For a moment, Kang Sihyun flinched, then glanced around the infirmary, realizing that he couldn't spot the healer. He sat up, scanning the faces surrounding his bed, noticing one person missing.
"Where's Haru?"
"He went to the principal's office."
"Why?"
"Dunno. Said he had something to take care of."
Haeun shrugged as if genuinely unaware. Was he summoned? Sihyun wondered, but Haeun added that he didn't know that either. He expressed doubts, especially considering it seemed like Haru went there on his own initiative for some reason. The sudden visit to the principal's office puzzled Sihyun.
Normally, Haru wouldn't leave his side, especially not on a day like today. Yet, hearing he went to the principal's office made Sihyun anxious, pondering what might be happening. As he stared at the entrance, someone grabbed his cheek. Turning his head, he met bright eyes and a casual smile from Seowoo, who lightly patted his cheek.
"Concerned?"
"Just a bit..."
"It's probably nothing serious. Besides, you've got more to worry about than just Haru."
Despite the gentle tone, Seowoo's words carried weight. Looking at the rest of Class A, excluding Haru, Sihyun was taken aback. Normally, he would have remained silent, but not this time.
"I didn't do anything wrong this time."
During the math trip and the third Awakening, I caused trouble because of my reckless behavior, but not today. I was just minding my own business when the Irregular came charging at me. Still, the gaze of the other students felt unsettling. As he began to express his discontent and explanation somewhere in between, Down pulled a chair and sat heavily.
Crossing his arms, Down opened his eyes halfway and fixed his gaze on Sihyun before speaking.
"Kang Haewoon."
"You seem fine. No trembling hands or anything. Eyes look okay too!"
"It doesn't feel lucky."
"This time seems the best, though?"
As Haeun, Gunwoo, and Jihye took turns discussing his condition, Down, after scanning Sihyun, let out a long sigh and brought his hand to his forehead.
"How do you manage to stay out of trouble with all these incidents?"
It was a fact even he found surprising. Every time something happened, Sihyun seemed to get involved at a near-cursed level.
That's true, Sihyun almost responded, but he refrained from saying more to avoid stirring unnecessary attention. And the reason he didn't ask Down if he woke up was also because of that.
Still, there wasn't the same tense atmosphere as before, whether they agreed that I hadn't done anything wrong this time or not. Instead of exploding as if ready to burst, the reactions seemed to stop at a level of frustration, prompting me to pause before speaking up.
"How long did I sleep?"
"We let you rest for an extra hour after we arrived. It's evening now."
Thankfully, the date hadn't changed. Nodding at the familiar situation, I glanced at Hamin, who had been wearing a disgruntled expression and settled on the edge of the bed.
"So, nothing happened inside?"
"Nothing."
"You were stuck in there for a solid two hours, and nothing happened?"
"Would you have preferred if something did?"
The nuance in his words was peculiar, and although his inquiry wasn't particularly aggressive, Hamin frowned as if caught off guard. Perhaps realizing there was an issue with his tone, he sighed in frustration, running his hand through his disheveled hair.
"I didn't mean it like that."
"Then say it properly."
Although I intended to give a jab, it seemed to backfire, causing Hamin to let out a heavy sigh.
"You never have just one incident when something happens to you. So, I asked. There really was nothing?"
"...No."
It's eerie.
Whether it's Haehyuk or Hamin, they always seem to have a knack for sensing things in strange ways. Sihyun thought it was remarkable how Hamin had seen through something he hadn't even considered himself, recalling the events that had occurred thus far.
With Titan, a trauma always followed, with the mana clash during the third Awakening, and with Venom this time, it was Ruth's warning. While Hamin may not know about the mana clash or this recent incident, how could he so accurately pinpoint them like that? It was quite astounding.
Scratching his nail once, Sihyun continued to remain silent under the continued gaze directed at him.
Seeing Hamin finally avert his eyes after hearing Seowoo's sarcasm, Sihyun changed the subject.
"What about the school nurse?"
"She went to a meeting around 5. She'll probably be back soon to tell us the results."
"Then we'll have to wait until then. You guys should go ahead and eat first."
They must have skipped dinner since they said they watched me sleep for an hour. When I suggested they didn't need to starve just because I was a little hungry, Down, who seemed to be thinking the same thing, said he wasn't planning on it and got up from his seat.
Before leaving with Jihae, he mentioned to text him when the test results came out and then left the infirmary. Sihyun glanced at the remaining four.
"Aren't you guys going?"
"I am. I'm hungry! Anyone else coming?"
Though Haeyun's raised hand seemed eager to accompany him to the cafeteria, aside from him, no one else seemed interested, appearing preoccupied with thoughts of food. Haeyun, after suggesting they have dinner together, received a cold response from the stoic group. Even Baek Geonu, who usually complied with Haeyun's requests without question, remained silently seated.
Trying to guess why they weren't going to eat, Sihyun briefly considered speaking up but decided against it, fearing Hamin might mock him for being anxious for no reason. It didn't seem right to simply say, "If you're worried about me, go eat."
"...Why aren't you guys going, besides Haeyun?"
Opting to ask again after pondering, the gaze of the three turned to Sihyun.
"Yeah."
"Well, I'm not hungry yet."
"My stomach isn't growling."
Sihyun looked at Hamin with genuine surprise at the simultaneous responses.
"Don't you ever have days when you're not hungry?"
It wasn't teasing; he was genuinely surprised. Hamin, who usually consumed at least five plates in the cafeteria, had a hearty appetite. To the extent that it was joked that if Hamin ever stopped eating for a day, it would be the end. So, it was quite shocking to hear Hamin say he wasn't hungry.
"True."
"......"
"You complained last time when you skipped a meal."
"Let's not dwell on that."
Wondering if he was being defensive, Sihyun spoke out unnecessarily. If it was embarrassing, it was embarrassing; there was no need to get upset. Yet, he couldn't help but feel irritated, releasing a frustrated sigh. Seowoo, who was watching the situation, urged Haeyun, who was still trying to convince the others, to give up.
"It seems like none of us are really feeling like eating. Go on your own today."
"You guys are really too much. Fine, I'll eat well and live well without you!"
With an exasperated tone, Haeyun stormed out of the infirmary. Sihyun refrained from pointing out the flaw in Haeyun's suggestion that they should eat well and live well without him, fearing it might provoke him further. As the most outspoken member left the room, an awkward silence settled in the infirmary. It dawned on Sihyun that this was the first time these four and himself were left alone.
When they were together individually, Kang Sihyun hadn't felt much awkwardness, and with the presence of energetic companions like Haewoon or Ta-ja, he hadn't noticed it, but now, being with just these three felt oddly awkward. During model shoots, there was always something to do, but now, there was nothing.
Feeling suffocated for no reason, Sihyun rested his head against the wall. He suddenly became curious about the stories from middle school when the four of them, including Haewoon, used to hang out together.
"When did you guys become friends?"
With nothing better to say, he asked the question that had been on his mind, and the answer came from Seowoo.
"Um, just since middle school?"
"How did you become friends?"
"I just ended up hanging out with Haewoon, and it turned out like this."
"Ahh..."
As expected, Kang Haewoon was the focal point. Having experienced how Haewoon could manipulate people and talk, Sihyun sighed briefly and fell silent. The conversation ended again. The other three, who were keeping their seats, seemed reluctant to speak first.
If it's going to be like this, why bother staying? Wondering, Sihyun lay down on the bed. It seemed better to sleep until the school nurse arrived than to struggle alone in this atmosphere. With that thought in mind, as he pulled up the blanket, Geonu meticulously tucked it in while Seowoo and Hamin each took a seat on their respective beds.
"Are you in pain?"
At that question, the other two flinched.
"No."
"Then."
"Just a bit tired, that's all."
Unable to say that he felt awkward being with the three of them, Sihyun mumbled, and Geonu brushed his hair aside. Closing his eyes as he combed through his hair at a suitable pace, Sihyun felt a slight sinking sensation in the mattress when he was told to sit anywhere. Sharing one bed among four men felt rather absurd. The thought of three burly men squeezed onto the not-so-spacious infirmary bed made him laugh. As he chuckled softly, the hand that had been stroking his head moved to tweak his lips. Wondering what was going on, he opened his eyes and saw Geonu, who had been smiling faintly against the deep wall.
"What are you doing?"
"Just."
Seeing you smile makes me happy.
His simple response hung in the air of the infirmary.
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