CEL 6

Places with a lot of people make him tired. Even so, Jaeha drew a practiced smile and he drank his glass.

The seat beside him had always belonged to Woojin, but today it was not. When he pretended not to see Woojin glancing at him from a distant table and he laughed, the people beside him started laughing too.

“Jaeha, you are really funny. I think I know why Bora praised you so much.”

“Isn’t it that sunbae has good reactions?”

“Hey, what do you mean sunbae? Call me noona, noona. It sounds cheesy.”

“Yes, noona..”

When she saw the crescent shape of his eyes, Seyeon strictly controlled her heart that wanted to jump foolishly.

The other person was Han Jaeha, Han Jaeha. The art college god. A rice cake in a picture with not a single scandal until now. So she had to pull herself together without useless expectations.

When Seyeon drank her somaek to catch her breath, Jaeha acted like it was nothing and he pushed the dried snacks toward her.

He was usually cautious when talking or acting with the opposite sex, but to achieve his goal this much was nothing. As expected, some people’s gazes toward Seyeon became hostile, but Jaeha acted like he did not feel it and he asked.

“Ah but noona. If you are in the law department, do you perhaps know Sunbae Seo Hamin? I heard he is in third year?”

Even while he asked, the back of his neck grew hot. It was embarrassing enough that he had come to this drinking place wanting to ask such childish things, but the fact that he was curious about what people thought of Hamin annoyed him.

He could not communicate with the person himself…. So this was something unavoidable.

Even as he thought so and added a reason that sounded like rationalization, Seyeon who had been staring at his mouth belatedly understood the question and she answered.

“Hamin? Ah, Hamin… I know. There is no one in our department, who doesn’t know Seo Hamin? He is the top of the class.”

“Are you close?”

“Me and Seo Hamin?”

Seyeon waved her hands exaggeratedly as if she had heard a funny joke.

“There is no one close with him.”

“Why?”

Seyeon tilted her head. It was as if Jaeha was the strange one for asking this.

“He is kind of, how should I say it…. Should I say he is too obsessed with grades? He is gloomy too….He nitpicked anything people said when they tried to talk even a little, and he completely ignored people.”

But he handled private conversations well.

Of course, it seemed like he especially disliked wasting time more than others, but was that really something worth cursing about? Contrary to what Jaeha thought, Seyeon kept cursing Hamin for a long while after.

“What is so great about being top of the class. Does he think a perfect CSAT score or that title of top student will last forever?”

He really got a perfect score?

It did look like it, but hearing it from someone else’s mouth made it feel annoying. Why was he chasing after someone who lived life so boringly.

He leaned back on the chair and listened quietly to Seyeon. The swear words coming out of her mouth grew harsher and harsher. A bastard with bad luck, a bastard who only cares about himself, a bastard who will make a big mistake someday. Most of it had no shape, it was just malicious words.

What, did she maybe like Seo Hamin?

When he looked at her, her cheeks were slightly flushed. He could not tell if it was from alcohol or because she thought of Seo Hamin, but watching her made him feel dirty.

When he felt there was nothing more he could get from Seyeon’s mouth, the seat suddenly became unbearably boring. In the end, he could not last even five minutes, he got up quietly.

“Noona, I will go first.”

“Huh? Why? It is still the first round?”

“I think I am already drunk because I feel a bit tired today. Instead I will pay here before I leave. Drink more, I will pay plenty.”

When he said that with an apologetic smile, her sullen expression completely disappeared. Especially when he said he would pay, her face stretched into a grin, it was ridiculous.

“Jaeha, you are just like I heard… Ah, right. There is another reason Seo Hamin is annoying.”

Still not finished?

Jaeha swallowed a sigh while thinking even if Seo Hamin had hit Park Seyeon, she would have less resentment than this. Then Seyeon suddenly dropped a bomb.

“He has no money but he looks down on others. They say he lived in an orphanage until before college. He looks at us like we are beggars…..”

“…Sunbae Hamin is an orphan?”

“Yeah, I heard it from a professor. That is what they said? He is so lofty, I thought he was some young master from a rich family.”

So if he was a rich family’s son it was fine, but if he was an orphan it was not?

Jaeha felt disgust at her spreading someone’s shame around so casually, but outwardly his face stayed calm.

In his head floated images of Seo Hamin shivering in a shack, Seo Hamin running around exhausted from part time jobs, Seo Hamin studying all night until his nose bled. It did not feel good.

“Ah, but I do not have your contact… Can you give me your phone number?”

When he saw Seyeon shyly brushing back her short hair and holding out her phone, his mood twisted. He pretended not to hear and stood up, he looked toward Woojin. Woojin, who had been staring at them openly, ran over.

“Hey, Han Jaeha. Are you drunk? No wonder, you were drinking a lot earlier.”

“What-what is it?

“Sunbae, I am sorry. Jaeha seems a bit drunk, I will take him.”

“What… Hey, you were talking fine with me just now….”

“See you next time!”

Woojin noisily grabbed Jaeha’s bag and left. Jaeha made an awkward face and let himself be dragged out.

As soon as they came outside, Woojin frowned and asked.

“That sunbae bothered you, right?”

“Not really.”

“Hey, there are already a lot of bad things people say about Seyeon sunbae in the club. Why are you defending someone you just met?”

It was still the season hovering at the entrance of summer, at night the air was cool just enough to feel good. Jaeha let Woojin’s muttering beside him flow in one ear, using the street noise as background music.

Even though he had only drunk a couple of beers and could not really be drunk, the way Woojin grabbed his arm and walked like he was really drunk was funny. Maybe Choi Woojin enjoyed the stares that fell on him when he walked like this, but in Jaeha’s view it was not a good choice. Even right now, people were looking at them like he was a kidnapper. Did he really not see it?

The thoughtless behavior was a little funny and a little ridiculous, so Jaeha smirked. Woojin’s face, naturally mischievous, crumpled even though he had done nothing.

“So, why did you suddenly show up at someone else’s club gathering. When I told you to join the club you said you hated it so much.”

“You know I cannot ride a bicycle. And you said even if I did not join, I could just come once to a gathering.”

“What, so you came because of me?”

When Jaeha nodded slightly, Woojin pretended otherwise but his shoulders lifted, his ears turned red, it was obvious. It was ridiculous.

While he was inwardly mocking Woojin, he suddenly recalled a voice, ‘He really dislikes me.’

“Ah, Woojin. Did you meet Sunbae Hamin?”

“What, once a few weeks ago? Why?”

“What did you say to him?”

“Why, did he go running to tattle to you?”

So he really said something.

Even though Jaeha’s question was flat, Woojin’s reaction was intense.

“I just said it a nuisance that he visit every day, you are busy during exam period. Then he said, ‘That is true,’ and that was it.”

“….What?”

“What?”

Jaeha stopped walking and asked again, Woojin tilted his head not knowing why.

“You said I was busy with exams?”

“Yeah, you were busy. I told him off properly.”

The reason for his frustration and irritation for the past two weeks was right here.

Woojin always acted like an overbearing mother, but Jaeha had never been this annoyed. Right now it was hard to control his face.

So it was not that Seo Hamin got tired of him or lost interest, it was because of Choi Woojin….

He suddenly laughed. No, if Hamin had said so, he would have accepted it. But what, he just agreed and left it at that?

He found Seo Hamin bothersome and annoying. That was undeniable.

But after meeting him, his visits to the studio had definitely decreased. He did not know the reason. It was the first time he experienced such a situation, instead of confusion it made him curious.

Even if it was only a curiosity that would soon fade, it did not matter. Even if Seo Hamin disappeared from his life, he would just go back to before.

When Woojin looked at Jaeha, not knowing what kind of expression he was making, his face showed confusion. He retraced his words but could not find anything wrong. He had always taken care of this sort of thing, and Han Jaeha had never interfered. It was like a silent agreement between them.

As Woojin felt more and more confused. Jaeha finally opened his mouth.

“Woojin. Thanks for worrying, but….”

So.

“I am close with Sunbae Hamin. Next time you do not need to do that.”

He did not want anyone else coming between them.

The next day, after leaving behind Woojin’s shocked face, Jaeha went to look for Hamin.

It did not have any special meaning. It was just… anyway, tomorrow he would surely come again saying let’s eat lunch, so he was just moving first.

He scratched the back of his head and fiddled with his phone, but then his hand that was scrolling through contacts stopped. He realized he still did not have Seo Hamin’s number.

They had eaten together several times, yet he did not have even a contact.

He frowned and tried to recall, but there was no memory of them chatting naturally about “what’s your number, what’s your messenger ID.”

He sighed and walked toward the law school building. He thought it was a stupid way, but there was no choice.

As he walked, he laughed at himself, wondering what he was doing. His head said he might not even meet him, so was it right to just go, but his legs kept moving.

How did Seo Hamin do this for weeks?

By the time he reached the law school, something happened.

“Huh? Jaeha?”

“…Seyeon noona?”

“What are you doing here?”

Seyeon, wearing the same clothes as yesterday, acted familiar, maybe she had drunk all night even after he left. Her worn-out face made him not want to greet her, but he forced a smile and asked.

“I came to see Sunbae Hamin, but I cannot reach him. Do you know where he is?”

“Hamin is probably in class now. I take the same class as him.”

They took the same class, so why was one outside while the other was in class.

He tilted his head while keeping a smile, and Seyeon awkwardly answered.

“Today is mock trial day, but our group already finished last week. So I can go later.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Do you want to come with me? You can wait in the back and meet him after.”

“Should I?”

He knew well the obvious trick behind her flimsy excuse, but he pretended to bite without hesitation.

Believing it, Seyeon kept talking kindly to him all the way to the lecture hall. She exaggerated a lisp in her pronunciation, and she touched her finger to her lips and winked playfully.

Did she really think that looked cute?

He watched the ridiculous act, feeling a bit absurd.

Rather than that, Seo Hamin frowning was better… No, wait. What was he even thinking?

He shook his head at his derailed stream of thought and sat in the back row. At that moment, Hamin walked out to the front of the lecture hall. He was not alone, about six people were with him, but Jaeha saw only Hamin.

Seo Hamin was not wearing his usual flashy colors. He wore a neat shirt and pants. Jaeha clicked his tongue. He looked much better dressed like that.

Monochrome suited him. When he wore bizarre colors, Jaeha thought maybe he did it on purpose, but even cheap, proper clothes made him look decent now.

He could just dress like this, why pick up weird things to wear?

During the short moment when Hamin greeted the audience, their eyes met. He was not even looking around, yet he found him instantly again. Jaeha laughed, that stalker-like talent deserved recognition.

Seyeon seemed curious why he suddenly laughed, but in the quiet room she could not speak, so she only sneaked glances. He felt her gaze on his left cheek, but he ignored it and faced Hamin’s gaze.

Why are you here?

Why can’t I be here?

They exchanged words with their eyes. Hamin’s face showed slight displeasure, then he turned away and arranged the papers he had prepared.

“Begin.”

After the professor spoke, the student acting as judge started the trial. Maybe because he was nervous, he stuttered several times while speaking.

No one had expected much from undergraduates’ mock trial anyway, so neither the professor nor the students reacted. Next, the student acting as prosecutor read the sentencing request.

The charge was drunk driving, and it was set as the second trial.

Wasn’t this unfavorable for the defense?

He watched without much interest until it became Hamin’s turn.

“Defense, state your opinion on the charges.” At those words, he stood up from his chair.

He would probably say only a few words with that blank face again.

Thinking that no matter how well someone did in a student mock trial, it was still just kids playing, Jaeha started to feel bored. He hoped it would end soon so they could go eat. Just then, Hamin opened his mouth.

“Article 308-2 of the Criminal Procedure Act declares that evidence collected without following lawful procedure cannot be used as evidence.”

Jaeha expected him to carelessly reply with an offhand answer but his voice was serious.

Hamin did not look at the audience. Unlike the others who checked the professor’s face as they spoke, he spoke only to the prosecutor and the judge, as if this really were a courtroom. His manner brought a short silence over the hall.

“The evidence submitted by the prosecution was collected when the defendant had lost consciousness in a traffic accident, without a warrant. Also, the defendant was unconscious at the time, and the person who signed the consent form was the defendant’s brother-in-law.”

He paused in the middle of sentences to strengthen delivery, and his black pupils started at his opponent. The student playing prosecutor shuffled his papers nervously. Even to Jaeha, who did not know the details, it was obvious something was wrong.

“Therefore, Prosecution’s Exhibit No. 2 was collected in violation of the warrant principle under the Criminal Procedure Act. Even if the defendant’s consent existed, the evidence cannot be used to prove guilt.”

The room was silent. Feeling that atmosphere, Jaeha realized he was also focused on Hamin.

His delivery stood out for an undergraduate. The eyes of those watching shifted into different shades. Some were jealous, some were overwhelmed, some admired. What was clear was that there was no flaw in his argument.

Even then, Seo Hamin kept speaking without pause. Jaeha suddenly felt a very strange feeling as he watched his lips open and close each time he spoke.

He defended someone that everyone would judge as immoral, yet he did not shrink at all. Even if the whole world criticized the defendant, Seo Hamin would not.

Suddenly, like a piercing gone wrong, he felt something ringing near his ear. In the wide lecture hall, he could see only one person, and he could hear only that person’s voice.

His mouth was dry. It felt like thirst, or like something was missing.

Hamin did not move much. His voice was not loud, and he did not exaggerate needlessly. Yet Jaeha could not look away.

Can stars shine in someone’s eyes?

It sounded crazy, but in Hamin’s pupils he thought he saw stars. The flicker inside those unusually black eyes shone brilliantly.