Chapter 5: Chapter 5 (2/2)
”Hey, there!”
The girl in ponytail took the initiative, and then the girl with the bob cut followed. Juho and Seo Kw.a.n.g exchanged greetings with them as they walked into the room. It was their second meeting.
The four sat facing each other in pairs with a long desk in between. The girls with short hair sat across from Juho, and it was very apparent that she was feeling awkward.
”Are you two in the same cla.s.s?” Seo Kw.a.n.g asked.
”Yeah, you guys must be too, seeing as how you're walking in together, right?” the girl in ponytail answered, and he introduced himself.
”I'm Sun Hwa Ahn, and this is Bom Yoon,” the girl in ponytail said.
Juho introduced himself in response. Then, there was the awkward silence that came after exchanging names, and Seo Kw.a.n.g started talking to break the ice.
”What brings you two to the club?”
”We like books.”
There was a big smile on Seo Kw.a.n.g's face. He was about to walk up to them to put his arms around and shout ”Friends!,” but he soon returned to his seat after hearing what Sun Hwa had to add.
”Comics.”
”Comics?”
That was a different genre. Seo Kw.a.n.g was obsessed with print. It wasn't that he didn't read comics at all, but his preference had always been to have words finely printed onto white sheets of paper.
While he was in disappointment, Juho asked Sun Hwa, ”Wasn't there a Comic/Cartoon Research Club?”
”That's one of the lazy clubs. I refuse to be part of a club that's got nothing to offer other than its name. How dare they desecrate comics?! They're not just words you know.”
Juho was impressed by Sun Hwa's pa.s.sion as she scrunched up her face in annoyance. She was a girl full of pride toward comics.
”What about your friend there? Bom was it? Do you like comics too?” Seo Kw.a.n.g asked Bom in case she was any different, but unlike his expectations, she nodded her head in affirmation. Everytime she moved her head, her hair played on her cheeks.
”Sun Hwa recommended them to me. I've been enjoying them.”
”Well, well, what if you try getting into actual books? I can give you recommendations if you want.”
”No, sure.”
At her vague answer, Seo Kw.a.n.g asked Juho with his eyes, 'Is that a yes or a no?'
'I don't know either,' Juho responded.
Next, Sun Hwa asked Juho a question as if she were trying to one-up Seo Kw.a.n.g's attempts, ”How about you?”
”I've read some of the famous ones.”
He named the few comics he knew. With bright eyes, Sun Hwa brought her face closer to Juho. He backed off and thought, 'I think I made a mistake.'
”A character design that is full of dreams, friends.h.i.+p, love and liveliness, and the adventure of the protagonist. Woven through it, there are delicate life lessons and youthfulness that is both sweet and savory. From the clean drawing and solid storyline to a wide range of fans, I can't help but be in awe of this author's talent.”
Juho looked over at Seo Kw.a.n.g thinking, 'Déjà vu.' With a serious face, Seo Kw.a.n.g listened to Sun Hwa intently.
”I recommend his debut work. It's a short story about a girl suffering from a rare disease and an actor who's past his prime. The two characters learn to depend on each other, and they are both determined to live. The direction, the composition, the drawing, the dialogues… It's flawless.”
”Hm.”
”If that means you're interested, I can lend you one right now. It's in my bag.”
”I respectfully decline.”
”Fine.”
Sun Hwa clicked her tongue as Juho turned her down. Seo Kw.a.n.g came between them and added, ”Yeah! He's supposed to be reading the books I recommended first.”
”I don't remember agreeing to that.”
Seo Kw.a.n.g was completely oblivious to Juho's murmur. He took out a book from his bag and put it in front of Sun Hwa.
”Alright. I'm sure you've heard of this book. You're a spy if you haven't.”
”Oh, yeah!”
”Yeah, I recognize it,” Sun Hwa and Bom responded simultaneously.
It was impossible not to know about that book. It was the very book the press had been talking about nonstop. Mr. Moon had brought it up at one point too, the birth of a genius author, Trace of a Bird. It was a critically acclaimed work.
”I haven't read it yet.”
At that, Seo Kw.a.n.g's eyes lit up, and he began to tell them the synopsis. It was a story about a boy who was afraid of birds.
”If you just say that you're interested, I can take it out of my bag right now and lend it to you.”
”Not interested,” Sun Hwa declined sharply.
”I'm for the minorities. I'm a person who would rather swim against the current. Even if I get around to reading it, I'll get to it once the hype dies down.”
”What?! You're a stubborn one aren't you?”
”What did you just say?”
From then on, Seo Kw.a.n.g and Sun Hwa got busy bickering with each other. Bom tried to stop them from fighting, but it was useless.
Juho left the two bickering and looked around the room. There were various experiment tools in storage. On the left side of the room, there was a mannequin, and next to it, there were desks and chairs that were no longer in use. The room might be called a science room, but it was obvious that it was being used as storage s.p.a.ce. Everytime Juho breathed in, there was faint scent of rubbing alcohol.
Fwoos.h.!.+
At the sound of the door, the four turned their heads at the same time. A guest was standing by the door. Bulky, long-limbed, short hair, thick lips, teeth that were exceptionally white and dark-skinned.
”Is he black?” someone whispered.