Projection Novel (Completed) - Chapter 116

It must have been because of the summer uniform, deeply buried in a pile of clothes, that he accidentally found, or perhaps because when he held it, he suddenly thought, “When she was little, Kwon Sejin was truly beautiful.” Or maybe it was because Sejin had murmured, “If only the age gap between us wasn’t twelve but just two, how wonderful that would be.”

It had been a long time since he last dreamed of his high school days.

That was when Cheon Sejoo worked tirelessly day and night to achieve his dream of becoming a doctor and bringing happiness to Hyein. Compared to the first time he met Sejin, Cheon Sejoo at that time was much brighter and more vibrant.

He was always surrounded by people, countless friends, and even younger children who admired him. Every time he returned to the orphanage, the nuns and priests would always greet him, and his younger sister Hyein would be there too.

Cheon Sejoo, before he knew loss, was a person always full of confidence. It seemed there was nothing in this world he couldn’t do, and in reality, everything he set his mind to succeeded. No one could steal his composure and nonchalance.

Yet, in that memory, an unpleasant stranger suddenly intruded.

So, it could be said it was a very strange dream.

The spring wind gently brushed his forehead. Cheon Sejoo brushed his hair back and realized he was standing in front of the school gate.

The familiar red brick building appeared before his eyes. Although there was something unfamiliar that gave him a strange feeling, the wisteria intertwined around the roof bloomed brightly every spring, and the blue-painted bench underneath was unmistakable. This was indeed the high school he attended.

The strange thing was that he had no memory of how he got there. There was a slight emptiness in his heart, as if he had lost something incredibly important. But when he opened his bag to check in confusion, his backpack was still firmly on his shoulder, and by its weight, nothing seemed to have been left behind.

What is this… The restless feeling lingered, but since he was standing in front of the school gate, what needed to be done was clear. Following a deeply ingrained habit, he began to walk towards the gate.

“Cheon Sejoo!”

“…Ha Yeoreum?”

Cheon Sejoo always arrived at school very early every morning, and a few other friends also arrived at that time. Was it Jae? Or Ha Yeoreum?… Did she go to the same school as him? Cheon Sejoo stared at the small girl standing in front of him.

Under his gaze, Yeoreum, wearing a fleece jacket over her uniform, raised her eyes.

“Why are you only just arriving now? Everyone’s been waiting for you.”

“Me? Why?”

It must be almost eight now; who would be waiting for him at this hour? What’s wrong? Seeing Cheon Sejoo tilt his head in question, Yeoreum frowned and took his hand, pulling him along.

“It’s the student council handover day today! Did you eat something wrong? Hurry up.”

Ah, right. He blinked blankly and quietly followed Yeoreum. As he climbed the stairs, his mind gradually became clearer.

Now he remembered. Last week there was the student council president election. Cheon Sejoo, now a 12th-grade student, would hand over his duties to the new president, an 11th-grade student, and that was today.

Why did I forget this? While he was frowning in thought, the student council room appeared right before his eyes. Before opening the door, Cheon Sejoo placed his hand on the doorknob and looked down at his attire.

His old but neatly ironed white shirt, dark blue tie, gray vest with red trim, and a wool jacket the same color as the tie. The creases in his trousers were clearly pressed from early morning when he ironed uniforms for the younger children. Finally, he checked his white sneakers, not a speck of dust on them. A neat appearance that satisfied Cheon Sejoo.

“Open the door!”

“Ah, okay.”

Just then, Yeoreum behind him urged him. Cheon Sejoo nodded slightly and gently pushed the recently repaired sliding door. The door opened silently, revealing the entire student council room inside.

“Oh, hello, senior!”

“Hello, Cheon Sejoo hyung!”

“Hurry up!”

The former student council members and newly appointed students were sitting around the long table. Cheon Sejoo smiled gently, greeted them, and went to sit at the end chair. Immediately after, a teasing voice rang out.

“I got scolded all weekend. Because of you, everyone said Cheon Sejoo oppa stepping down as president was a huge loss.”

The person chosen as the new president was Heo Woojin, an 11th-grade student. Although he was a familiar face, for some reason, Cheon Sejoo felt something unfamiliar about him. Why was that? Cheon Sejoo tilted his head and smiled at him.

“Woojin, you’re not losing confidence because of that, are you? You’ll do better than me, don’t worry.”

“No, I’ve already lost just by my face…”

Despite the warm encouragement, Woojin pretended to place both hands under his chin like a plate and immediately denied it. His absurdity made everyone laugh. In that lively atmosphere, Cheon Sejoo began to explain the work to Woojin and the new vice president.

“The student council is a self-governing organization. Don’t forget that.”

“May I come in, teacher?”

Just a few minutes before the first period began, the teacher in charge of the student council entered. As everyone was preparing to tidy up, the young teacher knocked on the door and poked his head in.

“Are you finished? I have something I’d like to ask Woojin.”

“Hello, teacher! What is it?”

The students stood up one by one to greet him. Cheon Sejoo moved towards the door, making way for the teacher to enter, then invited him to sit in the chair he had just occupied.

“Thank you, Cheon Sejoo.” The teacher thanked him and placed a student file on the table. It seemed someone else wasn’t attending school. It happened quite often.

“Woojin, there’s a 10th-grade student in class 10-2 who has barely attended any classes. Since your term begins today, perhaps you should go meet them.”

Cheon Sejoo’s school had a self-governing group dedicated to monitoring and preventing school violence. This group was established to care for isolated or truant students, but since no one volunteered, all student council members were compelled to participate.

Cheon Sejoo was also one of them. Last year, two ostracized students became friends with his help and gradually integrated into the class. So, when he heard that a 10th-grade student who had just enrolled wasn’t attending school, he couldn’t help but pay attention.

“Oh, first mission! Who is it?”

“Ah, it’s a boy named Kwon Sejin, from class 10-2…”

The teacher in charge said so and opened the student register. It clearly listed the address, middle school, and elementary school that a student named Kwon Sejin had attended. At the top of the page was a portrait photo.

Cheon Sejoo was standing a short distance away, looking down at the table, then he slightly curled his lips and moved closer. The initially blurry face suddenly became clear. It was… a photo he couldn’t take his eyes off.

“Why isn’t he attending school? Is he being isolated?”

“Not exactly. It seems there’s something going on at home. But according to the homeroom teacher, that student doesn’t bother listening to anyone.”

“Oh dear, so it’s my turn again. I’m the president, ha ha ha!”

Cheon Sejoo listened to the conversation between the teacher in charge and Heo Woojin while looking down at the photo.

A very beautiful face. Even though it was just a photo, that small face was still very distinct. Skin so white it was almost translucent, slanted eyes as proud as a wild cat, still chubby cheeks, and rosy lips. The overall color scheme was somewhat pale, yet his hair was jet black and his eyes were a bright, crystal-like brown.

That contrast created a strange allure. If he hadn’t been told it was a boy, one would surely have mistaken him for a girl.

“Good heavens, I thought it was a girl. Truly beautiful.”

“Right? With such a beautiful face, I even thought that student wanted to be an idol, but it seems not. Anyway, since it’s the beginning of the term, attendance still needs to be monitored. Woojin, can you go to his house? I’ll write down the address.”

“Oh, of course, teacher. It’s the president’s duty! Even though Sejin’s house is at the other end of the city compared to mine, I can still go!”

“Let me go?”

Just then, Cheon Sejoo, who had been silently listening to the two converse, suddenly interjected. Hearing Woojin say that Sejin’s house was in the opposite direction, he suddenly thought it might be more logical for him to go.

“Huh? Cheon Sejoo, but aren’t you bothered? You’re in 12th grade now.”

“That’s right, hyung. Trust me. I can do everything now.”

The teacher in charge and Woojin both tried to dissuade a 12th-grade student like him, but Cheon Sejoo was very eager to take on the task. The reason? He didn’t want to deceive himself. As soon as he saw Sejin’s photo, he was drawn to him and wanted to meet him.

“It’s okay. Anyway, it’s near the orphanage. Besides, Sejin listens to me, so there won’t be any problem.”

“Oh, Sejin listens to you? So you know each other?”

Cheon Sejoo, who was smiling in response, suddenly paused at the teacher’s question. Know Sejin? He looked down at the photo once more, and a question flashed in his mind.

He had never met anyone so beautiful. That small, cold face was definitely one he was seeing for the first time today. Yet, why did they say he listened to him?

Cheon Sejoo frowned, chuckled softly, then shrugged and answered ambiguously.

“Not exactly acquainted, sir. But who doesn’t listen to me?”

“Oh my, that confidence is so annoying.”

At that remark, Ha Yeoreum feigned nausea and exclaimed. Everyone burst into laughter, and so, Cheon Sejoo naturally became the one assigned the task of bringing Kwon Sejin back to school.

That day passed in a whirlwind of classes. With a strange feeling, as if relearning things he already knew, Cheon Sejoo spent a boring day. Finally, when the bell rang, signaling the end of classes, he quickly put on his backpack and left school.

Kwon Sejin’s house was located between the school and the orphanage where he lived. In other words, it could be considered on the way, so there was no need to take a bus. He used the money he saved to buy two 500-won chocolate bars at the convenience store. One for Sejin, the other for Hyein.

Cheon Sejoo put each bar into a pant pocket and began to walk. The closer he got to Sejin’s house, the faster his heart pounded. Excitement, joy, and nameless emotions made his mind reel. It was truly strange.

And then he arrived at Kwon Sejin’s house.

Cheon Sejoo stopped in front of a multi-family house built of red bricks. The dark blue painted gate was speckled with rust, and a worn green milk bag hung from the handle. Next to the gate was a faded doorbell, but it didn’t seem to be connected to Sejin’s house, as he lived in the semi-basement of the building.

Cheon Sejoo hesitated for a moment, then gently pulled the string tied to the handle. “Click.” – the lock inside sprang open, and the gate automatically creaked open.

“Excuse me.”

Inside the gate, the old scene of the house appeared before him. Cracked cement floor, in the flowerpot under the wall was a withered plant as if it had been hanged. On the protective bars was a mesh bag of shallots full of dried vegetables. A scene straight out of TV.

He looked past the clothesline with boiled vegetables and a red floral blanket used for winter before he discovered the stairs leading down to the lower floor. In the middle of the small yard, the entrance was in a secluded corner.

Cheon Sejoo carefully avoided the vegetables and blanket, bowed his head, and descended the stairs. Kwon Sejin lived in the semi-basement of this house.

Reaching the bottom step, he saw an old iron door. Through the rough, blurry glass on the door, fluorescent light shone out onto Cheon Sejoo’s face. The lights were on inside the house, and the dark brown door frame had glue residue from half-peeled stickers, scratched and mottled.

The peeling paint on the doorknob caught his attention. This child named Sejin, for some reason, gave him the feeling of living in conditions even worse than this door. Cheon Sejoo wondered if the reason he didn’t want to come to school lay inside this house, then he raised his hand.

Knock knock. He gently tapped on the glass and called:

“Hello, I’m from the school. Is Sejin home?”

There was no answer, it seemed no adults were home. Well, that made sense, if Sejin’s parents were at work, they wouldn’t be home now. In Korea, no one lives a “night life” in a semi-basement like this.

Cheon Sejoo knocked on the door once more. This time his call was directed at whoever might be inside.

“Sejin, are you there? I’m Cheon Sejoo, from your school. I heard you haven’t been coming to class, so I came to find you. If you’re inside, please open the door?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the light behind the door flickered off. The lights in the house were turned off. The staircase, which had been illuminated by a little light from the window, was now plunged into darkness, and Cheon Sejoo stood silently alone in it.

“…”

What was this? Turning off the lights to pretend not to be home? But if so, it was already too late. Cheon Sejoo was already standing right in front of the door; turning off the lights now would only make it more certain that someone was inside.

The carelessness of someone inside the house almost made him laugh. Cheon Sejoo pressed his lips tightly, looking inside through the door. But even with such clumsy actions, the wariness was very clear.

How could he get the other person out? He thought for a while and then suddenly had a good idea. He knocked on the door again.

“If you don’t want to come out, I’ll go home today. I’ll leave the chocolate bar in front of the door. Come out and get it whenever you want. Goodbye.”

Saying that, he took the chocolate bar from his pocket and placed it in front of the door. After that, Cheon Sejoo deliberately made footsteps climbing the stairs, then, without making a sound, stepped back a few steps. He placed a dusty reference book on the step and sat on it, beginning to study English vocabulary.

He didn’t intend to actually leave. Giving up on the first day without even seeing the person’s face felt like a failure. Besides, he had brought a delicious bait, so he planned to at least wait until Sejin opened the door, exchanged a glance, and then he could leave.

Cheon Sejoo treated the spot like a study room, focusing on his studies. Having grown up with many children, he was used to noisy environments and could concentrate anywhere, as long as he was determined.

It was unclear how much time passed.

Click— the light inside the house turned on, and light again shone through the blurry glass on the door. That ray of light illuminated the chocolate bar placed in front of the door like a spotlight reserved for the main character. Cheon Sejoo folded his book onto his lap and looked towards it with interest. With his hand propping his chin, his lips curved into a faint smile.

And finally, bang! — there was no sound of unlocking, the door burst open.

Their eyes met.

“…”

The boy named Kwon Sejin, who was home, also wore a hoodie. His jet-black hair fell loosely from beneath the hood. The face revealed through the gap was astonishingly beautiful. Even more beautiful in person than in the photo. Cheon Sejoo felt his heart clench, then he smiled gently and greeted the boy.

“Hello, Sejin.”

His cat-like eyes suddenly widened in surprise. His crystal-clear pupils shimmered with confusion. Sejin’s cheekbones were much more slender than what was seen in the photo, but as if he had just been hit, one side of his cheek was red and swollen.

The moment he realized that, his wildly beating heart suddenly grew cold and still. Just as Cheon Sejoo abruptly stood up, intending to run down to find Sejin, the boy clenched his lips tightly and slammed—the door shut. The chocolate bar remained in its place.

“You…”

His hand raised in mid-air and his unfinished words, unable to be uttered, hung awkwardly in the air. Cheon Sejoo just stood there, staring blankly at the door, then licked his dry lips and slowly lowered his hand. His fingertips felt numb.

An indescribable feeling crept into his heart, but the only clear thing was that he wanted to see Sejin again.

“See you tomorrow. I’ll really come, come out and eat the chocolate.”

Cheon Sejoo gathered his belongings, raised his voice to call back like a greeting, then turned and left.

When he left the old multi-family house, the sun had completely set. As he walked down the road already engulfed in darkness, cold winds began to blow, yet he walked on, barely feeling the chill.

The image of Sejin’s swollen red cheek lingered in his mind. Who hit him? Was it some kids from class? No, he heard he wasn’t even coming to school, so perhaps he was hit somewhere else. At home? So, his father? Or his older brother? Domestic violence?

A series of questions appeared and disappeared, but he couldn’t hastily make judgments based only on what he saw. Cheon Sejoo decided he would find an appropriate time to talk to Sejin, and if necessary, he would report it to the police. Thinking that, he hurried on his way.

After walking for a while, the silhouette of a church appeared in the distance. The small building next to the church with bright lights was the orphanage where he lived.

But the moment he saw that building, an overwhelming feeling surged in Cheon Sejoo’s heart, making him choke up and stop abruptly.

Today was strange, as if something invisible was surrounding him. The world was still the world he was familiar with, yet it felt out of sync. He wanted to find the cause of this unease, but it was already dark. Cheon Sejoo stood motionless for a moment, looking towards the orphanage, then lifted his feet heavily, knowing he couldn’t delay any longer.

The building gradually became clearer. Through the steamed-up windows inside, shadows of people moved about. Small children and older ones were playing, that scene was clearly visible from outside, but the person Cheon Sejoo was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

It had to be here, it definitely had to be here… Cheon Sejoo grew impatient and rushed to the door. As he burst in, forcefully opening the door, a tiny hand unexpectedly reached out right beside the entrance.

“Brother…”

A familiar and earnest voice rang out. His face flushed. Cheon Sejoo felt something surge in his chest and turned his head.

Hyein, his elementary school sister, was crouched, waiting beside the door. Her small, cool face was just like his, but inside, she was softer and more fragile than anyone. His only sister in the world, his family, his support for his entire life.

You’re still here. Cheon Sejoo spread his arms wide as if he were about to collapse. Hyein sprang up and rushed into his embrace.

“…Why are you waiting here…”

It was very cold by the door due to the draft; it would have been warmer inside. But whenever he came home late, Hyein always waited for him there.

Cheon Sejoo hugged her small, still-chilly body, and tears suddenly welled up, wetting his cheeks. Though it happened often, today Hyein made him feel more heartbroken than ever. His sister, who had waited for him so long in this cold, was truly pitiful. He didn’t understand why this was happening and quickly raised a hand to wipe his tears, but Hyein was faster.

“Brother, was school hard today? Why are you crying?”

Her small hand, compared to his, gently wiped away the tear on his cheek. In that tenderness was a warmth that made Cheon Sejoo feel even more bitter.

“Did the teacher scold you? Don’t cry, brother…”

Even though Hyein tried to comfort him, his tears kept falling. He just leaned against the wall, hugging Hyein tightly and whispering continuously.

I miss you so much.

I really miss you, Hyein…