The festival performance was a great success.

To what extent was it a success? Until N years after they graduated from university, the school was still circulating their plays in various promotional videos.

A duel of geniuses…

No, it was a collaboration of geniuses.

That’s what the later juniors and seniors said.

But in Kim Min-kyung’s heart, it was just a bait to win the favor of his junior.

“Alone again?”

Under a big tree with lush branches, Eun Chul-woo was sitting there reading a book. This bookworm-like guy would sit under the tree every lunchtime to read and eat convenience store rice balls. Kim Min-kyung knew this very well.

The voice so close to him startled Eun Chul-woo. He quickly swallowed his rice ball and greeted him, “Hello, Senior Min-kyung. Are you here for lunch too?”

Eun Chul-woo was smart and delicate. He saw that Kim Min-kyung was holding a bento box, so he found something to say.

“Mm,” Kim Min-kyung nodded and sat down beside Eun Chul-woo, “but I don’t have much of an appetite.”

The grass was soft. As soon as you sat down, you could smell the scent of nature, a mixture of damp earth and grass juice. The tree trunk was uneven, and it wasn’t comfortable to lean against. Kim Min-kyung was not used to it and was also puzzled. He didn’t understand what was so attractive about this place to Eun Chul-woo.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you here, senior,” Eun Chul-woo looked at Kim Min-kyung’s furrowed brows and couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you uncomfortable?”

Kim Min-kyung really couldn’t find a comfortable position. He simply leaned on Eun Chul-woo’s shoulder. “Mmm, it’s comfortable now. Thank you for your help, junior. I’m very pleased.”

What a thick-skinned person…

Eun Chul-woo was dumbfounded, but since the other was a senior with outstanding strength, he didn’t say anything.

The other had a clean laundry detergent scent on him. Kim Min-kyung’s nose felt much more comfortable, and his furrowed brows gradually relaxed. “What book are you reading, junior?”

The other showed him the cover. Kim Min-kyung laughed out loud. “Oh~ you’re so pure, junior.”

What kind of talk is that?

Eun Chul-woo was embarrassed. “Is it strange?”

“Not strange,” Kim Min-kyung shook his head with a smile.

It was Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves, a rather old-fashioned story about a young, poor fisherman on a remote island who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful and wealthy daughter of a ship owner.

However, this relationship of unequal social status was hindered by a supporting female character who had a crush on the fisherman, a supporting male character who wanted to marry into the female protagonist’s family, and the female protagonist’s father.

Perhaps it was the blessing of the god of luck, but all the obstacles were resolved by chance, and the male and female protagonists finally had a happy ending and the blessings of the entire island… like an adult fairy tale.

“Do you like this kind of love?” Kim Min-kyung asked.

“Which kind?” Eun Chul-woo asked back.

“The one that conforms to traditional concepts and secular etiquette, that must be recognized by the family and even most people in the world, like the fisherman who wouldn’t cross the line even when the person he liked was standing naked in front of him, and…” Kim Min-kyung said with a smile, “a man and a woman?”

Perhaps to hide his emotions, Eun Chul-woo picked up the rice ball and took a bite. “…I didn’t think about it that complicatedly. I just think that a pure first love, a two-way street, and a perfect ending are very beautiful. And the coincidence that even God is on their side is enviable.”

Only with such an ending does the suffering they endured have meaning. Otherwise, it’s just suffering. What’s the point of living?

Kim Min-kyung thought to himself, the junior is indeed gay, otherwise he would have jumped up and said, “Of course it’s a man and a woman, senior, don’t joke.”

As for the kind of love in the book…

Alas, he was indeed destined to be the villainous male supporting character.

The silence in the air made people flustered. Eun Chul-woo opened his book, picked up the rice ball and continued to stuff it into his mouth, pretending to be busy.

“Eat this, just do me a favor, thanks,” Kim Min-kyung put the bento box into Eun Chul-woo’s arms.

“Hmm?” Eun Chul-woo was stunned. “I’m eating… aren’t you having lunch, senior?”

Kim Min-kyung glanced at the rice ball that the other had taken two bites of. It was just white rice wrapped in kimchi, and it looked unappetizing.

“Didn’t I just say I have no appetite?” Kim Min-kyung squinted because of the bright light. “You can eat it for me, so my family won’t nag me again. I’ll owe you one.”

How can you owe someone a favor for treating them to a meal? Eun Chul-woo smiled. “You don’t have to owe me a favor, senior, but I’ll only help once.”

“Mm… I know.”

Kim Min-kyung thought to himself, what a proud and smart guy. He’d rather chew on dry rice balls every day than pretend to be stupid and accept help from others.

The bento box was as big as two palms and the contents were very rich. There were various fresh fruits and vegetables and boiled shrimp with a refreshing sauce. The main food was corn and soft toast.

The taste was light and good for the throat.

“Did your mom make this herself, senior?”

Kim Min-kyung sneered, “She had someone else make it. A hand that plays the piano can’t do rough work, but it’s very nimble when it comes to slapping people…”

He suddenly realized he had said too much and stopped talking.

Once people have shared a secret, their relationship seems to become more intimate. After this, they would lean against the tree trunk every lunchtime and talk about other things.

Kim Min-kyung would steal Eun Chul-woo’s rice balls and then share the fruit and meat in his bento box with him.

Eun Chul-woo would also read aloud the book he was reading to Kim Min-kyung, but this behavior seemed to be very hypnotic, and every time it would end with Kim Min-kyung taking a nap.

After the nap, Eun Chul-woo, who had been used as a pillow, would have numb legs. He would always need Kim Min-kyung to help him rub them.

There were hundreds if not dozens of people on the school lawn. Eun Chul-woo would run away with a limp, and Kim Min-kyung would chase after him from behind. Then it would be Eun Chul-woo going back to class, and Kim Min-kyung would continue to be lazy and sleep…

This kind of life went on for half a semester. Eun Chul-woo didn’t even know if Kim Min-kyung could graduate if he continued like this, but that guy would always have a way, Eun Chul-woo thought.

It had to be said that they seemed to be inherently different.

Eun Chul-woo was slow to warm up, serious, and a perfectionist. He never dared to stop for a moment. Kim Min-kyung was the opposite, lazy, and a slacker. He was clearly gifted but let it go to waste.

They were like two pieces of a puzzle, completely different when separated, but surprisingly compatible when put together.

To be honest, he could see that Kim Min-kyung was interested in him, but he was grateful that the other had not done whatever he wanted, because for a student from his family background, there was nothing more important than his future.

Unfortunately, the delicate balance that Eun Chul-woo had been looking forward to only lasted until the day Kim Min-kyung graduated.

Graduation ceremony.

The top students from each grade were called by the teacher to help out, including Eun Chul-woo, who was in his sophomore year.

After a whole day of chaos, there was a professional dinner party after the ceremony. As a musical theater student, Eun Chul-woo naturally attended the gathering with the seniors of the same major. He was arranged by the teacher to sit next to Kim Min-kyung.

“You two have a good relationship, right? Then please take care of this table, Chul-woo,” the teacher said with a smile. “Aigoo, every graduation dinner there are guys who get so drunk they pass out. We old guys can’t take care of them all, so we can only ask you young people.”

“Yes,” Eun Chul-woo smiled.

In fact, he hadn’t seen Kim Min-kyung for almost a month. He didn’t know what that guy was busy with. He didn’t come to school, and he didn’t answer his phone. If it weren’t for the occasional message, he would have thought the other had been kidnapped.

Even at this moment, Kim Min-kyung was unexpectedly silent, and he didn’t know what he was up to.

“Where have you been lately?” Eun Chul-woo asked him.

Kim Min-kyung: “At home.”

Eun Chul-woo: “At home?”

Kim Min-kyung: “Mm.”

Eun Chul-woo thought to himself, if you don’t want to say it, then forget it.

Kim Min-kyung stared at the wine glass in front of him, his mind full of the “great war” that had erupted at home in the past month.

This “battle” was about his future. Kim Min-kyung wanted to stay in Korea, while his parents were determined to send him abroad.

“What development prospects does a small market like Korea have? With your talent, you must go to the international stage,” his mother said. “It doesn’t matter if you do music or become an actor. Anything is fine, but it absolutely cannot be in Korea.”

She was a strong and proud woman. It was already her limit to tolerate her son being a pile of mud and lazing around until he was 20. The queen, who couldn’t wait for the flower to bloom, decided to change the soil for the flower.

Kim Min-kyung still wanted to fight, but the other’s light words made him swallow the words in his stomach.

“I know why you want to stay in Korea,” his mother said. “What’s his name… oh, Eun Chul-woo, right? He’s a good kid, with good talent, but his family background is a bit poor. Don’t look at me like that. You rarely have a close friend at school. It’s impossible for me not to care a little.”

“Go to America, Min-kyung, don’t waste your talent,” the queen said while admiring her nails. “If you don’t go, I’ll make him go. Anyway, I have plenty of ways to separate you. Don’t test human nature, Min-kyung. If you make that kid choose between his future and you, what do you think he’ll choose?”

Kim Min-kyung naturally didn’t dare to bet.

Go to America, he agreed.

Whiskey was poured into his stomach glass after glass. This way of drinking was a bit scary. Eun Chul-woo snatched his glass. “Are you crazy? Do you want to have a stomach hemorrhage? Do you still want your voice?”

Kim Min-kyung stared at Eun Chul-woo.

Which is more important, my future or me?

He wanted to ask this, but he had no right to ask. They were just a senior and a junior. Even if they were closer, they were just close friends… that’s all.

Right, that’s all.

Mom was right, don’t test human nature.

Since that’s the case, don’t give the other the chance to choose. You have to have both, your future and me, Chul-woo.

Kim Min-kyung got drunk. This was expected.

That guy drank more than half a bottle of whiskey before he passed out. This was beyond Eun Chul-woo’s expectation.

Are the children of rich families all such good drinkers? Did they grow up eating whiskey-boiled ramen? It was unbelievable.

The Kim family’s driver was waiting at the door. Eun Chul-woo, who was carrying Kim Min-kyung, breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t expect the driver to hand him a room card. “The young master said he’s not going home tonight. I’ll take you to the hotel.”

Eun Chul-woo was stunned. “Me too?”

The driver said apologetically, “The young master never lets us into his room, so…”

Eun Chul-woo remembered this. Because there were too many famous people in the family, there were inevitably many people with ulterior motives. The young Kim Min-kyung had thus become the family’s weakness.

Some people even tried to kidnap him, or threatened to exchange Kim Min-kyung’s “private photos” for benefits. Eun Chul-woo could imagine what a great harm this was to a child.

So Kim Min-kyung didn’t want to be famous, didn’t want to step onto the stage that was watched by thousands of people. He could understand this.