Ch.205Side Story – I Became a Heroine with Only a Pure Love Ending (5)

[Are you listening, Sister Hamin?]

“…Yes, I’m listening. Thank you for the advice, Brother.”

Hamin was lost in thought for a moment before continuing.

[What are you going to do? I’ve been asked to handle the Wednesday service accompaniment regardless of whether Sister Hamin cancels her promise or not. If you’re uncomfortable, maybe you should just come to the Wednesday service instead of going out…]

“…No. I’ve thought about it, but that doesn’t seem right. We made this promise face to face. At the very least, I should show up where I promised to be.”

Despite the Holy Spirit’s warning, Hamin chose to keep her promise to the end.

[If… if you’re having trouble refusing, I could help you-]

“It’s fine. I’m sorry for making you worry, Brother Holy Spirit.”

It was true that she couldn’t refuse others’ requests.

Beyond playing for the Sunday praise team, she had taken on Wednesday service accompaniment as well, initially filling in as a substitute on days when she finished work early, only to become the permanent pianist—something she still hadn’t managed to shake off.

The fact that she now routinely forced herself to leave work early on Wednesdays, even when swamped with work, showed just how incapable she was of refusing others’ requests.

But that wasn’t the only reason this time.

She couldn’t deny feeling uncomfortable about Doyoung, who had introduced himself as a beginner, wanting to learn piano so quickly.

The advice from Holy Spirit, the praise team leader, was enough to explain that discomfort.

“Still… I don’t think that person was lying about wanting to love music.”

Nevertheless, Hamin decided to trust Doyoung.

The innocent face he had shown in front of the piano, marveling and delighting at how the sound of the keys changed according to her advice—it didn’t seem like a false performance just to seduce a woman.

No, she didn’t want to see it as an act.

If those eyes were acting, if every word was a lie,

the world would seem too cruel and hateful.

“I want to believe. That he really wants to love music and that’s why he made that promise.”

[…That guy Bahn Doyoung. Just know that he was quite noisy and free-spirited back in school. Be careful, he might have already forgotten promises made only with his mouth.]

“Th-that actually matches the image I had of him…”

[…I’ll see you on Sunday, Sister Hamin.]

“Yes, I’ll see you then, Brother Holy Spirit.”

.

.

.

“…Phew. Thanks to Brother Holy Spirit, I somehow managed to make time.”

After pressing the end call button, Hamin let out the long sigh she had been holding in.

-Smack

“Eek!”

Hamin jolted upright at the damp, sticky sound like wet paper being stuck to a wall.

It was the sound of flesh meeting flesh—her chest, which had lowered as she leaned forward while sighing deeply, and her stomach, which had risen up, touching with a smack.

“I-I should have gotten some exercise walking around the mall with Teacher Jeongkyung in those stockings earlier…”

With a trembling face, Hamin entered her studio apartment, immediately dropped the shopping bags she was holding and the clothes draped over her shoulder, and stepped onto the scale.

Even before she could squeeze her eyes shut to check the number, the scale’s needle had already passed the number she had expected and settled on a devastatingly higher figure.

“…Ah.”

Hamin resolved to consume nothing but Zero Lime until her appointment day with Doyoung.

.

.

.

“Then I’ll be leaving early today.”

“Ah, good work, Teacher Hamin. Get home safely.”

“Good work, Teacher Hamin!”

On the much-anticipated Wednesday evening, Hamin left early to keep her appointment with Doyoung.

‘Fighting.’

Jeongkyung, who knew about Hamin’s schedule for the day, gave her a thumbs up instead of the usual generic farewell.

‘….’

Understanding Jeongkyung’s signal, Hamin cautiously returned the thumbs up before leaving.

“I noticed Teacher Hamin was wearing clothes with extra effort when she came in today. Do you know something, Jeongkyung?”

“Maybe a date…? Does Teacher Hamin have a boyfriend? Ah, welcome. This is Donquixote Dental Clinic. Please come this way, patient.”

At the questions from colleagues who didn’t know the situation, Jeongkyung quietly covered her mouth and shook her head. Hamin had asked her not to tell the other staff members.

“What, it’s not true? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“It’s eat or be eaten. That’s all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I wonder if the beast inside Teacher Hamin will awaken today. Ah, patient, you need to open your mouth wider. Don’t swallow the water from the machine, rinse it out here.”

“Fine, fine. I won’t ask anymore. You’re being petty.”

Hamin, who had exchanged silent signals with Jeongkyung, found that the theater where she was supposed to meet Doyoung was quite close to her workplace.

Even at a woman’s pace, it would take at most 10 minutes to walk there.

The path was clear, with the theater brand’s sign visible from the office window, so there was no chance of getting lost or wandering around.

“5:30… I arrived earlier than I expected.”

Hamin arrived 30 minutes before their appointment time and an hour before the movie was scheduled to start.

She was a bit surprised at how early she had arrived. She was sure she had only started preparing to leave after seeing the wall clock’s minute hand pointing to 4.

Was the clock at work set ahead of the actual time?

Or had she unconsciously quickened her steps because she was looking forward to today’s appointment?

Since the latter was embarrassing, Hamin decided to blame the former. It was more comfortable that way.

“Men usually arrive right on time for appointments, don’t they…?”

Having never made personal appointments with men, Hamin tried to predict when Doyoung would arrive based on her memories of college group projects, which were virtually her only experience.

In her memory, college men preferred to arrive at precisely the right time—not too late, not too early.

They disliked waiting for others as much as they disliked making others wait for them.

Of course, those who were habitually late were always late regardless.

“…Right. Since we have plenty of time before the movie, it might be a bit burdensome if I go in first and wait inside the theater.”

Hamin decided to wait for Doyoung at the entrance to the theater rather than going inside. Since their meeting time was set earlier than the movie time, there was no need to go in first to buy tickets or drinks.

It seemed better to give the impression that she had just arrived on time because she remembered the appointment, as if she didn’t have high expectations either.

“Absolutely… absolutely not because I want to go in together. Absolutely not…”

Of course, none of this nonchalance was apparent as Hamin, dressed in the “virgin-killer outfit” personally selected by Jeongkyung just two days ago, waited for Doyoung to appear from somewhere while drawing circles with her toes.

“5:45… Only 15 minutes have passed.”

After standing on the street for about 15 minutes, Hamin still saw no sign of Doyoung.

Her legs were getting sore, and her socks felt tight. Hiding from others’ eyes, she quickly pulled her socks back up to her thighs and patted her swollen legs. Jeongkyung was right—she really did need more exercise.

“5:55… Is he really going to arrive exactly on time?”

Five minutes until the appointed time.

There was still no sign of Doyoung.

Afraid that Doyoung might miss her if she sat on a bench somewhere, Hamin continued to stand rigidly in front of the theater waiting for him.

“It’s 6 o’clock…”

It was now 6 o’clock, the time she was supposed to meet Doyoung.

However, there was still no sign of him anywhere.

Could he have confused the theater location because it had been a while since he’d been to this area?

Or maybe he only remembered that the movie started at 6:30 and thought that was their meeting time?

Both possibilities seemed plausible.

“…Well. I already told them I couldn’t make it to Wednesday service anyway. What’s the problem with waiting a little longer?”

Hamin continued to wait in the same spot.

If he was having trouble finding his way, her standing at the entrance would help, and if he had mistaken 6:30 for their meeting time, he would arrive at the theater before then anyway.

Thirty minutes had already flown by.

It would be fine to wait another 30 minutes or so.

-Gurgle

“Oh… my.”

A sound rumbled from Hamin’s hungry stomach.

After eating nothing but Zero Lime for dinner for nearly two days, her body was sending hunger signals.

It was now 6:10, but Doyoung had not appeared.

She thought it was fortunate. If she had faced Doyoung at this moment with her stomach making strange noises, she wouldn’t have known what to say.

“It was bright when I came out. It’s already getting dark.”

The sky was gradually darkening, with gray clouds covering the sky.

It was 6:20, but Doyoung had not appeared.

“…30 minutes.”

The hour and minute hands both gathered between 6 and 7.

It was time for the movie they were supposed to see together to start.

6:30. But there was still no sign of Doyoung.

“…There are previews. About 10 minutes or so.”

-Drop

A cold sensation fell on the bridge of Hamin’s nose.

It was an unexpected spring rain at night.

For a moment, she thought the arm of her long-used glasses had broken and fallen onto her nose, but then she remembered she hadn’t worn glasses today at all.

The raindrop that fell on her nose soon fell on her crown, her shoulders, and then her chest.

/He might have been trying to attract interest that way to hook a woman to hang out with while he’s here./

/He might act friendly now, but if a more attractive woman appears, he could immediately forget his promise to Sister Hamin and start working on her instead./

/That guy Bahn Doyoung. Just know that he was quite noisy and free-spirited back in school. Be careful, he might have already forgotten promises made only with his mouth./

“…”

The minute hand on the theater clock passed 7, and eventually the hour hand passed 7 as well.

Doyoung still hadn’t appeared in front of the theater.

“…What was I expecting? You knew this would happen all along. You already knew how easily verbal promises are forgotten and broken. Why were you so excited, buying clothes… putting on makeup you never wear… ignoring Brother Holy Spirit’s advice and being stubborn…”

People on the street took shelter in nearby buildings to escape the sudden spring rain.

Although she had already given up looking for Doyoung, as evidenced by her head hanging down, Hamin remained in the same spot where raindrops were falling.

“How could you claim to see through lies or acting… with your poor eyesight, always wearing those thick black frames… what made you so confident, so full of certainty… like a fool.”

“…Noona!”

“Right… at least he won’t bother following me at Sunday service anymore. Not showing up here means he found someone better to hang out with…”

“…Hamin noona!”

“From the beginning, it would be stranger if a casually made promise to someone like me was actually kept—”

“Do Hamin noona!”

“Waaah!”

Startled by the boyish voice calling her name with such excitement, Hamin looked up with a jolt.

“Haa… haa… Sorry I’m late, Hamin noona.”

“Brother Bahn Doyoung?”

In front of her eyes, pushing back his hair wet from rain and mud, stood Doyoung in military uniform, flashing a wink and a smile.

“What happened… why are you dressed like that?”

“Hehe. I just arrived after being discharged from reserve forces training.”

“Reserve forces…?”

“Ah… I’m usually good at physical activities, so I thought I could easily get an early discharge with excellent performance, but wow, it wasn’t easy. I finally finished the full eight hours and ran straight here. I stumbled a few times because I’m not used to military boots.”

“…”

“Whew… experiencing even this little bit makes me understand. Korean men were locked up doing this difficult and annoying stuff for two years. I really felt respect for them…”

-Thud

“Waaaaaah!”

“H-Hamin noona…?”

Hamin suddenly burst into tears and collapsed on the rainy street.

Tears flowed from her eyes, falling with the raindrops.

“What’s wrong! Did you get a leg cramp?”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… really… I’m sorry… for stupidly doubting you and thinking badly… waaaaaah!”

“No, I’m the one who was late, so why are you apologizing! Quickly, get up, y-you’ll catch a cold!”

It was the first time in Hamin’s 27 years of virgin life that she cried because of a man.