Unexpected Combinations
The monthly ritual had come around once again.
Even so, there was nothing particularly grand about it. Just a simple seat change.
Once a month we switched where we sat—that was all. Or so I thought. The others seemed to feel differently.
"This'll be the last seating change."
"I know, right~ Today I'm definitely snagging that spot!"
At the center of all the squealing and giggling from the girls was a guy named Im Yu-hyeon.
He was a bit like the sun, but without any of that cocky swagger. Excellent at both studies and sports, polite to adults, and easygoing with everyone else—a perfect superhuman, basically.
You'd think no one like that could exist, but that was roughly how our class saw him.
As I was turning that not-quite-assessment over in my mind, Seol-hwa came up and asked, "Mind if I sit?" I answered, "Whatever's comfortable."
"Everyone's so noisy…"
"Well, it's the first seat change since you transferred in. It's always like this."
"…Really?"
When Seol-hwa had transferred, summer break had been right around the corner, so we'd kept the same seats. Back then I'd just watched from the corner as everyone got excited over something as trivial as rearranging chairs. Now it was different.
"If we could…"
"Sit together, that'd be nice."
Seeing the expectation in Seol-hwa's eyes, I smiled and finished her sentence for her. She grinned back. "You stole my line."
"Guess this sunny spot and I are saying goodbye today too."
Once we switched this time, the seats would stay fixed until the grade changed. As much as I'd miss it, I silently prayed we'd end up sitting together.
"Yo, lovey-dovey couple."
"Drop the 'lovey-dovey.'"
Yubin came over waving his hand lazily. I let out a pointed sigh, but he didn't care in the slightest, his thick-skinned grin never fading.
"But it's true—"
"…Do whatever you want."
There was no point arguing; he wouldn't listen, and I couldn't exactly deny it outright. So I answered with a whatever-goes attitude, and Yubin playfully patted my back.
"So, were you two praying or something to sit together?"
"I-Is it that obvious…?"
"It'd be weirder not to notice."
"Si-hyeon's right, you know. You two have been rising as the rival couple to Eun-ha's lately, you realize?"
"Not that I particularly want to rise like that…"
At some point, I'd gotten to where I could banter casually with the other guys too.
Just a month ago, being alone had felt natural… I couldn't help feeling a little overwhelmed with emotion.
As we chatted about this and that, the teacher walked into the classroom.
"This is the last seat change of the year. Do your best to get the seats you want."
Do our best? It was just a lottery in the end, so there wasn't much "best" to do.
While I was thinking that to myself, my turn came, and I drew a number ticket.
"Number 32…"
I'm screwed.
It was the very front of the classroom, and miles away from Seol-hwa.
Sitting next to her had been a long shot probability-wise, but staring the teacher right in the face was something I'd really wanted to avoid…
As I stood there, sighing so hard the ground might as well have swallowed me, someone tapped me on the back.
"Im Yu-hyeon…?"
I tilted my head at the unexpected face. Yu-hyeon said in a low voice, "Need this?" and handed me a scrap of paper.
I took it and unfolded it—it had the number for the seat next to Seol-hwa.
"You…"
While I was still dazed, Yu-hyeon snatched the other paper from my hand. "Think of it as me putting you in my debt," he said, patting my back, then quickly sat down in the front seat by the teacher's desk.
"W-Wait…? We're actually next to each other?!"
I carefully headed to the seat, accepting the favor he'd handed over. When Seol-hwa spotted me, her eyes sparkled with undisguised surprise.
"Just kind of happened."
No need to mention that another guy had given me the seat. No point pouring cold water on it, I figured, so I answered vaguely.
"I'm so glad…"
Seeing Seol-hwa happy, I decided that all's well that ends well… Now I just had to figure out how to repay Yu-hyeon.
"What would be good…"
At lunch, Seol-hwa had been dragged off by Eun-ha to hang out… With nothing particular to do, I was wandering the hallway when a delicious smell tickled my nose.
"What's that?"
I tilted my head and followed the scent, ending up at a classroom labeled Resource Room.
"Excuse me…?"
I knocked casually and opened the door. Inside was a girl.
"Oh my, a visitor? Welcome."
She had striking long brown hair. Or maybe it was the brown apron she was wearing that made her look that way.
Her eyes, glowing a blue that felt like the ocean, smiled toward me.
She was about the same height and build as Seol-hwa, but there was a warm, mature air about her that made her seem older.
"…What are you doing? Cooking, huh?"
I asked, a bit dumbfounded, as I watched fried rice sizzling golden-brown on a gas burner.
Was this even allowed inside the school? There were more than a few things that bothered me. But…
"Would you like a little?"
Faced with food that looked delicious at a glance, I ended up caving completely.
"So, what's the story here?"
"It's fine. I've gotten permission from the teachers. Ever since the library opened, this became an unused empty classroom anyway."
"Well, that's a relief, but… being alone in a place like this seems a bit lonely… What should I call you, by the way?"
The Resource Room's old-fashioned atmosphere suited this calm-looking girl perfectly, but I couldn't help thinking that.
"I'm Ji-woo. Seo Ji-woo. First year."
Having said that, Ji-woo soon added with a faint smile, "Thank you for worrying about me."
She looked so mature I'd wondered if she might be an upperclassman despite her appearance, but that didn't seem to be the case.
Lately I'd been dealing with nothing but high-energy types—Eun-ha, my mother, that Dojeon kid… Talking with someone this calm made me feel at ease.
"You're a good person, Yu-seong-sunbae."
"…Out of nowhere? And I haven't even told you my name yet."
"You're a celebrity, aren't you?"
"In a bad way?"
"In a good way."
"That's… unexpected."
Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched the back of my head as I answered. Ji-woo let out a soft laugh. "Oh my, you have a cute side too."
"Like how you and Seol-hwa-sunbae are all squealing and giggling together."
"Forget that."
I could guess where those rumors came from without looking. I let out a pointed sigh, and Ji-woo said, "I don't pay attention to the bad rumors either."
"…Really?"
When I asked back, surprised, her answer was even more unexpected.
"I'm close with people from that side of things."
"What?"
"My boyfriend used to be worse than you, Yu-seong-ssi. A classic delinquent, as they say."
"…That's genuinely unexpected."
How was I supposed to react…? I'd thought she had nothing to do with that type.
Preconceptions aren't good, I suppose. When I answered awkwardly, Ji-woo waved her hand. "It's fine."
"It's all in the past. We're doing well now."
I watched her expression in silence as she said that.
The whole time she talked about her boyfriend, Ji-woo wore the same look.
A smile like a field of flowers in full bloom.
Lately, I'd started to understand what created expressions like that.
"You really love him, huh? Your boyfriend."
It was the kind of face you only made when you were sure you loved someone, and were loved in return.
"…Yes. I really do."
Hearing me, Ji-woo blinked in surprise, then put on her usual smile again and said,
"And how about you, Yu-seong-sunbae? Things going well with Seol-hwa-sunbae?"
"Well… in my own way, I'm working on it."
I didn't know if this was the right path… but I wanted to make it the right one. That was all.
"If it's not too forward, would you tell me your story too, sunbae?"
"I dunno, it's not particularly interesting."
I said that, but Ji-woo looked expectant. "Even so."
Since I'd already heard hers, I had no choice but to nod. "Alright."
I gave her a brief rundown of everything that had happened.
Meeting on a rainy dawn street, hearing her circumstances on the rooftop…
How we'd started living together, talking about my past, the recent stuff with my family, and so on.
Talking about it like this, I realized that even though we hadn't known each other that long, quite a lot had happened.
The birthday, the pool, going to the aquarium together and looking at the starry sky… so many things came to mind.
Even condensed as much as possible, the story took a fair amount of time, and lunch period was nearly over.
"I can understand why you like her, Yu-seong-sunbae."
"Yeah?"
"I've never met her, so I don't really know, but… those kinds of things are far too harsh for one person."
"Yeah."
I couldn't deny it, so I nodded calmly.
Harsh—exactly the right word.
I'd wanted my father to acknowledge my dream.
I was proud of how desperately I'd worked for it.
But when that dream shattered, the shock that came was beyond imagination.
Still, I'd been able to reconcile with my father.
Even without achieving it, I could stop thinking that everything I'd worked for had been in vain.
But Seol-hwa… she hadn't even had that scrap of an excuse.
She'd tried anyway, and what came was resignation and despair.
How deep and agonizing must the sorrow that arrives then be… I couldn't even begin to imagine.
"…What are you doing?"
As the gloom started to twist my expression, Ji-woo stopped it by pressing a finger into my cheek.
"They say frowning is bad for your body."
"First I've heard of that."
"You really love Seol-hwa-sunbae too, don't you, Yu-seong-sunbae."
"Yeah. I do."
Even in that harsh situation, she hadn't lost herself.
Holding onto just one wish—to be ordinary—she'd lived strongly.
That idiot who belittled herself yet still told me I was a good person… I'd come to like her. I had no desire to deny it now.
"I should get going soon. If I'm late, who knows what Yurim will do."
If I went back even a little late, her kicks would be breathing fire. With the warning bell about to ring, I was about to get up when Ji-woo said, "Please give Yurim-sunbae my regards."
"You know her?"
"Yes, in various ways."
"That tomboy and… what an unexpected combination."
I couldn't really picture the two of them getting along… I said as much, but Ji-woo just kept smiling brightly.
"Oh, right."
Before opening the sliding door, I decided to ask one question that had come to me late.
"Just asking before I go—if you want to repay someone who did you a favor, what would be good?"
"Seol-hwa-sunbae?"
"Why does she come up right away? Not Seol-hwa… um, do you know Yu-hyeon? Same class. He helped me out a bit today…"
The moment the name Yu-hyeon came out, I saw Ji-woo's eyes waver for an instant.
"I didn't mean to pry, but your boyfriend…"
Before I could finish, the warning bell rang at the worst possible timing, striking my ears.