The Girly Boy (2)
“Yoo-hoo! I got bored and came to hang out!”
The firmly shut door to the private room burst open with a bang. My eyes, glued to the game, naturally flicked toward the door at the unfamiliar voice. They met the gaze of a boy who looked oddly refined and delicate.
“Huh?”
The sudden appearance of this stranger made my body freeze up instinctively. He seemed just as startled, staring at me in silence without looking away.
“Wait, aren’t you Kim Sua? Yangkku’s little sister.”
My name slipped casually from this unknown boy’s lips. My hands started trembling slightly on the game controller.
“Oh, sorry. I heard you don’t like people. Sorry for acting like I know you. It was just so sudden.”
The boy in front of me kept apologizing in a soft voice, clasping his hands together. Every gesture felt strangely feminine, making it hard to tear my eyes away.
“Ah, does it creep you out when a guy acts like a girl? I was a ballet trainee until I quit. These girly habits just stick around, so I get a lot of weird misunderstandings.”
He flashed a gentle smile and naturally closed the distance between us.
“I’m Song A Yeon. First-year at your school, childhood friend of Park Seongjun. I’ve heard a ton about you, so I feel like I already know you?”
After introducing himself as Song A Yeon, he plopped down naturally in the seat next to me.
“Where’s Seongjun? The old man said you’d be rolling around in here.”
[Gone to get snacks.]
I hurriedly thrust my whiteboard at Song A Yeon, who was chatting with me like we were old pals despite it being our first meeting. He stared straight at my face and took it from me.
‘Huh? Why’s he taking it?’
Wondering what he was up to, I watched quietly. Then Song A Yeon scribbled on the board just like I did and showed it to me.
[Way prettier in person than on stream! Can I be your friend too?]
His handwriting was stunningly pretty as he proposed friendship to a total stranger like me. His sudden high friendliness made a dumb sound escape my lips.
“Huh??”
“Is this how you communicate every time? With a face that pretty, your voice has gotta be cute too… Kinda sad.”
I sneaked a glance at Song A Yeon’s face as he handed the whiteboard back. It didn’t feel like he was just trying to win me over—it was more like he genuinely empathized with me.
“You like games, right? Saw you on stream—you’re really good.”
Song A Yeon smiled softly with his eyes and glanced at the big TV in front of us. The screen showed the fighting game I’d been hooked on lately.
“Street Fighter new release, right?”
I found myself turning to look at him.
“Seongjun’s the son of the game shop owner, so I got into it naturally hanging out with him a lot?”
Yeah, that made sense. Unlike other kids his age playing online PC games, Song A Yeon mostly hung out here with Park Seongjun, playing console games side by side.
“The old man seemed super excited, by the way. Looked like he’s rooting for you two.”
“Huh?! Urrrgh!!”
I shook my head furiously and scowled at that one line. Song A Yeon chuckled mischievously, propping his chin on his hand as he looked down at me. Our relationship must’ve been hilarious entertainment for him—he couldn’t stop grinning.
“Hey, I told you not to assume stuff like that so many times already.”
Park Seongjun cut into the conversation amid the awkward tension of being alone with him. I looked up at the sound of footsteps behind me and saw him glaring down at Song A Yeon, arms full of snack bags.
“Seongjun! No regular cola? Just zero?”
Then Seo Yeon noona appeared behind him, juggling PET bottles of drinks and a stack of paper cups in both hands.
“Whoa~! It’s really Yangkku! Oh yeah, you two are sisters, right? Park Seongjun, your connections are no joke.”
“And you’re no slouch in that department either……”
Park Seongjun openly grumbled, shooting Song A Yeon a glare. Unfazed, Song A Yeon snatched a snack from his arms and headed toward noona.
“I’m Song A Yeon, Sua’s friend! Getting to see Yangkku in person up close like this!”
“What? Friend? First I’ve heard of it.”
Noona narrowed her eyes at me. I quickly scribbled on my whiteboard and waved it visibly.
[I don’t have friends.]
“Today’s day one!”
“Eek!”
Song A Yeon’s eyes went wide as he grabbed my hand. Startled by the unfamiliar touch, I reflexively swung my arm and slapped his cheek hard.
**
“Let’s eat lunch together!”
“……”
[No thanks.]
The lunch bell rang right then. The classroom door flew open, and Song A Yeon strode in, inviting us to eat together. Park Seongjun glared at him with clear displeasure, and I gave a curt “No.” It was a rare moment where our opinions aligned by accident.
“Aw, c’mon~ We can at least eat together now, right, Sua?”
He was pushing hard to get close, acting super proactive about befriending me.
‘Doesn’t the slap from yesterday bother him……?’
“Oh! Don’t worry about yesterday! I didn’t realize you’d get that scared.”
I edged back, watching Song A Yeon warily, but he just kept closing in. His casual approach felt different from other boys—less like he saw me as the opposite sex, more like a same-gender friend.
‘Come to think of it… he said he was a ballet trainee, right?’
[Doesn’t it bother you?]
“Why would it?”
[Other boys just look from afar—they don’t come close.]
“Ah~ I get it. You mean I seem used to girls?”
Song A Yeon nodded, instantly grasping my point.
“Back in ballet training, I practiced a lot with female partners. Naturally, I fit in better with the girls’ group than the guys’.”
He hesitated a moment, then perched on Seongjun’s desk at a polite distance from me.
“Hey… that’s my spot.”
“Aw~ Why so prickly?”
“Haa… All the weirdos gather around me……”
Seongjun bolted from his seat like he was fleeing and headed out of the classroom. Song A Yeon watched him go with a regretful sigh.
“Ah, off to eat alone again? That’s why kids have a hard time approaching him……”
[Hey, how’d you two get close?]
Seeing Song A Yeon look so wistful sparked my curiosity about how they met. They seemed so different personality-wise—it was hard to imagine them clicking easily, so the question slipped out.
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering too.”
“Right? Aren’t you scared of him? He’s always fighting those delinquent types.”
A few girls from our class, who’d been watching from afar, gathered around. Not just me—everyone was curious about those two’s odd dynamic.
“Hmm, maybe this is a good chance to fix his image?”
After a brief think, Song A Yeon smiled his signature soft smile and spoke up.
“Back in middle school, kids bullied me bad, calling me gay for doing ballet as a guy. Then… he showed up out of nowhere and saved me.”
“Huh… How exactly?”
“He took down three guys single-handedly, beating the dust off ’em. I was terrified at first, but after saving me on his own whim, he just walked off without a second glance. Pretty sure that was our first meeting.”
Song A Yeon grinned, clearly still remembering it vividly, as he scanned the faces of the girls hanging on his every word. Keeping his gentle eye-smile, he spoke loud enough for all to hear.
“I wanted to say this someday, but now’s the time: Park Seongjun’s not some delinquent. I hate people who judge and trash-talk based on looks from behind their backs or spread rumors.”
“Ah……”
“R-right…? I mean, he is kinda scary, but the rumors are probably exaggerated……”
“S-surprising… Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen him bully anyone in our class……”
The girls all trailed off, avoiding his gaze like they had guilty consciences. Caught in the middle, I quietly gauged Song A Yeon’s mood in the awkward vibe. I’d started the topic, but I never dreamed there was a story like that. He’d been bullied……
“Ah, you’re the exception, Sua.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t judge by appearances, right? You’re so pure, just like you look—it makes me like you.”
Song A Yeon shyly complimented me and gently took my hand.
“Not scared this time?”
“Ah, uh, m-mih……”
“Here, write what you wanna say.”
As I fumbled with my words, he pressed the board marker into my hand. I slowly, carefully wrote it out.
[Sorry. I had no idea.]
“What’re you sorry for? I was gonna tell you eventually. You know what Seongjun’s like too, right? Better to get it out now—feels good to clear the air.”
Song A Yeon brushed it off lightly, like it was no big deal. He even laughed heartily, saying stuff like that’s what friends are for, smoothly easing the potentially awkward mood. I could feel him being considerate of me.