Clap - 44

Ichan couldn’t even utter a sound. He blinked with an uncharacteristically blank expression, rubbing his face and widening his eyes repeatedly.

For a while, neither of them dared to approach Jaemin. They just watched him from a distance. Perhaps the term “admiring” would be more accurate.

Ihyun took a step towards Jaemin first. Ichan followed closely behind.

Just one step. It was only one step closer, but the pheromones had already doubled in intensity. Even while deeply asleep, this was the amount being emitted. How much more if he opened his eyes…?

Ihyun and Ichan, gauging the pheromones, bit their lips softly.

They were dying to see Jaemin open his eyes. He was already this beautiful now, but if he opened his eyes, the shock might cause their hearts to stop. Still, they wanted to wake him. They wanted to fully embrace that overwhelming shock.

But at the same time, they didn’t want to wake him. They wished for Jaemin to remain peaceful. They didn’t want to disrupt his tranquility.

So, they simply stared blankly at Jaemin. Then, his eyelids twitched. Ihyun and Ichan held their breath.

Jaemin’s eyes opened slowly, very slowly. His gaze, still clouded with drowsiness, blinked a few times, scanning his surroundings before finally finding Ihyun and Ichan. His beautiful hazel-brown eyes reflected the two of them.

It was so breathtaking. Ihyun and Ichan could only open their chests and place their hearts in Jaemin’s hands.

It was love.

***

Clang!

The tray Ihyun had been holding fell helplessly to the floor, and the food on it became trash in an instant.

“Uh…”

Jaemin, who had just opened his eyes, quickly sat up and crawled toward the spilled food. The white rice, soy-braised beef, rolled omelet, black beans, seaweed soup, and stir-fried bok choy were all mixed together. Even the broken rice bowl was there.

Jaemin’s eyebrows drooped. It was unfortunate, but at least Ichan’s food was very delicious. In this dreadful place, the only enjoyable thing was the meals.

What a waste… He couldn’t clean it up, nor could he eat it. Jaemin’s arms waved helplessly in the air.

In the end, unable to find a solution, Jaemin looked up with a sorrowful face. It was strange that neither of them was reacting.

Ihyun and Ichan stared intently at Jaemin, who was looking up at them. Three pairs of eyes became tangled together.

“…Teacher?”

Jaemin, waiting for their response, tilted his head in confusion. But the two remained silent. Jaemin, glancing around nervously, finally reached out toward the food. More precisely, toward the jagged edge of the broken rice bowl.

The sharp glass aimed for Jaemin’s hand, but he wasn’t afraid. How many cups and dishes had he broken while serving? He could clean this up with his eyes closed.

“No!”

“What are you doing?!”

Suddenly, two thunderous shouts startled him, causing his shoulders to tremble violently. He was so shocked that he lost his balance while squatting. Flailing his arms to avoid falling, he ended up placing his hand on the spilled food.

“Ah!”

Jaemin let out a small cry. His palm stung, and it quickly grew hot. Ihyun and Ichan’s faces were filled with shock.

“Uh…”

Jaemin, on the other hand, was indifferent. As mentioned earlier, he’d broken many cups before, and it wasn’t the first time he had been cut. It happened frequently. Turning over his palm, Jaemin calmly pulled out the embedded glass. Although there was quite a bit of blood, it wasn’t a deep wound. If he applied ointment diligently, it would heal in about a week.