“I don’t really care since it’s not like you caused me any harm. But honestly, I think you guys are the toxic ones. Wasn’t she the victim who got humiliated by that whole game thing in the first place? Is the world secretly filming me or something?”
Those words came out of Yena’s mouth.
Even I was surprised to hear them.
Right, the public opinion up until now… it wasn’t like that at all.
Choi Ahyeon and the friends around her, all of them.
Unlike me, they were people who had already established themselves within the school, so the atmosphere and public opinion they formed first were influential and dominant.
Well… since I never said anything myself, it was probably a one-sided flow.
But… even so.
I never expected someone who wouldn’t be swept up by that majority opinion.
Ah, of course, Junyong was there before too, but anyway.
“Oh, no… it’s just fun, you know.”
“Well… whatever.”
Yena spoke as if she couldn’t care less.
Honestly, what I really wanted to do was burst out right then and there.
I wanted to tell her thank you for saying that, over and over again.
But I have to hold back.
Yeah, it would be ridiculous if I suddenly acted like that out of nowhere.
If I suddenly did that, Yena’s perception of me might change in an instant.
I’ll just stay grateful in my heart.
It already feels like enough comfort.
Just knowing that not everyone thinks that way, and that there are people who see things correctly like this, was enough to console me.
“Alright- everyone has confirmed who their group members are, right? I’ll assume you’ve roughly talked things over. We’ll coordinate more on the performance evaluation later.”
The teacher said that and instructed us to return to our seats.
In the end, I couldn’t even get a single word in.
But… if it starts off like this, will we even be able to coordinate our performance evaluation together?
There’s already some friction between Yena and that other girl from the start.
It’s because of me, but even so, it’s hard to say it’s my fault.
If she hadn’t said that in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.
“Hey, how’d it go? Your group okay?”
As soon as I returned to my seat, Junyong asked right away.
From the way the corner of his mouth was twitching, it didn’t seem like his intentions were pure.
“It’s better than I expected.”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“What were you hoping for? But yeah, it’s true. Honestly, I’m surprised too…”
“Too bad, but nice-“
Junyong’s reaction was a mix of disappointment and relief at the same time.
I guess that’s what “too bad, but nice” means.
A combination of “too bad” and “nice.”
But dude, what exactly is so disappointing for you?
“So who are you with?”
For that question, I just gestured with my eyes toward the two of them.
“Oh shit… you’re with two girls?”
“Yeah. Apparently so.”
“Ah, that’s so fucking annoying. Why am I… stuck with three guys?”
Honestly, I didn’t feel any particular way about being with two girls.
But hearing Junyong say that, a small sense of victory started to bloom.
How did he end up with three guys of all things? Especially this guy, who loves girls so much.
“Maybe three guys can make a masterpiece.”
“Masterpiece my ass… Looks like we’re all just gonna end up at the PC bang together. Anyway, did you guys at least talk things over?”
If he’s asking that… then we’re in the same boat, honestly.
“No. We didn’t really say much.”
“Huh? But you said it was fine.”
“It is fine, but… rather, it feels like it’s fine in a way that might hurt the performance evaluation?”
“Who did you say it was again?”
“Her and her.”
“Ah, Ha Yena and Jo Yeonju?”
“Yeah.”
Junyong then seemed to recall something.
What’s he trying to say.
“From what I can see, you guys are screwed.”
What the hell.
Why the sudden curse.
“Why…?”
“First of all, you’re there. You can’t sing for shit, so what are you gonna do.”
“I just won’t sing then…”
“But from what I know, those two don’t really have much going for them either.”
Why are you being so scary about this.
And how do you even have that kind of information?
Besides, they’re still first-years… so of course they wouldn’t have anything yet.
It’s the ones who come in already having something that are impressive.
And… they said from the start that it’s not purely a skill-based evaluation.
So that part should be fine.
Honestly, this isn’t the time to worry about that. It’s premature.
We might not even reach the stage where we’re discussing actual skills.
***
“What’s your Insta ID?”
Thankfully, once class ended, the girl named Jo Yeonju approached me first.
Honestly, since our first meeting ended on such an awkward note… I was a bit worried.
I didn’t expect her to come to me first.
Maybe she wants to get things done.
“Ah, let’s just use KakaoTalk instead of Insta.”
Since I disabled my Insta.
It seems like she’s planning to make a group chat.
“Okay. Give it to me. I’ll invite Yena too.”
“Sure.”
Anyway, for someone who said all that right in front of me earlier, she’s treating me surprisingly normally.
It’s not like she had some sudden change of heart.
Maybe she doesn’t actually hold any ill will, and that reaction was just because I was that famous person who was the talk of the school.
“But… when are you free? What are we gonna do?”
“I’m…”
I started to speak, but then hesitated for a moment.
Without realizing it, I was thinking about my schedule with Ahyeon.
Wondering if there was something I had to do with Ahyeon, or if something would come up.
That was the flow of my thoughts, hardened over a long time.
But now… I don’t have to think like that anymore.
“I’m free anytime. Just figure out a time that works for you guys.”
“Yeah? Then… wanna talk about what we’ll do with Yena?”
“Sure, let’s all talk about it together.”
I thought things were going smoothly, surprisingly.
“Do whatever you want. Oh, but give me as little of a part as possible.”
And then this one goes and veers off course again.
It’s a group performance evaluation… but her face and tone showed zero interest.
If anything, there was a hint of annoyance.
“Why…?”
I asked.
It was so contrary to the image I had of her earlier that the question slipped out reflexively from the shock.
“I’m really busy. So I don’t think I’ll have time to practice together. Sorry.”
“Ah…“
What is she so busy with that she can’t even properly participate in the performance evaluation?
From what I heard… she doesn’t have anything special going on.
Of course, I don’t fully trust that information.
Ah, maybe that’s why she’s trying to bow out like this.
“Yena, but we have to do this together? What’s the point if you just dip out on your own.”
Yeonju, who was talking with me, said that.
She had a point. Except for the slight irritation in her tone.
“What are you talking about, I never said I was dipping. If you leave something for me, I’ll do it.”
Yena then slid onto her desk and lay down as she said that.
Looks like she’s tired too.
“Let’s… try to work it out a bit more.”
Seeing Yena’s attitude, I tried to smooth things over quickly.
No matter what, it was true that Yena was being uncooperative, so Yeonju had every right to be upset.
But… Yena, why are you acting like this?
The image of you in my head right now is confusing.
Could it be… you were able to say that because you just didn’t care much about my situation either?
***
After that… there was no progress in our group.
Stuck in the state I hastily patched up.
Ah, of course, I did do something in the group chat that was created.
I posted a few cover songs that seemed easy and simple.
If it were my usual personality, I wouldn’t have stepped up like this.
But the number 1 still hasn’t disappeared. As if it’s never going to go away.
Because of that, in the end…
“Hey, Jinho. Just stay still too. If she’s gonna act like that, why are you the only one working so hard.”
Yeonju said that to me separately.
She’s pretty pissed about earlier too, it seems.
Maybe it’s also because their conversation was already a bit off from the very first meeting. That probably plays a part too.
“Still… we have to do it together in the end.”
“She said she’ll do whatever she’s given, right? Then just wait and hand out the parts the day before the evaluation.”
“…That’s.”
Ugh.
Is this some kind of power struggle or something?
I can totally understand why Yeonju is acting this way… but.
Still, from my position, it’s a bit difficult.
How am I supposed to actually do something like that?
For now… my image of Yena is still on the positive side.
Should I try talking to her again?
Haah, I have absolutely zero talent when it comes to approaching people and talking.
But if I just give up along with her, my already bad image seems like it’ll head straight for the worst.
Yeah, I have to try to turn things around somehow.
.
.
.
Lunchtime.
I kept agonizing over whether to talk to her or not, and when to even do it.
And finally, lunchtime arrived.
She hadn’t even read the group chat yet.
Yeah, even if she’s that busy… she should at least communicate through the group chat.
With that in mind, I looked over at Yena.
Just then, Yena got up from her seat, probably to go eat lunch.
Is this… my chance?
For some reason, the pressure that things would get worse if I didn’t do it now made me anxious.
So I just blindly followed after her.
“Hey, where are you going all of a sudden? If you’re getting food, I’m coming too!!”
Junyong from the seat behind tried to grab me, but I didn’t have time to explain.
In the meantime, Yena opened the back door and stepped outside, and I tried to catch up with a slightly quicker pace.
“Ha Yena!”
As soon as I stepped out the back door, I spotted her back and called out.
It’s not like I shouted at the top of my lungs.
The distance between us wasn’t that far.
“Huh?”
Yena flinched and turned around.
At that moment, I could see that there were girls around her who seemed to be her friends.
Probably the group she eats lunch with.
But… now that it’s come to this, it’s a bit embarrassing. I feel a wave of shame for no reason.
“Um… our group chat… I posted a bunch of stuff there, so I wanted to see if you could check it.”
When I said that, Yena stared at me for a moment.
Then she turned her head the other way and said,
“You guys go ahead first.”
She said that to the friends she was with.
I wasn’t planning on holding her up for that long… but.
“Are you talking about the chat?”
“Yeah. I made it earlier. You kept not checking it.”
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t know.”
How does that even make sense, but I’ll let it slide.
“So… you can at least communicate a bit, right?”
“Yeah. But are we doing this kind of K-pop?”
Yena said while looking at her phone.
She was probably checking the chat.
“I figured that would be easier to practice… and everyone roughly knows these songs. They’re familiar, you know.”
“Well, sure. Do whatever you want. I don’t really care. Just let me know once it’s decided. And I’d appreciate it if my part is as small as possible.”
“Is there something you want to do, by any chance?”
She said to do whatever we want, but it didn’t sound like she was into it.
I figured I’d ask just in case.
“Hmm…“
Yena thought for a moment. The fact that she even hesitated means there was something on her mind.
“No. Just do whatever you guys want.”
“Come on, just tell me. I’ll try to compromise.”
“I said there’s nothing.”
“Ballad? R&B? Hip-hop? Ah, or… maybe just pop?”
“Ugh. I said there’s nothing, really. Why are you being so pushy.”
Maybe I was too persistent. In the end, Yena spoke with an annoyed tone.
But it’s not like she was actually angry.
“Hey, why are you going to eat without me?”
Just then, from behind, Junyong had followed me out and said that.
Then he looked back and forth between me and Yena for a moment.
“Ah, okay. I’ve decided to start boycotting the cafeteria starting today.”
He suddenly said that and went back through the back door.
But when you say something like that and leave… it makes the atmosphere between the people left behind a bit awkward.
But Yena didn’t seem to care much.
In a casual voice.
“You were gonna eat too, right? Let’s go. I’m hungry.”
She said that and started walking ahead.
And I just follow behind her.
.
.
.
On the stairs going down to the cafeteria.
“Ahyeona, how should we do our performance evaluation?”
“If I’m preparing for the audition at the same time, it’s gonna be really hectic.”
“It’s fine. We can do it all. And your tutoring video from yesterday was really pretty too?!”
I ran into some kids from the Entertainment Department.
Unfortunately, of all people, the Entertainment Department kids. And among them, Choi Ahyeon’s group.
“It’s Gu Jinho…!”
“Heh heh.”
They didn’t say anything outright, but the subtle whispering when they saw me was still there.
Ugh, of all the times to run into them, it had to be while walking with Ha Yena, making it even more embarrassing.
Still, I walked down the stairs with Yena without showing any reaction.
And just like that, I passed right by Ahyeon.
Choi Ahyeon didn’t say anything.
Before… even if she didn’t say anything, she would at least stop her friends when they acted like that.