Chapter 32 (1/2)

“What am I supposed to do?”

“About what?”

Sinsul had asked without thinking. He had asked when no one else was around out of courtesy, and he hadn’t known it would make O Shin angry. He asked because he really smelled something that was unlike anytghing he had smelled before, and it wasn’t a human smell. What should I do? What am I supposed to do? He must have forgotten all about O Shin almost breaking his shoulder. He wailed again.

“I think I made him mad….”

Myohan blinked, and then he said unconcernedly, “Well, you make Yuja mad all the time, so it’s not a big deal.”

“I’m not like that!”

Sinsul yelled and jumped to his feet. He screamed, ‘You know nothing!’ But his classmates only sighed and said he was at it again. He ran to the back door.

However, he couldn’t run out like a girl in tragic love, as Yuja, who happened to be coming in, grabbed him angrily.

“Lunchtime’s over, where do you think you’re going?”

Well, Sinsul had much to say, but Yuja cut him short before he could begin.

“Sit down, now.”

Myohan snorted.

“See? You made him angry yet again.”

Sinsul thought it was unfair, but he had no way to express his feelings. He let out a sigh and fell on his desk, wailing. No one would understand what he was going through.

As soon as lunchtime ended, it started to rain. O Shin didn’t return until the day’s classes were all over. Sinsul became more and more worried in time, and eventually, he grabbed Myohan’s sleeve and clung onto him.

“Hey, dog, let go of me while I ask nicely.”

“But you are not asking nicely!”

After much hassling, Sinsul was told to clean the hallway by the teacher. Yuja waved a hand at Myohan to tell him to go quickly. He must have pitied Myohan for being held by that dog-boy.

The weather forecast had said nothing about rain. Of course, Myohan didn’t have an umbrella. He stood at the building’s gate and wondered if he should go through the rain or wait for it to stop. In the end, he just crouched down and looked up the sky to wait.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, you know what I’m doing.”

The kind question came from Sajun. They hadn’t seen each other for some time. He smiled and offered Myohan a hand, but he just slapped it away and got up on his own.

“You don’t have an umbrella either?”

Jagyeom was also there, right behind Sajun. He was holding an umbrella and wearing a raincoat. He was quite small, so he looked like a little boy in his raincoat. Myohan made fun of him with a smile.

“You are one thorough rodent.”

“The rainy season is about to start! I just like to be prepared!”

You know I can’t get wet. Instead of making fun of him again, Myohan nodded. Jagyeom looked at him, and at Sajun, and then he frowned.

“Kim Sajun doesn’t have an umbrella, so I’ve offered him to use mine together.”

Three boys, one umbrella. Jagyeom was wearing a raincoat, but of course there was no way some plastic could fully protect him from such heavy rain. Sajun shrugged and put his bag in front.

“You two use it. I’ll just go.”

“No.”

Myohan put out his intact hand. The raindrops were weaker and smaller than before.

“It must be a shower.”

It was about to stop in an hour or so. It wasn’t like Myohan had any urgent business, and he could just walk in the rain. He was about to crouch down again, but Sajun put a hand around his shoulder and smiled slyly.

“Then maybe I should wait with you.”

“You, just go.”

Of course, Myohan turned down his offer. He slapped his hand once more and told him to go.

I can’t go without you! Just go! After that quarrel went on for some time, Jagyeom spoke with a hard frown.

“You two idiots use this.”

He offered them his umbrella. Myohan stared at him.

“But what if you…”

“….My raincoat would be enough.”

He said it grumpily and complained about how Myohan worried too much. Myohan couldn’t take his umbrella, so Jagyeom handed it to Sajun and went out first. However, he was afraid of the falling rain and turned pale. Myohan wanted to say something, but he had to shut up as Sajun wrapped an arm around him and whispered to his ear.

“Come on, we shouldn’t turn down the rat’s kindness.”

In the end, they all headed to Myohan’s home since it was the closest. On their way there, Sajun kept an arm around Myohan’s shoulder, saying the umbrella was too small.

“If I turn into a rat…”

The rain didn’t get stronger nor weaker. Jagyeom, who was walking in front with his head down, spoke.

“You two will carry me.”