Vol. 3 Chapter 66 – Side Story 1: Not cherry blossoms Part 3  

Translated by Springlila

Something had changed after he spend time with Ki Young-hyun. It was the fact that no one troubled him anymore.

Before dating Ki Young-hyun, he would go to school to visit him and Ki Young-hyun had no idea why he had to be there. His classmates openly expressed their dissatisfaction, and the teachers regarded him as if he were a nuisance. As a result, he no longer wanted to come to school. When he spent time with the guys next to him, it contributed to the dreary atmosphere in the classroom.

But, perhaps because Ki Young-hyun, who gets along with everyone, was by his side, the people who joined the class this time didn’t seem uncomfortable with him.

Like now.

“Dae-han, don’t you have a girlfriend?”

Jealous means jealous, Zealous means zealous.

Lim Dae-han, who was writing the incorrectly memorized English words on the back of the back paper with a single difference in the first letter, raised his head. The pencil on the middle finger was pushed and then loosened with the same hand’s thumb.

It was the guy in the front seat. His name was Seong-ho. He simply had a quiet personality. He slept a lot, but honestly, he slept all the time.

Lim Dae-han touched his molars with his tongue and nodded.

Not a girlfriend.

“I have a lover. Why.”

The man staring at his phone flipped the screen to Lim Dae-han. It was an SNS commercial announcing that the cherry blossom festival would begin tomorrow. There were also crude introduction writings stating who attended as invited singers, when a night market was held, and how many people came each year, although they were difficult to see.

The man who showed him the phone screen asked, turning the screen back toward him.

“Are you going to the Cherry Blossom Festival?”

“My lover hates things like that.”

Ki Young-hyun was particularly nervous in crowded areas. It was always like that when they went to the movies or went out to downtown. Ki Young-hyun would walk away when they met the people Lim Dae-han knew and stand behind him, or turn his head to pretend he wasn’t with him. He disliked seeing him in that way, so he walked to Ki Young-hyun, dismissing the guys who had urged him to play with them.

Lim Dae-han replied sarcastically. But another response came from the other side.

“…I think that person will like it?”

Lim Dae-han shifted his gaze to the side from which the voice had come. Ki Young-hyun, who had taken a step forward as if approaching him, said another word, which astonished him even more, and his eyes widened.

“… I think that person will like it, maybe.” No matter what he said, Lim Dae-han could only stare at Ki Young-hyun. The guy sitting in front leaned forward.

“Ki Young-hyun, do you know Lim Dae-han’s lover?”

“I know he is dating someone…”

It was funny for both him and Ki Young-hyun, who did not confirm it was a girlfriend. Lim Dae-han smiled slightly as he stared at Ki Young-hyun. Ki Young-hyun lowered his head in surprise and fiddled with his sleeve as soon as their gazes met. His spring and autumn uniforms were great because they were big. Lim Dae-han smiled and switched his sight to the ceiling as he noticed Ki Young-hyun fiddling his fingers.

The guy in the front seat, who didn’t know anything, asked Ki Young-hyun again.

“Is she pretty? I think Lim Dae-han had a high standard.”

“I, I don’t know…”

“Ugly?”

What nonsense did he say.

Lim Dae-han wrinkled between his eyebrows.

“Pretty.”

Ki Young-hyun’s face brightened when Lim Dae-han responded. He always told him he was pretty. His reaction was amusing and adorable, and Lim Dae-han was troubled by a tangle of ambiguous emotions. It melted his thoughts, which had been muddled by English words. When he looked at Ki Young-hyun, it was always like this.

“Ah… Is, is that so? I don’t know much…”

Ki Young-hyun’s lips seemed to be dry, so he poked out his tongue and lightly glossed it. Lim Dae-han tilted his head.

“Hey, you’re my girlfriend, so why are you talking like that?”

Ki Young-hyun’s face turned pale even though it was a joke. His pale face became even paler. It was all a joke. What was his tone like? Lim Dae-han simply attempted to recall his tone, but he couldn’t. He frequently heard that if a joke was told at the wrong time, it may be interpreted as a threat. He couldn’t remember who said it. Perhaps that was similar to when he pranked Dae-ryong.

Unsurprisingly, the guy in front of him turned around to avoid the situation. Ki Young-hyun furrowed his brow. His nose twitched slightly as if he was annoyed. Lim Dae-han was doomed.

Ki Young-hyun continued to act uncomfortably after class. The joke was perhaps overboard. After 11 p.m., the two strolled out into an alleyway where no one was around.

Lim Dae-han secretly looked at Ki Young-hyun. Ki Young-hyun pouted his plump lips out. Lim Dae-han pressed his lips and glanced at Ki Young-hyun before moving his hand gently and touching the back of Ki Young-hyun’s hand. Ki Young-hyun turned his head and glanced at Lim Dae-han as soon as his hand was touched. His soft eyes, filled with anger, appeared more deadly today. Lim Dae-han, who had to look at those eyes, tilted his head slightly and spit out the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I was joking, I’m sorry you got upset.”

As soon as Lim Dae-han apologized, Ki Young-hyun shook his head without saying a word. Then he intertwined his fingers with Lim Dae-han’s. He was relieved that it had been solved. He didn’t want to make any more jokes. He had no idea why he did it. He did so despite knowing that Ki Young-hyun had a strong reaction to even the simplest of things. That was the case at first. Ki Young-hyun shuddered simply by his touch, and his shoulders shrank even as he spoke to him.

.

Lim Dae-han raised his head. The cherry blossoms in full bloom fell like snow whenever the spring wind blew.

“…”

Lim Dae-han raised his other hand, not the one that was holding Ki Young- hyun’s. He snatched the cherry blossoms that were floating in the sky. Then he showed it out to Ki Young-hyun. Ki Young-hyun delicately grasped the cherry blossoms on his rough hand and lifted them up with his thumb as though observing them.

“Ki Young-hyun.”

“… Yeah.” His gentle tone. His short response. Lim Dae-han squeezed Ki Young-hyun’s hand even tighter and asked.

“Do you want to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival?”

Ki Young-hyun cautiously nodded after looking at Lim Dae-han for a minute without responding.

“Yeah…”

He could simply say it. Just like him, Ki Young-hyun was cautious. He was cautious because he was worried Lim Dae-han would hide other things. Lim Dae-han caressed Ki Young-hyun’s soft hand.

“Then, shall we go on the 10th?”

The combined academic performance evaluation was due on April 10th. He reasoned that because self-study at night was ‘independent,’ he could skip a day or two. Ki Young-hyun stopped walking as soon as he finished talking. Lim Dae-hn also stopped and looked at Ki Young-hyun. There was a full smile on his sad face.

“Okay, I want to go.”

He smiled like a child and stared at Lim Dae-han. He then tapped his cheek.

“If you kiss me.”

Ki Young-hyun stepped closer and grabbed his cheek.

***

“…”

“…”

“…”

Because of the guy in front of him, Lim Dae-han couldn’t disguise his unhappy expression. Ki Young-hyun, who was caught in the middle, smiled an embarrassed smile, while the person facing Lim Dae-han did not hide his displeasure.

“What are you doing here?”

Jung Ji-pil stood at the back entrance, waiting for him and Ki Young-hyun. He was ignoring him and attempting to go, but Jung Ji-pil got in between Lim Dae-han and Ki Young-hyun. Ki Young-hyun hesitated, then spoke slowly.

“I’m afraid it will be a little bit weird if there are only the two of us…”

Nothing was strange. We’re dating. Instead of the words that reached the end of Lim Dae-han’s throat, Jung Ji-pil raised his voice.

“Who, do you know who wants to go?”

He made a good point about carrying a camera bag on his shoulder. Lim Dae-han, who had a sarcastic smile, just shrugged his shoulders. Ki Young-hyun came up to his side.

“Lim Dae-han, are you mad?”

Lim Dae-han responded with a sullen voice.

“What’s the matter with you two?”

“… I want to take pictures.”

Lim Dae-han didn’t mind if the two of them took a picture or kissed, but Ki Young-hyun was different. Actually, he felt it would be strange if two guys in school uniforms took pictures of each other. It was even more so if it was Ki Young-hyun, who cared deeply about those around him. Ki Young-hyun was like that. He felt a little better after thinking about it that way. He thought Jung Ji-pil, who knew between him and Ki Young-hyun, would be better than others who didn’t know anything at all.

“Let’s go first.”

Lim Dae-han stepped forward after patting Ki Young-hyun on the back. The sound of footsteps hurriedly followed behind him.

***