Bandages and Crumbling Towers
Druruk—!
“I'm here.”
Gu Jun-hyeok, who'd skipped yesterday claiming he was sick, showed up to school looking perfectly fine today. Or well, not perfectly fine. His face was plastered with bandages and gauze in every direction. Scratches and bruises peeked out from the spots the bandages couldn't cover.
“You been getting beat up or something?”
“What the hell outta nowhere? Oh, this?”
Gu Jun-hyeok fiddled nonchalantly with the cut on his cheek. Didn't even seem to hurt.
“Got hit a bit during sparring. I go to the gym.”
“Gym?”
“Aiming for the Holy Knight track.”
Holy Knight track students train at the gym, learning martial arts like boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, MMA, and so on. It's a requirement for applying—you need at least one martial arts certification.
“Maybe I should just drop it and go priest instead.”
“Priests aren't for just anyone.”
“Yeah, true. But I don't wanna be a paladin either.”
Gu Jun-hyeok said it with a bitter edge. He was checking his face in the classroom's corner mirror, twisting this way and that. Not a single inch of it was unscathed. Total wreck.
He dropped his head and let out a heavy sigh.
“Ah, man. Reality's hitting hard. Ruined my handsome face.”
“Handsome? Who? You?”
Druruk—!
Right in the middle of his nonsense, Jeong In-ah kicked open the classroom door.
“Oh, you're here.”
Gu Jun-hyeok greeted her flatly, zero enthusiasm.
Jeong In-ah stared at his face for a good while, then widened her eyes in surprise.
“What the heck, Gu Jun-hyeok? What happened to your face?”
“Sparring mishap. Ruined my handsome face—”
“Whoa, covering it up makes you look way better. You shouldn't walk around like that all the time.”
Jeong In-ah said it with a playful grin. Gu Jun-hyeok's face froze in awkward offense.
“……The hell?”
He let out a hollow laugh and glared at her. Jeong In-ah snorted dismissively, ignoring him completely.
After that, the two bickered back and forth a bit. I used their chatter as background noise while studying. Needless to say, I couldn't focus. My head was full of stray thoughts.
Bae Seong-hyeon got expelled, O Byeong-min withdrew. Bae Seong-hyeon's crew got disciplined for school violence. All in just three days.
Yet the school felt the same as always. Jeong In-ah and Gu Jun-hyeok bickering. Students studying or gossiping with friends. Ha Ye-jin doing morning roll call, mentioning kidnappings like usual. Teachers holding class as normal.
Bae Seong-hyeon. O Byeong-min.
Repeating their names felt strange, like they'd never existed.
“Not eating lunch?”
Lunchtime hit, and Gu Jun-hyeok called out to me. That's when I snapped out of my daze. My head felt foggy. Didn't even have the energy to reply.
He stared right through me, then spoke up.
“You've been spacing out all morning. Oh, right—Prof. Divine Studies said to come to the office. Said you skipped class.”
“What? For real?”
“Nah, just messing with you.”
Gu Jun-hyeok lied without batting an eye.
“You're insane.”
“Come on, let's go. I'm starving.”
“Fine, yeah. Let's go.”
I gave in to his nagging and stood up. Weirdly, Jeong In-ah wasn't with him. She was slumped over her desk, dead asleep. No sign of waking.
“What day is it? You two are both out of it.”
I walked over to Jeong In-ah with Gu Jun-hyeok. Even as we got right up to her, she didn't stir. Her shoulders rose and fell with steady snores.
“Wake her?”
“Gotta. Leaving her?”
“She looks wiped.”
Tap tap.
I patted her shoulder lightly, but no dice. She was out cold, like the dead. Probably best to let her sleep.
Gu Jun-hyeok seemed to agree—he didn't push to wake her. Instead, he started stacking stuff on her head: erasers, paper cups, crushed empty cans, whatever.
“Ooh.”
Soon enough, even I had to admire it—a ridiculously intricate tower. Made of pens and trash, it looked surprisingly artistic, almost symbolic. Like modern installation art. Slap a title on it, and it'd fit right in a museum.
“Not bad.”
I gave my critique, and Gu Jun-hyeok grinned smugly.
“Guess I was born not just handsome, but with artistic talent too. This beautiful, shimmering tower—”
Crash.
The tower crumbled, cutting him off. Jeong In-ah had woken up, blinking groggily as she lifted her head.
“Ugh…… *slurp*. What the……”
She wiped drool from her mouth and looked around.
Gu Jun-hyeok stared at the ruins in devastated silence, then slumped to the floor like a deflating balloon.
“My masterpieceee—!”
“What's his deal……? Already lunchtime?”
Jeong In-ah smoothed her messy hair and asked. Her eyes were still dazed.
“Yeah. Lunchtime.”
“Ugh. How long was I out……”
She groaned, standing up.
“Slept through all morning. You must've been tired.”
“Dunno. Just kept nodding off. Yawwwn……”
Jeong In-ah yawned hugely and stretched. Finally snapping to, she eyed Gu Jun-hyeok on the floor with puzzled curiosity.
“What's with him?”
Her tone was flat, like she was talking about an object.
“Beats me.”
“Get up. Lunch—”
Jeong In-ah stopped mid-sentence as she tried to haul him up. Her gaze fell on the scattered trash around her desk—the remnants of the “tower.”
Her face crumpled instantly.
“Hey.”
“……”
Gu Jun-hyeok hung his head at her icy tone, saying nothing.
“Clean it up.”
She glared daggers. He scrambled to pick up the mess.
*
We finished eating and left the cafeteria. Then strolled the walkway with Jeong In-ah and Gu Jun-hyeok. We always took a walk after meals. No real reason—just habit.
“But with Bae Seong-hyeon expelled, what happens to the Charity Holy Mark?”
Gu Jun-hyeok asked out of the blue amid our pointless chit-chat.
“Stripped, so it's vacant.”
Jeong In-ah answered curtly. She didn't seem to like talking about Bae Seong-hyeon much.
I just listened. I didn't know the details.
“They leaving it vacant for three years?”
Gu Jun-hyeok tilted his head, confused.
The seven freshman reps elected before enrollment—the student council execs—don't change easily. Florence picks only the qualified ones. But exceptions exist: voluntary resignation or disqualification like Bae Seong-hyeon's.
“They'll re-elect. Heard there's a re-election exam.”
Like Jeong In-ah said, they hold an exam to pick someone worthy of “Charity.”
“Ooh.”
Gu Jun-hyeok pursed his lips in admiration. Jeong In-ah stared at him, shocked.
“Whoa, that face is ugly.”
“Yeah? Yours more.”
He shot back childishly. And so began a long, juvenile debate on who was uglier.
They were having a blast.
“……Enough. I'm tired.”
“OK. Truce.”
Jeong In-ah called truce; he accepted. They glared silently for a bit, then picked up their usual banter.
They fought often—and made up just as fast.
“Anyway, assuming re-election exam. You taking it?”
Gu Jun-hyeok's question shifted us back to the Charity Holy Mark re-election.
“Me? Hmm. Probably not.”
Jeong In-ah tilted her head.
Gu Jun-hyeok eyed her curiously.
“Why not?”
“Studying's enough hassle. Add student council? I'd need less than two hours sleep a day.”
“Eh, you're here—might as well try everything. I'm definitely applying.”
Gu Jun-hyeok whipped around to me.
“You?”
“Dunno. Thinking about it.”
I hedged, weighing it.
Getting the Charity Holy Mark means high cleric status—as long as you don't get stripped like Bae Seong-hyeon. So yeah, apply for the exam. Higher up, better chance to meet Mom.
But Jeong In-ah had a point. It'd pile on responsibilities. Studying baseline, plus council duties, donations to Florence as Charity Holy Mark. And as Voodoo Cult Leader, religious stuff too. Even 48-hour days wouldn't cut it. Insomnia would worsen. Might burn out before cleric rank.
What's to agonize over? Apply, obviously.
You love being busy. Pervert.
Legba chimed in as I mulled.
“……”
I nodded faintly, no words.
Legba knew me better than I knew myself.
Imagining myself as Charity Holy Mark, busier and fiercer than anyone—my heart was already pounding. Truth was, I liked being swamped. Made me look like a freak, but oh well. Sitting idle made my skin crawl.
“So? Doing it or not?”
Gu Jun-hyeok pressed.
“Yeah, I'm in.”
Legba's nudge sealed it.
“Cool. Rivals then. Looking forward to it. I'll crush you.”
He offered a handshake. I stared blankly at his hand.
“Why rivals?”
“I'm applying too? Rivals, duh.”
“You don't even qualify as rival material.”
“Huh? This punk? Preemptively trash-talking?”
“Trash-talk's for rivals. Don't get delusions with me.”
I grinned teasingly. Gu Jun-hyeok huffed a laugh, but he was riled anyway.
“Fine. If you're my rival, that's the attitude—”
“Why keep forcing the rival thing?”
“—Agh! See you at the exam. I'll wreck you for real.”
He yelled, fuming. Jeong In-ah burst out laughing at the exchange.
“Hahaha—! He's right. Gu Jun-hyeok, what rival? You're just a stepping stone. Bottom rung.”
“Damn, you two ganging up? I'm actually hurt.”
Gu Jun-hyeok grumbled, incredulous.
“Pfft. I'm holding back 'cause I'm nice.”
“Holding back what? What if you don't?”
“Hey. If I didn't, you'd both be—”
Gu Jun-hyeok puffed up, bluffing—then clamped his mouth shut. Face drained white. Eyes darting nervously.
I followed his gaze. Far off, someone barreled toward us at insane speed. Graceful, light steps—like a cat. Nah, cheetah from the velocity.
She closed the gap in seconds, stopping right in front of me. No sign of fatigue after that sprint.
“Here.”
Clear voice. Kim Jin-seo handed me jelly. Same kind from when I fixed her fingers—her thanks.
“Giving it away? Suddenly?”
“Leftovers.”
“Ah.”
I nodded. Like last time, just offloading extras.
Why me over a friend? Dunno. I don't even like jelly.
“……Oh, In-ah. Hi.”
“Uh…… hi.”
Kim Jin-seo finally noticed Jeong In-ah beside me and greeted her late. Smiling, but forced—polite formality.
Jeong In-ah returned it awkwardly, stiffly. They knew each other, but not close.
Kim Jin-seo gave me the jelly, shot Gu Jun-hyeok a glare, then dashed off as suddenly as she'd come.
We watched her blur away in silence.
“Phew.”
Once she was gone, Gu Jun-hyeok sighed in relief. He seemed straight-up scared of her.
“You and Kim Jin-seo on bad terms? Why'd you freak?”
I clapped his trembling shoulder.
He shook his head vigorously.
“She was my sparring partner yesterday……”
“……That was Kim Jin-seo?”
I blurted, shocked.
Gu Jun-hyeok's face was a disaster—bruises everywhere, swollen eyelids. Kim Jin-seo? Flawless, not a mark.
Too lopsided.
“Kim Jin-seo's a monster. Took hits all three rounds…… Shouldn't have provoked her……”
“What'd you say to get beat this bad?”
Kim Jin-seo's nice. From what I know. Not the type to pulverize without reason. Either she was off that day, or he crossed a line.
“Talked about you a bit. Shouldn't have…… Didn't think she'd go this hard.”
“……What about me?”
“Ask her yourself if curious. Man, scary thinking back. Her eyes changed when I mentioned you.”
Gu Jun-hyeok smirked meaningfully.
I couldn't parse it.
He mentioned me to Kim Jin-seo. She beat him senseless. What did he say?
“Hey, why's it a secret between you two?”
Jeong In-ah sulked, eavesdropping. Playful tone, but lips pursed in genuine pout.
“Ew, don't purse like that. Gonna hurl.”
Gu Jun-hyeok inflamed her instead of soothing.
Jeong In-ah glared murderously and swung at his shin.
Whoosh.
Miss. He lifted one leg, dodging.
“Haha! Afterimage. I saw that coming—”
Thwack.
She nailed the other shin. Gu Jun-hyeok hopped, clutching it.
Jeong In-ah laughed, satisfied. Her eyes flicked to the jelly bag in my hand.
“You two must be close. Giving jelly and all.”
“Not really. Seems like leftovers again.”
“……Do people usually have jelly left over? I devour mine at home.”
Jeong In-ah eyed the bag curiously.
Gu Jun-hyeok limped over, still hopping.
“You never eat it anyway. Gimme if you're hoarding.”
He reached— I pocketed it quick.
“Nope. Scram.”
“Thought you hated jelly. Stacking 'em up uneaten.”
True. I do. Wouldn't eat it if force-fed.
But no way to him.
“Rudeness to the giver.”
Gu Jun-hyeok whistled at my answer.
“Ah~ Yeah. Now I get why she snapped yesterday. That's why.”
He nodded, striding ahead fast—maybe sulking.
(To be continued)