Chapter 18

Middle school. Specifically, 9th grade.

"Time flies so fast. It feels like life is accelerating thanks to some unknown force."

Hearing me, the two girls wiping the classroom window nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it’s way too fast. My little Ha-Eun has grown up so much," Ha-Soo-Yul said, her tone overly sentimental.

For the record, I don’t belong to anyone, so I just shook my head at her comment.

"I don’t mind. Being a kid means there’s so little you can do. I want to grow up as fast as possible," said Choi Ye-Seo, ever the optimist, placing her wet cloth on the windowsill.

"Already a month has passed since school started..."

It felt like I’d accomplished absolutely nothing, as if I was leading a completely idle life.

Looking past the freshly cleaned window, I could see the barren, sandy playground devoid of weeds.

Students from another class were playing soccer out there during their P.E. period, running around enthusiastically.

Sometimes, when I zone out like this, memories from the past resurface.

Like now.

Since I turned ten, Dad had been incredibly busy.

He’d switched to working for a large corporation, or so I’d heard, and his late nights became more frequent.

He’d promised he’d always have breakfast with us, but it didn’t seem like an easy promise to keep.

By the time I entered middle school, his schedule had stabilized, and he started coming home on time, even having dinner with us.

‘What kind of battles have you fought, Dad...?’

As for my middle school, like my elementary school, it was public. Meanwhile, the main characters, Lee Do-Yoon and Baek Yoo-Seol, ended up at private schools.

We still kept in touch, but the fact that we weren’t attending the same school was disappointing.

My little sister, Ha-Yoon, is now in her final year of elementary school—6th grade.

Watching her grow up so quickly gives me such a strange, indescribable feeling.

I wasn’t the only one feeling that way; Mom and Dad often looked at us with similarly complex expressions.

I’d grown a lot myself since starting middle school.

My height, which had been below average, had shot up to an impressive 174 cm.

Though it feels like I’ve stopped growing this year, I hold onto hope.

Hope for a future where I’ll reach at least 180 cm.

‘It’s the average height. No need to feel let down.’

I tried to console myself, but my still-growing-but-not-enough height left a tinge of regret.

Anyway, that’s pretty much all that’s happened lately. Nothing particularly noteworthy.

Well, maybe there was one thing.

Last year, Choi Ye-Seo became a trainee at SN Entertainment, an idol agency.

Her energetic personality, bright image, looks, and vocal talent were apparently highly regarded.

‘I wouldn’t know much about it—I’m clueless when it comes to idols.’

Since I had zero interest in the entertainment industry, and this wasn’t exactly new information, it didn’t come as a surprise.

Interestingly, Lee Do-Yoon and Choi Ye-Seo’s first meeting was at a concert venue.

No matter what I do, destiny seems unshakable.

Ye-Seo was pursuing this path because she genuinely enjoyed it, so good for her.

But since it didn’t really concern me, I often forgot about it.

She’s still a trainee and regularly attends school, so I figured she’d handle everything just fine.

"Ha-Eun! Sweep the floor!"

A classmate pushed a desk aside and called out to me.

No idea who it was. I just remember him as "Generic Male Student #1."

With the new semester mixing everyone up, it’s hard to tell who’s who.

By the time I finally get used to people, it’ll already be the end of the school year.

That thought made my eyes water from sheer frustration.

I grabbed the broom and dustpan I had stashed away and stood up.

At least I can handle sweeping. I’m not so out of shape that I can’t manage basic chores.

Nothing in my day-to-day life is a major problem. Except for the occasional ringing in my ears or sudden blackouts in my vision.

‘…Okay, maybe that is an issue.’

I shrugged and started sweeping the floor.

One thing I always wonder about: no matter how often we clean, there’s always the same amount of trash.

Eraser shavings, snack wrappers from the cafeteria, and dust and sand dragged in from the playground.

‘Next semester, I’m definitely choosing the staff room for my cleaning duty.’

I didn’t bother volunteering during the cleanup zone assignments and ended up with this punishment instead.

As I swept efficiently, a classmate brought over a mop.

I wanted to use that mop, but no—I was assigned to sweeping only.

I tossed the broom and dustpan back into the cleaning supplies cabinet and returned to my desk.

My usual spot? The farthest window seat. The kind of place where you’d expect a delinquent to sit, but no—it’s mine.

This spot is non-negotiable, and I’ve clung to it throughout my school life.

And my seat partner? Of course, it’s Ha-Soo-Yul.

"? What?"

"We’ve got about five minutes left. Let’s head down soon."

"Okay."

She tilted her head, puzzled by the way I was staring at her.

"What’s for lunch today?"

"Sausage stir-fry with miso soup."

From the desk ahead, Choi Ye-Seo spun her chair around and asked the question.

Yawning lazily as I answered, her face scrunched up in dismay.

"Ugh… no way. That’s awful..."

Yeah, it’s not the best, but it’s not bad enough to skip entirely.

"The cafeteria—!"

"Didn’t you spend all your money last week?"

"Oh, right..."

She had cheerfully shouted her plan but immediately deflated upon remembering she had used up all her cash last week.

Something about spending it all on her favorite idol merch.

"What about this month’s allowance?"

This time, it was Ha-Soo-Yul who chimed in.

"Well, uh… I used it in advance to buy some goods. Hehe."

Scratching her head awkwardly, Ye-Seo let out a sheepish laugh. Soo-Yul shot her a look of disbelief.

"But it was worth it! I had to get a signed photo! It was totally necessary!"

Though she nodded with satisfaction, claiming she had no regrets, her next words said otherwise.

"Dammit… I should’ve saved enough for snacks at least."

She grabbed her head and groaned in frustration.

"Let’s go eat, kids!"

Our homeroom teacher burst into the classroom, announcing lunch. The students poured out in a wave, leaving only a few behind.

"…Are we going to the cafeteria?"

Soo-Yul asked, and I nodded.

"Ugh, I’m so jealous..."

"Jealous? I’ll buy you something. Come along."

"Really?! Yes!"

Ye-Seo practically shouted with joy, loud enough to shake the ceiling, while Soo-Yul gave a faint smile.

The three of us left the classroom together.

Walking through the hallway, I felt… strange.

I mean, think about it. I was flanked by two undeniably pretty girls, turning heads wherever we went.

And there I was, smack in the middle.

Of course, by now, the entire school knew I was friends with these two.

Come to think of it, Soo-Yul had made some friends since starting middle school.

And Ye-Seo? That goes without saying.

Meanwhile, I still didn’t have any friends. My vision blurred with unshed tears.

For the record, here’s how people generally perceive me:

Quiet, unassuming, and barely noticeable.

Sure, it’s the position I wanted, but having only these two as my friends feels a bit too lonely.

I could draw pictures for anyone who befriended me, you know...

Before I could finish that sad thought, the girls snapped me back to reality.

"Soo-Yul! Did you know drinking strawberry milk makes your chest bigger?"

Girl talk. Damn it. Do you not see the guy standing right here? And why are you discussing that in public?

As soon as Ye-Seo entered the cafeteria, she grabbed two strawberry milks and a chocolate bread.

Even two strawberry milks.

"I’m good—... No, wait. I’ll take one too."

Ha-Soo-Yul shuddered at Choi Ye-Seo’s comment, but after glancing down at herself for a moment, she ended up grabbing two strawberry milks as well.

Ye-Seo placed her haul on the counter.

"By the way, aren’t you supposed to be watching your weight? You’re a trainee idol."

I couldn’t help but point it out, earning an immediate response:

"Don’t you know? If you enjoy eating it, it’s zero calories."

Ah, of course. That logic.

I silently hoped she’d come to school tomorrow looking distressed about her choices.

"Ha-Eun, are you sure that’s enough for you?"

Soo-Yul had grabbed her two strawberry milks and a Mat*star bread roll.

…Wasn’t that a reasonable portion?

I glanced at what I held in my hands—a single can of juice and a bag of chips.

It seemed like just the right amount to fill me up.

"This should be enough for me."

Despite my reassurance, she didn’t seem convinced.

"Then let’s share mine."

Soo-Yul offered to split her bread with me.

"Me too! If I eat too much, I might gain weight anyway."

Wait a second, didn’t she just say calories don’t count if you enjoy the food? Her sudden U-turn left me feeling a little deflated.

"Alright, fine..."

If they get full halfway through, I’ll just take the rest.

With that, the three of us bought our food and headed to a bench overlooking the playground.

The trees cast a pleasant shade, and the cool breeze made it feel like a perfect spring day.

On the field, a group of kids who had skipped lunch were busy running around, kicking a ball.

They were the so-called popular kids, of course. To join their ranks, the minimum requirement was being able to play soccer.

Hmph… Should I try to join them?

Never mind. I’d probably just slow them down with my lack of stamina.

"Ha-Eun, here."

Soo-Yul handed me half of her bread.

"Me too!"

Ye-Seo followed suit, and the two of them, as if they had planned it beforehand, dove into my bag of chips.

Excuse me, why are you taking my snacks?

"Mmm! So good! This makes me happy."

"Yeah."@@novelbin@@

I barely got to eat one chip, but thanks to the bread they shared, I managed to fill up.

Ye-Seo, grinning ear to ear, suddenly pointed toward the field.

"Look! Choi Seung-Cheol scored a goal!"

Who? After some thought, I realized I’d heard that name before.

He was probably the vice president of the student council.

A social butterfly and widely popular, though I had no connection to him.

"Wow~. That’s what real men are like."

Aren’t you supposed to be idol material? Is that comment even okay for you to make?

I don’t recall her future career involving any scandals, but still, shouldn’t she be more cautious?

Then Ye-Seo’s eyes turned toward me. What’s with that look?

"Meh."

Her gaze briefly scanned me up and down, leaving me feeling oddly offended. What, am I not a man?

"It’s okay. Ha-Eun is cool too."

Yeah, sure. Men like me—delicate and refined—have to exist, right? There’s demand for my type… probably.

Even with Soo-Yul’s attempt to console me, I couldn’t shake off the irritation. This called for drastic measures.

To calm myself, I needed to draw something.

But how? All my pens and paper were in the classroom.

Even rummaging through my pockets turned up nothing but my wallet.

Then again, true artists don’t blame their tools.

Materials were everywhere if you knew where to look.

I leaned back slightly and noticed cherry blossom petals scattered on the ground.

Materials? Check. Tools?

If you don’t have a knife, you use your teeth—or in my case, feet.

I stood up and began gathering the petals using my feet.

Both girls watched curiously, confusion quickly turning into fascination.

I eventually amassed a small pile of cherry blossoms.

"Alright then, what do you want me to draw?"

I turned to the two of them.

"Go ahead, request anything. I can do it."