Chapter 78: Bench Date?

“It’s gotten so hard to even see my boyfriend’s face these days.”

A few days after our close call, one night.

Sitting on our usual path bench, So-yul pouted as she voiced this complaint.

Well, weren’t we meeting every single day lately? Every night after the dorm lights went out, we’d come to the bench and share little stories. I’d say we were seeing each other’s faces quite often.

…But I wasn’t tactless enough to say that out loud.

I understood perfectly well what she meant by those words.

With a slight sigh, I said, “I know. These days we have to be so careful of everyone’s eyes in the classroom too.”

“Yeah…”

So-yul nodded weakly, her response barely audible.

“Even though we’re actually dating now… we’re doing less couple-like things than before.”

She followed with a timid complaint in her small voice.

As expected, she was caught in the same worries as me.

Lately, we’d become hyper-aware of our classmates’ watchful eyes.

This might sound like we used to hang around So-yul carelessly in the past, but of course, I’d never been that reckless.

At most, we’d exchanged fleeting glances, walking the fine line between getting caught and staying hidden.

The reason for our frustration was that lately, even these small interactions weren’t going unnoticed by our classmates.

After the classroom date incident, there had been a noticeable increase in eyes watching us in the classroom.

Now, just looking in So-yul’s direction would draw stares from all the students in her vicinity.

It felt like being followed by paparazzi, making everything incredibly frustrating.

Though we’d barely managed to hide our embrace, question marks had ultimately been attached to our relationship.

Rumors had transformed into suspicion. In this situation, we couldn’t move carelessly.

With So-yul’s mother around in the afternoons, I couldn’t even approach her. At most, we could sneak out after dorm curfew for brief conversations.

This meant we had virtually no way to act like a couple on weekdays.

“At least we can meet on weekend mornings, so I guess that’s some consolation…”

So-yul kicked at the ground, her protruding lips moving as she spoke.

She didn’t look like someone finding consolation at all, but well, I understood.

“But even on weekends, it’s not like we can meet freely either.”

“Right?”

So-yul looked up at me and gently agreed.

Her gaze seemed filled with deep regret.

Weekends didn’t mean looser surveillance.

Just last weekend, hadn’t we found ourselves in a precarious situation?

We’d run out of excuses to use the club room. We’d already explored all the places where we might not be spotted during our fake relationship.

Of course, with the exception of the piano room, we’d merely confirmed how dangerous most places were.

Despite evolving into a real relationship, it remained difficult to act like a couple.

I couldn’t even share these complicated feelings with anyone. Lately, I’d just been suffering in silence.

So-yul fidgeted with her hands resting on her thighs.

“It would be nice if we could just go around together during the day.”

“Yeah. Now that autumn’s here, it’s pleasantly cool for walking during the day. If there weren’t so many watching eyes, I’d like to hold your hand and go for walks together.”

On the walking path with pleasant breezes blowing. Holding So-yul’s delicate hand. Sometimes feeling the tickle of her windblown hair against my cheeks. Deliberately slowing our steps because the time we spent walking together felt too precious…

But of course, these were all just dreams.

The towering walls of reality stood in our way.

Suddenly, a wind blew from the distance. Leaves hanging from branches swayed gently. They were still holding on for now, but when the cold winds came, they would finally fall as autumn leaves.

“…Achoo.”

So-yul covered her mouth and let out a cute sneeze.

She hunched her shoulders and tugged at her clothes, showing she was feeling a bit cold.

“Are you okay? Should we head back for today?”

“No. It’s not that bad. I just thought it would be warmer, so I dressed a bit lightly…”

Perhaps she trailed off because she realized her own words sounded like an excuse.

Though I also treasured this time and didn’t want it to end quickly, if she was sneezing from the cold, I’d feel better if she returned to the dorm.

No matter how strong she pretended to be, to my eyes, So-yul was an infinitely small and fragile girlfriend. Being exposed to the night air daily would quickly worsen her condition. I felt a strong desire to protect and care for her.

Last time, even though we both got soaked in the rain, only I caught a cold, but still.

Though it was only the end of September, the night air had become quite chilly. As the days grew colder approaching winter break, we might even have to stop meeting at the bench.

If it came to that, we’d fall into a relationship worse than being complete strangers, let alone lovers.

I couldn’t help but think what kind of school would have such rules. The laugh that followed was closer to a bitter one.

Let’s put aside all these complicated worries for later.

First, I needed to address the concern right in front of me.

With that resolution, I cautiously moved closer to So-yul and gently pulled her arm.

Perhaps she was momentarily distracted, as So-yul immediately lost her balance and pressed close to my side.

Not missing the opportunity, I tightly embraced her fragile body. Her body temperature, usually warmer than mine, seemed slightly cooler today.

So-yul, enveloped in my arms, flinched as if somewhat surprised. Then, looking up at me, her eyes were wide open.

“W-why are you doing this?”

“Why else? You look cold, so your boyfriend’s sharing some body heat.”

“…I’m not that cold.”

Still in denial until the end.

“Alright. Let’s say you’re not that cold, then. I just wanted to hold my adorable girlfriend for a moment. Is that okay now?”

I managed to hide my growing embarrassment as I spoke.

I still wasn’t fully accustomed to saying cheesy things like “adorable” or “want to hold you” in front of her. But if So-yul accepted my sincerity, I could endure this much embarrassment.

“How about it? Is it okay if I hold you?”

I asked, meeting So-yul’s gaze.

Eventually, So-yul puffed her cheeks slightly, her face showing shyness.

“…Dummy.”

That probably meant it was okay for me to hold her.

Even if it didn’t, I’d interpret it that way. Believing she would clearly tell me if she disliked it, I embraced So-yul’s soft, delicate body even more firmly.

Right at that moment, my phone in my pocket began to vibrate.

A few short vibrations followed, then quickly stopped. Probably not a call. It seemed to be a KakaoTalk message or a text.

Who could be the culprit that disrupted our sweetly warming atmosphere?

No one would send messages at this late hour unless it was an emergency. Though group chats with endless idle talk existed, I’d long since turned off their vibration alerts.

What kind of urgent situation would prompt someone to contact me at this hour when the moon was fully visible? It wasn’t like I had such circumstances… or did I?

Maybe Juho was letting me know the dorm supervisor had started making rounds. Or perhaps something had happened with So-yul’s mother who was hardly motherly.

“Sorry. Let me check my phone quickly.”

I apologized to So-yul while gently stroking and patting her small back.

So-yul answered by nuzzling her face against my chest, a cute gesture.

Taking the phone from my pocket, I saw two KakaoTalk messages had arrived.

The sender’s name was UNKNOWN. Sorry to whoever it was, but I couldn’t help suspecting they were some kind of chuunibyou patient.

It looked like a prank message at first glance. Yet the sweet mood that had enveloped us moments ago was now cracked.

If it really was a pointless message, I felt like demanding compensation somehow. With such thoughts, I let out a hollow laugh and checked the message content.

And then.

“…!”

As I looked at the screen, goosebumps spread across my entire body.

I couldn’t breathe. Only dry, hacking coughs threatened to escape from my throat. My heart pounded violently as if it might burst at once. My entire body stiffened as if poison had spread through it.

For a moment, I even forgot how to speak, my mouth just opening and closing without making a sound.

Because the KakaoTalk message that had arrived…

“Why are you suddenly acting strange?”

“Huh?”

Noticing my state, So-yul raised her face and asked briefly.

Forcing my mind to work, I barely managed to answer.

“Uh, um, no, it’s, it’s nothing.”

“…That doesn’t sound like nothing.”

Oh my, she always notices at times like this. How truly touching.

“No, well, it’s…”

What on earth should I answer in this situation?

My mind became infinitely complicated. Forget thinking deeply, even accepting the current situation was overwhelming.

How should I convey this news, or whether it was right to convey it at all—I couldn’t get a grasp on either.

The dim remnants of reason worked in place of my confused brain.

It didn’t take long to decide that I shouldn’t tell So-yul for now.

“Han So-yul.”

“What?”

So-yul stared at me with a thoroughly puzzled expression.

Avoiding her eyes to hide my emotions, I said:

“I’m sorry, but should we call it a night?”

“…Mm. I’m fine either way.”

After my strained words, So-yul pursed her lips.

“Are you hiding something from me right now?”

“What? No? I’m not.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a thing.”

“…The more you say that, the more suspicious it seems.”

A piercing comment from So-yul.

But no probing questions followed. So-yul just nodded slightly and pulled away from my embrace.

Soon, watching her fix her clothes, it seemed she’d decided to return to the dorm.

For now, it looked like I’d somehow managed to smooth things over.

The rest could be told after the situation was resolved.

“…See you tomorrow, then.”

So-yul waved her hand, her expression still somewhat bewildered.

I tried to appear as calm as possible while returning her greeting, and So-yul tilted her head as she turned around.

The direction her steps took her was, of course, toward the girls’ dormitory.

A hint of suspicion lingered in her eyes as she glanced back at me several times while walking away.

Waving my hand with a forced smile was by no means easy.

I don’t know what misunderstanding she’d reached, but this was the first time I’d been suspected by my girlfriend. It felt a bit like my chest was stinging.

But a much more serious incident had occurred right now. Just this once, I had to ask for her understanding.

I took out my phone again. The message I’d checked earlier had closed when I lowered the screen in shock.

Maybe I had seen an illusion? Perhaps my deep concern for our relationship had caused some kind of optical illusion?

What if it was all just my imagination, and all that remained was the fact that I’d acted suspiciously toward So-yul?

Though I harbored such hopes… of course, the message remained exactly as it had been moments ago.

[If you don’t want this photo leaked, come to the arts track building at 10 p.m. tomorrow night.]

And the file that arrived with it was.

A photo of So-yul and me on our classroom date, taken through a slightly open door.