"The team selection will start from the first-year students coming forward and pressing the button on the drawing machine. If the ball that comes out is blue, it will be the Blue Team; if it's white, it will be the White Team. Now, student Jeong Daun, please come forward."
After a brief explanation, Daun's name was called. Standing in front of the drawing machine where blue and white balls were rolling busily mixed together, he pressed the button. The device spun faster as if responding to his action, and soon a ball rolled out. A pristine white ball, untouched by even a speck of dust. As Daun held it up to show the crowd, the students sitting in the second-floor seats reserved for the White Team erupted in cheers.
"Student Jeong Daun, it's the White Team!"
"Wow!"
Children whistled and waved white towels. Daun, who swept his long hair behind his shoulder, followed the teacher's guidance and descended the stage. Seeing the white tape on the left floor, it seemed to be the place for the White Team. With Daun's team assignment complete, it was now Jihye's turn to be called.
Somehow, it seemed like she would be on the White Team.
It was unimaginable for Daun and Jihye, who always stuck together like two peas in a pod, to be on different teams. While thinking that it might be fun to compete as opponents, Jihye pressed the button. Sihyun nodded as he checked the color of the ball that rolled out. It was a white ball. Like Daun, Jihye was on the White Team.
"Student Lee Jihye, it's the White Team!"
With a proud announcement, Jihye, who smiled brightly, ran towards Daun. As she jumped down the stairs as if jumping off a stage, Daun, who received her from below, smiled and clapped hands with her. He seemed to be in the best mood he had been in recently.
"It would be nice if we were on the same team too."
"That's a flag."
"Hmm?"
As Sihyun responded with a tongue-clicking sound to Seowoo's subtly muttered words while watching the two girls who liked each other as they were, he looked puzzled. Sihyun, who felt no need to explain and told him to look ahead, watched Haewoon as he bounded up the stairs.
"Please let me be on the same team as Hamin!"
Haewoon, who clasped his hands in front of the drawing machine, recited his prayer loudly enough for everyone to hear. Thanks to him, laughter erupted in the auditorium, making the place lively. Seizing the opportunity, he pressed the button quickly, rolling his foot while waiting for the ball to come out. Since Hamin's team hadn't been decided yet, it didn't matter what came out. There was no fuss.
The balls, ticking and bouncing against the wall, finally rolled out through the hole. A blue ball. It was the first Blue Team from Class A.
"Student Kang Haewoon, it's the Blue Team!"
Similarly, the teacher announced, and the children cheered. For some reason, the cheers for the Blue Team seemed louder than those for the White Team, but suddenly, from the stands, came a shout, "Haewoon, don't troll there!" Laughter erupted from the children at the unexpected shout. Sihyun, who was off guard, could only smirk.
Haewoon, who had always done strange things during evaluations, seemed to have rumors spreading to other children as well. Well, he wouldn't seem reliable, using the surrender skill in a duel for 1 second.
With lips pursed at the voice pointing out his past misdeeds, Haewoon took his place on the right side of the stage. Standing alone, looking puzzled by the Blue Team's place, Gunwoo was next to him.
"Student Baek Gunwoo, it's the Blue Team!"
This time, the cheers for the Blue Team were noticeably louder. Sihyun watched Gunwoo come down from the auditorium with a proud heart for no reason. From the direction where the 2nd and 3rd-year Class A students were standing, "Wow, he's really handsome," came the admiration. The pride swelled a little more.
He's a real school's face.
He had never seen a handsome boy like Baek Gunwoo before. With blue hair and blue eyes, he made a solid impression. As Sihyun looked at him standing next to Haewoon, who was a bit chubby, Gunwoo turned his head towards Sihyun. Gunwoo, who was standing slightly awkwardly, suddenly raised his hand and showed a blue ball.
Is he asking to be picked?
I'm not sure if he's showing off or asking me to pick that ball. Analyzing Baek Gunwoo's actions so far, it seems more likely that he wants me to pick it, so I shrug my shoulders. After all, picking is purely based on luck, so it's not like I can pick it just because he wants me to.
Gunwoo narrowed his eyes as he saw Sihyun's shoulder rise and fall. The wrinkles on his smooth forehead were quite visible even from a distance. Then, it was Seowoo's turn to be called next.
"Hey, Sihyun."
"What?"
Despite being called by name, he answered with a dubious voice, looking at the boy in front of him. He then reached out his hand.
"Give me your hand."
"All of a sudden?"
"We need to hurry."
"...Take it."
It was shameless of him to urge me while being late himself. Hesitatingly, I handed him my hand, and he grabbed it, pressing and kneading it as if massaging. Feeling somewhat disappointed as he treated my hand as if it were a stress ball, he let go of it and stepped away.
"What are you doing?"
"A promise."
Seowoo answered vaguely and walked away after that. Watching his retreating figure, Sihyun suddenly felt someone grab his hand. The agility resembled that of a predator hunting its prey.
Not knowing where the hand came from, Sihyun looked down to see who it was, and suddenly, the person next to him grabbed his hand. Their nimbleness resembled that of a beast hunting its prey.
While Sihyun watched Seowoo enthusiastically wiping his hands as if wiping a stain, cheers erupted from the audience. Turning his head belatedly to look at the auditorium, he saw a boy with platinum blonde hair lightly smiling while holding a white ball.
"Student Yoo Seowoo, it's the White Team!"
Announced by the teacher amidst the applause from the White Team's section, Seowoo headed towards Daun and Jihye in the White Team. Only after Haemin, who had stopped wiping his hands belatedly upon hearing his name called, did Seohyun walk forward. Eventually, a blue ball appeared in his hand.
"Student Kang Sihyun, it's the Blue Team!"
Despite whatever anyone said, the teacher exclaimed at the vivid blue ball, which Sihyun, who belatedly realized that his thoughts were also a kind of flag, sighed softly.
Ignoring the passionate gazes pouring from behind, he headed towards the area where the Blue Team was. Avoiding the rushing Haewoon as he descended the stairs in a hurry, he stood there, and Gunwoo, who seemed somewhat proud, spoke.
"It's done."
"Yeah."
He said it somewhat proudly, nodded, and then the second-year draw proceeded quickly.
By the time Haru's face, which had looked as if the world was collapsing, somewhat relaxed, the second-year draw was over, and the third-year draw began. The line for the White Team and the Blue Team, which had been empty, was now quite bustling with people, and out of the 24 balls in the drawing machine, only 8 remained.
As the third-year draw finally began, Haewoon, who was next to him, muttered as usual about how there were many impressive seniors in the third year. The first person called drew a white ball and headed back to his seat.
"Student Shin Ijae, please come forward."
Hmm.
Sihyun flinched momentarily at the name called second. The senior called forward walked up and drew a ball. His hair was a shade lighter than Haewoon's, with a somewhat gentle and affectionate look.
Quite elegant and affectionate. While thinking that he probably considered himself the class president wearing glasses, the senior picked up a blue ball.
Cheers erupted, and Haewoon jumped up excitedly, pleased with himself. As the news spread that he was ranked second in the third year in Irregular eradication, Sihyun scanned the unfamiliar figure of Iha Hyuk, who was walking towards them. When he saw Haewoon, he waved his hand in greeting, and Haewoon returned the gesture with a smile. I wonder how far-reaching his connections are to know even the second rank in the third year.
Lost in admiration for Haewoon's networking, Sihyun watched as others picked their balls one by one. Then, when a female senior with black hair and black eyes named Yoo Sia picked the White Team, Sihyun was taken aback. His expression began to change when the seventh student from Class A was called.
"Student Eunyul, please step forward."
The clear foreign name echoed in the gym. Starting with 'Eun' and ending with 'Yul', it was a name that didn't seem ordinary, yet somehow felt familiar to him. By the time that name was called, Sihyun had started to turn pale with a sense of dread.
Haemin asked why he was acting like that, just as Sihyun was about to answer that it was nothing, the principal announced the last student from Class A.
"Student Bandal will automatically join the Blue Team as the last pick!"
"... "
Hearing the children cheer at that name, and Haewoon boasting about how that person was the top-ranked student in the third year, Sihyun, with a slightly dazed expression, stared at the senior with dark red secret two-tone hair, despite having black hair. Their deep black eyes met Sihyun's.
So it's come out.
A sigh, almost like a groan, echoed within. It felt like he had resigned himself to everything, that he might as well climb up to the altar.
Suddenly, his eyes became moist.
"Hey, are you crying?"
"No."
"But why do you look like you're about to cry?"
"Just... happy tears."
Sihyun murmured nonsensically, then closed his eyes as he looked at the dark-haired, dark-eyed man walking calmly towards him.
From Seowoo to Sia, from Eunyul to Bandal.
The appearance of these new seniors today made him incredibly, tearfully happy.
Truly tearful.
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