Chapter 50 (1/2)

When Myohan turned, he saw Yuja with a long face. Everyone was excited about the trip and was looking around, but only Yuja looked so troubled.

Myohan went behind him and poked him behind the knee.

Normally he would have accused him of the prank, but this time, he just staggered and almost fell. Myohan managed to grab him in the right time, and he was a little surprised. What was wrong with Yuja? But then, he steadied himself quickly and yelled, “Myohan, what do you think you were doing?”

“I…”

Yuja looked perfectly fine as he glared at Myohan. His previous worries were now gone and he was now just mad about the joke. Myohan sighed and Yuja soon moved on it. He started to gather his classmates.

“Maybe I was wrong.”

“About what?”

Sinsul came while waving his tail, which couldn’t be seen but had to be there. He looked even more excited than usual.

“Yuja just… No, forget it.”

“What? You just sighed! What have I done?”

Myohan opened his mouth to explain, but then he saw Sinsul’s innocent eyes and shook his head, thinking the dog who was just excited to be outdoors would never be able to understand deep thought of human beings. Sinsul got mad and kept asking, ‘What about me?’ but Myohan just pushed him away.

“Wait.” Like talking to a dog, he said, “I hate you!”

Sinsul pouted and went to Yuja. Myohan could almost see him dragging his tail behind him. Yes, it had to be there. Anyway, Sinsul grabbed Yuja’s sleeve and clung onto him. It’s not going to work, Myohan thought, but Sinsul couldn’t hear it.

“Yuja! When can we have lunch?”

Yuja raised his glasses and frowned. Then he scribbled something on the paper he was holding to do a headcount.

“Wait.”

“…I hate you all.”

In the end, Sinsul wailed about how one was ultimately alone in this cold world, and Myohan met eyes with O Shin who chuckled for a long time.

However, Yuja kept looking troubled for a second while they ate Jeju’s famous black pig pork for lunch. They walked the beautiful Olle Trail while they were briefed about the next day’s schedule. He was still worried when they went into their room after having their bags checked.

“Yuja, what’s the matter? You should sit down.”

Now they had some free time before dinnertime. As they weren’t kids anymore and it was the last school trip they would ever be on in high school, the teachers let them loose to some extent.

Myohan said so to Yuja and he came in reluctantly. O Shin, who was sitting next to Myohan, smiled.

“The bathroom is really small! We won’t be able to take a shower together!”

“We’re not showering together.”

In the meantime, Sinsul looked around the small room and shouted, opening the bathroom door. They scolded his idea of taking showers together, but he said it was the fun of a school trip.

O Shin gave an interesting gaze, but Myohan did his best to ignore him. Yuja was now sitting in a corner to himself and sighing, and it bothered him more.

“What is it?”

Myohan wasn’t up to nagging him, but he thought it would be better to ask once. Yuja was startled by the question. He touched his glasses, and he sighed again for everyone’s attention.

“…It’s nothing, really.”

“Hmm.”

Myohan lay down and turned to look at O Shin. His kind hand put back his now untidy hair. Yuja seemed to be relieved that Myohan wasn’t asking more. He sighed and stood up, saying he would go and check on the other rooms. He looked a little unnatural as he left, but no one tried to stop him. As soon as he closed the door behind him, a light silence filled the room. Myohan felt O Shin’s hand with closed eyes, and then he asked, “Sinsul.”

“Yeah?”

The dog-boy was unpacking his things. The trip was going to last only for three days, but he had brought too much. Clothes, charger, snakes, and a deck of cards. He was really eager to get some proper fun.

“This is Yuja’s first school trip, isn’t it?”

“Yes, he didn’t go attend last year’s field trip.”

They had been in the same class with Yuja since last year. He had always been the class president since first grade, and last year was no different. As he wasn’t there, the vice class president, whom they couldn’t even remember now, took his place and led the boys.

“Why?”

Maybe he had been sick, or maybe it had been for a personal reason. But why did Yuja remind him of Chookjae not coming to the trip? Sinsul’s eyes widened and grinned.