Chapter 3

A deep voice read the text on the screen. “I want to have him. Jae.” I slowly raised my gaze, following the large hand holding my phone. Slightly tanned skin. A neat school uniform that didn’t match his delinquent-like impression. Beautiful lips with wide-set eyes that older girls would go crazy for. “…Jung Eunsung?” It was Jung Eunsung. The last person I saw before falling from the rooftop in my previous life. The man who, after his group members all left and various controversies and incidents, became an undisputed representative actor of South Korea 11 years later. But now. He’s still an 18-year-old trainee at a major entertainment agency. The new face who transferred to our class at the start of the semester. The center of attention. Along with Seo Jaegyeom, he’s the reason girls from other classes keep making excuses like ‘Can I borrow your gym clothes?’ or ‘Can I borrow your textbook?’ to visit our classroom. The culprit who, after just two days, made our homeroom teacher post a huge sign on the classroom door saying <NO ENTRY FROM OTHER CLASSES!!!!>. The only classmate whose future I know. “Oh, it’s Jung Eunsung.” “Eunsung, hi!” “Eunsung, do you remember me?” Even in the brief moment Jung Eunsung and I were facing off in the hallway, girls passed by, squealing and waving at him. “Jung Eunsung…” I gazed at Jung Eunsung, who had suddenly become 11 years younger, with a slightly moved heart. Jung Eunsung, meeting my gaze with tears still glistening in my eyes, made a disgruntled expression. “Jung Eunsung, you…” “Kang Dahye, you…” “You were short in high school?” “Why are you crying?” “…” “…” Oops. I should have kept that thought to myself. Jung Eunsung scrunched up his face. “You’re saying I’m short?” He looked up at the ceiling with an incredulous expression, then straightened his back. But that doesn’t make his short stature any taller. Looking at Jung Eunsung’s Adam’s apple right in front of my nose, I trailed off. “Well, but you are short…” Objectively speaking, he might not be that short, but when someone you had to crane your neck to look up at just hours ago suddenly becomes about 10 centimeters shorter, anyone would feel the same way I do. For reference, Jung Eunsung, in his late 20s, was 187 cm tall. That’s his official profile height, but there were rumors that he was taller. Now? He seems to be about 179 cm. I thought he was already over 180 cm when he debuted, so does he have a growth spurt within a year? Come to think of it, I think I remember seeing Jung Eunsung in his senior year, grumbling about having to buy a new uniform after a year as he walked by, all lanky… “It’s okay. You’ll grow soon.” I tried to comfort him, but Jung Eunsung acted like he didn’t hear me. Ignoring my words, Jung Eunsung lowered his gaze to my phone in his hand. His thumb smoothly scrolled down the screen. Anyone watching would think it was his phone. It’s rude to casually look through even a close friend’s phone like that… “Huh?” Come to think of it. At this point, Jung Eunsung has transferred less than a week ago, so we must still be awkward with each other. But we’re talking quite naturally, aren’t we? Why is he so comfortable? …Could it be? “…Jung Eunsung, do you also remember…” “Love alone. I wonder if it might get boring. Even if I try hard to find only your flaws.” “…Huh?” Jung Eunsung cut off my words as I was about to ask, ‘Did you also regress?’ Looking down arrogantly at my phone in his hand, Jung Eunsung started reciting the lyrics I had highlighted in my playlist. In a voice that sounded bored to death. “Even. For one day. The girl by your side. I pray it’s me. Before I know it.” “…” “To change love. Anytime. That you might come. To sleep in my arms. I hope you caaaan~ Whoa oh oh oh oh~“ “Stop! Stop!” You crazy bastard! “Give it back!” I snatched the phone away. Contrary to how tightly he had been holding it as if he wouldn’t let go, Jung Eunsung handed over the phone obediently. Looking straight at me with my face bright red, Jung Eunsung raised the corner of his mouth crookedly. “The bookmarked lyrics go on forever.” “None of your business…” “Looks like you’re in the middle of quite an impressive unrequited love?” “…” “Who’s Jae?” “Be quiet!” That Jae is right here in our class! I scolded him while covering his mouth with my hand. Jung Eunsung, looking down only with his eyes at my hand pressing firmly on his lips, shook his head slightly to remove my hand as if it didn’t tickle at all. “Why did you read that!” “Am I not allowed to read it?” “Of course not!” “Why?” “Because it’s my privacy!” “That song is your privacy? A song that topped the charts decades ago?” “It wasn’t decades ago! And great songs are timeless!” “True. Great songs are timeless. And since it’s a famous song, it’s oot your privacy.” “Not the song, but the phone! My phone is my privacy!” “Ah, Kang Dahye’s unrequited love playlist? Yeah, that’s certainly private…” “Hey!” “Your face is red.” “…” It’s because I’m embarrassed. Because I’m embarrassed. Why was I so full of emotions 11 years ago…? Jung Eunsung slightly tilted his head towards his shoulder as he looked at me panting. “What, are you ashamed of your love for Jae? After collecting… 98 songs.” Jung Eunsung stretched his neck as he said ‘98 songs’ and peered at my phone. “Can you mind your own business?” I grumbled as I took back my phone and started tapping the screen furiously. Delete this stupid playlist right now! Delete! “Why are you deleting it? It’s a great song party.” “The party’s over.” “Why? Did you get rejected?” “…” This guy doesn’t remember. One hundred percent doesn’t. If he remembered, he couldn’t talk like this. I glared at Jung Eunsung with my lips tightly pressed. His face, still with traces of boyhood, stared right back at me. Smooth skin without the scar on his cheek that his fans would later lament. If his face was complete 11 years later, right now as a boy, it gives the feeling of potential. In the midst of this, I was so distracted admiring his face that I responded a beat late to Jung Eunsung’s call. “Kang Dahye.” “…Huh?” “If you shout so loudly from behind and the other person pretends not to notice, that love is already over.” “…” “Give up and find another guy.” “…” “Oh, and don’t forget to share the playlist before you delete it.” “You crazy…” “Hehehe…” “Hey, what are you doing in the hallway!” As I was opening my mouth in disbelief, a homeroom teacher from the next class came walking over, hitting the wall with a bamboo stick, and separated me and Jung Eunsung. “Get inside quickly!” Just you wait. I glared at Jung Eunsung. Jung Eunsung smirked as he caught my gaze and entered the classroom first. As I was about to follow him in. Slam. The door closed right in front of my face. “…” Beyond the closed classroom door, Jung Eunsung smiled with his eyes. This bastard? Was Jung Eunsung always like this? [What I know about Jung Eunsung] - He had already appeared in several commercials and music videos before transferring to our school. If you search Jung Eunsung's name on portal sites, his photo, age, and current high school (our school) come up. Before my regression, fans would occasionally come to the school. So was Jung Eunsung always like this? I don't know! I can't remember! “Dahye, are you okay?” “Huh?” “You were crying earlier, weren’t you?” “Ah. I’m fine. It’s nothing now.” I quietly replied to my friend (the one who showed me my seat earlier), whispering next to me. In the music room where we sat in an S-shape, starting from the front row by number order, Seo Jaegyeo, behind me, was playfully responding to the teacher’s jokes, not paying any attention to me. Jung Eunsung’s side was quiet. ‘Jung Eunsung’s personality… I’m not sure. What was he like?’ We only started talking later because we ended up in the same club, but we barely spoke at the beginning of the semester. We were just classmates, nothing more, nothing less. I’m a bit surprised by Jung Eunsung’s sudden change after the regression. “So, kids. You know you’re having a singing test for your performance assessment, right?” The music teacher sitting at the piano interrupted my thoughts. “You guys don’t study hard for music exams anyway. Saying it’s not necessary for college. So from this year, I’m thinking of increasing the weight of the performance assessment. In the first semester, we’ll have a singing test, and in the second semester, a composition test.” “Composition?!” “Can we plagiarize?” “Yeah, shut up. I’ll let you choose the song for the singing test. What do you want to sing?” “The national anthem?” “Can you memorize all the lyrics from verses 1 to 4?” “No.” “Then rejected.” “…” “No other suggestions?” “…” “If there are no suggestions, we’ll sing the school anthem.” Not the school anthem. Our school anthem has a rap part. Someone, please give a suggestion. With that thought, I turned around and made eye contact with Jung Eunsung, who was resting his chin on his hand, looking forward. Jung Eunsung blinked quietly, so I “^_^ㅗ” Offered a smile. Suddenly, Jung Eunsung raised his hand high. “Teacher.” “Oh, yes. Eunsung, do you have a suggestion?” “Kang Dahye knows a lot of great songs.” “…” …This little shit????????????