TOKKI CLUB ~ UNREQUITED

Chapter 8

The Winter of 97'

I walked out of my professor's office holding my graded paper in hand. I almost let out a squeal in relief that I had gotten a 2:2 this time and not the failure I had the displeasure of facing a few weeks ago. Although it was capped meaning that I could have gotten higher, I didn't fuss as my chances of graduating had just gone back up.

As soon as I stepped outside the harsh chill of the winter breeze hit me all at once and it wasn't until a few seconds later did my face adjust to it with the sharp tingling of my nose and the tearing of my eyes. I stuffed the paper inside my bag, using my hands to hold myself as I prepared to make my way into the nearest indoor facility. I couldn't go back into the office though, that would be too awkward to face the receptionist again especially after bidding her such a cheery goodbye.

Making my way through campus, I contemplated stopping by the library, but I couldn't decide on whether to just leave and stay within the comforts of my dorm to study. I couldn't stop walking to make my decision because it was way too cold for that, so I continued to approach the cross section where the right path led to the library and the left led to my building.

When I thought back to what I had to go through this past few weeks in terms of studying to make up for my poor grade in addition to my normal schedule it was almost as if a force was pulling me towards the library. The very idea of failure sure had its nasty gropes around me.

The sun had long set and the night sky had already graced the University with its darkness. One wouldn't have thought that it was only 7pm. Just before I got to the stairs I noticed a very familiar figure walking out. Seung-Ho jogged down the library stairs, fixing his knitted beany as he did so. His eyes were fixed on the ground as he walked, and I noticed that he was dressed ridiculously light for the kind of weather we were having. I almost felt the need to call out to him for his poor fashion decision.

But I didn't.

Although it was for a mere second the look on his face just before he turned the direct left of the building didn't look warming at all. In fact it matched the weather completely, chilling and enough to bring me down with a fever.

Like instinct, instead of walking up those stairs like I should have done, I found myself walking in the same direction that he did. With each step I felt like I could hear the sound of my professor judging me for this. I didn't pay him too much attention though, the man in front of me with hands in his pockets and head down had my attention completely and begrudgingly.

I held back my teeth from chattering and my body from shivering. I was wearing a padded coat with a faux-fur lined hood and I still couldn't combat the cold, just how was he coping! I watched the way his backpack shifted with each step he took. He never used the two straps of his backpacks and I would always scold him because it defeated the whole purpose of the design.

I wasn't sure how long we had been walking for, but it felt like a long time. Before there had been students busying themselves about, but as we walked on there were fewer people. I should have probably let him know that I was behind him by now, but I didn't. Following him quietly sounded like a better plan.

Albeit a stupid and possibly illegal one, but a plan nonetheless.

We reached a main street where more people had appeared again, street lights adorned the whole road and it struck me that I'd never been around here before. Then again Seoul was a big place, it wasn't much of a surprise.

Like lighting Seung-Ho cut a right on a corner of a street I didn't know the name of and because I had fallen behind a little too distracted by the street cats around I had to speed up. As I turned right, I felt a tug on my hand as I was swivelled around my back hitting a wall with a gentle touch. I squinted my eyes waiting for the rough impact on my head, but there was none as he used his free hand to cushion my head.