Side Story – Seo Ha-yeon

by Afuhfuihgs

Side Story – Seo Ha-yeon

Deureureuk-

The faint voices that had been coming from the hallway stop the moment the door opens.

Lee So-hee frowned as she looked around the classroom.

The kids avoid her gaze to an excessive degree at that trivial reaction.

A week has passed since the middle school entrance ceremony.

A week was enough time for all the kids attending this school to recognize the background that the girl Lee So-hee had.

Even the teachers find it difficult to readily talk to her. Her parents always tell her to be careful when dealing with Lee So-hee.

This attitude of the adults naturally spread to the children, separating Lee So-hee from the other students.

So-hee thought.

She knew it would turn out like this anyway.

If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.

She slowly walks to her seat.

Watching the children being careful even with their small breaths, So-hee sighed.

Even if she tells them to be comfortable, it’s only for a moment, and the kids will be watching her every move again.

And it was that moment.

Tadadadat!

Deolkeong-!

The moment the faint footsteps coming from outside the classroom stopped, a small girl burst through the door and revealed herself.

Black hair that shimmered with a good texture.

Slightly raised corners of her lips and sharply opened eyes.

The girl, with her cheeks flushed red in the cold weather, showed off an enormous presence from her entrance.

,What? Has class started…?,

She’s a child who strangely catches the eye.

So-hee rested her chin on her desk and began to watch the small girl’s actions.

The small girl, Seo Ha-yeon, looked around in a flustered expression at the extremely quiet state of the classroom.

The kids, who should always be chattering, are too quiet.

She checked the teacher’s desk in case class had started, but the teacher was not there.

Ha-yeon, who was panting, carefully entered the classroom and sat down at her seat.

It’s quiet even though the teacher isn’t here, could it be that this class is a class full of model students?

That’s ridiculous.

Ha-yeon swallowed a hollow laugh at her own thoughts and headed to her seat.

1st period passed, and 2nd period passed.

But even so, there was no change in the children’s reactions.

Quietly flowing time.

The teachers who visited the classroom were also cautious of So-hee’s eyes, so the class was conducted passively.

And so, the 3rd period, physical education time, approached.

After changing into their gym clothes, they moved to the gym.

The physical education teacher threw rackets and balls at the children, telling them to play badminton, and then ran away to the gym storage.

He too felt a great pressure from the background that Lee So-hee had.

Badminton.

It’s an exercise that you have to do in pairs.

The children scattered to find their partners, but there was one person who couldn’t find a partner until the end.

Lee So-hee looked down at the badminton racket in her hand and sighed.

It was the moment she was about to give up on physical education class and put down the racket.

,Hey.,

A cheerful voice flew through the subtle silence.

So-hee turned her head, just in case.

,Wanna play with me?,

A girl playfully asks, spinning the racket in her hand.

Lee So-hee was able to recall the girl’s name.

Seo Ha-yeon.

So-hee rolled the name in her mouth and looked around.

She was worried that this small girl might be getting bullied by her friends and was forced to talk to her.

But it wasn’t. Rather, the other students were looking at Seo Ha-yeon with concern.

Lee So-hee’s expression naturally crumpled at the gazes that seemed to fear what would happen in the future.

,I…,

,You will, right?,

,…,

So-hee closed her mouth at Seo Ha-yeon’s attitude of interrupting her.

She’s using a way of speaking that doesn’t consider others, but it’s not unpleasant.

In the end, So-hee distanced herself and took a stance.

,Yap!,

And so began the badminton match.

Seo Ha-yeon, who had approached her first to play badminton, really had pathetic stamina.

,Hek… Hek…,

Was it about five times that they exchanged the ball?

Seo Ha-yeon, who had been swinging her racket and running around diligently, sat down on the floor and began to pant.

,J-just, time out…,

But So-hee didn’t accept that offer.

The serve started right away.

The badminton ball that flew with a tok sound fell on Seo Ha-yeon’s head with a kong.

,Ouch…,

***

On the way home after school.

There were no farewell greetings between So-hee and the children.

Everyone quickly left the classroom as if they had something urgent to do.

But there was one person.

There was a student who approached So-hee first and greeted her.

,So-hee-ya.,

A distance that was embarrassingly close.

So-hee was just embarrassed by the gaze that was slightly bent and looking up at her.

,See you again tomorrow.,

Seo Ha-yeon left those words and quickly ran out of the classroom.

So-hee, who was left alone like that, was lost in thought.

On the way home.

Even in the car, that thought didn’t end.

So-hee looked up at the driver sitting in the driver’s seat.

A person who has lived longer than her.

So he must know more than her.

So-hee calmly opened her mouth and asked.

,Uncle.,

,… Yes?,

,How do you make friends?,

,Hmm… Eat something delicious together?…

,Something delicious…,

,Share the same hobbies…?,

,Same hobbies…,

,Well, that’s about it.,

It’s simple.

So-hee nodded and smiled slightly.

She felt like her complicated mind had cleared up a little.

When So-hee arrived home, she started searching the internet to find out what hobbies kids her age had these days.

***

,Hmm…,

The next morning.

Before going to school, So-hee stopped by the convenience store and bought Malrang Jjeondeuk Cow (Chewy Cow) to eat with Seo Ha-yeon.

She didn’t know what Seo Ha-yeon would like, so she just bought something that caught her eye nearby.

So-hee fiddled with the pure white caramel in her hand.

It’s small and soft. Just like Seo Ha-yeon.

So-hee put the caramel in her mouth and rolled it around.

A subtle milky scent and sweet taste spread.

It’s not a taste that would be too polarizing.

So-hee nodded and put a few Malrang Jjeondeuk Cows in her pocket.

Seo Ha-yeon appeared similarly to yesterday.

She runs quickly and throws open the closed door of the classroom.

Deolkeong-!

,Yap!,

And then she immediately headed to her seat.

So-hee watched Seo Ha-yeon and fiddled with the caramel in her pocket.

When will the situation arise where she can naturally hand it over?

Throughout the class, So-hee’s entire mind was focused on the caramel in her pocket.

And so, the first class ends, the second class ends, and the third class ends.

The Malrang Jjeondeuk Cow in her pocket couldn’t be handed over even after the fourth class ended.

And then Seo Ha-yeon approached So-hee first.

,So-hee-ya.,

,Ah, yeah.,

,Let’s go eat together.,

So-hee looked at the expressions of the other students standing behind Seo Ha-yeon at her suggestion.

They seemed to be her friends, judging by the fact that Seo Ha-yeon brought them.

Everyone looked very nervous.

They were trying not to show it on the outside, but it was clear that they would feel burdened by the very situation of eating with her.

Just as So-hee, who thought that way, was about to refuse, Seo Ha-yeon reached out and grabbed So-hee’s hand.

,Let’s go~,

Unreserved skinship.

It was So-hee who was flustered.

The power pulling her hand was so weak.

It meant she could easily shake it off.

But So-hee didn’t.

She was naturally led out of the classroom by Seo Ha-yeon.

So-hee looked at the small palm holding her hand.

It’s soft and warm, just as she imagined.

The small mouth walking ahead was chattering something, but So-hee couldn’t hear anything.

In the end, the Malrang Jjeondeuk Cow that she had bought that morning could only be handed over to Seo Ha-yeon near the end of lunchtime.

,This.,

,Oh, thank you?,

So-hee smiled lightly and laughed in vain as she watched Seo Ha-yeon push the Malrang Jjeondeuk Cow into her mouth.

So-hee was thinking that if she had known she would accept it so easily, she would have just handed it over before the first class started.

Time passed quickly, and it was time to go home after all the classes were over.

So-hee got up from her seat and headed to Seo Ha-yeon.

Seo Ha-yeon, who was busy packing her bag and getting ready to go home.

So-hee, who was watching her, carefully opened her mouth.

,Hey. Ha-yeon-ah.,

,Huh?,

,Do you happen to play VR games?,

,VR games? My older brother does?,

,You don’t play?,

,Hmm… I have a capsule in my room, but I don’t really have any games to play.,

,I see…,

So-hee nodded with a lifeless expression at Seo Ha-yeon’s answer.

She had found out through the internet last night that VR games were popular, but this little girl didn’t seem to have much interest in VR games.

,Ah, do you perhaps want to play a game with me?,

An unexpected question.

So-hee rolled her eyes around with her mouth tightly closed.

It’s not that she wants to play games. She just wants to get closer to the girl named Seo Ha-yeon than she is now.

Games were just a means.

,Yeah. I want to.,

,Oh, uhm… Then shall we try it for a bit this evening? Do you have any games that are worth playing?,

If it’s a game worth playing, she already has something in mind.

So-hee recalled the article she had seen on the internet and nodded.

She was told to play RPG games with long playtimes rather than games that end quickly one round at a time.

,Then I’ll contact you later… Ah, we don’t know each other’s numbers yet, do we?,

Seo Ha-yeon said that and suddenly held out her cell phone.

,Will you type in your number?,

,Number…,

In the end, they ended up exchanging numbers.

Seo Ha-yeon smiled slightly and left the classroom after exchanging numbers.

So-hee, who was left alone again this time, smiled faintly as she looked down at her cell phone screen.

That evening.

So-hee held her breath as she looked at her cell phone screen.

The current time is 9 PM.

She hadn’t exactly set a time, but So-hee thought this time was appropriate, so she sent a message to Seo Ha-yeon.

10 minutes passed in that state.

So-hee remained frozen in the same position as before, blankly letting time pass.

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