Why Did You Call Me Today? – 2

“So. Why did you call me today?”

At my question, Han Woo-jin’s girlfriend put down the straw she’d been holding in her mouth and smiled sheepishly.

“Um, I’m sorry. I was honestly struggling to figure out what to say… Ah, my name is Seo Ye-rin.”

Seo Ye-rin. Even her name’s pretty…?

Humanly speaking, with a face like that, shouldn’t her name be something like Seo Bong-soon to balance things out?

As that thought crossed my mind, words came out with a bit of an edge.

“You know my name, right?”

“Yes, you’re Lee Yu-ri sunbae, right?”

“Right.”

After answering and taking a sip of my americano, I noticed Seo Ye-rin opening and closing her mouth slightly, seeming hesitant.

“…What?”

“Could I… call you unnie?”

“Huh?”

“Ahaha, I don’t have any close unnies around me…”

Seo Ye-rin scratched her cheek shyly.

…Do I like girls?

I expected her to be cold at first, but now that she’s talking, I get a cute vibe from her.

I’ve never had thoughts like that before, but looking at Seo Ye-rin now, I remembered the saying “as long as it tastes good.”

…Get a grip, Yu-ri.

I felt like I was under some spell.

“…Call me whatever you’re comfortable with. So, did Han Woo-jin talk about me?”

“Yes, he did before.”

“Before” must mean two years ago.

It rained that day too.

The day of my 0 confession and 1 rejection.

Listening to the rain tapping on the café window, that day felt more vivid somehow.

“Runs his mouth, doesn’t he? Han Woo-jin?”

“That’s how oppa is.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Both of us smiled simultaneously, perhaps feeling understood for the first time.

Of course Han Woo-jin wouldn’t hide anything from his girlfriend.

If he were the type to hide things, he wouldn’t have rejected my simple request to be friends.

I laughed seeing him exactly as I’d expected.

“…Your boyfriend was cold. Said even being friends wasn’t an option.”

“…It was probably because of me.”

“Well, yeah.”

No need to hide facts she already knew, so I spoke honestly.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand? I just wanted to be friends, not romantically. He was just… different from other guys, rare type that intrigued me.”

Seo Ye-rin nodded her small head up and down in understanding.

“So when he first cut me off, I thought ‘is this guy for real?’ and got mad and disappointed. Like, a pretty girl like me offered friendship and he rejected it? Now I see he had his reasons.”

“Unnie is pretty too…”

“‘Too’?”

“…I’m not blind either.”

I was going to tease her more for pretending to be modest, but her embarrassed yet straightforward response was rather charming.

“Hmm, anyway. I don’t have feelings now. Time passed.”

Meeting in classrooms and hallways with just light greetings or ignoring each other was a bit hard at first, but not anymore.

Time was medicine.

Hearing my words, Seo Ye-rin smiled quietly and wrapped both hands around her still-steaming latte.

“Even if you had feelings, I wouldn’t have minded…”

“…Why?”

“I didn’t have the right to say anything then…”

Most importantly— Seo Ye-rin continued.

“Because that’s just how oppa is.”

…Bragging about your boyfriend already?

Her matter-of-fact tone was ridiculous.

I wanted to say “that’s just how you see him,” but something stuck in my throat.

Why couldn’t I speak?

Just say you’re blinded by love, that it’s only how you see him.

I should say it clearly, but why am I frustrated yet unable to voice it?

Maybe…

…Really, just maybe.

Deep down, I already knew.

While I definitely didn’t have feelings back then, it was just “not yet.”

If we’d become close, my feelings might have changed—

Probably, with high likelihood.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so hurt by words from someone I’d only known a few days.

Facing feelings I’d been avoiding, my chest ached.

Back then too.

Why do these two always appear on rainy spring days?

Finally swallowing my intended words, I smiled and asked:

“…So. Did you call to brag?”

Seo Ye-rin shook her head frantically at my words.

“No. I just… really wanted to talk with you. …Hopefully become close too.”

“…With me? Why?”

Seo Ye-rin spoke softly with a smile.

“Well… because oppa missed it?”

“…Him?”

Surprised by this news, I asked back.

“Yes. If unnie were a weird person, oppa wouldn’t speak about you with disappointment… So I thought you must be a good person. That’s why I wanted to meet you.”

…That jerk Han Woo-jin missed it too?

I only thought I missed it while he acted cold.

To calm my surprised heart at this unexpected fact, I took a coffee sip.

“…So. You’re saying Han Woo-jin’s good judgment means I couldn’t be weird?”

This isn’t even the “rising action and Han Woo-jin” format.

This level of faith went beyond trust—it was devotion.

Seo Ye-rin in front of me was surely the saint of this religion.

“That was my thought before meeting you…”

Seo Ye-rin smiled playfully. She looked almost like a little devil.

“Wanting to be close… is my thought after meeting you.”

These two.

Taking turns messing with my heart—what an annoying couple.

Wanting to tease back, I spoke:

“What if after becoming close… my feelings change? Like… I steal Han Woo-jin?”

At my mischievous question, surprisingly Seo Ye-rin answered immediately without panic.

“Mm, that won’t happen.”

Her coolly firm response caught me off guard.

“…That into you, huh?”

“No, it’s the opposite.”

As Seo Ye-rin spoke, her eyes, yellow until now, suddenly turned pink.

“Because I’ll work to prevent that…”

…Looking again, not a saint but more like a… seductress?

She’s definitely saying dutiful words with a bashful smile, but somehow I felt it was suggestive, so I couldn’t ask what that effort was.

“…Can I ask something?”

“What…?”

I pointed at one spot and asked.

“Your eyes changed color just now—what’s that…? I thought you wore colored contacts.”

“Ah.”

Like how G-Dragon and attractive people have their fashion…

At first seeing yellow eyes I wondered, but thought everyone has their style.

Seeing the color change before my eyes, I barely suppressed my startled voice.

“…Did oppa tell you separately?”

“I got cut off before hearing such things.”

“…It’s constitutional. My eyes change with my emotions…”

“Really…”

Fascinating. Just that level of impression.

Too strange? With that face, I’d assume it’s fashion.

…Wait. So her eyes turning pink while talking about Han Woo-jin means…

Gulp.

Not knowing exactly what emotion causes it, I sensed nothing wholesome.

…Definitely a seductress.

What was she thinking? Her eyes were yellow talking to me…

“…Is it weird…?”

As I sat silent with scary imaginations, Seo Ye-rin looked at me worriedly.

“Hm? No? It suits you?”

“…It suits me?”

“Yeah. Why? Someone call it weird?”

Who would say such a thing? Confused, I asked. Seo Ye-rin’s eyes curved into crescents.

“No, not at all. Just as I thought…”

“…As you thought what?”

Like it’s a secret, Seo Ye-rin kept her mouth sealed.

“Sigh… Fine, I get you want to be close. Let’s meet again sometime. But…”

“But?”

“Don’t bring Han Woo-jin.”

Someday we three might hang out, but not now. Time was needed, for both me and Han Woo-jin.

“…Got it. Oh, can I bring my friend?”

“A girl?”

“Yes, my closest friend.”

“…Then bring her. Let’s hang out next time.”

Satisfied with my answer, Seo Ye-rin kept a bright smile dazzling until we left the café.

After sending Seo Ye-rin off with an excuse of having plans, I stayed at the café.

[Hello?]

“Ah, long time! This is Yu-ri. Do you know Han Woo-jin’s number?”

I got Woo-jin’s number from a first-year classmate.

What should I say?

How’ve you been?

No, that’s boring.

Like how I was flustered by his sudden words two years ago, I wanted payback.

Ring ring—

After two-three tones of the connection sound,

[Hello?]

A calm voice answered.

…Long time. Only “yeah, uh, right” like a robot when meeting me.

“Woo-jin ah, hi?”

After brief silence.

[Yu-ri?]

Han Woo-jin asked incredulously.

“Woo-jin ah.”

[…What?]

“Your girlfriend’s awesome?”

[…What?]

I hung up without waiting for a reply.

I waited briefly wondering if he’d call back.

As expected.

No calls came—he’s probably calling Seo Ye-rin now.

…Still annoying, really.

Stretching as I left the café, the spring rain soaking the streets had stopped.

“Mm~ Nice weather.”

Somehow, I felt refreshed.