Chapter 81: Photos and Blackmail (3)

That night, after returning to the dorm, I leaned back against my chair and let out a sigh.

Even I could feel the exhaustion in my own breath.

It was puzzling. I hadn’t experienced anything particularly draining. The blackmailer’s identity had been as expected. She’d even eased my concerns by saying she didn’t intend to make any demands, so I should have been able to return to normal life without worry.

And yet, the reason I sat there motionless and dazed was… probably because that girl’s words kept circling in my mind.

‘If you’ve decided to date in a place where getting caught would be serious trouble, you must be confident you can make her happy, right?’

Her observation had been sharp.

Until now, I’d believed our current situation was the best possible. Meeting every night, every weekend morning at a school with relentless surveillance. I’d reassured myself that we were already taking tremendous risks.

While that might have eased my conscience, it hadn’t made So-yul happy.

A boyfriend who was harder to meet than before they started dating—what a joke.

And that wasn’t all. Despite being her boyfriend, I hadn’t done a thing about the problems So-yul was facing.

Cheering her on saying she’d handle things well on her own, holding her when she approached saying she was struggling. Was I really qualified to be a boyfriend like this?

But… what could I do?

What could someone like me—without any abilities, wealth, supportive parents, or even knowledge about piano—do for So-yul?

Eventually, the lights illuminating the dormitory went out feebly.

Only pale moonlight poured into the darkened room. From outside the window where autumn winds blew, I thought I heard someone’s footsteps.

Today too, the time to meet So-yul had arrived.

◎

“Hi.”

When I reached the bench that had become our secret base, So-yul, who had arrived early, greeted me while showing her open palm.

Somehow finding it difficult to meet her eyes, I barely managed to say, “…Oh, hi,” as I quietly sat beside her.

Then neither of us spoke.

Was I making So-yul happy? Perhaps I’d been thoroughly ignoring her pain all this time. Did I have the right to chat happily with So-yul while calling myself her boyfriend?

The negative thoughts that filled my head showed no signs of leaving.

Perhaps vaguely sensing this atmosphere, So-yul was equally hesitant to speak. From the corner of my eye, I could see her lips moving slightly. Did she have something she wanted to tell me?

But that didn’t last long.

Soon, a slender voice came from where So-yul was sitting.

“…That’s enough now.”

It made absolutely no sense.

“What’s enough?”

“I mean I’ve figured it all out, so enough already.”

When I turned my head to meet her eyes and ask, So-yul answered with a slightly sharp tone.

She said she’d figured everything out. As I pondered what she could mean, I suddenly reached a conclusion.

Could it be that So-yul… had seen right through the concerns I was harboring?

Though I hadn’t mentioned it, I might have unconsciously shown signs. The atmosphere people give off provides surprisingly many hints.

As the saying goes about women’s intuition, there was a good chance she’d read my inner thoughts from my expression or behavior.

So couples really do develop some kind of telepathy when they start dating.

As I was somewhat surprised by this thought, So-yul looked up at me with wide eyes. With her lower lip firmly bitten, she almost looked upset. The wrinkle between her brows reminded me of a child sulking because they weren’t bought a toy.

This sharp expression, rarely seen in normal times, was fixed on me.

But I honestly had no idea what was going on.

“…Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

What on earth was she doing? My confused question seemed to be the trigger. So-yul finally exploded, puffing her cheeks to their fullest, then delivering a flurry of light punches to my chest.

And then.

“Dummy! Player! Dummy! Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

She threw out an absolutely absurd accusation.

Truly, something unbelievable was happening… So-yul had called me a dummy twice. For So-yul, who never used harsh words, this was close to the worst insult possible. How much must she hate me to act like this?

No, but first things first.

“…Player?”

“Yes!”

When I asked back in bewilderment, So-yul placed her hands on her hips and retorted.

“Yesterday when we were together, you suddenly checked your phone. Then in the classroom, you were giving suspicious looks to someone. And just now, you’ve been sitting silently. For some reason, you have this apologetic expression toward me.”

“Ah, no. I think you’re misunderstanding.”

“And besides.”

Not even giving me a chance to clear up the misunderstanding, So-yul opened her protruding lips.

“Today… there’s even a woman’s scent mixed in that I’ve never smelled on you before!”

“W-what.”

To think she could detect so easily that I’d met another woman. Was this the famous women’s intuition I’d heard about?

While impressed by that, there was one thing I couldn’t just let slide.

“…So you’ve been smelling me all the time?”

I tried to ask as emotionlessly as possible so So-yul wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

“…Ugh!”

My consideration seemed completely useless. So-yul’s cheeks quickly began to turn bright red.

Then she kept making sounds like “um, umm” that weren’t quite words. Having been caught smelling me, she seemed to be in a state of mental overload from embarrassment.

Well, it’s not like anyone would arrest her for smelling her boyfriend. And I didn’t particularly dislike or mind it either. If anything, I just thought I should choose more fragrant products when buying shampoo or body wash in the future.

With this meaning in mind, I smiled at So-yul.

“It’s okay. I’ll let you smell me in the future too.”

“Um, ummm!”

Once again, my consideration seemed to have completely failed. So-yul, her already red cheeks burning even hotter, kept pounding my chest with her fists.

She should hit me hard enough to actually hurt. Right now, it looked more like she was just being cute. In fact, my chest had been ticklish for a while, almost unbearably so.

But did I really need to endure it?

This time was our free time, after all.

I gently grabbed So-yul’s wrists as she continued her weak punching.

With both hands caught, So-yul looked up at me with glaring eyes.

Her face staring at me with pink lips protruding. Whether she was angry, embarrassed, or perhaps tired from attacking me with her fists, she was breathing unevenly with slight gasps.

Looking almost like a child throwing a tantrum, she was unbearably cute.

Just five minutes ago, I’d been lost in serious contemplation. But it seemed So-yul wouldn’t even allow me that brief luxury.

Come to think of it, this meeting was barely permitted during just this time of day. There was no reason for So-yul to be happy if I wasted it by awkwardly trying to act serious.

“What are you doing? You player.”

So-yul still spoke with a pouty tone, her cheeks puffed out.

Finding it amusing, I smiled slightly and answered:

“I’m not seeing anyone else. I just walked around outside the dorm for a bit today, so I must have picked up some girl’s scent from nearby.”

“…Hmm.”

She still seemed doubtful, finding my excuse unconvincing. Well, it was a white lie, so there was nothing I could do. It would be strange to honestly say, “I was on my way back from being blackmailed by your friend.”

Perhaps I should add a heartfelt comment.

“And why would I see other girls? Where else in this school could I find someone as cute, pretty, and lovable as you?”

“W-what?”

“Someone who plays the piano amazingly well, always puts effort into everything, maintains a positive mindset no matter what happens, and even works hard to be cute with her boyfriend.”

“When did I ever try to be cute…”

So-yul twisted her body, trailing off at the end of her sentence, seemingly shy from the shower of compliments I kept pouring on her.

I wondered if I should tell her that even this behavior felt like a kind of cuteness to me.

I gently released So-yul’s wrists that I’d been holding. So-yul placed both hands on her chest and lowered her gaze. I wondered if she might be reliving the sensation of being held just moments ago.

“Is the misunderstanding cleared up now?”

When I asked teasingly, So-yul glared at me again.

With a much softer and warmer gaze than before.

“…You sure have a way with words.”

I was relieved that the misunderstanding seemed to be resolved.

Every night on the bench, we spent such fun and sweet time together.

If only we could meet freely and chat whenever we wanted. If only we could talk under clear skies while feeling the gentle breeze. That alone would make me incredibly happy.

This wasn’t the time to beat myself up for not being a boyfriend who brought happiness to So-yul.

It would be much better to think about what I should do to become a boyfriend who could bring happiness to So-yul.

I stretched out my hand and caressed So-yul’s cheek. As soon as my hand touched her, So-yul narrowed one eye as if ticklish and raised her shoulders.

Her cheek was still hot, the warmth not yet faded. No, rather, it seemed to grow even warmer the more I touched it.

“W-what are you doing?”

So-yul asked, placing her small hand over mine.

It was the perfect timing to ask about my sincere feelings.

“Han So-yul.”

So-yul tilted her head slightly when I called her name.

As I continued to stroke her cheek with my fingertips, I asked a brief question.

“Are you happy dating me?”

“…What? Why are you asking that out of nowhere?”

So-yul responded with a gentle smile to this sudden question.

She had accused me of being a player just minutes ago. I thought we really were a funny pair.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to explain my true intentions. Would she understand if I told her I’d received advice from my blackmailer to cherish my girlfriend? Of course not. That’s why I kept my mouth shut and waited for So-yul’s answer.

Eventually, So-yul gently parted her lips.

“Of course I’m happy. Obviously.”

I knew she would give this answer.

Whether she was truly happy or not, she was the kind of girlfriend who would always say she was happy.

I slowly moved my palm to lightly touch her small, cute earlobe.

Surprised by the unexpected contact, a small “hmm” escaped from So-yul’s mouth.

“Even when your boyfriend plays with you by touching you like this?”

Though I asked half-jokingly, So-yul sank into deeper thought than expected, then:

“…It feels nice when my boyfriend touches me, so it’s okay even if it tickles.”

“…”

I’m sorry, but hearing words like that could make me lose my grip on reason in an instant.

I might even tear down the thick walls I’d built and rush in recklessly.

Continuing this topic didn’t seem like a good choice. Moving my palm back to her cheek, I asked a different question.

“Even when your boyfriend teases you by calling you a baby?”

“T-that’s not okay.”

Oh my. It seems she really has an aversion to being treated like a baby. I should add this to the list of things So-yul dislikes. That way I can use it well in the future.

And the next question:

“Even when your boyfriend can’t help you at all with the problems you’re struggling with?”

No answer came immediately to this one.

So-yul, who had been showing a playful expression until just now, quickly lost her smile. Her gaze as she looked at me was narrowed, as if trying to read my intentions.

I continued regardless.

“Even when he said he’d solve everything for you when asking you out, but now it’s even difficult to meet properly?”

“…”

Of course, there was no immediate answer to this either.

This in itself was enough of an answer, I thought.

So-yul always said she was fine, that she could endure, that I shouldn’t worry.

But surely sad and painful emotions were growing inside her heart.

Wounds received from others leave scars no matter how much comfort you receive.

The frustration of not being able to meet someone you love often turns into loneliness.

No matter how much she pretends to be strong and okay, in the end, So-yul is just an ordinary girl.

If she continues carrying everything alone, her fragile body will eventually crumble.

So… what could I do as So-yul’s boyfriend?

“I want to be a good boyfriend.”

At these words, muttered almost to myself, So-yul’s shoulders flinched.

Then, as if she’d made up her mind, she showed a bright eye-smile.

“It’s okay. …Even now, you’re a really good boyfriend.”

She offered a truly cute and lovely comment.

Perhaps the image of me reflected in So-yul’s eyes was much more dependable than the reality.

If so, I should become a boyfriend truly worthy of that image.

With this determination, I tightly embraced So-yul’s small, delicate body.

So-yul, though momentarily startled, willingly buried her face in my chest.