Eighteen’s Bed

“Hey, I didn’t expect that from you…”

Kim Minho’s eyes sparkled transparently. He looked as if he was impressed.

“A strategist! Damn, you’re right. Damn! No wonder. People with brains are different. Yeah, that’s why those bastards dragged you around. Yeah! You’re right! Timing is everything.”

Kim Minho continued to punch the air, throwing a fit. I was worried he might get stubborn again, but it seemed like my suggestion was better than he expected, and he couldn’t stop admiring it to himself. I asked, cautiously, just in case Kim Minho changed his mind.@@novelbin@@

“After the break ends, that’s when it’ll be okay, right?”

“Of course! Hell yeah! That’s a great idea. How about right after vacation ends? Do you think that’ll be okay? Do you think the rumors will spread like wildfire?”

“Maybe a little later. It’s better when there’s nothing to talk about, when it’s all boring.”

“Damn, I can already feel my mouth itching. How am I supposed to hold this back?”

Despite saying that, Kim Minho kept chuckling, unable to stop laughing. Seeing his pathetic self, I felt a little relieved. Okay, I had bought some time for now.

I had no intention of doing things the way Kim Minho wanted. But I couldn’t afford to let my reputation be scarred. I was already a broken, fragile tower, shattered by Go Yohan. I had a bright future laid out by my parents. That meant I had to think even harder than others. What should I do? What should I do next? As I pondered these thoughts, summer break came.

The last summer break of high school.

****

o celebrate the vacation, my parents visited. They came with a car full of gifts and immediately burst into tears when they saw me. Especially my mother, who clutched my face and checked me over carefully, relieved only after confirming I was alright.

That evening, the real conversation began. It was over a luxurious spread of food at some restaurant, all piled up under the pretense of “not being able to take care of my son.” Even my father had to step out for a phone call, and my mother, while cutting the meat soaked in blood with a knife, casually dropped the bombshell about my troubles.

“You’re ranked 12th in the school, right?”

My gaze automatically dropped to the floor.

“Ah…”

Of course, it was something I’d have to face eventually, but bringing the truth to light was something I really didn’t want to do. I always felt a strange sense of guilt toward my parents, so I had a habit of minimizing bad news as much as possible. My drop in grades was no exception. But that secret, which I desperately tried to hide, ended up reaching my mother when I least expected it. I had been prepared for it, though, and I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

“When did you find out?”