Eighteen’s Bed

That was the last chance I gave Go Yohan.

Or rather, calling it a chance was just a nice way of putting it. It was my final desperate attempt to cling to him.

But until the very end, Go Yohan said nothing.

Not to me. Not to Park Dongcheol.

He simply stared at me for a long moment before turning his head away. His gaze landed on Shin Jaehyun.

Shin Jaehyun was looking at me with a slightly surprised expression. Maybe even a little concerned.

He hesitated, then started walking toward me.

“……Please.”

But I hated that kind of kindness too.

Why wasn’t it Go Yohan?

The fact that I even had that thought made my skin crawl.

Fuck.

I shot up from my seat.

My eyes flickered from Shin Jaehyun to Go Yohan.

“Go Yohan, please.”

Go Yohan’s expression was unreadable.

Then, avoiding my gaze, he turned his head. His foot, which had been resting on the soccer ball the entire time, suddenly kicked it up into the air.

Bang.

The sound was like a signal flare, shattering the silence.

A chorus of cheers erupted across the field.@@novelbin@@

At that moment, everyone forgot about me.

Forgot that I was standing there, blood dripping from my nose.

And with that, any attention Go Yohan had spared me was gone too.

"……."

Only then did I get permission from the P.E. teacher to go to the infirmary.

****

They say bad luck comes in waves.

Of all people, I ran into Han Taesan at the infirmary.

The school nurse wasn’t there.

Han Taesan was lying on the bed, clutching his stomach and groaning, but the moment I walked in, his face twisted in shock.

“You—why—here.”

Still stammering as usual.

Then his eyes landed on my nose, and he started flailing around like a panicked animal.

"T-T-Tissue!"

“It’s over there.”

Still pressing my knuckles against my nose, I pointed at the table with my free hand.

Han Taesan scrambled up, yanked a massive wad of tissues from the roll, and shoved them under my nose with enough force to cut off my breathing.

I had to push his hand away, making him flinch and pull back.

Then, he just stared blankly at his own hand, the one I had slapped.

What are you looking at?

"……."