episode_0058

I lay on the bed and played with my phone.

While looking into the quiet group chat room, I clicked on the guys’ profiles one by one.

Lee Se-ah’s profile with many nostalgic photos taken from the past to the present,

Lee So-yoon’s profile contains words that can only be found in a collection of famous sayings somewhere.

Hong Yeon-seo’s profile filled with competition winning photos and food photos,

From the beginning of the semester until now, Seong Yu-rin’s profile contains group photos taken with us.

Yesterday was Lee So-yoon’s birthday. I saw the photos I took with everyone.

It was a photo I took as a souvenir after the party.

“Ah.”

In that photo, I began to see facts one by one that I didn’t know yesterday.

The direction in which Lee Se-ah’s slightly smiling eyes are directed,

Lee So-yoon, with a red face, hesitated and leaned his head back,

The person against whom Hong Yeon-seo, smiling brightly, leans,

The shoulder where Seong Yu-rin’s carefully raised hand is placed, avoiding eye contact,

It was all me.

Not Yoon Ji-woo, but me.

… … It’s surprising that I didn’t know this.

I realize once again what a frustrating person I have been.

Even if Lee Se-ah and Lee So-yoon make a hundred concessions, what about Hong Yeon-seo and Seong Yu-rin?

My face got hot and I gulped down the water I had left on the nightstand next to the bed.

I feel dazed, unfamiliar, embarrassed, and somehow happy.

Complex emotions surrounded me.

I can’t even imagine how long I’ve had this feeling, but I reexamined the sense of déjà vu I must have felt.

Come to think of it, I may have been deceiving myself the whole time by thinking I didn’t think anything of them.

On that topic, seeing Lee Se-ah alone with Yoon Ji-woo at the movie theater.

Considering that he took actions such as holding on to Hong Yeon-seo as she was leaving,

I was able to realize that, subconsciously, I also had some kind of feelings for them.

till now… . It may not be passionate love, even if it’s just a small crush.

I didn’t know it, but in fact, even to this day, I couldn’t let go of my lingering attachment or feelings of dependence from my past life or the original work.

I stayed next to him in the name of watching the story of the main character, Yoon Ji-woo, and the other heroines.

Actions I consciously took to distance myself from them.

Maybe I wasn’t taking this life seriously.

Although he was not a very greedy person to begin with, the fact that he was satisfied with having a talented body and did not put in much effort may have been part of that thinking.

While my serious thoughts continued, I opened Seong Yu-rin’s chat room.

If the thoughts I had so far were true and not delusional, there was something I needed to ask her.

I was planning to make an appointment with her tomorrow anyway, so it worked out.

The promise I made to her in the first place was also related to what I was trying to ask.

About what happened about a month ago on the day I went out with Seong Yu-rin.

I seriously wanted to hear the full story of the incident.

Grrr-

The sound that signaled the end of my thoughts made me realize that I had skipped dinner.

* * *

Ugh-

A message appeared on the screen of the cell phone, which vibrated and brightened.

The girl, who was sitting at her desk with an open book and quietly concentrating on her studies, turned her gaze to her cell phone, and her blue eyes immediately opened.

“… Ah.”

Surprised, she relaxed her grip on the pen.

She left the pen that had rolled away on the note she was diligently writing down, put her hands together and carefully lifted the phone.

[Are you okay tomorrow? I’m saying this because of what happened last time. Do you want to meet me in town for a moment?]

There is no ordinary selfie, just a name and message written next to the other person, which is the basic profile.

The girl, Seong Yu-rin, felt that her time had finally come.

Last night, the matter between Lee Se-ah and Yoon Ji-woo was resolved.

I remembered the conversation I had with Lee Se-ah about how to tell Seo Yi-jin about the day’s events.

At the same time, Hong Yeon-seo’s story that took place in a group chat room with women that continued until Lee Jin’s chat came.

Although she didn’t directly say ‘I like you’, her story of touching all the emotions slowly caused a change in everyone’s attitude.

If you keep waiting, it may be too late. So it made me think that I had to move.

Ripples arose in Seong Yu-rin’s mind as she watched those conversations going on with blank eyes.

I felt the door to my heart that I thought was tightly closed rattle.

‘I, I…’ .’

After a while, Seong Yu-rin, who had made up her mind with her eyes tightly closed, opened them and tapped on her cell phone.

[huh. See you at lunch tomorrow]

After that message, Seong Yu-rin, who closed the chat room after deciding on a small meeting place and time, sent a message to Lee Se-ah.

[Lee Jin asked to meet tomorrow]

A number that disappears shortly after sending a message. And, Lee Se-ah’s phone call came right away.

Seong Yu-rin took a deep breath and answered the phone.

It was Se-ah Lee on the other end who picked up the phone and broke the momentary silence.

[What are you going to do?]

Seong Yu-rin answered Lee Se-ah’s question without hesitation.

“If you tell me not to tell you, I’ll just gloss over it until the end.”

If she told Seo Yi-jin in detail about what happened that day, she naturally had no choice but to confess her feelings for Seo Yi-jin with her own mouth.

That’s why Seong Yu-rin’s answer was decisive.

After hearing those words, Se-Ah hesitated and spoke.

[…] … No, about that… . You can talk.]

Ise-ah took a moment to catch her breath and continued speaking.

[You know that’s not the only thing I want to ask, right? Yurin?]

Seong Yu-rin bit her lip and couldn’t speak, and Lee Se-ah sighed.

Seong Yu-rin, who heard that sigh, lowered her eyes as if I Se-ah was in front of her.

[I want you to be more honest. I know what you’re thinking… . As a close friend of yours, I hope you don’t have a hard time.]

Lee Se-ah’s sincere voice reached Seong Yu-rin’s ears through the cell phone.

“I… .”

“Do I deserve it?”

Ise-ah became quiet after hearing what Seong Yu-rin said with her eyes closed tightly.

After a while, Ise-ah’s voice was heard again.

[Yurin. Can you come out for a moment? See you at the park.]

“Ah… .”

The call was hung up without waiting for Seong Yu-rin to answer.

Seong Yu-rin stopped all movement and looked down at her phone with a complicated expression.

I got up, put on my coat, and ran out of the room.

* * *

It was a night in a quiet residential area, where the moonlight from the rising moon intertwined with the light of the street lights, spreading a faint light around.

Seong Yu-rin’s body heated up as she ran from her house to the park in one go.

Unlike the day when she felt like it was already hot when the sun was shining, cold air enveloped her body as if it were the night of the same day.

“Ha… . Huh… .”

Seong Yu-rin took off her coat, half out of breath and half out of frustration and half in the mood to cool her hot body.

Her rich blonde hair cascaded through her soft fur and fell over her thin t-shirt.

Seong Yu-rin’s body, standing blankly waiting for Lee Se-ah, became increasingly cold.

“Yurin! Aren’t you cold? Why are you taking off your clothes?”

At that time, Ise-ah appeared behind her.

He then took off his coat and placed it on Seong Yu-rin’s shoulders.

At this time in Isea, the two sat on a suitable bench and looked at each other consciously.

Seong Yu-rin, who was debating whether to return the coat Se-ah Lee had taken off or hand over the coat she was holding in her hand to Se-ah Lee, eventually held out her hand.

“… Wear this.”

They were wearing each other’s coats.

After looking at each other, Ise-ah took the initiative to start the conversation with small talk.

In the conversation that followed, Seong Yu-rin, who had intentionally continued the conversation without bringing up the original topic, was asked a direct question by Se-ah Lee.

“I said this on the phone earlier… . You don’t deserve to like Jin.”

Lee Se-ah shot at Seong Yu-rin, who lowered her head.

“What do you need qualifications for? The only one who can stop your feelings of love is you.”

At those words, Ise-ah, who saw Seong Yu-rin hesitating, continued speaking.

“Then. It must be painful. If it’s your first love that falls away without even trying. … That’s so heartbreaking, isn’t it?”

“But, it was my fault… … .”

Lee Se-ah interrupted Seong Yu-rin.

“I will forgive you. Your actions.”

“… Ah.”

Seong Yu-rin felt the sincerity in Lee Se-ah’s eyes.

“So don’t keep shrinking like that, show your true self.”

Seong Yu-rin buried her face further into I Se-ah’s arms, as she was so warm in her arms as she hugged her tightly with those words.

Seong Yu-rin couldn’t even say what she wanted to say due to Lee Se-ah’s actions.

When I saw Lee Se-ah, I erased the many words in my mind that I had tried to say one by one, and repeated only one question.

“Why… … ?”

“Even though we’ve known each other for a short time… . Because I think you are a precious friend too.”

“Friend… . friend. Friend… … .”

Seong Yu-rin’s watery voice lingered in I Se-ah’s arms, then quietly faded away.

However, the two who were there.

We shared the words and the emotions behind them.

“So, if Jin is forgiven tomorrow… . You too, try hitting your heart.”

“… … Yes.”

Strength returned to Seong Yu-rin’s blue eyes, which had been blurry.