About

In the first year of middle school, there was a kid who sat as quietly as dust in the corner of the classroom. Feeling sorry for him, I took him under my wing and hung out with him—that small, timid brat was Yoo Han-gyeol. But the boy I thought would follow me around forever began to change with terrifying momentum as soon as he entered high school. His height shot up day by day until he easily surpassed 180cm, and his narrow shoulders broadened like an athlete's. A strange streak of rebellion settled in his once-gentle eyes, and he lived with a foul mouth, having built a wall between himself and his studies. I clicked my tongue watching him hang out with delinquents who caused trouble every single day, but he was the only one who never blew cigarette smoke in front of me. It was for the sole reason that I loathed the smell of tobacco. Defying the sneers of those who doubted he could even get into college, he got accepted into the Department of Physical Education at Hankuk University, the most prestigious school in the country, solely on his natural physique. Even while acting like a thug, he managed his body perfectly, and in the end, those muscles paid off. Inwardly, I felt reassured. I thought having a friend of ten years at the same university would make things easier. However, Han-gyeol bolted to the military as soon as he enrolled, leaving me suddenly alone on campus. One day, while I was vowing not to let him off easy once he was discharged, he contacted me saying he was out on leave. "Hey, pick up the damn phone faster. You want to see me die of loneliness?" The solid chest muscles visible through his tight T-shirt and his thick frame made it impossible to find any trace of the 'little kid I used to play with' anymore. As soon as we met, Han-gyeol ruffled my hair and gave a mischievous grin. I only intended to have a light drink. Maybe it was the alcohol, but that day, I felt possessed by the way he gazed at me so intently. We were definitely just friends, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how we ended up in this kind of relationship. This ambiguous connection that started then has continued for three years, even after his discharge.