Chapter 48: What’s your plan?

Leaning on my desk with my arms folded, I fell into deep thought.

‘Harin Kim.’

‘A yandere heroine.’

‘Whenever the protagonist got even a little close to another girl, she would get upset, exuding a subtly dangerous aura.’

‘But…’

‘This time, her reaction was too weak.’

‘Just a slight hint of jealousy?’

‘Or… was she holding back on purpose?’

‘…What is she scheming?’

I crossed my arms and tilted my head.

Just yesterday, she had been saying things like:

“Don’t get too close with female friends. You should only start dating after graduation.”

‘She had been warning me like that.’

‘And yet, when I was with Seo Yuna…?’

‘She just smiled gently and let it slide.’

‘This was completely different from the Harin Kim I knew.’

‘Something was off.’

I bit my lip.

It was too strange to simply assume she had come to terms with it.

Usually, when a yandere suppresses their emotions, it means things are even more dangerous.

Which meant…

This was just a ‘calm before the storm’ phase.

She was doing her best to hide her feelings until she made her move.

Seo Yuna still didn’t seem to grasp the situation.

She just thought Harin was cute and was trying to get closer to her.

But I knew better.

Even if Harin was smiling on the outside, she was definitely planning something inside.

This was like the stillness before a storm.

I let out a deep sigh in my mind.

I had to set up my defenses before Harin did anything strange.

I needed to subtly maintain some distance while keeping an eye on her reaction.

***

After school.

I was sitting across from Harin.

She was smiling brightly, just like always.

“Oppa, we’re going to walk to school together tomorrow too, right?”

I forced a smile and replied.

“Oh… Yeah, sure.”

“Yuna unnie seems like such a lively person.”

I immediately observed her reaction.

Her expression, her tone, her gestures—

I was expecting to see Harin’s usual jealousy surface somewhere.

But there was no sign of it at all.

“Really?”

I asked cautiously.

Harin slowly nodded and said with a completely innocent expression.

“Yes. She’s always cheerful and has a way of brightening the mood for those around her.”

“…That’s true.”

I responded casually for now.

But…

‘Why did her tone feel so unsettling?’

I sensed something was off, but I didn’t let it show.

Harin continued to smile as she looked at me.

“So, I understand why you’d want to be friends with someone like her, Oppa.”

“…Huh?”

My heart suddenly sank.

That… was odd.

It sounded like a perfectly nice statement, but why did it send a chill down my spine?

And then, she added—

“But.”

“…But?”

Harin looked straight at me, smiling softly.

“I think people should be careful about who they spend time with.”

‘What?’

‘Was that a direct way of telling me not to be close with Yuna?’

I swallowed hard.

Harin still had that innocent expression on her face.

But I could tell—

That was a clear warning.

‘…What is this atmosphere?’

A sudden feeling of coldness crept up my spine.

‘What should I do?’

‘Would it be better to start distancing myself from Yuna now?’

I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Y-Yeah. I mean, it’s always good to be careful.”

Harin nodded in satisfaction.

“Yes. Oppa is always so careful about things.”

Her words felt strangely loaded with meaning.

I couldn’t find anything else to say and simply fell silent.

The mood felt oddly heavy.

This wasn’t good.

‘I just need to get through this moment quietly.’

I forced myself to act natural and took a bite of my food.

But my appetite was completely gone.

After that, Harin didn’t say much else.

She simply sat beside me, smiling gently as usual.

***

I slung my bag over my shoulder and left the house.

I had planned to sneak out first—

But the moment I stepped outside, Harin was right behind me.

“Oppa~ We have to walk together.”

“Oh, uh… right.”

I forced a smile, but I wasn’t feeling at ease.

‘Was it because of yesterday’s conversation?’

Today, it felt like Harin was sticking even closer to me.

She looped her arm around mine, just like she always did.

“You’re meeting Yuna unnie today too, right?”

I stopped in my tracks.

“…Huh?”

Harin smiled brightly and lightly brushed her fingers along my wrist.

“Yesterday, you said you should be careful, remember?”

“…Yeah, so?”

“So, I thought I should try getting closer to Yuna unnie too.”

A sudden chill ran down my spine.

“…What?”

Harin spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Since she’s your friend, wouldn’t it be nice if I got along with her too?”

‘What was she scheming?’

I turned my head toward Yuna.

She stood at the end of the alley, waving at us with a bright smile, looking as carefree as ever.

“Oh, Harin! Hi!”

I tensed up instinctively.

Yuna had no idea what was going on.

She walked toward us, still grinning.

And Harin took a step forward.

“Yuna unnie~”

She smiled warmly.

“Let’s exchange numbers! I’ve always thought it would be nice to have you around. Oppa is too reserved sometimes.”

My mind went blank.

‘…What?’

‘Exchange numbers, all of a sudden?’

Yuna looked a little surprised but soon chuckled and said, “Oh, really? Of course! It’d be great to be friends.”

She pulled out her phone.

“Wait a second.”

I quickly stepped in between them.

“Why are you suddenly exchanging numbers?”

Yuna blinked and looked at me.

“Huh? Why not?”

I stammered, trying to come up with a reason.

“It’s just… there’s no real need for it, is there?”

Yuna let out a small laugh, as if she found my reaction amusing.

“Hey, so the rumors about you being a siscon were true? What, do you think I’m going to eat Harin or something?”

I screamed internally.

‘Damn it, you’re the one who’s going to get eaten.’

But of course, Seo Yuna had no way of knowing what I was thinking.

She just chuckled as she unlocked her phone.

I quickly glanced over at Harin Kim.

She was still smiling sweetly.

But I knew.

That wasn’t just an ordinary smile.

That was the gaze of a hunter, carefully analyzing her prey—Yuna.

Yuna let out a small laugh.

“What, are you jealous because your little sister likes me so much?”

“No, it’s not that—”

At that moment, Harin spoke softly.

“Oppa… do you not like it when I get close to other people?”

My mind froze.

‘What the hell.’

‘Was that really how she interpreted this?’

Harin looked at me quietly, her voice calm.

“I just want you to be close with the right people, Oppa.”

‘Why did those words send a chill down my spine?’

This was taking a seriously wrong turn.

Harin’s tone, her behavior towards me, and the way she was acting toward Yuna right now—

Everything was subtly different from usual.

On the surface, she looked like an innocent younger sister, but I could tell.

This was all calculated.

Yuna blinked at Harin before turning back to me.

“Dohyun, why are you acting so childish? This is just us girls trying to be friends, what’s the big deal?”

She then smirked playfully.

“Or are you scared that I’ll end up being closer to Harin than you are?”

I swallowed a sigh.

‘Damn it, that’s exactly it.’

You’re letting your guard down against the worst possible person.

But Yuna, still clueless, simply smiled.

Harin, with a small smile, replied, “I’m just doing this because I really want to be closer to Yuna unnie.”

I quickly grabbed both of their arms.

“Let’s go. We’re going to be late.”

“Oh, right!”

Yuna nodded, completely unfazed.

But in that moment, I felt it—

For just a split second, Harin’s gaze sharpened.

***

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the school gates.

I cautiously glanced at Harin.

‘Would she say anything else?’

But she simply smiled at me, just like always.

“Then, Oppa.”

“Hm?”

“Have a great day.”

She stared at me for a long moment before whispering ever so softly, “And don’t worry too much. I just want to be close to Yuna unnie, that’s all.”

A cold chill ran down my spine.

That tone—

This was the attitude of someone who had already made up their mind about something.

Forcing a smile, I replied, “…Right. Take care, Harin.”

Before leaving, Harin lightly brushed her fingers over my wrist, then slowly walked away.

I watched her retreating figure and let out a deep sigh.

This was really bad.

Just then, Yuna suddenly tapped my shoulder.

“Dohyun?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you so tense?”

I hurriedly laughed.

“Oh, uh, no reason.”

Yuna narrowed her eyes at me, then smirked.

“Wow, are you actually a siscon?”

“I’m not.”

I quickly denied it, but she shook her head, unconvinced.

“Then why are you so hung up on me exchanging numbers with Harin?”

I clamped my mouth shut.

‘How the hell was I supposed to explain this?’

‘That she was a yandere and might do something crazy to you?’

‘…There was no way Yuna would believe me.’

I forced a neutral expression and brushed it off.

“It’s just… it’s not really necessary, that’s all.”

“Oh my god, you really are jealous.”

Yuna laughed, absentmindedly playing with her phone.

“I mean, come on. Harin’s so sweet and cute—what’s the problem?”

“…I don’t know. Maybe I’m just overreacting.”

I forced a smile and let it go.

‘If I pressed this any further, it would just make me seem more suspicious.’

It was better to leave it at that.

Yuna studied me with an amused expression before suddenly perking up as if she’d thought of something.

“Then, if I actually become really close with Harin, you’re gonna hate that, huh?”

“…What?”

I instinctively looked at Yuna.

But she was still grinning, carefree as ever.

“She’s just so cute. I wish I had a little sister too.”

I barely held back a curse.

‘No, the one you’re trying to befriend is not normal.’

If you’re not careful, you’ll end up as her little sister.

You’ll be forcibly adopted into her world.

But Yuna, still oblivious, just laughed playfully.

I managed a stiff smile and said, “Anyway… if you ever plan on meeting up with Harin, let me know first.”

Yuna tilted her head.

“Why?”

“Just… there’s a reason.”

“Hmm, okay, whatever.”

Please.

Please, let nothing happen.