"The Irregulars have made their move."
"That's going too far."
"The teacher made a mistake."
"That seems most rational."
"Or it could be someone's manipulation."
"That's plausible too."
As the end-of-month evaluation commenced, it felt like another half-day had passed. Sihyun, feeling weary of discussing the reasons behind the current situation with Hamin while gazing at the black sky side by side, sighed. Their conversation gradually dwindled, as they both grew tired of speculating amidst the helpless circumstances. Sensing Sihyun's exhaustion, Hamin, who had been silent for a while, partially raised himself up.
"But there's another thing that's suspicious."
"What is it?"
"Kidnapping."
The boy, who was seated, silently stared at Sihyun, lying next to him, as if seeking his opinion.
"What about kidnapping?"
"What do you mean?"
"What kind of kidnapping?"
Why are you talking about kidnapping? With a hint of laughter, as if remembering something suddenly, Sihyun rose. He glanced at the handsome face, not prominently raised, which had been buried under Yooseowoo and Baek Geonu, and recalled which household the boy, who had been arguing with him, belonged to.
"Indeed..."
Unlike before when he confidently denied it, his words now trailed off. Perhaps it seemed somewhat believable that this incident was aimed at kidnapping a conglomerate's heir or as part of a plan to kill, simply because the world was as it was.
"The face might get punched in."
As the familiar face became oddly unfamiliar, Hamin turned his head abruptly, muttering. Watching him intently made Sihyun realize he was blushing.
"You're turning quite red."
"...What?"
"Your skin. Was it like this before?"
He didn't seem like this when we first met. Perhaps he developed eczema or hives. Or maybe the air in this space was having a negative effect on Hamin. Uncertain of any possibility, Sihyun approached to inspect. Hamin, about to lie back, seemed to be on the verge of touching the ground with his back. Gesturing to let him inspect, Sihyun reached out, and with a loud thud, a white hand was thrust into the air.
"Why are you so shameless...!"
With a loud thud, Hamin yelled. Sihyun blinked his blue eyes in surprise. Apologizing briefly for the discomfort, Hamin, with a nonchalant tone, grimaced. Even though he apologized, he still seemed unsettled.
"In the end, I didn't touch you."
With a simple explanation, Hamin's eyebrows twitched once more. It didn't seem like it. Considering himself, Sihyun couldn't help but let out a bewildered laugh as he sat a bit away from Hamin. If someone saw, they might have thought he was about to hit him.
"Do you act like this with others too?"
"What do you mean?"
"Always nagging or touching."
When he heard it like that, it seemed like he was some sort of pervert. Hamin, who didn't exactly say anything wrong, seemed to be upset by Sihyun's irritation. To prove his innocence, Sihyun extended his hand.
"Why do you speak that way? I didn't do that to just anyone. When I did it to you, it was to check if you had eczema or hives."
Instead of a rebuttal, it felt more like an excuse. Sihyun wondered if this had backfired. As he was contemplating, Hamin, who had grabbed his ear as if to say something, turned his head away. Hesitantly, Sihyun smiled strangely as he sat a little farther away. It seemed he couldn't shake off the feeling of being misunderstood by someone who disliked him.
"Sihyun."
"What?"
"...Have you ever been in love?"
The question that suddenly broke the silence was unexpected. It felt like facing someone who asked if you felt cold in the Arctic. With a puzzled expression, Sihyun responded. Was that important right now? Then came a retort, asking if he had ever talked about something significant before. Thinking back, it seemed he hadn't.
Hamin's ears reddened, whether from eczema or hives, or from his tendency to touch, didn't matter much. Sihyun reluctantly answered the question posed by Hamin.
"No, I haven't."
Hearing the answer that came after a moment of reflection, Hamin chuckled. It seemed like he expected that response, but it also seemed a bit dismissive. Was it supposed to be a big deal to be in love? After all, he was still 17 years old. It was the time when showing off was common.
Talk of who dated whom, who held hands with whom, often became a topic among the boys.
Recalling his high school memories, Kang Sihyun nodded faintly. Putting himself in Han Inyeong's shoes, he could understand his mocking reaction to Sihyun admitting he hadn't experienced love before. With a dismissive look, Sihyun silently countered Han Inyeong's attempt to read his changing expressions, his thoughts shifting rapidly.
"You were all polite before, now you're sending me these side glances. What's up?"
"Just thinking if you've ever been in love."
Though it seemed like an unnecessary question, Sihyun decided to go along with Han Inyeong's rhythm.
"..."
"Why so quiet?"
Expecting Han Inyeong to boast about his experiences, Sihyun was taken aback by the silence. With a slightly puzzled expression, Han Inyeong opened his mouth, his tone somewhat uneven.
"Why are you asking?"
Was this what they called 'asking a question while knowing the answer'? Sihyun retorted, feeling like he was being interrogated.
"Why did you ask then?"
"Why answer with a question when I asked first?"
"Seems like you're acting childish."
It felt like dealing with an elementary school student who got angry because he was asked something first. After reprimanding Sihyun's retort, Han Inyeong fell silent. Sensing the conversation was about to end due to their mutual evasion of answers, Han Inyeong, peeking beneath his protective shield, resumed the conversation.
"So, from my point of view, it looks like someone tried to kidnap us but failed. What about you?"
"I didn't know you were so sly."
Sihyun's sudden realization made him recall Ruth's warning.
"Someone said not to follow candy..."
"Candy? What candy?"
Han Inyeong was puzzled by Sihyun's sudden remark. Remembering Ruth's warning about suspicious overseas movements, Sihyun realized he might have been the target, not Han Inyeong. Concerned about Han Inyeong's safety, Sihyun's head spun with thoughts.
"We might have been the targets."
"What?"
"It could've been you, not me."
Logical rebuttals aside, Han Inyeong avoided giving a direct answer. Irritated by his evasiveness, Sihyun gripped the staff tightly.
"I don't know when the rescue will come, but we can't just sit here."
If his assumptions were correct, the school was in chaos, and even if they were wrong, it would take time for the school to realize they were missing. Tracking teleportation traces and locating them here would take at least three days, if not more. Considering Han Inyeong's teenage appetite, Sihyun doubted he could survive without food for more than three days.
Assessing their remaining mana, Sihyun checked Han Inyeong's face. The situation could be worse than he thought.
And they weren't incompetent enough to sit idly by in such circumstances.
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