Ch.194Wherever You Are (7)

After the first period ended, during the brief break time.

Doha-min and I stayed in the empty club room where we had just met with the chairman, taking a moment to calm our heightened emotions.

Thanks to the Korean history teacher, who was scheduled for the next class, going downstairs to the first floor with the principal and vice principal to greet the chairman, we had about five minutes to talk here, even excluding the regular break time.

“Here, Zero Lime. I just bought it from the school store. Drink this and calm down… okay?”

“…Give it here.”

The chubby Zero Lime can that Doha-min handed me with his sweaty hand.

I quickly took it from him and pressed it against my eyes, which had been red until just moments ago.

Placing the cold can that had just come from the display case against my eyes,

the swelling from my tears subsided a bit.

“…How long have you known? About my birthday.”

*Click-pop*

After some time passed and the swelling had gone down a bit, I opened the can Doha-min had bought and took a sip of cola.

“Well… when I first went to your room to study for midterms. I saw it in the photos and frames hanging there. A picture of you celebrating your birthday with other friends like Sa-hyang and Hye-rang in elementary school. There was a memo written under the photo, along with the date it was taken.”

“If it was during midterm study, that means you knew in April… Tch, what the hell. Since my birthday is in Virgo, you figured it out just a month after I told you to guess. Just like the former model student you are. Good at solving quizzes, aren’t you?”

“W-well, I was lucky. I happened to discover it by chance when you left me in your room to get juice.”

“I see, so it was an opportunity created by mango juice.”

September 6th, coming about two weeks after the start of the new semester.

While it might not be a special day at all to those who don’t know this world is inside a webtoon,

that day was undoubtedly one of the most sacred days in the world of <Half of Half>.

It was the birthday of Ban Do-young, the most beautiful girl in the universe. In other words, Ban Do-young’s Day of Birth.

And, coincidentally, it matched my birthday from the original world as well.

It happens sometimes, doesn’t it?

People with the same name or born on the same date around you.

Then naturally, there must be someone somewhere with the same name and birthday but different gender.

If we include other worlds, the probability would be even higher.

“So you’ve known my birthday date for a while, but kept it a secret from me until now, late August.”

“No… it’s not that I was keeping it a secret, but rather I’ve been worrying about what to do for your birthday despite finding out so early. It’s completely different from choosing a gift for an elementary school classmate’s birthday party.”

“Ohhh… your mindset is pretty good. But have you actually ever been to an elementary school classmate’s birthday party?”

“…”

Doha-min fell silent.

“Hey, hey… why aren’t you saying anything? Have you really never been to one? Didn’t you at least go to the class president’s birthday party in 1st or 2nd grade? Everyone in the class gets invited! Unless you’re a total outcast they desperately don’t want to invite!”

“…”

Doha-min hung his head even lower in silence.

I felt bad for no reason.

“S-sorry… Want to touch my chest? I’ll let you put your hand inside my shirt now.”

“…No thanks.”

“Okay, I got it! Even inside my bra…! I-I’ll allow clockwise motion!”

“I’m starting to feel like… maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to go to Seongcheon with the chairman…”

“I-I said I’m sorry! I won’t talk about the past anymore! I won’t make weird jokes either! Don’t abandon me! Don’t tell me you dislike me!”

In the end, I had to lower both hands, both feet, and both breasts in the face of Doha-min’s determination not to accept my physical apology.

What can I do? The one who falls in love first is at a disadvantage.

“S-so when you called the chairman from another school for a private meeting, you were asking what would be good to do for your girlfriend’s birthday?”

“When I first met the chairman, I felt he was very manly and cool.”

“Hmph, what’s so handsome about him? Not better than the guy next to me.”

“I-I thought he would have more experience with women than me, so I asked him in private. Besides, I couldn’t ask other teachers or students. It would obviously reach your ears right away.”

That was certainly true.

Now Doha-min was different from the past, and people’s eyes on him had changed.

With the increased attention from other students on his every move,

it became nearly impossible for him to secretly seek advice from others and make plans behind my back.

“I wanted to surprise you with something other than studying too. O-of course, in a good way…”

“A good way?”

“Yeah, you’ve always been considerate of me since we first met. Asking me to go out together, suggesting we do things together…”

Memories flashed by of my time after first possessing Ban Do-young,

fulfilling events as the main heroine I had been possessed into.

Half for the joy of experiencing new things,

half out of a sense of duty as the possessed heroine.

And then the things that happened as genuine affection for Doha-min grew over time.

I’m not sure at what point the principle behind all my actions

changed from half fun, half duty to affection for him,

but the feelings I had after all those experiences were mostly similar.

‘I enjoy being with Doha-min.’

That feeling remained the same at every moment.

Not even half of half of it contained any falsehood.

It was pure sincerity.

“But I feel like I’ve never actively tried to do anything with you except studying. As your boyfriend… I thought I wasn’t doing proper couple things. My confidence dropped… wondering if you really enjoy being with someone like me.”

“…”

“O-of course, just because I feel inadequate doesn’t mean I’m going to distance myself from you! I’ve promised myself countless times that I would never let that happen!”

By now, excuses about being inadequate for each other

had no meaning between Doha-min and me.

I had already told Doha-min that he could date me as long as there was a reason for Ban Do-young to like him,

and Doha-min had continuously worked to be someone I could like.

So I wasn’t worried about him backing away due to feelings of inferiority.

“…Hey, Doha-min.”

“…Yeah.”

“Know your worth!”

“Eek!”

*Clang!*

I brought down the empty can I had been sipping from on his head, using it like a hammer.

“Oww! H-hitting me with a can is too much…!”

“I thought a good whack might reset you since you still don’t know your value that I’ve cultivated.”

I wasn’t worried about Doha-min leaving my side due to feelings of inferiority anymore.

But that didn’t mean I could just let him continue to put himself down.

“How much do you think I expected from you besides studying for you to feel this inferiority complex now?”

“W-well, whenever I didn’t do what you wanted, your lips would pout and you’d call me a meanie…”

“I call you a meanie because you are a meanie, got a problem with that?”

“No… no problem. You’re right, it’s just my own assumption.”

I mimicked the expression Doha-min makes when refusing skinship as I spoke to him.

“Hmph, I never expected you to be proactive in that area from the beginning. If I had, after being with you for six months already, would my belly still be this flat?”

*Tap tap tap tap tap tap*

I drummed on Ban Do-young’s still slender stomach like a drum.

“See? The sound of nothing inside.”

“Y-you’re being too extreme again! I’ve been trying in my own way until now!”

“Yes, and the effort you’re showing now is enough. You’re not lacking as you are now.”

“Huh…?”

Doha-min trying to be a little better today than yesterday is fine with me.

Watching him from the side, I’ve always found today more enjoyable than yesterday.

“…Do you really think so?”

“Yes. I really do.”

Just don’t leave my side.

Let me see you from the closest place possible.

In this world where I’m closest to you, Doha-min.

“I told you when you confessed in the Ferris wheel. Even then, you were ‘accepted’ by me.”

“But I was far from enough for Miss Ban Do-young…”

“You’re not lacking. Not even half of half… not even half of half of half of half.”

Even if I’m not enough for Ban Do-young, it doesn’t matter.

It’ll be resolved as long as I continue to be Ban Do-young.

“So… after all I’ve said, you’re not going to keep telling yourself you’re inadequate, right?”

I said, straddling Doha-min’s legs and pressing my forehead against his head.

Doha-min no longer tried to escape and quietly let me rest my forehead against his head.

“…Yeah. I won’t. But I’ll do my best to prepare for your birthday. I’ve thought of something I really want to do with you.”

“…Really? Then I’ll look forward to it.”

*Ding-dong-ding-dong ding-dong-ding-dong ding-dong-ding-dong*

“Ah, Do-young. The bell rang. It’s time for second period—”

“Stay right there.”

“Huh…? Mmph!”

I fixed Doha-min’s face, which had been avoiding my gaze, toward me,

and pushed my breath into his lips.

“Phew… D-Do-young? W-why so suddenly…?”

“Payment for the gift. I paid in advance. You better make it more exciting than this or you’re dead.”