"After having a meal, he dashed back to the dormitory as if running away and looked closely at the room he hadn't examined before. Haru stuck by my side, marveling at the bathroom and terrace together. At Haru's massive-dog-like appearance, Sihyun gently stroked his hair.
Haru, having discovered the terrace hidden behind the curtains, let out a small gasp. My reaction mirrored his.
Come to think of it, it was the same at the cafeteria earlier.
The only two startled souls at the buffet were Haru and me. Unlike Sadaecheonwang, who strolled as if familiar with such places, I silently observed him with a peculiar amount of curiosity. Thinking about it, Haru with the Ban surname seemed oddly mysterious.
Of course, it could've been just a prejudice. But where is Ban a common surname? Moreover, to say that having 'Haru' following Ban is a common occurrence contradicted his ten years of experience in the red-light district. Observing Haru with a subtle mix of emotions, he turned his head as my gaze felt intrusive. His disheveled bangs obstructed his line of sight.
As I quietly observed Haru, the door swung open.
"I feel like I'm going to die from overeating!"
The tranquil and peaceful room suddenly turned chaotic.
Feeling full and drowsy after a meal is normal, but Kang Haewoon, having filled his emptiness, began bouncing around like a lunatic.
"I'm bored~."
"Oh, give me a break, let me be alone for a bit."
"Is Min upset right now?"
"Yeah."
"Kyaah, so powerful!"
"Ha."
Amidst this nonsensical conversation, Hamin let out a sigh. Sihyun, genuinely relieved that Haewoon's focus wasn't on him, gazed sympathetically at the weary-looking Hamin, who was being held onto. Initially, it seemed pitifully unlucky, but seeing how he clung there made him seem somewhat pitiable.
Just as I pondered this, Haewoon's gaze suddenly turned towards Sihyun. Sensing his stare, Sihyun swiftly stood up, grabbed a towel and underwear from the wardrobe, and slipped into the bathroom.
"I'll shower first."
Realizing that Haewoon's attention was redirected to me, I entered the bathroom, ignoring his apparent disappointment. As if to block out that sound, I closed the door, took a quick breath, and turned on the shower. As a habit, I turned the tap excessively towards hot water, and suddenly, a rush of warm water poured from the showerhead attached to the ceiling.
Startled by the water cascading onto my head, I quickly adjusted the temperature in the dormitory showers, unlike home, where one had to wait a while for the desired temperature. In that brief moment, I changed the hot water to cold water against my reddening skin. Finally, I centered the tap.
After experiencing hot and cold showers forcibly, I stepped out of the bathroom with a slightly red body. Upon emerging from the steam-filled bathroom, I saw Hamin, who had given up and was sprawled out, and Haewoon, who was still clinging to him.
Their relationship is quite peculiar.
At first glance, it seemed like Haewoon was afraid of Hamin, but from this angle, it looked like Hamin was losing again. No, perhaps it wasn't losing; he might genuinely be losing.
Still, they seemed somewhat close in their own way.
While thinking about it, Haewoon's gaze suddenly turned back to Sihyun. Understanding his fiery gaze, Sihyun quickly got up from the bed, grabbed a towel and underwear, and went into the bathroom.
"I'll shower first."
When Haewoon, who was targeting me, was being held back, Sihyun, who had intended to dry his hair, was rejected. "I'll do it," he said.
"...Sure, whatever."
For the first time, Sihyun blinked at Haru, then shrugged. Yeah, to others, he looked a year older than 18, younger than I appeared to my eyes alone. Instead of feeling disheartened, he handed over the hairdryer. Haru accepted it and lowered his head to dry his hair. His hair fluttered in the wind.
"Haru, don't you want to trim your hair?"
"Huh, what?"
"It looks messy."
Isn't it frustrating?
As Haewoon mixed in friendly words, Haru seemed perplexed. Seeing his awkwardness, I hesitated whether to dry his hair, but I was curious about his response. As I stared at him with dry eyes, he hesitated, then covered his face with his hair and mumbled.
"Not yet…"
"Then, could you show it to me for a moment? I'm curious."
"Stop it."
Unable to withstand the embarrassing questions aimed at the visibly uncomfortable person, Haru was stopped by Sihyun. Wheezing, the stopped hairdryer restarted. Looking at Haewoon with dry eyes, I realized I had come to accept that all four of them were a little crazy. They seemed to have their little discussions.
Baek Geonu seemed a bit different, though.
Shaking my head at passing thoughts, I lay down on the bed. Later, when Haewoon finished showering and suggested watching a movie, I felt somewhat tempted, but I refused to sit next to them.
Due to my refusal, Hamin was dragged along instead. Haewoon paced around, glancing at Hamin. Even though he seemed interested in watching the movie, I was not ready to sit beside them.
The two large, long sofas, even with room for four more people, seemed awkwardly vacant. Sensing the discomfort, I tapped Haru's shoulder.
"Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Ah... um... yes."
Hesitating, Haru slowly nodded. Expecting this response, I moved to the other sofa where Haewoon and Hamin sat. Silent, I glanced at him. In the meantime, Haru moved closer and sat next to me. Seeing his vacillating steps, Haewoon complained about favoritism. As the favoritism was evident, I turned my attention to the screen.
With a 75-inch screen, even from a distance, the TV and the sofa seemed quite far apart, yet the screen was clearly visible. The movie starting reflected Haewoon's taste, a film heavily infused with action.
The once noisy room now fell silent, preserving only the sound emanating from the movie. As I focused on the actors and the movie's plot, I realized it was a crime thriller.
The two organizations, once involved in drug trafficking, eventually clashed. Cars skidded, and the bosses of each faction took control of their vehicles. It was the absurd beginning of a chicken game.
The clash of egos in a chicken game based on profit and pride saw the wheels of the cars rolling. The two cars, accelerating, met head-on. Bang! At the sound of the collision, my shoulders flinched.
Of course, it had to be something like this.
I tightened my grip on the pillow, feeling a bit uneasy. Two vivid memories swiftly flashed through my mind, and I felt a slight queasiness.
The cars that collided had their headlights go out
and sparks flying. In the end, it was a B-grade movie where both organizations died together. Amidst the somber background music, Haewoon injected vitality into the quiet room.
"I watched this director's previous work, it was decent, but this is quite low-grade, isn't it?"
"...Then why did you grab the remote again?"
"Ah, if I only watch one, it's unsatisfactory."
Despite delivering a merciless critique, Haewoon's expression remained cheerful. He said it was boring, but his expression said otherwise. Glancing at Haru, who was looking at Haewoon, I shifted my gaze back to the TV.
As the credits rolled with the melancholy background score, Haewoon injected life into the quiet room.
"This director's previous work was decent, but this is quite low-grade, isn't it?"
"...Then why did you grab the remote again?"
"Ah, if I only watch one, it's unsatisfactory."
Despite delivering a merciless critique, Haewoon's expression remained cheerful. He said it was boring, but his expression said otherwise. Glancing at Haru, who was looking at Haewoon, I shifted my gaze back to the TV.
With merciless reviews but a bright expression, Haewoon enlivened the quiet room. 'This director's previous work was decent, but this is quite low-grade, isn't it?'"
I hope this translation captures the essence and flow of the original text in a clear and modern English style!
This time, it was Hamin's turn to hang out with Haewoon, snatching the remote and pressing the arrow button recklessly. The movie they settled on after Hamin's victorious remote takeover happened to be a melodramatic one. Seeing him unexpectedly enjoy this kind of film, I looked at him as if we'd made some sort of promise, and our eyes met.
Sihyun blinked at our locked gaze.
What?
Without a response to the evident expression, Sihyun continued staring at the screen. Despite everything, his prickly personality lingered as if suspicious of something or someone.
With Hamin's preference for melodramas, our company went from one person to four. Each slouched on the couch, seeking respite, until the dinner bell chimed on the broadcast, unlike the others who needed three square meals a day, Sihyun managed on one.
Still full from lunch and not in the mood to eat after the movie, Sihyun turned to Haru, lying on the bed beside him, extending his hand.
"I won't eat. You should."
"But..."
"Eating alone feels lonely. Go eat with them. I want to rest a bit."
Trying to soothe, Haru glanced at Sihyun. Pulling the covers over half his face, Sihyun seemed to convey that everything was fine. Once Haru left, Sihyun closed his eyes. Memories surged like waves, but he fought not to disturb them, exhaling slowly to settle his weariness.
The accumulated fatigue from exams and facing the Four Heavenly Kings turned into a wave that gently rocked Sihyun to sleep.
***
I thought I'd have a nightmare. The sensation of being constrained was familiar, so I was certain it'd be a nightmare, but...
"We meet again?"
An unexpectedly familiar face greeted me.
"Why are you here?"
"I've told you before, you intruded into my space."
Caught off guard, Sihyun squinted at Kang Sihyun with narrowed eyes. Wondering if he was a figment of my dream or the real Kang Sihyun, the boy observing my contemplation seemed unimpressed.
"Why do you look at a perfectly fine person with suspicion? If this is a fantasy, then you created this scenario as a fantasy."
Injustice tainted the voice, and Sihyun's gaze shifted to where the boy pointed. Surprised by an unexpected presence, his eyes widened. An uninvited guest sat exactly where Kang Sihyun indicated, one of them even crying.
"Why are you crying?"
Hamin asked.
"Mind your business."
Daun replied.
"Why are you crying?"
"Mind your own business."
"Is that all you can say?"
The sharpness in Daun's voice faltered as her once beautiful brown eyes moistened. Sihyun hesitated, halted in his steps, watching. He'd never seen Daun like this. He couldn't fathom what was happening.
"What's going on?"
"Is this your fantasy?"
Sihyun replied to the surprised voice. Meanwhile, Hamin approached Daun, closing the distance between them. The proximity felt strangely intense, causing Sihyun to swallow nervously.
"I'll ask one last time. Why are you crying?"
"...Mind your own business."
"Jeong Daun."
"Why are you so concerned? Who are you to bother about me? Lee Hamin, who are you...?"
Daun's voice, initially assertive, began wavering as she struggled to speak. Attempting to strike but ending up wiping her tears, Daun raised her hand as Hamin firmly grasped her wrist. Sihyun's face, initially a bystander, lost color. It was a moment of contemplation turned grim.
"You're the one making it concerning."
Sihyun staggered back another step. It felt like his hand was convulsing, almost up to the veins.
"Why... why is my heart reacting to you?"
The indifferent voice marked the unsettling climax of an unbearable revelation. Sihyun, nauseated, awoke and jolted up, staring at the ceiling with dilated pupils. Instead of the familiar patterned ceiling, coated wood filled his vision. It took a while for the realization of a dreadful nightmare to sink in.
Honestly, not even in the wildest dreams could one conjure such a nightmare.
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