Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Unwanted Attention
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Dragged by the scruff of his neck to the hallway by Juwon.
There, a group of kids exuded an aura that made them untouchable.
From the guy who had shortened his uniform blazer to the casual way they leaned against the wall, laughing and chatting leisurely—the whole vibe was completely different from the world Siwoo had known.
'Whoa... they all look so intimidating...'
Siwoo was shrinking back, feeling cold sweat trickling down his spine, when—
"Ah, Seo Juwon! You're so damn late."
A male student leaning against the wall by the door grumbled. He looked even bulkier than Juwon.
His shoulders strained against his uniform shirt like it might burst, and his short-cropped sports haircut suited his refreshingly rugged, tough impression perfectly.
With the vibe of a sports team captain, Siwoo instinctively hunched his shoulders.
"Sorry, sorry. Got caught up chatting with my desk mate."
Juwon grinned good-naturedly and approached him. Siwoo trailed timidly behind that massive back, cautiously scanning the group.
Sure enough, it was a flashy lineup that even made kids from other classes glance over as they passed.
"Anyway, straight to the point: let's eat lunch with this guy from now on."
Despite Juwon's sudden proposal, his friends didn't seem surprised.
They just turned curious eyes toward Siwoo, wondering why Juwon was looking out for him so much.
"Who's this kid?"
The guy talking to Juwon cracked his neck with a loud pop and stepped right up to Siwoo.
Up close, he looked even bigger.
"He's my desk mate. Turns out he eats alone 'cause his friends go to a different school. Thought it'd be cool if we ate together."
The guy peered down at Siwoo's face in silence, as if processing Juwon's words, then smirked and extended a massive hand.
"Check out those glasses. Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Park Geon."
Park Geon clapped Siwoo on the shoulder. It felt light to him, but it made Siwoo's body sway.
"Ah, hi... I'm Nam Siwoo..."
As Siwoo mumbled his response, a slightly annoying-looking guy fiddling with his phone next to Park Geon snorted.
"What is this? Seo Juwon has weird tastes. You bring him here to make him your errand boy?"
He blatantly scanned Siwoo from head to toe.
He wasn't as built as Juwon or Park Geon, but his sharp eyes held a mix of inferiority and a desire to show off.
"Hey, Im Hyunsu. Watch your mouth. He's my friend, same as you guys."
Juwon draped an arm over Siwoo's frozen shoulder.
Juwon winked reassuringly, standing up for him.
Hyunsu clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't push back against Juwon's firm tone.
At that moment, a faint shampoo scent wafted over on the breeze from the back of the group.
"Cut it out and let's go? I'm hungry."
A cynical voice dripping with laziness.
Siwoo's head snapped around reflexively.
A female student stood leaning crookedly against the wall, backlit by the red glow of the sunset streaming through the hallway window.
Her black bob haircut swayed as she stood with arms crossed.
Maybe it was the sunset, but her hair looked especially beautiful.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Just doing introductions. You've seen her before, right? This is Baek Iseol. As you can tell, her personality is..."
Juwon waved and started his apologetic introduction, but she lifted her head and shot him a glare.
Juwon's words cut off abruptly, and Iseol's cold gaze slowly swept over the frozen Siwoo.
It wasn't unpleasant like Hyunsu's stare, but it carried an overwhelming chill.
"Ah, hi. I'm—"
Siwoo mustered his courage and started to stammer a greeting when—
"Whatever. I heard your name."
She casually brushed back her swaying bob and turned away first, walking past them.
"Hey, the others!"
"They already left. You guys hurry up too."
"Wait up!"
Park Geon shouted and followed her, while Hyunsu grumbled and shuffled off with his hands in his pockets.
Siwoo stared blankly at their retreating backs when Juwon patted his.
"Wanna come? We're heading downtown for dinner tonight."
Siwoo hesitated at the sudden invite.
Honestly, for a split second, he felt a twinge of wanting to join that shining group.
But his social battery had been drained ages ago.
Sticking around for dinner might land him in the ER from exhaustion.
Siwoo shook his head cautiously.
"Ah, my parents told me to head home early today..."
"Guess can't be helped then. Next time, eat together and get to know the crew. And."
Juwon slung an arm around Siwoo's shoulder.
"Sorry for being pushy. I tend to meddle a bit."
Siwoo's wariness melted away at the unexpected apology.
It had been so long since someone had shown him such warm, honest care.
"...It's fine. You meant well. Your friends all seem... nice too."
Juwon chuckled, eyes widening slightly at Siwoo's timid words.
"Right? They're all good people. I'll head out first. Get home safe."
After waving goodbye to Juwon until he was out of sight, Siwoo finally turned to look out the window.
The sunset-dyed field and the boisterous laughter.
It wasn't the quiet high school life he'd imagined, but maybe it'd be a bit more fun.
The next morning.
Siwoo's fluffy anticipation from yesterday's walk home had been utterly shattered.
"Is that the guy? This is Seo Juwon's seat, right?"
"Whoa. Look at those glasses. Everything's spinning? Can he even see without them?"
"What optometrist recommended that design?"
Three unfamiliar girls had gathered around his desk since morning, gawking at him.
Under their blatant stares—like he was some rare zoo animal—Siwoo was shrinking smaller by the second.
"Uh? These... just from a place near home..."
Just then, a ray of salvation reached the tomato-faced, fidgeting Siwoo.
"Hey, stop picking on my desk mate."
A heavy bag thudded onto the seat next to him.
"Then you should've brought him yesterday. We only got introduced to you guys—we didn't even see him!"
"You saw his face now, so whatever. Introduce yourselves quick and scram."
Juwon waved them off lazily.
One of the grumbling girls—a cute puppy-faced one—leaned on Siwoo's desk and spoke first.
"Hi! I'm Go Dasom. But seriously, I'm dying to know—what's the prescription on those glasses?"
Siwoo leaned back, startled by her big eyes up close, and stammered.
"Uh? This one's..."
As he started to answer, a flashy-looking girl standing nearby shoved Dasom's shoulder and cut in.
"Ahem. Yoo Chaerin here. Well, since you're Juwon's friend, let's get along."
"Uh? Uh, yeah. I'm Nam Siwoo—"
Before Siwoo could finish under Chaerin's dazzling smile, the bounced-back Dasom yipped at her in protest.
"Hey! I was talking first~"
"Introductions come before questions. Manners."
While the two bickered and distracted everyone, a mid-length-haired girl in a loosely worn gym top approached him.
She stared straight into his eyes and asked curtly.
"You roll?"
"...?"
Siwoo blinked in confusion at the sudden question, and she added flatly, as if realizing something.
"Han Jiyoon. Just checking if you game."
"Ah, I like games... but I'm not that good."
Jiyoon nodded coolly at his honest reply.
"Doesn't matter. Better than Seo Juwon, probably. I'll call you if we need bodies."
The rapid-fire banter from these popular kids left no room to breathe.
Siwoo couldn't tell if this was real life.
As they kept chattering nonstop, Juwon shooed them away like flies while checking his phone.
"Hey, seriously get lost now. You're loud. Bell's about to ring?"
"Ugh, Seo Juwon, you're such a jerk lately. Come on, let's go!"
"We'll come back later!"
The three girls grumbled and headed back to their class, leaving behind thick makeup scents and Siwoo's dazed, unfocused eyes.
Ding-dong-dang-dong—
Finally, the bell for first period rang.
For the first time in three weeks, Siwoo welcomed the sound.
The moment class ended, Siwoo quietly face-planted onto his desk.
He was completely drained, not even enough energy to twitch a finger.
'Drained my energy since morning... please, just let me sleep for 10 minutes quietly.'
Dr-r-ruck—!
As his eyes were about to close, the back door burst open forcefully.
"Hey! Seo Juwon, snack run!"
At Park Geon's shout, Dasom and Chaerin appeared out of nowhere and naturally clustered around Juwon's desk.
Siwoo's desk had already become part of their massive table setup.
"Why's he sleeping already? It's only the end of first period."
Park Geon poked Siwoo's slumped back.
"Ugh..."
Siwoo reluctantly lifted his heavy head.
Sometime ago, a bag of chocolates Dasom bought and Chaerin's hand mirror had boldly claimed space on his desk.
"Uh...? Oh, just sleepy..."
He tried to play it off to sneak back to sleep, but Park Geon wasn't having it.
"Hey, when you're sleepy, the snack bar's the cure. Come on, Nam Siwoo!"
At Park Geon's words, Juwon shoved his chair back and stood. The group's eyes locked onto Siwoo again.
He'd missed the window to refuse—no excuse now.
"Alright... I'll go too..."
Siwoo rose weakly in surrender, flanked by Juwon and Park Geon.
The morning sun streaming through the window was blindingly bright.
For Siwoo, it marked the start of an exhausting, endlessly long day.