.
At that moment, the door burst opened from behind us; a loud voice flew over from it.
“Hey, Hwee Hyul! Why aren’t you coming inside?”
‘Did you go make some trash, not throwing it outside?’ Adding some silly jokes, the man soon gaped at Ban Hwee Hyul and me, who were standing in the middle of the alley.
I turned my head as the man switched his gaze to the sight behind our backs. Yikes, the two people, who flew over and got stuck on the pile of dumps by Ban Hwee Hyul, were still groaning in pain while being knocked down.
Looking at those guys, the man soon turned to look at Ban Hwee Hyul and shouted, “What the heck? Ban Hwee Hyul, did you take off your glasses?”
I was astonished to hear those words that slipped from his mouth so naturally.
Ban Hwee Hyul replied indecisively, “Gun Woo hyeong… I wasn’t trying to take them off…”
“I’m Kyun Woo, not Gun Woo! No, that’s not the point. Anyway, if you weren’t trying to do that, how could these people turn out this way? Hold on, are your glasses broken right now? Are they?”
As if the man called Kyun Woo found the glasses placed askew on Ban Hwee Hyul’s nose ridge, his face turned deathly pale. Glancing around the space hurriedly, the man then held the mop standing against the wall.
“Okay, bring it on. I’m ready,” he said heroically.
Ban Hwee Hyul spoke in a voice that sounded like he was having a slight headache, “No, Gun Woo hyeong…”
“Uh, excuse me?” I carefully intervened in their conversation.
The two threw their glances at me. The man then slightly loosened up the strained atmosphere on his face maybe because I was a girl or wearing a school uniform.
At that very moment, I uttered, “Sorry, it’s my fault. Please don’t blame Hwee Hyul. He was the one who helped me from getting caught and being chased by those bullies.”
Listening to my words, the man’s face turned more relieved. Placing the mop back onto the wall, he asked, “Oh, really…?”
“Yeah, Hwee Hyul didn’t take off his glasses on purpose. It was them who took them out. Uh, anyway, I think he returned to his usual character…”
The man, who was lost in thought for a moment, then turned to look at Ban Hwee Hyul.
“Hwee Hyul, but can you still work with those glasses on?” he asked.
“…”
“Are you able to guarantee that those glasses won’t get off while working?”
Watching Ban Hwee Hyul’s face turning dark, I also became grim.
The man continued, “You know that if those glasses get off, even just once, there would be a big accident compatible to a ferocious dog getting unleashed. Are you confident that the out-of-court settlement won’t exceed your paycheck?”
“That’s…”
Looking at Ban Hwee Hyul quickly hardening his face, I also turned severe. ‘Ban Hwee Hyul, are you that much serious…? Do you have to be concerned about the settlement money of that day once you get your glasses off?’
On the other hand, I had a heavy heart as much as Ban Hwee Hyul. Ever since he told us that he was doing a part time job as a student, I thought that he would have some complicated circumstances. However, the look on his face seemed like he was sincerely in needs of money as soon as possible.
However, I wasn’t able to help this person but made him turn this way.
Heaving a sigh, I raised my hand and said, “Um, if you don’t mind…”
The man and Ban Hwee Hyul looked in this direction at the same time.
I continued speaking, “There must be an optical store still open near the station, so can I bring Hwee Hyul there for a second?”
“Oh, really?” he asked.
Checking out the man and Ban Hwee Hyul’s faces brightening up simultaneously, I heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, I had found the way to pick up the pieces.
I checked the time on my watch. It was already 11:20 at night. There was no possibility that any optical stores would be open right now, but we could resolve the problem by getting a new glasses frame from the street vendor.
Bowing at the man, I pulled Ban Hwee Hyul’s arm and quickly got out of the spot. That was when I suddenly realized something.
“Oh, right!”
While Ban Hwee Hyul turned to look at me, I tore my hair out. How could I forget the reason why I jumped into this alley while taking the risk?! Looking at the opposite side of the alley with nervous eyes, I turned my head to divert my gaze back onto Ban Hwee Hyul.
I asked, “If you’re okay with it, do you mind if I can stop by at Nam Gye High School for a second?”
As if he put back his glasses on, Ban Hwee Hyul didn’t show any signs of denial but just gently nodded.
With hurried steps, I walked toward the main entrance of Nam Gye High School while having Ban Hwee Hyul beside me. However, since it was twenty-five minutes passed the end of school, I knew what the result would be like. I didn’t leave any message to Yeo Dan oppa that I would be there, so wait for me. Besides, he wasn’t a type of person who would spend time in front of his school or inside the building.
Indeed, the main entrance of Nam Gye High School was empty. Watching the sight for a moment, I soon dropped a question carefully to Ban Hwee Hyul.
“Can I borrow your phone for a second?”
Having found my phone broken in half, Ban Hwee Hyul handed me his phone willingly. After a moment of hesitation, I sent a message.
[To: 010-xxxx-xxxx
Mom, I’m Donnie. My phone’s broken, so I borrowed my friend’s TT I’ll be there soon.]
Hesitating for a moment, I soon returned the phone to Ban Hwee Hyul and bent my steps again.
<hr />
Since it was the beginning of the semester and near the university town, the way to the subway was bright and crowded.
Between the crowds’ noise, I repeated the question I had dropped to him earlier.
“Why are you wearing those glasses when you don’t have a bad sight?”
I couldn’t help wondering about the relationship between his glasses and fighting power.
Unexpectedly, this time, Ban Hwee Hyul answered to my question without making a fuss. Touching his flimsily connected eyeglass frame, Ban Hwee Hyul replied, “When I have this on… I become patient.”
“Become patient?”
‘A-ha,’ I nodded. Well, a person couldn’t have a huge change in his or her athletic ability just by wearing or taking off the glasses. Thus, it was just a matter of patience.
Lowering my voice, I carefully asked, “The missing nationwide Number 1, that’s you, right?”
Ban Hwee Hyul didn’t deny but nodded, then he turned his head to look at me.
“So, I thought you approached me to use me,” he uttered.
“Oh…”
Recalling the conversation that we had in the rooftop, I smiled awkwardly. In his point of view, I confidently declared that I was so aware of his identity, so how ridiculous would I have looked?
Casting down his eyes, Ban Hwee Hyul continued speaking a little gloomily.
“I don’t wanna fight with other people anymore… but no matter how much I try, I can’t fix my hot temper.”
“I see,” I replied.
“If I keep on this way, I’ve thought I will never change. The moment I almost tried to give up, I wore these glasses and…”
My heart pounded in tension for some reason.
I tossed a question, “You wore those glasses and…”
Ban Hwee Hyul replied with his usual, meek face, “Those stupid faces didn’t come into view.”
“…”
Winnie the Pooh was actually the strongest animal on earth. I stared at Ban Hwee Hyul with a look of a kid, who discovered the fact and ruined my childhood innocence.
