Chapter 7

“It’s alright. The teacher understands everything.”

Kongkongkong.

Chae Ah’s heart was pounding so loudly, it felt like it could be heard from outside.

Perhaps it was because she had just been embraced by Hyun Woo.

But right now, her racing heartbeat wasn’t due to excitement.

‘What if we end up in different classes?’

The school didn’t announce class assignments beforehand.

Instead, students had to check the posted class lists at the main entrance and then wait for their homeroom teacher.

“Huff… What if we end up in different classes?”

The mere thought of an undesirable future made her feel dizzy.

“I’ll cause a scene and try to get them changed.”

Despite his serious expression, Chae Ah couldn’t help but smile at his ridiculous suggestion.

“You’re not the type who can do that.”

“Still, it eased your tension, didn’t it?”

“…Did I show it that much?”

Nod.

Hyun Woo quietly nodded his head.

It was quite amazing.

Even though they were childhood friends, how could he always read her emotions so accurately?

“Hey, stop rolling your eyes and hurry up.”

A voice tinged with irritation came from behind—it was Eun Bi.

Hyun Woo turned around and asked Eun Bi,

“What’s suddenly wrong?”

“3rd Grade Class 6. We’re all in the same class. I just confirmed it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Pheww…”

Hyun Woo lit up, while Chae Ah let out a sigh of relief.

“Did you bribe someone? Weren’t you in the same class during elementary and middle school too? How are we in the same class for 12 years straight?”

Hyun Woo casually dismissed Eun Bi’s conspiracy theory and spoke,

“Then, you should talk to the teacher about it.”

“What did you assign me to do?”

“If I buy you something from the snack bar later, won’t that work?”

“…Alright, come on quickly.”

Eun Bi waved her hand impatiently.

Chae Ah tilted her head in confusion.

“Where are we going? Shouldn’t we just go straight to our classroom?”

“Nope. You need to go to the nurse’s office first.”

“Huh?”

Before she could protest, Hyun Woo began walking her away.

“But I’m fine!”

“I know. Just follow quietly.”

“If I’m fine, why the nurse’s office…”

“Tsk.”

Without any logical persuasion, Hyun Woo dragged Chae Ah along forcefully.

‘He keeps hugging me randomly—what am I supposed to do?’

There seemed to be no cooldown period; every time, he would suddenly embrace her tightly, making her heart feel like it might explode.

And so, Hyun Woo had decided not to resolve things with words anymore.

After successfully dragging Chae Ah to the nurse’s office, Hyun Woo knocked on the door.

Dokdokdok.

“Is anyone there?”

– Hmm? Who is it this early morning?

A slightly startled voice responded from inside.

It was understandable.

It wasn’t common for students to visit the nurse’s office on the first day of school.

Drrrr.

“Hello. It’s Do Hyun Woo and Yu Chae Ah from Class 6, Grade 3.”

“Chae Ah and Hyun Woo? What’s the matter?”

For some reason, Chae Ah and Hyun Woo were close to the nurse.

Whenever Chae Ah got injured during gym class, Hyun Woo would immediately bring her to the nurse’s office.

“Yu Chae Ah had an accident recently and lost her memory…”

Hyun Woo briefly explained Chae Ah’s situation.

Although the nurse initially seemed skeptical, like Eun Bi,

“So, Chae Ah, you really don’t remember anything?”

“Yes.”

“Sigh…”

After seeing Chae Ah’s condition firsthand, the nurse had no choice but to believe it.

“Alright, I understand. She complained of a headache this morning, so she’ll rest here for a bit before heading to class, right?”

“Yes, but is that okay?”

“Would you still go even if I said it’s not okay?”

“…Can’t we somehow avoid it?”

“Hmm… Bribery, maybe? Fine, rest here for an hour. I’m specially allowing this since it’s Hyun Woo.”

“Thank you.”

Hyun Woo bowed his head slightly.

At moments like these, the image of being a model student proved to be quite useful.

“Did you inform the homeroom teacher?”

“Another friend will pass the message.”

“Sigh. You don’t seem like the type to exploit friends.”

“She volunteered to do it herself.”

Of course, Eun Bi’s true intentions were unknown.

But Hyun Woo assumed that was probably the case.

“Hmm… Alright. Since I have to attend the opening ceremony anyway, rest comfortably. And don’t do anything funny while you’re alone.”

“…What are you implying?”

“Eh? Your blushing face tells me you know what I mean, but seriously, don’t do anything.”

The teasing nurse left the room giggling.

‘How does someone so young act like such an aunt? No wonder she doesn’t date.’

While thinking this silently, Hyun Woo turned his head toward Chae Ah.

“Don’t just stand there, lie down.”

“…Is this allowed?”

“Isn’t it?”

“???”

Chae Ah blinked her eyes, as if asking what exactly they were doing.

“You looked exhausted the whole way to school, and you even mentioned having a headache. So, rest for a while before going. Since we only have today to do this.”

Hyun Woo wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed such rule-breaking behavior, even under the guise of being a model student.

It was merely that thinking about Chae Ah gave him the courage to do so.

“…Alright.”

Chae Ah lay down on the bed, her ears slightly red.

‘This much care is natural between childhood friends, right?’

Even if roles were reversed, he would have taken care of her to this extent.

Knowing this fact, Chae Ah still couldn’t calm her rapidly beating heart.

“Aren’t you lying down too?”

“Isn’t that already crossing the line of decency?”

“Considering how little you have left anyway…”

“Just try to sleep quietly.”

Hyun Woo covered his eyes with his palm, hiding his reddening face.

‘Why did I say that just now?’

If he hadn’t become aware of it, Hyun Woo would have rested beside her as well.

Once conscious of it, he couldn’t lie next to Chae Ah.

Chae Ah grabbed Hyun Woo’s hand, interlaced her fingers with his, and placed it on her stomach.

“Holding hands is fine, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then, let me sleep for a bit…”

Though she pretended otherwise, the stress from the walk to school must have caught up with her.

Chae Ah quickly fell asleep.

Hyun Woo was grateful she closed her eyes before noticing his embarrassment.

‘Is there no way to prevent my face from turning red?’

If their eyes had met, his cheeks would have heated up even more.

*

* *

Ding-dong-dang-dong-

The bell signaling the end of the first period rang.

Drrrr.

Not long after, the nurse returned.

“I don’t even need to attend the opening ceremony, yet why am I called every year… Oh.”

Spotting Hyun Woo, the nurse stopped complaining.

“You’re still here?”

“We’re leaving soon.”

“…Will you tell the other teachers what you just heard?”

“Huh? What did I hear?”

Hyun Woo acted as if he hadn’t heard anything at all.

“Quick learner, aren’t you?”

The nurse chuckled and waved her hand.

“Go ahead and wake Chae Ah. If the rumor I just mentioned spreads, people might think you two are secretly dating in the nurse’s office.”

“What?”

Hyun Woo was shocked upon hearing this.

‘Is this person really a teacher?’

Her recent comment was far too petty and cruel to be coming from a nurse.

“Well, isn’t skipping the opening ceremony to hold hands in the nurse’s office something to be proud of?”

“No, it’s not, but…”

Speechless, Hyun Woo shook Chae Ah awake.

“Yu Chae Ah, wake up. Staying here longer won’t benefit us.”

“Umm?”

“Pfft.”

The nurse burst into laughter upon seeing Hyun Woo’s serious expression.

“Surely you didn’t expect me to actually do that, right? Of course, it was a joke. By the way, Teacher Mi Ji wants to see you two in the staff room.”

“Is Park Mi Ja our homeroom teacher?”

“My goodness, look at you! You came straight to the nurse’s office without knowing who your homeroom teacher is?”

Upon reflection, it did seem reckless to come directly to the nurse’s office, no matter how important Chae Ah was.

“Um… Should we go to the staff room?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

When Hyun Woo extended his hand,

Chae Ah naturally interlaced her fingers with his and stood up.

“How do you feel after resting?”

“Much better than before.”

“It shows.”

Chae Ah’s ears, which had been slightly drooping earlier, were now perkily standing upright.

“Tell me if you feel any pain. Otherwise, I’ll get angry for real.”

“Okay.”

“Then, let’s go… Why are you staring at us like that?”

As Hyun Woo and Chae Ah prepared to leave, the nurse’s gaze startled them.

“Heheh… Nothing. Just admiring the view.”

Her lecherous expression was inappropriate for a young female teacher, resembling someone obliviously grinning while reading a romance webtoon.

“…Thank you for letting us rest.”

“Thank you.”

Without uttering any rude words, Hyun Woo bowed his head alongside Chae Ah and left the nurse’s office.

“Next time, I won’t allow it, so only come when you’re injured. Preferably, don’t come at all.”

With the nurse waving goodbye,

Hyun Woo and Chae Ah headed to the staff room.

“Are we going to get scolded?”

“Probably. Skipping the first period without permission.”

“I could’ve gone straight there without any issues.”

“After resting, what are you complaining about?”

Without needing to speak, their intertwined fingers remained firmly locked.

*

* *

Dokdokdok.

Hyun Woo carefully knocked on the door and entered the staff room.

“Ah, you’re here?”

“Yes, we were called.”

“Alright. Would you both like to sit for a moment?”

Inside the staff room, their homeroom teacher, Park Mi Ja, greeted Hyun Woo and Chae Ah warmly.

She was a middle-aged female teacher who had been their homeroom teacher last year.

This year, she was also assigned as the grade supervisor.

Expecting punishment for skipping the first period,

“Is Chae Ah feeling better?”

To their surprise, she didn’t scold them.

“I heard from your mother that she experienced memory loss after an accident recently.”

She was already informed about Chae Ah’s situation.

“I also heard you visited the nurse’s office, according to Eun Bi.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Good. Health is more important than any opening ceremony.”

Her statement was sincere, not sarcastic.

Although unclear why she became the grade supervisor…

“If everything’s fine, that’s all. I’ve already informed the other students, so they likely won’t bother you.”

Pausing for a moment, the teacher smiled gently and asked:

“Chae Ah, you truly don’t remember anything except Hyun Woo?”

“…Yes.”

“…I see.”

Her gentle smile turned slightly bittersweet.

Chae Ah was one of the top students and naturally received a lot of attention from teachers.

Forgetting that she had been her homeroom teacher last year must have been disheartening.

“Hyun Woo, please take good care of Chae Ah. Didn’t the hospital mention that?”

“Yes, I’m already doing my best.”

“Hmm. Indeed, it seems like you are.”

The teacher stared intently at the desk, specifically at Hyun Woo and Chae Ah’s interlocked hands beneath it.

“Th-This is…”

“It’s alright. I understand everything. Our school doesn’t prohibit relationships anyway.”

“No, it’s not like that…”

Trying to explain, Hyun Woo was interrupted.

Ding-dong-dang-dong-

“Alright, the class bell has rung. Hurry back to class.”

They were practically kicked out of the staff room.

‘Misunderstandings seem to be piling up.’

Hyun Woo inwardly felt aggrieved, but…

“Hyun Woo, aren’t you coming?”

“Let’s go.”

Even so, refusing to let go of each other’s hands seemed like an invitation for further misunderstandings.