Chapter 22: Fake Outdoor Date (4)

For a moment, goosebumps covered my entire body. My heart felt like it had turned to ice. I was so shocked that barely a sound could escape my throat.

It felt like the whole world had frozen.

No, it would have been better if it really had. Unfortunately, time never stops for anyone.

Why on earth were they here?

It wasn’t even worth questioning. This was the first weekend after midterms, wasn’t it? For academic track students who hadn’t had a chance to go out, this was the perfect timing for a brief look outside.

What should we do?

It was already too late to escape. Standing here blankly would surely get us caught. If we were caught together in a place like this, no one would believe we just happened to run into each other.

That left only one solution.

We had to hide our presence until they disappeared.

I immediately turned around. So-yul, who had been pressed against the wall behind me, looked up at me with puzzled eyes.

When she tried to say something, I pushed her into the elevator corner to stop her.

There was no time. I quickly explained in a whisper:

“Our classmates are coming from outside.”

“…What?”

So-yul’s eyes trembled at my words. Her expressionless face quickly filled with fear.

Almost simultaneously, various footsteps and voices began echoing in the elevator.

“Haa, haa…”

“Ah, we barely made it.”

“Sorry for rushing in.”

The voices were all familiar – people I talked to every day in class. They were among my closest ten friends.

So-yul must have found them quite familiar too, as I saw her body flinch.

They knew me well. So-yul was the most famous person at school, and she even took morning classes with our class. Even if they claimed no connection, they’d seen her face dozens of times in passing and would recognize her instantly if their eyes met.

In this situation, we had to stay hidden until we reached the first floor.

Soon I heard the doors closing behind us, followed by the elevator slowly starting to descend.

A hellish countdown had begun.

“It’s nice coming to the movie theater after so long.”

“Of course the theater’s better than a monitor.”

My friends were casually chatting about movies. They must have been leaving after watching one.

Fortunately, they didn’t seem interested in us. Though I couldn’t look back, they appeared too busy talking among themselves to even glance our way.

If only we could quietly make it to the first floor like this.

I glanced at So-yul’s condition in front of me.

Pushed against the wall by me, So-yul looked slightly uncomfortable. Her brow was faintly furrowed, and her lower lip was bitten as if trying to endure something.

That wasn’t all. Her arms and lips trembled with fear, and her gaze wandered aimlessly, unable to settle.

‘Are you okay?’

When I mouthed the question, So-yul painfully nodded.

Unlike her answer, she didn’t look okay at all. Every movement seemed delicate, making her somewhat pitiful.

For all her usual teasing, she was much more flustered than me in this situation. It was slightly amusing, in a way. Though of course… I felt quite worried too.

Sorry, but please bear with it for a moment. There’s no other way right now.

As we waited to reach the first floor, the elevator suddenly stopped with a ding.

Then a mechanical voice announced “8th floor,” followed by the sound of the elevator doors opening.

The only people inside were me, So-yul, and my friends who’d finished watching the movie. While no one was getting off, plenty seemed to be getting on. I could hear people quickly filling the space.

Murmuring noises and people brushing against each other. It felt like the elevator was nearly at capacity.

Then someone’s back lightly pushed me.

My unsupported body shifted toward So-yul. The distance between us rapidly closed. That sequence of events passed like slow motion.

Just as I was about to fall onto So-yul… I barely managed to brace myself against the wall with one arm.

“…Hnh.”

A tiny sound escaped So-yul’s startled lips.

Fortunately, due to the chaos inside, no one seemed to notice.

So-yul’s face held an embarrassed light as she looked at me.

This probably wasn’t much different for me either.

Though I’d prevented falling onto So-yul, we ended up close together anyway. Plus, with people firmly planted behind me, I couldn’t move back.

We maintained an awkward distance where we could neither get closer nor further apart, just waiting to reach the first floor.

Either way, the elevator started descending again.

I hoped we could arrive safely like this, but it was a futile wish.

“Huu.”

So-yul’s held-back breath touched my neck.

The indescribable sensation that arose made me clench my teeth involuntarily.

So-yul was looking straight up at me. Though she’d normally only reach my chest when facing forward. With her head lifted to meet my eyes, each breath tickled me.

I understood her wanting to make eye contact out of fear, but right now it wouldn’t lead to anything good. I wished she’d just look forward.

As if reading my mind, So-yul’s head gradually lowered.

Her hair fluttered, and a faint fragrance spread from that spot.

Was the scent that had been tickling my nose the body wash So-yul mentioned? Or was it just her natural scent?

Then came the sound of fabric brushing. When we tried to move even slightly, our bodies touched.

So-yul’s body trembled delicately at the sudden contact. A soft sensation spread. Her body temperature, slightly warmer than mine, flowed throughout my body.

Even without her breath touching me, shallow breathing still tickled my ears.

No matter how much I tried not to be conscious of it, I couldn’t ignore the warmth coming from beside me.

The heartbeats pounding in my ears were from two people.

All of this felt so stimulating to me that…

An inexplicable emotion seemed to try breaking through the thick wall in my chest.

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind:

“Wait. That person…”

A voice like whispering to oneself. But it clearly wasn’t just self-talk. They probably wanted to check with the others who came together.

Wondering if that was Min Woo-jin.

Had we been caught?

In this place, together with So-yul.

And in such a close position too.

I swallowed hard. My dry lips trembled so much I could feel it myself. The rustling of paper bags somehow echoed painfully in my ears.

Trying hard to ignore these sensations, I stood still pretending nothing was wrong.

Then.

The same voice continued with:

“…Could it be.”

Finally, just as I saw someone’s hand reaching out from the side…

Ding, First Floor.

The announcement played and the elevator doors opened.

The tightly packed people instantly streamed out. Fresh air filled the stuffy space. Countless footsteps came from behind.

“What are you doing? Hurry up.”

Another friend’s voice called from outside the elevator.

The friend still inside seemed to hesitate briefly, but finally withdrew their arm and answered:

“Okay. Coming.”

Light footsteps followed, and finally the last presence disappeared.

At last, the doors closed with just me and So-yul frozen close together in the elevator.

That should be enough.

I immediately stepped away from So-yul and quickly checked her condition. Her cheeks were completely flushed red. Her lips still trembled, probably still somewhat frightened.

Well, I was probably just as much of a mess. I let out a deep sigh pulled from deep in my chest and finally managed to speak:

“Are you okay? Wasn’t it stuffy?”

“…Y-yeah.”

The response came in a voice so thin it seemed about to break.

The situation was over for now. Both So-yul and I were completely exhausted from maintaining tension until the very end. Since today’s outing was over anyway, we should head back quickly.

Though we’d barely avoided crisis, we might still get caught somewhere if we left carelessly. No, it was already impressive we hadn’t been caught openly walking together until now.

There was no way to hide up close, but we should at least try not to be noticeable from far away.

I approached So-yul again as she still blankly kept her gaze down. Only then did she glance at me. Her tiny shoulders flinched.

I reached toward her and… slowly pulled up the hood on her zip-up hoodie.

“At least wear this when we go out. Other students might see us outside too.”

“…Okay.”

So-yul answered while pressing down the hood firmly.

Her voice sounded very faint this time too.

◎

And on the way back to school.

So-yul was walking in unusual silence.

No characteristic teasing, no mocking smiles, just quietly following two steps behind with her head down. Watching her gave me an inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity.

After quietly observing this for a while, I walked up beside So-yul.

Then… I took the paper bag from her hand.

Only then did So-yul lift her face.

“Why?”

“You were walking slowly. Thought maybe it was heavy.”

“I can carry this much.”

“If you could carry it, why weren’t you walking faster?”

“…Shouldn’t a boyfriend match his girlfriend’s pace?”

There she goes mentioning boyfriend again.

We’d reach school in a few minutes anyway. Entering school together would be like turning ourselves in. Even walking together near school was dangerous. We should probably separate here.

Showing her the paper bags in my hands, I said:

“I’ll go in first and put these down. Take them from there to wherever. Where should I leave them?”

“My room.”

“Don’t say ridiculous things.”

“Then, the bench.”

By bench, she must mean where we first met by chance.

I answered “Alright” in a light tone. So-yul also nodded obediently.

Well then, time to head back to school.

I wanted to take a shower quickly. Both my body and mind were exhausted, and I wanted to relieve it under hot water. I hurried my steps while firmly gripping the paper bags in both hands.

“Hey.”

Before I could get even a few steps away, So-yul stopped me.

When I turned around, So-yul had her head down with the hood I’d put on pressed firmly.

“What?”

When I asked briefly, So-yul lifted her face just enough to show her eyes and:

“Thanks. For today.”

And here I thought she was going to say something else.

“Shouldn’t you be grateful for more than just today?”

What I offered was a joke without any seriousness. I thought this would make So-yul flare up and activate her usual playfulness. Honestly, expressing gratitude wasn’t like So-yul at all.

But So-yul just replied in a gentle tone:

“…Then, I’m always grateful. Boyfriend.”

It was an unexpected answer. I couldn’t help being momentarily taken aback.

Well, maybe this was all just to tease me too. So-yul was always looking for chances to play pranks. That must be it.

I cleared my throat unnecessarily and:

“Aren’t we just fake anyway?”

“We might be fake but you’re still my boyfriend.”

“Right. I knew you’d say that.”

Unlike before, this response was predictable. I smiled slightly and casually acknowledged it before turning around again.

This time So-yul didn’t stop me.

The whole way back to the dorm alone.

My heart was still beating wildly in my chest, refusing to calm down.

My face felt burning hot, unlike usual, as if about to catch fire.

The pounding heart was from fear of being caught by friends.

The stirring emotions were the thrill of breaking rules in secret.

That must be all it was.

It had to be.