Sweet Shot

#31

“…You want me to wear this…?”

Ha-min looked at Eun-soo with an expression that suggested he was so embarrassed he might break into a cold sweat. Eun-soo’s eyes were sparkling more than ever.

“Yes. It’s the costume that was decided by vote after much difficulty.”

On the day of the festival, Eun-soo suddenly dragged Ha-min to the department room and pulled out various items from a shopping bag, saying it was the outfit for today. It was a fashion Ha-min had never seen before, and he couldn’t have imagined wearing such a thing.

“It seems… too flashy…”

“Originally, we were going to make you cross-dress and wear a skirt, but the girls in our department held back for fear of being sued for sexual harassment.”

She casually uttered these frightening words. It was as if she was silently pressuring him, suggesting this was better. Ha-min clutched the clothes with a burdened expression.

“It’s not just you wearing it, oppa. Some of the other good-looking guys are wearing it too. But you can think of yourself as the center.”

Ha-min felt momentarily dizzy at Eun-soo’s rapid-fire words. He just now realized that this would attract an enormous amount of attention. But he couldn’t back out of his promise to help. It wasn’t in his nature to do so either.

“I won’t ask you to wear it for all three days. Can’t you just wear it for today?”

Eun-soo pleaded, holding up just her index finger. Ha-min swallowed dryly and nodded with difficulty. He couldn’t refuse her plea as she looked at him with eyes sparkling like a cow’s.

When Ha-min finally nodded, Eun-soo jumped up and down with joy.

“We’ll do a bit of makeup after you change. Just a little.”

“But won’t it look strange…?”

“Oppa, please try to be objective about yourself.”

Eun-soo suddenly put on a serious face, left just that one remark, and left the place. Ha-min let out a deep sigh. His face was already flushing with embarrassment.

**

Woo-kyung had a comment about Ha-min’s usual fashion: Fashion terrorist. It meant exactly what it sounded like. Ha-min wore clothes he had worn when he was bigger, so his clothes were twice the size of his body. Not only that, but he would wear cheap, tacky patterned t-shirts sold on the street or outdated checkered shirts buttoned up to the neck. Woo-kyung would sigh every time he saw him, telling him to stop making such an unpleasant sight, but Ha-min always laughed it off. He had no interest in clothes and thought it was fine as long as they weren’t dirty.

His hair was the same. He always left his slightly curly hair unkempt. If it got a bit long, he’d just push it back, and when it started to cover his eyes, he’d get it cut carelessly at a local hair salon. Both Woo-kyung and Eun-soo felt sorry for Ha-min who didn’t know how to dress up. Only Chae-rin said to just leave him be.

“This is so, so awkward…”

After changing clothes, they styled his hair, half-shaving it and blow-drying it. They even used sticky wax and hairspray to fix it in place.

Ha-min looked like he was about to die of embarrassment at his appearance.

“Ha Eun-soo’s eye for style is insane.”

Eun-soo praised herself as she looked Ha-min up and down, fully styled from head to toe. She even clapped her hands in admiration. Ha-min felt like he wanted to hide in a mouse hole if there was one.

“Wow, oppa, you really look like an idol.”

The other classmates who helped with makeup and hair styling also admired him, moving their gaze up and down. Everyone seemed satisfied.

Some were even taking pictures, click click.

“If we post this on our college’s SNS, people will flood in.”

A female classmate seriously said as they looked at the pictures among themselves. Pictures are a bit… Before Ha-min could protest, Eun-soo was already dragging him by the arm.

“It peaks from the evening. Our school’s festival is famous, so a lot of outsiders come too. There might be a lot of customers. Tell me right away if it gets too hard, okay?”

It was already hard, but Ha-min nodded without complaint.

The clothes Ha-min wore were a white knit material suitable for summer. It was off-shoulder, fully exposing his shoulders, and the knit was loose enough that wind could easily pass through the large holes. If you looked closely, you could almost see Ha-min’s bare skin through it. Moreover, he wore tight white leather pants with a black leather harness that split into a Y-shape, coming down to his chest and wrapping around his abdomen. It was deliberately loosened so that the chains rattled whenever he moved.

When Ha-min asked Eun-soo why it wasn’t tightened, she said it was because the knit wouldn’t flow sexily if it was. It was an outfit that idols might wear on stage. Ha-min’s body twitched, uncomfortable with the subtly binding leather straps and the knit shirt that kept slipping off his shoulders.

“Wow, hyung, that’s amazing.”

As Ha-min was dragged out to the festival booth, Woo-kyung, carrying a guitar case, recognized him and looked surprised.

“You look like a real celebrity!”

Woo-kyung examined Ha-min curiously from various angles.

“It seems… a bit funny.”

Ha-min muttered, pulling up the constantly slipping clothes.

“But it’s a bit risqué. Is it because you’re wearing it, hyung?”

“It’s a sexy concept.”

Eun-soo answered as Woo-kyung gave his impression. A sexy concept… This was something Ha-min himself had no idea about.

“Ha Eun-soo didn’t force you to wear this, did she?”

Chae-rin, who had been watching from the side, asked in an indifferent tone.

“I said I’d help, so…”

Ha-min smiled naively while touching the back of his neck.

Chae-rin’s piercings looked even more elaborate today. Both Woo-kyung and Chae-rin were also dressed up for their stage performance. Chae-rin’s bleached hair, which had been showing roots, was now neatly dyed to a single tone.

“Chae-rin looks pretty today too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you were always pretty, but even more today.”

Ha-min quickly added, worried she might misunderstand. Chae-rin smirked at Ha-min’s clumsy compliment.

“You too, oppa.”

Woo-kyung narrowed his eyes at Chae-rin’s casually thrown comment.

“What’s with you two?”

“Huh?”

“What’s with this atmosphere between you two? Something feels off.”

As Woo-kyung jeered, showing off his unnecessary intuition, Chae-rin let out a short sigh.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

She lightly hit Woo-kyung’s fidgeting leg and finished greeting Ha-min.

“I’m going, oppa. Good luck.”

“Oh, okay. You do well too, Chae-rin.”

“Yeah. Ha Eun-soo, I’m going.”

“Okay! I’ll come watch later!”

After saying goodbye to Eun-soo, who was carrying boxes of alcohol, Chae-rin turned away first. Woo-kyung, rubbing his hit leg and wincing, quickly followed after Chae-rin.

“Wait up, Kang Chae! Hyung, I’m going! Eun-soo, I’m off!”

Ha-min quietly watched the two disappearing after hurriedly saying goodbye, waving his hand slightly. Along with a small wish that their performance would go well.

**

“Three seafood pancakes!!!”

“One bottle each of soju and beer!!!!”

As expected, the pub was bustling with people. As night began to fall, more people flocked to the school. It was filled not only with existing students but also with outsiders. Even Ha-min, who was supposed to just be a visual attraction, was helping to serve food and drinks.

He had done some short-term serving part-time jobs before, so it wasn’t difficult, but it was inevitably chaotic. The clothes were uncomfortable, and he was moving so busily that he was even starting to sweat.

“Here’s your order.”

As he put down the amateurishly prepared food and turned to leave, someone grabbed Ha-min’s hand.

“You’re the one from Instagram, right?”

It was a table with two women. A short-haired girl who looked young held Ha-min’s wrist and stared at him intently.

He had lost count of how many times this had happened. Unknown people would grab him whenever they saw him. Most were women, but occasionally big, burly men would also grab Ha-min and try to pull him in for a drink.

“Won’t you have a drink with us?”

The short-haired woman asked with a bright smile. Ha-min was weak at refusing. He just smiled awkwardly with a troubled expression.

“I’m sorry~. We’re too busy and short-handed~.”

Eun-soo, who had rushed over after noticing Ha-min’s discomfort, smiled brightly as she freed his caught wrist. The woman’s face immediately contorted. Worried that she might be upset, Ha-min bowed his head repeatedly and apologized. Each time he did so, the knit shirt fluttered and the leather straps dangled.

“Do we really have to come to a place like this?”

Just as Ha-min was about to serve more food, there was a commotion near the entrance. A figure a full span taller than others was entering the pub with his companions. The pub interior became even more bustling due to the newcomer. People whispering things like “so handsome” and “wow, wow” was the norm, and students who recognized him lined up to greet him.

Tae-rim entered the booth with his girlfriend and a friend Ha-min had seen before. The owner of the dissatisfied voice seemed to be his girlfriend.

“You’re the one who said you’d come along.”

As she scanned the makeshift tent booth with a frown, clicking her tongue as if displeased, Tae-rim’s face remained impassive.

“Hello, senior!”

As juniors who recognized him greeted him from here and there, he responded with indifferent “Yeah, hi” and “Yeah, hello”s, lacking sincerity. There were so many people greeting him that he was almost like a “hello bot”. As he was mechanically responding, Eun-soo recognized him and quickly guided them to a seat.

“Hello, senior. Did you come to see Ha-min oppa?”

Eun-soo, acting almost like a restaurant owner, skillfully served water and presented the hastily made menu.