Ch.8989. Night

Suhyeok silently embraced Juyeon.

It felt like the right thing to do.

“…Juyeon.”

While stroking her back, Suhyeok gazed toward the far side of the room.

There were too many empty soju bottles for someone who claimed to have drunk alone.

Glass fragments, presumably from bottles broken on the way out, littered the floor.

“Yeah.”

Juyeon responded, her forehead still resting against Suhyeok’s chest.

“Let’s go inside first.”

After sitting Juyeon on the bed, Suhyeok carefully began cleaning up the broken glass pieces.

Juyeon stared blankly at the scene.

Due to excessive alcohol, she was already beyond making sound judgments.

Suhyeok’s sudden appearance seemed almost like an illusion.

Was she just imagining him because she missed him so much?

Was this entire moment actually a dream?

Unable to contain her doubt, Juyeon reached out her hand.

“…Juyeon?”

A warm weight pressed down on Suhyeok as he crouched, cleaning the glass.

“…Is it really you, Suhyeok?”

His second drunk person to deal with tonight.

At least Suhyeok felt somewhat relieved that they were in her home.

“Yes. It’s really me. I haven’t finished cleaning the floor yet, so please go back to the bed for a moment.”

Even through her hazy consciousness, Juyeon still seemed determined not to burden Suhyeok. She obediently returned to the bed, placing her hands on her knees.

After meticulously sweeping the floor for any remaining fragments, Suhyeok wiped away the cold sweat that had formed on his brow.

Juyeon’s condition seemed more serious than he’d expected.

Suhyeok tied up the garbage bag, then knelt before Juyeon, trying to meet her eyes.

“Juyeon.”

“…Yeah.”

Juyeon slightly lifted her head.

“We agreed to be honest with each other, remember?”

It was true.

On that day when their relationship seemed to have gone awry.

The last thing she had asked was that they hide nothing from each other and share their troubles going forward.

“Tell me. What’s making you so troubled?”

Instead of an answer, she gave him a look so tender it would make anyone who saw it feel melancholic.

“I know… I might not be the most reliable person, but who knows? Maybe it’s something I can help solve…”

From Suhyeok’s perspective, the reason she refused to talk was because she didn’t find him trustworthy.

Because she didn’t think talking would solve anything.

Because she thought he’d only offer useless advice.

That might be true, but Suhyeok genuinely wanted to help Juyeon.

“…Suhyeok.”

Juyeon reached out her small hand and placed it on Suhyeok’s head.

“Yeah.”

“You’re… definitely someone I can rely on…”

Juyeon shook her head as if telling him not to say such things.

“Then why won’t you tell me?”

He couldn’t understand.

If that wasn’t the reason, then she could just tell him…

“Because.”

Juyeon smiled weakly.

“I care about you.”

Packaged feelings miss the core.

“So I’ll keep this a secret.”

“No. Who am I to say that? Just tell me comfortably, and I’ll do something!”

He spoke more forcefully in response to her puzzling words, but what came back was:

“…You can’t do anything, Suhyeok.”

At those cold words, Suhyeok was left speechless.

The strength drained from his fingertips.

It felt like the first time in his life he’d felt this disappointed in someone else.

He had been plenty disappointed during the Purple Storm incident, but this was completely different.

He believed they were friends.

He believed they shared many things.

But why?

Why wouldn’t she rely on him?

What did she think of him to act like this…

Just as his thoughts were growing darker, Juyeon’s hands cupped Suhyeok’s cheeks.

“Thank you for coming, Suhyeok.”

That wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

“…I have a favor to ask.”

Thinking the moment had finally come, Suhyeok swallowed hard.

“Could you… hold my hand until I fall asleep…?”

“Your hand?”

“Yeah. I’m really sleepy… it probably won’t take long.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Juyeon smiled and slipped under the blanket.

With only her face and hand peeking out, Suhyeok reached out and held her hand.

“…It’s warm.”

Juyeon pulled Suhyeok’s hand to her cheek.

With her eyes closed, she looked like she could fall asleep at any moment.

“Did you have fun today?”

“…Yeah.”

“Did you drink a lot too?”

“Not really.”

“I see.”

Drowsiness was overtaking her.

Juyeon wished this night would last forever.

Because when tomorrow morning came with sobriety,

it would be the start of another day where she’d have to shut off her feelings for Suhyeok.

“Suhyeok.”

“Yeah.”

“Your hand is really warm.”

That was the last thing Juyeon remembered.

* * *

Soft breathing could be heard.

It wasn’t Suhyeok’s.

After confirming that Juyeon was fully asleep, Suhyeok gathered all the soju bottles and neatly arranged them in one place.

He slumped down in the spot where he always sat when visiting.

The fact that it had been almost a week since he’d been here felt strange and awkward.

He mulled over what Juyeon had said.

She had troubles but couldn’t tell him.

There was nothing he could do.

Yet she still claimed to care about him.

…I don’t get it.

If he had been more perceptive, would things have been different?

The current Suhyeok couldn’t easily guess why Juyeon was suffering.

He got up and knelt beside Juyeon again.

Her dark brown dyed hair covered her face like a curtain.

Finding it bothersome, Suhyeok brushed her hair to one side and stared at her face.

“…I hope it gets resolved well.”

He muttered a prayer-like incantation.

Since he’d been told there was nothing he could do, all he could do was hope the heavens would listen in his place.

Now that Juyeon was asleep, it would be impolite to stay any longer.

Suhyeok quietly stood up and headed for the entrance.

He put his sneakers back on and quietly unlocked the door.

The time had already passed 11 o’clock.

Opening his phone, he saw the group chat had over 300 new messages again.

Mostly about where to go for the second round and how much money everyone needed to pay.

But what concerned him more was…

[2 Missed Calls – Yoon Hana]

Calls from Hana.

Suhyeok bit his lip slightly and called her back.

Maybe something had happened to Hana, or she had something urgent to discuss with him.

After a short ring:

[Hello.]

[Where are you?]

[I’m almost home…]

He was indeed almost home.

Originally, Suhyeok’s place was only about a 3-minute walk from Juyeon’s.

[…Liar.]

[Huh?]

[You’re not at home.]

[Ah. I’m almost home now.]

He thought he should explain to Hana, but he didn’t expect her to contact him so quickly.

Moreover, Hana somehow knew that Suhyeok wasn’t home.

[But how did you know…?]

[I can hear the wind behind you]

[Ah. I see.]

[Where are you coming from?]

[A friend called me urgently.]

A moment of silence followed.

[…Is it a girl?]

Hana’s question seemed to seek confirmation.

Suhyeok’s face darkened.

He had two options.

The first was to honestly say he had left to take care of a girl.

The second was to pile a new lie on top of the old one and say he had met someone whose name he didn’t even know.

Either way, he thought it was a terrible thing to do to a girl he liked.

At the very least, Suhyeok wouldn’t want to date a guy who gave such answers.

[…Yes.]

Thinking that hesitating too long would seem stranger, Suhyeok told the truth.

[…I see.]

Leaning against a streetlight, Hana.

She stared somewhat blankly at the cars passing by on the opposite side.

[Okay. Get home safely.]

[Hana.]

[What.]

[I’m sorry.]

The apology, given the atmosphere, further wounded her pride.

[You said it was urgent. It’s fine. Why apologize?]

[Still…]

[I’m home now and about to shower. You should rest too.]

Indicating she didn’t want to talk anymore, Hana hung up.

The screen turned red.

Hana kicked the ground in frustration.

Was I the one who was oblivious?

I thought we were… doing pretty well…

Even if Suhyeok had some dense moments, Hana had steadily believed their relationship was progressing.

But Suhyeok had left her to meet another girl.

Maybe he thought I was already caught…

No, he wouldn’t treat even a caught fish like that…

The suspicion grew larger.

Did Suhyeok not see me as a woman at all…?

Seeing how boldly he admitted to meeting a girl, does he have no intention of being with me?

If that were true…

Still, nothing changes.

She was someone with conviction in what she liked.

She was someone who had passionately lived for band music that many others showed no interest in.

Even when her classmates were obsessed with idols, she was the one who went alone to concerts of bearded men.

Giving up her feelings for Suhyeok for such trivial reasons would be disrespectful to how she had lived her life so far.

“…Bring it on.”

This was a declaration of war against the girl who had taken Suhyeok away, even if just for a moment.

Hana was confident that no one could take him from her.