29 Chapter 29 - With All His Heart 1 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
After a quick breakfast, Juho changed into his uniform and left for school. When he arrived to class, he either read a book or a text in the English textbook. Occasionally, he would stare out of the window or go up to the second years' floor to chat with Baron.
That day was no different. Juho looked at the text in his English textbook. It was about dreams. The textbook was referring to none other than future careers. It wasn't about dreaming in one's sleep or dreaming of something in one's life.
He thought of a conversation he had with Seo Kwang not too long before.
”What would it be like to be a novelist?” Seo Kwang asked. He sounded excited for some reason.
Juho gave him a brief stare and asked, ”Is that what you want to do?”
”I just happened to find myself enjoying being part of the Literature Club, a lot more than I had expected.”
It was true. He did seem much happier as of late. 'A novelist, huh!?' It suited him.
”If that's what your heart desires, then so be it. I support you.”
”I haven't really decided yet.”
Although he answered vaguely, Seo Kwang's eyes were sparkling.
”What is it?”
Though it was a day just like any other, Juho had been thinking that something had been different. Seo Kwang had been acting strange as of late.
He had felt Seo Kwang staring daggers at him for some time. He had blatantly turned around with the backrest in between his legs. As a person who sat directly behind him, Juho was feeling rather uncomfortable.
”What?”
He scratched his cheek. It almost felt like it was stinging.
”Why are you looking at me like that? You think I'm cute?”
In spite of Juho's light-hearted joke, Seo Kwang's face remained completely still. Usually, he would have, at the very least, made a complete fool out of Juho.
”This world really is kind of unfair.”
With that mysterious remark, Seo Kwang turned back to his desk.
Juho muttered as he stared into the back of Seo Kwang's head, ”...Was it really about my looks?” He briefly looked at his reflection on the window and thought, 'It's not half bad.'
When recess started, Seo Kwang asked a question out of nowhere, ”Where did you say you lived?”
Confused, Juho tilted his head. It really was a random question. After telling Seo Kwang the location, he asked, ”Why do you ask?”
”Just because. You don't live that far from me.”
”It's all in the same neighborhood. My side tends to be hillier though.”
This neighborhood was on a mountain, so there were a lot of hills even in the residential areas. There was also a mountain right behind the school. He was met with the cries of turtledoves on his way to school in the morning, and with hikers on his way back. It was like a countryside neighborhood within Seoul.
”Can I come over?”
There was no reason Seo Kwang couldn't.
”Sure. My parents are out for work. You want to come today?”
”No. Later.”
Juho nodded light-heartedly, but there was something about Seo Kwang's attitude that bothered him. 'Maybe he got himself into some sort of trouble?'
The next morning, he had to open his eyes at the sound of the doorbell.
'Ding, dong.'
It rang once again as he lingered in his blanket. It was rushing him to get out of bed. Soon, he realized that he was the only person around.
Every weekend, Juho's parents would make a trip out to the countryside to look for a house. They had been telling him that they would put the city life behind them once their son grew up into an adult. Without any objection, he accepted his parents' future plans. After all, no one could live life for another person.
”Not answering the intercom, for example.”
It wasn't until after a stretch and a yawn that Juho came out of his room and closed the door behind him. Half asleep, he looked at the intercom screen and saw a familiar face.
”Why is it that you're ringing my doorbell?” he asked over the intercom.
”Hey, buddy, I said I'd come over.”
”It's kind of sudden actually.”
”Didn't you get my text?”
'I was asleep,' thought Juho. Because he hadn't gone to bed until late, he had been sound asleep well into the morning.
”Don't people usually wait for a response?”
”I brought fried chicken.”
Juho opened the door.
The smell of fried chicken filled the entire house as soon as Seo Kwang walked in. Since he got out of bed late, Juho was hungry, yet too lazy to cook something. That was perfect. Seo Kwang had read his mind. Juho sat Seo Kwang down as he looked around curiously. He went into the bathroom to wash his face, and then joined Seo Kwang for brunch.
The box contained half & half chicken - half fried, half marinaded. After pouring Coke into the cups, Juho and Seo Kwang each picked up a drumstick.
”Let's eat.”
”This place knows their chicken.”