Love for Love’s Sake - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Tak Jungyeong’s group was troublesome.

Tak Jungyeong was a typical rich child who didn’t take sports seriously but had done well enough in middle school that he was able to coast through high school.

There was no thought but to go to competitions in moderation and get decent grades in moderation. That would be enough when applying to colleges. His path was clear.

He didn’t hate Cha Yeowoon from the start, either. He wasn’t passionate enough to hold a grudge over their huge difference in track and field.

Despite being in the same track and field team, they were in completely different worlds. Cha Yeowoon was a common scholarship student, blessed with exceptional athletic abilities, while he, on the other hand, simply found some amusement in the other’s pitiable situation.

Then came the problem when Cha Yeowoon had refused to give up his spot in a regional competition.

It wasn’t a significant competition. It was just so. Cha Yeowoon already had a record of winning at the national level and was promised a spot in various major competitions.

Nevertheless, the teacher in charge of the track and field team said that it was Cha Yeowoon’s fault for not yielding his spot to Tak Jungyeong.

“We could have been friends, but you always make things difficult.”

To accept things to avoid problems, Cha Yeowoon couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t stand people like Tak Jungyeong.

Moreover, he needed the prize money.

While others might have said that because he had already won at the national level didn’t need to participate in a regional competition, he still wanted to participate in any competition that offered prize money, even if it was only $75.

With that money, he could buy rice, pay the monthly rent, and cover transportation costs.

However, he couldn’t bring himself to discuss prize money with the coach or Tak Jungyeong. Even if he did, they wouldn’t understand. So, he chose to keep a low profile.

He could tolerate the scolding and even getting into fights at school to some extent. After all, he had a strong spirit and was used to being disliked by others.

Up until now, his life had been relatively simple.

He would run.

He would run fast.

He would run as fast as he could.

Although often short on money, he was still able to attend school. It was enough that his grandmother was happy.

But now, his grandmother was gone.

He didn’t know how to persist in the way he had been enduring so far. Sitting alone in the funeral home, staring at his grandmother’s portrait, he kept thinking. He really didn’t know why he had to live like this…

But then…

That day, a new person appeared.

Someone he had never imagined, someone he had never met before suddenly appeared and lifted his spirits.

And then…

The lingering thought of Myeongha, who had ignored him at the bus stop, resurfaced, intensifying his irritation.

Everything was annoying.

Even being annoyed was annoying. He couldn’t believe he had been thinking about this all morning.

Someone tapped on his desk. He looked up to see the owner of the hand.

There were two people in front of him. Lee Hunseok and Kim Gyuhyeok. Both were in track and field and belonged to Tak Jungyeong’s group.

Cha Yeowoon didn’t find their faces welcoming. His already low mood sank even further.

“What’s your relationship with Tae Myeongha?”

Even more so after hearing Lee Hunseok.

Tae Myeongha. Despite being their senior, Lee Hunseok had addressed him without honorifics. Cha Yeowoon didn’t like that.

“Do you know each other?”

“Why? What if I know?”

Lee Hunseok was taken aback for a moment when Cha Yeowoon retorted. Shock quickly turned into displeasure.

“Wow, what’s wrong with this guy’s attitude? Just when I was going to let you off the hook.”

“Hey, leave it. What’s the point in bothering a guy who’s an orphan?”

Kim Gyuhyeok, who had been standing next to Lee Hunseok and looking at his phone, interrupted. Cha Yeowoon clenched his fists.

“I’m just asking him about Tae Myeongha.”

Not reacting to the mention of the word orphan was a matter of pride for Cha Yeowoon. He would hold his head high whenever Lee Hunseok took the initiative to talk to him.

“And you? How do you know Tae Myeongha?”

“How do I know?”

Lee Hunseok scoffed at Cha Yeowoon’s question.

“How can I not? The mad dog of our school.”

“Mad?”

“Don’t you know? Seriously? Tae Myeongha, that Tae Myeongha. Since middle school, he’s been beating up everyone in the neighborhood. They say he took on seven alone.”

The legend of seven against one. It wasn’t some childish bullying game. Cha Yeowoon thought it was pathetic to see Lee Hunseok talking excitedly.

Frankly, Cha Yeowoon couldn’t believe Tae Myeongha had really fought against seven people. Rumors tend to be exaggerated. Moreover, from what he had observed, his senior didn’t seem like the kind of person who would enjoy getting into fights.

Perhaps Lee Hunseok sensed Cha Yeowoon’s pity from his expression, so he kicked the desk. The desk wobbled, and the classmates briefly glanced at them before hastily looking away. It was a familiar routine.

“That’s the problem with you. You think you’re something and act all high and mighty.”

“Is that so?”

“I can’t stand to look at you anymore.”

Lee Hunseok could just not look, Cha Yeowoon thought. Cha Yeowoon didn’t feel like talking, so he kept his mouth shut. Lee Hunseok’s expression contorted.

Cha Yeowoon sighed.

Lee Hunseok hadn’t always been hostile toward Cha Yeowoon. At first, he even seemed to approach him with a twinkle in his eye.

They had been doing track and field since elementary school and, of course, knew each other. Every child doing track and field knew Cha Yeowoon.

Lee Hunseok had acted like the other athletes in the sports clubs who knew Cha Yeowoon. He would snoop around, waiting for an opportunity to strike up a conversation.

In other words, it was annoying.

Cha Yeowoon didn’t like the children in the athletic club. It was bothersome.

He was tired of the constant praises for his running abilities and discussions of his past achievements. He hoped they would stop bothering him and just focus on the athletic club.

“I’m a fan.”

Even those words.

Cha Yeowoon furrowed his eyebrows at the sudden intrusion of a face. To others, it might have been a picture of him and Lee Hunseok growling at each other in front of their desks, but at that moment, Cha Yeowoon didn’t even have Lee Hunseok in his mind.

Every thought was pushed aside by someone who had appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be an acquaintance of his grandmother, saying they had known him from before, calling themself his fan, suggesting they go to their home to sleep, and all sorts of strange things.

“Cha Yeowoon, are you upset?”

“…”

“Seems like you are, huh?”

Lee Hunseok was about to push Cha Yeowoon’s shoulder. But before his hand could reach, Cha Yeowoon grabbed his hand instead.

“Huh?”

Lee Hunseok stammered, trying to pull his hand away. When it didn’t work, he soon gasped and struggled while looking at Cha Yeowoon and the hand that was caught.

By the time Lee Hunseok’s neck turned red, the back door of the classroom opened.

After Cha Yeowoon confirmed who had entered, he let go of Lee Hunseok’s hand without warning. Lee Hunseok, almost stumbling backward, stood straight again as if nothing had happened. His face was bright red.

“Tak Jungyeong, why did you suddenly come to our class?”

Lee Hunseok asked Tak Jungyeong who had just entered.

Tak Jungyeong ignored the greeting and stood in front of Cha Yeowoon.

Cha Yeowoon was having a bad day today. He swallowed his indignation and braced himself for what was to come.

It was starting again.

Whether it was during track and field practice, in the schoolyard on campus, or even in the dining hall, seeing that Tak Jungyeong had come to the classroom rather than running into him by chance, he thought Tak Jungyeong wanted to rough him up today.

Maybe it was because of the confrontation this morning on the bus. Even from Cha Yeowoon’s view, it could be seen as a provocation.

Would Tak Jungyeong leave after saying a meaningful line to see him after school? And perhaps, should he pretend not to care and exchange a few punches?

Maybe he shouldn’t endure it today.

After all, his grandmother was no longer around.

But what about track and field?

Would he get disqualified?

He didn’t even have a rich father to protect him in case of an accident.

Many thoughts raced through his mind in an instant. His unconsciously clenched palms numbed, but he didn’t care.

In his mind, there was only one primitive conflict–whether it was right or wrong. If he hadn’t given in from the start, the incident on the bus this morning wouldn’t have happened.

It didn’t matter even if he could no longer do track and field.

He had done track and field to make his grandma happy, after all.

Right. It didn’t matter. He didn’t have any grand goals in the first place. His middle school teacher had encouraged him to give it a try because he was good at it, and upon doing so, he had achieved outstanding results that had earned him a scholarship. It had also made his grandmother happy.

“I’m your fan.”

Why did that phrase come to Cha Yeowoon’s mind? He didn’t know.

He clenched his fists and looked at Tak Jungyeong.

“You’re good at running.”

Suddenly, the tension in Cha Yeowoon’s wrists loosened. If Tak Jungyeong punched him at that moment, he would be defenseless.

“I’m sorry for all this time.”

But Tak Jungyeong didn’t hit Cha Yeowoon. Instead, he lowered his head.

“…Uh?”

“Hey, Jungyeong…?”

Despite the deflated reactions of those around Tak Jungyeong, he still kept his head down.

Cha Yeowoon was also confused, as he couldn’t understand the situation. Tak Jungyeong, who had been bowing his head for a while in front of the speechless Cha Yeowoon, straightened up again.

“I’m sorry for picking on you. Please tell senior Tae Myeongha that I apologized.”

Tak Jungyeong hurriedly declared, leaving the classroom. Cha Yeowoon, who had received the apology, swallowed his breath as if he was hit in the back of the head.

Now Tak Jungyeong…

Cha Yeowoon opened his tingling palms. A half-curved mechanical pencil fell on the desk.

He brushed away the fragments clinging to his flesh and stood up.

“Hey. Hunseok.”

Lee Hunseok, whose name had been called, opened his eyes with an expression that seemed to question if Cha Yeowoon had really called him.

Unless he took the initiative to approach, as he did today, Cha Yeowoon wouldn’t speak to him. Even during their persistent arguments, he remained steadfast in treating him like an invisible person.

But now Cha Yeowoon was asking something.

“What class is senior Tae Myeongha in?”

* * *

Cha Yeowon felt piercing stares as he walked upstairs and down the hallway. He passed the 3rd year students who were preparing to eat dinner ahead of the night study.

He walked while looking at the signs numbering 3-1, 3-2, and so on. He was looking for 3-5. Just in case, he checked carefully to avoid missing it.

3-4…It was when he looked at the sign again.

Creak–

The classroom’s sliding door opened loudly.

As the person who forcefully opened the back door and rushed out came into view, a faint groan escaped Cha Yeowoon.

It was an unmistakable appearance. Sharp piercing eyes instantly captured his attention.