episode_0052

Episode 51: The Reason for Love

Behind the school store, there was an empty space.

It was a vacant space with no reason to be there, as it was not on anyone’s usual route and especially considering the nature of club activities that often led students away from the classroom.

It was safe to say that there was no one present in this place at the moment.

Despite saying they were going to the school store, Han Se-in expressed his doubts to Jeong A-yeong as they ended up in this secluded spot.

He didn’t say anything or bring up the topic, just silently gazing at her with a calm expression.

Jeong A-yeong tightly sealed her lips shut.

Although she acted according to her emotions, she didn’t know what to say to him.

Being inexperienced in conversations, especially in human relationships, she was confused about what to say to her beloved boyfriend and how to express her feelings.

“Uh…”

With only 10 minutes of break time left, there was probably less than 5 minutes remaining.

She suppressed the swirling emotions deep inside her heart.

Although she had so many thoughts she wanted to express, she didn’t have the confidence to unravel them without causing any misunderstandings in the time left.

That’s why…

“Um, I… I love you.”

“You fool.”

“Huh?”

The sound of the wind blowing.

The bewildered reaction quickly turned into a tremble.

Han Se-in’s body being embraced by Jeong A-yeong.

To be precise, he was being held by her.

Her breath hitched.

Her trembling voice couldn’t finish the sentence, and her hesitant hands lost their way.

The warm breeze and the warmth felt within her embrace.

Jeong A-yeong’s hardened heart melted in an instant.

Although the fundamental issue wasn’t resolved, it was the power of love.

“Just… I was reading a romance novel.”

“R-really…?”

“Yeah.”

A brief silence.

The soft voice tickled her, and the hand wrapped around her waist felt oddly comforting.

Han Se-in’s head, nestled in her embrace, rose.

In his gaze that met hers, there was sincerity.

At least that’s how Jeong A-yeong felt.

The gloomy thoughts had long disappeared.

Only the excitement and thrill of the skinship remained.

“I have to go.”

“Oh…”

A sigh tinged with regret escaped.

The belated sound of the bell ringing.

The hug must have been thrilling enough to elicit such a reaction.

Han Se-in’s body gradually moved away.

His words, the bell ringing, signaled the time to return to club activities.

Jeong A-yeong had the overwhelming ability to skip the 6th and 7th periods, but she couldn’t force others to do the same.

“Um, I…”

“Yeah.”

Before leaving, Jeong A-yeong hesitated.

Han Se-in didn’t look at her with frustration, but instead, he gave her a faint smile.

Does he know that this kind of behavior drives women crazy?

It wasn’t the disdainful or indifferent gaze she had encountered before, but the gaze of a lover full of love.

Although her actions and words may seem frustrating to herself, he accepted them without any fuss, completely as Jeong A-yeong.

That’s why she gradually gathered her courage.

Perhaps this could be frustrating as well, but it was the best courage she could muster by trying and making an effort.

“My… head…”

“…?”

“Can you… stroke it?”

Was it a rejection?

Or disgust?

What if it was a mistake?

Jeong A-yeong’s worried heart melted beneath the gentle smile.

“Pfft.”

“Oh…?”

“You don’t have to ask for things like this.”

“Oh…”

Another light sigh escaped.

Han Se-in closed his eyes.

His slightly bowed head was like a puppy, hoping to be petted, a lovable puppy seeking love.

Once she faced that sight, she couldn’t hesitate.

Raising her hand, she cautiously began to stroke.

The softness of the hair and the addictive texture.

Not an ordinary man.

Hansein, and the fact that he was her boyfriend, felt most thrilling.

“How much are you going to pet me?”

“Oops, sorry.”

Despite the apology, Jeong A-yeong’s mischievous smile did not disappear.

He seemed like a pervert.

Seeing Hansein blushing for no reason, she couldn’t help but smile.

To think that such a lovely man is my lover.

The feeling of happiness was short-lived, as the cold reality woke her up.

“I’ll be late, I’ll go ahead!”

“Oh, okay…”

She couldn’t even demand to go together.

She never even thought about it.

Hansein, rushing ahead, went towards the club room.

Watching his figure getting further away.

The space left alone was eerily quiet.

As overwhelming as the happiness was.

The current situation of being alone felt too big.

“Hoo, hoo…”

She breathed deeply, feeling unsettled.

The unhappiness that followed happiness was beyond imagination.

No, should it be called anxiety?

The lovely boyfriend who held her in his arms and petted her hair…

Now he was heading towards Kang Hyeon-a, whom he despised.

It was amusing.

When she was being tormented, she didn’t dislike Kang Hyeon-a.

There were even parts where she viewed her favorably?

After all, it was Park Hyo-rin who tormented her.

Paradoxically, it all happened after Hansein appeared.

“Hmm…”

It’ll be fine.

Jeong A-yeong headed towards the club room, calming her anxiety.

-Tak, tak, tak.

The consistent ringing noise.

The sound of shoes hitting the wooden floor.

The end of break time.

Even after being tormented, Hansein didn’t show any signs of coming in.

It was a class that Kang Hyeon-a couldn’t let go of.

That’s why she nervously tapped the wooden floor and…

It wasn’t until she heard the sound of the door opening that she stopped.

“Sorry, am I a bit late?”

“Uh, but…”

Kang Hyeon-a’s words were cut off.

The moment she faced Hansein who had entered.

She was shocked enough to forget what she was going to say.

It might not seem like a big deal to anyone else.

But she could tell because she had just seen Hansein.

“Hair…”

“Hair? Oh, no.”

Realizing her messy appearance belatedly, she fixed it.

Her twisted heart began to reach its end at that sight.

What happened during break time?

Her hair was so messy and tangled.

It felt like someone had grabbed her by the hair, didn’t it?

Kang Hyeon-a didn’t say anything.

But the bewildered reaction of Hansein, who was left alone, looked even stranger.

“Let’s read a book quickly.”

“….”

Hastily changing the subject.

Looking urgent as if pricked by something, she seemed desperate.

Her evasive behavior accelerated her reasoning.

Standing up from her seat, Kang Hyeon-a.

Approaching Hansein without hesitation.

Her thoughts and actions were firm.

“What were you doing?”

“…I went to the store with Jeong A-yeong. Why?”

“But why is your hair like that?”

She tried to tidy it up, but her hair was still a mess.

However.

The response she received was so simple.

It made Kang Hyeon-a lose her energy for a moment.

“Just… no, nothing.”

A timid, creeping voice.

There was no boldness.

No cold, logical demeanor.

Is this Hansein-like?

No, the initial impression she had of him was not like that.

Now he just seemed like a coward who wanted to escape.

“Hey, with Jeong A-yeong… no.”

“….”

Kang Hyeon-a stopped what she was about to say.

Jeong A-yeong hitting Hansein?

It was unimaginable when thinking of her always timid self.

But.

Suddenly, thoughts of breaking news and the inevitable cases of domestic violence that I had reluctantly looked into flashed through my mind.

It wasn’t an absurd thought.

There were quite a few instances where women, oppressed and subjected to unfair treatment outside, would come home and raise their hands.

Hitting their beloved husbands… was more common than one would think.

Kang Hyeon-ah couldn’t say anything.

Was she qualified?

The woman who had tormented him.

Would she impose the standard of violence on others?

Even she didn’t think so.

Therefore.

She kept the words between them.

“Are you dating against your will?”

“….”

“I’ve said it before, I’ll help you. You don’t have to date anymore. Huh? How could a guy like you be with a girl like Jeong Ah-young…”

The mouth is a vessel for emotions.

Suppressed and bottled-up emotions.

Using words as a means, they poured out like a burst dam.

It deviated from the original intention, but it also contained the meaning that had been stored in the heart.

“Love is not a common act. Both parties should love each other. Right? Even if Jeong Ah-young likes her, you… No, you don’t. Then you dislike her.”

“I like her.”

A quietly uttered voice.

Suddenly, a past memory flashed through Kang Hyeon-ah’s mind.

The result of investigating Han Se-in’s background.

So. Even though she didn’t want to know how difficult his life had been and still was, she found out.

Not everything, but at least.

It was certain that he didn’t grow up under normal parents’ love.

Therefore.

Kang Hyeon-ah was shocked to the core.

Hesitant as she was.

Han Se-in’s expression was firm.

The faint smile that appeared was subtle.

“I like you. You said you love me.”

“….”

“So… I like you too.”

The reason for love.

As foolish and stupid as it may be, even idiotic.

That’s why she lost.

“…Damn.”

Kang Hyeon-ah’s expression crumbled.

Just as Han Se-in intended.

She ran away.

No longer facing him, like a ghost member.

The club president left the literary club like that.