Precious Thing

He asked me if I could still see the blue flowers.I nodded.٠ ࣪⭑Lee Yesin let a small smile escape and covered the top of his head with his tiny hand. His head felt like it was going to cook under the blazing sun. Still, he couldn’t help but smile because today, he succeeded in riding the subway alone.Yesterday, the subway was a hot topic among the kids in his class. Some had ridden it, some hadn’t, and there was a lot of chatter. Lee Yesin was in the latter group. He didn’t know much about the subway, having only heard about it. He didn’t even know how to buy a ticket. His classmates noticed and teased him, saying it was because he was too young. Despite being almost the same height as them, they always treated him like a child because he was born in a different year. Feeling frustrated, Lee Yesin boldly declared that he would ride the subway alone, and today, he did it.“I told you I could do it…”With a soft chuckle, Lee Yesin walked home, sweating heavily. An hour ago, he lied to his teacher, saying he felt unwell, and left school by himself. Without waiting for the family driver, he confidently went to the subway station, bought a ticket without any problems, and boarded the train. He even took a selfie on the subway, keeping his nerves in check. After calmly getting off at his stop and climbing the stairs, a sense of accomplishment washed over him as he passed through the ticket gate. Now, he was all grown up.His footsteps echoed his pride as he approached the large front gate. Then, he tilted his head.“…This is my house.”A woman and a young boy sitting on the short steps in front of the gate looked up. Lee Yesin’s eyes first met the boy’s. The harsh sunlight hit the boy’s light brown eyes, and it felt like the glaring sun would burn them out. Lee Yesin gulped.“You’re Yesin, right? You look just like your picture.”The woman smiled faintly. Only then did Lee Yesin tear his gaze away from the boy and look carefully at the woman next to him. But no matter how much he stared, she was a stranger.“Who are you…?”“I’m your dad’s girlfriend.”The woman stood up with a kind smile. Suddenly, she was towering over him, and Lee Yesin had to tilt his head back to look at her. She gently nudged the boy beside her to stand, pushing him lightly on the back. The boy stood face-to-face with Lee Yesin and held out his hand as if following a script.“Hi. My name is Go Hangyeol.”“……”“Yesin, he’s your older brother.”“…What?”“Oh, did you start school early? Then you’re probably in the same grade. But still, there should be an order between siblings. From now on, call him ‘hyung’ (older brother).”With a dazed expression, Lee Yesin looked back and forth between the two. A salty drop of sweat clinging to the end of Go Hangyeol’s hair slid down his face. The distorted mirage created by the sweat drop hitting the boiling asphalt brushed against Lee Yesin’s ankles. On that hot summer day with not a single breeze, that’s how Lee Yesin met Go Hangyeol.٠ ࣪⭑“This isn’t right! Why do I have to clean up your mess? What if something happens when Yesin is with him?”“What could possibly happen with an eight-year-old?”“Did you hear what that woman asked for? School, academy, clothes, allowance! She just didn’t put him on the family register, but she’s asking for everything Yesin gets!”“Keep your voice down. The kid’s awake.”He was already awake. Wide awake, Lee Yesin buried his face in the blanket he was hugging. Even though he hid his ears under the blanket, his parents’ voices seeped through the slightly open door.“You say you care about the kid, but you rolled around with another woman?”“Why are you bringing that up now?”“Now? Not sooner? If that woman hadn’t shown up with her kid, I would’ve never known, right? When did you know? Have you been secretly giving her money?”“Stop it.”“Stop? I’m just getting started!”From beyond the door, his mother, Yoon Seokyeong, shouted. Lee Yesin trembled and curled up. Then, a tiny hand gently patted his back.“I’m sorry. I came here because… they said things would get better if we came here….”The voice was warm. Lee Yesin pulled his face out from under the blanket and quietly looked at Go Hangyeol, who was lying next to him. Earlier that day, Hangyeol and his mother had shown up, and late at night, they explained their demands to Yesin’s parents. They refused to leave until they got a proper answer. Naturally, Yoon Seokyeong furiously tried to kick them out. But Hangyeol’s mother smiled and said she would leave Hangyeol behind and come back to get him tomorrow. Then, she left.Yoon Seokyeong wanted to send Hangyeol away, while Lee Yesin’s father, Lee Jooho, wanted to let him sleep in the guest room. Terrified, Hangyeol was too scared to even speak, and Lee Yesin, feeling sorry for him, said he wanted to sleep with Hangyeol. So they ended up in the same bed.“It’s fine. They fight a lot anyway.”Lee Yesin looked into Hangyeol’s brown eyes and answered in a calm voice. Hangyeol’s mother had said that Hangyeol was older, but if you thought about it, they were the same age as the kids in his class. Yet somehow, he seemed different from them. Strangely, he felt like someone Yesin wouldn’t mind calling “hyung.” He felt a little sorry for his parents, who were still arguing, but Yesin found himself curious about Hangyeol.“…Hyung, are you in first grade too?”So, he tried calling him that once. Nervously glancing up, Lee Yesin watched as Go Hangyeol blinked a couple of times, staring back at him.“Yeah. I’m in first grade.”“When’s your birthday?”It was a question he usually asked when fighting with his classmates, but this time, it wasn’t to pick a fight. Lee Yesin glanced at Go Hangyeol with a fluttering heart, hoping their birthdays were far apart. He didn’t want to feel bad about calling him “hyung.” For some reason, he really wanted to call Go Hangyeol “hyung.”“December.”Go Hangyeol quickly dashed his hopes. Lee Yesin lowered his gaze and sighed. Go Hangyeol, startled by his sigh, sat up and asked,“What about you? When’s your birthday?”“…January.”“Which day?”“The 1st.”He was a New Year’s baby, born with a clear face, Lee Yesin.“And I’m… the 31st.”And Go Hangyeol, born with light brown eyes, was the last baby of the year. A day or a few hours apart, they had become older brother and younger brother.“…I don’t think I’m going to call you hyung.”“Don’t.”Go Hangyeol flopped down beside Lee Yesin again, answering with a nonchalant face. Lee Yesin fidgeted with his fingers before lightly grasping Hangyeol’s wrist.“Are you transferring to my school?”“If your mom allows it, I guess.”“I’ll call you ‘you’ at school.”“…”“But when we’re together, can I call you ‘hyung’?”“…Do whatever you want.”Lee Yesin nodded as he quietly closed his eyes. Then, he wriggled closer and lay beside Hangyeol. Lee Yesin’s number of brothers had now grown to two. His biological older brother, Lee Yejun, was 13 years older and studying abroad, leaving little time for them to spend together. Honestly, their relationship was practically non-existent. His sister, Lee Yejin, was 10 years older, pretty, smart, and way too busy. Until earlier this year, Lee Yesin had also been busy being in front of the camera, but he quit everything to go to school because he wanted to play with his friends. Looking back now, it felt like the right decision. What if he hadn’t quit and was absent when Go Hangyeol came into the house? Would Hangyeol have been lonely?“But will your mom really allow it? For me to go to your school, play with you, and all that?”“She will. I’m going to beg her.”Hangyeol smiled faintly at Lee Yesin’s words, a smile that felt clear to Yesin. For some reason, Lee Yesin liked Go Hangyeol a lot.“You must have laughed at me, right? Watching me live so innocently, knowing nothing. What were you thinking? Do you have any other women you got pregnant?”“I told her to get rid of it. Having the baby was her choice.”“Ha! You’re crazy! Who cares about that? I’m asking if you enjoyed making a fool of me! How hilarious was it every time I told you I loved you?”“Shut up, will you? I love you too!”“Ahhh!”The sharp voices of his parents still seeped into the room. But Lee Yesin didn’t feel as anxious as before. Every time the argument grew louder, Hangyeol would squeeze Yesin’s hand tightly. He didn’t say anything, but it felt as though he was reassuring him, saying, “It’s okay, I’m here.” Feeling the warmth of Hangyeol’s touch, Lee Yesin closed his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face, contrasting with the chaotic noise outside.٠ ࣪⭑In the end, most of Go Hangyeol’s mother’s demands were accepted, and Hangyeol started attending the same school as Lee Yesin. However, a few rules were laid out. They could play outside together, but they were not allowed to go to each other’s houses. Additionally, Hangyeol was to avoid being seen by Lee Yesin’s mother, Yoon Seokyeong, as much as possible. Neither Yesin nor Hangyeol were mature enough to care much about the rules, so they just nodded, stifling the laughter that kept bubbling up.“So, your dads are the same person?”However, things were not as simple as they thought. Lee Yesin hadn’t thought deeply about Hangyeol’s appearance in his life. To him, it was just like gaining another cool older brother, but their classmates seemed to feel differently.“Yeah, I saw it online yesterday. One guy, two women.”Strangers also had the same attitude. On the internet, the face of Lee Yesin’s father, Lee Juho, circulated. There were rumors that, although not officially on the family register, he had another son. There was even an article about a beautiful mistress, which was fairly accurate. As a result, the stocks of the company Lee Juho worked at dropped, and there was a brief uproar. However, the highest authority in the family, Chairman Lee, didn’t pay much attention to it. He skillfully manipulated the media to have the article removed and released another story to divert attention. Thanks to that, the chaos died down within a day. But the aftermath was felt elsewhere.“So, your dad got another woman pregnant?”“More like it’s Hangyeol’s mom, right? Is that what happened?”Lee Yesin and Go Hangyeol sat side by side, looking up at the kids asking these questions. Since Hangyeol’s transfer, Yesin often visited his classroom, and after the rumor spread about him being Lee Juho’s illegitimate son, the kids started showing unnecessary interest.“Yeah. So now, Hangyeol’s my hyung.”It wasn’t really a fight, but Lee Yesin didn’t want to lose to them. They were the type who enjoyed finding and exposing others’ shame. All kids that age were like that. And when their own faults were revealed, they’d start crying right away. They were dumb, with no understanding of what it was like to be in someone else’s shoes. Lee Yesin stood up, his gaze firm.“So if you mess with Hangyeol, you’ll answer to me.”“Come on, we’re not bullying him. We’re just asking if what our moms said is true.”The boys shrugged their shoulders and backed off. Yesin scowled and sat back down. Hangyeol, who had been quietly fiddling with the corner of his textbook, glanced over at Yesin.“…I’m okay.”“But I’m not. If anyone bothers you, come to my class.”Yesin scrunched up his face to clearly show his displeasure. Hangyeol, instead of being scared, smiled at him. Yesin whipped his head around to look at Hangyeol.“Why are you laughing?”“Because you’re cute.”“…Not scared of me?”“Should I pretend to be?”Hangyeol’s offer to act scared if that’s what Yesin wanted made him pout and grumble.“I’m sorry.”Hangyeol’s smile faded slightly as he apologized in a quiet voice. Yesin tilted his head in confusion.“For what?”“For everything.”Hangyeol, eyes downcast, forced a small smile. Since the arrival of Hangyeol’s mother, Yesin’s parents had been constantly fighting. As her demands were accepted, their relationship deteriorated even more. No child is happy when their parents fight. And now that they couldn’t even sleep together anymore, Hangyeol worried that Yesin would tremble in fear every night. Not to mention, Hangyeol knew that fights at school were inevitable. He hid his sigh with a smile as he looked up. Lee Yesin, who had been watching him with a serious expression, leaned in and whispered into Hangyeol’s ear.“Hyung. I’m more sorry. I’m really sorry I had our dad all to myself until now.”Lee Yesin spoke softly and straightened his posture. They locked eyes and silently let time pass. The bell rang, and Lee Yesin gave a light tap on Go Hangyeol’s thigh before leaving the classroom. Left alone, Go Hangyeol made a vow to himself. No matter what, he would always be on Lee Yesin’s side. He needed to be good to the one and only younger brother he had, Lee Yesin.That fragile promise started to crack a few years later.٠ ࣪⭑Children were full of curiosity. They judged those who lacked things they should have as abnormal and tried to figure out why. If they heard reasons that didn’t make sense, they tilted their heads, and only after repeating the process two or three times would they finally allow someone into the boundary of what they considered normal. Lee Yesin didn’t care about any of that. Why should I bother making you understand? But Go Hangyeol was different. He wanted to confidently tell all the kids who questioned his life without a father:“I have a dad, too.”At 12 years old, in the 5th grade, Go Hangyeol was still receiving similar questions and had to defend himself in the face of silent pressure. He hadn’t yet been accepted as “normal.”“I know. Lee Yesin’s dad is your dad, too, right? Did he share him with you?”“…No.”“It’s strange to say no, though, isn’t it? His dad suddenly became your dad.”“I said, no.”Go Hangyeol snapped, and the class captain shrugged.“But Lee Yesin didn’t say anything.”“What?”“When I asked him why he shared his dad with you, he didn’t say anything.”Go Hangyeol and Lee Yesin were in different classes. Though they met often during breaks and after school, they didn’t see each other as frequently as they had in the 1st grade. Still, Lee Yesin remained kind to him, followed him around, and wanted to play together. The fact that Lee Yesin had stayed quiet was likely just because he was tired. He probably had nothing to say due to the exhausting interest.…At least, that’s what Go Hangyeol wanted to believe.“…Don’t try to drive a wedge between us. Yesin probably just thought you were pathetic for even asking.”The class captain pouted and flicked the pen out of Go Hangyeol’s hand. The pen rolled all the way to the front of the class.“Still, you’re just the child of a mistress.”Thanks to a popular historical drama, the word mistress had become a hot topic recently. Since then, Go Hangyeol’s shoulders had begun to droop. He clenched his fists tightly.“…Your dad sells tteokbokki.”“What?! What did you just say?”The class captain’s family had become wealthy through their restaurant business. Though they were closer to nouveau riche than chaebol, they still had a lot of money, with their specialty being street food. It wasn’t something to be ashamed of, and it should have been a point of pride. Go Hangyeol thought so too, but his mouth had spoken without thinking. He immediately regretted it, but the class captain was already glaring in shock.“I misspoke…”“Shut your mouth! What about your mom? She wasn’t satisfied showing her body to Lee Yesin’s dad, so now she’s still out late working at a bar! I kept quiet because Lee Yesin begged me to, but I only agreed because I felt sorry for you!”The classroom fell silent. Go Hangyeol stared at the class captain, mouth agape.“M-My mom doesn’t work at a bar.”“Don’t lie! I saw it myself! I saw her kissing some strange man!”The other kids started murmuring. Not Lee Yesin’s dad, but some other guy? Why would she do that?I don’t know, but don’t bars sell more than just drinks?I heard from my dad’s friends that there are people who serve drinks at bars.Does that mean Go Hangyeol’s mom serves drinks?His stomach churned. The class captain was still fuming, and Go Hangyeol’s mouth had gone dry, unable to move. That quiet commotion was interrupted by the sound of the bell. One by one, the kids returned to their seats, and the class captain smacked Go Hangyeol’s shoulder before heading back to his own chair.“Why is everyone so quiet?”The teacher walked in with a bright smile. The students dodged the question with half-hearted responses, and the teacher simply laughed, unaware. For the rest of the class, Go Hangyeol didn’t lift his head once, staring only at his trembling hands.Even when the break time bell rang, the atmosphere in the class didn’t improve. The few kids who weren’t interested in the fight went about their business, but most of them crowded around the class captain, asking for more details. Go Hangyeol wanted to escape from the filthy words buzzing in his ears, but his legs wouldn’t move. He sat there like a statue. Then, the front door suddenly swung open.“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”Lee Yesin approached quickly, grabbing the edge of the desk and bending his knees. He gazed up at Go Hangyeol, who barely managed to lift his head and meet his eyes. Frowning, Lee Yesin tilted his head.“Hangyeol, did something happen?”“…No.”“Hey, perfect timing. You know, right? His mom’s been going around kissing strange men.”The class captain kicked his chair back and approached them. Lee Yesin stared at him with a hardened expression before standing up.“What did you just say?”“Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re the one who told me to keep quiet.”“Then why are you talking?”“…What?”“Yeah. I told you not to say anything. So why are you talking?”Lee Yesin stepped closer with a scornful look. The class captain faltered, stepping back. Watching him, Lee Yesin scoffed.“This is ridiculous. When I told you to stay quiet, did I give you anything in return? Go ahead, tell me.”“No… I just…”“You said you wanted my bike, so I gave it to you. What else did I give you? Go on, say it.”“He started it! He made fun of me first, saying my dad sells tteokbokki!”Lee Yesin threw the textbook on the desk and shouted, “Does that embarrass you, you crazy bastard?” The gym captain, wide-eyed, opened and closed his mouth in shock. Lee Yesin took a step closer and pushed the gym captain’s shoulder. It wasn’t a strong shove, but the gym captain staggered back helplessly.“How dare a bastard who’s ashamed of his own parents mess with anyone? Don’t you know who I am? Didn’t you hear me say since first grade that if anyone messes with Go Hangyeol, I’ll kill them?”A cold silence fell on the scene. By now, a crowd had gathered, with kids pressed up against the windows to watch. Lee Yesin scanned the surroundings with fierce eyes. Then he noticed Go Hangyeol, who was biting his lip and hanging his head. Ah, damn it. Cursing internally, Lee Yesin walked over to Go Hangyeol and started stuffing his books and pens into his bag. After zipping it up tightly, he pulled Go Hangyeol to his feet. He didn’t want to leave him alone in this god-awful classroom.“Do you want to transfer schools?”Holding Go Hangyeol’s bag in one hand and his hand in the other, Lee Yesin asked the gym captain. The gym captain, stunned, dumbly opened his mouth.“Yeah, I’m threatening you right now.”“……”“Aren’t we having a fight over whose parents are more successful? Mine and Hangyeol’s dad are better than yours. If we went crazy and asked our dad for a favor, getting you transferred would be no big deal, don’t you think?”The gym captain clenched his teeth. His face twisted with resentment. Lee Yesin stared at him blankly.“Say something to Hangyeol again, and I really won’t hold back next time.”With that, Lee Yesin grabbed Go Hangyeol and marched out of the classroom. The kids watching from the hallway stepped aside. Lee Yesin, frowning deeply, strode ahead, while Go Hangyeol silently followed him, crossing the schoolyard and vaulting over the back fence.Once they were safely out of the school grounds, Lee Yesin grabbed Go Hangyeol’s hand again. They walked in silence for a while until Lee Yesin swung the bag in his hand.“Did you bring your wallet?”“…Huh?”“Do you have any money? I left my bag at school.”“…I don’t have any.”“Then let’s stop by my house for a bit.”Lee Yesin slung Go Hangyeol’s bag over one shoulder and turned in the direction of his home. It would take a while to walk there, he thought, but just as that crossed his mind, Go Hangyeol stopped walking.“Thanks.”“For what?”Lee Yesin, who had also stopped, asked back.“For… just everything.”“All of it?”Lee Yesin smiled brightly and playfully swung Go Hangyeol’s hand.“Hey, be honest. I was kind of cool earlier, right?”“…Yeah.”“Oh, man, I don’t show that kind of charisma to just anyone. You know that, right? Huh?”“I know.”When Go Hangyeol responded with a quiet smile, Lee Yesin chuckled. Go Hangyeol scolded himself for ever doubting Lee Yesin. There was no way Lee Yesin would think badly of him. He had always been on Go Hangyeol’s side, and Go Hangyeol would always be on Lee Yesin’s. Feeling lighter, he headed to Lee Yesin’s house. They weren’t supposed to visit each other’s homes, but waiting nearby while Lee Yesin grabbed some money would be fine. As they walked and chatted about trivial things, it suddenly hit Go Hangyeol what they were doing.“Hey, aren’t we skipping school right now? Is it okay to go to your place?”“It’s fine. Only my aunt is home. She’s close with me, so if I ask her to keep it a secret, she will.”The “aunt” Lee Yesin was referring to was his family’s housekeeper. He never called her “aunt” in front of his parents, but when they were alone, he’d use the term as a sort of nickname. Knowing how close they were, Go Hangyeol felt relieved and started to get excited about this rare experience of skipping school. They continued walking, teasing each other, until they reached the front of Lee Yesin’s house.“Wait here for a minute. I’ll grab some money and be right out. Let’s go eat something tasty while we wait for school to end.”“Okay.”As Go Hangyeol stood near the gate, Lee Yesin reached for the doorbell. But just then, the front door burst open. Yoon Seokyung clicked her heels across the yard. Startled, Lee Yesin quickly turned around, grabbing Go Hangyeol’s hand to make a run for it. At that moment, the door opened again, and Lee Juho came rushing out.“Where do you think you’re going like this?”Lee Juho grabbed Yoon Seokyung’s wrist and yelled. Yoon Seokyung glared at him with cold eyes. Just as Lee Yesin and Go Hangyeol were about to escape, they froze at Lee Juho’s words.“Shut your mouth. Keep quiet before you blab everything.”“Ha, but this is too much. How could you get transferred without telling me?”“Do you think we work at the same company? Am I not allowed to do anything without your permission?”“No, but this is really not okay. How can a married couple live apart?”Lee Juho shook his head as he spoke. Yoon Seokyung let out a loud laugh. Ha! She bent over laughing as if she found it utterly ridiculous, even shedding a tear. Lee Juho sighed and covered his face with his hand.“You scumbag.”The laughter stopped, and Yoon Seokyung spat the words coldly. She strode to the gate, her heels clicking, and opened it. Lee Yesin and Go Hangyeol stared at her in a daze.“…Mom… where are you going?”Yoon Seokyung looked down at Lee Yesin and Go Hangyeol in silence. She took in Lee Yesin’s shocked face, Go Hangyeol’s bag slung over his shoulder, their tightly clasped hands, and their uneasy expressions.Before the silence could fully settle, the garage door opened, and a car rolled out. Without saying a word, Yoon Seokyung climbed into the backseat.“Honey!”Lee Juho, now dressed and ready to go, rushed out the gate and opened the door on the other side.“Dad…”Lee Juho frowned as he turned at Lee Yesin’s call.“Yesin, what are you doing here?”“Close the door, you bastard.”“Seriously? Yesin, just hang out here. Dad and Mom will be back soon.”Lee Juho waved lazily at Lee Yesin and got into the passenger seat. The car didn’t move at first, but after what seemed to be a compromise, it finally started up and drove off. The engine’s sound slowly faded until it seemed like nothing had happened at all. Lee Yesin and Go Hangyeol stood silently in front of the quiet house as if everything that had just happened was a dream. Lee Yesin was the first to snap out of it, shaking their clasped hands, now sweaty.“I think… Mom’s going somewhere. They argue all the time… she’ll be back soon.”Go Hangyeol lifted his dazed face to look at Lee Yesin. After a beat, he checked if he was okay.“Are you alright?”At his cautious question, Lee Yesin tightly pressed his lips together and nodded. Go Hangyeol let go of his hand, wiping his sweaty palm before gently patting Lee Yesin’s shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Lee Yesin forced a smile and walked toward the gate, ringing the bell.“I’ll be quick. Just wait a bit.”“Okay, go ahead.”With a click, the gate opened, and Lee Yesin hurried inside. Left alone, Go Hangyeol moved into the shade cast by the leaves hanging over the wall.“Ah, I didn’t get my bag.”He remembered the image of Lee Yesin running off, still wearing his bag. He kicked at the small stones by his feet, recalling the departing black car. Tick! One of the stones accidentally flew out of the shade into the sunlight. Thud! In his mind, Lee Juho shut the car door. Go Hangyeol held his breath. And when a plane flew overhead, he jumped out from the shade and kicked the stone harder. Thud! The stone hit the wall across from him and bounced past him. Lee Juho neither called nor looked at him. A sense of unease churned within him.٠ ࣪⭑Lee Yesin was red, and Go Hangyeol was blue. Whenever they gave each other gifts, they always chose those colors.“No, but this is a bit much…”Lee Yesin’s eyes widened in shock as Go Hangyeol giggled and thrust a red bouquet into his arms. Though he could only recognize the roses, the large bouquet was filled with a variety of red flowers. It looked fresh and well-arranged, suggesting it had cost quite a bit of money. But for a 19-year-old, it felt like too much to receive.“Congrats! You won a special award. I’m proud of you.”“It was just a local competition! I only joined because I was bored!”“Wow, you joined just for fun and still won an award?”Go Hangyeol teased with an exaggerated voice. Lee Yesin, embarrassed, buried his face in the bouquet. Despite growing up surrounded by love, Lee Yesin wasn’t great at handling praise.“If you had entered, you would’ve definitely taken first place. There weren’t many high schoolers participating.”Lee Yesin mumbled quietly. Go Hangyeol chuckled, ruffling his hair. Watching from nearby, Lee Yesin’s classmate Kim Hyeonggeon poked him playfully.“Hey, was this really that big of a deal? For Hangyeol to bring you flowers?”“No, it wasn’t! Hangyeol is just going overboard.”“I’m not overboard. I’m serious.”Go Hangyeol replied with surprising sincerity. Flustered, Lee Yesin mumbled a quiet “Thanks.”“Ooh, look at Yesin blushing!”“Shut up.”While Lee Yesin and Kim Hyeonggeon bickered playfully, Go Hangyeol glanced at his watch. Homeroom was about to start.“I’m heading out. See you later.”“Yeah, thanks again.”Lee Yesin gave the bouquet a slight shake. Nodding, Go Hangyeol turned to leave when Kim Hyeonggeon called out to him.“Hey, did you buy this this morning?”“Yeah.”“There’s no flower shop around our school.”“Yeah, so I had to leave early to get it.”“…Did you take the subway holding that?”“Yup, pretty cool, right?”Go Hangyeol chuckled as he spoke, and Lee Yesin’s jaw dropped. So did Kim Hyeonggeon’s. Go Hangyeol looked at the two with their mouths agape and grinned mischievously, gently tilting up Lee Yesin’s face by cupping the back of his head.“I did it just for you.”He playfully stroked Lee Yesin’s cheek before waving goodbye and heading back to his classroom. Left behind, Lee Yesin sighed, staring at the bright red bouquet in his hands.“What the heck was that about?”Kim Hyeonggeon asked, watching Go Hangyeol’s retreating figure. “It’s just like that,” Lee Yesin muttered as he headed back to his seat.The dreaded college entrance exam season had finally begun. Though Lee Yesin had always been diligent with his studies, it felt like he was working even harder this year. The stress built up without him realizing, so he had entered a small art competition to unwind. The theme was open-ended, so he let his imagination run wild, and to his surprise, he won an award. While it didn’t seem like anything that would warrant such a grand bouquet from Go Hangyeol, it still made him proud.“You’re lucky. You’ve got a dream, money, and talent.”“What are you talking about?”Lee Yesin replied casually, placing the bouquet on the windowsill and snapping a few photos. The sunlight made it look undeniably beautiful.