Swallowed - Chapter 33

Jaeha glanced at his phone, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he read Se-yeong’s messages. Her unchanged attitude always amused him—distant and serious, especially when it came to her speech practice. He knew how focused she became during these moments, especially with her upcoming English interview, so he didn’t push. She never let anyone be around during these sessions.

“[Where are you, sunbae?]”
“[At the multimedia room. Here to practice.]”
“[When will you finish? Can I come over?]”
“[I’ll be here for about two hours. Head home first.]”

As Jaeha stared at her reply, a wry smile crossed his face. She was always like this—rigidly independent when it came to her work. Knowing she’d be extra tense because of the upcoming interview, he didn’t mind stepping back.

“Hey, Jaeha! You signing up for basketball? No interest in soccer?” Yong-woo, one of his friends, clapped him on the back. The topic of conversation had shifted to the upcoming intramural sports event for the International Studies department, where first-years were required to participate in at least one event.

“Yeah, I’m thinking basketball. Seniors don’t have to participate, right?” Jaeha asked, subtly steering the conversation toward Se-yeong.

“Nah, seniors barely even watch, let alone play,” Yong-woo answered, knowing exactly who Jaeha was thinking about. He grinned, nudging him. “You’re thinking about sunbae again, aren’t you?”

Jaeha only nodded slightly. He realized he didn’t even know what sport Se-yeong had participated in during her first year. He couldn’t recall ever seeing her play sports, which piqued his curiosity.

“Wanna play a game while we wait for the others? Let’s call Jun-kyung too,” Yong-woo suggested.

“Sure,” Jaeha agreed.

“Whoa, since when are you so generous with your time?” Yong-woo teased, half-joking. It was rare for Jaeha to agree to impromptu plans, as he was always with Se-yeong or skipping group events to spend time with her. He had already declined the first-year student retreat (MT) later in March, and it wasn’t unusual for him to miss out on group gatherings.

“Sunbae is practicing for two hours,” Jaeha said with a shrug.

The mention of having two hours of free time made Yong-woo’s eyes light up. He immediately messaged the group, excited to set up a game.

As they stepped outside into the warm sunlight, the weather seemed to have turned suddenly pleasant after the previous day’s rain. The temperature had risen, and Jaeha made a mental note to take off his sweater when they arrived at the court. He regretted not wearing a short-sleeve shirt under his knitwear.

“Hey, looks like it’s 3-on-3,” Yong-woo said, glancing ahead.

“Basketball 3-on-3? Who’s playing?” another voice chimed in.

“Just a little friendly match. Doesn’t concern you,” Yong-woo joked, ribbing his friend.

“Jealous, huh?” the other replied, laughing.

Jaeha chuckled as well, watching his friends bicker. Yong-woo couldn’t help but look enviously at Jaeha, who not only had good looks and height but also a girlfriend. It hadn’t bothered him at first, but watching Jaeha and Se-yeong together every day had started to make him feel lonelier by comparison.

“What’s it like, having a girlfriend?” Yong-woo asked suddenly.

“It’s great, honestly. You should get one and you’ll see,” Jaeha replied earnestly.

Yong-woo couldn’t help but feel exasperated at the simple answer. As if it were that easy! Not everyone could just find a girlfriend as effortlessly as Jaeha. Tall, handsome guys like him seemed to live on another plane.

“Yeah, well, I’m trying! Why do you think we go on so many group outings? I want a girlfriend too, man! I want a CC (Campus Couple). Go to class together, eat on campus, have cute dates…” Yong-woo trailed off wistfully.

“You won’t get to take the same classes,” Jaeha said. “I should’ve signed up for at least one of her electives.”

“Third-years don’t take many electives, though, right?” Yong-woo asked.

“She’s got one,” Jaeha replied. Their mismatched schedules bothered him. With both of them stuck in demanding major courses, their free time often didn’t align, leaving them with fewer opportunities to spend time together.

When they arrived at the basketball court, there were already people playing. One of the hoops was free, so Jaeha and Yong-woo headed over to warm up. Soon, more of their classmates arrived, and the familiar sound of bouncing basketballs filled the air.

“Hey, isn’t that Baek Jaeha? Is he here to play?” A few students from another group noticed them.

“Isn’t he a first-year? Damn, he moves like he’s from a different world.”

Jaeha drew attention not only because of his impressive height and build but also because of how effortlessly he played. Despite wearing a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, which should’ve been uncomfortable, he moved with a fluidity that left his classmates looking clumsy in comparison.

“He’s good. Oh, he made it!”

Jaeha easily brushed past a defender and shot a perfect three-pointer, the ball sailing in a graceful arc before sinking through the net.

“Is he playing in the intramurals? This is gonna be interesting.”

“Not only is he good-looking, but he’s athletic too? That body isn’t just for show. Wow.”

One girl, Hyun-jin, licked her lips as she watched Jaeha with open admiration. Her friend, Bo-mi, quickly pulled her back, recognizing that look in her eyes. Hyun-jin had recently broken up with her boyfriend, and this kind of attention wasn’t unusual.

“Hyun-jin, you know he has a girlfriend,” Bo-mi warned.

“Who cares? He’s dating that mute girl, right? The one who can’t even talk?”

Realizing that Hyun-jin was referring to Se-yeong, her mood instantly soured. She frowned, her irritation showing in her neatly groomed brows.

“I don’t get it. That girl can’t even speak, and she’s managed to snag a guy like him. What kind of magic is she working?”

“Well, with a guy like him, you could call him a prince, right? Didn’t I hear his dad is a hospital director or something?”

“Really? That’s amazing.” Hyun-jin’s eyes widened in surprise, but the more she learned, the more her disappointment grew. Though she had never really known or claimed Jaeha as hers, she suddenly felt as if something had been taken from her. It was an irrational feeling, but it stung all the same.

Bo-mi, fully aware of Hyun-jin’s flaws, shook her head. She knew Hyun-jin too well and found it impossible to reason with her when she was like this.

“What does a guy like him see in that ‘mermaid’ girl? Sure, Han Se-yeong is kind of pretty, but if you weigh the pros and cons, it’s a zero,” Hyun-jin complained.

“She’s not just pretty—she’s really pretty,” Bo-mi countered, delivering a blunt truth that made Hyun-jin glare at her before breaking into a wry smile. Despite her annoyance, she couldn’t deny that Bo-mi had a point. Meanwhile, her gaze lingered on Jaeha as he sunk another shot.

“Who are you looking at? Not me, apparently,” said Min-jun, wiping the sweat off his face as he approached. Bo-mi handed him a sports drink, which he downed quickly before joining their conversation. Min-jun was Bo-mi’s boyfriend and part of the same class. He noticed the direction everyone was looking and turned his head to follow their gaze.

“Who’s that? What’s his name? He definitely looks like someone worth watching,” Min-jun remarked, impressed by Jaeha’s skills on the court.

“Baek Jaeha,” Hyun-jin replied with a possessive undertone, as if she had already claimed him in her mind.

Min-jun smirked playfully. “Kim Hyun-jin, standing next to a guy that ridiculously good-looking is only going to make you look worse.”

“Shut up. As if an ugly squid like you has the right to comment on anyone’s looks,” she shot back. The two had been bickering like this for over a year, ever since they met, and despite their constant teasing, they had never stopped.

Laughing, Min-jun raised his eyebrows in mock offense before turning his attention back to Jaeha. He couldn’t resist joining the conversation now, intrigued by the new face.

“Are you a first-year?” Min-jun called out.

“Yeah, Global Communication, first year,” replied Jun-kyung, who had just missed a dunk attempt and was clearly disappointed. He was one of the guys playing basketball with Jaeha.

“I’m Kang Min-jun, sophomore in the International Language Department. You guys playing in the intramurals?” Min-jun asked, his tone friendly but curious.

“Yeah, we have to. First years are required to participate,” Jun-kyung replied.

Min-jun nodded, understanding the situation. “Right, so we might end up on the same team. We sometimes merge departments when the numbers are low.”

With that, Min-jun suggested they play a game together, proposing a friendly bet—loser buys lunch at the campus cafeteria.

Yong-woo glanced at Jaeha, seeking his approval. Jaeha checked the time. He still had about 30 minutes before Se-yeong finished her practice, so he agreed to the game, but he couldn’t commit to lunch.

“Got plans?” Min-jun asked, noticing the hesitation.

“He’s waiting for his girlfriend,” Yong-woo chimed in. “Hey, Jaeha, when is sunbae coming?”

“Oh, you’ve got a girlfriend? Nice. How long have you been dating? And you even scored a senior?” Min-jun exclaimed, impressed. Although he had heard the name “Se-yeong” before, it was common enough that he didn’t immediately connect it with the “mermaid” nickname for Han Se-yeong.

“Well then, why don’t we all grab lunch together? It’s good to meet your girlfriend’s friends too, right? Especially since we might share some classes in the future,” Min-jun suggested. He was the type who enjoyed making connections, and having another campus couple in the group sounded like fun to him.

Pointing toward a group of girls watching nearby, Min-jun mentioned they could join the game too. As Jaeha looked over, he noticed one of the girls—Hyun-jin—give him a small, friendly wave, as if they knew each other. He simply nodded politely before turning back to Min-jun.

“I think my girlfriend might find it uncomfortable since she’s actually a year above you, sunbae,” Jaeha explained. “I’ll play the game, but I’ll have to pass on the meal.”

“Wait, she’s a third-year? Nice!” Min-jun was even more impressed now. “Same department? Is she smart? Maybe she could share some old exams or notes? I could really use some help with Cultural Studies and Intercultural Communication. If things work out, I’ll share next year’s material with you.”

Yong-woo’s eyes lit up at the mention of study materials. He knew that Se-yeong’s grades were outstanding—she was even on a scholarship. Jaeha hesitated for a moment, considering it, but he knew Se-yeong wasn’t the type to hand out notes or share easily with people she didn’t know.

“I’ll ask her, but if she says no, there’s not much I can do,” he replied diplomatically.

“Sounds good! Let’s play. Gotta see what you first-years are made of,” Min-jun said with a grin, already acting as if the lunch plan was set in stone.

Even though Jaeha knew he likely wouldn’t stick around for the meal, he was happy to oblige Min-jun for a quick game before heading out.