Chapter 13 : It’s so simple

“What, what?

What’s this atmosphere?

Don’t tell me… are you two dating?”

Park Nayul’s voice rang out.

When I turned my head, Yoon Jihoo was approaching us alongside her.

“Are you two dating?”

Yoon Jihoo looked at me and Lee Jian as she asked.

“No.”

I answered firmly, cutting off the conversation.

Even if I couldn’t help their relationship, I didn’t want to be an obstacle either.

That’s why I had to speak so definitively.

“…… It’s not like that.”

Lee Jian said in an uneasy voice.

Her expression didn’t look too good.

‘Of course, she wouldn’t feel good about it. No one would like their crush misunderstanding something like this.’

Her face, which had been bright just a moment ago, darkened instantly.

Maybe it’s best to keep some distance after all.

I’m nothing more than an observer.

A presence barely noticed, a mere passerby.

So perhaps forming deep connections isn’t the best idea.

I subtly stepped back to put some distance between us.

Swoosh.

Then whoosh, whoosh.

As I moved away, Lee Jian followed suit.

When I glanced at her, she mouthed, “What? Why?”

Her furrowed brows made it clear she wasn’t happy.

Sigh.

I let out a small sigh.

‘She really doesn’t get it.’

I tried again to put some distance between us.

Swoosh.

Then whoosh, whoosh.

She followed again, sticking close.

I whispered softly.

“What?

Why are you following me?”

“You’re the one who keeps running away.”

She sounded a little annoyed.

After saying that, she boldly took a step closer.

Feeling pressured, I unconsciously stepped back.

“Why are you running away?”

She probably had no idea I was trying to prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Before I knew it, the words slipped out of my mouth.

“You’re so dense.”

It was a small mutter to myself.

But she must have heard it because her eyes widened.

A ripple of emotion spread in those large eyes.

Like someone who had just been hurt, like someone who felt disappointed.

I had no idea why she was making that face.

“After seeing that, do you still think they’re not dating?”

At Park Nayul’s comment, Yoon Jihoo tilted her head in confusion.

“No way, they’re just friends.

They’re just messing around.”

Park Nayul looked at Yoon Jihoo as if she couldn’t believe her.

“You’re really clueless, huh?”

“Me?”

I casually joined their conversation.

“It’s really not like that.”

“Yeah, we’re seriously not like that.”

Lee Jian spoke with a slightly irritated expression, a hint of anger laced in her voice.

“Alright, alright.

I get it.

Let’s just go home.

If we’re out too late, the teacher will get mad.”

The four of us walked together down the street, illuminated by rows of streetlights.

Even though it was late in the evening, the glow of the lamps cast a gentle light over the road.

The distant sound of cars and occasional chatter filled the awkward silence.

I stared ahead and walked slowly.

Maybe because it was nighttime, but the air felt particularly cold today.

“Oh~ The weather’s so nice!”

Park Nayul stretched her arms out.

“A night walk is perfect on a day like this, don’t you think?”

“For someone saying that, your ears look a little red, senior.”

At Yoon Jihoo’s teasing remark, Park Nayul covered her ears and grumbled.

“Shut up!

It’s because of the night breeze.”

As I kept walking, I naturally glanced at Lee Jian beside me.

She was walking silently.

She hadn’t spoken in a while.

Normally, she’d be chatting away about something.

‘She’s still upset.’

As we continued along the streetlights, we eventually reached a fork in the road.

Park Nayul and Yoon Jihoo naturally turned in the same direction and waved goodbye.

I didn’t hesitate even a little before walking in the opposite direction.

That’s when Lee Jian, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly stared at me.

“…What?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

She lightly kicked at the ground with her toe.

It seemed like she had something to say but quickly looked away.

“Oh, senior and Yoon Jihoo live in the same direction, huh?”

“Huh?”

Lee Jian narrowed her eyes slightly.

“You sure know a lot about Nayul senior’s house, huh?”

Her voice was a little lower than usual.

“Well, I went there once before.”

I answered casually.

But her expression looked… strange.

It was only after I said it that I realized she had been staring at me the entire time.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She kicked the ground again and started walking.

Something was off.

Definitely off.

Normally, she would have joked around, asking, “What?

When did you two go together?

Why?”

But right now, her reaction felt… different.

Like there was another emotion mixed in.

But I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was.

‘Is she in a bad mood?’

Did she want to walk home with Yoon Jihoo?

I quietly followed her.

The long row of streetlights stretched ahead.

Since it was late, the streets were quiet.

The sound of footsteps echoed strangely loud.

I walked in silence.

Usually, I would crack a lighthearted joke to ease the mood,

but today, I didn’t feel like it.

Kim Dohyun was beside me, but I didn’t want to talk.

Something had felt off for a while.

My heart felt unsettled.

And yet, I didn’t even know why.

It was like the wind was shaking not just my body, but my emotions as well.

“…Oh~ The weather is so nice!”

Senior stretched her arms out.

“A night walk is perfect on a day like this, don’t you think?”

I didn’t answer.

I just kept walking in silence.

The streetlights followed us along the path.

Under their glow, Kim Dohyun’s ash-gray hair shimmered softly.

I found myself staring at it for a while before turning my head away.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the fork in the road.

Yoon Jihoo and Nayul senior naturally walked together in the same direction.

Without thinking, I turned my head and watched them.

Yoon Jihoo and Nayul senior.

Walking together, they looked strangely well-matched.

Nayul senior walked with a light, bouncing step, while Yoon Jihoo quietly adjusted his pace to match hers.

No matter how you looked at it, there wasn’t any room for someone to butt in.

And us?

I walked ahead.

Kim Dohyun followed behind.

Our steps were completely out of sync.

I felt stupid.

Really, really stupid.

Before I knew it, I had stopped walking.

Then, his footsteps also stopped—always one step behind, as usual.

The scene from the practice room came to mind.

Kim Dohyun’s firm response strangely lingered in my ears.

“No.”

There wasn’t even a trace of hesitation.

The same question, the same answer.

But why did Kim Dohyun’s answer bother me so much?

When Yoon Jihoo said no, I didn’t think much of it.

It didn’t affect me at all.

But for some reason, Kim Dohyun’s response hurt.

He always takes a step back, so why was he so decisive about cutting off our relationship?

We’re just friends.

Just friends?

Aren’t we a little closer than that?

“…Huh?”

“What?”

I gave a dumbfounded response.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Kim Dohyun glanced at me, then answered casually.

“Oh, senior and Yoon Jihoo live in the same direction.”

At that moment, an inexplicable discomfort spread inside me.

I instinctively asked,

“You sure know Nayul senior’s house well, huh?”

My voice dropped slightly.

He answered nonchalantly.

“Well, I followed her home once before.”

‘…Before?’

I repeated the word in my head and shut my mouth.

When?

Why?

Just the two of them?

I had never thought of Kim Dohyun and Park Nayul senior as being particularly close.

At least, I didn’t think they were closer than I was with him.

But…

Kim Dohyun spoke so naturally about going to her house, like it was no big deal.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

For no reason at all, I felt annoyed.

“What’s wrong?”

He looked at me as if trying to read my expression.

I didn’t answer.

“…Nothing.”

I kicked the ground with my toe.

Saying I was upset would sound strange.

But—

For some reason, I felt angry.

Thinking about it, Kim Dohyun was never the type to show interest in anyone.

But Nayul senior was different.

She was popular, easygoing, and got along with everyone effortlessly.

So, if Kim Dohyun started liking Nayul senior…

It wouldn’t be surprising.

‘No, that’s not it.’

A strange urge to deny it flared up inside me.

But my mind had already drawn its own conclusion.

‘Kim Dohyun likes Nayul senior.’

I clenched my hands tightly.

For some reason, my stomach felt unsettled.

Should I even be paying this much attention to it?

Should I just brush it off like it’s nothing?

But right now, I couldn’t.

I quietly looked at Kim Dohyun.

He walked ahead, completely unaware.

As clueless as ever.

‘I’m here struggling with all these thoughts,

but you’re just walking like nothing’s wrong.’

That made me even more frustrated.

What was this feeling?

I felt like I knew the answer, but I didn’t want to admit it.

So I just kept my mouth shut and walked beside him.

Just quietly—like this silent street.

Even though it was late April, the night air was cold.

“Want one?”

As we walked side by side, Kim Dohyun took a drink out of his pocket and handed it to me.

As always, it was that barley drink.

“What’s this?”

“You already know.”

“One plus one?”

“Yep, that’s the deal.”

I let out a laugh in disbelief.

I took the drink he handed me.

A cold can.

But strangely, I felt warmth spreading from it.

Was it because it had been in his pocket?

Or was it because he gave it to me?

I took a sip and swallowed.

The sweetness of the drink, the slight fizz,

and most of all—the fact that he gave it to me.

That simple gesture made me smile.

“You look happy.

You’re really simple, huh?”

“Yeah.”

I must really be simple.

Just because you gave me this, I’m smiling like this.

I was hurting so much, but now I’m smiling again—because of you.

“I really am simple, huh?”