Overlooking Your Eyes

Yeongwon muttered to himself, ‘I should’ve checked more carefully. Stupid. Stupid.’ He retraced his steps across the dark schoolyard, heading toward the main entrance. He had hoped the door would still be open, but it seemed the night lockup had already been done. After pulling on the completely closed door and sighing, Yeongwon walked to the door on the right. That door sometimes remained open for emergencies.

“…It’s locked.”

It seemed like today wasn’t his day. Yeongwon glanced back at the schoolyard he had to cross again. He felt foolish walking the same path multiple times, so he let out a small, ironic laugh before turning his head toward the sound coming from the wall next to the door.

If someone was inside the school at this hour, it was most likely the security guard or a teacher. Hoping he could slip in for just a moment, Yeongwon turned the corner toward the sound. As he got closer, the smell of cigarette smoke hit him.

“……”

It wasn’t the security guard or a teacher under the streetlight by the back of the school.

“…Yoo Seon Woo?”

“Ah…”

“……”

“You caught me.”

It was Yoo Seon Woo.

Yeongwon stood frozen, staring at Yoo Seon Woo, who casually took the cigarette out of his mouth, completely unbothered. Yeongwon had never imagined seeing Yoo Seon Woo with a cigarette, but strangely, it didn’t look awkward on him at all.

“Is this someone you know?”

Someone, who had spit on the ground and tossed the cigarette, asked Yoo Seon Woo. Surprised by the unfamiliar voice, Yeongwon flinched and took a step back. Yoo Seon Woo was still staring at him, not breaking eye contact, silently.

“Same class. My partner.”

The voice came through the haze, and as his blurry vision cleared, their eyes met again. Yeongwon took another step back. It felt like he had seen something he wasn’t supposed to.

“That guy’s weird, huh?”

“Leave him. Go inside.”

With each step he took backward, Yeongwon could hear his sneakers scraping against the ground. The sound of sand rustling and the scraping of soles filled his ears. He took one step back, then another, before fully turning and running.

A loud laugh, as if mocking me from behind, echoed, calling me an idiot. It wasn’t Yoo Seon Woo’s voice. Yeong-won only stopped after passing the intersection where he had broken up with Kim Hyun-jin. His breath, which had been labored and rising to his chin, was released in a burst. He felt his legs give way, and his knees buckled. Yeong-won collapsed, burying his face in his knees, trying to calm his erratic breathing. His physical strength had deteriorated more than he realized. His head spun, and his chest ached so much that he couldn’t get up.

“Hah…”

After some time, once his breathing had calmed, Yeong-won finally rose. His body was damp with cold sweat. He wanted nothing more than to take a quick shower and fall asleep, so he took a step toward the long road still ahead.

He couldn’t quite remember how he made it home. All he knew was that it had been harder than usual and the house had felt much farther than it normally did. And there, Yoo Seon Woo, smoking a cigarette.

“……”

It was hard to believe that the same Yoo Seon Woo, admired and loved by everyone for his upright and graceful image, was also the one who had been hanging out with some rough kids and smoking a cigarette earlier. Which was the real version of him? Were both of those sides truly Yoo Seon Woo? Yeong-won shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he dried his hair, looking at his mother preparing for bed.

“Mom.”

“Yes?”

“They’re holding the class president election on Monday… can I run?”

“The class president election? Being class president is a good thing, right? It’ll help you get into college.”

“…Yes.”

“But doesn’t being class president in 3rd grade cost more? You know, they say being class president means you have to do a lot of work because the students are busy studying.”

Of course, the first thing his mother worried about was money. Yeong-won had expected it, but he still regretted bringing it up after she started talking about it.

“…It won’t be completely free.”

“Well, if they give you a bonus at work, maybe that could help cover it? Anyway, what’s important is getting into a good college, so go ahead and try.”

“…Yes.”

Yeong-won answered briefly and lay down, pulling the blanket over his shoulder. Soon, the light on his desk turned off, and the room went dark. With no strength left, Yeong-won closed his eyes. He felt like his physical strength had decreased even more than last year, probably because he had been studying so much. He had always been vulnerable to stress, so a little bit of it would make him sick or dizzy, and now, with his already poor physical condition, he was even more worried.

Should he do some stretching? Maybe a little exercise during lunch would help. As Yeong-won lay there, everything felt difficult, and he closed his eyes.

‘Caught.’

As soon as he closed his eyes, he heard Yoo Seon Woo’s voice in the darkness. It was a detached, emotionless voice that didn’t match the words ‘caught.’ It sounded the same as the gaze that had once met his.

“……”

What was this? It was strange. There was no cigarette smell at all, just a pleasant scent. Thoughts spiraled out of control. He was afraid that if he kept thinking like this, he would be up all night. Yeong-won forced himself to stop thinking and tried to sleep.

***

On Monday, when Yeong-won faced Yoo Seon Woo again, he remained silent, just like before. The image of him smoking a cigarette and looking surprisingly good with it came to mind, but Yeong-won didn’t bring it up. He thought it wasn’t necessary to remind Yoo Seon Woo of something he wasn’t saying himself.

“Alright, as we mentioned on Friday, we’ll be holding the class president election. Have you thought about it over the weekend? Is anyone planning to run before we take recommendations?”

The classroom grew silent. Some students looked around, unsure of whether to step forward, while others couldn’t stand the awkward atmosphere. Yeong-won thought for a moment longer. Maybe being an acting class president was a role that would suit him well.

“Is no one stepping up? Well, then, shall I recommend someone? This person has been representing our class for a semester, managing class duties well, getting along with friends, and communicating well with the teacher. If you think they’re a good fit, you can recommend them.”

From the front of the first row, someone shouted Yoo Seon Woo’s name. Hearing this, the homeroom teacher stood up and asked the student to explain why they were recommending him. The response, full of playful humor, came: ‘Because he’s handsome!’ Laughter spread through the classroom, but it wasn’t laughter that mocked his looks. Even the teacher chuckled and wrote Yoo Seon Woo’s name on the board.

“Alright, the handsome Seon Woo is the first candidate. Anyone else to recommend?”

The classroom fell silent again, likely because everyone thought no one could beat Yoo Seon Woo, who was the candidate. Yeong-won felt the same way. With someone like Yoo Seon Woo, who was liked by everyone and seemed flawless on the outside, who would want their name written next to his? Yeong-won quietly pulled out a workbook from his desk drawer and began flipping through the pages. It seemed better to solve one more problem.

“Is there no one else? Everyone’s being so cautious. Alright, Seon Woo.”

Yeong-won looked up at Yoo Seon Woo, who was getting up from his seat. Yoo Seon Woo turned his head slightly and lowered his gaze to look at him.

“It’s Yeong-won.”

“You recommended Yeong-won for the temporary class president, right? So, why did you recommend him?”

“Because he did a good job as the temporary class president for a week. It’s not that he’s officially the class president yet, but taking responsibility for a task and doing it well, even when it’s only temporary, is not something just anyone can do. And I don’t think I can do as well as Yeong-won. I appreciate the recommendation, but this isn’t a place for jokes, so I’d like to be excluded.”

It was a straightforward recommendation, and it also completely shut down the playful atmosphere. The student who had jokingly recommended Yoo Seon Woo seemed to realize it and felt awkward. Several eyes in the now quiet classroom shifted from Yoo Seon Woo and back again, not wanting to upset the mood.

“Well then, since Seon Woo has expressed his opinion, we’ll take him off the list. Yeong-won will be on the list as a candidate thanks to Seon Woo’s recommendation.”

Yeong-won couldn’t believe it, considering that Yoo Seon Woo hadn’t looked him in the eye or said a word for the past few days. He sat down blankly, following Yoo Seon Woo’s movement as he sat back down, then lowered his head.

“Alright, anyone else you’d like to recommend?”

After the teacher asked a few more times, a couple of names were mentioned. Perhaps because Seon Woo had broken the playful atmosphere, the reasons for the recommendations weren’t lighthearted either; they were rather clear and serious.

“Alright, we now have three candidates. Let’s have each of them come up and explain why they want to be class president and what they would do if they become one. Yeong-won, you can go first.”

Yeong-won wasn’t fond of standing in front of people, but now there was no choice. He walked up to the teacher’s desk and stood, meeting many eyes in the room. Among them was Yoo Seon Woo’s gaze, which, though coming from the farthest corner, felt clearer and more direct than anyone else’s.

“If I become class president, I will consistently show responsibility from start to finish. I don’t like leaving things half-done or putting off what needs to be done, even if it’s troublesome. Applying that concept to class duties, I will take responsibility for them as if they were my own. Thank you.”

Yeong-won bowed his head and returned to his seat, receiving applause. Standing in front of the class and being the center of attention was not a pleasant feeling. Though he managed to endure it just this once, he never wanted to experience it again.

As he sat down, Yeong-won listened to the other two candidates while solving problems. After solving three questions, a neatly cut voting ballot was passed forward. Yeong-won honestly wrote his name on it and folded it carefully, placing it in the tin case the teacher was carrying.

“……”

He wondered if it was possible, but deep down, he knew the chances were slim. Though he had served as temporary class president for about a week, he hadn’t really gotten closer to anyone. His passive and shy personality still kept him from actively making friends. Even with Yoo Seon Woo, who had initially approached him, things had soured after just a few days. Although it wasn’t entirely his fault, he still lacked confidence in his ability to form broad relationships.

“Alright, Seungmin, can you help the teacher? When I call the names, please check the number of votes next to them.”

Seungmin, who sat at the front, stood up and looked at the teacher. The teacher began pulling the slips of paper from the tin case, calling out names one by one.

“Yeong-won. Hmm, Yeong-won. Another Yeong-won.”

After hearing his name three times in a row, a teasing exclamation echoed from around the room. Yeong-won became slightly embarrassed at hearing his name called out so often, and he kept fiddling with his pencil, pulling the lead in and out. Even after that, his name continued to be called out frequently.

“Yeong-won got eighteen votes, so from today, he will be our class president for the semester. And Taehwa will be the vice president.”

It was unbelievable that he had received more than half of the votes. Apart from the seven votes split among the other candidates, all the remaining votes had been for him. It was probably thanks to Yoo Seon Woo’s recommendation. It was something he should be grateful for, but it was difficult to find the right moment to thank him. Yoo Seon Woo, who had not even glanced in his direction, made it hard for Yeong-won to approach him. Yeong-won merely mouthed a few words and sighed, then stared ahead again.