Chapter Text 章节正文
art by @rikadrawz
When Yoo Joonghyuk first met him, he was almost smacked in the face by the oncoming door. Reflexively, he flinched backwards and narrowly avoided getting hit. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at the door, already internally cursing at the person who nearly hit him in the—
当刘众赫第一次见到他时，差点被迎面而来的门扇到脸上。他本能地向后一缩，勉强避开了撞击。他皱着眉头瞪着那扇门，心里已经开始咒骂那个差点打到他的人——
A boy stumbled out of the janitor’s closet. His fingers were clutching a frayed backpack against his bony frame. A nasty bruise colored the side of his face and dried blood splattered the corner of his lips. His head was turned away, scanning the surrounding area. He released an imperceptible sigh before turning to close the door. However, he froze when he finally noticed Yoo Joonghyuk standing just a few feet away. His eyes slightly widened, and the hold on his backpack tightened.
一个男孩从清洁工的储物间里跌跌撞撞地走了出来。他的手指紧紧抓着一个破旧的背包，贴在他瘦骨嶙峋的身体上。他脸上有一块难看的淤青，嘴角还残留着干涸的血迹。他转过头，扫视着周围的环境。他轻轻叹了口气，然后转身去关门。然而，当他终于注意到站在几英尺外的刘众赫时，他僵住了。他的眼睛微微睁大，握紧背包的手也收得更紧了。
The faint sounds of chatter from another classroom filled the silence.
另一间教室里传来的微弱交谈声填补了这片寂静。
Yoo Joonghyuk stilled as he observed the guarded expression directed at him. The boy’s tattered uniform contrasted the freshly ironed set he had just received from a teacher. Yoo Joonghyuk was about to say something but the boy went the other way, his steps growing fainter as he turned the corner.
刘众赫停下脚步，观察着对方投向他的戒备神情。男孩破旧的制服与他刚从老师那里收到的崭新熨烫过的制服形成鲜明对比。刘众赫正要说些什么，但男孩却转身朝另一个方向走去，他的脚步声在拐角处逐渐消失。
His gaze lingered where the boy was standing just now. After a few seconds, he turned around and exited the school.
他的目光停留在男孩刚才站立的地方。几秒钟后，他转身离开了学校。
Yoo Joonghyuk made a quick stop at the supermarket for his weekly groceries. After spending a bit of time at the produce section, he headed toward the snack aisle. He rarely ventured to this side of the supermarket—just the thought of all those additives and chemicals and whatever poisonous substances they sprinkled in there made him click his tongue in disgust. However, he promised Yoo Mia to buy her favorite snack because she got full marks on her most recent test. He thought back to her smug expression when she proudly presented her test score to him, and he couldn’t help but let a smile slip at the memory. Upon reaching the aisle, he grabbed a blue plastic-wrapped package from the shelf. The photoshopped image of a cookie crème sandwich dipped in a splash of milk seemed to be mocking him as he threw it in his cart. He frowned and made a beeline back to the produce section to stockpile on even more vegetables.
刘众赫在超市快速停留，购买每周所需的杂货。在生鲜区逗留片刻后，他走向零食区。他很少涉足超市的这一侧——光是想到那些添加剂、化学物质以及他们撒在里面的有毒物质，他就厌恶地咂舌。然而，他答应过刘美雅，如果她在最近的考试中得了满分，就给她买她最喜欢的零食。他回想起她骄傲地向他展示考试成绩时那得意的表情，不禁露出一丝微笑。到达零食区后，他从货架上抓起一个蓝色塑料包装的零食。包装上经过 PS 处理的饼干奶油三明治浸在牛奶中的图片似乎在嘲笑他，他把零食扔进购物车，皱着眉头径直返回生鲜区，囤积更多的蔬菜。
He paused when he passed the aisle filled with bandages, ointments, and over-the-counter medications—and Yoo Joonghyuk found his thoughts wandering back to the bruises he saw this afternoon. It wasn’t hard to deduce that the boy was likely being bullied by his classmates and had searched for a secure hiding spot. And when the coast was clear, he could make his escape. Still, he remembered how thin his fingers were and how small he looked for someone in high school and how his eyes, albeit wary, were devoid of any light.
当他经过摆满绷带、药膏和非处方药的过道时，他停了下来——刘众赫的思绪不禁回到了今天下午看到的那些淤青。不难推断出，那个男孩很可能被同学欺负，并寻找了一个安全的藏身之处。当周围安全时，他就可以逃脱。然而，他仍然记得那男孩的手指有多瘦，对于一个高中生来说他看起来有多小，以及他的眼睛虽然警惕，却没有任何光芒。
He gripped the handle of the shopping cart.
他紧紧抓住购物车的把手。
However— 然而——
He turned on his heel and stiffly marched toward the checkout counter.
他转身僵硬地走向收银台。
—it wasn’t any of his business.
——这不关他的事。
He didn’t even know the boy and even if he did see him again at school, they probably wouldn’t talk to each other.
他甚至不认识那个男孩，即使在学校再次见到他，他们可能也不会交谈。
And yet, for some strange reason, Yoo Joonghyuk found himself retracing his steps and grabbing the first ointment he saw from the shelf.
然而，出于某种奇怪的原因，刘众赫发现自己不由自主地折返脚步，从架子上抓起了第一眼看到的药膏。
Yoo Mia was still at school when he came back to their apartment. She had briefly mentioned joining some afterschool clubs with her two best friends.
刘众赫回到公寓时，刘美雅还在学校。她曾简短地提到要和两个最好的朋友一起参加一些课后俱乐部。
The kitchen lights flickered on and Yoo Joonghyuk began putting away the groceries. He pulled the last item from the grocery bag, which was the ointment he grabbed at the last second. He looked at it and frowned, already regretting his decision and wondering what possessed him to actually buy this. When his mind started to wander again, he firmly halted it in its tracks by shoving the ointment into a kitchen drawer.
厨房的灯闪烁了一下，刘众赫开始把买来的东西放好。他从购物袋里拿出最后一件物品，那是他在最后一刻抓起的药膏。他看着它，皱起了眉头，已经开始后悔自己的决定，并想知道是什么驱使他真的买了这个东西。当他的思绪再次开始飘忽时，他坚定地将其打断，把药膏塞进了厨房的抽屉里。
Out of the corner of his eye, his phone lit up. Grateful for any distraction, he snatched it from the counter. However, it was only a text message from his bank, alerting him that his weekly allowance from his mother was just deposited into his account. His expression cooled as he set his phone down and started preparing dinner.
他用余光瞥见手机亮了起来。感激于任何能分散注意力的东西，他迅速从柜台上抓起手机。然而，那只是银行发来的一条短信，提醒他母亲每周的零花钱刚刚存入他的账户。他的表情冷了下来，放下手机，开始准备晚餐。
On the surface, Yoo Joonghyuk’s parents were a power couple—both lead successful careers in their respective fields and frequently expressed their love for each other in public. But once they came home, they were as intimate as strangers, both to each other and to their own children.
表面上，刘众赫的父母是一对强强联合的夫妻——两人在各自的领域都事业有成，并经常在公开场合表达对彼此的爱意。但一旦回到家，他们就像陌生人一样疏远，不仅对彼此如此，对自己的孩子也是如此。
It was stifling being in this space but what made it bearable was Yoo Mia. Growing up in this kind of environment only strengthened his resolve to change that for his sister, even if it mostly meant showing affection in his own gruff way. (Every time he tried, she would just giggle and wrap her arms around his waist.)
在这个空间里感到窒息，但让这一切变得可以忍受的是刘美雅。在这种环境中长大，只会让他更加坚定要为妹妹改变这一切的决心，即使这大多意味着以他自己粗犷的方式表达爱意。（每次他尝试时，她都会咯咯笑着，抱住他的腰。）
However, it was last year when he began to see the faint cracks in their perfect façade. What initially started out as hushed whispers into each other’s ears slowly morphed into stiff smiles as they stood inches apart, posing in front of the cameras. Soon after, his parents stopped appearing at events altogether. And then, they were rarely at home at the same time.
然而，直到去年，他才开始在他们完美的表象下看到细微的裂痕。最初只是彼此耳边的低语，逐渐变成了站在镜头前、相隔几英寸时僵硬的微笑。不久之后，他的父母便不再一同出席活动。接着，他们很少同时在家。
It was only natural when the façade finally shattered.
当表象最终破碎时，这是再自然不过的事。
“We’ll be finalizing the paperwork in the next few months.”
“我们将在接下来的几个月内完成文件手续。”
His mother was shuffling a stack of papers as Yoo Joonghyuk put his mug down. He silently nodded in response. It wasn’t like a divorce was unexpected; frankly, he was surprised they kept up this “perfect family” act for this long. He reached for his mug again when she spoke.
他的母亲正在整理一叠文件，而刘众赫放下了他的杯子。他默默地点头回应。离婚并不意外；说实话，他惊讶于他们能维持这个“完美家庭”的假象这么久。当他再次伸手去拿杯子时，她开口了。
“As for where you two will be living, we haven’t decided yet. We thought,” she hesitated, “we’d get your opinion on it.”
“至于你们两个的住处，我们还没有决定。我们想，”她犹豫了一下，“听听你的意见。”
He glanced up. Her gaze was fixated on him.
他抬头看了一眼。她的目光正紧紧盯着他。
A quiet fury simmered within his gut as he processed what she said. Since when did they care about their opinions? Were they trying to play the role of a parent for the first (and likely last) time? It was truly laughable.
他心中燃起一股无声的怒火，消化着她所说的话。从什么时候开始他们在意他们的意见了？他们是想第一次（也可能是最后一次）扮演父母的角色吗？真是可笑。
She bit her lip. “If you and Mia come live with me, she’ll be near her school and you—”
她咬了咬嘴唇。“如果你和米娅来和我一起住，她会离学校更近，而你——”
“Alone.” “独自一人。”
“What?” “什么？”
He stared at her, his grip around the mug tightening until his knuckles turned white. “I don’t want to live with either of you.”
他盯着她，握着杯子的手越来越紧，直到指节发白。“我不想和你们中的任何一个住在一起。”
A couple months later, he and his sister were standing in a furnished apartment with several boxes and suitcases. He thought his parents would put up more resistance but surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), they discussed the logistics and finances with him over the next few weeks. He had regretted making an impulsive decision without consulting his sibling first so when the two were alone, he asked if she wanted to live with their mother or father. Without missing a beat, she said, “I want to go wherever oppa is going.”
几个月后，他和妹妹站在一间带家具的公寓里，周围堆着几个箱子和行李箱。他原以为父母会更有抵触，但出乎意料（或许也不意外），他们在接下来的几周里和他讨论了后勤和财务问题。他后悔没有先和妹妹商量就做出了冲动的决定，所以当两人独处时，他问她是否想和母亲或父亲一起生活。她毫不犹豫地说：“我想去 oppa 去的地方。”
Their new two-bedroom apartment had a balcony overlooking the bustling streets. Beyond the glass doors, he glanced at the sky, which was coated in a sea of warm hues without a single cloud in sight.
他们的新两居室公寓有一个阳台，可以俯瞰繁华的街道。透过玻璃门，他瞥了一眼天空，那里被一片温暖的色调覆盖，没有一丝云彩。
Yoo Joonghyuk shrugged off his backpack and decided he should probably start unpacking. Before he could take another step, his sister gripped the side of his shirt. He glanced down at her but could only see the crown of her head. Gently placing his hands on her shoulders, he crouched down so that they were eye level.
刘众赫甩下背包，决定他应该开始整理行李了。还没等他迈出下一步，他的妹妹抓住了他的衣角。他低头看了她一眼，但只能看到她的头顶。他轻轻地把手放在她的肩膀上，蹲下来，使他们的视线平齐。
“What is it, Mia?” “怎么了，米娅？”
“Oppa, are you okay?” she blurted out.
“哥哥，你还好吗？”她脱口而出。
His eyes shook, taken aback by the sudden question. He felt a slight twinge in his chest—it should be him asking her that question. She wasn’t even ten yet, and she had to deal with their parents divorcing and moving to a new place.
他的眼睛颤抖了一下，被这突如其来的问题吓了一跳。他感到胸口一阵轻微的刺痛——这个问题本该由他来问她。她还不到十岁，却要面对父母离婚和搬到一个新地方的事情。
He brushed the bangs out of her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re here with me.”
他轻轻拨开她眼前的刘海。“我怎么会不开心呢？你和我在一起。”
She pressed her lips in a thin line, clearly not satisfied with his answer. She loved her brother with all her heart but he had a bad habit of shouldering all the burden because he didn’t want her to worry. She didn’t like that.
她抿紧了嘴唇，显然对他的回答不满意。她全心全意地爱着她的哥哥，但他有个坏习惯，总是把所有负担都扛在自己身上，因为他不想让她担心。她不喜欢这样。
She patted his head, just like how he often did before tucking her into bed. He chuckled and ruffled her hair before pulling her in for a hug.
她拍了拍他的头，就像他经常在给她掖好被子前做的那样。他轻笑一声，揉了揉她的头发，然后把她拉过来拥抱。
Later that night when Yoo Mia was fast asleep, Yoo Joonghyuk sat in the living room, illuminated only by the neon signs and office lights from neighboring buildings. It was well past midnight so the warm hues from earlier were long gone, replaced by a vast blanket of darkness. He propped his knees up, resting his chin on them and continued to stare at the empty sky, devoid of any light.
那天晚上，当刘美雅熟睡时，刘众赫坐在客厅里，只有邻近建筑的霓虹灯和办公室灯光照亮着他。已经过了午夜，所以早些时候的温暖色调早已消失，取而代之的是一片广阔的黑暗。他屈起膝盖，下巴搁在上面，继续凝视着空无一物的天空，那里没有任何光亮。
There were issues processing his school paperwork so it was two weeks into the new semester when Yoo Joonghyuk could finally attend class.
由于学校文件处理出现问题，刘众赫在新学期开始两周后才终于能去上课。
He stood there at the front of the class, meeting the gazes of his fellow classmates. He gave his classmates a cursory glance but suddenly froze when his eyes landed on a student in the back corner of the room.
他站在教室前面，迎接着同学们的目光。他匆匆扫视了一眼同学们，但当他的目光落在教室后排角落的一个学生身上时，突然僵住了。
“Class, we have a new student joining us today.” The teacher motioned towards Yoo Joonghyuk, whose stiff demeanor was misinterpreted as nervousness. “I’m sure you’ll get along with all of them. Would you like to introduce yourself?”
“同学们，今天我们有一位新同学加入。”老师示意了一下刘众赫，他僵硬的态度被误认为是紧张。“我相信你们会相处得很好。你想自我介绍一下吗？”
The boy had his chin propped up on his left hand as he looked out the window.
男孩左手托着下巴，望着窗外。
“Yoo Joonghyuk.” “Yoo Joonghyuk。”
He watched the boy glance in his direction at the sound of his voice. His eyes widened ever so slightly, and his hand, where his chin was previously perched, dropped to his desk. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t think they’d actually be in the same class.
他看着男孩听到他的声音后朝他的方向瞥了一眼。男孩的眼睛微微睁大，原本托着下巴的手也放到了桌子上。刘众赫没想到他们真的会在同一个班级。
“Well, thank you, Joonghyuk-ah. Even though he came a bit late, I hope everyone extends a warm welcome to him. Hm, as for your seating arrangement,” he trailed off, scanning the aisles of desks for an empty spot, “there’s a spot in the back.”
“嗯，谢谢你，众赫啊。虽然他来得有点晚，但我希望大家能热情地欢迎他。嗯，至于你的座位安排，”他停顿了一下，扫视着教室里的座位寻找空位，“后面有个空位。”
When Yoo Joonghyuk began walking towards his assigned seat, the boy quickly averted his eyes back to the comfort of the vast sky. His backpack dropped to the floor with a quiet thud as Yoo Joonghyuk sat down in the seat next to the boy.
当刘众赫开始走向他被分配的座位时，男孩迅速将目光移回广阔天空的舒适中。刘众赫的书包轻轻掉在地上，发出了一声闷响，随后他在男孩旁边的座位上坐了下来。
The teacher clapped his hands together. “Alright, everyone, please get out your textbooks and…”
老师拍了拍手。“好了，大家请拿出课本，然后……”
Yoo Joonghyuk had flipped opened his notebook and textbook but he was hardly paying attention. He glanced to his left, and noticed the boy was doodling in his notebook. He seemed deep in thought as his hand, which was littered with scratches, glided across the page. His gaze traveled up to his forearm and with certain movements, Yoo Joonghyuk could see more scratches peeking from under his sleeve.
刘众赫翻开了笔记本和课本，但他几乎没有在听讲。他向左瞥了一眼，注意到那个男孩正在笔记本上涂鸦。他似乎陷入了沉思，布满划痕的手在纸上滑过。他的目光移到了男孩的前臂上，随着某些动作，刘众赫可以看到更多的划痕从袖子下露出来。
“Joonghyuk-ah, could you please read the next passage?”
“Joonghyuk-ah，你能读一下下一段吗？”
He redirected his attention forward and stood up, reading aloud the passage.
他将注意力重新集中到前方，站起身来，大声朗读那段文字。
The rest of the morning passed by uneventfully, and lunch period soon arrived. The hushed chatter in the room quickly bubbled over as students gathered in their usual spots, laughing brightly and enjoying their meals. Yoo Joonghyuk was about to get up from his seat when several of his new classmates crowded around him, bombarding him with the standard questions of why he moved, where was he from, did he want to hang out with them, what hobbies he liked… He could already feel himself getting annoyed.
上午的剩余时间平静地过去了，午餐时间很快到来。教室里低沉的交谈声迅速沸腾起来，学生们聚集在他们常去的地方，欢快地笑着，享受着他们的午餐。刘众赫正要起身离开座位时，几个新同学围了过来，连珠炮般地问他为什么转学、来自哪里、是否想和他们一起玩、喜欢什么爱好……他已经开始感到不耐烦了。
Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed his things and abruptly stood up, his chair squeaking across the floor. He pushed his way past the sea of students, ignoring their protests. He swiftly located the stairwell and climbed the steps to the top floor. He swung open the door, and a blast of cold air greeted him as he entered the rooftop. Not many ventured up to the roof at his previous school, and much to his relief, it seemed it was the same at this school. He already felt more content now that he was away from the crowd of students.
刘众赫抓起自己的东西，猛地站起来，椅子在地板上发出刺耳的摩擦声。他挤过学生的人群，无视他们的抗议。他迅速找到了楼梯间，爬上楼梯来到顶层。他推开天台的门，一股冷风迎面扑来。在他之前的学校里，很少有人会冒险上天台，而令他欣慰的是，这所学校似乎也是如此。远离了学生的人群，他已经感到更加满足。
He walked over to the edge and looked into the distance. The four-story building provided a modest view of the city, and he could even spot his apartment building from afar.
他走到边缘，望向远方。这座四层楼的建筑提供了城市的一角景色，他甚至能从远处看到自己的公寓楼。
He wandered back to the entrance and found a ladder attached to the wall beside it. Once he reached the top, he laid down with his limbs sprawled across the ground. The frigid air tickled his cheeks, and his breaths materialized into tiny wisps. Yoo Joonghyuk folded his arms under his head and watched the wind gently carry away the sheets of clouds.
他漫步回到入口处，发现旁边墙上有一架梯子。到达顶端后，他躺了下来，四肢摊开在地面上。寒冷的空气轻拂着他的脸颊，他的呼吸化作一缕缕白雾。刘众赫将双臂枕在头下，看着风轻轻地将云层吹散。
Yoo Joonghyuk eventually returned to the classroom a few minutes before the lunch period was over. However, there was a group of students gathered around the back corner of the room. He walked towards his desk and stopped.
Yoo Joonghyuk 最终在午餐时间结束前几分钟回到了教室。然而，教室后角聚集了一群学生。他走向自己的座位，停下了脚步。
“Move.” “让开。”
The student standing in front of his chair turned around and glowered. “Why should I?”
“站在椅子前的学生转过身来，怒目而视。‘我为什么要？’”
Yoo Joonghyuk shoved his chair out from under his desk, and it collided with his classmate’s thigh. He lost his balance and fell to the floor, looking up at Yoo Joonghyuk with an astonished expression as he clutched his thigh.
“刘众赫把椅子从桌子底下推了出来，椅子撞到了同学的大腿上。他失去平衡，摔倒在地，捂着大腿，一脸惊讶地看着刘众赫。”
“I told you to move.” Yoo Joonghyuk adjusted his chair and sat down.
“我告诉过你要动一下。”刘众赫调整了一下椅子，坐了下来。
“You crazy bastard!” He sprung to his feet, raging mad. He sprung to his feet, raging mad. He was about to grab his collar, but Yoo Joonghyuk caught his arm in an iron grip.
“你这个疯子！”他猛地站起来，怒火中烧。他猛地站起来，怒火中烧。他正要抓住他的衣领，但刘众赫用铁钳般的手抓住了他的手臂。
“Song Minwoo!” The teacher had just entered the classroom and witnessed the altercation. He slammed a book against the podium. “That’s enough! Class is starting.”
“宋敏宇！”老师刚走进教室，目睹了这场争执。他把书重重地摔在讲台上。“够了！开始上课了。”
“Come on, forget about him,” another classmate to his side said.
“得了吧，忘了他吧，”他旁边的另一个同学说道。
Song Minwoo threw Yoo Joonghyuk a nasty glare before returning to his seat.
宋旻浩朝刘众赫投去一个恶狠狠的眼神，然后回到了自己的座位上。
Yoo Joonghyuk wondered why they were crowding around here anyways. He frowned, scanning the surface of his desk before checking the contents of his backpack. Everything seemed to be alright which meant—
刘众赫不明白他们为什么都挤在这里。他皱了皱眉，扫了一眼桌面，又检查了背包里的东西。一切似乎都没问题，这意味着——
He turned to his left.
他转向左边。
Class had started, but the boy wasn’t here.
课已经开始了，但那个男孩还没来。
He studied the boy’s desk for any irregularities but found none.
他仔细检查了男孩的桌子，没有发现任何异常。
Yoo Joonghyuk shook his head, taking out a notebook from his backpack. He didn’t get a clear look in the first place so maybe they really were just hanging out.
刘众赫摇了摇头，从背包里拿出一个笔记本。他一开始就没看清楚，也许他们真的只是在闲逛。
Fifteen minutes into the lesson, the classroom door slid open.
上课十五分钟后，教室的门滑开了。
The teacher opened his mouth to say something but decided against it and started explaining the current problem.
老师张了张嘴想说些什么，但最终决定不说，开始解释当前的问题。
Yoo Joonghyuk watched the boy return to the desk next to him. Similar to this morning, he took out his notebook and began scribbling in it again. Except this time, the movements were more deliberate, and the tip of the pen dug deeper into the paper. And was it his imagination or did it look like there were more cuts on his hand than before?
刘众赫看着男孩回到他旁边的座位上。和今天早上一样，他拿出笔记本，又开始在上面涂写。只不过这一次，动作更加刻意，笔尖更深地扎进纸里。是他的错觉吗，还是男孩手上的伤口比之前更多了？
He never got to confirm his suspicions though because the boy suddenly pulled his sleeve over his hand.
他还没来得及确认自己的怀疑，男孩突然把袖子拉下来遮住了手。
Yoo Joonghyuk looked up. Yoo Joonghyuk 抬起头。
Dark, wary eyes bore into his own, reminiscent of their first encounter.
那双漆黑而警惕的眼睛紧盯着他，让他们想起了初次相遇的情景。
“Oppa, what’s this?” “欧巴，这是什么？”
Yoo Joonghyuk set aside the ladle and turned around. One of the kitchen drawers was opened, and Yoo Mia was holding the ointment he bought a couple weeks ago. He almost forgot he left it in there.
刘众赫放下勺子，转过身来。厨房的一个抽屉被打开了，刘美雅正拿着他几周前买的药膏。他几乎忘了自己把它放在那里。
“Did you hurt yourself somewhere? Oppa, you have to be more careful!” she chided, pushing his sleeves up and examining his arms for injuries.
“你哪里受伤了吗？欧巴，你要小心一点！”她责备道，卷起他的袖子，检查他的手臂是否有伤口。
He removed his arm from her grasp and continued stirring the stew. “I’m not hurt, Mia.”
“他把手臂从她的手中抽出来，继续搅拌着炖菜。‘我没受伤，米娅。’”
“Then who is it for?”
“‘那这是给谁的？’”
An image of his deskmate popped into his head. It had been a few weeks since attending this school, and Yoo Joonghyuk finally learned that the boy’s name was Kim Dokja after their teacher called on him in class.
他脑海中浮现出同桌的形象。入学几周后，刘众赫终于得知那个男孩的名字叫金独子，因为老师在课堂上点到了他。
“Just someone. Put it back in the drawer where it belongs.”
“只是某个人。把它放回抽屉里，放回它该放的地方。”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re acting suspicious, oppa.”
她眯起眼睛。“你看起来很可疑，哥哥。”
“Mia.” “米娅。”
“You should give it to the person if they’re hurt,” she muttered sadly.
“如果那个人受伤了，你应该把它给他们，”她悲伤地喃喃道。
He sighed. It would’ve been much easier to brush it off as an extra addition to their first aid kit but he was caught off-guard. It was too late now so he patted her head and relented. “I will.”
他叹了口气。本来可以轻松地把它当作急救箱的额外补充，但他措手不及。现在已经太晚了，所以他拍了拍她的头，让步了。“我会的。”
“Promise?” “你保证？”
He nodded. “I promise.” 他点点头。“我保证。”
She looked up, a bright smile on her face. “I’ll go put it in your backpack then so you don’t forget!”
她抬起头，脸上洋溢着灿烂的笑容。“那我去把它放进你的背包里，这样你就不会忘记了！”
He smiled back, albeit strained. “That’s a good idea.”
他回以微笑，尽管有些勉强。“这是个好主意。”
She skipped along the corridor to his room, and Yoo Joonghyuk rubbed his temple and let out a long sigh. He felt a little guilty about lying to her but it would be strange if he suddenly gave this to him when they’d never even had a proper conversation.
她蹦蹦跳跳地沿着走廊走向他的房间，刘众赫揉了揉太阳穴，长叹一口气。他对向她撒谎感到有些内疚，但如果他突然把这个给他，而他们甚至从未有过一次像样的对话，那会显得很奇怪。
He resumed making dinner, thinking that was the end of that.
他继续做晚饭，以为事情就这样结束了。
However, a few days later, Yoo Joonghyuk ended up keeping his sister's promise after all.
然而，几天后，刘众赫最终还是遵守了他妹妹的承诺。
Yoo Joonghyuk dribbled the ball to another classmate and jogged over to the bench to take a break.
刘众赫将球传给另一个同学，然后慢跑到长凳上休息。
His teacher came up to him and asked, “Joonghyuk-ah, do you mind getting my spare whistle? It’s in the first drawer on the right.”
他的老师走过来问他：“众赫啊，你能帮我去拿一下备用的哨子吗？在右边第一个抽屉里。”
He nodded and headed toward the classroom. When he arrived, it was naturally empty, save for the familiar silhouette in the back corner of the classroom. Yoo Joonghyuk had already expected Kim Dokja to be there because for some unknown reason, he was always excused from participating in PE classes.
他点点头，朝教室走去。到达时，教室里自然空无一人，除了教室后角那个熟悉的身影。刘众赫早已预料到金独子会在那里，因为出于某种未知的原因，他总是被免于参加体育课。
His head laid on top of his crossed arms with his face turned the other way, and Yoo Joonghyuk noted the quiet fall and rise of his shoulders.
他的头枕在交叉的双臂上，脸转向另一边，刘众赫注意到他肩膀的轻微起伏。
He retrieved the desired item from his teacher’s desk before turning to leave. However, he halted his steps when he heard some shuffling followed by a faint whimper.
他从老师的桌子上取走了想要的东西，然后转身离开。然而，当他听到一些窸窣声和微弱的呜咽声时，他停下了脚步。
Yoo Joonghyuk glanced back at Kim Dokja, whose head was now turned towards his direction. His eyes remained closed and the quiet fall and rise of his shoulders resumed. The windows were slightly ajar, welcoming in a spring breeze that gently brushed away his hair, revealing bruises that seemed to perpetually mark his skin.
刘众赫回头看了一眼金独子，他的头现在转向了他的方向。他的眼睛仍然闭着，肩膀的轻微起伏再次出现。窗户微微敞开，迎进一阵春风，轻轻拂过他的头发，露出似乎永远留在他皮肤上的淤青。
Yoo Joonghyuk hesitated for a moment before walking over to his desk. He grabbed his backpack and unzipped it in one fluid motion. He stood there, intensely peering down at the bottom of his bag. It seemed as if he was going to zip it close but at the last second, he roughly dug his hand through the contents of his bag. He looked over at Kim Dokja, who wore a serene expression in his sleep.
刘众赫犹豫了一下，然后走向他的书桌。他一把抓起背包，流畅地拉开拉链。他站在那里，专注地凝视着包底。看起来他好像要拉上拉链，但在最后一刻，他粗暴地在包里翻找起来。他看向金独子，后者在睡梦中表情安详。
Careful not to awaken him, Yoo Joonghyuk gingerly placed a cardboard box on Kim Dokja’s desk.
小心不吵醒他，刘众赫轻轻将一个纸箱放在金独子的桌上。
- bonus scene -
- 额外场景 -
Kim Dokja never personally requested to skip PE but since last year, the teachers gave him the option to stay in the classroom until he felt ready to return, even though he was already given medical clearance to resume physical activities. He didn’t mind it though—he’d take free time over PE any day.
金独子从未亲自要求跳过体育课，但从去年开始，老师们给了他选择权，允许他待在教室里，直到他感觉准备好回归，尽管他已经获得了恢复体育活动的医疗许可。不过他并不介意——他宁愿选择自由时间而不是体育课。
He drummed his fingers against the counter, observing and listening to his classmates cheer each other on during their basketball game. One of the players lost his footing and tripped, falling face-first into the court. The teacher blew his whistle while everyone rushed to huddle around him. Soon after, Kim Dokja saw the player wobble to his feet, reassuring everyone that he was okay. Another player wrapped his arm around his shoulders, and laughter filled the air once more.
他用手指敲打着柜台，观察并听着同学们在篮球比赛中互相加油。一名球员失去平衡，摔倒在球场上。老师吹响了哨子，所有人都冲过去围在他身边。不久后，金独子看到那名球员摇摇晃晃地站起来，向大家保证他没事。另一名球员搂住他的肩膀，笑声再次充满了空气。
Kim Dokja silently watched the scene continue to unfold. Perhaps this was the actual reason he avoided going to PE—for he knew that in this story, there was no role for him.
金独子默默地注视着这一幕继续展开。也许这就是他避免去上体育课的真正原因——因为他知道，在这个故事中，没有他的角色。
He looked at the clock and noted he had about half an hour before the next period started. He debated between going to the library or taking a nap but ultimately decided on the latter. He hopped off the counter and sat down at his desk. With his head turned toward the window, his eyelids grew heavy as he watched the clouds float by at its own steady pace.
他看了看时钟，注意到离下节课开始还有大约半小时。他在去图书馆还是小睡一会儿之间犹豫不决，但最终选择了后者。他从柜台上跳下来，坐在自己的书桌前。他把头转向窗户，看着云朵以稳定的速度飘过，眼皮渐渐变得沉重。
Kim Dokja awoke to a soft thud.
金独子被一声轻柔的撞击声惊醒。
He snapped his head up, wondering what produced that sound. He thought the wind had maybe blown something off the counter or perhaps the precariously placed items on his teacher’s desk finally tumbled over. However, the source of the noise was something he didn’t expect, or rather someone.
他猛地抬起头，想知道是什么发出了那个声音。他以为可能是风吹倒了柜台上的东西，或者是他老师桌子上那些摇摇欲坠的物品终于倒了下来。然而，声音的来源是他没有预料到的，或者说是某个人。
His new classmate was at the front of the classroom, heading toward the door to leave.
他的新同学在教室前面，正朝门口走去准备离开。
Still disoriented, Kim Dokja accidentally pushed his backpack and released a small yelp of surprise. Panicking, he reoriented himself into his prior sleeping position and quickly closed his eyes.
金独子仍然有些迷糊，不小心推了一下他的背包，发出了一声小小的惊呼。他惊慌失措地重新调整回之前的睡姿，迅速闭上了眼睛。
He wanted to smack himself on the head. Why was he even feigning sleep? It wasn’t like he did anything wrong nor did he have any reason to avoid this guy.
他想给自己一巴掌。他为什么要假装睡觉？他又没做错什么，也没有理由避开这个人。
Kim Dokja heard his footsteps resume, except the sound was growing louder with each step. What—why was he coming towards him?
金独子听到他的脚步声又响了起来，只是每一步都越来越近。什么——他为什么要朝他走来？
The memory of their first encounter a few weeks ago came to mind. The janitor’s closet was his newest hiding spot since Song Minwoo and his lackeys wouldn’t even think to check there. However, he didn’t expect someone to be standing right there when he opened the door.
几周前他们第一次相遇的记忆浮现在脑海中。清洁工的储物间是他最新的藏身之处，因为宋旻浩和他的跟班们根本不会想到去那里检查。然而，他没想到当他打开门时，有人正站在那里。
His classmate’s shoes squeaked against the floor when they slowed to a stop.
他同学的鞋子在地板上发出吱吱声，直到他们慢慢停下。
Was he going to get payback for almost slamming the door in his face that day? Kim Dokja continued his steady breathing as he pretended be in a deep slumber when in reality, he wanted nothing more than to just hide his face in the burrow of his arms.
他会不会因为那天差点把门摔在他脸上而报复？金独子继续平稳地呼吸，假装在熟睡，而实际上，他只想把脸埋进手臂的怀抱里。
Something rustled against cloth and then the sound of a zipper was heard.
什么东西在布料上沙沙作响，接着听到了拉链的声音。
Was he… stealing something from his backpack? Too bad for him but he didn’t have anything valuable in there. Though he noted that the sound was coming from the right but he was sure his backpack was to his left when it fell earlier…
他……是在从他的背包里偷东西吗？可惜对他来说，包里没什么值钱的东西。不过他注意到声音是从右边传来的，但他确定背包之前掉在了左边……
Ah. 啊。
A thought suddenly came to his mind.
一个念头突然浮现在他的脑海中。
He only came over to get something from his own backpack.
他只是过来从他自己的背包里拿点东西。
Kim Dokja wanted to bury his face further in the crook of his elbow but for a different reason this time as he tried to swallow down his embarrassment at his earlier paranoia. It was much more likely that he forgot all about that incident weeks ago than to harbor a grudge against some random person.
金独子想把脸更深地埋进臂弯里，但这次的原因不同，他试图吞下之前因偏执而产生的尴尬。更有可能的是，他几周前就已经完全忘记了那件事，而不是对某个陌生人怀恨在心。
Soon after, his footsteps resumed and grew fainter, and Kim Dokja finally heard the door slide open and close with an imperceptible thud. His eyes blinked open and he released the breath he had been holding, his heart beating a bit too quickly. He lifted his head from the table and extended his arms over his head. However, he paused mid-stretch when he noticed an item on his desk that was definitely not there before. He warily picked it up to examine it.
不久之后，他的脚步声再次响起，逐渐变得微弱，金独子终于听到门轻轻滑动并关上，发出几乎察觉不到的轻响。他睁开眼睛，呼出了憋着的那口气，心跳有些过快。他从桌子上抬起头，双手伸过头顶伸展。然而，当他注意到桌上有一个之前绝对不在那里的物品时，他在伸展中途停了下来。他小心翼翼地拿起它，仔细查看。
He stared at the box, and the cartoon of a fluffy white creature with a bandaid on its lone tiny horn stared back.
他盯着盒子，盒子上画着一只毛茸茸的白色生物，它唯一的独角上贴着一块创可贴，正回望着他。
‘Ointment for bruises and cuts! Feel better in no time with the magic touch of the Dokkaebi King!’
“治疗瘀伤和割伤的药膏！在 Dokkaebi King 的神奇触摸下，立刻感觉好多了！”
Kim Dokja twirled the box in his hand and looked towards the door, where his classmate had just walked through moments prior.
金独子转动手中的盒子，望向门口，他的同学刚刚从那里走过。