The Girl My Eyes Keep Drifting To
Yeah, romance has no place in my life. So I resolved not to give my heart to Mary or anyone else.
That said, separate from that determination, I was set on making the most of this hard-earned second youth. I'd aim for top scores on every test, earn glowing reviews from teachers for my student record, and build a solid network of connections through smooth, drama-free friendships. To do that, I'd naturally need to mingle actively with my classmates—which meant going all out even in PE dodgeball.
"Kim Cheolsu! Pass here!"
"Hah! You think I'll let it through?!"
Maybe it was the prime of their hormonal youth, but these boys played rough regardless of team. Thriving in that chaos took real mental fortitude. But who am I? A veteran of boys' middle school, high school, engineering college, and the military—I've got the chops for this.
"Goal! Kim Cheolsu scores!"
"Damn, again?!"
"Whoa, Cheolsu's killing it! They're already double our score!"
"Kid's got it all except that lame name of his."
They just can't let the name thing go. Whatever—it's progress in how they see me, so I brushed it off. Heading to the bench for a break, I quenched my thirst and scanned the field.
My first PE class ever. The teacher encouraged us to bond through games rather than drills, so now the whole class was deep into ball sports: boys playing soccer, girls volleyball...
"Soeun! Ball's coming down there!"
A familiar name from the girls' side drew my gaze instinctively. Just then, a volleyball arced perfectly into enemy territory—right toward our class topper and my seatmate, Yoo Soeun. She stared at it intently, but her hands never moved, letting it drop untouched.
"Ah, shoot. Another point lost."
"Hehe, targeting her makes this too easy~"
Disappointment from her team, glee from the opponents. This kept happening round after round, and soon the girls' chatter turned openly critical.
"Soeun's great at studying, but zero athleticism, right?"
"More like, what’s she even thinking? She just zones out into space unless you call her..."
"No small talk, just nods along if you say something... Kinda off-putting, honestly."
Beyond shy—she was uncooperative. No wonder she didn't mesh. One girl seemed friendly, but even that felt edged, sharper than what an outsider like me could pick up.
"Soeun~ If ball games are too much, why not sit out? Sports aren't your thing anyway, and we don't wanna push you~"
It came from the popular girl with clear influence. The others nodded subtly, and Soeun quietly slipped away to an empty spot, just watching. She looked so forlorn it tugged at me—maybe I should say something.
But nah, that'd be meddling. I could help if it was a real issue, but friendships and clumsiness? Not my lane. Plus, with Mary's warnings, getting chummy with another girl wouldn't fly.
Yeah, best to ignore it... usually. But then—
"Hey, Cheolsu! Quit slacking and get back in! They're catching up!"
"You sneaky bastard, pulling another Cheolsu chance?!"
...Screw it. Whatever happens, I'll just roll with school life.
Of course, a student's real duty is studying, not soccer. As one of the top schools in the capital region, the teachers were elite, and their lessons packed real punch—especially math, diving straight into advanced formulas beyond applications.
Even the top kids were sweating. Teachers couldn't baby us, though.
"Yes, from here to here is test material—take notes. I'll put a problem on the board as a challenge. Anyone confident, come solve it."
No mercy, even demanding volunteers. Everyone hesitated to avoid embarrassment, so the teacher sighed and pulled out what looked like a prepared card.
"Right, this class has the grade's top student. Yoo Soeun, come solve this equation."
Makes sense—the topper should handle it. But she didn't budge, just staring blankly at her textbook, lost in thought. Zoning out in class?
"She's calling you."
I nudged her. She finally reacted, glancing at the teacher, then slowly stood and approached the board. She stared at the equation, pondering... seconds to dozens, then minutes.
"What's with her? Can't solve it?"
"If she can't, just say so."
Silence mid-lesson irked everyone. The teacher reached his limit.
"Yoo Soeun. If you can't—"
Tap. Chalk hit the board. After the long quiet, she started writing steadily. The tension eased as her formula grew, way beyond first-year high school level—college math territory.
"Uh, Soeun. That's enough."
The teacher stopped her. She stepped back, chalk down, and asked timidly, "Did... did I do it right?"
"Yes, it's correct... We knew you're brilliant. Back to your seat."
She bowed and returned beside me, acting like nothing happened. But the board left shockwaves.
"What was that? Insanely complex."
"College level, right?"
"No wonder she's top."
Awe and admiration on the surface, but undercurrents of snide murmurs.
"Tch, annoying."
"Yeah, acts all superior."
...One thing was clear: unlike my friendship goals, her rep wasn't great.
Break time—kids unwinding or chatting. I joined my group for banter, gauging the class vibe.
"So~ what'd that guy do next~~"
"Pfft, hilarious."
Shin Jiho cracking jokes, Lee Nari laughing along. I chimed in half-heartedly, eyes on the popular girls across the room.
The leader and her clique gossiping... including my seatmate Soeun, who just listened silently. From my angle, she seemed tacked on, not fitting in.
"Oh, Soeun. One favor~"
The leader picked her out, handing over her wallet. "Thirsty—grab juice from the shop?"
"J-juice?"
"Pretty please~ We're friends, right?"
Friend-zoned errand. Humiliating unless you're tight, but Soeun nodded and left without protest. The group giggled once she was gone.
"Nice~ She even grabs snacks~ That's what friends are for?"
"Aren't you overworking her?"
"Whatever. She'd say no if she minded~"
It grated on me. They'd never chatted with her directly—just kept her as decor, sending her on fetches.
"Cheolsu, what's up?"
Jin Seohyeon noticed. I realized I'd stared too long and deflected.
"Nothing. Just... noisy over there."
"You've been glancing their way awhile."
"Ooh, Cheolsu~ Mastered studies and sports, now chasing romance?"
"Cheolsu's got a crush? Who?!"
Jiho and Nari pounced. They saw me as a typical teen boy, but it wasn't that.
"Cut it out, idiots. Nothing like that."
Yeah, just concern. My seatmate not thriving in school life clashed with my ideals.
Lunchtime—kids swarming the cafeteria. Me? Bento as always. And starting today, rooftop with Mary per her demand.
"Um, hey."
As I grabbed my lunch to go, Soeun—who'd waited for this—held hers out, gauging me.
"Bento... together...?"
"...Sorry, prior engagement today."
"P-prior...?"
"Yeah, a pesky childhood friend insists. Gotta hang with her awhile."
No way she'd sulk and spam texts otherwise. But it meant ditching this girl alone. She skipped cafeteria crowds anyway, and her friendships sucked.
"......"
"......Um."
Her head drooped, face darkening noticeably. She'd clearly hoped to eat together. I got it—solo lunches suck.
"...Ugh."
Unable to ignore the sympathy, I rubbed my temples and half-reluctantly invited her. As classmates—seatmates, even—nurturing that bond made sense.
"Follow me. Someone to introduce you to."
"...So you brought her too?"
"That's how it went."
"That's how it went?! No!"
Ah yes. Total strikeout, as expected.