Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 42: Let’s Go

“...!”

Ha Giyeon was about to call out to Son Suhyeon in delight, but the quiet atmosphere kept him from speaking. He simply waved his hand instead. Son Suhyeon’s eyes widened in surprise, and he too just silently returned the wave.

Both of them soon smiled.

‘So Suhyeon-sunbae is in Class 8...’

It was just a coincidence that their rooms overlapped, and yet it somehow felt more exciting than running into him at the café. But the pleasant feeling didn’t last long—Giyeon looked up at the schedule on the blackboard and quickly opened his textbook. Since the first subject was a memorization-heavy one, he had to read it again and again.

He’d even eaten a full breakfast to keep his focus, but the words wouldn’t settle in his mind.

“...Haa.”

Giyeon pressed his fingertips against his temple, trying to force himself to concentrate.

That’s when it happened.

Tap. Something landed on his desk.

‘Chocolate...?’

It was a small, alphabet-shaped chocolate wrapped in clear plastic. Another one landed with a soft flick, and Giyeon turned toward the direction they’d come from. Sitting diagonally behind him was Son Suhyeon, who had just flicked the chocolate and now stretched out his hand. His lips moved without a sound.

‘Eat it.’

Giyeon’s face flushed red as he understood what he’d said. So he’d noticed that Giyeon couldn’t focus. Bowing his head slightly in thanks, Giyeon unwrapped the chocolate and popped it into his mouth.

The bittersweet taste spread across his tongue as the chocolate melted slowly.

The tension frozen in his body seemed to melt away along with it. Giyeon refocused and began reading again.

He didn’t realize his lips had curled into a slight smile.

***

The final hour of the four-day midterm exams.

For the third-years, it was self-study. For the first- and second-years, math. Being both relieved that it was the last test and nervous—since math was his weakest subject—Ha Giyeon was on edge.

The third-years had their heads down on their desks, and Giyeon, a first-year, flipped over his test paper and began solving the problems. Since there wouldn’t be much time left once he reached the long-answer section, he pushed forward in full concentration.

‘Done...!’

He’d barely finished with ten minutes left to spare. Giyeon reached for a black pen to fill out the long answers.

“...Huh?”

The moment his fingers touched the pen, he realized—it wasn’t his.

He quickly searched his desk for his own pen, but it had vanished as if someone had swapped it out.

‘Did someone do this...?’

Maybe someone had changed it while he was in the bathroom during the break.

There wasn’t time to think about it. The proctor’s voice called out that only seven minutes remained. At this point, anything he could write with would do. The problem was—

“...?!”

No matter how hard he pressed, the pen didn’t write. He uncapped it and looked inside, stunned. The ink cartridge was completely empty.

‘I’m screwed...’

He had checked his answers in red pen, but he couldn’t fill in the OMR sheet with that. He had no choice but to raise his hand and ask for help. But the teacher was reclining in their chair, eyes closed.

He was about to call out—

“Ha Giyeon.”

“...?”

A voice, like it had been calling only to him. Giyeon turned his head. Sitting diagonally behind him, Son Suhyeon was holding out a black pen.

For a moment, Giyeon felt like he’d encountered a savior. The sight of Suhyeon holding out the pen even seemed to shine with a divine glow.

Giyeon quickly took the pen and began marking the answer sheet. He carefully filled in the bubbles and wrote out the long-form answers.

‘Two minutes left...’

Watching him, Son Suhyeon was about to go crazy with nerves. Since the test was basically over, he’d been dozing off and then woke up to watch Giyeon. The sight of him pursing his lips and solving problems was amusing, so he kept watching—but then suddenly, Giyeon had started panicking.

He could clearly see him searching frantically across his desk. He’d realized something was wrong. Giyeon had reached out for help, but the teacher was still dozing off. And of all people, it had to be the notoriously strict and cold-tempered teacher.

Just like last year, when a student forgot a pen, the teacher would surely say, “Figure it out yourself,” and offer no help. That’s why Suhyeon had rushed to hand over his pen. Since it was a third-year lending to a first-year, there would be no suspicion of cheating.

‘One minute left...’

Suhyeon checked his watch and started bouncing his leg, eyes glued to Giyeon. He was still writing.

‘Hurry...’

Then it happened. The bell rang, signaling the end of the test.

The teacher, eyes snapping open at last, stood and told the class to hand in their answer sheets. It was right after Giyeon had put down his pen.

As the tests were collected and students began to cheer, Son Suhyeon rushed over to him. He was already rehearsing what to say in case Giyeon hadn’t finished in time.

But as soon as Giyeon saw him, he bowed and held out the pen.

“Suhyeon-sunbae! Thank you so much!”

“Did you... get everything down?”

“Yes...! Just barely, but I wrote it all!”

Only then did Suhyeon breathe out in relief as he took the pen back. He wasn’t sure why he had been more anxious than Giyeon, but either way, it was a relief.

“If it weren’t for you, I seriously would’ve gotten a zero...”

“You don’t have a black pen?”

“I definitely left it on my desk... but when I went to fill out the answers, it wasn’t mine. And it wouldn’t even write...”

“I see... I’ll find your pen later and bring it to your classroom.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“That’s... nothing.”

Suhyeon chuckled softly.

The classroom was as loud as a festival. The teacher, carrying the test sheets out, clicked their tongue and said,

“There’s no lunch today, so don’t go to the cafeteria. Head straight home.”

“Who wants to get tteokbokki?”

“Hey, hey—pizza, anyone?”

“Let’s eat pizza and then play soccer?”

Listening to the chatter about post-exam plans, Giyeon belatedly remembered that there was no lunch today.

‘If I go home to eat...’

The housekeeper had told him this morning that his mother was working from home today. Giyeon immediately ruled out the idea of going home for lunch. He thought maybe he’d just grab something quick from a convenience store and started heading for the back door with his bag.

Then, a gentle hand tugged on his arm, and he reflexively turned around.

“Wanna get lunch?”

It was Son Suhyeon. Just like the others, he was asking Giyeon if he wanted to eat together. The unexpected offer left Giyeon wide-eyed as he stared at him. Suhyeon’s ears were tinged red, as if the words felt awkward to say.

“If it’s uncomfortable...”

“I’d love to!”

Giyeon answered quickly, not giving him the chance to take it back. Suhyeon smiled faintly, as if relieved.

“I’ll come by your classroom.”

“Then if I finish early, I’ll swing by yours.”

Giyeon waved as he headed toward his class. His steps felt strangely light. It wasn’t like they’d never had lunch together before, but it felt different from eating in the school cafeteria—oddly exciting.

There would be no need to watch what he said around others.

***

“Alright, good job, everyone! Since there’s no lunch today, you can head straight home.”

As soon as the homeroom teacher finished, the class burst out of the room. Ha Giyeon moved with them.

“Giyeon-ah!”

But right on «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» cue, Nam Taekyung suddenly approached, throwing an arm around his shoulders. For some reason, every time Giyeon tried to leave the classroom, Taekyung always seemed to be waiting to block him.

“Wanna come get pizza with us?”

“Ah, I actually have plans.”

“With who?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, you always turn us down, so I was curious—must be some important plans... You should hang out with us sometime... Is it with one of your brothers?”

“No, it’s just something important...”

“Then come with us!”

“Yeah, come on. We’re asking you nicely.”

“You’re not some celebrity. Quit acting so busy...”

It felt weirdly unpleasant—like they were saying that unless it was with one of his brothers, it wasn’t an important plan. And Taekyung’s friends were clearly staring at him with disapproval. He didn’t want to be dragged off by people looking at him like that.

Just as Giyeon opened his mouth to firmly decline, Taekyung grabbed his arm and started pulling him out the door.

“Should we order in? Or eat there? What do you want, Giyeon?”

“I said, I...”

At that moment, someone else grabbed his free arm.

“Where are you going?”

Son Suhyeon had appeared without a sound, seizing Giyeon’s arm and staring at Nam Taekyung, who was still holding the other.

Taekyung’s friends started murmuring as they took notice.

“Who’s that...?”

“Damn, he’s tall...”

“Hey, he’s a third-year.”

Taekyung scowled the moment he saw Suhyeon. It was that gloomy guy who’d told him to stop interfering with Giyeon. He’d gotten in the way in the teacher’s office, and now here too—Taekyung didn’t bother hiding his irritation.

“Ah, Giyeon has plans with us. Could you let go?”

“Ha Giyeon already made plans with me.”

“Could you yield, maybe? This is my first time hanging out with Giyeon.”

“Why should I?”

Suhyeon replied bluntly, looking down at Taekyung. The tension between them thickened like a standoff. Giyeon quickly jumped in.

“Sorry, but I promised Sunbae first, so I really can’t today.”

“Haah, Giyeon, but still...”

Taekyung was about to keep pushing when he hesitated. He realized Suhyeon wasn’t even looking at him—his gaze was fixed on Kim Junseung. Confused at first, Taekyung’s expression slowly hardened.

Suhyeon glanced at him and spoke.

“There’s something we need to discuss about club stuff too...”

“Right! Next time, Giyeon!”

Taekyung cut in loudly, cutting Suhyeon off mid-sentence. Giyeon didn’t even have time to wonder at his sudden change in attitude—Suhyeon had already pulled him away.

“Let’s go, Giyeon.”