Chapter 7: Fake Date (1)

[I’ll be hiding behind a tree near the entrance.]

The next day after school.

As I checked my phone on the way to our meeting spot, I saw this KakaoTalk message from So-yul.

I wondered what she meant by hiding behind a tree, but I guess it’s not impossible given her small size.

Anyway, it seemed So-yul understood the fear of getting caught too, which made me chuckle.

“Tomorrow, let’s go on a date after class.”

Last night, after throwing this surprise suggestion at So-yul.

So-yul looked dumbfounded. She blinked her large eyes repeatedly, seeming unsure if she’d heard correctly.

As I watched her silently, So-yul asked with a drowsy look:

“A… date?”

“Yeah. A date.”

She hadn’t misheard. I had just proposed a date.

Realizing this belatedly, So-yul’s face filled with confusion. Seeing my counterattack land so well, I couldn’t help but smile.

Then she stammered:

“By date, do you mean… studying in the piano room like last time?”

As if I’d mean that. I snorted and explained:

“No. We’re not going to hide somewhere and giggle. I mean a real date, walking around when other students are out. For example, strolling together on this walking path.”

“…What if someone we know sees us?”

The expected question came. I seized the opportunity to press on:

“Why? Scared of getting caught?”

“…Ugh.”

So-yul bit her small lip. Her questioning gaze quickly narrowed, as if in disbelief.

It seemed she’d finally grasped my true intention.

If she was going to act carelessly, insisting we wouldn’t get caught over something like this, there’d be no reason to refuse this proposal. We’d just have to hide well and not get caught.

Of course, openly walking together during the busy evening hours was absurd. Even So-yul wouldn’t accept such a proposal.

Then I could call her a coward. Eventually, So-yul would realize her carelessness and stop acknowledging me in public.

Well, what’s your answer?

I raised one corner of my mouth and looked down at So-yul. She glared at me with a blank expression, then slowly opened her mouth.

“Okay.”

“…What?”

“I said okay. Let’s do it. The date.”

And that’s how we ended up going on a (fake) walking path date.

I’d thought she’d never accept, but I was dead wrong. I’d pushed a bit harder to avoid being called a coward, but I never expected So-yul to charge in, refusing to lose. It was a huge miscalculation.

Anyway, if this fake date makes So-yul more aware of the risks, that’s enough.

I’d brought some supplies to avoid getting caught, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

After walking a bit more, I arrived at our meeting spot, the entrance to the walking path.

The path, which looked more like a mountain trail, was deserted. There wasn’t a soul in sight at the entrance, where large trees stood sparsely.

So-yul said she was hiding somewhere around here…

“Where are you?”

“Here.”

As I asked quietly, So-yul’s face peeked out from behind a tree.

She’d acted so fearless before, but it seemed she was nervous about walking together where people might see us.

Seeing the usually confident So-yul like this made me want to show off a bit. I chuckled and said:

“What are you doing? Come out quickly.”

“But… what if we really get caught?”

“What? Are you chicken?”

“Th-then, are you an idiot?”

The harshest word she could come up with was ‘idiot’? She really must’ve spent her whole life just playing piano.

I might not be a genius like So-yul, but I’m not dumb enough to suggest we walk side by side out in the open. I’d prepared a countermeasure to avoid getting caught, at least.

I held out ‘that item’ behind the tree where So-yul was hiding.

“Here.”

“Wh-what’s this?”

So-yul’s shoulders flinched as I suddenly thrust something at her. Then she took the item I offered and whispered:

“…A long padded coat?”

“Yeah.”

As I answered immediately, So-yul’s peeking head tilted slightly.

“You want me to wear this?”

“Yeah. It’s big even on me, so if you wear it and pull up the hood, people won’t be able to tell it’s you from the outside.”

“…But I’ll look like an idiot wearing a long padded coat in spring.”

That’s not my problem.

Anyway, So-yul didn’t seem to have any other options. After hesitating for a moment, she finally put on my long padded coat and came out from behind the tree.

Dragging the hem of my precious coat on the ground.

I immediately rushed over and grabbed the coat. So-yul whispered, “Oh, sorry,” so it didn’t seem intentional.

“Just how short are you?”

“You’re just too tall. Try shrinking a bit from now on.”

“It’d be much easier for you to grow.”

What an unreasonable demand.

Then So-yul said, “I’ll hold it up while we walk,” and started moving. At least now there was no worry about the coat dragging.

However, there was another concern… even with the coat on, the height difference made it obvious she was a girl.

This might be dangerous…

Although this path was made for students to take walks, not many actually use it. If they have free time, they’d rather use it for studying or practicing.

But right after school and just after dinner, there are some people who do come for walks. That’s exactly now. It wouldn’t be strange for someone to show up at any moment.

If I backed out now, though, I knew she’d call me a coward or a chicken. Since it had come to this, we’d just have to finish our walk before anyone came.

There’s no time to worry. It’d be better to finish this date quickly while no one’s around.

I stepped up next to So-yul and said:

“Let’s hurry.”

So-yul answered with a slightly trembling voice:

“O-okay. Let’s go quickly.”

In the end, we were both just pretending to be brave.

“We ended up doing something couple-like after all.”

After just a few steps, So-yul made this remark, as if sharing her thoughts.

Even though there was no one nearby, her voice was so hushed it was barely audible.

I whispered back:

“It’s not like we’re really dating.”

“True. I suggested we pretend to date as a joke, but look where we ended up.”

So-yul clicked her tongue and said:

“Because someone wouldn’t back down.”

“You’re spitting in your own face.”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Seems she knows it too. I hoped she’d reflect on it while she’s at it.

But her next words were completely different from what I expected:

“But isn’t it kind of fun? It’s thrilling.”

“…I don’t know about that.”

Then again, expecting that from So-yul was foolish to begin with.

Of course, she wasn’t entirely wrong.

I was starting to get tired of sitting at a desk all day, just holding books and notebooks. Cramming knowledge without breaks, even cutting into sleep time, was becoming tedious.

Plus, I was getting increasingly frustrated with the school constantly restricting us, saying this and that was forbidden.

So even this silly fake date didn’t seem like a completely useless activity.

A brief moment to catch my breath. A tiny act of rebellion against this suffocating school. At least for me, it held this meaning.

“I can’t remember the last time I walked without thinking about anything.”

I muttered, almost to myself.

Every day was the same: wake up, attend morning classes, eat, attend afternoon classes, study, and the day would be over.

In PE class, I’d move around halfheartedly because I had to. But walking aimlessly like this felt like it had been ages.

So-yul quietly agreed.

“That’s true.”

“You too?”

“Of course.”

After that quick response, she added in a whisper:

“I’ve always just played piano.”

I guess that makes sense.

“Forget about that.”

So-yul cut me off sharply, not wanting to dampen the mood. Then, in the blink of an eye, her face took on a mischievous look. A relaxed smile appeared on her lips.

What’s she up to now?

Before I could wonder, So-yul spoke:

“I’m just asking, but is this your first date with a girl?”

“It is, why?”

Who’s she trying to tease now? I answered coldly, and So-yul smiled slightly before whispering with narrowed eyes:

“Then, I’m your first date?”

“…It’s just a fake date anyway.”

“Still.”

What do you mean, still? This is just a date in name only; we’re not even doing anything couple-like. It barely qualified to be called a date.

“Heh. Look how red your face is.”

It’s not red. …Probably not, but So-yul’s scrutiny was starting to annoy me. I turned my face away and asked:

“Are you always this good at teasing people? Or is it just because it’s me?”

“Hmm~ I wonder? Maybe both?”

“Why are you asking me about your own personality?”

“It’s probably both. I like things that are fun.”

She continued, giggling:

“I like playing piano because it’s fun to create the sounds I want with my fingers. It’s fun to tease people around me too. And…”

“And?”

“Your reactions when I tease you are fun.”

“Oh, is that so?”

In that case, it’d be better not to react. From now on, I’ll ignore whatever nonsense So-yul spouts.

As a first step, I maintained the blankest expression possible and looked straight ahead.

Someone was walking towards us.

—