#21

Jung-hoo sunbae seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded before standing up. Then he started going around, checking in on each of the juniors and peers, making sure they were doing okay.

Does he never get tired…?

Watching him diligently taking care of everyone in the club, I felt both admiration and curiosity rise within me. Where did that passion come from—to stay until the very end and look after others like that?

A faint vibration buzzed. I flipped over my phone and saw it was a call from Wei Chen.

Ah, how long has it been?

Like a lightbulb flicking on in my head, Wei Chen’s voice echoed through my mind. “Call me every 30 minutes.” That one line rang in my ears and jabbed at my heart.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly looked around. The gathering had already become loud and rowdy, drinks clinking and voices rising. It hit me how much I had let my guard down in the rush of time.

“This is bad…”

I grabbed my phone and checked the screen. The last time I contacted Wei Chen was way longer ago than I thought. I quickly got up and slipped out of the gathering. Outside was relatively quiet. The cold air helped clear my head a little, though I was still a bit tipsy.

I searched for his number and pressed the call button. The dial tone dragged on, making my heart race with unease. Then his voice came through on the other end.

“Hello.”

I answered quickly, a bit panicked.

—Do you know what I hate?

No greeting—just a sharp question that came out of nowhere. I was speechless for a moment. What is this, a quiz show? Did I use a phone-a-friend lifeline or something?

“How many seconds do I get to guess?”

—Clinginess and being controlled.

Wei Chen ignored my joke and said what he wanted to say. The discomfort in his low voice came through the receiver, clear as day.

—I hate being on the receiving end of it, and I sure as hell don’t enjoy doing it either.

“I’m sorry. Things got a little hectic…”

It wasn’t a lie—it really was. I’d been swamped, surrounded by juniors like it was a fan signing event, having to talk to each of them one by one. If I’d started messaging Wei Chen right there, someone would’ve insisted on a video call for sure. Of course, the biggest fault lay with me for not keeping my promise.

—Your voice sounds wrecked.

“…It’s been a while since I drank.”

He let out a sound—either a sigh or just silence, I couldn’t tell.

—Don’t force yourself to drink.

“I can’t refuse when it’s the seniors offering.”

—Then throw the whole glass against the wall.

“Are you insane? Don’t you care about my social reputation?”

—What good is reputation when it comes to guys like that?

He said it like it was nothing.

—Also, you’ve got a habit of blurting out what you’re really thinking.

“…I must be drunk.”

I heard him sigh briefly.

—You’ve been there long enough. Come home.

Wei Chen’s voice rang low in my ear. As firm and concise as always, but for some reason, the way he said “home” sank into my chest in a way that felt unfamiliar.

“I can just say goodbye and leave… Are you coming to get me?”

He gave a short reply.

—Yeah.

I wanted to ask more.

“Are you nearby?”

—I’ll be there in ten minutes.

I was expecting to wait at least thirty. The unexpectedly short time made me pause. No way… Had he been waiting nearby this whole time?

A discomfort stirred inside me. If he was planning to wait, he could’ve at least told me. Then I wouldn’t have dragged my feet—I would’ve grabbed my bag right away and headed out. Suddenly, I felt rushed.

Hurrying back into the restaurant, I spoke to Wei Chen.

“I’ll grab my bag and be out really fast.”

But something inside had changed. The lively chatter and clinking of glasses had given way to a strange unease.

People who’d been laughing and talking in their seats were now crowding around one table, murmuring to each other about something. A subtle tension in the air made my nerves stand on end. I slowly walked in, glancing around as I grabbed my bag.

I figured I should at least say goodbye, so I looked around for Jung-hoo sunbae. He was standing in the middle of the group. But the bright, clear smile he always wore was gone—his expression was stiff with discomfort and awkwardness.

What happened…?

Curiosity flickered in me, but the thought of Wei Chen waiting outside made the urge to ask fade away. I could just ask later when I saw them at school.

“Han Dabi.”

The moment someone said my name, my eyes met Jung-hoo sunbae’s. But his gaze on me… it was oddly subdued.

“Dabi.”

Just as a strange sense of déjà vu started to creep in, he stepped straight toward me.

“Ah, sunbae. I was just about to head out.”

I forced down the creeping anxiety, telling myself it had nothing to do with me, and spoke in my usual tone.

But the place had gone so quiet, my voice felt like it boomed through the room like thunder. My shoulders shrank under the weight of everyone’s eyes zeroing in on me.

“…You’re leaving now.”

Jung-hoo sunbae looked both troubled and annoyed. He hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words, then let out a deep sigh as if making a decision, and spoke.

“My wallet’s gone.”

“What?”

“I thought I might need some cash, so I took a bit from the group dinner fund. My card was in there too.”

He wasn’t saying it to ask for help. The intent behind his words was too blunt to miss.

He was suspecting me.

That strange feeling I got the moment I stepped back into the restaurant—it hadn’t been my imagination after all. I’d been falsely accused of stealing before, but this was different. This time, I really didn’t do it. I’d been too overwhelmed by all the people swarming me to even think about stealing anything.

I just looked up at him in shock. The murmurs around us started rising one by one. I could feel the eyes on me, eyes that were starting to think—maybe, just maybe—it could be true.

And that was probably because of Jung-hoo sunbae’s certainty.

“Ah… it wasn’t me.”

“Dabi. Please.”

Sunbae didn’t even try to hear me out. He had already convinced himself of something. For a moment, the certainty in his eyes made me wonder—had I really done something without realizing it? But no. This time, it really wasn’t me. I’d been sitting the whole time, only stepping out to take Wei Chen’s call.

My chest tightened, and it felt hard to breathe.

If no one’s going to listen to me, am I just going to be branded a lying thief, no matter what? Frozen for a moment, unsure what to do, I finally forced myself to speak.

“I don’t even know what your wallet looks like.”

“Let’s stop, Dabi.”

Jung-hoo sunbae’s voice rumbled low. The same voice that had been so gentle, checking in on me just earlier, now felt cold and unfamiliar.

If it had been anyone else accusing me, I probably wouldn’t have stood here like such an idiot.

I instinctively shook my head.

“…Why do you suspect me?”

Compared to the emotions welling up inside, my voice came out small and powerless. It wasn’t nearly enough to convince someone already feeling guilty over losing their wallet. He looked at me for a while, then let out a short sigh.

“Can I see your bag?”

“You can… but I really didn’t do it.”

How convincing could those words have sounded? My voice trembled, my gaze wavered. Some might take that as a lie. Others, as a natural defense.

But I didn’t want to be treated like this by Jung-hoo sunbae. I just desperately wanted him to believe me. And yet—

“I already heard the rumors about you.”

“……”

That sentence cut straight through my chest like a knife.

I must’ve gone pale. Jung-hoo sunbae looked down at me, his expression conflicted. And then he said it.

“They say you’re a kleptomaniac.”

The words I had desperately wanted to avoid, to hide, were finally dragged out into the open. It felt like a windstorm swept through my head. My heart pounded violently.

Even before he finished speaking, the murmurs around us were already spreading like wildfire.

“What? Han Dabi?”

“Is that for real? Aren’t her parents the directors of that XX Dermatology chain? They’ve got clinics all over the country.”

“Why the hell would she… do something like that?”

“Guess that whole ‘rich kids are worse’ thing isn’t just a saying.”

The hushed voices swirled. All things I’d heard before, in some form or another.

“My friend’s younger sibling went to the same high school as her. She was kind of famous there—for a lot of things.”