episode_0041

041

A quiet night with starlight pouring through the window crack.

*Sigh.*

Jin Soyeon let out a deep sigh, lying on her bed and gazing peacefully out the window.

It was already late, but sleep eluded her.

For some reason, Yoo Seolhyun’s words lingered in her mind like sharp thorns, refusing to let go.

Part of the conversation she had with Yoo Seolhyun at the academy was quietly replaying in Jin Soyeon’s mind.

– Imagine your pretty face hanging out with friends of the opposite sex. Wouldn’t it be difficult for a boyfriend to accept that?

Yoo Seolhyun, who knew nothing about Jin Soyeon and Lee Jinhyuk’s relationship, was just spouting nonsense.

After all, even if Jin Soyeon got along well with her friends, where was the reason for Jinhyuk to feel troubled?

Jin Soyeon and Lee Jinhyuk were in a fake relationship.

Sure, Jin Soyeon may have faced jealousy from other boys due to her role as Jinhyuk’s fake girlfriend, but it wouldn’t have been difficult for Jin Soyeon to hang out with other boys.

If Jinhyuk was troubled for that reason, wouldn’t it mean that he actually liked Jin Soyeon romantically?

Hmm…

Does Lee Jinhyuk like Jin Soyeon in a romantic way?

Ahaha, really, how ridiculous.

They’ve known each other for over ten years, like childhood friends.

They’ve been together since their runny-nosed days.

Honestly, they could almost be considered family.

If they had siblings, would it have been like this?

They’ve seen each other at their best and worst.

But to think of each other romantically?

That’s impossible. Well, whatever.

“…Yoo Seolhyun doesn’t know anything and just talks nonsense.”

Jin Soyeon pursed her lips and grumbled.

She knew well that Lee Jinhyuk couldn’t possibly like her romantically, so she dismissed Yoo Seolhyun’s words as mere nonsense.

No matter how much she thought about it, Lee Jinhyuk couldn’t possibly see her in a romantic light.

If Lee Jinhyuk had liked Jin Soyeon from the start, even if it was a fake relationship, would he have agreed to break up so easily?

Even in a fake relationship, being in love with someone…

“I thought you wanted to break up because you were tired of me hanging out with other guys.”

Yoo Seolhyun’s words flashed through her mind.

“A girlfriend with many male friends must be difficult in many ways.”

“…”

A lover with many opposite-sex friends…

Certainly, if they were really dating, it might be difficult.

Even if they were just friends, no one would want to see their partner hanging out with the opposite sex.

But here’s the thing.

What if, by some chance, Lee Jinhyuk secretly liked Jin Soyeon?

Wouldn’t Jin Soyeon have been tormenting Jinhyuk all this time by asking him to be her fake boyfriend?

Because of her request for a fake relationship.

Lee Jinhyuk, who had been enduring all this time.

“…I’m being ridiculous.”

Jin Soyeon suddenly sat up in bed, shook her head vigorously, and let out a weak laugh.

It was truly the worst.

Asking someone you like to pretend to be your lover and then continuously showing them hanging out with other people of the opposite sex was truly not something a person should do.

Especially to Lee Jinhyuk, who was just a childhood friend.

Even more so.

“This is giving me a headache for no reason.”

What if Jin Soyeon had been in the opposite position?

She would have probably accepted the request for a fake relationship.

It wouldn’t have been pleasant, but even if it was fake, they could still act like lovers.

But continuously hanging out with other people of the opposite sex when you have someone in a fake relationship?

Even if it’s fake, how can you do that to someone who is supposed to be your partner?

“Ah… I probably couldn’t hold back after all.”

Jin Soyeon had never really liked anyone before, but if she had truly fallen for someone and had done something like that, she would have probably complained and vented her frustrations before long.

However, Lee Jinhyuk had silently endured for years…

“No, no.”

What am I thinking again?

There’s no way Jinhyuk would like me, right?

There’s absolutely no chance.

And yet, it didn’t make sense.

But the word “if” stuck to her mind like bubblegum, refusing to come off.

The more she tried not to think about it, the more it clung tightly.

Like a swamp she couldn’t escape from.

“If by some rare chance Jinhyuk declared a breakup because of that reason…”

The sudden breakup declaration from Jinhyuk.

His recent avoidance of Jin Soyeon, claiming to be busy.

And the subtle increase in interactions with Yoo Seolhyun.

“….”

In a flash, various thoughts flashed through Jin Soyeon’s mind like shooting stars, turning her thoughts into chaos.

Perhaps, the thoughts of “if” were subtly presenting Jin Soyeon with various possibilities, even the unpleasant ones.

“Why do I keep having these pointless thoughts? Ugh, seriously. Let’s sleep. Let’s sleep, tomorrow is…”

Thud!

An abrupt sound that hit her ears like a blow.

It sounded like a heavy object falling in the yard, prompting Jin Soyeon to reflexively get up from bed and quickly look out the window.

But it was dark, and her visibility was limited. Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip slightly. Could it be happening again?

Jin Soyeon grabbed the training steel sword in her room, opened the window, and landed in the yard.

It was a two-story drop, but Jin Soyeon aspired to be a hero.

Falling from this height was easier than pie for her.

Upon landing in the yard, Jin Soyeon quickly turned her head to examine the source of the sound, and sure enough, what could she say?

A slightly large rock lay in a corner of the yard.

Attached to the rock was something resembling white paper, and upon closer inspection, it read ‘Jin Soyeon, the mop girl’ in bold letters.

“Again, really…”

Jin Soyeon furrowed her brows, hastily opened the door, and went outside, but there was no one on the residential street.

Whoever had thrown the rock with such a derogatory term seemed to have fled quickly after doing so.

“Ugh, seriously.”

Jin Soyeon let out a deep sigh, firmly closed the door, and locked it.

It had happened a while ago, and here it was happening again.

“Tiring.”

Surely, it was the act of someone jealous of Jin Soyeon.

It was not something even children would do, and she was already of age, so why engage in such behavior?

Jin Soyeon had experienced similar incidents a few times in the past.

Girls who were blind with jealousy and envy would harass Jin Soyeon in various ways because she was friendly with popular boys.

They would put trash in her desk, spread rumors, splash water in the bathroom, stick strange things on her, and so on.

Jin Soyeon tried to remain unfazed and dealt with the situation as usual, with the help of the unfamiliar Jinhyuk and her mother.

But due to Jin Soyeon’s amiable personality, beautiful appearance, and friendships with boys, such incidents occasionally occurred.

Things had calmed down a bit when she was dating Jinhyuk…

The Republic of Korea’s top hero academy, but in the end, the place where people live is all the same.

“Wouldn’t it be useless to report to the police?”

I had reported a similar incident before, but since there was no actual loss of life, it only applied to property damage and minor crimes.

Currently, there were no CCTV cameras, making it difficult to identify the culprit.

It seems like it might be a student from the academy.

Who could it be, really?

“Mom going on a business trip is a relief.”

Jin Soyeon tore the piece of paper stuck to the rock. She quietly looked down at the writing on the paper. A slut. It was a blatant insult.

“…Siwoon. Could it be one of the girls who like Siwoon?”

There were many girls who liked Siwoon.

But she didn’t blame Siwoon much.

The one at fault is the culprit who did this.

There’s no need to avoid him or be discouraged by this kind of thing.

No, she doesn’t want that.

It seems like giving in to the guy who does this kind of thing.

Should a hero aspirant just follow the intentions of a mere criminal?

“But calling someone a slut is a bit too much.”

Come to think of it, there were many rumors circulating in the class about Jin Soyeon these days.

That she lied to date Lee Jinhyuk to get closer to Siwoon.

“Ugh. Annoying.”

Jin Soyeon, who had a stubborn personality, didn’t hesitate to act as usual despite hearing such rumors, but she was a bit stressed.

“Anyway, they keep spreading weird rumors about each other for no reason. Just hanging out with friends. Why make it about girls and boys?”

Jin Soyeon slightly furrowed her brows and tore the paper to shreds.

She was already feeling complicated due to recent events related to Lee Jinhyuk and Yoo Seolhyun, and now she was feeling even more stressed for no reason.

***

The next day at the academy.

“…Is she still following Siwoon around like a puppy?”

“It seems so. Have you heard that rumor?”

“What rumor?”

“Well, she…”

“Wow, really? Seriously? Anyway, she’s so full of herself just because she’s pretty.”

Whispering.

The negative rumors about Jin Soyeon were continuing to spread.

Many female students were gossiping about her behind her back.

“Ugh.”

Jin Soyeon furrowed her brows.

Lately, the strange rumors were getting out of hand.

“Could it be that Yoo Seolhyun and her group are spreading these rumors?”

It was obvious.

Surely Yoo Seolhyun was behind this.

Come to think of it, I don’t know if it’s true or not, but Yoo Seolhyun was interested in Jinhyuk, right?

Oh, could it be that Yoo Seolhyun was the one who threw rocks at my house? Ordering the kids in her group to do it?

“…If that’s the case, I can’t leave Jinhyuk to that girl.”

If Jinhyuk ends up dating Yoo Seolhyun by some stroke of luck?

It’s okay for other girls, but not as much as Yoo Seolhyun.

I can’t just leave Jinhyuk to be with such a wicked person.

If he hangs out with her, Jinhyuk will surely have a hard time.

Yeah, that’s right.

Definitely.