Ch.136136. The Reason I Wanted to Hide It.

The practice of the 23rd team was canceled.

The reason for the cancellation was health issues with Juyeon and Suhyuk.

Strangely, both of them seemed to have fallen ill at the same time.

[Are you very sick?]

After finishing her workout, Hana fidgeted with her phone, feeling worried.

Suhyuk had missed an entire week’s worth of practice.

She thought it might happen once, but to skip twice?

Maybe it’s a seasonal cold.

It’s lasting quite a while.

Juyeon had notified that she could come to practice on Wednesday, so she seemed to be getting better.

-Bzzzz

[Yeah. Seems to be lasting a while. Sorry.]

[Don’t be. What are you sorry for? It’s not like you chose to be sick.]

[Still, we can’t practice because of me.]

A remorseful cat emoticon was shedding tears.

Sigh… this means…

It’s been quite a while since she’d seen him, and she was worried.

After finishing her shower, Hana left the gym but didn’t head home.

“One beef and vegetable porridge, please.”

Hana stopped by a chain porridge restaurant and received the bag.

Honestly, she had considered buying ingredients and making it herself, but Hana had no talent for cooking.

Rather than fumbling around with recipes at a sick person’s house, she thought Suhyuk would be happier if she just brought a ready-made product as a safe choice.

…He’ll like it, right?

Visiting someone when they’re sick is a basic move for a girlfriend or someone you’re interested in.

The thought of seeing Suhyuk made her steps lighter.

Hana hummed a tune as she passed the three-way intersection that divided the path to Juyeon and Suhyuk’s homes.

Pushing through the glass door, Hana climbed the stairs.

“Hmm… hmm!”

After clearing her throat, she pressed Suhyuk’s doorbell.

“Who is it?”

Suhyuk’s voice from inside sounded quite healthy.

Doesn’t seem like a throat cold?

Instead of answering, Hana took a step back from the front door.

Soon, the door opened.

“Who—”

“Hi!”

Suhyuk, who had only poked his face out, was startled by Hana’s sudden appearance.

“H-Hana?”

“What’s with that reaction? You look like you’ve seen something you shouldn’t.”

“No, I mean… without any notice, why suddenly…”

“I did contact you. Just now.”

“Yes, but you didn’t say you were coming over.”

“You said you were sick, so porridge!”

Hana proudly held out the bag.

“I figured you’d just be ordering weird delivery food, so I brought this.”

“Haha. No, I’m not.”

“Are you going to keep me standing out here?”

Suhyuk was only showing his face, as if he absolutely didn’t want to reveal his body.

“Um… you want to come in?”

“I’ll just stay for a bit.”

“No, you might catch it.”

“…Do I need to wear a mask for you to let me in?”

Suhyuk’s expression was bewildered.

By this point, Hana was starting to feel hurt.

“…Do you dislike me coming over that much?”

“No, it’s not that I dislike it.”

“I’ll just stay for 10 minutes. Then I’ll go.”

“W-wait a minute!”

“Huh?”

Suhyuk quickly stopped her as she grabbed the doorknob.

“My place isn’t cleaned up.”

“Come on, it’s fine. How could you clean when you’re sick?”

“No, I’m not okay with it.”

“Then just tidy up a bit and call me. I’ll wait here.”

Seeing that Hana had no intention of backing down, Suhyuk had no choice but to give in.

“…Alright.”

“Come back quickly!”

“Okay.”

As Suhyuk went back inside, Hana leaned against the stair railing.

…He doesn’t seem very happy to see me.

I thought he’d be more pleased.

Feeling his lukewarm, almost reluctant response, Hana’s lips unconsciously pouted.

Suhyuk appeared again.

“C-come in.”

“What kind of fashion is that?”

Suhyuk’s outfit was peculiar.

Or rather, “strange” would be a more fitting description.

He wore a white t-shirt with loose pajama pants.

That part wasn’t particularly unusual.

But the red scarf wrapped tightly around his neck looked as out of place as a piano key cover.

“They say it’s important to keep your neck warm when you have a cold.”

“Really? From your voice, it doesn’t sound like a throat cold.”

“Still, they say keeping the neck warm is important.”

“Is that so?”

It looked quite hot to the eye, but Hana didn’t comment further.

If it helps him recover even a little faster, then so be it.

“What’s this? Your place is clean.”

She had expected a mess since he’d made such a fuss about it being dirty, but Suhyuk’s home didn’t look much different than usual.

“I just cleaned up really quickly just now.”

“I see.”

Suhyuk placed the porridge Hana had brought on the kitchen counter.

He stood awkwardly, watching Hana.

“If you’re not going to eat now, go lie down. You’re sick, right?”

“No, I can’t do that when you’ve come to visit.”

“I’m here to check on a sick person. It’s weird to keep the patient standing.”

Suhyuk creaked his way to the bed and lay down.

Hana pulled up a chair and sat beside him.

“Thank you, Hana.”

“If you’re thankful, get better soon.”

“Haha… right. I should be getting better by now.”

“So what exactly is wrong with you?”

There was no visible runny nose or cough, and it didn’t seem to be his throat.

“Just a bit of a headache.”

“Oh, really? Do you have a high fever?”

Hana reached out and gently placed her hand on Suhyuk’s forehead.

“That’s strange. You don’t feel very hot.”

She touched her own forehead as well, confused.

There didn’t seem to be much difference in temperature between them.

“I guess the medicine brought the fever down.”

“Did you go to the doctor?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Silence fell.

When Hana stopped asking questions, Suhyuk stopped speaking altogether.

Hana thought perhaps his head really was hurting badly.

“I’ll go now, then.”

As promised, she intended to stay only briefly.

“Thank you, Hana.”

Suhyuk expressed his gratitude once more.

“But before you go, just one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Give me a hug.”

“You’ll infect me. No way. No way.”

“I don’t mind if you catch it, hurry.”

Hana protested.

With each protest from Hana, Suhyuk’s guilt deepened.

…Because the truth was, Suhyuk wasn’t sick with a cold.

Since he wasn’t actually sick, it seemed better to quickly hug her and send her on her way.

“You stay there.”

Hana grinned and perched on the edge of the bed.

She leaned her body against Suhyuk’s upper body, almost climbing on top of him.

Her arms wrapped around him under his armpits.

“Get better soon.”

“…Okay.”

“Everyone’s waiting for you.”

After giving Suhyuk a tight squeeze as if charging a battery, Hana got up as if satisfied.

“I’m going now. Enjoy the porridge.”

“Thank you so much, Hana.”

As Hana was about to leave, Suhyuk also got up to see her off.

The incident happened in that final moment when his guard was down.

The scarf loosened as he got up from lying down.

The red cloth slipped down.

Hana caught sight of what it had been concealing.

“…Huh?”

“Hmm?”

Seeing Hana’s surprised face, Suhyuk instinctively covered his nape with his palm.

“Ah.”

“Hey, what is that?”

The reason Suhyuk couldn’t attend practice.

The reason he couldn’t face Juyeon.

The marks he didn’t want to show Hana above all else.

“Hana.”

Hana’s feet, which had been heading toward the entrance, strode back toward Suhyuk.

Before Suhyuk could react, Hana forcefully pulled the scarf down.

Even after nearly a week, the traces of Juyeon’s lips were still clearly visible on Suhyuk’s skin.

“You didn’t…”

Her mind was in chaos.

Hana’s brain quickly began piecing together the puzzle.

The reason Suhyuk and Juyeon were sick at the same time.

The reason he desperately didn’t want to see her.

No way…

“Hey… Lee Suhyuk…”

“No, Hana.”

“Then what is that…?”

What kind of act could leave such marks on his neck?

Hana wasn’t stupid.

Those weren’t the kind of marks that could be made by falling or being scratched.

“Is it Park Juyeon…? It’s Park Juyeon, isn’t it!”

“Hana.”

“You and Park Juyeon, don’t tell me.”

Hana’s shoulders trembled.

Anger. Betrayal. Emptiness.

It was a moment where too many emotions crossed to summarize in a single word.

Scenes she didn’t want to imagine flashed through her mind.

Ha. And I had no idea.

She felt like an idiot for believing he was just sick and bringing him porridge.

“Ah… shit…”

She couldn’t hold back the curse.

Hana ran her fingers through her hair, clenching them tightly.

“Lee Suhyuk.”

Suhyuk’s forehead was already drenched in cold sweat.

“What are you trying to do…?”

“What exactly are you trying to do here!”

“You asked me to wait…”

“I waited because you asked, and this is what I get in return?”

They had agreed to a no-dating declaration with the intention of getting along until the Spirit performance was over.

But to do such things together and then skip practice with the excuse of being sick…?

“Lee Suhyuk.”

Suhyuk couldn’t bring himself to look up.

“Look at me. Lee Suhyuk.”

The guilty party silently raised his head.

“Do you really like me?”

“I’m asking if you really like me.”

“…Yes.”

Silver droplets began to form in Hana’s eyes.

When Hana showed tears, a short sigh escaped from Suhyuk’s lips.

“Then you shouldn’t… do this…”

“Lying to me… you shouldn’t do this…”

“I waited for you… I even brought you porridge…”

Hana weakly rested her forehead against Suhyuk’s chest.

“Just go to Park Juyeon.”

“Go, I’m done.”

“Just date her. Whether you bite and suck each other or have sex, I’ll still attend Spirit practice diligently…”

“You jerk… you trash…”

Hana’s fists pounded Suhyuk’s chest.

Suhyuk had to silently accept her resentful criticism.

“Hana.”

“Hic. What?”

Suhyuk’s heart was breaking too.

He had been avoiding everyone, but he had never felt at ease.

There was no way to escape it.

No method of avoidance came to mind.

That meant it was time to be honest.

“…Juyeon asked me to sleep with her.”

Despite his pounding heart, Suhyuk’s voice was strangely calm.

Hana looked up with trembling eyes.

Her face seemed to ask if she had heard correctly.

“…But I.”

A brief sigh.

It contained a hazy, ashen bitterness.

“I refused and left.”

At his words, Hana felt as if her head had been struck.

Like watching a makjang drama, each scene made her feel like she might stop breathing.

“Then those marks…”

“These are from Juyeon forcibly…”

Suhyuk’s right hand brushed over the marks on his neck.

It seemed her assumption that Suhyuk and Juyeon had deceived her and slept together was just her own misunderstanding.

But if that’s the case…

“Hana.”

“Y-yes?”

Hana’s voice cracked from the shock.

“I really didn’t want to show you this, so I lied. I’m sorry.”

“No, hey…”

“I know I’m really trash and a terrible boyfriend like you said.”

His tone lacked confidence to a heartbreaking degree.

“I… really like you…”

Hana’s fists clenched tightly.

“Lee Suhyuk.”

“…Yes.”

“You know you’re a real jerk, right.”

At a distance that couldn’t get any closer, Hana grabbed Suhyuk’s collar and pulled him toward her.

Their faces drew near.

“You know we can’t keep being ambiguous like this anymore, right?”

Suhyuk nodded slightly with a desperate expression.

“Then let’s make it clear. Us.”

Hana buried her face in Suhyuk’s neck.

“Let’s end this now.”

Her lips covered the marks Juyeon had left.