Chapter 53: Ticklish

The last day of festival preparations.

Amid the bustling crowd of people moving busily, my gaze kept searching for Jian.

She had her hair tied up high and was quickly stepping from here to there, moving busily.

In one hand, she held a bunch of balloons, occasionally muttering to herself with a focused expression as she checked things off.

Seeing her work so hard was somehow endearing, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Perhaps because she was so absorbed in the preparations, today she seemed to pay no attention to me.

And yet, that somehow made me even more aware of her, my heart fluttering.

I liked the pleasant pounding in my chest when I secretly watched her, unnoticed by anyone.

Smiling faintly, I opened my locker.

At that moment, something fell out.

A small, folded note lay on the floor.

It was a white piece of paper with a pink heart-shaped sticker on it.

…Wasn’t this obviously a love letter?

Instantly, the only person that came to mind was Jian.

Even while being so busy, did she still manage to do something like this?

She did say she was preparing a confession even more impressive than mine.

Just what kind of confession had she prepared?

Even imagining the expression on her face, the tone of her voice, made my breath quicken.

No matter how hard I tried, a smile kept creeping onto my lips.

My heartbeat grew faster, and as if the festival’s excitement had spread to my chest, my whole body grew warm.

Strangely, my fingertips trembled.

I tried to act nonchalant, but the anticipation had already spread through my entire body.

Curiosity and excitement tangled together, tickling my heart—what kind of grand confession had Jian prepared just for me?

This feeling was new to me.

Expectation, nervousness, and exhilaration mixed together until I couldn’t tell where one emotion ended and another began.

As if the confession she had prepared had already burst like a small firework inside me, sending sweet tremors through my body.

I looked at her again from afar as she tied balloons.

Jian, unaware of anything, wore a serious expression as she fastened the balloons, then suddenly tilted her head in confusion.

Her pouting lips, her slightly furrowed brow—was something not working?

Honestly, every little thing she did felt unbearably adorable.

Watching her, I unfolded the note again.

Smoothing out the cutely decorated paper, I read the contents—

And in an instant, my smile froze.

[Dohyun, I need to talk to you for a second.

I’ll be waiting behind the gym after the preparations are over.

-Seo Jiyoon]

For a moment, my mind went blank.

It wasn’t from Jian.

Even though it was nothing, a strange tension coiled around me.

An uncomfortable feeling, as if someone had tossed a tiny pebble into my chest.

Unconsciously, I lifted my head and looked at Jian again.

She was still moving busily. Oblivious, carefree.

For a second, I thought about telling her, but quickly dismissed the idea.

It wasn’t a big deal—I could just turn Jiyoon down.

There was no need to make Jian worry, and I had no desire to get involved with anyone else anyway.

And yet, a small discomfort lingered in the corner of my heart. Like a tiny thorn had lodged itself there.

I folded the note and slipped it into my pocket.

The name of that emotion was guilt.

***

The festival preparations were nearly finished.

The whole school buzzed with excitement, a busy atmosphere filling the air.

Tying balloons, hanging decorations, the laughter and chatter around us— it all made the anticipation of the festival feel real.

I, too, moved busily, holding a bunch of balloons in my hand.

‘Is Dohyun done yet?’

Unconsciously, my eyes searched for Kim Dohyun.

As I turned my head, I spotted a familiar figure standing in front of the lockers.

It was Seo Jiyoon.

She hesitated for a moment in front of Dohyun’s locker, then carefully slipped something inside—what looked like a piece of paper.

For a moment, something lightly poked at my chest.

‘…What was that?’

But I soon shook my head. I thought it was nothing.

It could just be a festival-related notice, or maybe a note passed between classmates.

It’s probably nothing, I reassured myself.

But not long after, I saw Dohyun pick up a note from his locker.

From a distance, I couldn’t make out the details, but he was definitely reading something.

Then… his expression stiffened for a moment.

A brief but unmistakable flicker in his eyes—a look of slight panic.

Without realizing it, my grip tightened on the balloon in my hand.

For some reason, I felt strange.

‘It’s probably nothing… right?’

I tried to convince myself again.

That it was nothing, that it wasn’t worth worrying about.

But Dohyun’s frozen expression kept flashing in my mind.

And Seo Jiyoon’s retreating figure bothered me in a way I couldn’t explain.

When I tried to retie the balloon, my hands trembled slightly.

The image of Kim Dohyun reading that note kept resurfacing.

‘Why does it keep bothering me?’

My heart pounded uncomfortably, like a small stone rolling around in my chest.

Was it jealousy? Anxiety? I couldn’t define the emotion, but it rippled inside me like a tiny wave.

I took a deep breath and retied the balloon.

‘It’s fine. It’s probably nothing.’

I repeated it to myself over and over,

but honestly, my heart wasn’t fine at all.

As the festival preparations wrapped up, the school gradually grew quiet.

From a distance, I watched Kim Dohyun until he started moving toward the back of the gym. Without thinking, I cautiously followed.

‘Isn’t this kind of stalker-ish…?’

My face burned at the thought, but I couldn’t stop my feet.

I told myself it was because I was worried about Dohyun, but honestly, I was just curious.

No—to be precise, it was jealousy.

Holding my breath, I trailed behind him.

In the distance, Dohyun stopped, and in front of him stood Seo Jiyoon.

My heart suddenly dropped with a thud.

I quickly ducked behind a nearby wall, pressing myself flat against it.

Not being able to hear their voices only made me more nervous.

The silence stretched on so long that, without realizing it, I leaned my ear closer to the wall.

Thump- thump, thump- thump—

My heartbeat roared in my ears.

Whose heartbeat was that? Mine? Dohyun’s? Or Jiyoon’s?

My chest was so loud I couldn’t tell.

Then it happened.

“I… like you.”

Jiyoon’s voice, sharp as a snapped thread.

For a moment, I thought my heart had stopped.

‘You idiot, breathe, breathe!’

Afraid my heartbeat would give me away, I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.

But it was still too loud, so I clutched my chest and crouched down.

“I’m sorry.”

Dohyun’s voice reached me.

At those words, my heart dropped again.

And then—I actually laughed.

‘I really shouldn’t be laughing right now…’

I clamped a hand over my mouth, but I couldn’t stop the stupid giggle that escaped.

A weak, ridiculous laugh.

‘What’s wrong with you, Jian…?!’

I was so embarrassed by myself that my face burned.

I was such an idiot.

A complete fool.

I ducked my head and held my breath, waiting.

I thought it would only take a few seconds, but time dragged on unbearably slow.

And because I was just standing there blankly, I completely missed my chance to leave.

Then, at that moment—

Footsteps approached from behind the wall.

‘Gasp, no way…?’

I pressed myself as flat as I could against the wall and prayed.

Please don’t find me.

“Just go away, please just go away.”

But the world didn’t answer my prayer.

Dohyun’s familiar voice called out to me from behind the wall.

“Jian?”

My entire body froze in an instant. A chill ran down my spine.

When I slowly lifted my head, I saw Dohyun’s flustered face.

I stared blankly at him, my mind completely empty.

In the brief silence as we dumbly gazed at each other, the best solution I could come up with was—

to run.

“…N-no, it’s not me!”

Leaving behind that ridiculous excuse, I quickly turned around. As soon as I started running, my face burned as if it were about to explode.

‘Ah, I’m really screwed, so screwed!’

Desperately wishing this was all just a dream, I sprinted out of the gym as fast as I could.

The sound of Kim Dohyun’s footsteps grew closer.

The empty school hallway was filled only with the sound of my footsteps and his chasing after me.

I never thought I’d end up running away in such a panic.

Lost in thought, my wrist was suddenly caught in a firm grip.

The moment Dohyun’s hand touched my wrist, my body stopped on its own.

Without even a hint of resistance, I was pushed back against the wall.

The empty hallway.

In the silence, the sound of Dohyun’s breath was way too close to mine.

Honestly, I couldn’t even breathe.

A distance so close it felt like my heart would stop. Dohyun’s face swayed breathlessly right in front of me.

His eyes locked onto mine.

They were desperate.

As if trying to explain something, yet slightly flustered.

Just meeting his gaze made my heart race uncontrollably.

Embarrassed by the situation of being pinned against the wall, I instinctively lowered my head.

“About earlier, it wasn’t like I kept it from you on purpose… I just didn’t want you to worry. I really turned her down right away. Don’t misunderstand.”

His words stumbled awkwardly, and I almost laughed.

Dohyun’s speech grew faster.

It was like he was desperately trying to untangle my feelings, rambling incoherently.

Honestly, I wasn’t even mad— I was just biting my lip to hold back the laughter threatening to spill out.

But seeing my expression, Dohyun panicked even more.

“No, seriously. You’re the only one I like. Really. I mean, whatever… just…”

He took another step toward me.

Close enough that I could feel his breath right in front of me.

‘Wait. What is this… what’s happening right now?’

I reflexively squeezed my eyes shut.

My cheeks, even my ears, burned hot.

But nothing happened.

“…?”

When I cautiously opened my eyes—

Dohyun’s face was right next to mine,

His lips nearly brushing against my ear.

And then,

His low voice quietly seeped into my ear.

“I told you I’d wait.”

My breath stopped.

Seriously, with just those words, it felt like my heart quietly crumbled apart.

“I thought that letter was from you.”

He let out a small laugh as he continued.

“So today, I was really looking forward to you confessing.”

The sensation of his breath grazing my earlobe—
that ticklish tremor instantly spread down my neck and through my chest.

Though he said it playfully,
his voice sounded strangely soft and sincere.

My heart raced wildly, holding onto his words.

The trembling that had tickled my ear now tickled deep inside my chest.

Lightly at first, then so intensely it left no room to breathe, filling my chest completely.

“…You’re so mean. You could’ve just accepted it back then.”

When I muttered under my breath, Dohyun chuckled softly.

That laugh reached my ear again.

“Then I wouldn’t get to see you all flustered like this. It’s way too cute.”

Now, I couldn’t even breathe.

Why is this guy like this…

Why is he so honest, why does he make me feel so flustered, so exhilarated?

Lately, Dohyun keeps saying things like this.

Honestly,

and from way too close.

But strangely,

I don’t dislike it.

“And I told you I’d try. To only look at you.”

Dohyun spoke slowly, but with absolute precision.

As he did, he began listing off one by one the little habits I usually have.

*”You bite your lip when you’re nervous, avoid eye contact…

You tuck your hair behind your ear,

and when you’re angry, you pinch the hem of your shirt with your fingers…”*

With every word he said,

heat rose to my face.

“When you smile, the left corner of your mouth lifts first,

and when you’re embarrassed, you fidget with your fingers.”

It felt like my breath was stuck in my throat.

Even the smallest things I wasn’t aware of—

this person had noticed them all.

And remembered them.

I lifted my head.

I glared at Dohyun, but my gaze soon wavered.

How could this be?

How could he… know me so well?

But then,

Dohyun asked very carefully,

“So? Did I do well? I tried really hard—to only look at you. Right?”

I couldn’t say anything.

Instead of words, I raised my hand and lightly ruffled his hair.

“Yeah, you did well.

Good boy. So good.”

His eyes widened slightly for a moment,

then soon after, he smiled.

That smile lingered in my chest, even more electrifying than the ticklish warmth by my ears.

Even his slightly flushed cheeks and small clenched fists—maybe because he was embarrassed by his own words—why did they make me feel so fond?