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“...Excuse me?”
The students around him stared speechlessly at the senior who'd come to deliver the news. However, remaining completely unphased by the blank gazes that everyone was giving to her, she continued on expounding further on her point.
“That's right. It's not like sicknesses could be predicted. Since the play is in two days, it will be difficult to find a substitute who could memorize all the lines quickly and not forget them, while also being able to act out the role.”
“...”
“Naturally, the best person to take over is the person who wrote the script in the first place.”
Park Minseong doesn't seem to know how to respond to those words. His mouth opened and closed for a few seconds, before he turned to look at his hoobae, who looked equally incredulous at the situation.
“...Isn't the writer that bastard, Kwak Jekang?”
The female student adjusted her glasses and sighed. “I'd normally try to reprimand you for calling another student a ‘bastard’, but I guess that was well-deserved on his part.”
“That's crazy!” Park Minseong bursts out. He glanced again at the person next to him, then behind where someone was eating donuts with an unbothered look. “First of all, the unfilled role is for a girl! That guy is far too weird and unfitted for the role of a nice girl! People would've found it weird!”
“On the contrary.” He was quickly shot down. “I think people will find it entertaining to view a fresh interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood.”
“But—”
“Well, I've only come to inform everyone, so opinions matter so little. I will see you around, especially you, Jay-ssi.”
“Hey, wait—”
His words weren't ready at all. The female student left without glancing back, staying true to her words that their interjections don't really matter.
“...This is crazy.”
Park Minseong brings a hand to his head, scratching in frustration. “Roe, do you think we should run over to the director and complain about the reassignment of roles? If they need someone who could play the role, we could just ask Falcon, right?”
Kim Soleum, who'd been standing there dumbfoundedly for quite some time now, slowly turned to look at his friend and senior.
“...I don't think Haje-sunbae would like to be dumped into a role so suddenly.”
Besides, that senior was already busy with preparations in the journalism club. From what he'd heard, there were issues with the assignment of who was going to do what in documenting the events that will be happening simultaneously to the play.
If they were to drag her out for this, they'd likely be kicked out with a massive bump in the head and a thorough scolding.
“Aigoo…” Park Minseong looked even more troubled. “If that's the case, then we could find someone else. Doesn't Lee Seonghae fit the vibe? I'm sure she could play Little Red well, even if some improvisations could be made.”
Kim Soleum shudders slightly as he remembered the last play that said person had been into. It was a disaster, with the plot going completely off the course and everyone was so confused with what was happening. Although Lee Seonghae was a good actor, she was far too creative to be given any major roles to play!
He exhales tiredly. “Well, if you want, I could ask Braun if he has anyone he could recommen—”
“NO!”
He stops in the middle of his suggestion, staring wide eyed at his senior who was quick and vehement to reject it. He dealt with a finger pointed accusingly in his direction.
“You're not talking to that guy.”
“...Sunbae, it's not like Braun—”
“The last time was enough. No more.”
“...” Kim Soleum knew that even if he tried to defend his friend, they wouldn't be listening. So he just gave up. “Alright.”
Not knowing what to do anymore, the two fell into silence. The only sound between them was the chewing of donuts and a satisfied hum from the third person they're with.
The two turned their heads towards the sound.
“Come to think of it, what does Jay-ssi think?”
Said person looked up, stopping midchew to raise an eyebrow at the question.
“That's right! Since you're the other main lead, then don't they listen if you complain?”
Two people stared at him like he was their last hope. However, Jay simply lowered his donut and shrugged unenthusiastically.
“It doesn't matter.”
“...?”
“I'm not the one getting replaced anyway.”
…Wow. This level of unbotheredness was truly impressive. But considering who they were talking to, it was somehow not as surprising as it should be.
Park Minseong and Kim Soleum exchanged glances with each other.
“Still…” The former looked a little unsure, his eyebrows furrowing together. “Will it be okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Since it's that bastard Kwak Jekang.”
Jay falls silent for a short while.
While it wasn't common knowledge for everyone in the school, their friend group already had some inkling that there was some unpleasant history between those two. It can't be helped when every single interaction between them has always been that weirdo trying to egg out a reaction from the unphased student.
Curious as they might be, it was something no one asked about. They firmly believed that Jay would be talking about it when he felt like he could confide in them about what happened.
In the end, he just shrugged non-commitally.
“He’d behave.”
“...”
That…Jay-sunbae…that’s not really what they were trying to say…
Kim Soleum caught his senior’s gaze, who wore a helpless expression on his face.
Well, if Jay didn’t seem to mind, then it would be antiproductive of them to keep insisting on the issue. If Jay thinks that there won’t be a problem, then they shouldn’t keep insisting and making a bigger trouble out of it.
Jay turns his head away, now looking at nothing in particular. He licked his lips, savoring the lingering sweetness in his mouth from the donut that he just finished eating.
As expected, sweet things like these are truly good.
He didn’t think much about the problem with the new “Little Red”. After all, there would be a rehearsal in the afternoon. If that guy, Kwak Jekang, can’t perform as well as he should be able to, only then would he move to kick him out of the set. He was originally just the writer anyway.
A bitter taste comes to his tongue so suddenly. Jay’s expression twists by a miniscule amount.
Anyway, what a coincidence for that person, of all people, to get the role. There was undoubtedly some meddling going on. Knowing that guy’s personality, he should be someone completely uninterested in these things, yet here he was.
Hm. He was probably planning something to get on Jay’s nerves again. Just as he always had. He settled for figuring out what it was all about in the rehearsal.
People who can’t differentiate the past from the present truly are troublesome.
Time passed quickly. There was barely anyone inside the room by the time he came, but it wasn’t like it mattered. His steady footsteps made way towards the stage, unrushed.
Step.
There was no particular reason why he came early. For others, it might be because it is easier to practice with no one around, but he’s not really concerned with that.
Step.
Or maybe because it is easier to take in the silence while preparing himself for rehearsal. In the first place, he was forcibly dragged to play a role even when he’d originally shown no interest in it. Everyone just decided he could be perfect for it, for reasons he doesn’t understand.
Step.
…
…
…Someone peeked from behind the curtain.
There is a friendly-looking person wearing glasses, looking at him first through squinted eyes. The moment he recognized who he was looking at, his eyebrows quirked upwards in surprise, before the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement.
“Well, well,” Kwak Jekang laughs slightly. “If it isn’t a familiar face.”
…How annoying.
Of all people to run into, it had to be this guy.
“I didn’t take you to be someone so invested in his role as to come early. Seems like even someone like you has his own interests, yes?”
Jay turned his head away, not really interested in humoring this person. It was obvious to him that Kwak Jekang was trying to get some sort of reaction from him, whether positive or negative. It was the same routine they’ve been dancing around with for so many years…ever since that day their friendship got torn apart in the past.
Kwak Jekang moves away from the curtains and into the stage, purposely getting in the newcomer’s way.
“Wow, look at you! Aren’t you being way too rude? We’re old friends, aren’t we? Even a little hello won’t hurt! Or maybe, do you hate seeing my face so much because it reminds you of bad things?”
Woosh.
The sudden force blew some of the brunette’s strands away from his face. He stares blankly at the fist that stopped just milliseconds away from his nose, which then wavered and was quickly lowered.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Jay buries both of his hands inside his pocket so that it won’t be obvious just how tightly he’d been clenching it. He turns his head further away, moving so that he could head backstage, maybe clean up the stage a little before their rehearsal starts.
Kwak Jekang watched him wordlessly for a while, still frozen after the close instance of being hit because of his constant provocations. After a while, he finally snapped himself out of here.
“Hey, that was a little rude, wasn’t it?” he calls out, not even the slightest tremor in his voice, as if nothing happened. “Why would you try to hit someone just like that? Tsk, tsk. You know, they say communicating before throwing punches is the best way to have a harmonious relationship with others!”
His hand finds the handle of a broom. He lifted it up, turning around and uncaring if it almost hit the face of the annoying guy calling out for him.
“Woah!” Kwak Jekang avoids it, unfortunately. “Are you angry? Hey, hey. Are you really angry? You? So you care after all, huh?”
“Hey.”
“...Ah?”
After being ignored for a while, it seems that finally getting an answer wasn’t something that he expected. The brown haired man blinks in surprise for a moment, before recovering quickly.
“Hoh? What is it? Do you finally have something to say?”
“The clinic isn’t so far away.”
“...”
Was that supposed to be a threat?
Hah, seriously…Despite acting like he couldn’t care less most of the time, in truth, he was still this kind of person, huh?
Kwak Jekang laughs again, finding amusement in this kind of interaction.
“You can’t get rid of old habits even after all these years, huh?”
“I guess you must’ve been really tired of living.”
The other person turns slightly his way, his usually inconvenienced expression finally melting away. Instead, he stares down at the other person with a sharp gaze, a glare that could freeze even the more fearless person.
Seeing it, rather than fear, Kwak Jekang found a sense of satisfaction bubbling in his chest.
You’re finally looking again, huh?
“Jay-ssi,” he says with a slight drawl to his tone, as if mocking the person in front of him. “Someone told me once that if I want something, I should just go for it. That’s what I should do if I don’t want to be a pushover.”
If anything, that glare turned even colder. But he didn’t care. He kept talking.
“Surely, you understand that, right?”
He’d seen it, then.
Jay’s shoulders had definitely tensed. It was probably the moment when he was finally going to strike him for the things he’d been saying since earlier. However, before anything could be done, the door opened, cutting through the tense air between the only two people in the rehearsal room.
“Good, you two are already here,” Jin Nasol nodded curtly when she caught sight of the two of them. “We could have a quick run through with how things will go now that the cast has changed.”
…
How disappointing.
Jay untensed, going back to sweeping the stage clear of some dust, before heading to talk to the newcomer. It seems like Jin Nasol didn’t exactly realize what kind of situation she accidentally walked into, but that was probably a good thing. This person was known to not have much patience when it comes to useless things.
There was a heavy gaze boring at the back of his neck. Knowing exactly who it was, Jay paid it no mind.
That guy got way too much attention for this day already.
Strangely enough, having Kwak Jekang play as Little Red, although not as little nor as sweet as the girl she was supposedly described to be, turned out surprisingly well.
The character he played, while still retaining the name “Red”, was a curious but obedient person who came to deliver cookies to his sick grandma because his mother asked him to do so. He didn’t play a role as naive as the original main character, so their interpretation felt new and innovative to watch.
Jay watched for a bit from behind the curtains as that guy perfectly recited the lines written on the script. Honestly, it wasn’t very surprising, because he was the one who wrote it originally. He could hear the stagehand marveling at the unique portrayal of “Red”, obviously entertained by the humorous version that she’s watching.
He listens for a while and reluctantly makes up his mind. It seems no one is being forced out of the role for the second time for today.
He waited for his cue to come in. It was only when “Red” was already walking around the forest did he push the curtains aside and make his entry.
He waits until “Red” catches sight of him. Kwak Jekang turns around and pauses, tilting his head at a certain angle so that his expression couldn’t be seen well. Then he smirks at the person in front of him, as if finding the situation humorous.
Jay ignores this, focusing on his lines instead.
“Good day to you, Red-Hooded Child.”
“And to you as well,” was the calm delivery that answered him.
“Where are you going at this time?”
“My mother asked me to deliver some food that she baked yesterday. It is for my grandmother, who is very sick and needs strength.”
“Where does your grandmother live?”
Well, nothing happened much anyway.
Although it was difficult to say it, the rehearsal went smoother this time. Kwak Jekang knew the lines better than the last main lead, and he’d played it so flawlessly in-tune with the kind of character that he was going with. He thinks even Jin Nasol, even with his extremely high standards when it came to their performance, felt satisfied enough with how things are going.
Nothing much happened afterwards. Jay stayed at the stage a little longer, lying with his back on the floor and staring at the ceiling. There was a strange air in the space. So much that Baek Saheon, who was fortunate enough to be playing the role of the huntsman, hurriedly left without even looking back.
He hears footsteps approach him. A shadow cast over him, and that annoying face looked at him once more.
Jay stares at him for a while, wordless.
Then,
“What do you want?”
“Anything?”
He pauses, narrowing his eyes.
“No.”
He receives a wicked grin for his response. More befitting of the wolf rather than Little Red herself.
“Yes, you’ve always been difficult.”
He sits up. Kwak Jekang didn’t even move aside to give him some space, staying where he was as if determined to make the other person as uncomfortable as possible.
“If you don’t have anything worthwhile to say, just leave.”
“But I don’t want to?”
Jay regards him with an unamused look. He wanted to really hit this person, but they really couldn’t handle changing the cast again with one day left before the performance. Everyone has been very stressed as well, and causing a scene would give them a bad impression of him.
Just then, as if sensing his discomfort, he hears someone call out his name.
“Jay-sunbae!”
Two heads turned at the sound of the new voice.
Kim Soleum, who was originally supposed to be helping backstage with the props, waved over to his friend. “Are you done with rehearsal? There’s something that I need help with.”
Wordlessly, Jay stood up and walked away. Because he didn’t turn around as he did so, there was no need for him to unnecessarily look at an unpleasant person’s face.
He heard a faint voice before he’d walked out of range.
“Still the same coward.”
“...”
Thankfully, there was no attempt to stop him from leaving.
Kim Soleum already ducked back behind the stage. The moment that he sees Jay standing next to him, he breathes out a sigh.
“What’s the problem?” the senior asked, now back to his usual demeanor.
“It was nothing. I…Well, I was the one who called you over because Minseong-sunbae might accidentally cause a scene.”
Exactly as they were talking about him, said person appears from seemingly nowhere, his arms crossed and seemingly having been fuming since a while back.
“That’s right!” Park Minseong says, glaring at the curtain behind them. “That guy is really so—Really, you don’t have to force yourself to be around him! You deserve so much better than a weirdo!”
“He’s not a problem.”
“It’s not about causing trouble for others—Eurk, forget it. You probably won’t care much now…”
Well, at least he knew Jay enough to figure that out by himself.
Kim Soleum squints between the two of them, finding some familiarity with the conversation. The fact that Jay was being convinced to stop being around someone is like a deja vu, but he can’t figure out just where…
…Ah.
That’s right. This is exactly how Park Minseong has always been whenever he mentions talking with Braun.
He stares at his senior, feeling a sense of kinship at the familiar situation.
I understand well, sunbae…
It was a connection that reached all the way back to childhood.
In simpler terms, Jay, who has yet to be the kind of person that he was, ended up taking care of the neighbor’s kid who had just moved into town.
It was a kid just a little younger than him by a year, with brunette eyes that’s already bad despite his age. He awkwardly walks around with ill-fitted glasses that he insists that he doesn’t want to get changed.
Although he agreed with the request to do so, Jay didn’t actually interact much. He just told the kid about where most things in town could be found, with a friendly smile, and told him that if he ever needed help with anything, then he’s more than welcome to come ask Jay about it.
That kid was a little anti-social, though. Jay was pretty good at reading these kinds of personalities on his peers, but it gets tricky when he’s faced with an adult. The newcomer nodded at what he was told, but he never actually came to approach anything. Jay wasn’t a stranger to having new people around the neighborhood, but it was the first time that someone acted like that. He assumed that it was probably because the other person was younger than him and was, therefore, a little shy.
He didn’t even properly introduce himself! Jay doesn’t remember well what that person’s name was.
It was only after a year since they’d met did he come across the kid again, fishing out his glasses from the river. His bag was all the way by the riverbank, seemingly drenched.
Jay took one look at the situation and understood what happened.
So with a sigh, he pulled up the leg of his jogging pants and went down the river again. Before the poor kid realized it, there was a dark haired man next to him, wading through the river without hesitation and submerging his arms into the cold river water.
“...” The brunette watched him, surprised. “What are you doing?”
“Which area did you lose your glasses?”
“...!”
Jay didn’t really wait for an answer and just continued with looking around. Seeing this, the other person gave up with his reservations and also went into the river for a more efficient way of searching.
They ended up finding it in the end. The two went back up to the riverbank soon afterwards. There was a crack on one of the lenses, which made the brunette grimace when he raised it up.
“What a waste.”
Jay watched him for a while, allowing the air to dry his drenched limbs.
“Hey.”
The call caught the attention of the other person.
“...What is it?”
“What’s your name?”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
The younger man looked confused, like he couldn’t understand the question. “We met already before, though? I still remember you. Jay, right?”
“Yeah, but I don’t remember yours.”
“...” There was an incredulous laugh. “What a way to call me unremarkable.”
“So?”
“...It’s Jekang.”
“Okay.” He maintains a steady eye contact, intent on getting his point across. “Listen, if you want something, then relentlessly go for it. Whether it was respect, acknowledgement or whatever.”
“Huh?” Jekang blinks in surprise, not expecting the sudden advice. “I don’t—”
“Crybabies like you need to be a little more assertive. Otherwise, you’re gonna get buried underneath everyone else. Right now, having your glasses thrown into the river is just a small thing.”
“...I see.”
Jekang lowers his head, mulling over his words quietly. Seeing this, Jay knew his evaluation hadn’t been off at all. He might be a little bit of a crybaby who’d rather helplessly cry when things aren’t going his way, he was still a smart person who could catch on to things easily.
In the future, when he outgrows his constant urge to give up, this kid might be an annoying person for others. But that’s not his problem right now anyway, which was why he had no qualms with saying this so easily.
He was about to leave so that he could go home and quickly change out of his drenched clothes. However, he hears a call from the person he just helped.
“Excuse me.”
He pauses to glance back.
“...?”
“Why did you help me?”
There was nothing pitiful about that expression. It was only a sense of confusion, as if he couldn’t understand why someone would do such a thing.
Jay frowns, not even taking his time to think about an answer to that.
“I was asked to look after you.”
“Ah?”
“And I told you to find me when you’re facing troublesome things. But you never did. So this is the least I could do.”
The younger boy stares at him for a while, seemingly not knowing what to say.
In the end, he averts his eyes.
“Okay. Please get home safely.”
Huh.
Well, he supposes kids, even if they’re only a year younger than him, could be cute too.
Jay laughs slightly at the sight.
“You too.”
And that had been how that day went.
The good thing was that Jekang back then took his words seriously. He hadn’t seen an incident of him being bullied by other people anymore, and he even seemed to have a pretty decent relationship with his peers.
Strangely, though, it gave that person some sort of strange attachment to him. Whenever Kwak Jekang sees him in the vicinity, he’d be heading over with his greetings, respectful even when the age gap between them was just a year. Thankfully, over the years, he’d outgrown this politeness and learnt how to be more comfortable around him
That was, well…
That was how it had been.
Once.
That person didn’t cause a scene on the last day of rehearsal, either.
After the time when he’d been forcing contact during their first rehearsal together, Jay originally thought that he would have to deal with that same annoying thing for the rest of the days before the play. But strangely enough, Kwak Jekang didn’t linger much after rehearsals. He just went off on his way and didn’t…say anything more.
It wasn’t that he was complaining. While it was a little suspicious, it’s not really suspicious enough for him to dig into it.
On the day of the performance, he’d been staring blankly at the mirror in front of him, watching as his female classmates meticulously put makeup on his face, drawing eyes that seemed to glow yellow on his cheeks and making him wear fake fangs.
His hair, too, was temporarily dyed black. They moved away and clapped their hands, saying this color suited him well.
I suppose it will, he thinks amidst their gushing. That was my natural haircolor anyway.
From what he’d heard, there were quite a number of people who were waiting outside to watch their performance. There was originally little interest when they announced what they will be doing, but word had come out that a guy will be playing as Little Red, giving a fresh interpretation of the story. Therefore, more and more people ended up coming.
Interestingly enough, students are more than eager to watch someone like Kwak Jekang play that role, regardless of his reputation. The amount of attention made everyone feel a little anxious, but he knew they, too, have their expectations.
He stands up and thanks the girls, before heading backstage.
The lights were already off, but he could hear the excited chattering of the audience. From the side that was opposite to where he was standing, he catches sight of a familiar face, already wearing the red cloak but has still kept the hood down.
Kwak Jekang looked like he didn’t care much about the situation. Still, he must’ve felt the gaze on him. His eyes flickered up briefly, meeting Jay’s golden ones that were only that shade because of the contacts,
He sees the other person’s lips quirk up by its corners. And a slow motion of the mouth, saying something while knowing he wasn’t heard.
Jay heard it well enough.
Goodluck.
…
Rather than feel uplifting, his eyelid just twitched slightly. It was almost amazing how much mockery could be contained in that gesture.
Just then, the audience had fallen silent. A narration plays from the speakers, the colored lights finally being turned on to set the mood.
“Once upon a time…”
So it began.
That figure vanished into the curtains, standing up on the stage and playing his role. He’d acted exactly as how it had been rehearsed, a little petulant when the “Mother” asked him to deliver food to his grandmother, but obedient at the end of the day. He adds a touch of mischief into his character, making daring statements that show hints of an adventurous character rather than a rebellious one.
The lights shifted to a more dramatic, eerie color. Jay knew that was his cue.
He steps into the stage, slow and deliberate. Just as practiced.
He moves to where they’d blocked him out to stand beforehand, angled so that the main character could see him. A weary sigh echoes in the stage, like he couldn’t be bothered to be in this situation. Hearing that noise seemed to have amused the audience. There were some chuckles here and there, but no one disturbed the events.
Just then, “Red” turns around and catches sight of him.
There was a familiar expression on his face. One that Jay knew all too well.
“Good day to you, Red-Hooded Child.”
“And to you as well.”
“Where are you going at this time?”
“My mother asked me to deliver some food that she baked yesterday. It is for my grandmother, who is very sick and needs strength.”
“Where does your grandmother live?”
He gestures north-west, smiling in a boyish carefreeness. “Just at the end of the path where I’m headed. There are three large oak trees there, and a hedge of hazel bush. The house behind it is my grandmother’s house.”
Well, this is a story that everyone else was familiar with anyway.
However—
“Why don’t you bring a bouquet for your grandmother? Won’t she like that?”
“No.”
An answer that wasn’t part of the script had left Kwak Jekang’s mouth.
He smiled as if there was nothing wrong with his answer. And knowing that he was the person who wrote the script, who knew what was written the best, there was no way that he’d forgotten. The stagehand, from an unseen part of the stage, was probably confused at the sudden change in the script.
Recalling the smile he’d seen earlier, Jay understood.
He was purposely trying to cause trouble. As for his goal behind it, that was something he was still unsure of.
“Why not?” he asks, forcibly having to ad-lib.
“I don’t want to pick flowers! Don’t you know how itchy I get whenever I’m looking around bushes? Why would I waste time instead of coming to meet my grandmother quickly?”
“Well, it was just a suggestion.”
“You’re right,” “Red” smiles again. “Come to think of it, since you’re a kind wolf, would you do something in my stead?”
“...” This kid…
“I was thinking there might be other wolves in the path. Can you help me pass by safely?”
“...”
His eyes briefly move to those hiding behind the curtain. Seeing their anxious expressions at the unexpected twist, he sighs.
“Alright.”
“Thank you!”
Hm. What a fake cheeriness.
He turns around to leave, just as what was originally scripted. The moment he steps into the backstage, they rush over to him, whispering nervously to ask about what happened. However, there was no time to answer them, so he didn’t pause for a moment and just listened for the next cue where he was supposed to come in.
That next scene…it was supposed to be of him impersonating the grandmother, right?
And so it progressed just as originally planned once more.
The next time that he’d been back on the stage, he was pretending to be the grandmother that the wolf had eaten just a few seconds prior. “Red” stares at him with faux-shock on his face.
“Grandmother, why do you have big ears?”
“So that I can hear you better.”
“Why do you have big eyes?”
“To see you better.”
“Then…why do you have a horribly big mouth?”
A creeping music in the background seemed to have grown horribly louder.
“All the better to eat you with.”
The original, then, would’ve been that Red will be caught by the wolf and eaten. But that had not been the case. Instead, Kwak Jekang moves out of his way so suddenly, grabbing the cap that was supposed to be hiding the wolf’s identity.
“You’re that wolf,” he says, far more cheerful than he was supposed to be. “I’d asked you to watch over me, but it turns out you’re the one I should be watching out for.”
Jay was only stunned for a short moment, both from yet another turn of events, as well as the engaged reactions of the audience around them.
“That’s—”
“The person who was supposed to be helping turns out to be a murderer! A traaaaiiitooo—”
…Ah.
No wonder it felt familiar.
At that moment, it felt as if he’s not in school. The stage lights that illuminated the area seemed to have become headlights from police vehicles, and there was a ringing in his ears—
His body moved before he realized it.
A hand shot out, gripping that person by the collar. The hood fell from the sudden movement, and Kwak Jekang’s mocking eyes stared back at him, highly amused by the intense reaction he’d been displaying. It was no longer Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, but rather…
Rather…
Just Jekang and Jay.
“I’d never agreed to protect you.”
Kwak Jekang laughs, his glasses a bit skewed from the situation. But he made no gesture to fix it. “But no harm had come to me either way. That’s why I trusted you.”
“I didn’t do anything for you.”
“But you still helped me. You conceded, didn’t you?”
His grip tightens. There was an urge to throw a fist, in front of the stage lights that were focused on them, in front of the student body that had held their breath as they witnessed an unexpected confrontation.
His life had been ruined completely back then.
“I—”
And then there was a thundering sound, like the sound of a gun over the speakers.
He’d turned around quickly, far removed from the Jay that was supposedly calm at all times—
But instead of the familiar shades of the police, the face of a hoobae stared at him.
Baek Saheon looked both confused and determined, holding on to the huntsman’s gun. The sight of him shook Jay out of whatever stupor he’d fallen into, his grip on the other person loosening until he heard a thud behind him.
“...”
“Vile wolf. I’ve been hunting for you for a long time.”
…That’s right. The play…
In the end, it turned out just as chaotic, if not worse, than what Lee Songhae had done the last time that she was made to substitute for a role.
…Nevertheless, he’d see it to the end.
The conclusion happens just as scripted, too. He leaves the stage, his hands shaking slightly. From anger or something else, that was something he’s not quite sure about.
How unpleasant.
Some students stared at him quietly, exchanging glancing because they were unsure whether they should approach him. No one did, until the curtains finally closed on the performance and everyone had bowed their thank you’s to the audience.
Ah. The cheering was rather loud.
Staring up at them blankly, he overhears some of them talking about how realistic the confrontation had seemed. The audience enjoyed the performance.
He ignores the stares that Kwak Jekang had been sending him. As soon as the lights had shut, he turned to get out of that place.
How utterly unpleasant.
(That was the most distasteful attempt to force a conversation between them. And the most Jekang-like approach of it all.)
Arrogance was a name that got connected to him at some point, along with the nickname that hailed him ‘Neukdae’. He didn’t really know when this happened, but there was no point to get rid of the rumors when it’s already spread so far.
Jay was someone who was fully confident in himself. In his performance in school, in his reputation amongst both his peers and the adults, in his relationships.
That kid too, Kwak Jekang, flourished quite well. His reputation had climbed up sufficiently well, although there were those who’d thought that he was someone involved in suspicious things.
That was alright, though. Because Jay was someone who promised to look after that kid. Even if there was someone looking for trouble, there was no need to worry because Jay was someone who’d have easily indulged whatever that brat that clings to him asks for.
Still, this was just…
The face of someone who had once been a friend stared at him, eyes blank and fully devoid of life. He lay on the floor, unmoving, unbreathing.
There was a group standing nearby, seemingly in shock about the sudden turn of events. At the back of the group stood a familiar person. He was staring at the dead body with an apathetic stare, like the situation was rather troublesome.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen. Tsk. What a weak will.”
“...Jekang.”
Said person looked up when he heard his name. There was a smile on his face. “Hello, Jay-ssi.”
“...What did you do?”
“It was just a little test, okay? I didn’t think he’d kill himself but—Tsk.” He adopts an annoyed expression. “Seriously, what a waste. Oh, but it wasn’t me. I’d just come to watch because it sounded interesting.”
…
So, does just watching make him entirely blameless?
…No. Of course not.
This was just too much.
Jay stares at the body of his friend, who had just been making jokes earlier that morning, then at the remorseless eyes of the person he’d watched grow up.
“This isn’t it at all.”
This was not what he’d meant, when he asked him to just do what he wanted.
“Isn’t what?”
The police sirens would come soon, he could tell. There had been suspicious noises that had originally drawn him to this place, and anyone who would’ve passed by who had enough sense would’ve called the police. The group, too, seemed to have realized this. They’d tapped each other and hurriedly started to leave.
“Let’s just go. We weren’t involved in this.”
Kwak Jekang, too, was being tugged away. However, for a moment, he just stood there and watched him, some amusement dancing in his eyes.
“A group of people running away near the crimescene—It’s obvious what had happened.”
“...”
“We’ll probably be caught soon at this rate.”
“...”
Kwak Jekang smiles, not unlike that crybaby he’d had to look after back then.
“You’ll look after me this time too, won’t you?”
“...”
“That’s always been the kind of person you were anyway.”
(He gets off of any charges in the end. Firstly, because he was confirmed to not have been the one to commit the crime. Secondly, because he was a bright child with an equally-bright future ahead of him.)
(It wasn’t his crime. He didn’t quite understand why it was still one he’d chosen to bear.)
-
end.