Chapter 228 (1/2)

“I don’t think I made it.”

Daemyung heard those words in the morning and started sighing endlessly, without knowing what to do. He didn’t expect Maru to pass easily. After all, many capable people should have attended the audition. Maru said that as well. However, seeing Maru declare that, Daemyung felt like there was no hope. He was sure that something happened during the audition. It was very likely that Maru had made a big mistake.

‘So even someone like Maru makes mistakes.’

Maru was usually flawless, but he was the same age as the others after all. Daemyung thought that Maru became nervous at a critical moment which cost him the audition. Well, it wasn’t exactly surprising since he would be competing against many others who take professional lessons. Daemyung wondered how he should console him.

He peeked behind him. Since maths was over, Maru was sleeping at his desk. Today, though, that calm side of him made him look pitiful instead. Perhaps he was pushing himself so that others would not worry about him. It was more than likely for Maru to do so. After all, he wordlessly endured the insults of many people from the acting club a year ago.

‘When else would he need consolation if not now? We’re friends.’

He was always on the receiving side. For today, he wanted to be of Maru’s help. Maru’s body shook for a moment before he sat up while yawning. It seemed that he wasn’t getting sleepy today.

‘I knew it. He must be feeling anxious.’

“Hey, Maru,” Daemyung called out.

“Yeah?”

“Wanna go to the school cafeteria?”

“The cafeteria? What, you hungry?”

“No, well, I was wondering if you wanted to eat anything.”

At that moment, Dojin, who clearly didn’t read the mood, interrupted. It was very rare for Daemyung to glare at someone, but today was that day. Dojin flinched and started fidgeting.

“What, you guys had a fight?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Daemyung stood up from his seat and grabbed Maru’s arm.

“Let’s go first. I’ll buy you some bread. Maybe some ice cream too.”

“What’s up with you today? I thought you were running out of pocket money.”

“It’s fine, so let’s go already. Lesson break will be ending soon.”

Daemyung dragged the supposedly dejected Maru to the school cafeteria. Fortunately, there weren’t many people around. They lined up and reached the front of the queue after a short minute.

“What do you want?”

“I’m not that hungry though.”

“You should eat regardless. Only then…”

He stopped. He thought that bringing that topic out might hurt Maru’s feelings. Maru was a strong man, but he was still just a man. Daemyung thought that he should be considerate.

“W, well. It’s somewhat awkward for me to eat alone.”

“You should’ve come with Dojin then. He looked really hungry.”

“Did you pick up some money in the middle of the road? Why are you in such a hurry to spend it?”

He urged Maru to order something. He ordered coffee milk. Daemyung received the bread and coffee milk and took a seat close to the cafeteria entrance.

“Here, yours.”

“Well, thanks. Though, I don’t know what you’re up to.”

“Uhm, Maru.”

“Yeah?”

“You should tell me if you’re worried about something. I may not be able to help, but I can always listen.”

“Hey… do you have something to ask of me? If it’s like that, don’t beat around the bush and give it to me straight.”

“I’m not going to ask you for anything! I’m just saying that I’m always here to listen to you as your friend. For example, you might be pretending to be completely fine even though you aren’t… and things like that,” saying that, Daemyung smiled and took a bite on his bread. He thought that he did a fine job not making it obvious. Maru, though, was looking at him with squinted eyes.

“Are you sick?”

“Huh? No, I’m not sick.”

“Then are you worried about something?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then why do I feel so awkward? I couldn’t be any more awkward drinking this milk. You’re being really strange right now.”

“T, there’s no way, right? I’m just… willing to hear you out if you’re willing to say things, yeah, that’s right. Tell me anything if you feel worried or something. Should we go to the noraebang(karaoke) together?”

Maru tilted his head sideways and stared back at him. Daemyung thought that Maru was acting like this out of embarrassment. After all, he had always shown his unshakable side of him to everyone else. Showing his weak side must be very foreign and awkward for him. However, what were friends for? A friend must be ready to accept any side of the person, right?

“Cheer up!”

Daemyung didn’t say much. He thought that Maru should have understood what he was doing.

* * * *

“Hey, Dojin.”

“Yeah?”

“Did something happen to Daemyung?”

“No, not that I know of. Oh, he’s gained a little weight. He’s already overweight, but he gained even more. I think he needs to go on a diet,” Dojin said as he yawned before resting his head against his arms on his desk. Maru deemed that Dojin was clueless. Maru then poked Dowook’s waist who was blankly staring at the chalkboard.

“Ow man!”

“Don’t see no owl man around here. Hey, have you heard anything from Daemyung?”

“What the heck is that about.”

“Like, for example, maybe he ran into some problems recently. Or that you saw him all worried by himself.”

“Nothing like that happened. You poked my waist for something like this?” Saying that, Dowook stood up from his seat, grumbling. Daemyung was not adept at lying. If something happened, then these two must have noticed something. If these two didn’t know, then it meant that Daemyung had no problems.

“Maru.”

Daemyung returned. In his hands was a canned drink. Following yesterday, Daemyung was gleefully handing out snacks. When Dojin asked him for one, he flinched and shook his head. Maru didn’t know what this guy was up to.

“Here, drink this.”

“...Ooo...kay?”

At this point, Maru was weirded out as well. This was the first time Daemyung’s kindness freaked him out. His eyes especially - those eyes that looked at him with pity made Maru look around him in wariness. Perhaps he saw something around him that he himself couldn’t. A ghost with an attachment to this world, for example.

“Maru. You know, right?”

“Know what?”

“That everything will go well in the future. Failure is the mother of success. Isn’t it?” Daemyung had a satisfactory smile on his face as he said those words. Maru became seriously worried now. Maybe, this guy didn’t have a physical problem but a mental one…

At that moment, something popped up in his mind. Daemyung started acting strange yesterday. He was completely fine before the morning homeroom, and Maru believed that Daemyung turned strange after talking with him. No, he was sure of it.

‘What did I tell him again?’

He didn’t think he said anything strange. Maru put his hands on his chin and had a look at Daemyung. He found it a little pity that he wasn’t smart enough to remember trivial conversations. At times like these, it was better to ask the person in question.

“Daemyung.”

“Yeah?”