Ch.197Wherever You Are (10)

“Happy Birthday, Me!”

For the first time in a while, I arrived at school before the late bell without Hamin’s help.

I wonder how long it’s been since I tried to get to school early to avoid Sol-young.

“Oh, Doyoung is here. Happy birthday.”

“I heard it’s your birthday today. Congratulations, Doyoung.”

“Aren’t you having a separate party today? Back in elementary school, we used to have parties together and it was fun. Anyway, congratulations, Doyoung.”

Normally, if you boldly burst through the classroom door announcing it’s your birthday, you’d only receive cold stares from the other students who arrived earlier. But things were different for Ban Doyoung, the world’s most beautiful girl and the unofficial goddess of Bulsa High.

“Here’s a present. It’s nothing special, but I bought it at the convenience store on my way here since you said you like lime.”

“Oh, Mojito-flavored potato chips! Thank you, thanks!”

“Take mine too. I couldn’t think of anything special, so I just picked something random.”

“Wow, these are those pistachio chocolates that were popular a while back! I love these. I’ll savor every bite!”

“Umm… what should I do? I don’t have anything to give… Oh, I got a Pokémon card from the stationery store earlier. Do you want it…? I did get an Arcanine.”

“Hehe, thank you! Thank you, my comrades!”

This day was practically an unofficial global holiday in this “Half-Peninsula” world.

The students who had arrived early welcomed me cheerfully, congratulating me on my birthday.

My desk was at the very back of the classroom, next to Hamin’s.

Before I even reached my seat, both my hands were already full of various gifts from my classmates.

“Thanks, everyone. When it’s your birthday, make sure to proudly announce it like I did. I’ll definitely return the favor!”

“No need. My birthday was a long time ago, and the next one isn’t until next year. We might not even be in the same class then.”

“Tell me anyway. I’ll remember and return the favor next year. I’ve promised myself I’ll still be Ban Doyoung next year.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“It’s a thing. Ahem.”

I placed the gifts I received from my classmates on my desk.

Hearing the rustling of the wrapping paper, Sahyang and Hyerang turned their chairs to face me.

“Happy birthday, Doyoung.”

“I thought you’d get fewer gifts this year since you’re taken, but you still got a lot.”

“Hehe, can you feel the difference beauty makes?”

“If you suddenly announce it’s your birthday first thing in the morning, people will feel awkward and give you something. Here, take this. A lime diffuser. You said you wanted to try it before.”

“Here’s mine too. I’ll put it here. It’s a doll that releases fragrance when you squeeze it. Doyoung, you said you wanted to touch it before, right?”

“Wow, you all remembered. Thank you. I won’t forget the support of the chicken coop cat clan.”

“If you’re grateful, watch what you say.”

“Besides, Doyoung, you’re turning 16 today. You’re a chicken coop cat now too.”

“Ah, I see. So from today, we’re perfectly on the same level, is that it?”

“Level my ass. Anyway, organize your gifts before Ms. Miso arrives.”

“Thanks.”

After placing Sahyang and Hyerang’s gifts on my desk,

I pulled up a chair, sat down, and slowly turned my head to the left.

Toward the person who was today’s main objective.

“Hello, Do Hamin.”

Do Hamin, the protagonist of this “Half-Peninsula” world.

There he was.

“…Welcome, Doyoung. Happy birthday.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Since we hadn’t spent the morning together, Hamin had arrived at school first as usual.

“Did you sleep well…? Are you tired or feeling unwell anywhere?”

“What’s this, asking that right off the bat?”

Hamin’s first question was more aggressive than I expected.

As if he had something physically demanding planned for me today.

“W-well, I slept very soundly! Do you think I’m like you? Getting so excited about just having a meal with you that I can’t sleep?”

“Mmm. I see. That’s good.”

I covered my mouth as I inadvertently started to yawn while speaking.

In truth, if asked whether I lacked sleep, the answer would be no.

I woke up much earlier than usual to prepare seaweed soup for my mom and dad,

so I got up way before my normal time.

It absolutely wasn’t because I was excited about my plans with Hamin and woke up early.

“Look at this. Everyone congratulated me on my birthday and prepared such precious gifts, so how could I possibly feel tired?”

“You’re right. It seems like everyone was thinking about your birthday even though it might not have seemed that way…”

“Are you worried?”

“Huh?”

“I was just asking if you’re worried that your gift might overlap with someone else’s.”

“…”

Hamin stared at the pile of gifts on my desk for a moment.

From simple snacks and drinks to affordable brand cosmetics and small palm-sized dolls.

Most were items that would appear at the top of search results for “high school girl gifts.”

They were presents that wouldn’t burden either the giver or receiver, yet were widely appreciated.

They were certainly excellent gifts with high versatility.

But that also meant there was a chance that people might have prepared the same gifts.

The less experience one had giving gifts to others, the more exponentially that probability would increase.

For example, someone like the handsome boy sitting next to me now,

who had probably never been invited to friends’ birthday parties since elementary school,

and thus had no idea what kind of gifts to give to peers his age.

“Don’t worry too much. Even if the items overlap a bit, if you add something that only you can give, there’s no problem.”

“Something only I can give…?”

“Here.”

*tap*

One delicate finger of the beautiful Ban Doyoung tapped her slightly protruding lips.

“Or were you planning to give it somewhere lower? Hehehe.”

“…”

“Huh…?”

Despite making the same joke I always made even on my birthday,

for some reason, Hamin just blushed slightly and smiled faintly.

Normally, he would have turned red and yelled at such a suggestive joke.

“Thanks for caring.”

*thump*

“Eep…!”

Hamin’s large right arm suddenly wrapped around my left hand.

The warmth from his broad palm and slightly higher-than-average body temperature quickly enveloped my arm, making me yelp involuntarily.

Was it because he had grown taller and gained more muscle mass, making his metabolism more active?

Hamin’s body temperature seemed a bit hotter than when I first held his hand on enrollment day.

“But it’s okay. Fortunately, it doesn’t overlap with the other kids’ gifts.”

“…Really? You must have put a lot of thought into it.”

“Yeah, so I hope you like it, Doyoung. Hehe. I already talked to Ms. Miso yesterday. I told her it would be difficult for me to attend night study today.”

“Y-you told her yourself that you’d have trouble attending night study? W-wasn’t today just about having dinner and giving me a present? What are you planning that would make night study difficult?”

“…W-well, since it’s your first time, what if you collapse from exhaustion? I-I need to stay by your side.”

“…”

*screech*

I shook off Hamin’s hand and stood up, pulling my chair back.

“Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom for a moment.”

“Now? Ms. Miso will be here soon. And why are you taking your bag?”

“Th-there’s a reason…! It’s all your fault!”

I hurriedly left the classroom with my bag before Hamin could notice my current state.

“Haah… haah. What on earth is that Hamin planning to do to me today…? Hmm.”

My decision to bring spare underwear just in case was indeed not wrong.

“Doyoung! Are you late today? No matter if it’s your birthday, you shouldn’t act as you please!”

“Eh? No, I arrived in the classroom on time.”

“Then why are you entering the classroom with your bag? Didn’t you just arrive at school?”

“I-I just went to the bathroom!”

“What student takes their bag to the bathroom! Sol-mi is watching you, don’t lie!”

However, when I returned from the bathroom, it took quite a while to explain to Ms. Miso, who was standing in front of the classroom door, that I wasn’t late.

…

After classes ended,

Hamin and I went to the downtown area near the station as planned.

It was a place we had visited frequently before.

Even without reasons like dates, I naturally became familiar with the area from seeing Hamin off when he needed to take the train home.

Because of this, it was difficult to guess what Hamin had prepared here.

Movie theater, restaurant, arcade, boutique, room café, and even though the possibility was low, a motel…

Literally, any event could happen in this place where all these venues were gathered together.

“This way. I’ve prepared a place.”

“Really? Then I should close my eyes until we get there to build anticipation.”

“Huh? But then you won’t be able to follow me.”

“You’re so dense. I’m saying hold my hand and lead me there until we arrive.”

“Ah, aah… Sorry. So that’s what you meant.”

So I followed Hamin’s lead, walking wherever his hand guided me to the place he said he prepared for me.

I thought I could roughly predict where we were going based on the direction, since I was so familiar with this area.

‘Shit, I have no idea. Where am I being taken?’

That kind of thing only happens in movies.

Even though it was a path I walked often, closing my eyes and following only Hamin’s hand made it feel unfamiliar again.

The only familiar thing was Hamin’s rough, large hand that I was holding onto.

“…We’re almost there.”

The hot sunlight disappeared, and cold air hitting chilly walls touched my skin.

It seemed Hamin had brought me inside some building.

“Do you remember, Doyoung? When I first came to our school and couldn’t adjust, you held my hand like this when I couldn’t see anything, couldn’t do anything, and pulled me along. At that time, it was really bewildering and scary.”

“Come on, there was no need to be scared.”

“F-for me, all of that was happening for the first time.”

*ding*

The sound of an elevator coming down.

I followed Hamin into the elevator, still with my eyes closed.

“Back then, I really thought there couldn’t be anyone more pathetic than me in this world. I always thought I was an inadequate person who couldn’t do anything properly, anything human. Until you found good things in me.”

“…”

“It’s all thanks to you, Doyoung. That I could become someone who can do something for the people I care about. I-it might be presumptuous to call it a date, but those times have become really important memories for me.”

“It’s okay to call it a date. I saw it as a date with you too. The ‘Mari★huana’ movie. It was a really fun memory for me too. That date.”

“S-so… you also cherished it.”

“Of course, it was our first date together, after all.”

*squeeze*

Hamin’s hand gripping mine tightened, holding my arm more firmly.

The pressure transmitted through his hand felt like it would reach my heart directly.

“Thank you, Doyoung. For becoming my precious person.”

“…Thank you too.”

*Floor F*

With the elevator’s announcement, the doors opened.

We had arrived at the place he had prepared.

“We’re here. You can open your eyes now, Doyoung.”

“Really? Is everything set up already? Can I open them right now?”

“I’ve done everything I could, but in the end, you’re the one who needs to start.”

Following Hamin’s permission to open my eyes, I carefully lifted my eyelids.

My vision, blurry from keeping my eyes closed for so long, darkened slightly as if intimidated by the ceiling lights, then slowly began to reveal the scene before me.

[Red Cross is Love]

[Blood Donation Center]

“Eh…?”

The first thing I encountered was a red cross.

“Welcome, relief… no, you’re here to donate blood, right? Oh, it’s Hamin! Welcome! Nurse Min-ae, Hamin is here!”

“Oh, you came with your girlfriend today!”

“Ah, hello. Today we came to donate blood together for the first time.”

“Oh, I see! Please come in! You’ve already completed the electronic questionnaire, right?”

“Yes, I filled out Doyoung’s as well.”

“As thorough as ever, Sarin. Please show these two students inside.”

The place where I opened my eyes was the same blood donation center we visited on our first date.

“Hey, hey… Hamin?”

“Happy 16th birthday, Doyoung.”