HAUGHTY-To Love ✔

CHAPTER 09

JAE-MIN POV

The lecture hall buzzed with the chatter of students, their voices carrying a mix of gossip and discussions about the harsh realities of the world. But my mind was elsewhere, lost in the clouds of my own thoughts.

Glancing down at my watch, I realized that it had been a good ten minutes since the scheduled start of the lecture. Yet, there was no sign of our so-called professor. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and frustration began to build within me.

As I sat there, my mind wandered back to the incident with Tae-Sun, where I had called him an irritating scum in front of the entire class. Little did I know that my words would have such an impact on him. Now, reflecting upon it, I wondered what he had wanted to tell me that day. What was it that he was about to spill?

Turning my gaze towards Tae-Sun, who sat next to me, I noticed his cheeks were filled to the brim with marshmallows, a sight that made me let out a sigh. It was clear that he was seeking solace in his favorite treat.

"Tae, it's already 9 am," I reminded him, trying to hide my frustration.

"Amd? (And?)" he replied, his mouth still full.

"You just had breakfast like 30 minutes ago," I pointed out.

"Sho wha? (So what?)" he mumbled, slowly chewing on the savories. I couldn't help but let out an exhausted sigh.

Not wanting to escalate the situation into a fight, I decided to approach him softly. "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to tell me that day?"

"Whuh da? (Which day?)" he asked, his words muffled by the food in his mouth. I was taken aback by his lack of recollection, and my anger started to simmer beneath the surface. My hands were ready to clench his collars yet I acted clam.

"The day when we had our fight," I clarified, my voice containing a hint of impatience. He looked at me, cheeks still bulging with the food he was chewing.

"The dah chu said I'm an irritatin– (The day you said I'm an irritatin-)" he began, but I cut him off before he could finish.

"Yeah, yeah," I interrupted, not wanting to dwell on the past. He stopped chewing and looked up at the ceiling, as if lost in a movie-like flashback.

"Ah!" Tae-Sun exclaimed, turning to face me with his mouth still full. "What was it?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"It's Cha Mi," he mumbled, his words difficult to understand.

"Cha Mi? What?" I asked, growing even more confused.

"Yesh, it's Cha Mi," Tae-Sun replied, testing my patience. "For heaven's sake, swallow that lump of sugar in your mouth and speak," I snapped, my impatience getting the best of me. Tae-Sun nodded and quickly swallowed his food.

"Charmi, it's about Lee Charmi," Tae-Sun finally clarified. "There have been rumors that she has a crush on you."

I sat still for a minute, the name sinking in. Charmi, or Lee Charmi, was known as the well-known college queen, a beauty with a fierce personality. She was bold, sometimes even considered a bit of a bitch to those who bothered her. The idea of Charmi having a crush on me seemed completely bizarre.

"Are you sure, Tae? The queenka of the university has a crush on me?" I asked, seeking confirmation. I had known Charmi to reject any boy who approached her, so this news was hard to believe.

Tae-Sun nodded, his expression serious. "That's what I've heard. It's been going around among some of her friends. I thought you should know."

While it was flattering in a way, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about the whole situation. Charmi's reputation as a savage queen, someone who would go to extreme lengths to get rid of someone she didn't like, made me wary.