Mint Candy Love - Chapter 1.3

“Have you made any adjustments?”
“No. Because I don’t listen.”
“Ah…”
Ki-young Han replied without hesitation. Then, as he was about to pack his bag and leave the classroom, a voice stopped him at the door again: “Excuse me.
“Did you make it?”
“No. I’m cancelling the lesson.”
I barely made it out of the classroom. I threw the lecture notes I was holding in my hand into the bin next to the classroom. I didn’t need it as I was going to cancel anyway. I think I’ll just have a cigarette and go.
I left the building and went to the smoking area. I lit a cigarette and chewed on it. What classes should I take? I wonder if there are any decent humanities courses on the course registration page. The time should be right. I don’t want to go to school on Fridays. I hung my head, lost in thought.

He blew out a puff of smoke from his cigarette. At the same time, there was a sound of a voice.
“Hey.”

It wasn’t the high-pitched voice I’d had in mind earlier.

“… … .”

Ki-young Han raised his head. His eyebrows remained furrowed. He tilted his head at an angle and met his gaze. Yoon Ye-jun. He remembered the name because it was round, in contrast to what he looked like. He stared at the man, who was a hand shorter than him. His face asked if he had anything to say. The man asked in a flat tone of voice.
“Have you made your decision?”
What the hell is that?

Ki-young Han stiffened his tilted head. He put the cigarette that was in his hand into his mouth and let the smoke come out of it. Then he threw it into the flower bed he had made as an ashtray. The cigarette died in the sandy flowerbed. Ki-young Han blinked and looked at the man.

“Me?”

“Yes.”
“Have you decided?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a man.”
My mouth was totally dry. I didn’t know. Ki-young-han’s wrinkled eyebrows would straighten up. The man in front of me must also know that I am a man. In the same way that I know that the gender of the person standing in front of me is a male.
“Yes, I know. It’s the professor’s opinion that it’s of no importance whether the person is a man or a woman.”
What the hell is this….
He was in such a state of shock that he couldn’t even answer. The man’s question again.
“Let’s do the same group if you haven’t decided yet.”

“No. I’ll quit.”
“Oh, I understand…”

The man nodded his head. As if he was very sorry. Then he nodded. He walked away.

“Her….”

Ki-young-han stared at the man’s back. He was confused. Who the hell is that guy? He cursed without realizing it. Is he gay? Why is it that there are so many gays around me? My younger brother still has a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he is gay. The world that he had suddenly come to know washed over Ki-young-han like a wave.
But soon there was a change in his expression. I was supposed to be going to my main class. I think I’m out of luck. I guess life has its ups and downs.

***
A week has passed.
Thursday noon. Ki-young Han was sitting in the middle of Mugunghwa Hall. It was unexpected, considering the fact that he had boldly announced that he was going to cancel his classes. He was staring straight ahead. His notebook was open.
What the hell…?
Even though I tried to swallow the curses, they just kept coming out of my mouth on their own.

The professor entered the classroom. A few students in the front row greeted him. The professor raised his hand to greet them. Then he opened the attendance book and called out names. As I said last time, he called them from the back.
“Yoon Ye-jun.”
I heard a familiar voice.
“Yes.”
It was a familiar voice. It looked like he wasn’t going to be late today. There was no good image for the man named Yoon Ye-jun. Not only did he not act nice, but he also failed to keep appointments. This was one of the behaviors that Ki-young-han hated the most.
The professor continued to take attendance. He called dozens of students.
“Giyounghan.”
Ki-young Han raised his hand and answered easily when his name was called. He pretended not to know. He thought he would move on to the next name, but the professor suddenly stopped talking.
“I have been feeling this way since the last time, Younghan student.”
It looks like the people who couldn’t make it to the group have been sending out e-mails. Ki-young Han raised his hand, relieved.

“Student Yeong-han… What are the remaining students called?”

Unfortunately, the professor had just memorized Ki-young Han’s face and name. This was the worst situation for Ki-young Han, who hated standing out and being noticed the most.
“This is Yoon Ye-jun.”
Oh shit… .
I would rather swing a badminton racket.
“What are you going to do with two boys? It’s too late to drop them… .”
The professor was kidding. He expected them to say: “We’ll be in the same group”. Ki-young Han couldn’t hide his cold expression, closing his eyes tightly and bowing his head. If it hadn’t been for the word ‘date’… It would have been bearable. Even if I had to write all the group projects alone, it would have been better than this.
A voice came from behind me.
“I’m fine.”
Of course you are. You’ll be fine. Ki-young-han felt annoyed at the voice that answered indifferently. If you hadn’t refused when I asked you to be in the same group last time, it would have been less embarrassing. He soothed his dry mouth. I was punished. I was punished because I lived my life the way I wanted to. That’s why I was in such a state of embarrassment at the end of it all, and on a date with a guy. He exhaled deeply.