Cultural Festival (6)
The only sounds in the auditorium were the rustle of flipping papers and the scratch of ballpoint pens.
I looked up for a moment to lighten the mood, stretching my neck and glancing around. Middle schoolers in Pullyip Middle School uniforms mixed with high schoolers in Pulkkot High School uniforms. Today’s work was being handled by underclassmen and upperclassmen from both schools gathered together.
“Ugh……”
Then I heard a groan from beside me.
“Juyeon noona, something wrong?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s just……”
Seong Juyeon hurriedly tried to hide her papers.
“What’s up?”
“N-no, nothing. I… I can do it myself.”
I snatched the papers away.
“Hey!”
“Shh.”
“Ah……”
Seong Juyeon bowed her head apologetically when she noticed the stares around us. But the kids who’d looked annoyed just smiled and said it was fine once they realized it was her. Is this what they call social charisma?
“This is over budget.”
“It is?”
“Yeah. And the student council said no water play activities this time.”
“Huh?”
Seong Juyeon’s eyes widened in surprise as she rummaged through the papers she’d approved earlier. Her face went pale.
“Oh… right?”
“It’s fine. Just erase the signature, mark it rejected, and write ‘water play’ as the reason.”
“Okay. I’ll do it quick.”
“I’ll help.”
“I’ll help too!”
A guy who’d been watching from nearby jumped in to assist.
“Ah! Oh……”
Looking to the other side, that same underclassman from before had made the exact same mistake. Papers scattered across the floor.
“I’m really sorry! So sorry!”
“Hoo~”
I stood up to help pick them up.
“Oh? You don’t have to……”
“No need to rush. We’re all heading home at the same time anyway.”
“……Okay.”
I gathered the papers and set them back on her desk before returning to my seat. By coincidence, I’d ended up between Seong Juyeon and the underclassman, with Choi Gahee in the front row.
“Thank you so much.”
“No big deal.”
As I turned back to work, my eyes met Choi Gahee’s—she should’ve been looking at her papers.
“Um… hey, I don’t get this……”
“Sunbae-nim. I’ll help you.”
“No, leave it to me.”
“Huh?”
Choi Gahee, smiling and trying to at least talk to me, got blocked by the girls who followed her around.
“Guys, it’s fine.”
“Choi Gahee sunbae-nim, you look busy. I’ll take it.”
“Eh? You don’t have to! Besides, you’ve still got a pile too.”
“It’s okay. I’ll pull an all-nighter if needed.”
“Idiot. We all finish at the set time anyway?”
The two guys started bickering over her, but some girls nearby yelled at them to shut up.
“Guys, I’m fine. I’ll handle it.”
Choi Gahee cut them off firmly, and they looked disappointed. But she ignored it, turning back to her papers—though not before glancing my way one more time with a hint of regret.
“Gahee-ya, sorry.”
Seong Juyeon whispered an apology to Choi Gahee from the seat next to me. Is she sorry for taking the spot next to me? No way she thinks Juyeon noona and Gahee noona should hook me up, right?
“Um, sunbae-nim……”
The underclassman next to me called out again, holding out some papers.
“Sorry to bother you… is this approved?”
“It’s really iffy.”
“Ugh… sorry for the hassle.”
“Nah. Just approve it, and the student council will review it properly.”
“Okay……”
After that, I helped the underclassman and Seong Juyeon here and there until we wrapped up.
“Everyone, you can start packing up now.”
A student council officer announced it was time to head home.
“Um……”
As I gathered my stuff to leave, sure enough, Choi Gahee turned around and called me.
“…………”
Seong Juyeon next to me sensed something off since I didn’t respond and was about to say something when……
“Unnies! Where we going after?”
“Tteokbokki together?”
“Let’s hit the cosmetics store too! I wanna know what you guys use!”
“Ah, girls?”
“Juyeon unni~ I’m so tired~”
“Yeah, yeah, good job.”
Suddenly, a swarm of girls rushed in, filling the space with chatter loud enough to shatter glass. One even clung to Seong Juyeon, acting all spoiled. Yeah, no place for me there. Not that I need one.
Gahee noona stared at me desperately, but I quietly packed up and headed out. The underclassman next to me did the same, quickly grabbing her stuff.
“You’re not going with them?”
“Huh?”
I asked offhandedly, and she panicked, not knowing what to do.
“I… uh…… I’ve got something urgent……”
“Oh?”
“See ya!”
Well, if she’s busy, can’t be helped. Though I realized too late: this was the same underclassman who could barely talk to anyone at the first committee OT and only swapped numbers with me after mustering her courage. Guess I’ll let it slide next time. I hurried out of school too.
“Underclassman.”
“……Y-yes… sunbae-nim.”
“Don’t be so tense. Just measure the length and we’re done.”
“Yes!”
We headed to the path connecting the back gates of the schools. It was going to be the festival street.
The reason we were here was to check if the booth size requested by an external vendor fit the actual space. Make sure there was enough room amid the other booths.
When we arrived, lines were already marked on both sides for the adjacent booths. Super simple—just measure between them.
“Student council said once this is done, we can head home, so relax.”
“Yes!”
Lucky break. I’d raised my hand when they needed extra hands, and it turned out to be this. The underclassman followed suit. Not a huge time-saver—maybe 30 minutes early—but still felt good.
“Hold the tape steady.”
“Yes!”
“……It’s just measuring and noting it down for resubmission. No need to go all out.”
“Yes……”
She held one end of the measuring tape, and I stretched it to the other end. Then I heard a voice from behind.
“Taeyang~!”
“Huh?……”
“Hehe, whatcha doing?”
I turned to see a familiar face who had no business being here.
“Yuyeong, why are you here?”
“Huh? I come here all the time?”
“Hmm……”
If it was soccer club manager stuff, it’d be on the field mostly, and she’d basically retired after handing over duties, right? With high school entrance exams coming up. I knew her house was by the front gate like mine. No reason for her to be hanging around here after school.
“Hehe, just came to check on festival prep progress with the girls.”
“Didn’t you just say you come here a lot?”
Retracting her lie right away?
“Oh, I come to exercise sometimes too.”
Whatever, that’s Yuyeong for you. Her friends were hovering, unsure whether to leave or not. Officially, Yuyeong and I weren’t anything. Unofficially too, obviously.
“But who’s she?”
Lee Yuyeong turned and eyed the underclassman. Who suddenly scurried over.
“Oh, hi. I’m, um… on the festival committee with sunbae-nim……”
“Underclassman, what’re you doing? Hold the tape.”
“Ah, sorry!”
Good thing I’d locked it, so letting go didn’t snap it back.
“Sorry for almost hurting you!!”
“Nah, it’s fine.”
She was apologizing so much it was hard to even scold her.
“She’s cute!”
Lee Yuyeong suddenly took an interest in her.
“But Taeyang, aren’t you too cold? To such a cute underclassman?”
“Huh? What’d I do?”
“Think about it. Though you’re cold to cute me too, so I guess it’s just you.”
Not embarrassed calling herself cute? Anyway, good that she wasn’t jealous. I didn’t want another Eunju incident. Plus, dragging an innocent underclassman into love triangle rumors? No thanks.
Lee Yuyeong said something to her friends, then approached the underclassman holding the tape. Her friends chuckled once and left without her.
“What’s your name?”
“Huh?”
After that, the two just kept chattering.
“Hey, Yuyeong! We’ve got work, so beat it?”
“Boo~ I’ll help then. Just write the measurement here, right?”
“Haa~ Fine.”
Yeah, quicker finish the better. And she seemed more interested in bonding with the underclassman anyway. I reset the tape properly, eager to wrap up.
“6 meters 20 centimeters!”
I looked up to confirm she heard.
“Ooh~ Clubs sound fun.”
“I… don’t know if I’d be good at it.”
“Anything you’re into?”
“Huh?”
These two weren’t listening at all, just talking to each other. Specifically, Yuyeong grilling the underclassman.
“6 METERS 20 CENTIMETERS!!!”
“Ah! Y-yes! S-sorry!”
“Ahaha… my bad.”
Finally got the width noted.
“Now the length. Listen properly this time.”
“Yes!”
“Got it!”
Underclassman held the tape, I moved and called out lengths, Yuyeong wrote them. Midway, she dropped her end suddenly, and it whipped toward my hand. I let go quick.
“Ah, sorry!! Really sorry!!! I must be hopeless!!”
“……Hoo~ It’s fine.”
I went over to encourage her first.
“But next time you could really get hurt, so grip it tight—no dropping.”
“Ah, yes… sorry.”
“And ban the ‘sorry.’ It’s echoing in my ears.”
“……Yes.”
“Yuyeong, keep an eye on her too.”
“Got it.”
We finished without incident.
“We’re off to submit to the committee.”
“Yeah! Bummer, but next time. Friends are waiting.”
Lee Yuyeong headed to her friends. Chatted the whole time and barely helped.
“Thank you so much!!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The underclassman bowed deeply, and Lee Yuyeong patted her head with a grin.
“Hey, don’t touch other people’s heads casually.”
“Eh?”
“I-it’s fine……”
“You too—don’t let people touch your head casually.”
“……”
“Boo~ Taeyang’s too strict. See ya!”
Lee Yuyeong left, and we headed to submit the file.
Early dismissal for once. Walking under the still-bright sky felt nice, but the underclassman was trailing right behind me.
“Your house nearby too?”
“Huh? Oh… yes!”
She nodded and cautiously moved to my side. Better than just following from behind. We weren’t total strangers, so being awkward sucked.
“Ah, um… but……”
“What?”
“It’s been bugging me since earlier……”
What could it be? She hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
“M-my name’s Kang Eunbi!!”
Her face flushed as she yelled it out.
“Huh? I know.”
Anyone could see it on her name tag.
“You keep… calling me ‘underclassman’……”
“Hmm……”
I’d used it since names felt too personal… Guess it bugged her. Come to think of it, underclassmen usually just say ‘sunbae-nim’ unless they’re close.
“……You keep going ‘underclassman~’ and stuff. Over and over……”
Eunbi mimicked ‘underclassman~’ in her tiny voice, then hung her head.
“Got it. If that’s what you want, I’ll call you that.”
“Ah, again!……”
She bristled for a second but quickly bowed her head. Wanted to argue but too timid.
“S-sorry if I overstepped.”
“I get it, so quit with the ‘sorry.’ Eunbi-ya.”
“Eek……”
“I’ll call you Eunbi from now on.”
“Yes!… Um… Tae, Taey. Ta……”
Her face turned sunset-red with embarrassment, stumbling over her words.
“Ah, just call me whatever’s comfy. Sunbae or whatever.”
“Th-then… Oppa!”
“Huh?”
“Kim Taeyang oppa! Take care of me from now on!!”
Eunbi answered boldly and loud, then bolted away.
“Hmm……Nah?”
Lately, dealing with all these relationships must’ve given me delusions of grandeur. We’d just met, but I’d misread it. I shook my head.
“She does that a lot talking to others too.”
At OT, swapping numbers or when spoken to, her face always went red. First time seeing someone get facial flushing mid-convo from shyness.
“Hang in there.”
I muttered pointless encouragement and headed home.