Eighteen’s Bed Novel Completed - Chapter 177

Finally, Go Yohan, who had been looking at his fingertips with downcast eyes, suddenly shifted his gaze.

“Kang Jun, your taste is really unique, I’ll give you that.”

“……”

“Your face is really red right now.”

His teasing voice softly caressed my ear. Thanks to that, my twitching body began to tremble finely in the opposite direction. It was due to a rush of embarrassment. Why did I come here with him? Before that, why did I give Kang Soohyun money?

Even so, it felt wrong to unleash my anger here. I was the one with more to lose. I needed social prestige, and he lived his life however he pleased. Arguing with Go Yohan, who seemed to say “screw social standing,” always left a bitter taste.

I don’t want to admit it, but my compatibility with Go Yohan is the worst. Most of the time, it ends with me getting tangled up. Was I born to lose to Go Yohan from the moment I was born?

“Oh, he’s chewing me out.”

I raised one corner of my mouth, looking at his teasing face, and felt an extreme sense of annoyance. When I think about it, it’s true. He was born with everything others would envy, yet his severe inferiority complex is also annoying.

“This kind of place.”

Why did my physical confidence also have to be so awful? My gaze instinctively drifted towards Go Yohan’s center, stopping abruptly around the middle of his thigh.

“This kind of place, where?”

Crazy, crazy Kang Jun.

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

I shivered. And only then did I realize I was holding Go Yohan’s hand. I frantically shoved my trembling hand into my pocket. I-I’m not in my right mind.

I stiffly turned my body, which wasn’t moving well. It was a bad day to go out; there were more people on the street than bugs, so I couldn’t even properly push through the crowd, but I pushed forward regardless.

“I’ll never come to a place like this again.”

I gritted my teeth, pushing through the people. Then, I was pressed by a large group, a crowd so dense it filled the street. Hey. Excuse me. I tried calling out to a man who was forcefully pushing my side with his arm, but my voice seemed to be drowned out by the noise. Ah, seriously.

Just as my whole body was about to be suffocatingly compressed, I heard a familiar low voice, and felt the sensation of a firm hand wrapping around my shoulder.

“Excuse me.”

Go Yohan’s voice wasn’t loud. In fact, it was rather quiet, yet the man who hadn’t heard me quickly turned around. And as soon as he saw Go Yohan’s face, he just bowed his head and frantically pulled the clothes of his friends, who seemed to be with him, to the side.

He didn’t hear my voice, but why did he listen to Go Yohan so well?

I muttered my complaints inwardly, pretending not to notice my heart pounding faster than usual.

“You always get lost so easily, why are you wandering around alone like this?”

“I’m good at finding my way.”

“What are you talking about? You’re always stuck in some strange place.”

“What? What did you just say?”

I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it again. It was because, despite his teasing, I wasn’t as angry as I thought I’d be. I’ve really softened a lot.

No, this is all Go Yohan’s fault for being so self-centered. Why does he always play such pointless pranks? The certainty that came to mind without deep thought kept me from getting angry.

Why didn’t I know before? Go Yohan’s intention in bothering me seems to be exactly that: like a child who can’t stand not bothering the person they like. The kind of kid who only feels satisfied when they see that person cry because of them.

Do you know what the best revenge against someone like that is? Utter indifference.

“If you keep bothering me like that…”

The problem is, I can’t be indifferent. I’m really a severe case. My voice trembled because my heart rate hadn’t settled. Damn it. I’ll just pretend it’s because it’s cold.

“You and…”

But why did I get stuck here? I chewed on my second curse. Meanwhile, I couldn’t think straight because Go Yohan saw someone running up behind me and pulled me towards him.

“You and?”

“You… you.”

“Me what?”

Damn it.

“Never mind.”

Why was the only thing that came to mind “I’m not playing with you anymore”? It felt childish even before I said it, and after saying it, I would feel utterly humiliated, so I stopped.

“If I bother you, then what? You have to say it for me to know.”

“There’s a snack bar over there.”

It had been a long time since the initial goal of curing my motion sickness had been lost, but I pretended not to hear Go Yohan and pointed to the snack bar. It was a very skillful act.

“But there are too many people, aren’t there?”

My acting was very skillful. The reason was that what followed was no longer acting. The snack bar, which also sold snacks, was filled with people wearing all sorts of fancy headbands, children holding balloons, and parents chasing after those children.

While my face grew paler and paler, Go Yohan spoke again.

“Jun-ah.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll just swallow my saliva.”

“……”

Should we? That would be better. I silently agreed.

Go Yohan, too, seemed no different from me, scanning the bustling snack bar with a face even gloomier and paler than usual. While watching Go Yohan, I was bumped on the shoulder five times by passersby. There were no apologies, and I didn’t expect any. The amusement park was that chaotic.

Go Yohan, looking aghast, his face subtly more sunken, said with a queasy voice:

“With yours.”

“Yeah… hey.”

Even with a look of utter disgust, as if he was about to vomit, such a thought still crossed his mind? Go Yohan is truly something. And he always chooses to say such things only when it’s noisy. Thanks to that, his nonsense got mixed with the noise and disappeared. Even if someone in this crowd had overheard my conversation with Go Yohan, they probably wouldn’t have understood exactly what was said, the volume was so cunningly chosen.

However, he maintained a cunning distance from me. He meant for me to hear it. I couldn’t tell if he was being considerate or if he just didn’t care about consideration at all.

“I swear, because of you…”

I didn’t look at Go Yohan. I simply took off my coat and pushed into the crowd inside the snack bar. It was so crowded that it was slightly sweaty and hot inside.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll go get some water.”

“What? You don’t need it. Come here.”

I turned around. Go Yohan, whose eyes met mine, tried to twist his body and approach, but he kept failing. The snack bar, which exceeded the usable population density per area, was nothing short of a field of barriers for Go Yohan. At times like this, I thought being tall was a disadvantage. Even if he tried to push through the crowd, the people pushing through were larger than those being pushed, so no space was created.

“You uselessly bulky bastard, just go outside and wait.”

“Hey, Jun!”

I ignored Go Yohan shouting from behind me. And then, looking at the countless black heads spread out before my eyes, I quietly gasped in dismay.

Did I make a mistake?

Soon, I scoffed, as if mocking my own thoughts. I carefully maneuvered past people receiving their items and walking out, taking a step forward. From the beginning, Go Yohan was the reason I came to the snack bar. Well, even if it was a little difficult now, if Go Yohan could just have a sip of water – that would be enough.

“I’m uselessly devoted, aren’t I?”

“Pardon?”

I had just self-deprecatingly sighed in futility, but the person in front of me turned around. My face instantly flushed. It was an thoughtless remark. Embarrassment washed over me. I quickly shook my head from side to side.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

“Ah… okay.”

Damn it. So embarrassing. I was so embarrassed that I just stared at the floor, then saw the person in front move away and quickly lifted my head. Blast it. When I faced the staff with my face hot from shame, I felt like I was going crazy. But what could I do? I had to trust my shameless audacity. I tried my best to look relaxed, scanning the menu. The most edible, the most ordinary, something Go Yohan would like. Finally, having made my choice, I pulled out my card and opened my mouth.

“I’d like a lemon-aid…”

“Did you say one lemon-aid?”

Yes. My mouth, about to give an affirmative answer, suddenly stopped.

Of all things, I only remember such useless scenes. Kang Jun, falling in love, is truly pathetic.

“Sorry. Cancel the lemon-aid, and please give me a green grape lime one.”

“Yes, please wait a moment.”

“Yes.”

Oops. My voice, as I answered, was filled with excitement. The staff, who had been tapping on the machine, glanced up, and our eyes met. Ah, damn it. I pretended to wipe my cheek, which had nothing on it, pressing the back of my hand against the area around my lips. I could clearly feel my lip muscles subtly twitching upwards.

Ah, seriously. It’s truly embarrassing.

“Here’s your green grape lime aid.”

“Thank you.”

I lowered the hand that had been covering my mouth and took the drink, which had a cold frost on its surface. It was typical of a snack bar where speed mattered more than taste. Why was it so fast? Flustered, I turned my body. I made way for someone who was lingering, wanting to enter my spot, and then slowly approached, filling that person’s empty space. Then, I caught sight of Go Yohan staring at me with a cold expression from a distance.

“Why is he looking at me like that?”

Sometimes, Go Yohan is colder than winter. What is he thinking at times like that? It’s natural that I don’t know, as I’ve never heard his true thoughts when he wears that expression, but sometimes that obviousness made me feel a little sad.

Should I go ask him? What he was thinking before I came back here.

The sweet drink, a mix of green grape and lime, sloshed precariously, almost overflowing the plastic cup. Sticky liquid trickled out through the imperfectly sealed seam. Ah. I looked away and saw my damp fingers. I guess I should walk carefully and not get distracted. It was at that moment.

“Ah!”

With a shriek, something hit my leg. If it had just hit me, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad. But why did it have to hit me right behind the knee? Losing my balance, I pulled my nearly falling body backward, and with that, the drink I was holding spilled all over my white shirt.

“……”

What is this? My shirt is turning a light green. I stared blankly at the remaining drink. There was still about half a pinky finger’s worth of liquid left. There was some left, but… no, this. I looked ahead with confused eyes, and Go Yohan was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh.”

Where did he go? Even in that moment, I forgot that I had spilled the drink and stood on my tiptoes. But even in the crowd, Go Yohan was nowhere to be seen.

“……Go Yohan?”

“Waaah!”

What cut off my thoughts was a child’s cry. Startled, I turned around to see a little boy clutching his forehead and nose, whimpering. On the floor, there was half-eaten soft-serve ice cream. No, it couldn’t be. I looked at my leg with despairing eyes. And the white streaks all over my calf.

“Ha.”

I’m going crazy. God is never on my side. Just like Go Yohan said, I’m really a dog-like person. Damn it. Meanwhile, I felt eyes on me and quickly fixed my expression.

“Hey, are you okay?”

It was a gentle tone that came out instinctively. Even as I bent my knees to check if he was hurt, I felt like I understood why people sometimes said I was nauseating. Even I thought I sounded a bit too much like a goody-two-shoes.

The child seemed fine, fortunately. He looked about seven years old, roughly pre-school age. Just in case, I asked again.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The child nodded, his face contorted from crying.

“That’s good. Where are your parents?”

“Th-that way.”

In the direction the child pointed, there was a man and a woman with ashen faces. I sighed and stood up. They didn’t need to be so steeped in despair. After all, Kang Jun, who always had to make a good impression on others, would never say anything bad. Especially to fleeting acquaintances.

The child’s parents, who had pushed through the crowd, saw my clothes and, with even paler faces, bowed deeply.

“Oh, what do we do? We’re so sorry. Our child suddenly ran…”

“No, it’s okay. There were too many people, I didn’t see him either.”

See?

“We’ll pay for the dry cleaning. And you, stop crying and apologize.”

“No, it’s fine. Just tell him to be careful.”

So this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. Damn it. Should I be grateful I had my coat off? What’s with my shirt and pants getting like this? This is truly a pathetic sight.

“Just a moment, we don’t have cash, so if you give us your account number, we’ll definitely send it there.”

“Please don’t feel too bad. These clothes aren’t expensive. I can just buy new ones.”

“Are you waiting for someone?”

“Huh? Oh.”

Isn’t the truly pathetic one me, who can’t put my heels down? I only realized what I was doing after hearing the child’s mother. I had been frantically scanning the crowd. Like a meerkat looking for food. Crazy. I quickly fixed my gaze forward and continued speaking.

“Well, yes. My friend is waiting over there. I’m really fine, so please don’t worry about it too much.”

“Then just give us your number. We’ll definitely contact you.”

“I’m really fine.”

Just comfort the crying child. I keep saying it’s okay.

It was clearly an act of kindness and politeness, but to me now, it was just an annoying compensation. Couldn’t I just put the clothes in the washing machine?

The way people kept looking at me also made me uncomfortable. My top was completely soaked green, and the clumps of ice cream on my pants were melting. Being noticed like this was truly the worst.

Finally, I gave up first. The one who’s always aware of others’ reactions loses.

“If you type your number here, I’ll contact you right away.”

The man, who appeared to be the child’s father, pulled out his phone from his pocket. And just as he turned on the screen and handed it to me, someone snatched the phone from my sight. Huh? Startled by the sudden situation, I stared blankly in the direction the hand had come from. There was Go Yohan, typing a number into the phone.

“Excuse me, just a moment.”

“This is my number.”

It was Go Yohan who cut off the flustered parents’ words. Go Yohan, who tossed the phone back as if throwing it, pointed his chin at me and said,

“I need to take my friend to change his clothes, so I’ll be taking him.”

“Yohan-ah. Where did you go…”

I didn’t hear how the child’s parents responded. No, I couldn’t hear. My mind had gone blank while Go Yohan draped his outer jacket over my shoulders and carelessly fastened the front.

Go Yohan’s shoulders were heaving with heavy breaths. Why? As I wondered to myself, Go Yohan grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the snack bar, pushing through the crowd. I followed him semi-forcibly, watching his large back.

Go Yohan walked almost running, frantically checking signs, then stopped on a less crowded street. He then squinted, looking around frantically as if searching for something. He seemed to be looking for a path.

“Hey, Go Yohan.”

“What.”

“Drink this.”

“What?”

It was one of the few moments in my life. Shouldn’t it be commemorated?

‘December 25th. Finally witnessed Go Yohan looking at me like I’m crazy.’

Actually, what was important to me wasn’t what or where Go Yohan was looking for. It was what I was going to give him. I showed Go Yohan the little bit of drink left and smirked.

“I bought it for you to drink.”

And I asked,

“But why were you looking at me like that earlier?”

The question I had thought of asking earlier just popped out. It was almost instinctive. I was too curious to hold back. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear the answer to my question. Go Yohan, who had been looking at me like I was crazy, changed his demeanor. Go Yohan casually took the cup in my hand and chugged the drink inside. Then he licked his lips with his tongue and said,

“I guess I raised you wrong.”

Raised me? What’s he talking about? I furrowed my brow at the absurd words I couldn’t understand, and Go Yohan added,

“Were you always like this, or are you becoming like me?”

“Becoming like you?”

“Ah, I got it.”

But before I could understand, Go Yohan came to a conclusion on his own. Well, judging by Go Yohan’s expression, he seemed to want to just enjoy the moment rather than hear an answer. Go Yohan, who was subtly looking down at me with narrowed eyes, smiled a smile I had seen before. Something felt ominous.

“You’re imitating me, aren’t you?”

“What? No.”

“You used to imitate me all the time in high school. Don’t you remember?”

What kind of nonsense was this all of a sudden? The absurd words made me furrow my brow instinctively. Go Yohan’s long, slender fingers went to his bangs, which had grown too long now.

Since turning twenty, Go Yohan had started growing his bangs long and sweeping them back. Among them, the hand holding a few strands of hair that had fallen forward caught my eye. Go Yohan’s hand movements were natural, yet not natural. His stiff fingers, which had been like that until recently, now moved according to Go Yohan’s will when he put force into them. The problem was that three fingers moved simultaneously. Just like now.

“……Even then, I wasn’t imitating you.”

“Just say you were. Because every time you imitate me, I feel like I’m going crazy with happiness.”

My gaze couldn’t leave Go Yohan’s fingers. Why do I like that hand so much? Go Yohan, unaware of this, looked up with his eyes. While sweeping his hair back with his hand. I stared at the movement as if possessed, then stiffened at what Go Yohan said.

“And you bought the lime flavor because I said I like lime, too.”

“……”

“Thanks for the aid.”

…He remembered. Suddenly, I felt endlessly embarrassed, as if my thoughts had been exposed. Unlike Go Yohan, who subtly raised his head and swept his hair back, I lowered my head and looked only at my innocent toes. I also saw the ice cream-stained pant leg. Why did everything that would normally annoy me feel like nothing now?

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

I replied a little curtly, with a hint of subtle ridicule in my voice. Not because I disliked it, but because I was embarrassed.