After falling from the second-story window, I immediately headed to the emergency room.
Fortunately, the examination results showed no serious injuries. Just a minor bruise on my forearm and some slight scratches elsewhere.
“I can’t survive like this. How long has it been since I was discharged…?”
This was the treatment room. Choi Soo-eun sighed repeatedly while disinfecting my wounds.
“What kind of action leads to falling from a window? Is this common among Combat Division students?”
It’s true that injuries are an everyday occurrence for those in the Combat Division.
However, Choi Soo-eun admitted this was her first time dealing with someone falling from a classroom window, and her confusion was evident.
“Can you at least say something?”
“There’s no excuse. It was my mistake.”
“Of course, it was a mistake. Who in the world would intentionally jump out of a window?”
Paang!
Choi Soo-eun slapped the wounded area hard with her palm. It was probably to ensure the adhesive tape stayed on properly.
Maybe.
“Alright. You can leave now.”
“…”
Even after the treatment was finished, I didn’t get up from the chair. I stayed seated.
Seeing that I wasn’t leaving, Choi Soo-eun tilted her head.
“What are you doing? Not leaving?”
“If I go back now, I have to attend class.”
“…”
It hadn’t been more than an hour since the examination and treatment began, and going back to the classroom would mean sitting through another lecture.
Notably, the current lecture would last an exhausting three hours straight with no breaks.
It would be smarter to just skip.
“What kind of kid are you… How embarrassing…”
Choi Soo-eun shook her head repeatedly as she began to tidy up the dressing tools she had used.
“Is there anything you can help with?”
“It’s fine. You’ll just end up doing something reckless and getting hurt again.”
She was treating me like a full-blown troublemaker. Of course, it was justified, considering I had been constantly causing accidents and landing in the hospital.
Rather, staying put and not bothering her further was how I could be helpful.
“Oh, by the way.”
While rinsing the medical tools at the sink, Choi Soo-eun spoke up.
“There’s a little gathering later tonight. Are you coming?”
We’d been running nonstop through the first half of the training and the midterm exams. To console the exhausted students, the school usually organized small events after each regular exam. Though these gatherings weren’t extravagant—just providing some drinks and snacks, along with maybe a performance—they were simply called “after-parties” among the students.
“After-party, huh…”
Surely, a lot of students would attend, including Kang Tae-hoon, who had been anxiously searching for me.
The smart choice would be to stay locked in my room and avoid trouble.
“…”
But I couldn’t keep running from Kang Tae-hoon forever. If we were in the same school, we would eventually meet.
Perhaps it would be better to confront Kang Tae-hoon myself before that day came. Use this after-party as an opportunity.
Creating my own breakthrough, in reverse.
“By the way, do you still have that wheelchair from last time?”
I’d need equipment first. I started by looking for a wheelchair.
“Why?”
“Just for today. I need to borrow it temporarily.”
I’d borrowed one during the midterms before, so this time shouldn’t be difficult either. Plus, there was Choi Soo-eun’s influence involved. It would be strange if I couldn’t borrow it.
“No.”
But the response was a rejection.
I asked for the reason.
“Why not?”
“Are you seriously going to use a wheelchair for just that?”
Choi Soo-eun pointed at my arm, the one she just disinfected. Compared to the injury I had during the midterms when I hurt my back, this was really nothing.
This isn’t enough to borrow a wheelchair, is it?
“Is there really no way around it?”
“Nope.”
Teeeeeeeng.
In the end, Choi Soo-eun wouldn’t lend me the wheelchair.
What should I do? Without the wheelchair, I can’t start my operation. It plays such a big role in this plan.
I have to borrow it no matter what.
There’s no other way. Here, I have no choice but to go all out.
Chug—
I decided to take action immediately. I got up from my seat and approached Choi Soo-eun.
“Ho, how could you even think I’d lend it… Wh, wh, what are you doing!”
Our noses were almost touching as I drew my face close to hers. In that state, I firmly grabbed her hand.
“Please, just one last time. Can’t you lend me the wheelchair?”
“E, get your face out of the way and talk properly! It’s making me uncomfortable!”
“No. I’ll keep doing this until you lend it to me.”
“Ugh…”
Choi Soo-eun’s eyes darted around, unsure where to look. I moved my face even closer, leaving not an inch of room.
“Hey! You’re too close! Too close!”
“I’ve already made that resolve.”
“…”
Choi Soo-eun’s eyes started to spin. Her face turned bright red as though it might burst. Unable to endure it any longer, she finally shouted.
“Fine, I’ll lend it. Just lend it to you! So please, get your face away!”
In the end, she surrendered. It seems there are indeed some things you can only achieve through direct confrontation. Now I slightly understand why those problematic petitioners go to such lengths and cause such commotions.
I pulled my face away as promised and released her hand.
“Phew…”
On the other hand, Choi Soo-eun took a deep breath, relieved. The redness on her face returned to its normal hue.
“What in the world are you doing all of a sudden… really…”
Also…
She was almost like an impregnable wall in front of me, wasn’t she?
The last time we held each other tightly, she didn’t react at all.
Why is she like this today?
*
That evening, as planned, I attended the after-party in a wheelchair. To better play the part of a patient, I also borrowed a neck brace and a white patient uniform.
I expressed my thanks once again to Choi Soo-eun for providing all these accessories, and entered the large hall.
Kerik. Kerik.
The hall was filled with many students. They were gathered in groups, eating food or sipping drinks. It was a regular scene for an after-party.
“Hey, Spoon!”
The first to spot me was Moon Shin-chung. He approached me with a glass of champagne in hand.
“Huh? What’s with the wheelchair? You got hurt worse than I thought?”
“Well, it turned out this way.”
I dramatically pointed to my neck brace. It would show just how unwell I was.
“Are you sure it’s okay for you to be here like this? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“…”
Ignoring Moon Shin-chung’s worries, I quickly looked around the hall. Where could Kang Tae-hoon be?
“Since you’re here, why don’t you grab something to eat? Or how about having a drink with me?”
It was so crowded that finding Kang Tae-hoon in the midst of it all wasn’t easy. Moreover, sitting in a wheelchair lowered my eye level, making it even more challenging.
“Hey, are you listening to me?”
“Shin-chung, have you seen Kang Tae-hoon?”
“Eh? Kang Tae-hoon…?”
At the mention of Kang Tae-hoon’s name, Moon Shin-chung blinked his eyes.
“What do you want with him? I thought he’s been looking for you since last time. Did something happen between you two?”
“I started some trouble.”
“Hu…? You started trouble…? With Kang Tae-hoon…? Spoon, you…?”
“Yeah. I hit him on the head a few times with this spoon.”
“Huh? Huh? Are you joking…? Who would actually do something like that…?”
Though it wasn’t his problem, Moon Shin-chung’s whole body trembled. The champagne in the glass he held started spilling over.
“So, where is Kang Tae-hoon?”
“—Did I call you?”
Right on cue, Kang Tae-hoon appeared. I turned my wheelchair in the direction his voice came from.
“I, I don’t know anything… You two figure it out yourselves…”
Moon Shin-chung quickly excused himself from the situation, clearly not wanting to get involved any further. He was such a coward.
Tubbeok—
“Hmph…”
Then, Kang Tae-hoon revealed himself in front of me. His expression was more ferocious than ever. Though he was smiling, there was anger lurking within.
Kang Tae-hoon showed his teeth.
“You know, Spoon, I never expected you to come looking for me.”
“Clack. He turned his neck sharply, glaring at me. It felt like he was going to tear me apart at any moment.
Despite the situation, I leaned comfortably against the wheelchair’s backrest.
“I heard you were looking for me?”
“Yeah. I’ve been searching like crazy.”
What’s going on? Is there some kind of issue? Did a fight happen?
Students gradually gathered around us, sensing the unusual tension.
We need more audience.
“So, why were you looking for me?”
“Why? This guy’s completely crazy, right? Are you seriously asking why?”
Shwush—
Kang Tae-hoon unsheathed the sword on his waist. The sight caused the surrounding students to scream.
“You’re going to regret this today.”
As Kang Tae-hoon was about to take a step forward, I extended my hand.
“Hold on. Why are you threatening innocent people with a sword? Do I have any vendetta with you?”
“What…?”
Instantly, Kang Tae-hoon grimaced, probably not expecting me to be so shameless.
“You little… Are you pretending like you don’t know… Have you forgotten completely what you did to me…?”
“Um? What are you talking about? Did I do anything to you?”
“Exactly! You hit my head with that damn spoon! Twice!”
What? Now, I widened my eyes and innocently glanced at the surrounding students.
—That’s weird. Did this Kang Tae-hoon hit first? Is this about Shin Yoon-seong?
—Come on, Shin Yoon-seong might be crazy, but not that much…
The surrounding students also shook their heads, not understanding Kang Tae-hoon’s claims. How many people in this school could dare to hit Kang Tae-hoon, and would he just stand there and take it either?
Moreover, I’m the sick patient now, receiving everyone’s sympathy. They’re bound to support me over Kang Tae-hoon, who’s shouting loudly.
Indeed, the students started to look at Kang Tae-hoon with suspicious eyes.
“Hey, dude! Is this really some psycho? He’s fooling around and deceiving people with a straight face?”
“Hmm. The psycho here is you. Why would I fabricate facts and frame you? I don’t see a reason.”
“What…? You’re saying I made all this up…? This guy is unreal…”
Unable to control himself anymore, Kang Tae-hoon lunged at me. His eyes were already bloodshot.
“Where do you get off calling someone a psycho?”
At that moment, someone blocked Kang Tae-hoon’s sword.
“Student Kang Tae-hoon, it’s an event. Please avoid unnecessary disturbances.”
Combat Division assistant professor Seo Dan-ah stopped Kang Tae-hoon. She caught the blade with her shiny metallic prosthetic arm.
“We’ll hear your story thoroughly in the department administration office.”
“IIIIIEEEEK…!”
Later in the department administration office, Kang Tae-hoon had nothing to prove his claims.
No matter how long he explained, there was no evidence that I had hit him with a spoon. There weren’t even CCTVs in the outdoor training ground.
In the end, the incident was concluded as Kang Tae-hoon misunderstanding things.
—Stop joking around! Who decided to conclude this? This guy hit me first with a spoon! Huh?
Of course, Kang Tae-hoon denied it, but…
