"This time, we're in the same room."
A boy, casually blinking his eyes as if surprised, remarked. The composition remained unchanged from the first semester, with just one person different when compared to the previous semester.
"Why of all people..."
Those rascals. Hamin's voice, seemingly suppressing the words, sounded despairing. Sihyun, who had predicted this outcome since the moment he deeply planted the flag, observed the people who became his roommates.
His partner, former partner, and the previous partner candidate, Yoo Seowoo.
Even if he resisted becoming roommates, it seemed difficult for such a configuration to emerge.
While marveling at this fact, Seowoo, who was inspecting the bed area, placed his phone on the first floor. His gaze belatedly fixed on Haru, who had just entered the room.
"Last time, we used the second floor, right? Will it be the same this time too?"
"Ah..."
Naturally, he would use the second floor, there was no hint of hesitation or malice in Haru's decisive voice. The boy who hesitated to answer turned his head towards Sihyun. Red pupils and gaze met.
"...This time, I want to use the first floor..."
As their gazes met, Haru, as if expressing delight, lightly smiled and replied. Seowoo, leaning against the bedpost, tapped the wooden pillar with his fingertips.
"...It's a dilemma."
I also find the first floor comfortable.
The whispering voice seemed to reveal a submerged mood. As the silence prolonged, one could hear Hamin's complaints about the nonsense going on above his head. Sihyun's sentiments weren't much different.
Just play rock-paper-scissors or one person can yield, it's not such a big deal over one bed.
As they were contemplating, their gazes simultaneously landed on me. Sihyun, who was observing from across the river, alternately stared at the two.
"Why."
In a shaky tone, Seowoo was the one who opened his mouth.
"Sihyun, how's the bed?"
"...What about the bed?"
"Is it spacious?"
"Yes."
Unlike regular second-floor beds, the top-notch dormitory beds had a larger mattress size. It was said that awakening users involved in production had created them to withstand weight well. When I answered while imagining that even if I rolled around on it with two wheels, it would be fine, Seowoo's eyes seemed to soften.
"Fortunately. Is the bed comfortable?"
"Yes."
"Is it spacious when sleeping alone?"
"Yes. But why are you asking about this—"
"Well then, want to sleep together?"
"Huh?"
A question mark hung in the air in response to the straightforward answer. Haru widened his eyes and looked at Seowoo. There was a creaking sound, perhaps Haru moving on the upper bunk. Regardless of whether they spoke or not, the boy with a mysterious smile had narrowed his blue eyes.
What kind of scheme is this again?
Even with just the two of them, there were four beds, and it was spacious enough to accommodate everyone. It was puzzling why he insisted on sleeping uncomfortably close, prompting discomfort and making it difficult to understand his mindset.
"What did you say?"
I asked again, wondering if I had misheard. The boy, who seemed exhausted by the questioning, rubbed his temples as if tired. Only then did Sihyun notice that his eyes were slightly more tired than usual. Compared to himself, who had stayed up late last night, there didn't seem to be much of a difference.
"In truth, when my accustomed sleeping arrangement changes, I can't sleep properly."
"So?"
"Maybe because I got used to sleeping with you during the break, sleeping alone feels uncomfortable."
You stayed at our house for over ten days, you know.
Silence fell as he added that. Sihyun listened blankly to Seowoo's words, who laughed and said, "It seems like I got used to sleeping with you." Looking at Seowoo's eyes, which were a bit misty, it didn't seem like a lie, but there was something subtly strange about the nuance.
"Did you sleep with Jae?"
Yeah, it sounded a bit like that.
In response to Hamin's question from above, I blinked once. I couldn't tell if he was referring to himself or Seowoo with the term 'you,' so I couldn't respond.
"I haven't heard your answer yet, Sihyun."
"Really, you want to sleep with me?"
"Can't I?"
He smiled, folding his eyes gently. There was no tension visible in his gaze, even when thrown with a suspicious look trying to guess his intentions. Just as Sihyun was hesitating with a perplexed expression, Seowoo spoke when he opened his mouth.
"Can't I? You're saying the same thing. Come up, you brat."
"I-I'll use the second floor!"
"... "
Hamin and Haru both spoke urgently at the same time. Especially Hamin's voice felt as if he was about to grab Seowoo by the collar and drag him upstairs. Somehow, I found myself shutting my mouth, thinking that even if I didn't agree, they would probably resolve it. It seemed unnecessary to go to such lengths, considering the situation unfolding before my eyes.
I shrugged my shoulders once and glanced at Seowoo. He, who had leaned against the bedpost, emitted a weary laugh.
"If I sleep with you, it feels like the bed will collapse, Hamin."
"It's a bed specially made by awakening users."
Hamin, who had spoken as if saying, "Let's give it a try," could be heard tapping my bed. Seowoo, who tilted his head as if he couldn't stop himself, straightened his body with a wry smile.
"Saying let's sleep together was a joke. I'll just use the second floor."
"You said it was uncomfortable earlier."
"You'll get used to it if you sleep. I had trouble sleeping on the first day we slept together, but after a few days, it was comfortable."
His voice, speaking as if it were nothing special, was indifferent.
Sihyun, who had been unaware that he had trouble sleeping, wore a unfamiliar expression. He hadn't known, and he hadn't made it obvious, so it was uncomfortable.
My gaze reached Seowoo's eyes, as if casting a shadow beneath them. Indifferently holding his phone, he, without a hint of remorse, went up to the second floor, making the room that had been noisy over which bed he would use quiet.
With Haru now occupying the first floor, his expression became complicated. Alternating between glancing apologetically at Seowoo and my bedding, he seemed sorry. Eventually, he scratched his head and sat on the bed. The room, which had been lively with discussions about where Seowoo would sleep, quieted down.
Feeling the sudden gloominess, Sihyun picked up his phone and opened the crossword puzzle game he had laid out for boredom. Perhaps because the room was quiet, he could concentrate well.
"So, why did you sleep at Seowoo's house?"
"I had some business."
Answering Hamin's sudden question, I continued solving the puzzle. Hamin, who didn't respond for a while, sighed a few minutes later. The soft laughter that followed belonged to Seowoo.
Having nothing to do but hold onto my phone, my game account had reached level 22. It was only then that the dormitory teacher, who had entered the room, started the attendance check. The attendance check, which seemed to have started about an hour after entering the dormitory, ended in less than a minute. Now it was personal training time.
Feeling a bit tired of the crossword puzzle and relieved that I could train without recording, Sihyun immediately got up from the bed. The training he usually did somewhat obligatorily seemed to be done today with enthusiasm.
Heading to the personal training room, as we walked to the entrance, three boys who quietly followed stood up and put on their shoes.
Sihyun noticed something was off when the group of four became six. As we left the dormitory and entered the building where the training room was, we became eight.
His training room was the furthest inside Class A, so under normal circumstances, all the kids had to enter their respective training rooms before I reached mine. Therefore, it was strange that today, for some reason, seven kids were lined up behind me. It looked as if they were waiting in line for an amusement park ride.
The hand that was about to open the training room door hesitated above the handle. Sihyun, feeling the gaze of the kids frozen in motion, sighed.
"What's up?"
"Hmm?"
Turning around, Sihyun met the gaze of Haewoon and Siseon. When they questioned why all seven were here, Haewoon urged Sihyun to quickly open the door.
"Why is everyone here?"
"Not once or twice, why are you suddenly asking? Come on, hurry up!"
A vigorous hand pushed his back. Reluctantly opening the door, the kids behind me rushed Sihyun into the training room.
"Sihyun enters the training room!"
"Wow!"
Haewoon shouted, and Ji Hye played along, clapping her hands. Observing the kids flooding into his training room as if it were their own homes, Sihyun stared. It had been about three months since the Korean Awakeners Association had supported the expansion of his training room after his third awakening. From that point on, kids occasionally visited, but now it seemed like it was treated as Class A's collective training room.
There was no need to be surprised anymore; the glances held a sense of resignation. Whether his training room became Class A's training room or his desk became Class A's gossip spot, nothing was shocking anymore.
Let it be the room, just the room...
Muttering to himself, Sihyun moved his steps a bit late toward the place where the kids were gathered. It was then that Haewoon, who had been excitedly talking, opened his mouth.
"Right! Do you guys know about this?"
"Know about what?"
"What did you pick up now?"
The kids' attention focused on Haewoon, who started talking with a mysterious expression.
"I overheard what the teachers were talking about earlier and found out...!"
"Why were you eavesdropping again?"
Sihyun pointed out his mistake as the boy spoke in a lowered voice. The kids, already accustomed to Haewoon's actions, silently stared at him. Since Haewoon always went somewhere and brought back rare news or important rumors, there was an expectant look in their eyes, thinking he would do the same this time.
"It's not a problem that I eavesdropped! Listen! What I found out a while ago was..."
"Don't beat around the bush and just say it quickly."
Hamin urged, repeating the same words twice. Haewoon, who smirked, finally spoke.
"Luss is coming to our school!"
Once again, the boy in charge of Class A's information did not disappoint, bringing thrilling news to the kids.
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