Eighteen’s Bed Novel Completed - Chapter 54 Yohann's Trigger

I now had an accomplice with whom I shared a secret.

Minors on the cusp of adulthood often anticipate what their adult lives will be like. What kind of adulthood did I dream of? Well, perhaps just Kang Jun as an adult. That life, in its own way, held its charm, but sometimes I suffered and cried because of a small desire I harbored alone. Of course, I cried in secret, hating the thought of anyone discovering my weakness.

They say God only gives trials that one can bear.

I’d heard that somewhere before. I couldn’t even remember who said it. Was it perhaps a television program? Or did I see it in a movie? Then why did God give me the trial of loving a man? What was there to gain from it?

However, I soon stopped asking such questions, realizing they would only bring harm, and sometimes, a wave named ‘injustice’ might engulf me and choke me to death.

But it was only today that I found a clue to that question. A very arrogant clue.

Perhaps I was born with the trial of liking men, so I could watch Go Yohan’s melancholy.

From a materialistic perspective, Go Yohan was a blessed being. He was handsome, tall, intelligent, and born into a wealthy family. Being blessed meant he had God’s favor. Wouldn’t most people think that?

During lunch. A rosary dangled from Go Yohan’s arm as he ladled soup. For a moment, I felt a pang of conscience.

I imagined my parents’ reaction if my strange inclination were discovered. My parents had never once been angry with me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t imagine my parents turning their backs on me. I thought that even if they found out, they wouldn’t get angry like Go Yohan’s parents.

In that case, perhaps I was born luckier than Go Yohan. I recalled the rosary clinking below his wrist again. It looked just like handcuffs.

“Ugh—. Damn it. Ruins my appetite.”

Go Yohan frowned, hitting his lunch tray with his spoon. I slowly turned around to see where Go Yohan’s gaze had landed. There, Park Dongcheol, Kim Minho, Lee Seokhyun, and Kim Seokmin were looking this way. Park Dongcheol subtly stepped out of the square, glancing around, Kim Minho intentionally avoiding Go Yohan’s gaze. Yet, it was obvious they were pouring all their attention on Go Yohan, which was a bit unsightly.

And then there was Kim Seokmin actively waving at Go Yohan, and Lee Seokhyun lightly smiling at Go Yohan without a word.

“Are those bastards clueless?”

Go Yohan extended his middle finger. Then he turned his gaze away, dismissing their greetings. At a glance, it looked like a joke, but from what I’d observed, this action was clearly sincere. Go Yohan seemed a little angry. But Kim Seokmin, perhaps thinking it was a joke, also extended his middle finger just like Go Yohan. Go Yohan scoffed at their actions in a low voice.

“Do they think I’d return their greeting? That idiot.”

A hollow laugh escaped my lips. It was because I suddenly recalled the conversation Lee Seokhyun and Kim Minho had in the bathroom. What? Kang Jun was aware but stubbornly staying? At that moment, it was they who should have been aware.

“…Ha.”

They had judged me as if I were something of Go Yohan’s. Shouldn’t they have been the ones looking for a way to survive? I scoffed at their pathetic display.

In the end, I was the one Go Yohan chose. I was so proud of it that I unconsciously puffed out my chest. Weren’t they the lucky ones who survived just because they had loud voices in class, and because they were in the same class as Go Yohan in their second year? I, who had always lived diligently, was different, wasn’t I?

My nose soared endlessly until, suddenly, the thought that I was acting like a concubine chosen by an emperor made me stop my terrible pleasure. That time wasn’t long. The four of them, who had scraped food into a corner of their trays and dumped it into the leftover bin, were ambling towards us.

“Yo, Yohan.”

They abruptly nudged the kids sitting next to us and made space. Then, led by Kim Seokmin, they pretended to be close.

“Yohan. Aren’t you being too much? You haven’t contacted us since we got separated into different classes. We’re really hurt, you know.”

“Wow. You are.”

Go Yohan replied in a clearly unenthusiastic tone. A brief silence fell. The four seemed to be gauging the situation when their expected reaction didn’t come. Park Dongcheol gave an awkward laugh, looking around, and Kim Minho pretended to smile with a heavily distorted face. Surprisingly, it was Kim Minho who spoke first.

“Hey. Damn it, Go Yohan, are you in some advanced class? Did you bribe them?”

“Yeah. Right. We just talked about that. Hey. Kang Jun, fine, but why are you in Class 1? It looks like they just shoved all the nerds in there. Seeing you there, it’s like… it’s super suspicious, isn’t it? Doesn’t it look like a bribe to anyone? Right? Your family has tons of money.”

Kim Seokmin burst into laughter, louder than usual. He was probably forcing this loud laugh because he felt the awkward atmosphere. Kim Seokmin usually took the lead in making the mood lively. He was someone who couldn’t stand awkward and uneasy atmospheres. That’s why he even put up with Park Dongcheol, whom he didn’t particularly like. In a way, he was a soft-hearted guy.

“Hey. Did you really bribe them?”

“…”

“What? Say something. Is it good to be in Class 1? How did you get in? Did you get exam notes from Kang Jun? Damn, this bastard didn’t study with only us excluded, did he?”

Go Yohan just curled the corners of his lips into a smile. However, he didn’t answer Kim Seokmin’s words and instead spooned soup into his mouth. He seemed to be in a bad mood. At least, that’s how it looked to me.

“…”

I looked down at the cheap side dishes I didn’t even want to eat, having lost my appetite. I thought about lifting my head and asking, ‘How’s your class? Didn’t your classes get split too?’ but then decided against it.

There are thirty types of people in a classroom. Among them are occasional peacemakers who can’t stand the wary silence as they subtly test each other. Most of them survive with mediocre reputations. Good, kind, and, well, that kind of kid. It’s not a bad reputation, but if you think about it, it’s not a good one either.

“Hey, Go Yohan, this bastard’s silent, so it must be true.”

Sometimes, a rude guy who ruins the atmosphere gets a better reputation. That’s how human relationships are. I knew that if I said anything to change the atmosphere in this situation, I’d only get the reputation of a peacemaker, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

“Oh, really? Hey, no way.”

The establishment of hierarchy. The moment they subtly poked at each other, gauging their ranks. It was Go Yohan’s foot climbing up my leg.

“…”

In front of me, Go Yohan was resting his chin on his hand, absentmindedly chewing his last bite of food. I wondered if I had imagined it and subtly moved my leg away.

Sure enough, it wasn’t my imagination. A persistent sensation followed me. The foot that had lost me started tickling my calf from the ankle up. My face flushed hot from the blatant contact. Flustered, I lifted my head and looked straight ahead. There was only the ordinary Go Yohan, drinking water.

What are you doing?

I turned my head and looked at the four people who were giving Go Yohan a sour look. In this situation, I couldn’t ask Go Yohan what he was doing. Was he doing this on purpose? Yes. It was clear. This was no accident. I forcibly suppressed the sensation vibrating in my lower abdomen and lifted my neglected leg. Then I kicked the foot that was slowly stroking the bottom of my calf. Thwack, came the sound of bone hitting bone.

“Ah, damn.”

Go Yohan yelped, grabbing his leg. It was Go Yohan after all. At the sudden yelp, the four tense gazes immediately turned.

“What’s wrong, Yohan? Did you hit something?”

Kim Seokmin put a hand on Go Yohan’s back. Then he looked at the foot Go Yohan was holding and whimpering over. Go Yohan slowly pushed Kim Seokmin’s hand away and stood up. And rubbing his shoulder with his hand, he blurted out without a moment’s thought.

“Jun, why did you kick my calf?”

This bastard is playing his tricks again. I was momentarily flustered and speechless. He must be saying it loud enough for everyone to hear. He knows perfectly well that I can’t ignore him in front of people. He knows perfectly well that I’m very conscious of what others think. What a sly bastard.

“…When people talk, you should listen. You shouldn’t be so rude.”

“This is crazy.”

Go Yohan, who had been silently biting his lips, cleared his throat and then said this. In a very cheerful tone, as if he had never ignored them.

“Right. My dad must have bribed the school to save some trash, huh?”

Only then did the four people, who had been gauging the strange silence, finally breathe a sigh of relief. The air cleared instantly. However, the openly sharp tone didn’t seem welcome at all.

“Hey. What… Hey, Go Yohan. Why are you talking like that? Are you picking a fight with us now?”

“Who picked a fight first?”

Finally, Kim Seokmin, unable to bear it any longer, threw out a sharp remark. Go Yohan didn’t even look at Kim Seokmin and gave a wry smile. Kim Minho, who had been observing the situation with a distorted face, abruptly cut in.

“Seokmin. Go Yohan, that son of a bitch, did you just realize he’s always been like this? That bastard is a complete jerk.”

“Hey! What the hell are you saying, we’re friends, damn it!”

“I thought so too until recently. You idiot. Hey. Don’t you remember him always calling us trash? That bastard. Don’t you know that was sincere? He thinks we’re complete idiots. Believe me, you son of a bitch.”

“Who is he to tell us to believe him? Is he a politician?”

Go Yohan chuckled to himself even in that situation. Lee Seokhyun silently alternated his gaze between Go Yohan and Kim Minho, and Park Dongcheol bit his lips hard, fidgeting. Even the surrounding gazes were drawn to us. Damn it. In the end, I had to actively intervene.

“Hey. Don’t fight.”

“What? Why is Kang Jun, that bastard, stepping in?”

“Minho. That’s enough.”

“What?”

“Everyone’s looking.”

Are you guys blind and clueless? I implicitly warned them. Kim Minho gritted his teeth, looking at me.

“If you’re angry, let’s talk it out quietly. Nothing good comes from this.”

“What? What’s this bastard saying? Such a busybody. So annoying, damn it. Ah! Damn it!”