Chapter 89: Sports Day (3)

The PE teacher’s question about why the storage shed was open during lunch break.

The click sound that followed, like something being locked.

Then the sound of someone dusting off their hands with satisfaction as they walked away.

The meaning of these noises traveling through the metal door was obvious. The situation was so clear that it was impossible not to understand.

Yet I still rushed toward the door because it was our last hope.

And.

“…It’s locked.”

As expected, the storage shed door was firmly secured.

I turned around to check on So-yul. She was sitting perfectly still in the same spot.

Usually in crises like this, she would tremble and cling to me for support. Perhaps with experience, she had grown stronger.

After a moment, she slowly parted her lips.

“You’re… joking, right?”

She seemed to be in denial.

I doubted she actually thought I would joke about something like this, but I understood. When trapped in a space like this with no solution, she probably just hoped it was a prank.

When she faced my silence, she finally seemed to accept reality. So-yul asked again with trembling lips.

“N-no way, really?”

“Yeah. I pushed and pulled with all my strength, but it won’t budge.”

“…This can’t be happening.”

After hearing my answer, So-yul lowered her head in shock. Her shoulders twitched, likely from fear.

Looking at her, I delivered my verdict like a judge passing sentence.

“…We’ll have to stay trapped in here until someone opens it.”

That one sentence summed up our situation perfectly.

No matter how many times I turned the handle, a locked door wouldn’t open by itself. I decided to save my energy and returned to the mattress where So-yul was sitting.

Collapsing helplessly beside her, I heard a faint voice nearby.

“Why, why did this have to happen?”

When I turned toward the sound, I saw So-yul trembling all over.

She was clutching her gym clothes so tightly they were wrinkling, showing just how distressed she felt.

As I watched her, I felt so sorry for her that I wanted to comfort her somehow.

I gently placed my hand over hers, which was still shaking as she gripped her clothes.

So-yul’s gaze, which had been fixed on the floor, shot up to meet mine.

Her eyes were filled with apology as she looked at me.

I lightly stroked the back of her soft hand.

Her tightly closed lips slowly began to move.

“I’m sorry. This is all because I suggested we date here.”

“What?”

So that’s why she had that expression.

She really did apologize for everything. I didn’t bother hiding the bitter smile that escaped me.

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Just recently, I was the one who suggested meeting in the classroom, and we almost got into big trouble. There’s no need to apologize now.”

“B-but still…”

So-yul mumbled, trailing off.

I knew exactly what she was worried about.

The afternoon events of the sports festival were waiting. When lunch break ended, someone would eventually come to the storage shed. This meant we wouldn’t starve to death in here, nor would people become suspicious about our disappearance.

But that exact point was also the problem.

If someone barged in here where we had nowhere to hide, our relationship would inevitably be exposed.

In a way, maybe we should be grateful to the PE teacher for locking the door without opening it. Though I’m not sure if that’s truly something to be thankful for…

“What should we do?”

So-yul bit her lower lip and looked up at me intently.

I deliberately smiled at her and answered:

“It’s okay. Just trust me. I’ll figure something out.”

“…Okay.”

She still seemed to have trouble shaking off her worries.

I lightly patted her head to reassure her. Each time my hand touched her, So-yul’s head tilted a little lower. It was her habit, trying to better receive my touch.

Enjoying the ticklish sensation, I sank into thought.

I didn’t have the strength to break down the metal door. Not only did I lack tools, but a door that could be torn apart by bare hands wouldn’t be called a door in the first place.

The only window was too small even for So-yul to squeeze through. Besides, if we were caught trying to escape through the window, there would be no excuse.

So someone would have to open it for us, but that would expose our relationship. It truly seemed like an impossible situation.

…Wait, there might be one person who could help.

With that thought, I pulled out my phone from my pocket. Fortunately, the signal seemed to work despite us being in an enclosed storage shed.

What I needed to do was obvious. I opened KakaoTalk, found a specific name, and quickly typed out a message.

[To the most handsome Juho in the world. We’re trapped in the sports storage shed. Please save us.]

In an emergency like this, a little white lie was necessary.

Alright, done. Now Juho would soon come running to rescue us. I wondered why I had been so worried when the solution was this simple. I told So-yul, “I contacted Juho, so don’t worry.”

…But of course things wouldn’t resolve that easily.

After five minutes, the number beside my message hadn’t disappeared. Maybe he was still eating, or perhaps taking a nap somewhere. Whatever the reason, I decided to retract my “handsome” comment.

“He’s not coming,” So-yul whispered quietly, sitting with her knees pulled up.

Her hunched posture, slightly furrowed brow, teary eyes, and protruding lips—everything about her showed she was full of worry.

“Well, we’ll just have to wait.”

I gave this irresponsible answer because there truly was no other option.

“The sports festival will resume soon.”

“Right? There’s about 20 minutes left, so it’s almost time.”

“Ugh.”

So-yul clutched her head and made an indecipherable sound, then buried her face between her knees.

“What if he doesn’t come at all?”

“What do you mean ‘what if’? Even if he doesn’t come, someone will open it eventually. The PE teacher or the student helpers. And if all else fails, we can shout for someone to open it.”

“B-but then…”

“It’s okay.”

I managed to smile and said:

“It’s not like we’ll die if we’re caught, right? At worst, we’ll receive some disciplinary action. Who cares about a little punishment? Sure, we might not be able to meet for a while, but we can always meet again when we’re adults.”

I comforted So-yul with words I didn’t really mean.

Of course I didn’t want to get caught either. I had no desire to break up with So-yul.

I wanted to stay with her just like this, even if it felt like walking on thin ice, and make it to graduation together. That was my honest feeling.

But even if things went wrong, wouldn’t we still have a chance?

Maybe some special miracle would happen, or someone would show extraordinary courage… The method was unclear, but that meant anything was possible.

So I hoped So-yul would feel at least a little reassured.

That was all I could do right now.

But So-yul.

“…No.”

Rejecting my consolation, she threw herself into my arms.

The soft sensation against my chest and stomach.

Her body temperature, heated from moving around earlier.

The subtle rustling sound created by her trembling.

And So-yul’s scent that filled my nostrils.

All of these rushed into my embrace at once.

I was momentarily flustered by this somewhat embarrassing position.

The thin gym clothes made it worse, allowing me to feel So-yul’s body even more clearly.

Everything from her snow-white nape to her slender waist, without exception.

Unaware of my inner turmoil, So-yul slowly raised her head.

Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at me.

“Don’t say things like that. I don’t want to be apart, not even for a moment. I just want to stay like this, with you, forever.”

So-yul spoke these incredibly endearing words with hazy eyes.

Evidently, So-yul and I shared the exact same feelings.

Then she hugged my back tightly. Our already close bodies pressed even closer together. I worried that the slightest movement might cause us to lose balance and fall backward.

I bit my lip firmly, trying to suppress many things.

But there were some things in this world that wouldn’t bend to my will.

Right now, I could only hope that So-yul wouldn’t notice.

In that state, I somehow managed to speak.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. Of course I don’t want us to break up either.”

“Right?”

“Yeah. So let’s not worry about what might happen if we get caught. We can worry about that after it happens, if it happens.”

“…Okay.”

So-yul responded in a whisper-like, delicate voice, then buried her face in my chest.

The ticklish sensation, the warm temperature, her fragile body, and the faint sound of her breathing.

The fact that we were alone in a dark, enclosed space with no one watching made my mind hazy.

Her scent, which seemed stronger because of the sweat on her skin, was like a pheromone.

Eventually, I felt something surging inside me.

A hot sensation spread from around my chest as if flames were burning.

A dizzying feeling bloomed in my head, and my reason rapidly faded.

Finally unable to hold back, I… wrapped my arms around So-yul’s back and waist.

“Ah…”

A thin gasp escaped So-yul’s lips. Her shoulders jerked violently for a moment. She straightened her back and waist and looked up at me.

Her gaze was visibly hazy.

“So-yul.”

So-yul’s body trembled greatly again when I called her name.

Was the emotion in her bright red cheeks embarrassment, shyness, or perhaps feelings similar to mine? I couldn’t tell at all.

As we gazed at each other silently, So-yul’s lips slowly parted.

“Dummy…”

It sounded almost like she was urging me to do something.

Still holding each other, I stroked So-yul’s back and gently caressed her waist.

So-yul kept letting out soft “hoo” sounds, but she didn’t try to escape from me.

Then So-yul looked up at me.

With an unusually alluring expression, her eyes slightly closed.

What did this expression, which So-yul was showing for the first time, mean?

Was a woman’s waist always this slender?

How could skin be so soft and smooth?

Why did she smell so sweet even when sweating? Was it because I liked her?

I’d heard that desires emerge on the battlefield. The explanation was that in dangerous situations, people instinctively try to leave behind offspring.

I’d also heard about the suspension bridge effect somewhere. It means people become more attracted to someone they meet in a precarious situation.

Those theories must be true.

The thread of reason that had been supporting my mind for so long had snapped in an instant.

And so, having finally lost all patience, I.

Slowly moved my hand from caressing So-yul’s fragile body.

And finally slipped my hand inside her top…

—Click.

“Hey, are you guys okay?”

An extremely flippant voice burst in along with bright sunlight.

Both So-yul and I turned our faces toward the sound.

The person standing there was, without question, Juho.

“…”

“…”

“…”

So-yul and I were embracing each other in a considerably embarrassing position.

Juho had unintentionally witnessed a somewhat sensual scene.

An indescribable, strange silence hung among the three of us.

After looking back and forth between us, Juho finally gave a bitter smile and said:

“…Should I lock it again and leave?”

Your thoughtful consideration is really appreciated.