The Uncomfortable Group Project
By the time the first period was about to begin, I saw Hyein enter the classroom looking a bit disheveled. Her hair, still slightly damp at the ends, caught my eye. She hurried to her seat and began unpacking her things.
"Did you oversleep?" her friends asked, gathering around her. I caught a glimpse of the scene as well.
"Ah... yeah, something like that. My alarm didn't go off."
Her alarm didn't go off. Right. That was certainly true. Since I, her human alarm clock, hadn't gone off today.
"What about your parents?" The questions kept coming. It was a natural train of thought. Most people lived with their parents, after all. But Hyein and I... we were both from out of town, so our situation was a bit different.
"I'm living on my own. Sometimes... I miss my mom so much, you know?"
"Wait, really? You're living alone? That's huge... not even in a dorm?"
"Yeah, it just sort of happened that way... but I don't think it's all that great. Hehe."
It was true that it "just happened that way." Our parents had been close friends. Because we were both moving to a new city for school, our parents had looked at real estate together and signed contracts for houses right next to each other. I suppose they felt more at ease having a trusted neighbor rather than a total stranger. In fact, back then, Hyein and I were inseparable childhood friends. Even up until middle school, I was the one who used to wake her up and take her to school every day. It wasn't strange at all that our parents had set us up like that.
"Aren't you cold?"
In the middle of her conversation with the girls, a male student cut in. It was the same guy who had walked home with Hyein yesterday.
"I didn't realize it when I left, but... now that I'm here, it feels a bit chilly." Hyein wrapped her arms around her shoulders, showing just how cold she was.
"Your hair is still damp, too. It's still pretty chilly in the mornings and evenings, isn't it?"
"Exactly... it's spring now, but it's just the worst."
"Want to borrow this?" The guy made a move to take off his outer jacket for her. It looked like a form of flirting.
"Ah..." Hyein drew out the sound, looking conflicted. I didn't know what she was debating.
"Forget it if you don't want to."
"No, no. Then... just until lunch, please."
Hyein finally agreed, taking the jacket and holding it in her hands. Well... I guess that's good for her. Anyway, why am I listening to this so intently? I should just go to sleep...
"Hey, you brought the charger, right? Let me borrow it."
Just as I was about to put my head down and try to sleep after listening to the conversation from Hyein's side, Yuhwa's voice pierced through my focus from the seat behind me.
"Yeah, here."
We had talked about the charger since yesterday, so I pulled it out of my bag and handed it back without a second thought.
"Thanks."
That was the thanks I got from behind. Now that I'd handed over the charger, I should be free for a while. With that thought, I slumped back onto my desk. I had slept enough yesterday, so why was I so lethargic? I had no motivation, and my body felt heavy. My personality, my actions... it felt subtly like I wasn't the original me. Could it be that I was clashing with the emotions the original protagonist was feeling? Well, it wasn't my original body, after all. It was only natural that I hadn't become the perfect owner of this vessel yet.
"Hey. Borrow me that, too."
But it seemed my freedom wouldn't be granted so easily. Yuhwa spoke toward me again, as if she needed something else.
"What?"
I finally lifted my head and turned my body around to look at Yuhwa.
"The hoodie you're wearing! I'm a bit cold." Yuhwa pointed at my outer jacket and made the request. Of all the times... there had just been an act of lending a jacket right next to us. Was I just being overly sensitive?
"My jacket?"
"...You don't want to lend it to me?" Yuhwa glared at me. I felt a chill run down my spine. I hadn't said I didn't want to lend it.
"No, it's not like that. You can wear it."
"Then hurry up and give it here. I need to sleep, too."
In the end, I had to take off my jacket and hand it to Yuhwa. I could feel the cool air against my skin.
"Thanks."
Leaving behind a remark that was closer to a formal greeting, Yuhwa immediately put on my jacket. It was a bit baggy on her, looking almost like she had stolen her dad's clothes.
"It's definitely warm... Ah! It's so cozy. Now I can finally sleep."
Yuhwa plugged her phone into the charger and immediately slumped onto her desk. She even followed up with an honest review. Well... I guess that's fine. She seemed satisfied enough.
"Wake me up when the first period starts."
"Yeah..."
With that as her final word, I turned back around. But... why does Do Yuhwa keep obsessing over me? Is it because I keep giving in? I thought if I just brushed it off, the aggro would fade, but it feels like I'm getting even more tangled up. At this rate, I'm going to end up with the 'Do Yuhwa's Servant' ending. Right, I can't be tied down to her forever, so I need to start setting boundaries...
With that thought, I glanced back at Yuhwa. But I wasn't the only one looking at Do Yuhwa, who had fallen asleep on her desk. For some reason, Hyein was also staring intently at Yuhwa, who was sleeping right next to her. Her expression was filled with an unidentifiable sense of dissatisfaction.
"Do Yuhwa, wake up. The teacher is here."
As the first period began, I turned around to wake Yuhwa.
"……."
But there was no response from Yuhwa. How deeply had she fallen asleep?
"Hey, wake up now!"
Taking advantage of the still-unsettled atmosphere of the classroom, I woke her with a slightly louder voice. Still, there was no reaction. At this point, you have to wonder if she even has the will to wake up. This won't do...
In the end, I tapped Yuhwa's shoulder with my hand. I hesitated quite a bit, but it was the only choice. Even though she was wearing my thick jacket, I could instantly feel how slender her shoulders were through my palm.
"Aah... already?"
Since external force was applied, she finally woke up. At last.
"Yeah, why wouldn't you wake up?"
"Sorry... I didn't know."
Yuhwa lifted her head with bleary eyes, looking like she hadn't fully regained her senses yet.
"Well, it happens." I replied. I was a bit taken aback by her unexpected reaction. If it were Yuhwa waking up from a nap... I had expected her to be even more ill-tempered, so it was quite surprising that she apologized immediately.
"Since it's a bit early to dive straight into the curriculum~" The teacher at the podium seemed ready to start the lesson.
"I'm sure you'll all get along well on your own, but for now, I'd like to do a light group activity so you can get to know each other's faces and get closer."
A group activity. You are providing a very useless favor. That was my first thought, but I soon opened up to a different perspective. I thought it might actually be a good opportunity. Right, I'm someone who wants to meet new people and reach a happy ending. There couldn't be a better opportunity to pursue encounters naturally. Especially for me, who had been struggling after being caught by Do Yuhwa.
"Now... let's see. For the groups..." The teacher acted as if scanning our class.
"Four people each. Four people over there, too. Let's make groups of four based on your current seating."
The teacher enthusiastically explained how those four would be combined. Wait a minute... but... if that's the case. Our group is...?
One girl I don't know sitting next to me. And Do Yuhwa behind me. And finally, Seo Hyein, who sits next to Do Yuhwa. Those four. It was going to be an incredibly uncomfortable group. Instead of a chance to meet new people, I was about to have the worst experience possible.
"Then, shall we move our desks together by group?" the teacher said.
Ah... how cruel. To start it right away like this.
-*Scrape.*
Desks began to move, dragging harshly against the classroom floor. It was the same behind and next to me. In the end... we were all gathered in one spot.
"Students in the front row, just turn your bodies around to face the students in the back row!" the teacher suggested another harsh condition. But it wasn't like I could rebel against it.
"Hi! We're in the same group? That's great!! Please carry me."
The four of us split into pairs and sat facing each other. Yuhwa was the first to speak, attempting to break the ice.
"What..., we have to do it together."
And I matched Yuhwa's tempo. Since the situation had already unfolded like this... I had no choice but to pretend that everything was as normal as possible.
"Yeah, that's right. I'll work hard, too!"
The girl I didn't know sitting next to me also joined in on our flow. Seeing that, I thought it was fortunate. But there was one problem remaining. That was... Hyein, who hadn't said a word yet. Her expression was filled with discomfort and awkwardness.
"Your name is... Hyein, right? Hi?"
Yuhwa waved her hand lightly at Hyein and greeted her first. For some reason, it was a tense moment.
"Ah... yeah, that's right, Seo Hyein. Hi."
Hyein stared blankly for a moment before answering. But she didn't look at Yuhwa when she spoke.
"Are you okay? Your complexion doesn't look good. You were late today, too, right?"
Yuhwa asked Hyein, who had answered with her gaze fixed on empty air. She turned her head to the side to look directly at Hyein's face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a bit distracted."
Only then did Hyein meet Yuhwa's eyes and smile faintly. And I think my tension finally eased a little, too. I suppose I was overly nervous because I knew that their relationship in the original story had turned into a complete mess.
"I guess... it's hard to wake up in the morning when you live alone." Yuhwa turned her head again and looked at me this time. I looked away, feeling a bit shy about staring at Yuhwa head-on.
"Yeah, that's true. And I'm a very heavy sleeper, too."
"I live alone too, so I know that feeling all too well. I was cutting it close today, too, you know?"
"Is that so."
The two continued their conversation with a strange atmosphere. Right, it was by no means a natural flow.
"Hmm..."
Then, I suddenly felt Yuhwa staring at me.
"Hey! If I don't get a call in the morning, you give me a ring."
She blurted that out suddenly. Do Yuhwa, how did she know I used to be Hyein's alarm clock?