[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eighteen-s-bed":3,"chapter-eighteen-s-bed-eighteen-s-bed-chapter-47":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Eighteen’s Bed",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1167105,1516,"Chapter 11.6","eighteen-s-bed-chapter-47",47,"\u003Cp>That was the last chance I gave Go Yohan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, calling it a chance was just a nice way of putting it. It was my final desperate attempt to cling to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But until the very end, Go Yohan said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to me. Not to Park Dongcheol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply stared at me for a long moment before turning his head away. His gaze landed on Shin Jaehyun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Jaehyun was looking at me with a slightly surprised expression. Maybe even a little concerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated, then started walking toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……Please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I hated that kind of kindness too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why wasn’t it Go Yohan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that I even had that thought made my skin crawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shot up from my seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes flickered from Shin Jaehyun to Go Yohan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go Yohan, please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan’s expression was unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, avoiding my gaze, he turned his head. His foot, which had been resting on the soccer ball the entire time, suddenly kicked it up into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound was like a signal flare, shattering the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chorus of cheers erupted across the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, everyone forgot about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forgot that I was standing there, blood dripping from my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, any attention Go Yohan had spared me was gone too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I get permission from the P.E. teacher to go to the infirmary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They say bad luck comes in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all people, I ran into Han Taesan at the infirmary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school nurse wasn’t there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan was lying on the bed, clutching his stomach and groaning, but the moment I walked in, his face twisted in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—why—here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still stammering as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then his eyes landed on my nose, and he started flailing around like a panicked animal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"T-T-Tissue!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s over there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still pressing my knuckles against my nose, I pointed at the table with my free hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan scrambled up, yanked a massive wad of tissues from the roll, and shoved them under my nose with enough force to cut off my breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to push his hand away, making him flinch and pull back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he just stared blankly at his own hand, the one I had slapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What are you looking at?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An awkward silence passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Han Taesan started coming back to his senses, his eyes trailed down from his hand—to my arm—to my foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when a dark shadow settled in his large, round eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel my foot tensing on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without thinking, I assumed what Han Taesan must be thinking and tried to explain myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. It’s not what you think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re misunderstanding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan’s expression was serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t meet his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His warning kept echoing in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warning I had ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truthfully, even now, I still didn’t believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My conscience, stained with misplaced hope, refused to accept reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And technically, I wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing had really happened to me yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least, nothing like what had happened to Han Taesan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-What are you assuming, exactly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only reason I couldn’t immediately refute him was that, deep down, I already knew things were spiraling out of my control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Junwoo was violence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan was indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran a hand over the rough surface of my cast, almost as if trying to justify myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know exactly what you’re thinking, but if I’m right—no, I haven’t been beaten up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I fell. I stepped on glass. I got hit by a soccer ball. That’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“K-Kang Jun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan spoke calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still stuttering, but this time, his voice carried a weight it hadn’t before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a good person, so you d-don’t see it but……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-It started with a soccer ball falling from a w-window for me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th-The second thing was my shoes. They… they were thrown away in a scrapyard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Taesan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have a tendency to overthink things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For once, he didn’t stutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……Go look for them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes said the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to see that look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered my head and pressed the tissues harder against my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My shoes weren’t in some trash heap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone had stolen them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were expensive, high-quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need for me to check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent of blood seeped into the tissues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head more forcefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Han Taesan’s voice was still there, soft but unrelenting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kang Jun. You—you’re smart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not like me……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan didn’t know me at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t kind. I wasn’t smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a time when I believed I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment I realized that I was nothing more than an eighteen-year-old idiot, everything I thought I knew got tossed in the trash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crushed the bloodstained tissue in my fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My palm grew damp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you before—I’m not the person you think I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it was Han Taesan who shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His unwavering kindness made me uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much so that I frowned without meaning to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t even define what exactly I was feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just irritating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silently, I threw away the useless tissues and tore off a fresh sheet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I folded it neatly, small enough to fit in my palm, and pressed it under my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan hesitated, like he wanted to help, but I had already taken care of it myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He failed to act in time, and instead, he let out an awkward, breathy laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re… just a little naive, that’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned and looked at Han Taesan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he just say I was naive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who, me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I forced my expression to stay neutral. I exhaled carefully so it wouldn’t show and forced the best smile I could manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Taesan, sorry to break it to you, but I grew up a long time ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“P-People who t-think like that are the ones who haven’t g-grown up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after my rebuttal, Han Taesan only smiled and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……You’re going to b-be a really g-good adult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the only one who h-helped me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I had reasons for helping him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t bring myself to say it, but I repeated the thought in my head over and over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, my mind drifted back to the shimmer of heatwaves rising in the summer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Students aren’t supposed to smoke, Han Taesan had said, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But you still look cool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan had always been strangely stubborn in his own way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I thought about it, Han Junwoo had never been able to do anything about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And hearing this now, it was obvious—Han Junwoo was drawn to that kind of relentless tenacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my mouth shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in front of that Han Taesan—the one from last May who I had never been able to beat—I already knew I would lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Han Junwoo couldn’t break him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, Han Taesan was giving me advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kind of advice I really didn’t want to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, Kang Jun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go check the s-scrapyard. Before it gets c-cleared out next week.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then, you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trailed off, as if struggling to pick the right words again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, his round cheeks twitched, and he settled on something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hope you make a b-better choice than I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re going to be that vague, just don’t say anything at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was I supposed to do with that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan’s words annoyed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had handed me a problem that was too difficult for me to solve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan had already been through the worst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was failure or survival, he had already lived through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So if this happened again, what would he choose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it bruised my pride, I was about to ask him anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you two doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school nurse suddenly walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A-Anyway, it’s n-nothing!\" Han Taesan stammered, immediately throwing himself back onto the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait a minute. Kang Jun? That’s you, isn’t it? What happened to your nose? Are you hurt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nurse made a fuss over my nose before I could say anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as long as she was here, I wouldn’t be able to ask Han Taesan anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed my frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bumped into something during P.E.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I got back to the classroom, P.E. had already ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air reeked of sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I opened the door, the stench smacked me in the face, thick and unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I held my breath to avoid gagging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The homeroom teacher was preparing for the end-of-day announcements and glanced at me as I walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no choice but to explain myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My nose started bleeding during P.E., so I went to the infirmary. That’s why I’m late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh dear, really? Are you okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. It stopped pretty quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief. Alright, take your seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, ma’am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rubbed my neck as I walked back to my seat, trying to shake off the awkwardness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I sat down, Park Haon turned around and whispered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You good?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave him a short nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Homeroom was brief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teacher stole another glance at me, then gave a small thumbs-up before walking out with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I regretted something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have come back to the classroom first and changed into my uniform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I had to deal with the hassle of changing while everyone was still here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hated changing when the classroom was crowded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat still until the classroom emptied out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our class was quick with homeroom, so the hallways were already clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Class 1’s classroom was spewing out sweaty, chattering boys like water swirling down a drain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the noise died down, I finally forced myself to get up and change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I finished buttoning up my uniform, I could hear the distant murmur of other classes finishing their day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I picked up my bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I wanted to leave without bumping into anyone, I had to move quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But walking without putting weight on my foot was slow and exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imbalance made my whole body ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And my foot hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the fuck did I have to step on that glass?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—why the fuck did some bastard have to steal my shoes in the first place, forcing me into this situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as I thought that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Taesan’s words echoed in my head again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go check the scrapyard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought wouldn’t leave me alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I trudged forward, still mulling over Han Taesan’s words, I felt a gaze on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively lifted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To my surprise, Go Yohan was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was sitting on the stairs, as if he had been waiting for someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment he saw me, he stood up awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes met in an uncomfortable silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, I was afraid of his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had ignored me all this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was all Han Taesan’s fault—his voice still whispering in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For me, it started with a soccer ball falling from a window.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Park Dongcheol was one of Go Yohan’s biggest admirers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, fuck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s what this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s how it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy weight of despair settled over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As realization finally sank in, my feet stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan saw my retreat and spoke first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice came out rushed, almost too hurried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your… leg.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was he trying to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I supposed to answer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my mouth, then clamped it shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It started with a soccer ball falling from a window.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soccer ball hitting my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took another step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had never been able to tell what Go Yohan was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But thankfully, I knew a lot about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was good at acting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he loved tormenting others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t about to waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood firm, meeting his gaze on the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made sure not to show any emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as always, my efforts paid off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at him with all the dignity I could muster and stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan wiped his palm against his pants, watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He almost looked pleased that I was approaching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he enjoy the thought of tormenting me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced myself to keep walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His scent filled my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a second, my mind went blank, overwhelmed by a dizzying thought I couldn’t place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I crushed it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked past him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deliberately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Descended the stairs as if he weren’t even there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the biggest act of defiance I could give.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……Ow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My leg trembled with every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raw skin of my injured foot throbbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan was no longer in sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I walked with my back straight, my steps steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I refused to show weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how stupid it seemed, that stubbornness was the only thing keeping me upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To fix my posture, I had to straighten my back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To straighten my back, I had to evenly distribute my weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my foot was in no shape for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And my arm wasn’t strong enough to keep my balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing keeping me from stumbling down the stairs was sheer willpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, I reached the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hallway was full of students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scanned the noisy crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fucking hell, what’s with this homework?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit, what the fuck did you put in your shoe? Wait, is this an insole?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh, it’s so damn loud. Move for a second.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wanna stop by the bookstore before cram school? I need a new workbook.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whoever was late buys us pork stir-fry, no exceptions!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched the crowd that had once been friendly toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, they weren’t exactly friendly, but at least they weren’t openly hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I squared my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t close my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inhaled steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walk like nothing’s wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one needed to know how rattled I was after seeing Go Yohan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would always be Kang Jun—unshaken, untouchable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the moment I gritted my teeth and took another step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"HEY!! KANG JUN!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go Yohan’s voice ripped through the hallway like a gunshot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His rosary beads clattered against the stair railing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic noise of students vanished in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone who knew me turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those who didn’t glanced around, following the shift in attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my cast-covered hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The murmuring grew thicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the first time in a long time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was scared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like Go Yohan was right behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like his massive hand was crushing my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure curled in my stomach like nausea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the worst part—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were nearly a hundred students watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of unreadable eyes, all fixed on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My legs felt weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silence deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Go Yohan’s voice tore through the school once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t lower my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t avert my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever I moved, dozens of heads turned with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked through the crowd, my gaze unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that moment, I finally realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My nightmare was only just beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>",2599,"2026-06-03T12:59:24.646Z","2026-06-03T12:59:27.192Z",1,"novelbin.me","e55608b0012706ddd5855f945b7e0f4df5773d260c66b89ee0b2b5518d578b8f","eighteen-s-bed-chapter-48","eighteen-s-bed-chapter-46",138,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feighteen-s-bed-cover.jpg"]