Chapter 30 : Wish ticket

The Exam is Over.

The exam was over.

In other words, the final exams were finished.

And soon, summer vacation would begin.

Relieved from the long, hellish schedule, the students were all excited.

Some were already planning their vacations, while others sighed at the thought of their report cards.

But I might have been the most anxious one of all.

“So~”

Lee Jian, who had been walking beside me, turned and stood in front of me, looking straight into my eyes.

“You have to keep your promise, right?”

At those words, I swallowed a sigh.

A bet.

A ridiculous bet we had made over our final exam results.

Of course, objectively speaking, my grades were higher. 

But the problem was the nature of the bet.

“Will Lee Jian’s grades improve or not?”

I thought there was no way she could win.

Her previous midterm scores were her highest ever, and I didn’t think she could do any better than that.

We had made the bet just a week before the finals, so there wasn’t even enough time to study properly.

And knowing her, she wouldn’t have studied in advance—at best, she would have crammed at the last minute.

But her damn determination.

I had noticed she looked tired lately, and it turned out she had managed to raise her scores after all.

She did mention studying whenever we talked on the phone, but I thought she was just sitting in front of her desk, pretending.

Well, there was nothing I could do now. 

The results were in, and a promise was a promise.

And really, it was just a wish ticket—no big deal.

She’d probably just ask me to cancel the one I had, or something trivial like that.

Honestly, I didn’t even know how to use the wish ticket I had.

I figured Lee Jian was in the same boat.

She slowly held out her hand.

“What?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’? 

Hand over the wish ticket.”

“How am I supposed to give it to you?”

“Write a ‘wish ticket’ on a piece of paper and hand it over. 

That’s how you do it.”

“Then you give me yours too.”

I pulled out my notebook and tore out a page.

A wish ticket. 

I folded the A4 paper in half, making it about the size of my palm.

On it, in sloppy handwriting, I had written “Wish Ticket.”

We exchanged our tickets, each taking the other’s into our hands.

Hers was written in a cute, round handwriting, contrasting sharply with my stiff, precise script.

Lee Jian slowly, carefully unfolded it.

It was just a scrap of paper, like something from a cheap event.

But her expression was unexpectedly serious.

“It’s nothing big. 

Don’t expect anything grand.”

Even so, she didn’t say a word.

She simply stared at the wish ticket in silence.

A moment ago, she had been chattering excitedly, but now she was quiet.

Her gaze moved along the paper, heavy and steady, as if she were holding something truly precious.

Something about that made me uneasy.

I looked away for no reason and added,

“So… don’t wish for anything weird.”

At that, she slowly lifted her head.

And then—

She smiled.

A slow, creeping smile.

Different from the mischievous grin she usually wore.

It was oddly quiet and strangely… thrilling.

A cold sweat ran down my back.

…Ah, this is bad.

I regretted everything.

“Should I make you act cute? 

Or would you rather call me ‘Noona’?”

Lee Jian took her time folding the paper again, deliberately moving with an air of leisure.

Then, she playfully waved it in front of me.

Watching her, I waved my own paper back at her.

“You know I have one too, right?”

“If we both make each other act cute, who do you think will suffer more?”

She was joking, but her eyes sparkled more than ever.

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

I swallowed a deep sigh.

…This is bad.

Really, really bad.

I had never hated the end of exams this much before.

The final exams were over.

We were finally free.

The long, hellish schedule was over, and we were liberated at last.

My backpack felt lighter. My steps felt lighter.

There were so many thin

gs I had wanted to do once finals were over,

But the thing I wanted to do the most—

Was to claim my wish ticket.

I glanced at Kim Dohyun, who was walking beside me.

“So~”

I quickly turned and stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

“You have to keep your promise, right?”

A very faint sigh passed over Kim Dohyun’s face.

That made it all the more amusing.

I had worked so hard for this moment.

I stayed up all night studying, pulling my hair out, cramming until the last second.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say all my efforts had been for this.

And in the end, I won.

“What?”

I carefully took the small piece of paper he handed me.

A wish ticket, folded from half an A4 sheet.

It looked like nothing more than a cheap event coupon.

And yet…

I slowly unfolded the paper.

Why was I so excited?

My heart thumped slightly.

Honestly, the wish ticket itself wasn’t that big of a deal.

Normally, I would have just joked around and wondered what kind of silly request I should make.

But for some reason, this time…

I looked at it a little more carefully.

“…Don’t wish for anything weird.”

Kim Dohyun quietly added.

I slowly lifted my head.

And,

I smiled at him.

A slow, subtle smile.

At that moment, he quickly averted his gaze.

…Cute.

I bit my lip for no reason.

Something about it made my heart flutter.

“Should I make you act cute? 

Or would you rather call me ‘Noona’?”

I teased him lightly.

Kim Dohyun stared at me blankly.

But his fingertips twitched ever so slightly.

I didn’t miss that.

…He’s nervous.

That made it even more fun.

“If we both make each other act cute, who do you think will suffer more?”

At that, he closed his mouth.

Then, he let out a short sigh.

I grinned, satisfied.

Maybe this was the best reward of all.

The fact that he was thinking about me.

That he was becoming aware of it.

That thought alone made my heart race.

I carefully folded the wish ticket and tucked it into my bag.

On the way home,

The sun stretched long across the streets, and the lazy summer air lingered.

The last day of exams, with no practice today.

Thanks to that, it was still early in the day.

Then, I Noticed a Poster.

“Oh?”

I stopped in my tracks and pointed at the poster stuck to a nearby pole.

A summer festival poster.

A photograph of fireworks filling the night sky caught my eye.

Sparkling lights. The romance of a summer night.

“Fireworks,” I murmured.

Beside me, Kim Dohyun spoke casually.

“I’ve never seen them before.”

“…What?”

I turned to look at him instantly.

He didn’t avoid my gaze and added nonchalantly,

“Fireworks. 

I’ve never seen them in person before.”

What?

I stared at him in disbelief.

But Kim Dohyun’s face remained indifferent.

He was serious. 

He had never seen fireworks before. Not once.

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

And then, I said,

“Then let’s go see them together.”

I tried to sound casual, but my heart pounded wildly.

Kim Dohyun glanced down at me.

For a second, his eyes wavered.

What if he refuses?

I felt myself waver, too, but I didn’t let it show. 

Instead, I smiled brightly and repeated myself.

“For real. 

Let’s watch them together at this year’s festival.”

Kim Dohyun took a short breath.

The few seconds before his response stretched endlessly. 

My heartbeat quickened even more.

“… …Okay.”

His voice was low and somehow… strange.

I couldn’t believe such a short response could make me this happy.

His tone was casual, yet my heart pounded even harder.

“You promised—your first fireworks are mine.”

The first time. The thrill of the word first.

What kind of expression would he have while watching them?

And what expression would I have?

The thought sent a pleasant shiver through me.

Then, suddenly—

“…Ah.”

I felt my legs give out.

My body wobbled.

I lost my balance for a moment, but thankfully, I didn’t fall.

Still, I felt a sudden weakness wash over me.

“Hey.”

Kim Dohyun quickly caught me.

His hand rested on my shoulder.

And my heart pounded loudly.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

“…I must be a little tired. 

Maybe I overdid it?”

I forced an awkward laugh.

But inside, I felt embarrassed.

All this from pulling an all-nighter to study.

It made it seem like I had worked so hard just to win the wish ticket.

Which… was true. 

But still, it was embarrassing.

Kim Dohyun held onto my arm and silently observed me.

The warmth from his fingertips.

For some reason, I wanted to stay like this a little longer.

So, half-jokingly, I said,

“Carry me.”

Even after I said it, I wasn’t sure why I had.

Maybe I was just too tired. 

My body felt so weak.

It was just a joke—

“…What? 

Why should I?”

He sounded utterly baffled.

I pouted.

“So stingy.”

I grumbled, adding a playful lilt to my voice.

“Won’t you carry me?”

At that moment, I noticed Kim Dohyun subtly turning his head away.

His ears were red.

He scratched his ear, trying to hide it, but I had already seen everything.

I let out a small giggle.

“Shut up.”

“…No way. 

You’re heavy.”

I playfully smacked his shoulder.

But there was no strength in it.

I was really exhausted.

“What a shame. 

I should’ve hit you harder.”

Kim Dohyun let out a short sigh.

Then, slowly, he crouched down and turned his back toward me.

“…Get on.”

Casually, he offered me his back.

Like it was nothing.

But somehow, that simple action made my heart race.

“…You’re seriously going to carry me?”

I had said it as a joke, yet now he was actually following through.

I hesitated.

Is this… okay?

His warmth was so close.

If I put my hands on his back, we’d be completely connected.

That thought made me hesitate even more.

What if he finds it awkward?

Should I just laugh it off?

But—

Kim Dohyun waited quietly.

He didn’t rush me.

He just stayed there.

Calmly.

I lowered my eyes slightly.

And then—

…Yeah. This should be okay.

I carefully placed my hands on his shoulders.

Slowly, I leaned forward.

At that moment, my heart pounded violently.

His back felt broad.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested against him.

His warmth seeped through.

I could hear his steady breathing up close.

A soft heat brushed over my shoulders.

“…Am I heavy?”

I asked in a whisper.

“…It’s a bit weighty,” he answered in his usual indifferent tone.

“But it’s fine.”

“You’re supposed to say I’m light as a feather in moments like this.”

“You’re not that light.”

“So you’re saying I am light?”

“…Who knows?”

I quietly looked past his shoulder.

His footsteps were slow and steady.

With each step, there was a slight sway.

For some reason, it made my heart flutter.

And then—

“I owe you again.”

I murmured.

Kim Dohyun responded.

“For what?”

“You carried me before, too.”

He took a small breath, then replied in a low voice.

“…No need to thank me.”

That Warmth in His Words.

Somehow, his words felt strangely warm.

I let out a small chuckle.

Tilting my head slightly, I could see his shoulder.

Then, I decided.

“Really? 

Then, since I already owe you, take me all the way home.”

I felt him freeze for a moment.

Then, a short silence.

And finally—

“…Don’t you think that’s a bit too shameless?”

I chuckled.

“Just to the bus stop, then.”

“…Alright.”

His voice was quieter this time.

I smiled and gently leaned my head against his shoulder.

Just a little longer.

I wanted to hold on to this feeling for a while.

As we waited at the bus stop, I continued to rest against his back.

Letting go of my tension, I felt the exhaustion hit me even harder.

Then, out of nowhere—

“When are you going to give me back my gym clothes?”

Kim Dohyun suddenly asked, as if he had just remembered.

“You’re not planning to keep them forever, are you?”

“Nope. 

They’re mine now. 

Even if you beg me, I won’t give them back.”

He looked down at me, clearly baffled.

I subtly averted my gaze.

“…Why are you so obsessed with my gym clothes?”

“…Because they’re just the right amount of oversized. 

It feels like a hug.”

‘Like you.’

The words almost slipped out.

I flinched.

Thankfully, I caught myself before saying the last part.

My face grew warm.

Luckily, it didn’t seem like he noticed.

“Then why don’t you just buy a new one in that size?”

“…Why would I? 

That’s a waste of money.”

And besides, it wouldn’t be the same.

“It’s mine to begin with. 

Maybe I should just use my wish ticket to get it back.”

“Heh, well, I have one too! 

Wish ticket deflection!”

We held up our wish tickets like kids, playfully arguing.

Then, the bus arrived.

After we sat down, neither of us spoke for a while.

Somehow, the air between us felt quieter than before.

And then—

“…Didn’t you just say to the bus stop?”

“I only meant the piggyback ride.”

The bus started moving.

The cool breeze from the air conditioner swept over us.

I knew I shouldn’t fall asleep here.

I had to get off at the next stop.

But my eyelids felt so heavy.

I tried to keep them open, but they slowly drooped shut.

And then—

I fell asleep.