episode_0098

098.

“……”

Jin Soyeon stared blankly at the back of Baek Yurin, who was closing the door with a somewhat dazed expression.

She couldn’t figure out why the girl with crimson hair was coming out of Lee Jinhyuk’s house in the first place.

For a moment, Jin Soyeon was lost in thought, and a thought crossed her mind.

“No, wait.”

For a moment, an uneasy feeling surged in her heart.

“W-wait, did she do something to Jinhyuk?”

After all, didn’t Baek Yurin spare Lee Jinhyuk, who had declared his surrender during the ranking match, and even refrained from using the Killing Intent technique?

If she had used it properly, the Killing Intent technique was so formidable that not even an active hero could escape unscathed.

Using such a technique on Academy trainees?

“Um, this is worrying.”

If she were an ordinary person, even if she had a grudge, she wouldn’t do anything unnecessary after receiving disciplinary action.

She could even be expelled if she made a mistake.

But considering Baek Yurin’s actions so far, maybe…

“Jin Soyeon…?”

“Ah.”

Startled by Baek Yurin’s voice, Jin Soyeon shook her shoulders and turned her head, realizing that Baek Yurin was looking at her with a casual expression.

“…?”

Baek Yurin tilted her head for a moment.

She thought she felt a subtle sense of familiarity and gaze, but it was Jin Soyeon.

Curious as to why the girl with black hair was here, she recalled that she was Lee Jinhyuk’s childhood friend.

“Hello?”

Baek Yurin greeted her politely.

Baek Yurin, who usually didn’t show much interest in others, but Jin Soyeon was not only Lee Jinhyuk’s childhood friend but also watched the ranking match quite interestingly.

She easily defeated Ju Jiyeon, who was quite powerful for an Academy trainee.

She could be considered more interesting than Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan personally.

Her overall practical skills were mediocre, but her performance during the ranking match was outstanding.

Just like Lee Jinhyuk.

“You know my name?”

“I watched the ranking match well.”

“Really?”

Jin Soyeon bit her lip slightly.

Unlike Baek Yurin, Jin Soyeon didn’t watch the ranking match well.

Because she could only watch it with a nervous heart, afraid that Baek Yurin would hurt Lee Jinhyuk.

Ultimately, Baek Yurin couldn’t hurt Lee Jinhyuk, but when she used the stabbing attack and the Killing Intent technique at the end, Jin Soyeon was so surprised.

She thought the blade that pierced through the shield had penetrated Lee Jinhyuk’s abdomen and her heart sank.

“What business do you have at Jinhyuk’s house?”

Jin Soyeon asked in a slightly sharp voice.

She didn’t know why she visited Lee Jinhyuk’s house, but if it wasn’t for a good reason, she wouldn’t just stand by.

“To apologize.”

“Huh?”

Baek Yurin, you?

It was a somewhat unexpected answer.

After all, Baek Yurin had been challenging Lee Jinhyuk since before the ranking match and showed several threatening behaviors during the match.

So, it’s hard to understand, right?

Moreover, Baek Yurin, she doesn’t seem like the type to apologize.

“…I misunderstood some things and made mistakes during the match.”

“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”

“Well… it’s not a secret, but I don’t really want to say it out loud.”

“Ah.”

“If you’re really curious… ask Jinhyuk… maybe he’ll tell you…?”

In other words, did she challenge Lee Jinhyuk to the ranking match because of a misunderstanding?

And now, have the misunderstanding been resolved and reconciled?

“I know what you’re worried about. If you don’t believe me… why don’t you contact Lee Jinhyuk?”

“No, that’s not…”

It was hard to read emotions or thoughts due to the dry expression.

But for some reason, it didn’t seem like she was lying.

It seemed like a lot of negative feelings towards Lee Jinhyuk had been resolved.

“And also, I’ve received some favors… so I don’t have any intention of causing trouble to Jinhyuk, so don’t worry too much.”

No, it seems like beyond being resolved, she’s actually developed positive feelings?

Favors, huh.

What did Jinhyuk do to make her use the expression ‘favor’?

“Well then, I’ll be going… Oh, right.”

It was the moment to say goodbye and move on.

Baek Yurin hesitated for a moment, then turned back.

“I was debating whether to say this or not.”

Gently scratching her cheek, she met the eyes of Jin Soyeon, whose emotions were clearly visible in her golden eyes, contrasting with the emotionless gray eyes.

“…What do you mean.”

Slowly but with a firm voice, she asked.

“…Why have you been so angry since earlier?”

“Angry? Me?”

At Baek Yurin’s unexpected words, Jin Soyeon was taken aback.

What nonsense is this about being angry?

“Maybe because of something I did… or because you were worried about Jinhyuk…”

“…”

“Not just for those reasons…”

“…”

“And also… when I came to apologize to Jinhyuk and the misunderstanding was resolved… you seemed a bit disappointed… was it a misunderstanding…?”

“…”

In response to Baek Yurin’s questions, Jin Soyeon fell silent for a moment.

Her tightly closed lips trembled a few times.

Eventually, Jin Soyeon reluctantly opened her unmoving lips and gave an answer that wasn’t really an answer to Baek Yurin’s questions.

“Y-yes, it was a misunderstanding.”

“Really? In that case, well…”

It’s hard to tell if she understood or not.

But Baek Yurin seemed to understand, nodding slightly before resuming her steps.

“…I said something strange. Anyway, I’m going.”

“…”

Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip slightly, watching Baek Yurin’s disappearing figure with a frown.

Did she seem disappointed?

Is she angry?

Jin Soyeon pondered Baek Yurin’s words for a moment.

It wasn’t just because she might be angry about what Baek Yurin did to Jinhyuk or because she still had negative feelings.

Of course, she felt worried, but apart from that, another emotion had sprouted in Jin Soyeon’s heart.

It was a hint of jealousy.

Thinking about what Baek Yurin did to Jinhyuk made her want to explode with anger, but seeing Jinhyuk and Baek Yurin resolve their misunderstanding and develop a positive relationship made her feel quite uneasy.

Moreover, Baek Yurin is a beauty who stands out at the academy, a beauty.

She usually speaks little and has a cold expression, but many boys secretly have a crush on her because of her exceptional beauty and graceful figure.

And isn’t she the direct descendant of the wealthy Baek family, who has accumulated a vast fortune?

Why did she get involved with a girl like that?

It’s not like she’s an ordinary girl, and why of all people…?

Of course, it’s definitely not that Baek Yurin has any romantic interest in Jinhyuk.

But apart from that, it didn’t sit well with Jin Soyeon that a talented, graceful, and beautiful girl was lingering around Jinhyuk.

“Rather… rather… If I had harbored negative feelings towards Jinhuk without the misunderstanding being cleared up…”

Then I could have freely hated or expressed anger.

Using the excuse of throwing salt at Jinhuk, using the reason of having negative feelings towards Jinhuk, I could have expressed my emotions to Baek Yurin.

At the same time, I would have gained a reason to prevent Baek Yurin from approaching Jinhuk.

But now that the two have cleared up the misunderstanding and reconciled, what can Jinsuyeon say?

“…I really don’t like it.”

Jinsuyeon bit her lip with a vague expression, tightly clenched her fist.

Her nails dug into her flesh, but Jinsuyeon, seemingly unfazed, clenched her fist even tighter.

“I really don’t like it… I really don’t…”

Just the fact that she had such thoughts.

It’s truly pathetic and disappointing.

Trying to suppress with petty jealousy or express anger.

“Has Jinhuk been enduring these feelings for a long time?”

Perhaps during the time when Jinhuk had a crush on Jinsuyeon, he felt this way every time there were unfamiliar men around her?

Jinsuyeon, oblivious, hung out with guys without a second thought.

That’s why Jinsuyeon couldn’t dare to go to Jinhuk and say anything.

How could Jinsuyeon say anything to Jinhuk?

After enduring Jinhuk’s hardships for a long time and shamelessly confessing, only to be met with the revelation that he likes another girl.

Maintaining a childish friendship in a half-hearted manner and miraculously keeping it going.

Although she wanted to say something like, ‘If there are too many girls around you, the girl you like might misunderstand, so you should be careful,’ disguised as kindness, she couldn’t bring herself to.

It was too obvious and shameless.

“…What am I even doing.”

Jinsuyeon blankly stared at the sky.

If she hadn’t hung out with boys without a second thought, would Jinhuk have accepted the confession? No, if they had been truly dating instead of a fake relationship, Jinhuk would have stuck to Jinsuyeon alone without any other girls around by now.

“In the end… it’s all my fault…”

With a heavy heart, Jinsuyeon shook her head and walked away from Jinhuk’s house.

She wasn’t in the mood to meet Jinhuk today.

She didn’t even know how to face him.

“But still… I…”

Whether it was a good or bad meaning, Jinsuyeon was accumulating complex emotions towards Jinhuk deep in her heart.

As mentioned earlier, whether good or bad.

The jumble of these intense emotions.

Continued to grow.