fynovel Chapter 171: Joy (8)
Chapter 171: Joy (8)
Chapter 171: Joy (8)
The delicate aroma of fried tofu stuffed rice[1] emanated from the lunch box, slowly filling the classroom. At first, only I and Goh Yoo-Joon smelled it, but soon, every kid in the class caught on to Hee-Su's mission, sharing secretive giggles while the teacher's back faced us. The English teacher was also aware of it, but he chose to turn a blind eye as long as we kept our mischief under wraps.
Anyway, it was definitely so funny that everyone could barely hold their laughter. The absurdity of the situation—sneaking bites from lunchboxes in an era dominated by cafeteria meals—was undeniably comical. Hee-Su's concept, no matter how many times I mulled over it, was hilariously outlandish, especially considering it defied typical students at public schools.
As I cast a bemused glance at Hee-Su, I could see embarrassment flush his face. His cheeks tinted with red as he hastily shoved a piece of fried tofu stuffed rice into his mouth, gesturing impatiently for me to look away.
Struggling to suppress my laughter, I bit my lip and forcefully directed my attention elsewhere, though the corners of my mouth betrayed me by twitching upward.
I tried to stifle my laughter, but the rich scent of fried tofu stuffed rice wafting through the air and the occasional clink of chopsticks threatened to break my composure. Now, focusing on the lesson became an uphill battle for me
Goh Yoo-Joon was surprisingly alert for once and suddenly swiveled around with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He turned toward Hee-Su, and I pretended to ignore him as I thought he was just about to tease Hee-Su. However, he suddenly tossed something into my unsuspecting mouth.
“...Eup!” I choked back a startled laugh, shooting Goh Yoo-Joon a glare as he nonchalantly pointed at Hee-Su with his index finger.
As I chewed, I could feel the soft, savory taste of a rolled omelet.
After that, the teacher's sharp reprimand sliced through the air. “Who's making noise at the back? I've said no talking during class."
Goh Yoo-Joon sheepishly raised his hand in admission and said, “I am sorry."
“Next time, it's straight to the back for punishment."
“Yes, sir.” I didn’t care whether Goh Yoo-Joon apologized for me or not. I simply savored this omelet with delight, its homemade warmth contrasting sharply with the ones that factories made.
As I polished off the last bite, Goh Yoo-Joon handed me a piece of fried chicken. It was oversized and awkward to eat discreetly.
This act of rebellion, initiated by Hee-Su, had become our collective secret—a shared bond forged over stolen bites and whispered conspiracies. Tearing wooden chopsticks with a flourish, Goh Yoo-Joon started distributing bites of food to nearby classmates. The shared glances and stifled giggles soon turned into a silent pact of complicity, each of us sneaking nibbles as if on a covert mission.
The sight of students, particularly those in the center rows, covertly indulging in this silent feast undoubtedly presented a considerable challenge for our teacher. He grappled to retain his composure at the podium.
After a while, a hushed voice beckoned me. “Hey.”
I turned around and found Daniele looking at me from the back, with an expectant look on his face.
“Why?"
Without a word, he pointed from Hee-Su to himself and said, “I want some too.” After that, he winked at me.
Ughhhh, that was too much. I wanted to clean my eyes.
I didn’t understand why he was asking me when Hee-Su was right next to him. Despite the awkwardness, I complied, passing a piece of fried tofu stuffed rice his way. Daniele's satisfied grin was accompanied by a silent “oh, sweet," which marked the end of our little secret.
“Daniele is the last. We are done here," Hee-Su announced, closing the chapter on our lunchbox adventure as he tucked his now empty box back into his bag.
“...”
Despite the simplicity of our actions, a wave of collective satisfaction washed over us. And just in time, a quick-thinking classmate by the window brought in some fresh air, clearing the scents of our feast as class resumed its usual rhythm.
The class continued as if nothing had happened, with the students refocusing on the teacher’s instructions. Goh Yoo-Joon also looked at the board. His tiredness must have been swept away by the food.
[Jeong Hee-Su - Eating lunch sneakily during class. Mission complete!]
As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Hee-Su's mission was deemed a resounding success, which left us with a shared memory of laughter and rebellion.
***
“You must have read too many comic books? Eating lunch during class, seriously?"
“Yeah, that’s pretty outdated..."
“Shush! I just wanted to try it, okay?"
Hee-Su's defensive retort to Goh Yoo-Joon and Joon-Hwan's teasing caught me off guard.
“You actually wrote that down, seriously?" I asked, suspecting that he had written the first thing that came to his mind to avoid being late, just like I did.
Hee-Su's reaction was a mix of embarrassment and indignation. His experience looked priceless as he stormed off. "Ah, forget it!"
The next class was PE[2]. We were making our way toward the locker room that was located in one of the school’s quieter corners. Much like our uniforms that were sent directly to our homes, our gym clothes were also neatly stored in our individual lockers.
Drrr-
Upon reaching the locker room, we pushed the door open, and it slid open with a smooth, gliding sound.
“...Can you believe this changing room? It's as spacious as a classroom!"
Amidst the concept photo shoot, the clamor of the bustling set faded into a dull murmur in the background.
‘My focus is starting to fray,' Kang Joo-Han thought, a wave of exhaustion clouding his mind. While sitting before a sleek, transparent piano bathed in soft, pastel pink light, he let out a weary sigh and closed his eyes, trying to rest for a bit.
‘Once this wraps up, I need to finalize the track for the fan meet... And then there is...' Somehow, his thoughts trailed off.
“Ah, that's chilly," he murmured, startled by an unexpected cold sensation on his hand. Opening his eyes, he found Lee Su-Hwan standing beside him with a sheepish grin.
“Feeling tired?" Lee Su-Hwan asked, concern evident in his voice.
“Not really," Kang Joo-Han replied, though his weary eyes told a different story. The source of the cold was a freshly bought iced coffee, a considerate gesture from Lee Su-Hwan. Kang Joo-Han then took a sip of the black coffee, and once again, his gaze drifted into the distance.
“It seems you are more worn out than me," Kang Joo-Han remarked, observing the tired lines etching deeper on his manager's face.
“I'm fine, really," Lee Su-Hwan insisted, but his voice lacked conviction.
Hearing his answer, Kang Joo-Han couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself. The demanding schedule of an artist meant minimal rest for the crew, especially for someone as dedicated as Lee Su-Hwan who treated Chronos's affairs as his own.
“Make sure you hit the bed as soon as we get back tonight,” Lee Su-Hwan said as he placed his hand on Joo-Han’s shoulder.
“Don’t just worry about us, and make sure to take care of yourself, hyung. If you collapse, I will show the members the new wallpaper on your phone.” Even as Kang Joo-Han chuckled and made light of the situation, Lee Su-Hwan’s concern didn’t seem to lessen.
Seeing this, Kang Joo-Han let go of his forced composure and allowed his true exhaustion to show. He said, “I feel like I'm about to die."
Among all the members, Kang Joo-Han was the most sleep-deprived. Sometimes, he would just have a quick nap after working late and proceed with the day's schedule as if nothing was amiss.
Lee Su-Hwan had once cleared Kang Joo-Han's schedule for a day to ensure he got some rest, but none of the members took a break. They just continued with their usual practice and work.
“Try to get some sleep in the car after the shoot. I will make sure you are asleep in the dorm before I leave today."
“Ah, it's fine. You should get some rest, hyung."
Lee Su-Hwan was about to say something more when suddenly...
“Joo-Han, we are ready to start shooting!" A staff member called out loudly.
Kang Joo-Han, slightly annoyed, flashed a mischievous smile at Lee Su-Hwan and gently pushed him out of the set. Lee Su-Hwan reluctantly stepped off, and Kang Joo-Han placed his hands on the piano keys in front of him.
Unfortunately, the clarity he had gained from their brief conversation started to fade, leaving him in a tranquil daze. For Lee Su-Hwan's sake, he decided that he would get some proper rest tonight.
He started playing a light melody on the piano, peering through the prop glasses at the keys.
“Ah, the hyungs are fighting again! Manager, they are at it again!"
“Sigh, it's exhausting how often they find reasons to bicker. Suh Hyun-Woo, Goh Yoo-Joon."
“Hyungs, let me bring another chair for you. Please, no fighting."
Suh Hyun-Woo and Goh Yoo-Joon were playfully wrestling over a single chair.
“Come on! Hey, Goh Yoo-Joon, don't make Yoon-Chan bring a chair. Go get one yourself!"
“But I was the one who brought this one in the first place!"
“Can't you see the name on the back of the chair? It says Suh Hyun-Woo. So where am I supposed to sit?"
“Ah, now you are Goh Yoo-Joon. Goh Yoo-Joon, bring your chair."
Kang Joo-Han's gaze cooled. 'These crazy guys, always fighting over the smallest things.'
Just last night, they argued about whether to close the curtains or not, and the night before that, it was a dispute over not charging the laptop after usage.
On set, the two continued their scuffle, complete with playful headlocks, while Park Yoon-Chan and Lee Su-Hwan tried to break it up. Meanwhile, Lee Jin-Sung added fuel to the fire, gleefully reporting yesterday's curtain incident to Lee Su-Hwan. Everything here was captured by the behind-the-scenes camera.
Seeing this scene, Kang Joo-Han let out a small laugh. He was indeed tired, but watching his fellow members playfully engage with each other always lifted his spirits. Over time, his affection for the other members had deepened, not just for Suh Hyun-Woo, with whom he had spent the most time. They had become like family to him.
No matter how exhausted he was, he found the strength to push a little harder for their sake.
“Joo-Han, keep your posture and no need to smile. Okay, that's good. Feel free to play for real, just keep it natural," the director instructed.
“Alright."
A gentle melody flowed from his fingers. The song was "Once Again," the piece he always played.
1. ???? in Korean. ☜
2. Physical education, aka gym class. ☜