Chapter 52: Library Date (1)

After finishing the movie filming through various ups and downs, So-yul threw herself into competition preparation as planned.

She had to compete against countless rivals from around the world while her parents watched. She needed to prepare two pieces. Moreover, her parents in the audience would obviously look at her with disapproving eyes.

In this situation, it was natural that practice was all So-yul could focus on.

When I sent her a KakaoTalk message in the evening, replies like [Sorry. I passed out after playing piano until late at night.] would come only the next morning. There was no need to mention how much effort she was putting in.

I understood well how So-yul felt about the competition.

I knew better than anyone else the hidden meaning behind this competition, and why she was so devoted to practice.

This was also why I decided to stop unnecessary contact and quietly support So-yul.

“…You haven’t been in touch much lately. You’re not secretly cheating on me, are you?”

And this ridiculous misunderstanding probably arose for the same reason.

On my way back to the dorm after dinner. When I took out my suddenly ringing phone, there was a KakaoTalk message from So-yul.

[I have something to talk about. Can we meet for a bit?]

For So-yul, who’d been so busy we could barely chat on KakaoTalk, to suggest meeting in person – I would have had to cancel even if I had plans. I quickly agreed and rushed out.

Yet what greeted me at the meeting place was an accusation of being a player.

Her expression while asking was deadly serious. Far from joking, she even threw in a cold glare. It definitely didn’t seem like she was teasing.

Really, what strange suspicions. I argued with a smirk:

“How could I cheat in this school? Dating itself is forbidden.”

“You’re dating me just fine.”

“Even if we’re dating, it’s fake.”

“Oh. So?”

My response seemed to anger her as So-yul crossed her arms and:

“So since it’s fake anyway, cheating is fine? You’ve set up another household with another fake girlfriend? Huh? Is that what you’ve done?”

“No…”

Sorry, but I haven’t even set up one household yet.

Though I wondered why she was so angry, one fake girlfriend was enough for me. We’d faced several crises already. If I tried cheating too, my heart probably wouldn’t survive.

Moreover, when my partner was the girl I secretly had feelings for. It was miraculous in many ways. Who would cheat in this situation?

…Swallowing that answer.

“I deliberately held back since you seemed busy with practice. I’d just feel bad if I disturbed you.”

I thought I’d given a reasonable answer. It wasn’t even a lie. I’d heard from her own mouth that she was busy preparing for the competition.

But somehow So-yul seemed to understand it slightly differently.

“Hmph. So you wanted to contact me but deliberately held back?”

“…Ah.”

As always, I only realized my slip of the tongue too late.

So-yul’s narrowed eyes immediately shot strange looks at me.

“You wanted to contact So-yul~ Wanted to hear her pretty voice, wanted to see her cute face so badly~ But couldn’t because she might be practicing~ Held back with tears in your eyes~ Is that how you agonized?”

“…Who are you imitating right now?”

“Who else? The person who was suffering, unable to contact his girlfriend because he was being considerate.”

Oh dear. How very considerate of you.

So-yul shot back without backing down, then put her hands on her hips and giggled. She looked like a villain who’d spotted their opponent’s weakness.

Honestly, I had nothing to say.

It was mostly accurate, which made it even more irritating.

A light knock on the head might make me feel better, but I couldn’t bring myself to hit her.

Frustrated in various ways, my face just kept turning red and blue before I finally opened my mouth.

“You really…”

Then, as if waiting for this moment, So-yul stretched out her arm toward me.

She gently placed her extended index finger on my lips.

A thin, long finger resting on dry lips. Unlike the arm stretched out without hesitation, the finger touching my lips had no strength. That created an incredibly ticklish sensation.

What on earth was she doing?

Surprised by the sudden attack, no, rather because there was a finger on my lips, I had no choice but to keep my mouth tightly shut.

Looking at me like this, So-yul smiled sweetly and:

“Shh. This is a library. Lower your voice.”

She delivered these irrefutable words.

Well, that’s true. This was a library and you had to be quiet in libraries. Above all, if we were caught alone in an open space, explanations wouldn’t be easy. It was certainly a valid point.

Except for one thing: you were the one who made me raise my voice.

Half this school focused on academics. There were quite a few hyenas hunting for good study spots. Thanks to this, rumors about good places to study spread in an instant.

While I usually used the dorm or study room when studying, I’d heard the library was just as excellent. The wide tables near the entrance were always over half full. Sometimes it was sickening to see.

Yet students who actually came to the library to borrow books were extremely rare.

Enter through the entrance, pass the tables, and step into the corner of the reading room filled with countless books – you couldn’t even hear others breathing.

It was a perfect space for a secret meeting between a boy and girl.

Where we were currently talking was between bookshelves in a corner of the reading room.

No eyes watching around us. No ears secretly listening. Since it wasn’t a closed room, even if caught by someone we could just say we were looking for books. We really had been foolish meeting only in the film club room until now.

Of course, that excuse probably wouldn’t work if the head of student affairs came by…

Even as I organized these thoughts, So-yul’s finger was still covering my lips.

Surely she wasn’t planning to stay like this until we parted? Well, though that would also be a ticklish experience, I wanted to talk at least a little since we’d finally met.

I spoke with force in my lips:

“I get it, so take your finger off now.”

“Hic. Don’t talk, it tickles. Dummy.”

“I’m telling you to take it off because it tickles me too.”

When I answered without backing down, So-yul giggled and withdrew her arm. …Though I didn’t know why she made that suggestive sound.

Then she put her hands behind her back and hummed happily. I almost had the illusion of musical notes floating around her head.

How should I put it? This was our first meeting since finishing the movie filming, but somehow she seemed much more aggressive than before.

Maybe she’d gotten used to playing the role of fake girlfriend.

Then So-yul stretched widely.

“Mmm~ I’m stiff.”

Her whispered voice clearly showed signs of fatigue.

Looking back, even the finger she’d placed on my lips earlier had been slightly rough. Her characteristically large eyes also seemed to lack energy today. This probably meant she was working hard preparing for the competition.

“You’re working hard.”

When I threw out this comment, So-yul gave a bitter smile.

“Yeah. I’m working hard these days. Since I absolutely want to show good skills to my parents this time… I have no choice but to prepare hard.”

For her to answer like this herself meant she’d already surpassed an ordinary level.

Wanting to gain her parents’ approval through piano. So-yul had lived with this single-minded determination.

Even watching from the side, I could clearly feel how desperately she strived to become the best model student, an excellent pianist, a wonderful child.

When she didn’t waste a single moment normally for this goal, now it was a competition with her parents watching in the audience. The pressure must be doubled.

It would be good if that pressure worked as positive motivation but…

My worried feelings must have shown completely on my face. So-yul’s eyes fell to the floor after checking my expression.

“…I didn’t want to complain when we finally met after so long.”

So-yul muttered apologetically.

That only made me feel sorry instead.

“It’s okay. I told you before, right? That I’d help however I could within what’s possible. And even if it’s fake, as your boyfriend, don’t I have a duty to listen when my girlfriend is having a hard time?”

“Yeah…”

Her answering voice still sounded faint.

Her response was still somewhat reluctant. Though I’d said there was no need to feel sorry. Plus, though I’d rambled on about fake boyfriend duties and obligations, truthfully I just wanted to make the person I liked happy.

At times like this, maybe it would be better if I took the initiative.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

I carefully asked to avoid making her feel burdened. Though I doubted she’d talk comfortably just because of this, well, this was the best I could do.

At my words, So-yul fiddled with her lips thoughtfully and:

“Then.”

After this opening, she slowly turned her back to me and:

“Could you massage my shoulders?”

“No.”

When I answered immediately, I heard a “tch” sound from beyond So-yul’s small back.

Showing weakness to manipulate someone’s emotions before making a request – I’d almost been skillfully hooked. I’d momentarily forgotten So-yul’s cunning side.

“Why? What kind of boyfriend can’t even do this much?”

“A boyfriend isn’t someone who gives massages.”

“You said you’d do anything.”

“That ‘anything’ didn’t include massages.”

“Hmm~”

After I responded to each comment, So-yul said in a slightly sulky tone:

“You hugged me and even stroked my back, but you’re shy about this?”

She suddenly hit the nail on the head.

“N-no. That was acting.”

“The script didn’t say to stroke my back though?”

“Well, that was, when I got into character, without realizing…”

As I mumbled excuses, I suddenly shut my mouth.

Perhaps because my words cut off abruptly, So-yul’s head tilted curiously.

Getting into character my ass. In reality, I just wanted to comfort So-yul. I stroked her back while hugging her, that’s all. I’d always been overflowing with desire to embrace So-yul.

Even if I couldn’t honestly confess all this, maybe there was no need to make excuses either.

Though I had to hide my romantic feelings, was there really any reason to hide my desire to help too?

The same went for massaging her shoulders.

If it would help So-yul. Couldn’t I just endure that bit of embarrassment?

If it would help, I’d do anything – that’s what that resolution meant from the start.

So I quietly answered:

“Okay. I’ll massage them.”

“…W-what? Really?”

Maybe she’d just been testing me? So-yul asked back quite hesitantly. Seems she hadn’t expected me to actually agree to massage her.

But what could I do? I’d already made up my mind.

“Yeah.”

When I answered again, So-yul slightly lowered her head.

Since her back was turned, I couldn’t see her expression, but So-yul was probably blushing and moving her lips silently right now.

Though she always teased me, she easily crumbled against counterattacks. Her flustered appearance each time was indescribably cute.

Doing such cute things all the time. It was impossible not to like her.

In a way, this too might be quite cunning of her.

“T-then…”

So-yul mumbled barely audibly and slightly hunched over, presenting her back to me.

Her trembling shoulders looked like movements anticipating when my touch would come.

I stretched both hands toward those delicate shoulders.

Slowly, gradually, while calming my pounding heart.

The closer my hands got, the more So-yul’s shoulders jumped.

And finally, just as my hands were about to touch So-yul’s shoulders…

“Ahem.”

As if waiting for exactly this timing.

With an unpleasant throat-clearing echoing loudly, with footsteps ringing out as if meant for us to hear… there were signs of someone walking this way.

A strange anxiety suddenly swept over me.

The grating tone, the oddly familiar footsteps, the attitude of not caring about others. Everything pointed to just one person.

“…”

“…”

Sensing the crisis, So-yul turned her head. Thanks to this, our eyes met exactly.

Similar foreboding seemed to cross her mind as clear agitation showed in So-yul’s eyes.

By now… the identity of this sense of crisis was certain even without looking.

But we couldn’t not check either.

Leaving my trembling heart behind, I carefully moved and peeked out from the end of the bookshelf.

In the distance… the head of student affairs was approaching us.

[Author’s note: Thank you for reading.

For reference, Part 2 is planned to end around chapter 60.]