Ch.6565. Tarot

“Ugh…”

My head feels like it’s about to split open.

Hana clutches her head in agony from the throbbing headache, burying her face in her pillow.

Staggering to her feet, she opens the refrigerator and gulps down bottled water.

“Ah… I’m dying…”

Only now does her mind start to clear.

The bright sunlight streaming through the window announces that it’s the middle of the day.

Hana runs her fingers through her hair, trying to piece together her memories.

So… yesterday I got completely wasted…

With Suhyeok… we went to buy ice cream…

And then we all went to a karaoke place, I think…

She has no memory of the karaoke.

Did I even sing? Me?

No, but how did I get home?

Did I come alone?

Anxiety washes over Hana as she rummages through her blanket to find her phone.

This feeling that if she opens her phone right now, she’ll find a ton of embarrassing history.

Taking a deep breath, Hana taps the screen with her index finger.

[3 Missed Calls.]

[Suhyeok (3)]

There were no personal messages from other members.

Only Suhyeok had left calls.

She opens the messenger app.

Sure enough, there were messages from Suhyeok.

Hana’s pupils dilate as she skims through the content.

“Wait a minute…”

The time… right now…

The clock shows it’s past 3 PM.

Suhyeok’s messages started coming in from 12:10.

[I’m at the club room, where are you?]

-12:11

[…still sleeping?]

-12:47

[I’ll just look around by myself]

[Take your time!]

-13:38

[…but if something else came up, at least let me know]

-15:02

“Ah! Shit!”

A raw expletive she’d never use in public bursts out like a scream.

Tossing her phone onto the blanket, Hana dashes into the bathroom.

“Ugh… Yoon Hana. You absolute idiot.”

Hana remembers telling Suhyeok they’d have fun tomorrow, saying she was looking forward to it.

If she was going to forget something, why couldn’t she forget that too?

Why is that memory so clear?

No. You crazy girl. And why did you make plans for a specific time after drinking in the first place!!!

Stomping her feet with guilt while brushing her teeth, she calls Suhyeok without even drying her hair.

-Ring ring ring ring

He’s not answering.

Is he angry?

He must be angry, right?

If it were her, she’d be mad too if someone was three hours late and unreachable.

Aah… what should I do…

While drying her hair, Hana wonders how much makeup she should apply.

According to her original plan, she wanted to look as pretty as if it were a performance day.

But now wasn’t the time to leisurely put on mascara with music playing.

Quickly throwing on a blue skirt and black t-shirt, she crammed her feet into sneakers.

The first priority was to go and beg for forgiveness.

Arriving at the club room after running until she was out of breath,

She found the door unlocked, suggesting someone was inside.

The lights were off, but faint sunlight from the window illuminated the interior.

The person she was looking for was there.

Perhaps tired from waiting, Suhyeok was leaning back on the sofa, breathing softly.

Relief at finding him, followed by a tidal wave of guilt.

Hana slowly approached him, bringing a chair to sit in front of him.

She didn’t dare wake him up to say let’s go have fun.

What right did she have to wake him after being three hours late?

Hana stares blankly at Suhyeok’s face.

Unable to resist the instinct, her finger gently strokes his cheek.

Judging by the slight twitch around his eyes, Suhyeok seemed sensitive when sleeping.

“Haah…”

The tension drains from her body.

When he wakes up, I’ll suggest we go sightseeing together.

He’ll wake up soon, right?

Sitting quietly without making a sound, unfinished sleep starts to catch up with her.

Hana begins to nod off next to Suhyeok, her head bobbing up and down…

-Thump

Her head lands on Suhyeok’s chest.

And Suhyeok’s eyes open wide at the mysterious sensation.

The first thing he sees is yellow hair with a growing black circle underneath—

Evidence that Hana was approaching the time when she needed to dye her roots again.

Suhyeok had awakened from the collision, but Hana, who caused it, showed no signs of waking up.

Finding the position comfortable, she was now leaning her entire body toward Suhyeok.

Blinking his eyes, Suhyeok wondered what was happening.

“…Hana?”

This was getting a bit awkward.

What if someone came in and saw this and started rumors?

Suhyeok gently shook Hana’s shoulder to wake her.

“Mmm… hmm…”

Opening her bleary eyes and regaining consciousness, Hana spotted Suhyeok and jumped up, kneeling before him.

“Hey! Lee Suhyeok! I’m so sorry. Yesterday I… drank… haah… I… couldn’t wake up, I set an alarm but I…”

Rambling incoherently.

Still half-asleep but determined to apologize, Hana wasn’t even sure what she was saying.

Her bare calves touched the floor since she was wearing a skirt.

Suhyeok, not wanting her to be in that position, helped her up.

“Hahaha. Being late is fine.”

“No, no, no. It’s not fine. I’ll pay for everything we eat today.”

Hana felt like she needed to do at least this much to ease her conscience.

“No… rather than food, could you… pay for my dry cleaning?”

“…Dry cleaning?”

A deeper anxiety than before crept up her skin.

Dry cleaning?

Why is he asking for dry cleaning costs?

Did I cause another accident during that missing part of my memory?

“Ah… well… you…”

Seeing Suhyeok’s expression, unsure whether to tell her or not, Hana’s mouth went completely dry.

“Just tell me. You have to tell me so I can properly apologize.”

“You threw up on my clothes.”

“Aaaaaahhhhh!”

Hana screamed and buried her face in the sofa.

I’m ruined.

I’m completely ruined…

What is this…

This must be a dream. It has to be a dream.

Hana pulled at her hair once more.

To do such a thing on the clothes of the boy she liked…

When she should have looked her prettiest…

To do something so disgraceful…!!!

Suhyeok was momentarily speechless at the sight of Hana unable to compose herself.

Should I comfort her now?

But I’m the victim here, aren’t I…

“…I’m sorry.”

Though her mind was hazy with embarrassment, Hana stood up resolutely once more.

“Dry cleaning costs. I’ll pay. Of course I will. And I’ll pay for all the food today too.”

“For food, we should still split—”

“No? I’ll pay! Please let me pay!”

Resolving things with money might be a crude approach, but Hana’s mind was filled with the thought that she had to do at least this much.

“Um… shall we go then?”

It was already past 4 o’clock.

Their appointment was at 12.

They were very late, even for a delayed schedule.

The two left the welfare center and went outside.

Various club tents were set up in front of the school buildings.

Hana, who had wanted to do all sorts of things with Suhyeok, was completely deflated.

She had wanted to impressively lead him, someone who hadn’t properly enjoyed these things before…

There was no way she could look cool in his eyes as a late-comer who had vomited on him.

“Hana.”

“Yes?”

“Are you still feeling unwell?”

Suhyeok asked with concern, seeing Hana looking so dispirited.

“No, no. I’m just… sorry…”

He wanted to say it was fine and just move on, but Suhyeok couldn’t bring himself to say that, even as a joke.

[I’ll take responsibility! Lee Suhyeok!]

[Take me home… please take me home…!]

[Hehe… your back is warm… urgh…!]

He tried to erase the memories of that difficult night.

“But we agreed to have fun today.”

Suhyeok awkwardly smiled and patted her back.

“Then, want to come this way?”

The place Hana pointed to had a sign saying they did tarot readings.

Tarot…

It was one of the activities Suhyeok had never tried in his life.

“Hana… do you often get tarot readings?”

“No?”

“Then why…”

“Just because? It’s what you do at times like this. You know. For the event.”

As they entered, a woman who looked a bit older than them was waiting for the two.

“Welcome. Here for a tarot reading, right?”

“Yes!”

Since this was completely new to Suhyeok, he quietly watched what Hana was doing.

“What kind of fortune would you like? Are you a couple?”

It wasn’t common for two people of the opposite sex who weren’t a couple to come to a university festival together.

Even if they weren’t officially dating, there was usually at least some mutual interest.

“No. We’re friends.”

Suhyeok smiled and drew a clear line.

And Hana was quite displeased with that fact.

“I see~ Students usually come to check their love fortunes. So would you like to see academic or financial fortunes instead? Or separate love fortunes for each of you?”

“Separate love fortunes, please!”

This time Hana took the initiative.

She glared at Suhyeok with a look that seemed to challenge any objection.

Of course, since Hana was paying, he had no reason to complain.

“Alright~ Then who wants to go first? The sister first? Or the brother?”

“…What should we do?”

“Hey. You go first.”

Hana designated the order.

“Then I’ll go first.”

Cards spread out from the woman’s hands with a swoosh.

Cards with spade symbols filled the soft green tablecloth.

“Would you like to pick one first from these?”

“Yes.”

Suhyeok picked cards one by one as instructed.

“Now~ First, we’ll look at the man’s overall love fortune for this year. This is the first card you picked, right?”

“Yes.”

The card is flipped over by the woman’s hand.

Having only known such things existed but never seen them, Suhyeok opened his eyes wide and checked the first card.

“Hmm…”

Though Suhyeok didn’t know the first thing about tarot, he could be certain of this.

[The Devil]

The wording alone was ominous.

In the center was a devil, with naked men and women on either side.

Iron chains were bound around the humans’ necks, and if this represented his love fortune, it seemed he wouldn’t see anything good.

“…That’s not good, is it?”

Suhyeok asked with a frown.

“Every card has both positive and negative meanings. There are rarely cases where a card has only one interpretation.”

The woman traced the devil’s figure with her finger.

“But when this card appears in a love reading, it generally signifies ‘obsession’ and ‘addiction.'”

“Really…? Does that mean I’m obsessed with someone?”

Suhyeok couldn’t picture himself being obsessed.

If anything, he gave up easily when he gave up.

Am I the type to cling to someone?

“No. It doesn’t necessarily mean you will be obsessed. It could be other people of the opposite sex around you, or it could be a new connection that comes your way.”

“But it’s true that the negative meaning is strong. In a romantic relationship, I usually advise caution against crises like affairs or love triangles.”

So this is why they say it’s just for fun…

Finding the diagnosis completely unrelated to him, Suhyeok slightly turned his head.

“…Hana?”

Her expression was even worse than when she was asking forgiveness for last night.

“Huh…? What…?”

“Are you okay?”

“Ahaha… I’m fine. Hey. Hurry up and open the other ones. I’m curious.”

…Is he saying I’m obsessively clingy?

Yoon Hana, 200% overthinking