Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no.1

Beomgyu and Taehyun were the type of students who went unnoticed by most. They kept to themselves and rarely got involved in others' affairs, preferring to remain invisible. Even the dean paid little attention to their statements. However, one thing was crystal clear to everyone – Zico had bullied Beomgyu, so his statement held significance. Now, both of them found themselves seated in front of the investigators, their homeroom teacher, and the dean. Taehyun already wore an irritated expression.

"So, when was the last time you saw him?" one of the investigators asked. Beomgyu gulped nervously, and Taehyun replied, dripping with sarcasm, "I don't remember. It's not like anyone would want to see what he's up to, nor is anyone interested in him." The investigator's gaze shifted from Taehyun to Beomgyu, who appeared rather lost.

"And you?" they asked Beomgyu. He was at a loss for words, but before he could respond, Taehyun interjected, "Look, that Zico... that son of a b- I mean, son of the president, he was a bully. Is a bully, I mean... never mind. He bullied Beomgyu. I think you shouldn't ask Beomgyu about this." Taehyun's tone made it clear that he wasn't particularly concerned for Beomgyu; he simply wanted them to leave as quickly as possible.

"We see," the homeroom teacher coughed, and they all exited the room.

Beomgyu was breathing heavily, so much so that Taehyun immediately took notice. Taehyun moved to his own bed, reproaching him, "Why do you act like that? It makes you look suspicious." Beomgyu remained silent, simply muttering, "Sorry." Taehyun shot him an angry look and warned, "You better not cause any problems for me." Beomgyu nodded in agreement.

"I'm curious, though," Taehyun said, his attention glued to the phone in his hand. "About what?" Beomgyu inquired, to which Taehyun sighed and responded, "Like, where did he go?" Beomgyu offered a feigned shrug, a facade so transparent it was evident on his face, but fortunately, Taehyun wasn't looking at him.

Luckily, their room was left unlocked, allowing Beomgyu to slip out unnoticed. And he did just that. Beomgyu had always grappled with maintaining his focus. From a very young age, he oscillated between bouts of hyperactivity and moments of lethargy. Often, he found himself lost in his own thoughts, with the world around him blurring into an indistinct background. He felt different, odd, and sometimes even questioned his own intelligence. Yet, there was an undeniable beauty to him. People would often remark that his face seemed as though it had been crafted by the hands of divine beings.

However, such superficial beauty paled in comparison to the shortcomings he believed defined him. His academic grades were far from impressive, he lacked influential connections in the world of politics, and his sense of humor left much to be desired. All of this overshadowed any positive qualities he possessed.

Every time his father had uttered the words, "It'll be your last year in the hostel, honey; I'll bring you back home soon," Beomgyu detected the scent of those lies. Those lies seemed to exude a sense of permanence, as though they were an undeniable reality – a truth that was not a fact.

Beomgyu's father was a seasoned traveler, embarking on an exploration of the world for the past six years. During that time, Beomgyu had the opportunity to meet him on only three occasions, and those encounters were all too brief. Beomgyu came from a family of wealth, but it was a discreet kind of wealth, derived from ancestral funds. This financial affluence remained a well-guarded secret at school. How could anyone have known? Beomgyu never flaunted his riches.

To maintain the illusion of belonging to a middle-class family, he refrained from pursuing romantic relationships. No girlfriends or boyfriends came into the picture, as nobody ever suspected that he might be gay. Yet, deep within himself, Beomgyu knew that he was, indeed, gay.