Eighteen's Bed

Chapter 5.1

After getting home, I set down my bag and waited for the tutor who was due to arrive soon. In the meantime, I studied alone. Lately, though, I had also been talking more with my parents, who were usually away.

My parents, both involved in the trading business, were often away from home for about 300 days a year, but ever since Han Junwoo was taken away, they had been staying at home continuously. Upon their return, they saw me and suddenly said,

"Our son. There was a violent incident at your school, wasn't there? Are you okay?"

Despite being busy with work every day, my parents were surprisingly quick to pick up information about what was happening around me. Probably the parents were in touch with each other. For now, I changed into my slippers at the entrance. As I walked down the hall to the living room, my mother closely followed beside me.

"Me? Yes, I'm fine."

"No, not that, your friend, that boy."

"Ah. Junwoo..."

"Junwoo?"

The sound of the TV was audible. It was my father. Father, who is hard of hearing, tends to turn up the volume of all electronic devices a bit louder than others. Perhaps hearing our conversation, he turned down the TV volume.

"Who's Junwoo?"

"You know, the boy you were briefly friends with. The dark-skinned, tall one."

"Have I seen such a boy?"

"You know, 'that company's' son."

"Ah."

Father’s expression soured.

"Yeah, I've seen him, but I can't quite remember."

"He has a dark complexion. And he's tall."

"Then it must be him. Right."

"Did he get hurt a lot?"

"A bit... I did visit him in the hospital recently..."

"Well done."

Really well done? Despite saying 'well done,' his face wore a discomfited expression.

"Are you still hanging out with him a lot?"

'He', as if the term of address was getting increasingly lower.

"Just, you know..."

"Well, it's good to be friendly with classmates... Oh dear. Son, is there anything you want to eat?"

"Not really. Why? Is something going on?"

"It's not that. It's just, mom trusts you implicitly. I do trust you."

"No, these things need to be said clearly. Son, don't hang around that friend too much. Dad's worried."

The volume on the TV had now been lowered to a whisper. Father then turned his body to face me and said.

"Is he going abroad or something? Preparing for the SAT?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't mentioned anything like that."

"So what is he planning to do then? President Han's son, from what I remember, he's terrible at studying. Just good at causing trouble. Yeah, that boy. I never liked him. What do you lack that you hang around with him? Seeing you influenced by his antics, I don't want to watch it."

"Right. Yeah. Dad’s right. Before, he used to call you out even at dawn... I heard it all from the maid. Mom stayed quiet because she trusted Jun, but honestly, she thinks he must be mocking you to do that."

Can you believe it? The strength drained from my shoulders. My bag strap slid off one side. This astonishing change was bewildering. Going out at dawn was one thing, but this unexpected anger towards Han Junwoo was because of it.

In fact, my parents neither particularly liked nor disliked Han Junwoo. Much of it had to do with his background. But why this sudden change?

"Why all of a sudden? What happened?"

My mother clenched her fists and yelled,

"It's because I'm upset and angry! If you keep hanging out with that kind of kid, I'm worried our son will be disregarded by others!"

Father cleared his throat, giving me a meaningful look.

"Listen to your mother. There's nothing wrong with listening to her."

Why did this sudden event occur? What did they hear about that day, and what else were they told to make them so angry? Whatever it was, it was neither good nor bad for me.

I adjusted the bag strap on my forearm and licked my lips once.

"It's okay. We're not that close anymore."

Fortunately, my answer seemed correct as it brought color back to their faces.

"Really? Is that so? Why so sudden? You used to be close."

"It just turned out that way."

Before my mother could ask further, I quickly turned towards the direction of the stairs.

"I’ll just put my bag down and come back."

And I freed my forearm that was caught. As I climbed the stairs to my room, I pondered what Go Yohan had told me before entering the house.

"Han Junwoo's house went bust. Totally broke."

...Really?

What I wondered more was why my parents were showing such an attitude towards me. Sure, the story about Han Junwoo is one thing, but why the disregard towards me? Did my parents always think that way about my relationship with Han Junwoo, or was it someone else who had conveyed such thoughts to them?

"Damn it..."

He left the classroom after dumping the shameless request to bring his book to the staff room desk on me. Damn it. I slowly got up and headed to the lectern, and as I passed by, Kim Minho said,

"You're so nice, you always get taken advantage of by the teachers."

"Shut up."

I warned Kim Minho as I glanced at him.

I had no choice but to fulfill the request and head to the staff room, and it was on my way back that I felt the need to go to the bathroom.

The restroom next to the staff room isn’t actually for staff. The staff restroom is next to the administration office, but since it's on the first floor, the teachers in charge of the second year found it inconvenient. Since the second-year classrooms are on the top floor, the fourth floor, the teachers in charge of the second year used the restroom in the corridor connecting the east and west wings, which is closest to the staff room, like a staff restroom. For the same reason, hardly any students used the restroom near the staff room. "Using the restroom next to the staff room" is a privilege that model students who complete errands given by a teacher can enjoy.

That's why I preferred to use this place; it was a matter of course. I confess in secret: even now, I feel a bit uncomfortable going to the men's restroom. Since my adolescence, when I could feel sexual shame on my own.

It was the moment I was about to open the door.

"Shut up."

I immediately stopped in my tracks and held my breath. From across the door, I heard a familiar voice.

"Did you see that fucker strutting around? The guy's a total joke."

"Crazy, you just mimicked Kang Jun right? It was spot on."

"Kang Jun, that bastard. His behavior is the epitome of cunning. In the first year, he clung to Han Junwoo, and as soon as Junwoo was overshadowed by Yohan, he slyly switched sides to Yohan. Isn't he just like a bat? Pretending to be all that while it's actually embarrassing to watch. Honestly, what's there to appreciate about him? Just looks slimy, acting all important because he believes he has backing."

"Well, that’s a bit harsh. Honestly, isn't Kang Jun one of the best-looking guys in our school? Plus, he’s rich and smart. That's probably why Junwoo was all over him."

"Was Junwoo all over him? He was just using him because he was useful. Everyone who hung around Junwoo knows that Kang Jun was just cleaning up after him."

"But Yohan seems to like Kang Jun."

"Stop nitpicking and shut your trap. Fuck. Whose friend are you?"

"Well, he's our Minho's friend, right? Honestly, Kang Jun is just some guy who got stuck in the middle of our fun. Okay? Hey, why are you like that? Are you mad? Are you?"

It was the same voices that had been happily chatting behind me in the classroom just an hour ago.

"I just really don't like that guy. Such an opportunist."

"Opportunist? You know some difficult words?"

"Fuck! Lee Seokhyeon! Stop interrupting and focus on what I’m saying!"

"So, you don't like Kang Jun, what are you going to do about it? What can you do?"

"Honestly, wasn’t it more fun when it was just us, Yohan, you, Kim Seokmin, and me? But then suddenly Kang Jun and that loser Park Dongchul got involved. It’s just messed up."

"Still, Park Dongchul is close to Seokmin. Consider Seokmin's feelings a bit."

From beyond the door, I heard Kim Minho's pained voice. He hesitated a bit, but soon a gruff voice rebutted loudly.

"Ah, no! That guy is clueless. Just clueless. Seokmin is so annoyed by Park Dongchul. He's just milking their middle school friendship. Seokmin told me yesterday how annoyed he is because Dongchul keeps following him around. Park Dongchul should hang out with his own friends instead of suddenly butting into ours..."

"Yeah, Choi Donghwan and Hong Huijun were just completely ditched. Absolutely no loyalty."

"Exactly! It’s so obvious why he wants to hang out with us, it's annoying."

"Park Dongchul is really annoying. Not fun at all, and there’s no benefit in having him around. I wish he’d just get the hint and leave. I got chills when he said he’d follow us to the PC room yesterday. Can’t he see we want to hang out just among ourselves?"

"I told you, that guy is clueless. I actually think Kang Jun should also back off on his own. Yohan is just being nice by accepting Kang Jun. Even if Park Dongchul is clueless, that guy definitely knows the score and still clings on. Isn’t it creepy?"

I could hear Kim Minho moving, his heavy footsteps echoing in the bathroom before spilling out into the hallway.

"Hey. Aren't you going to wash your hands?"

"I didn't touch anything. Kid."

"Ugh. Disgusting."

"I’m just going to smoke one and wash my hands later. Why bother washing twice? It’s more harmful to your health. Speaking of which, wanna smoke?"

"Sure. Let’s go to the incinerator."

"Hey. Wait. Aren’t you going to wash?"

"I’ll wash later. It’s bothersome."

"Ah, that’s some loyalty, dude."

As the two voices neared the door, I had already hidden behind the opposite side. I heard the two sets of footsteps hurriedly descending the stairs. Stepping out, I nonchalantly entered the bathroom to attend to my needs, thinking,

"Kim Minho and Lee Seokhyeon, the ones who dislike me."

It wasn’t scary or worrisome. The ranking fights that men typically go through from March to May. The lower floors are broad and stable; a person or two dropping out hardly matters. But the upper floors are different. The vacancy left by Han Junwoo had destabilized the pyramid, and the battle for positions had restarted. I was just sure of that. And I realized something else.

Washing my hands at the sink, I looked in the mirror.

"Was he being taken advantage of? No, he was used because he was useful. Everyone around Junwoo knows that Kang Jun was just his cleanup guy."

Fuck.

After leaving the bathroom, I returned to the classroom as usual. I pulled out my textbooks for the next class. The sharp edges brushed against my palm. Ouch. I felt a sudden sting and looked at my palm. A nail-shaped scratch was visible, turning red between the splits. I opened and closed my hand once, then sat down.

Right before class started, Kim Minho and Lee Seokhyeon entered, reeking of cigarette smoke. As Kim Minho rummaged through the lockers at the back, he turned around and suddenly asked me.

"Kang Jun, what’s next class?"

"Next? Social Studies."

"Fuck, gonna be dreamland again. Ah, when’s Art? Art’s seriously the best."

"Art is on Wednesday. But I heard it's self-study then."

"Really? For real? Ah fuck, that’s damn good."

Uh. Good. I nodded. And so the fourth period began.