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“Hey Lee Hyunsung, meet me behind the abandoned building this lunch!”
“He’s at it again.” These thoughts entered his classmates’ minds as Kim Dokja shouted to a man in the fifth row of their classroom.
Kim Dokja felt satisfied as he continued to eat the murim dumplings that he bought during recess and only had the chance to eat now.
He probably thinks that with his “invitation/threat”, he must have looked intimidating and cool.
He’s far from it. At least that’s what Yoo Joonghyuk thinks—the ever-expressionless and intelligent class president of section A’s class and Lee Hyunsung’s seatmate.
Yoo Joonghyuk thinks Kim Dokja looks like a puppy with his cheeks bulging with the aggressive eating he’s currently doing after saying those threats to Lee Hyunsung.
You see, this frosty president has a huge crush on Kim Dokja. Yoo Joonghyuk didn't even know when it started.
Kim Dokja is a rowdy student, the type of student who'd always get on the class president’s nerves every time he opens his mouth and spouts whatever nonsense is going on in his mind.
Considerably, you can label Kim Dokja as a delinquent if you want to, due to the fact that he picks fights with pretty much half of the boys' population in their batch.
This gives Yoo Joonghyuk a stroke, but that’s how annoying he is. Strangely enough, he has always gotten good grades and never fallen in the top 5 rankings of their whole grade level despite all his never-ending fights.
To add to his nebulous nature, you can also always see him holding his phone and reading a web novel all the time.
As to why Yoo Joonghyuk is so fixated on the man—that he didn’t know. Their opposite personalities make it almost impossible for them to be friends, much be more than that.
He didn’t know if it was the way Kim Dokja smiles when he’s seen him talking with his friends, or the way he would look like a rabbit eating his favorite murim dumplings—perhaps, even the most mundane events related to Kim Dokja make Yoo Joonghyuk’s brain short-circuit.
Yoo Joonghyuk would find himself wishing those moments would freeze, giving him the ability to stare at the man a little longer.
He would find himself astonished by how the man had subjected him to his state. Kim Dokja is magical. He thought so.
Yoo Joonghyuk sometimes fails to notice that he would unconsciously stare into Kim Dokja’s back.
Every time Kim Dokja catches him in doing so, he would give Yoo Joonghyuk dagger stares.
But in reality, Kim Dokja’s heart is racing more than ever because the class president is looking at him with an expression like he killed his whole family, but fake till you make it, they say.
That’s pretty much how Kim Dokja survived Yoo Joonghyuk’s dagger-like stares (Yoo Joonghyuk’s admiration) the whole semester.
The bell rang, signalling the start of the two-hour lunch break for the students.
While everybody was busy placing their books in their bags, discussing what they would eat for lunch, Yoo Joonghyuk heard his seatmate take a sigh comparable to a man holding all the world’s problems.
“I really don't wanna go though,” Lee Hyunsung mutters under his breath in distress, not knowing Yoo Joonghyuk, who hasn’t left the room yet, heard his words.
Lee Hyunsung was intentionally making his movements slow, hoping time would pass fast enough for him to avoid the upcoming disaster.
It’s not that he can’t beat Kim Dokja—quite the opposite. Lee Hyunsung grew up learning all sorts of martial arts owing to the fact that it was a family tradition.
He doesn't want Kim Dokja to get hurt, especially when the man is a friend of Jung Heewon.
However, it's not like he’ll take his provocations while lying down.
As Lee Hyunsung was in deep contemplation about whether he’d show up or not, he didn't notice Yoo Joonghyuk beside him say something.
“I’ll do it.”.
“Joonghyuk-ah, you were saying something?”.
“I said I’ll go in your place to meet Kim Dokja,” the man expressionlessly declared to him.
However, under the cool exterior, Yoo Joonghyuk’s heart is pounding out of his chest because he found himself doing something he would never do—being impulsive.
Lee Hyunsung was shocked at Yoo Joonghyuk’s statement.
Immediately feeling guilty the next moment, then finally, he showed a delighted and worried expression in front of Yoo Joonghyuk, “Really? Won't he be angry and just challenge me again tomorrow, though?” He says worriedly.
“He won't. As the class president, I should've given him a warning anyway to what he's been doing in these past few months. It's time for me to do so.” Yoo Joonghyuk smoothly lied to the other man and found a very reasonable reason, leaving Lee Hyunsung no room for rejection.
“Okay! Then thank you so much, Joonghyuk-ah. After this class, I’ll treat you to some snacks in compensation, just wait for me at the school gates.” Lee Hyunsung said while offering him a guilty smile, though happiness is evident in his eyes.
At the same time, Kim Dokja was sitting on an abandoned wooden chair behind the old building, eating his favorite murim dumplings.
He was stuffing his mouth like there’s no tomorrow while waiting for Lee Hyunsung to arrive.
He thought that despite Lee Hyunsung’s manly appearance, the man was meek and probably wouldn’t show up.
This would give him the advantage, or so he thought.
Kim Dokja was slightly shocked when he heard some heavy footsteps on the way to where he was sitting.
He sat up and turned his back around, still in the middle of chewing his dumplings.
“Oy, you actually showed up, thought you peed your pants alre-” Kim Dokja was incredibly flabbergasted.
The man in front of him wasn’t Lee Hyunsung but his classmate who had been giving him deathly stares the whole semester—Yoo Joonghyuk.
Kim Dokja’s face evidently showed shock and panic, but as the greatest ostentatious prick that he is (that’s according to Han Sooyoung, by the way), adding his stubborn will to keep his dignity intact, his face immediately returned to its usual playful expression.
Not as roguish as before because he is currently screaming inside. I’m done for, he thought.
Thinking the president finally was tired of his bullshits and came here in place of Lee Hyunsung to settle the scores with him.
Nevertheless, Kim Dokja still continues to be the shameless man that he is.
“Oh, it’s you, Yoo Joonghyuk. I didn't know you were also interested in this kind of thing.” Kim Dokja remarks first. “But Mr. President, I apologize, but you’re gonna have to wait in line. Lee Hyunsung didn't show up today, but Sun Wukong in class B is next on my list,” he arrogantly said to the man’s unreadable face.
Yoo Joonghyuk was originally worried about how to speak to Kim Dokja; his heartbeat reminded him of the sports cars in the games he was playing, it was racing so fast as he watched the shorter man act haughtily.
A thousand thoughts are crossing his mind ever since he decided to come here, but hearing Kim Dokja mutter another man’s name, the ever logical Yoo Joonghyuk felt his rationality slip away for the first time when he promptly grabbed Kim Dokja’s wrist, pinning him to the closest wall he could find in the scene.
Their nose are almost touching, and Yoo Joonghyuk can smell the strawberry-like scent on Kim Dokja’s uniform.
Kim Dokja’s messy yet fluffy hair was in contact with his nose.
Most of all, he felt his hands holding soft and smooth skin, making him think he could hold it forever if Kim Dokja would just let him do so.
Shocked was evident on Kim Dokja’s face; the position lasted for around 5 seconds.
But for Yoo Joonghyuk, who only imagined holding the man’s hand in his dreams, it already felt like centuries.
He didn’t even want this moment to end.
Kim Dokja was still shocked, but logic slowly returned to him enough for him to retaliate with words since he couldn't move due to Yoo Joonghyuk's unbelievable grip on his wrists.
“Yoo Joonghyuk! What are you doing?! Fight me fairly if you dare, using underhanded tactics, aren’t you ashamed?” Kim Dokja angrily said to him, but as usual, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t think it was intimidating in any sort, it was like when a puppy is trying to act like a tiger, looking cute rather than scary.
Yoo Joonghyuk intentionally didn't answer him, letting the moment go on as long as it could.
They actually stayed like that for almost two minutes, and when Kim Dokja, who couldn't take it anymore, was about to give it his all to get out of the man’s clutches when Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly placed his head on Kim Dokja’s shoulder.
Kim Dokja’s rationality, which was about to come back, slipped away again to the point that he didn't even know if he was breathing.
Kim Dokja was incredibly confused about why the class president, known for his infamous expressionless and strict demeanor, was holding his wrist tightly and even placing his head on his shoulder.
There’s no way he likes me, right? That thought suddenly entered his mind in a split second, but Kim Dokja immediately thought he was infected with Yoo Joonghyuk's present insanity.
How did he manage to even think about that? The possibility of that happening is even less than him replacing Yoo Joonghyuk in his number one spot in the school rankings.
Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly said something that confused him even more, “I can fight better than Sun Wukong.”
“What are you sayi-?” Yoo Joonghyuk cut him off. “I said I can fight better than him,” he announced.
But as usual, it only contributed to worsening Kim Dokja’s confusion about the current situation. “And what has that gotta do with me?” Kim Dokja replied.
“So you can choose me next time. I can fight with you as long as you want to; you don't need to ask others anymore, fight with me.” Yoo Joonghyuk's response was laced with begging.
Kim Dokja’s head was hurting.
Is this man really desperate to fight him to the point that he even said those ambiguous words?
He didn't know that the class president had this deeply hidden love for fighting.
To be honest, Kim Dokja doesn't like fighting, but he likes to keep his dignity and pride intact the most.
That's why he agreed to this bet with Han Sooyoung: as long as he can win thirty times in a physical fight, he wins the bet, and Han Sooyoung will agree to whatever request he makes.
She was the reason why he’s been fighting multiple boys from their batch pretty much five times a week since the start of the semester.
So far, he already has 29 wins.
If Lee Hyunsung showed up today and he was also able to win against his bear-like body, then the bet ends with him winning.
Clearly, things have gone south.
Kim Dokja was already planning to tell this man in front of him the truth to end this crazy situation, “Yoo Joonghyuk, look, there are a lot of other people who fight better than me if you really like to fight. I think there will be more willing people and more challenging ones, in my opinion. Outside the school, there’s a guy I know-.”
Kim Dokja was trying his best to patiently convince the other party when Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly faced him.
Once again, wearing that “you murdered my whole family” expression. Yoo Joonghyuk cut him off again before he mentioned another man’s name.
He decided to tell Kim Dokja his feelings.
If it were any other person, perhaps, they would have already gotten what his actions mean, but the person in front of him was Kim Dokja.
His ever-silly Kim Dokja.
The steps he’s been taking, the words he’s been saying—it all seemed utterly ineffective and futile in front of this oblivious and dense heart-itching Kim Dokja.
“I like you.” Yoo Joonghyuk finally says.
Kim Dokja was already dead set on convincing the other man, realizing what Yoo Joonghyuk had declared to him rather late. “Okay, I like you too-, wait what?!” Kim Dokja thought he had misheard the man.
He was about to ask him to repeat his words when Yoo Joonghyuk, who was holding his wrist, finally let it go.
Yoo Joonghyuk proceeded to gently hold his head, as holding it much stronger than he’s already doing right now would break Kim Dokja.
The man slowly leaned in with his mouth pressing against Kim Dokja’s forehead.
Before Kim Dokja could process what happened, Yoo Joonghyuk’s mouth immediately left his skin and came face-to-face with him once again.
Kim Dokja didn't even know that Yoo Joonghyuk was now holding his face due to too much shock.
“I like you, you idiot.” Yoo Joonghyuk wasn’t bothered repeating this set of words to the man in front of him; in fact, he could even say it every day.
It took minutes for Kim Dokja to collect himself; he said the first question that came into his mind after realizing that Yoo Joonghyuk was indeed serious about his statement.
“But why me?” Kim Dokja didn't know how he managed to say those words to the taller man.
Yet Yoo Joonghyuk’s reply was short and precise, like he was saying the most ordinary sentence a human could ever say.
“Because you’re Kim Dokja.”
On the surface, it might seem that Kim Dokja is a lofty and proud (he kinda is).
In truth, deep inside, he holds insecurities and has always had problems accepting people’s love for him.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s answer was straight to the point, leaving him no room for interpretation aside from the fact that the man must’ve gone insane from maintaining his top student rank. “Yoo Joonghyuk, you must’ve read so much of our textbooks that you’ve lost it. I advise you to take a break sometimes.”
He still doesn’t believe me, Yoo Joonghyuk thought, then forgive my impudence, Kim Dokja.
The next moment, Kim Dokja felt something warm and soft covering his lips. It lasted no more than a second, yet when Yoo Joonghyuk faced the man, he looked like he had eaten the spiciest food ever in his life. Kim Dokja’s face—blushing with his eyes wide with shock.
Yoo Joonghyuk thought the risk was absolutely worth it, even if Kim Dokja would push him away today.
“Kim Dokja, I like you.” Yoo Joonghyuk declared once again.
Kim Dokja found his face getting hotter listening to the man’s continuous confession.
Love was never found directly—at least that’s what Kim Dokja knows.
He found it in small pieces; in the novels that he read, in between conversations with friends, in kindness given to him by strangers.
But never in massive amounts, pouring his desolate heart with warmth.
“Allow me to love you, Kim Dokja.” Please, Yoo Joonghyuk almost said to him, but he held himself back enough to avoid overwhelming his squid.
Kim Dokja wants to run away. Away from this man who bared his heart for him.
His automatic response to isolation kicked off in his brain.
Yet he didn’t know why, he found himself looking directly into Yoo Joonghyuk’s deep black eyes.
He didn’t want to think that this was a dream or that the man in front of him was joking.
A fact that he knew extremely well, being classmates with this man for 4 years—Yoo Joonghyuk never jokes.
Faced with Yoo Joonghyuk’s confession, Kim Dokja was at a loss as to how to move forward. He has never experienced confessing, much less being confessed to. Fuck it. “Yoo Joonghyuk, do you really mean everything you said today?”
“I can even give you the first place in our upcoming exams, if you want.”
He was dead serious. “Then see you on weekends.”
Kim Dokja ought to use this man to improve his exam scores, in short, making him his personal tutor.
Yoo Joonghyuk was confused. Is he rejecting him or saying yes? But Kim Dokja was always like this; he knew enough that he wasn’t someone who could express what he felt immediately.
The fact that the man said he wanted to see him was more than enough of a yes for him.
When both men went back to class, their classmates were curious as to who won the fight. They went back to each of their own seats expressionlessly.
Yet, looking closer, Kim Dokja’s face held remnants of the shade pink on his face.
Lee Hyunsung found Yoo Joonghyuk sporting a face of happiness; it was strange to see a soft smile upon the man's face.
After the last class of that day, Lee Hyunsung waited for Yoo Joonghyuk at the school gates—but the man never came.
The same day Yoo Joonghyuk confessed to Kim Dokja—Jung Heewon rolled her eyes as she handed 10,000 won to Han Sooyoung. “Took him long enough.”
Han Sooyoung grumbled as she received her winning money from their bet; whether Yoo Joonghyuk will finally confess his undying love to Kim Dokja after seeing him interact with everyone, or he’ll continue to be the obstinate prick that he is, content in observing Kim Dokja from afar.
“I should’ve pushed Hyunsung to go tsk.” Jung Heewon regrettably said.
Han Sooyoung looked at her wristwatch and ignored her statement.
She picked up her things and bid goodbye to Jung Heewon. “Gotta pick up Sang-ah, bye.”