episode_0030

Meeting Yoon Jiu and Lee Sae-ah, I felt three emotions.

First, confusion about showing them that Sung Yurin and I were alone together.

And then, the realization that even in places I didn’t know, the two were diligently carrying out a liking event.

…And finally, a small unpleasant feeling that was somehow ringing in my heart.

I forced myself to erase the last emotion and smiled at them.

“What a coincidence, meeting like this.”

Lee Sae-ah, who met my eyes, trembled with an uneasy look.

Yoon Jiu glanced at her briefly and then turned to me.

“Yeah, it’s a coincidence. Are you two on a date?”

Before I could deny Yoon Jiu’s words, Sung Yurin spoke up beside me.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

…Excuse me?

Lee Sae-ah, upon hearing Sung Yurin’s words, looked at her with a shocked expression.

It was like the expression of an emperor who had been stabbed in the heart by a loyal subject he trusted.

…Is my expression like that right now?

I looked at Sung Yurin and spoke.

“Um… this isn’t a date, right?”

“Yeah? I was the one who asked you out on a date in the first place.”

“Well, I mean… you did say that, but…”

I wanted to say, ‘That’s different from what you said!’ to Sung Yurin.

But seeing Sung Yurin’s innocent expression, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

“The movie is almost starting. Let’s quickly buy some popcorn and go in.”

Sung Yurin took my arm and led me to the snack corner.

Yoon Jiu, who was standing in front of us in line, confidently ordered a couple set.

After ordering the couple set, she gave Lee Sae-ah, who was standing next to her, a slap, but Yoon Jiu left with a smile, holding popcorn and cola.

Lee Sae-ah continued to stare at us and reluctantly followed Yoon Jiu.

Once the two of them left, Sung Yurin and I regained our composure and ordered popcorn.

Of course, we didn’t order a couple set.

We each held a small size popcorn and moved to the screening room.

“Here.”

Entering the theater, I found my seat following Sung Yurin’s lead.

….

Does this make sense?

There were early birds sitting next to our seats.

Yes, the two we met earlier.

“Oh. Are you two watching this too?”

“Uh… yeah.”

Yoon Jiu’s calm voice contrasted with Lee Sae-ah’s voice, which sounded like it was crumbling.

Sung Yurin, sitting next to Lee Sae-ah, spoke in an amazed tone.

“Yeah, what a ‘coincidence.’”

It was Sung Yurin, who usually had a cold face, but now had a smiling face.

After the movie started and some time passed, Lee Sae-ah and Sung Yurin suddenly stood up and left the theater.

“I have something to take care of. I’ll be back.”

“Huh? Okay.”

Do girls usually go to the bathroom together?

Beyond where they disappeared, I could see Yoon Jiu’s puzzled face.

Yoon Jiu and I glanced at each other briefly before shifting our gaze to the screen.

* * *

“Are you the one behind this?”

Lee Sae-ah, with tightly pursed lips, glared at Sung Yurin.

Her demeanor was very fierce, but Sung Yurin, who took it all in stride, seemed unfazed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sung Yurin looked down at Lee Sae-ah without changing his expression.

“You’re the one who kept hanging around Jiu, making her make plans with me. You’re the one who brought Jin and pretended to be a couple in front of us. Right?”

Lee Sae-ah’s eyes, clenched fists, became moist.

Sung Yurin felt that his plan had gone awry.

He didn’t expect Lee Sae-ah to figure it out so quickly. Was it really a sloppy plan?

Did I get caught managing my expression with joy over the success of the plan?

Did Yoon Jiwoo act awkwardly during today’s date with Lee Sia?

I started to think that maybe I should have approached more cautiously.

If this mistake causes a rift between Lee Sia and me, it would also mean the end of our friendship.

That’s why Seong Yurin responded calmly.

The deed has already been done, and she believed that asking for forgiveness is better than making excuses.

“…. Yes. I did that.”

“Why, why!?”

“Because I wanted to connect you with Yoon Jiwoo.”

Upon hearing Seong Yurin’s words, Lee Sia muttered softly.

“I… I, like Jin Yi.”

“Yes. You like Seo Ijin.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Lee Sia, who had approached Seong Yurin, showed an angry expression.

“Even though you know that!”

“But, Yoon Jiwoo doesn’t dislike you completely, right?”

“No! That may have been the case in the past, but it’s different now.”

It was hard to find any falsehood in Lee Sia’s denial.

Seong Yurin frowned.

She realized that her thoughts were wrong.

“…. Yoon Jiwoo likes you.”

“That’s….”

Lee Sia, losing her momentum, couldn’t continue speaking strongly.

Yes, she knows that too. Yoon Jiwoo’s feelings towards her.

As Lee Sia’s momentum waned, Seong Yurin also relaxed and spoke to Lee Sia.

“Phew. Okay, I’m sorry. …. I thought you were struggling between Yoon Jiwoo and Seo Ijin.”

“Do you think I’m a bad person for that?”

“N-no. Objectively speaking, both Yoon Jiwoo and Seo Ijin are undeniably attractive men. I can clearly see now that my brief thoughts were wrong when I look at you.”

Seong Yurin realized that no matter what plan she had carried out, the relationship between Yoon Jiwoo and Lee Sia would have been on the path to ruin.

Unrequited feelings towards someone usually don’t receive a response.

After pouring out a whirlwind of emotions, the two leaned against the wall, feeling drained.

“Sigh….”

Lee Sia’s face revealed a mix of complex emotions.

Seong Yurin, looking at Lee Sia, felt the guilt she had been ignoring all this time rise in her heart.

Yes, I deliberately did a bad thing by trying to separate Lee Sia and Seo Ijin.

Seong Yurin’s head hurt.

It was the worst plan and the worst outcome.

Whether she noticed Seong Yurin blaming herself or not, Lee Sia turned her gaze towards Seong Yurin.

“Let’s just watch a movie today and part ways. Let’s talk separately during lunch tomorrow.”

“….Okay. I’m sorry.”

Lee Sia left first, leaving behind a disappointed Seong Yurin.

“I’ve done another foolish thing.”

Seong Yurin’s mask cracked, and tears began to flow.

Just as she felt her makeup smudging, Seong Yurin was about to walk back to the women’s restroom to fix it when.

“Why are you crying.”

“….Ah.”

A soothing, pleasant voice that caught Seong Yurin’s ear.

As he slowly approached her and wiped away her tears, Seo Ijin’s warm touch.

Seong Yurin’s tears, which she had been holding back, burst out uncontrollably as she felt his warm embrace.

His gentle touch on her back as he held her carefully and the warmth of his embrace were so comforting.

The warmth was so vividly felt, comforting her.

Seong Yurin’s tears continued to flow endlessly.

* * *

What’s going on?

I was worried that something might have happened since Lee Sia and Seong Yurin had been gone for too long, so I came out to check.

I saw Lee Sia walking back to the theater with a complicated expression, her head bowed as she walked, and we passed each other without her noticing me.

I went to look for Seong Yurin.

Anyway, the one who came out to play with me today is Seong Yurin, and Yoon Jiu will take care of Isea when she returns to her seat.

A little further away, I found Seong Yurin with tears welling up in the resting area in front of the restroom.

There must have been something going on with Isea.

I cautiously approached and took out a few tissues from the dispenser in the resting area, gently dabbing at Seong Yurin’s tear-streaked eyes.

If he were a cool guy who knew how to handle a woman’s heart, he would have taken out a handkerchief from his pocket. He seems quite lacking in style.

Then Seong Yurin suddenly burst into tears and hugged me tightly.

Seong Yurin’s scent became stronger.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I’m sorry….”

I could only comfort her by patting her back as she cried in my arms.

After a while, Seong Yurin, who had been crying in my arms, cautiously raised her head, met my eyes, and looked at me.

Despite her slightly smudged eye makeup, Seong Yurin’s face was still beautiful, with a flush of color.

“Ugh. I, I need a moment. I need to go to the restroom….”

Seong Yurin, who had been looking at me for a moment, gently moved away from my embrace, rummaged through her bag, and headed towards the restroom.

It seems like she also noticed her smudged makeup.

As Seong Yurin left, only her scent lingered around me.

Realizing that watching the movie was already out of the question, I sat down on the sofa and waited for Seong Yurin.

When Seong Yurin came back after fixing her makeup, she didn’t meet my eyes.

I didn’t bother asking her what was wrong as she kept her head down, staring at the floor.

We just sat next to each other on the sofa, with the armrest between us.

In silence, we felt each other’s presence.