To Byul (Omegaverse)-Chapter 110: Hold on, why aren’t you panicking?

"You’re so thorough and serious with your studies, Hwa." Kang-woo said, wrapping his arms around his neck and rubbing his face against his head. "You’re such a model student. I’m far behind so I’ll be in your care." He smiled.

"Stop acting like you, and I didn’t get the same grades back in high school." Chin-hwa said, trying to ward him off like a fly but he persistently clinged onto Chin-hwa and didn’t let go.

"Oh, that was in high school." Kang-woo said. "I’m a transfer student right now, so I’m not exactly up to date on my Korean studies."

Chin-hwa glanced back at him, wondering. If he had been taking treatment all along, then did that mean he had never gone to college all along, and he had skipped two years just to make it believable and actually be in the same year as him?

Well, it would remain a mystery.

Kang-woo pushed the elevator button and it opened. They both walked in in that position that oddly felt natural.

Chin-hwa yawned and took out his phone, making sure the others weren’t slacking off and planning to skip morning class, while Kang-woo acted as a leash, not wanting to let go. He probably knew he could only do this while it was just the both of them but when they were both outside, he would have to keep his distance.

After all, Chin-hwa was someone else’s boyfriend. That left a bitter taste on his tongue but he just had to deal with reality as it was.

They got down at the garage and got into Kang-woo’s car.

"Hey, what about Yun-tae’s stuff I kept at the back of your car yesterday?" Chin-hwa asked.

"Oh, I dropped them at your place already." Kang-woo answered, turning on the engine.

"Thanks," Chin-hwa answered and didn’t say anything more but he felt like he was forgetting something. Something very very important.

As Kang-woo stopped the car at a red light, he caught sight of some high schoolers crossing the road and chatting happily and then it struck him. The thing that was more important than anything.

"K-kang-woo..." He called, slowly turning his head like a robot. "Where’s my school bag?"

Kang-woo’s eyes equally widened and Chin-hwa palmed his face.

"Not even a child would make the mistake of leaving their school bag when going to school." He said. "What do I do now? We have to head to my dorm room and... And... Gosh, we’re screwed. We’re going to be so late." He looked up at Kang-woo who seemed fine.

Chin-hwa glanced at the back of the car but didn’t find anything and said,

"Hold on, why aren’t you panicking?" He asked. "Your bag is nowhere to be found, which means you left yours as well. Why are you acting like everything’s fine?"

"It’s because everything is fine." Kang-woo said, laughing softly. "I carried your bag, as well as your laptop, and put them in the boot. Mine are there as well." He patted Chin-hwa’s hair. "Sorry for making you worry but we aren’t making a pre-schooller mistake and leaving our bags."

Chin-Hwa took in one deep breath at a time and exhaled heavily each time till he was fine and he said,

"I probably should’ve asked questions before jumping to conclusions," he said and rested his head on the window. "I’m calm now, so don’t worry about me."

Kang-woo couldn’t help but watch Chin-hwa and feel he was such a funny character to date. To think he assumed he hadn’t carried their bags.

Well, he almost did forget it, but with Chin-hwa’s laptop having such glittering and glowing stickers on top of it, he couldn’t exactly ignore it and forget to pick it up.

’But I wonder what would’ve become of us if I did forget it.’ he thought, chuckling to himself.

They finally got to the school grounds and Kang-woo parked his car where he usually did, but not without attracting attention from the students who had already marked his car.

They were hoping to approach Kang-woo as soon as he got down from his car and get ’closer’ to him before he went to his classes, but as soon as Kang-woo got down, he rushed towards the other side of the door to help Chin-Hwa out of the car.

Chin-hwa saw this as unnecessary. He could get out of the car on his own but Kang-woo insisted on aiding him, dropping his hand on the top so he wouldn’t hit his head.

"It’s not like I’m tall or anything," Chin-hwa muttered.

"Well, you never know," Kang-woo said, "Accidents happen."

"Yeah, I get it."

Kang-woo went to the boot and took out their bags. Chin-hwa made sure it was all in there, everything he needed for the day, and seeing them complete, he sighed in relief.

"So, do I get a well done?" Kang-woo asked, beaming with a smile, clearly asking for a reward.

"Well, you did save us from going back to get them." Chin-hwa said. "I had been negligent and was only concerned with what I was going to wear instead of what I was coming to school to do."

"Hey, now, don’t berate yourself." Kang-woo said, grabbing his hand. "It’s not like you forgot about school. You thought of everything ahead of time, you just made this little mistake. So, it’s okay."

Chin-hwa looked away.

"Yeah, no one is above mistakes. Thank you." He said, turning his head back to him and smiling.

"Then, do I finally get a reward?" He asked.

"What do you want?" Chin-hwa asked. It was just the question Kang-woo was waiting for but before he could even speak, Ji-hoo had spotted them and walked up to them.

"Wow, you’ve got a sweet ride, Lee Kang-woo." Ji-hoo said and then turned to Chin-hwa. He was surprised at first.

It was literally the first time he had seen Chin-hwa wear something aside from grey, white, or black.

Was this also Kang-woo’s doing? He had such a positive effect on Chin-hwa.

Without, knowing, he had reached for Chin-hwa’s face and caressed it softly, to Chin-hwa’s surprise.

"Good morning, Chin-hwa." He said with a smile. "You’re glowing today and you look kind of... different." He laughed. "I’m guessing your weekend went well?"

Chin-hwa lowered his gaze a bit. This was rather... Intimate, wasn’t it? Yeah, they were dating but he agreed to act to a certain level.

Well, it wasn’t so bad. But he wondered what was going through Kang-woo’s mind at a time like this.

"Yeah, it was fine." Chin-hwa answered and Ji-hoo nodded, shifting his gaze to Kang-woo.

They both came to school together, so he could only assume that they made up over the weekend. It was a good thing but... Could Kang-woo quit glaring at him? He felt like he was going to screw a hole into his head any minute with just his eyes.

Kang-woo was indeed glaring. He was glaring because Ji-hoo had suddenly interrupted his long-awaited moment, came in between them, and even touched Chin-Hwa so gently on the face.

He was still standing in between them, so why wouldn’t he glare?

"Hah!" He sighed dryly and pressed his index and thumb on both eyes.

"What’s wrong?" Chin-hwa suddenly asked, hearing his dry sigh and how he was rubbing his eyes. "Does your eyes hurt?"

Chin-hwa walked around Ji-hoo and stood in front of Kang-woo.

"Oh no, it’s fine." Kang-woo answered, dropping his hand. "Sorry for making you worry but it’s really nothing."

Still, Chin-hwa couldn’t stick to his words. What if he was hiding his condition?

"If your eyes hurt," Ji-hoo spoke up, "You could go see the nurse at the school clinic. I think it’s very close to your faculty building."

"Oh, that’s a good idea." Chin-hwa said but Kang-woo furrowed his eyebrows, wondering what Ji-hoo was planning.

"No, Hwa, let’s not go there." He said. "I said my eyes are fine and I’d we make that trip, we’re going to be late for our first class. I can’t let that happen."

"Then..."

"You guys can go there after your first class." Ji-hoo once again added. It was as if he wanted them to go to the school clinic by all means.

But he just wanted them to spend a little more time together.

Judging by what he had observed, he could find no other match for Chin-hwa. They could try to deny it with their might, try to hide it however they wished, but he knew that in the end, Kang-woo and Chin-hwa would end up together.

And once that happens... He’ll be by himself.

So, rather than waiting to fall deeper into a pit he knew he would have trouble getting out of later, he would rather start climbing out of it.

He liked Chin-hwa, he really did. But at this point, the best he could do for him with the feelings he had was to push him to the person who could make him happy.

"Alright, I’ll be on my way now," Ji-hoo waved at them. "You two have fun,"

Chin-hwa stared at him oddly as he left.

"He seems strange today," he exclaimed but Kang-woo had his own opinion and said,

"Doesn’t he act strange every day?"

"Well, no, he doesn’t?"

"Oh yeah?" Kang-woo looked away. "I think he does."

They stood silently for a few seconds before Chin-hwa turned to Kang-woo and stubbornly said,

"Now, about your eyes--"

"I said they’re fine, Hwa." Kang-woo interrupted him right away and dropped his hands on his shoulder, pushing him ahead. "Don’t worry about it and let’s just go to class."