episode_0059

The morning of the last day of the four-day holiday, which was short but felt very long, dawned.

At first, I was busy with the impure purpose of completing my backlogged promises, but starting yesterday, I experienced a lot of mental changes.

It was such a shame that even thinking about how he was acting like the main character of a romantic comedy at this age was ridiculous.

However, I gained enlightenment through a conversation with Hong Yeon-seo, and after returning home, I was not only convinced that it was a physical evidence, but that what I thought and felt was 100% reality.

The slightly embarrassing reality is that the object of heroine’s affection is towards me, not the main character.

And I’m here to drive that conviction home with today’s outing.

The weather was so capricious that the sun, which I had thought was hot until yesterday, blew a cold wind that was so unwelcome.

It’s already May and it’s already cold.

Perhaps because there are so many clouds, the world feels twice as cold. In fact, it was a day when the temperature dropped by half.

As I was hiding my neck in my collar to avoid the cold wind, I saw a woman with flowing blonde hair approaching from afar.

At the same time, he also seemed to have spotted me and started walking faster, almost as if he was running.

“Fall.”

The blonde woman who had almost arrived in front of me before slowing down and stopping was, of course, Seong Yu-rin.

“I didn’t expect you to be out this early… I’m sorry. It must have been very cold.”

“I’m even sorry.”

I shook my head and stuffed the cell phone I had been fiddling with into my pocket.

“But you get cold a lot.”

I said this after seeing Seong Yu-rin’s outfit.

Seong Yu-rin, wearing a luxuriously soft-looking fluffy coat, may have felt a little chilly, but to this extent? It was an outfit I wanted to wear.

Although she looks like a Russian beauty with blonde hair and white skin.

Seong Yu-rin answered, rubbing her hands together.

“Yes… . Well, that’s not really the case. … … I think I have a cold.”

When I looked at Seong Yu-rin’s face again as she said those words, I noticed a redness unlike usual.

My nose also seems to be sniffling a little.

“Are you okay? Did you take the medicine?”

“I’m going to eat it later.”

Okay.

“I’ll contact you if I get sick. It’s okay to postpone it until later.”

“No. I thought it had to be today.”

Seong Yu-rin’s eyes became serious.

When I met those eyes, I also felt like I knew roughly what it meant.

Still, you have to make sure your relationship is clear after you start work.

“… okay. I know what that means. Still, let’s go to the hospital first. Or, just buy some medicine at the pharmacy and talk.”

Seong Yu-rin did not show any stubbornness in response to my words.

“It’s not that bad… . I don’t want to take medicine… .”

… … .

Although he consciously followed me at a small distance and mumbled a little.

Anya. If you don’t like medicine, don’t take it.

… Should high school students be considered kids?

* * *

Seong Yu-rin, who had been silently following me, started to get angry when I saw my steps heading towards the hospital and asked to go to the pharmacy.

I threw away my cool image and surrendered to Seong Yu-rin, who was almost lying down on the street and refusing to enter the hospital. I guided her to the pharmacy next to the hospital.

I guess I really don’t want to go to the hospital.

Are you really a kid?

In the end, it was Seong Yu-rin who bought some simple cold medicine from the pharmacy.

“I want you to eat and eat.”

“…Okay. Let’s go.“

Somehow, it feels like the heavy air that was hovering between us has dissipated and only a light atmosphere has taken over.

That’s right, I didn’t expect to see Seong Yu-rin whining.

Anyway, I followed Seong Yu-rin back to the restaurant near the original meeting place.

The place we arrived at was a relatively ordinary Western restaurant.

Should I say it’s surprising? It wasn’t a luxurious restaurant with very expensive prices, but I actually found this place to be okay.

Considering that, I might have decided to go here.

Or, realistically, it may have been difficult to make a reservation at a fancy restaurant for one night.

hmm. This one is more persuasive.

I helped Seong Yu-rin take off her fur coat and sat down.

“Are you really okay?”

Perhaps because she came into a relatively warm place, Seong Yu-rin’s flushed cheeks were more noticeable than before.

It looks like he’s having a hard time taking off his coat properly and is having a hard time controlling his body.

“… are you okay. I can just go home and rest.”

Seong Yu-rin said with a somewhat regretful expression.

I also nodded at the vague feeling that I had.

“Yes. We can play again later. After we finish talking today, go right away and get a good rest.”

“Yes.”

We ordered from the kiosk attached to each table.

These days, everyone orders through kiosks like this.

“I have to eat bulgogi pilaf.”

I first operated the kiosk and added one pilaf to the order list.

Then he looked at Seong Yu-rin and asked.

“And you?”

Seong Yu-rin, who was leaning on the table and thinking for a moment, moved her fingers.

… I didn’t want to be conscious of it, but I tried to turn my attention off of Seong Yu-rin’s body being pressed against the table despite the thick clothes.

The foods that Seong Yu-rin included on her list were oil pasta, a steak plate, and lemonade.

“You eat quite a lot?”

“That… . That’s not it. Let’s share this steak.”

ah. Did you mean it that way?

“Ah. Yeah well.”

I moved my hand and finished the spell.

After we finished ordering, there was silence between us.

We consciously avoided talking to each other, but eventually we remembered the reason why we met today.

After examining Seong Yu-rin’s face, I spoke carefully.

“… so. Can you tell me what happened?”

It was a question that left out a lot of things, but Seong Yu-rin, who could not have known the meaning of the question, trembled.

Seong Yu-rin, who sat down for a moment to catch her breath, opened her mouth.

“Before talking about it, there are a few prerequisites you need to know first.”

I somehow felt like I knew what words would come out of Seong Yu-rin’s mouth.

“Jiwoo and Se-ah. What kind of feelings did you two have?”

Before Seong Yu-rin continued speaking, I struck first.

Then Seong Yu-rin’s helpless, half-closed eyes became round.

“Oh, did you know?”

“I wasn’t sure. Looking at your reaction, I think you’re right.”

I leaned back against the backrest and crossed my arms.

Then, he gave Seong Yu-rin some time to control her feelings of surprise.

“Yes. Now that I think about it, it’s something you can fully expect. Because you’re not stupid.”

Seong Yu-rin nodded as if she understood.

“I don’t notice, but.”

“… … .”

If it were me before lunch yesterday, I would have protested, but now it was a scolding that I had nothing to say.

Even if there were ten or even a hundred mouths, there would be nothing to say.

“What you thought was correct. Erasing… I like Se-ah, and Se-ah… . You, I like you.”

For your information, Se-Ah said it was okay to say it, so don’t think anything strange-

And Seong Yu-rin added.

How will Lee Se-ah try to face me now?

Right today? Or from when I go to school tomorrow morning… .

I don’t know how, but while I was strangely looking forward to that moment, a bit of worry also bloomed at the same time.

Yoon Ji-woo will probably be there too.

I shook my head to erase the brief thought and continued to listen to Seong Yu-rin.

“Sea’s birthday. Do you remember when I came to you?”

“… ah. You mean the one that came to your room?”

He suddenly barged into my room and asked me out of the blue if there was a boy I liked.

“Yes. After hearing your answer that day, I thought a lot about the relationship between you three.”

Seong Yu-rin paused for a moment and looked at me.

Perhaps encouraged by the most peaceful expression I made, Seong Yu-rin opened her mouth again.

“I want you to understand, but I’m not forcing it… You can think of it as an emotional arm. But, if I don’t tell this story, you won’t understand why I did what I did. First, let me tell you a story from my past.”

To summarize Seong Yu-rin’s past history, it was a slightly, or rather, quite dark memory of her school days.

Let’s say the first year of high school was your school days. A story from middle school, less than half a year ago.

Until her second year of middle school, she was pretty, somewhat charismatic, and an all-rounder who lived well at home, and was a popular child everywhere.

An incident in third grade broke her position.

There was an incident in school where a boy who was a popular figure similar to Seong Yu-rin was dumped, and when other girls found out about it, the jealousy reached a critical point.

Admiration and goodwill formed through shallow triggers can easily turn into malice with just one small malicious trigger.

In particular, in young children whose personalities have not yet matured, the malice may appear more clearly than that of adults in some ways.

Since many children knew about Seong Yu-rin’s family environment, there was no direct use of violence.

Seong Yu-rin suffered a lot from various other malicious bullying and bullying acts.

But, the most difficult thing among them all.

“Friend… . They were kids I thought were really close for two years.”

The people who took the lead in tormenting her more than anyone else were the children whom Seong Yu-rin believed were her friends.

It is said that the series of events ended with Seong Yu-rin finally giving up and borrowing help from her family… .

The sense of betrayal and pain I felt for a year would have remained.

When Seong Yu-rin’s story ended, I tried to find something to say.

Should I even come up with some clumsy words of comfort? The look of concern must have been clearly reflected in Seong Yu-rin’s eyes, as Seong Yu-rin gently shook her head.

I had no choice but to mull over the story in silence and nod.