Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 88: Certain Feelings

"That dumbass being popular? Get the fuck outta here. Don’t talk bullshit."

From the moment Ha Dohoon’s voice was heard, Ha Giyeon and Son Suhyeon had no intention of staying there. Getting tangled up with Ha Dohoon was exhausting—they were planning to quietly slip back into the school building. But the moment Ha Dohoon reacted so viciously just at the mention of Giyeon’s name, Giyeon’s legs wouldn’t move.

He already knew Dohoon referred to him as a “pushover,” but to hear it said so bluntly, so mercilessly, out loud like that...

He was hit with the realization all over again: he truly wasn’t respected in the slightest. Ha Dohoon hated even hearing his name mentioned—his disregard for Giyeon was that thorough.

“Jeez, why’re you getting that worked up...”

“Pisses me off, so don’t talk about him—”

The rest of Dohoon’s irritated voice didn’t reach him. Something warm pressed against his ears. When Ha Giyeon lifted his bowed head, he saw Son Suhyeon standing in front of him, both hands gently covering his ears. The moment Suhyeon’s cold hands touched him, the sound was cut off completely.

Suhyeon, eyes cold as ice, was staring toward the wall beyond—and then he pulled Ha Giyeon into his arms.

Giyeon didn’t even have time to be startled. Instead, he focused entirely on the sound of Suhyeon’s heartbeat pounding steadily in his chest. Thump, thump—a steady rhythm. Curious, Giyeon tilted his head slightly, pressing his ear deeper against Suhyeon’s {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} chest.

“......?”

Then suddenly, the rhythm sped up. Thump-thump-thump, loud and fast. Giyeon’s eyes flew open.

Is Suhyeon-ie hyung dying or something?

Why was his heart suddenly racing so hard? Giyeon raised his head in alarm—only to see Suhyeon covering his own face with trembling hands. Though he turned his head away, the tips of his ears were clearly flushed red.

Seeing that, Giyeon’s face began to heat up too.

W-what did I just do?

It was only then he realized he’d been rubbing his face against Suhyeon’s chest. He’d just wanted to keep the harsh words at bay, and the sound of Suhyeon’s heartbeat had drowned them out, so he had instinctively leaned in.

“I—I’m sorry, hyung!”

Flustered, Giyeon quickly pulled away, and Suhyeon immediately turned his body aside.

He hadn’t wanted Giyeon to get hurt hearing that garbage from someone like Dohoon. That’s why he covered his ears and hugged him. He had just started to relax after hearing Dohoon’s footsteps fade and the cigarette stench drift away when...

He realized Giyeon had been rubbing his cheek into his chest.

He could feel the softness of Giyeon’s cheek and ear against him, and Suhyeon had nearly lost it—he clenched his jaw, forcing down the urge to shout.

From Giyeon’s hair came a faint, sweet shampoo scent. It made his skin prickle, made his blood rush.

This is insane... What is this...?

Lately, even the slightest touch from Giyeon made Suhyeon overheat. His heart pounded like crazy. He’d even wondered if he was getting sick and taken some medicine—but that wasn’t it. He wasn’t coughing. The heat only came when Giyeon was near. Once he left, Suhyeon’s body would calm down again.

Which meant the fever only flared up when he was in front of Ha Giyeon. But he had no idea why.

Suhyeon slapped his own cheek lightly and turned around.

“Let’s go in.”

“...Okay.”

They both glanced at each other awkwardly before climbing back over the wall and heading to their own class tents.

***

As the lunch break ended, the final matches of each event began. Ha Giyeon’s class lost in the second round of tug-of-war and had already been eliminated in soccer as well, so he was now sitting in the tent, watching the remaining games.

Even as he sat inside his inflatable dinosaur suit watching the grade-level games, Giyeon kept scanning the surroundings. He’d worn the suit on purpose, worried his brothers might show up at the tent. After lunch, a classmate had come up to tell him that Ha Dohoon was looking for him again.

It was hot, but better that than being recognized. Giyeon even had a mask on under the dinosaur head as he watched the games.

In the third-year tug-of-war finals, only Classes 8 and 5 remained. As expected of a final match, there were several large-bodied students on both sides.

Where’s Suhyeon-ie hyung...?

Giyeon moved into the crowd gathered near the rope and slid into a spot between the others. Thanks to his height, he quickly spotted Suhyeon holding the rope. He was talking to classmates in the back row, then moved to the front.

“Whoa... Who’s that sunbae? His face is insane.”

“He’s so tall...”

Suhyeon was pulling on work gloves and getting ready to grip the rope. It wasn’t the kind of thing you should think in this context, but... in his gym uniform and gloves, he looked uncannily like a Japanese delinquent. Or like he was getting ready to bury someone. With his glasses off, he looked even more handsome than usual.

Just as Giyeon found himself hoping he wouldn’t get hurt, someone slowly stepped forward from the opposing team.

Kwon Jongseok, gloved up, emerged. Wearing a baseball uniform as his class shirt, he stood at the very front and faced Suhyeon with a smiling expression. Suhyeon didn’t seem to pay him any mind and calmly took his position at the rope.

“Ready...”

Bang!

The starting gun fired, and a fierce power struggle began.

“Let’s go, Class 5!”

“Come on, 8th class!”

With classmates cheering for their own teams, the competitive spirit quickly ramped up. Giyeon clenched his fists tightly and cheered for Suhyeon—not because they were in the same class, but because he simply wanted him to win.

While Giyeon cheered with all his might, Suhyeon found himself in a silent battle.

Kwon Jongseok had suddenly stepped out from the tent to stand at the front of the rope. Suhyeon hadn’t cared at first, but when their eyes met—Jongseok still smiling—he felt a strange discomfort. And the moment he gripped the rope, Giyeon came to mind. His jaw clenched.

He’d only planned to give just enough effort to look convincing—but seeing Jongseok brought an unexpected wave of disgust.

At the same time, Jongseok tilted one corner of his mouth upward and began pulling hard, matching the force.

“Whoa—! It’s tilting!”

The deadlock shifted with a single step. Suhyeon’s foot moved back. Step by step, the rope—and with it, the advantage—was pulled toward his class. And when the shift was complete, the match ended.

“Third-Year Class 8 wins tug-of-war!”

“YEEEAAHHH!!”

Cheers erupted from the first- and second-year students of Class 8. The victorious third-years whooped and hugged each other, bouncing around. Giyeon grinned from beneath his dinosaur suit, watching Suhyeon catching his breath.

“...Huff.”

Suhyeon removed his gloves and steadied his breathing. He’d exerted more than he expected, but his stamina made it no big deal. Next up was the basketball match—he planned to rest while watching Giyeon’s game.

He tossed his gloves into a basket and was walking back through the crowd toward the tent when a presence crept up behind him. free𝑤ebnovel.com

“You look way better without glasses. Should’ve ditched them sooner. Or is that your whole aesthetic?”

Suhyeon didn’t realize those muttered words were directed at him until he turned around. Kwon Jongseok was standing there, looking straight at him with a crooked grin.

So he recognized me.

The mention of glasses meant he remembered seeing Suhyeon in the library. Even Suhyeon’s classmates hadn’t recognized him at first—Jongseok’s attention to detail was suddenly disturbing. That subtly mocking tone also irritated him. Like he was evaluating an object.

Was he like this to Giyeon too...?

Normally, Suhyeon would’ve just ignored him. But anything involving Giyeon—he had no intention of backing off. In fact, he wanted to say it.

“I didn’t take them off for you. Someone said I looked good.”

Suhyeon let out a short, dry laugh and turned away.

And so, he didn’t see the rare moment when Kwon Jongseok’s face hardened behind him.

***

With tug-of-war finished, the 1st and 2nd year volleyball finals began. Ha Giyeon had taken off his dinosaur suit and was stretching on the side of the gym, getting ready to play. He was nervous, yes—but more than that, he really wanted to win. Especially because...

He’d made a bet with Suhyeon.

"Whoever wins the final buys dinner—how about that?"

"Sounds good! But... what if we both win?"

"Then I’ll buy."

"Huh? That’s not fair...! I’m paying!"

It wasn’t about losers treating the winner—it was a contest where the winner paid for dinner. And that made it all the more passionate. Ha Giyeon was determined to win. He was going to buy Suhyeon a meal—specifically, meat.

Just then—

“Giyeon-ah, can I talk to you for a second?”

“...?”

Nam Taekyung approached. He’d appeared so abruptly that before Giyeon could even react, he quietly began to speak.

“Would it be okay if I took your spot in the match? I haven’t done anything today, and I want to help out a little.”

“Ah...”

“Your knee’s still bothering you, right?”

His knee wasn’t seriously injured—no bones had been damaged, and the stitches had long since been removed. He could move fine. It didn’t really matter if he played or not—or at least, that’s what he’d thought before.

But volleyball had turned out to be surprisingly fun, and he was proud of how much he’d improved. He didn’t want to back out now.

Didn’t he hurt his leg earlier?

After the soccer game, Giyeon had heard Taekyung went to the nurse’s office for a leg injury. How was he planning to play now? Whatever was going on with his leg, Giyeon was about to turn him down—he didn’t want it to look like he was faking an injury and making someone else sub in.

“Sorry, but I really want to pla—”

“Then I’ll take your spot. Thanks, Giyeon!”

“......”

The moment he sensed rejection, Nam Taekyung cut him off, pretended to accept, and just walked off.

Giyeon was left stunned—speechless, dumbfounded. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but this time, something in him stirred.

This time, his feelings were clear.

He was pissed off.

If he stayed quiet now, he’d become the one who forced Nam Taekyung—despite being injured—to play.

He didn’t want to stay quiet anymore.

Ha Giyeon stood up and strode straight toward Nam Taekyung, who was chatting with the vice class president.