Chapter 101: What I Can Do (2)

“…Let’s run away together.”

Words that had tried to burst out from my heart many times before.

Words I had refused to utter, telling myself I shouldn’t—but finally spoke aloud.

So-yul’s eyes widened at what I had so resolutely said.

The corners of her eyes, which had been endlessly streaming tears, froze. Her wandering gaze fixed firmly on me.

Eventually, she seemed to forget language altogether and only opened and closed her mouth. So-yul’s expression showed just how shocked she was.

Soon, So-yul seemed to regain her senses:

“A-are you joking…?”

Her manner of asking clearly showed her bewilderment.

Of course, nobody would make such a tasteless joke in this situation.

“I’m not joking. I mean exactly what I said.”

“What you said?”

“Yes. I’m saying we should run away together. From your mother who’s trying to crush you by any means, and from this school that suffocates us with rules and restrictions.”

It was something I had suppressed for a long time.

There are things that won’t work out no matter how hard you try.

Things that remain impossible regardless of how desperately you dream or how fervently you struggle.

If that’s the case, is there any reason to keep clinging to them?

Why couldn’t we choose to throw off all our shackles and escape?

I had only started considering this after being lectured by So-yul’s friend.

What could I possibly do for So-yul?

What kind of help could a boyfriend with nothing special to offer extend to a girlfriend who excelled in every way?

In my foolishness, I could only think of one solution.

That was to grasp So-yul’s hand and run away from here.

Let’s jump over walls if needed and turn our backs on this hellish school.

Let’s run without looking back, only looking at each other.

When things get tough and overwhelming, let’s lean on each other and rest.

It doesn’t matter where we end up.

As long as we’re together, as long as So-yul isn’t sad…

So-yul placed both palms on her chest. Her tightly closed eyes and slightly bitten lips clearly showed her distress.

The pounding heartbeat seemed to reach even my ears.

“But…”

Then So-yul whispered in a voice tinged with hesitation:

“No matter where we run to, we’ll eventually be caught and separated.”

It was an entirely valid counterargument.

Even if we ran away together now, no rosy future awaited us.

Obviously, we couldn’t run forever.

Our destination options were limited. If a missing persons report was filed with the police, we’d be caught in no time.

Even if that didn’t happen, our relationship would be 100% exposed. The distance between So-yul and her mother would grow irreparably wide.

It might even damage So-yul’s reputation in the piano world.

A momentary, impulsive choice could turn everything to bubbles.

These concerns were likely what prevented So-yul from readily taking my hand.

But…

“It’ll be the same if we just endure like this.”

At this point, all paths were already blocked.

The future where So-yul would be acknowledged by her mother had receded into the distance.

We wouldn’t even be able to date properly while enduring another year at this awful school.

At this rate, So-yul and I would inevitably part ways.

I would focus on my studies in solitude, and So-yul would spend painful days tormented by her mother.

In other words, there was no happy ending in our future.

So this was almost a final, desperate attempt.

Whether it was a hidden shortcut or a trap leading straight to the cliff below remained unknown. But it was clearly the last fork in the road available to us.

I looked directly into So-yul’s eyes. Her gaze, which had been violently shaking until just now, was steadily fixed on me.

It was as if she was trying to capture my existence without missing even the slightest detail.

After a moment, So-yul slightly opened her mumbling lips:

“It’s okay. If I somehow endure. If I just bear it a little longer despite the hardship…”

So-yul’s voice trailed off, barely audible.

She still seemed to believe that shouldering everything alone would somehow be alright.

“Even someone like you can’t hold out forever.”

“B-but, I’ve been enduring well until now. And my boyfriend has been cheering me on hard…”

The words she muttered sounded like she was trying to rationalize her own feelings.

That couldn’t be true. So-yul was just an ordinary girl. Like no branch is unbreakable, she would eventually collapse. It was already remarkable that she had endured this long.

Moreover, even if So-yul could bear the difficult situation and hold out…

I no longer had the confidence to silently comfort my suffering girlfriend.

The helplessness of not being able to provide any real assistance.

The heartache of only being able to wipe away falling tears, rather than preventing them from falling in the first place.

It always felt like my chest was being tightly squeezed. My anger toward the school and So-yul’s mother had gradually grown.

I could no longer just watch quietly, to the point where I had openly confronted So-yul’s mother.

So I desperately wanted her to trust me and take my hand.

If she trusted me and followed, I would lead her anywhere.

Of course, I had no intention of forcing a choice against So-yul’s will.

“I understand your concerns. I know why you’re hesitating. So if you say no, I’ll accept it. I swear I won’t try to persuade you till the end, or hate you, or do anything like that.”

“…Of course, my boyfriend isn’t that kind of person.”

So-yul nodded slightly as she uttered these admiring words.

Her honey-brown hair slid softly over her shoulders.

I was just grateful she understood.

Then I showed a light smile:

“Yes. So I want you to tell me which direction you want to go. Wherever it is, I’ll follow my girlfriend. No, I’ll walk ahead of you and lead the way.”

Then, meeting So-yul’s eyes:

“This is… all I can do for you.”

At these words, So-yul seemed to hold her breath for a moment.

I had shown So-yul a direction. I had presented her with an option that might exist.

But I wanted to leave the final decision to So-yul.

There would be no joy in forcibly grabbing her and running away if that’s not what she wanted. No matter what excuse I might add, it would simply be an arbitrary action.

I closed my mouth and met So-yul’s eyes.

So-yul, looking up at me, seemed to be deep in thought.

What choice would So-yul make?

Would she decide to take my hand and run away somewhere?

Or would she choose to stay as we were, determined to endure until her limit?

I could accept either option. I was ready to immediately understand and nod to whatever she chose.

If she decided to continue living as we were, I would strive to be a solid pillar of support for her in my own way.

The dim winter night was illuminated only by the faint moonlight and the streetlamp’s glow.

The freezing air seeped into the depths of my chest. Beneath our feet, the half-formed snow crunched.

Eventually, my coat tails fluttered in the directionless winter wind.

Along with it, So-yul’s beautiful hair also waved gently.

So-yul softly placed her hand near her ear to hold back her windblown hair.

Just then, a chill brushed against the hand I was extending toward So-yul.

Without my realizing it, my palm had turned pale blue.

As So-yul stared at my hand, she bit her lip slightly and fell into thought.

Then, as if she had finished a long deliberation, she slowly extended her small hand.

Finally, just as our hands were about to touch…

A bright light shone from nearby, illuminating the path bench where we were.

Dazzling light filling our vision.

Light beams so intense they made us furrow our brows involuntarily.

So-yul’s widely opened eyes, and the sound of footsteps crushing the ground.

Instinctively looking toward the light, I saw a flashlight emitting a white beam.

Of course, that flashlight was held in someone’s hand.

And the person holding it was…

“Finally caught you.”

None other than the head of student affairs.