Sweet Sugar Candyman

#14

“…Didn’t you say the pancake party is on Friday?”

“That’s quite the joke.”

Choi Hyun-oh seemed to genuinely think my words were just a joke. Even Shin Jiyu, who was sitting next to me, and her friends burst into laughter. Since I wasn’t joking, I quietly trailed off my words.

Having lived in a small neighborhood where, by the time we graduated high school, we knew faces even if we didn’t know names, I was unsure if the process of making friends from scratch, which I was experiencing for the first time since kindergarten, was normal or not.

My classmates, who completely dismissed my words as a joke, began to throw out names of bars one by one. Unlike me, who had skipped both the freshman welcome party and orientation, they seemed already familiar with the local geography.

“Let’s go eat pancakes and drink makgeolli. I feel like it’s going to rain today.”

“No way. Drinking makgeolli on an empty stomach will make you throw up. Let’s eat some soju and meat first, and then we can switch over.”

“You can eat pancakes like a meal.”

“Hyun-oh, do you really think we can make mung bean pancakes with pancakes eaten like a meal?”

The fast-paced atmosphere, which was hard to adapt to, was difficult to keep up with. While I was awkwardly listening to my classmates’ conversation, the professor walked in. The chaotic air was instantly organized. I took off my bag and placed it under my chair, rubbing my sweaty palms on my knees.

“Since today is orientation, you don’t need your textbooks.”

Thanks to the professor’s welcoming words as soon as he entered, a small cheer erupted from Choi Hyun-oh, who was sitting next to me. The tense classmates burst into laughter. The professor, who had laughed along with them, playfully looked at Choi Hyun-oh with his big eyes, as if trying to remember his face.

The situation ended with Choi Hyun-oh shyly covering his face. As it was the first class of the first semester, the air, which had been stiff without us realizing it, was gradually loosening up.

“Since it’s the first day, I won’t be taking attendance. I’m Professor Kang Seowon, and I’ll be teaching ‘Understanding French Structure.’”

Polite applause erupted. The professor, who lightly bowed his head in greeting, continued speaking.

“Some of you may have lived in France, but most of you probably haven’t. French is likely the first language you’re encountering. Since you’ve chosen to major in French literature, I believe it’s essential to thoroughly understand the language structure. Therefore, there may be surprise quizzes in addition to midterms and finals. This will be reflected in your attitude score. There will be one report due in the middle and one at the end, and it should be nine pages long in 10-point font in a Hangul file. As for assignments…”

The endless explanations seemed to make sense yet didn’t. At some point, I gave up trying to interpret, and my mind went blank as I listened. While the professor explained group assignments in a serious tone that was neither fast nor slow, Choi Hyun-oh, who was sitting next to me, tapped my palm.

‘Why?’

When I mouthed the question, Choi Hyun-oh grinned and spread his palm wide. Thinking he wanted me to do the same, I extended my palm toward him, and he began to write on it.

‘Do you drink well?’

Reading the transparent letters written under the desk, I nodded slightly, as if to say yes. Choi Hyun-oh silently formed an “O” with his mouth. The teasingly elongated shape of his mouth drew a curve.

‘Do you like pajeon?’

I nodded again. Avoiding the professor’s gaze while doing so, I couldn’t help but make slight movements.

‘Have you ever tried makgeolli?’

This time, it was my turn to shake my head. Choi Hyun-oh’s short nails continued to tickle my palm. The strange sensation, both prickly and tingling, made my shoulders involuntarily hunch.

‘What’s your main drink?’

This was beyond what could be expressed through actions alone. Choi Hyun-oh naturally extended his palm toward me, indicating I should write as he had. I tilted my wrist slightly so he could see better and began to write.

‘Beer.’

Choi Hyun-oh’s eyes crinkled into a long smile. His lips also held a slight smile. He poked my palm again, as if to say to spread it out. I obediently opened my palm.

‘If you like beer, do you want to eat fries?’

“Sure. Let’s go there.”

The voice that reached my ears wasn’t mine. I was momentarily startled, thinking I had spoken out loud, but the tone of the voice was clearly that of a woman. Professor Kang Seowon called out again.

“Hey, the handsome one over there.”

The term “handsome one” is commonly used for men, so I looked at Choi Hyun-oh, who was sitting next to me. However, Choi Hyun-oh was looking at me. I raised my eyebrows as if to ask why he was staring, but I felt his intense gaze and had no choice but to turn my head back forward.

All the classmates sitting in front of me were looking at me. I could feel the piercing gazes on the back of my head, indicating that the situation was the same behind me. Suddenly, as all eyes focused on me, a chill ran down my spine.

Dozens of eyes were directed at me. Instinctively, my mouth went dry, and I swallowed hard, feeling my throat move significantly. It seemed I had been caught daydreaming. Choi Hyun-oh poked my side, as if urging me to respond. I opened my mouth slightly, not knowing what to say.

But it seemed the professor was calling someone else. As I showed signs of being restless, the professor, who had smiled warmly, called out again in a brighter voice.

“No, the handsome one next to the one who looks like an actor.”

“Me?”

This time it was Choi Hyun-oh’s turn to respond. He seemed quite flustered, pointing to himself with a bewildered voice.

“Yes, you, student. What’s your name?”

“…I’m Choi Hyun-oh.”

“Oh, Hyun-oh. Can you help with the assignments for the semester? It seems too difficult for the class president to handle alone.”

How could he refuse with everyone’s eyes on him? Choi Hyun-oh looked around in confusion a few times before nodding reluctantly. Shin Jiyu, who was sitting to my right, openly giggled.

“Sounds good. It seems like the syllabus has been distributed, and the exam schedule has been explained. You all bought the textbooks, right? I hope no one is thinking of changing their required courses. Then, let’s meet at this time next week.”

This time, genuine cheers erupted. Choi Hyun-oh, who had been in the professor’s good graces earlier, looked a bit disgruntled. I smiled faintly and checked the time. It hadn’t even been 30 minutes since the lecture started.

The class ended before noon, making my earlier tension feel pointless. Contrary to what Saheon had warned, I received suggestions to go drinking from classmates I had known for less than 30 minutes, and if things continued like this, I didn’t think I would be afraid of other classes either.

The professor, who had come in without hesitation, left the classroom without a second thought. As she exited, the chatter that had been held back burst forth.

The sounds of friends chatting among themselves filled my ears. I lifted the black bag I had placed under my chair onto my thigh.

“Ah, damn it, I’m screwed. The professor remembered my name… Isn’t that the professor in charge of our department?”

Choi Hyun-oh muttered gloomily, burying his head on the desk. Shin Jiyu, who was sitting next to me, burst into loud laughter.

“Now that this has happened, aim to be the next teaching assistant when the current one graduates.”

“Shut up, you class president…”

After rubbing his forehead against the desk several times, Choi Hyun-oh sat up. His brightly bleached brown hair was flattened. With his bangs tousled and messy from being ruffled, Choi Hyun-oh said gloomily.

“I’m feeling down, so let’s drink during the day.”

“You were going to do that anyway, so don’t pretend otherwise. Cheongmyeong, you said this class was over, right?”

“Yeah.”

Although the class had ended, everyone except a few classmates remained in their seats. Shin Jiyu asked her friend sitting next to her.

“Seohui, you’re definitely going, right?”

“Um…”

A strange voice interrupted Shin Jiyu’s words. It came from a group sitting right behind us.

“Are you going to drink? We don’t have a next class either, so if it’s okay, can we join you?”

It was a group of four girls. Shin Jiyu laughed heartily and made a circle with her finger. As soon as she gestured her permission, the girl who had spoken poked her friend playfully in the side. The friend, blushing, let out a whiny “Don’t do that.”

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Want to talk while we go?”

Choi Hyun-oh, who showed no signs of awkwardness, fiddled with his pierced left earlobe and asked. Since everyone seemed to agree, the classmates who had brought their things began to stand up one by one.

The building, from which people had exited, felt a bit empty. Walking down the hill against the cold biting wind took twice as long as it did to come up, but it wasn’t boring.

“I’m hungry, so let’s go for unlimited meat and drink soju and beer first, and then…”

“Makgeolli!”

“Yeah, damn it. Let’s go to Jinju House and drink makgeolli.”

Choi Hyun-oh, with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, chuckled. It was a carefree smile that matched his delinquent vibe. Shin Jiyu playfully pretended to kick the back of Choi Hyun-oh’s knee.

The cold winter wind brushed against my cheeks. I hunched my shoulders, half-burying my face in the padding that came up to my neck. Not knowing the local geography near the school well, I followed behind Choi Hyun-oh and Shin Jiyu, who were playfully bickering ahead.

“Hello.”

A new voice reached me from the end of the group. Turning my head to look, it was one of the girls who had joined us. Her long hair, which had a gentle tone, fluttered in the wind. As she tucked her hair behind her ear, her cheeks, flushed from the cold, became visible.

“Oh, hi.”

As I greeted her, the people from the newly joined group smiled softly. The person who seemed to be her friend playfully nudged her shoulder and then playfully lunged at Choi Hyun-oh. It seemed that Choi Hyun-oh was friendly with everyone in the department.

I stared blankly at Choi Hyun-oh’s back, who was playfully tugging at the girl’s hair, when I snapped back to reality with the new information.

“I’m Min Iseo. You’re Cheongmyeong, right?”

“Yeah. Lee Cheongmyeong.”

As I revealed my name, Min Iseo nodded slightly.

“I know.”

Since she said she knew, there was nothing more to say. Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek and shoved my cold hands into my pockets.

I could faintly hear the conversation of those ahead. As I walked, staring straight ahead, I turned my head back at Min Iseo’s question.

“Are you twenty? Why didn’t you come to the freshman welcome party and orientation?”

Her clean and clear features matched her gentle tone. I pulled out the excuse I felt I had repeated several times.

“I had my reasons.”

“What kind of reasons?”

It seemed Min Iseo was curious about my situation, unlike Choi Hyun-oh. She looked up at me with wide eyes, resembling a rabbit. I explained slowly.

“I couldn’t go to the freshman welcome party because I had the flu, and I couldn’t go to orientation because a relative passed away.”

“Oh… I see. Actually, you were the only one who didn’t come to both the orientation and the freshman welcome party. So I thought maybe you hadn’t found a place to stay since you came from the countryside.”

Her large, double-lidded eyes looked up at me innocently. She seemed a bit smaller than me, and walking up the slight incline made her appear even smaller.

“Hmm.”

I responded with a sound of agreement. Not knowing what kind of response was appropriate, I offered a reaction, but Min Iseo smiled softly and continued.

“I came up from the countryside.”

“Really?”

“Do you live alone?”

“Um… I live with my hyung.”

Min Iseo only smiled quietly at my answer. As she lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes cast a shadow on her cheeks.

“I’m living in a share house near the back gate. Where do you live?”

“Near Magok.”

Before I knew it, we had clearly distanced ourselves from the group. Min Iseo’s soft whisper cut through the cold winter wind.

“Magok? You live nearby. Come over to my place sometime.”