In the Club Room
The exam period, which had felt both short and interminable, was finally over.
Since I'd barely slept the whole time, one week had felt like two.
"Now that exams are over, all my energy's just draining away."
"For real. I don't even want to come to school. Well, the club room's nice, though."
"Totally. It's perfect for just hanging out when you suddenly have free time."
After class, we gathered in the club room. There wasn't anything we particularly needed to do, but it was so well-appointed that our feet just naturally gravitated there.
The club room's storeroom was stocked with a state-of-the-art coffee machine, top-quality beans, and an assortment of snacks. And in the library area, aside from all kinds of novels and comics, there was a large screen and a projector, making it possible to watch anime with the feel of a movie theater.
At this point, we showed up with the same vibe as going to a manga café, not a club room.
Today was the day first-year classes ended earliest, so four of us—me, Areum, Ahn Seong-hyeon, and Seongju Hyung—had gotten there first.
Areum and I, sprawled limply on the sofa, made vacant small talk. I had no energy to begin with, and lying on the plush sofa just drained what little strength I had left.
'This thing is seriously plush. How much did it cost?'
There was no way the school would provide a sofa like this for a mere club room. Bam Nuna must have bought it with her own money. I got curious about the price.
Suddenly, Ahn Seong-hyeon, who had been doing pull-ups on the pull-up bar off to one side, spoke up.
"Speaking of exams, there were more people who didn't really study than I thought. Everyone just seemed to do it half-heartedly, you know?"
"Right, right."
The sympathy monster Areum nodded immediately.
"I kinda felt like maybe we were the only ones making a big fuss. I even stayed up all night at school."
"You got yourself grounded after just two days."
"Ugh, whatever! Don't pick on me!"
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
When I found fault, a cotton-bat punch flew at me. This kid had made a habit of hitting me. It didn't really hurt, though, so it was fine.
Anyway, as Ahn Seong-hyeon and Areum said, it was true that fewer people had studied seriously than I'd thought. Whenever they finished a subject, listening to them compare answers revealed a fairly high error rate. In fact, the number of people actually pulling all-nighters at school was small, too.
Seongju Hyung, who had been reading a comic, smirked as he listened to our conversation.
"It's because you're still first-years, and it's early in the semester. As each semester passes, it'll get harder to get good grades, you know?"
"Seong-ju oppa, you're a first-year too. How do you know that?"
"I've got lots of friends who are sophomores and juniors, so I've heard bits and pieces. They say not studying during the first year is pretty much the same no matter which school you go to."
"Ah-huh."
Areum nodded as if she understood.
I had actually heard the same thing from Soyeon noona, too. She'd said that during the first year—maybe due to some psychological reward effect after the CSAT—people were too busy having fun and few studied seriously. So scholarships were easy to get, and I should work hard.
Ahn Seong-hyeon, finished with his pull-ups, came over to Seongju Hyung.
"Seongju Hyung, what are you reading?"
"That one you recommended. It's fun."
"Ah, One Kill Man. That one has an anime, too."
"I wanted to start with the comic book. If I watch the anime first, I feel like I won't read the comic."
"Heh. You know your stuff. With original works, you've gotta go text, art, then video to enjoy all of it. Once you're done with that, I'll recommend you something else."
"Thanks. I've been reading it at home, too, so I'll probably finish soon."
The two of them talked happily over a single comic book.
I looked at Seongju Hyung with a surprised expression.
"I never expected Hyung would get so into comics."
"Right? Seong-ju oppa gave off major social butterfly vibes, so I thought he'd be out partying every day."
"......?"
"Huh? What's with that face?"
"Nothing. I just wondered if you had any right to say that."
"Me? What about me? I've devoured everything since the Tooniverse days?"
I knew perfectly well that Areum was a hardcore otaku. I just said it because her appearance didn't match. I mean, looking at her, you'd think she'd love bouncing around taking photos. The fact that in reality she was the complete opposite—a total homebody—was simply amazing.
Maybe she'd read my expression.
Areum pointed a finger at me and countered.
"If you're going to split hairs, you don't match either, you know?"
"...I don't?"
I was the very definition of a hardcore otaku and hikikomori, so what did she mean by that? I wasn't just a consumer, either; I was practically a producer. Telling someone who'd made tens of millions of won drawing erotic illustrations that he didn't seem like an otaku—what utter nonsense.
I was about to argue back.
"I find Cheol-jin the most surprising, too. Until elementary school, you had no interest in stuff like comics. You probably didn't even watch Tooniverse, right?"
Ahn Seong-hyeon, who knew my past, said.
At that, Areum's eyes went wide, and she raised one more finger to double-point at me accusingly.
"You didn't watch Tooniverse? You traitor! And after all that, you call yourself a weeb? You greenhorn!"
"Hey, just because I didn't watch that one thing, you're going that far...? I just got into it a little late, that's all."
"You traitor! You greenhorn!"
"Give it a rest......."
"You noob... uggyaaaaa......."
When I grabbed Areum's head, a strange moan leaked out. Her head was so small I could grip it with one hand.
It was while I was subduing the flailing Areum.
"Oh my? Our freshmen, you're already here. I'm so happy. And so diligent, too!"
Bam Nuna, who had opened the door and entered, spoke with the happiest expression in the world. She was so moved she wiped a tear with her finger.
Following behind her, Han Saebyeok also came in. She saw Areum caught in my grip, strode over in a few quick steps, and peeled me off her.
Han Saebyeok glared at me with sharply narrowed eyes and said.
"Why are you bothering her every day?"
"No, I......."
"You're hitting her every time I see you. You're the worst."
"Huh."
Unbelievable. Who was she casting as the thug here?
I turned to Areum, looking deeply wronged.
"Areum, I feel like I'm dying of injustice here. Why don't you clear things up for me?"
"Okay! I'll clear it up for sure!"
Areum nodded solemnly, as if she understood, as if to say, trust her completely.
Go, Areum! I was nice to you, at least!
I clenched both fists and cheered her on, but...
"Waaah! Saebyeok unni! He bullies me every day! Just a moment ago, he went like this with his hand and—clamped—my head, like this! Boohoo!"
"Hey, Pi Ah-reum!"
She was whining and fussing, speaking with that babyish lisp. Curled up in Han Saebyeok's arms, she was pouring on the aegyo with full force.
Han Saebyeok, eating it up, hugged her close and stroked her hair. Then she glared at me like I was trash. I felt so wronged my insides were about to burst.......
"What the—! If anyone got hit more, it was me! I took ten hits and retaliated with one, and that makes me the bad guy?"
"Against someone three times lighter than you......."
"How is it three times? It's barely over two times, at most!"
"Whatever."
Han Saebyeok snorted and moved Areum far away from me. What was I, a hazardous substance? I didn't think she was like this at first, but she seemed to be getting more brazen by the day.
But more infuriating than Han Saebyeok was Areum, secretly poking her head out from beside her and sticking her tongue out at me. You, just wait and see.
While I was gritting my teeth in frustration,
our club president, Yu-bam, cluelessly chimed in.
"Ahaha. Cheol-jin is really sociable. He already got close with Saebyeok. I was worried, but I'm relieved."
"Huh? Got close? I did? With who?"
"With Saebyeok!"
"......."
No, I didn't ask again because I hadn't heard you—I asked because I couldn't believe my ears.
I was so dumbfounded I couldn't even retort, when beside me, that menace Ahn Seong-hyeon chimed in agreement.
"Cheol-jin was always sociable, even when he was young. He'd get close with anyone quickly."
Just how many years ago was he talking about? That bastard Ahn Seong-hyeon had a tendency to unconditionally hype me up because he felt guilty about wronging me.
But what was this?
Even Seongju Hyung said,
"Well, among us, it's true you're the closest with everyone. If you exclude Areum, I probably talk to you the most?"
"No. Aside from Areum, I don't think I've really talked with anyone......."
If Areum wasn't involved, there were no occasions to talk at all. Even when we briefly ran into each other during the exam period, just exchanging a cursory nod was the extent of it.
Anyway, while we were chattering like that, two more people arrived.
Seora noona and Ju Hana.
I saw Seora noona and waved my hand happily.
"Noona, what brings you here? You seemed so busy."
"Exams ended, so I dropped by for a bit. Cheol-jin, you're sticking to your diet well, right?"
"O-Of course. Haha......."
I answered, subtly averting my gaze.
Because I had something on my conscience.
During the exam period, I'd let myself go and hadn't managed my diet as well as before.
From tteok-twi-sun to Chinese food to braised kimchi.
Not only had I binged, but once I'd let myself go, there were also times I'd eaten extra rice or grilled myself some meat as I pleased.
'Phew. Seems she hasn't seen the photos yet.'
I had to report every meal to Seora noona, my dedicated personal trainer, but recently I'd been occasionally recycling old photos I'd sent before. Naturally, I hadn't sent the extra food I'd eaten.
Just then, Ju Hana, who had followed Seora noona in, quietly took a seat next to me.
"O-Oh, hi."
Ju Hana greeted me like that and then bowed her head deeply.
Since this was the first time we were meeting after sleeping together last time, I could feel her being incredibly awkward.
If we stayed like this, I felt like I'd get awkward too, so I quickly continued talking.
"Hana, did you do well on your exams?"
"A-And you?"
"I think I did alright."
"I see. Congrats. I just... my grades have never really been good......."
She suddenly got gloomy.
Had I stepped on a landmine?
I was racking my brain to quickly change the subject when Bam Nuna looked at the two of us and smiled warmly.
"As expected, you're sociable. He's gotten really close with Hana, too."
"......."
No, well, it was true we'd gotten close... I mean, we had gotten incredibly close. I didn't even know anymore. If being sociable was a good thing, then fine.
I gave up on responding and shrugged.
A moment later, Bam Nuna stepped forward and spoke.
"Ahem. Since everyone's here, I'll make an announcement."
"An announcement?"
"It's nothing new. Is everyone working on what we talked about before? April's almost over now. There are ten days left to submit your assignments."
"Ah!"
The club assignment!
We had each decided to create a concept proposal for what kind of animation we would make.
'I'd completely forgotten.'
This was serious. What was I going to do?
I was utterly terrible at anything creative.