate. Jaewon decided to first execute a strategy of buying and monitoring 5 large-cap stocks with top market capitalization, then quickly clearing and readjusting the portfolio if any declined.

‘Code name Nifty Five.’

Jaewon’s cold face was dyed with the red light of sunset. He flipped to the last page of his notebook and wrote ‘Plan B.’ Wise investors always prepare alternatives in case of contingencies. Jaewon knew well that no investment strategy could be absolute.

“Where should I take you from here?”

At the driver’s words, Jaewon looked up. A familiar alley entrance was visible outside the window. Jaewon closed his notebook and gathered his bag.

“Parking is difficult in that alley, so you can just drop me off here.”

“Understood.”

The driver who smoothly stopped the car got out and opened the door like a doorman. Jaewon flatly refused the offer to escort him home and turned away. While the safe escort service was satisfactory, for Jaewon who regularly accumulated colorful grudges, location identification could lead to dangerous opportunities for revenge.

After entering his home, Jaewon washed, changed, and set the dinner table. It was a luxurious menu with fried eggs and Vienna sausages added to his usual meal. A special reward he was giving himself for today’s high income.

Warren Buffett, who buys hamburgers for breakfast every morning, chooses a $3.17 one with bacon and cheese biscuit when he makes a lot of money, and a $2.61 one with just sausage when things don’t go well. After encountering the related article, Jaewon introduced the same system to his dining table.

After finishing his satisfying meal, he did the dishes and sat at his desk. With a clause in the tutoring contract to maintain first place grades, he couldn’t neglect academic management, and needed to figure out which curriculum revision this was. After spending hours analyzing textbooks and workbooks, Jaewon leaned back in his chair looking tired. He closed his eyes as if meditating, then took out a utility knife from the drawer. And glared at the wall in front. The wallpaper showed traces of regular knife marks.

‘361 days to go.’

Jaewon added one more mark above them. As he drew a sharp diagonal and cruelly twisted the blade, the calendar hanging beside fluttered.

‘I will definitely escape.’

As his eyes flashed in the darkness, the full moon shone brilliantly above his head.

Protected translation courtesy of Moonflower Verse.