ENDING

EP.2 Keeping Distance

"What do I do now.."

"Ah! Right. Then I can act like I'm closer to Jung Hyuning than him,"

"Wait, Jung Hyuning."

"After school, come in front of our class for a sec."

"Your class? Okay."

"I'll wait."

"..Thanks"

"I'll go!"

Classroom-

"Yeoju, you're here?"

Taehyun said.

"Yeah."

"Are you not in as much pain today?"

"Yeah."

"..Yeoju, could it be"

"Are you mad at me about something?"

".."

"Yeah, I am."

"For what..?"

"For always being nice to me,"

"For always sticking to me,"

"What?"

"Just... let's stop pretending we know each other now,"

'Sorry, Kang Taehyun.'

"..."

"Yeah, I don't meet people who hate me either."

Feeling stifled, I lied to the teacher and went up to the rooftop. Still, it seemed like distancing myself had worked, so that's a relief. What should I do next,

tap, tap-

"Rain..?"

"It's raining,"

"Ah..it's cold,"

"It's coming down way too hard..."

Right before I collapsed from the cold, Kang Taehyun ran over.

"Hey, Kim Yeoju!!"

"Are you okay? Aren't you cold?"

Taehyun handed me his outerwear and said.

"..."

"I'm asking if you're okay,"

"We clearly said we'd stop pretending to know each other."

"Why are you doing this to me,"

"..but I,"

creak-

"Yeoju, I'm almo,"

".."

"I'm one step too late,"

Hueningkai said as he came in.

"Who.."

"Ah, I'm Jung Hyuning,"

"Hi."

"Let's go. Huening-ah,"

"Uh.. okay,"

creak-

Yeoju and Hueningkai left. I definitely decided to let go. But now I don't even understand my own feelings.

Then why do I miss you,

My head was completely soaked, and I didn't even have the energy to go back to class, so I decided to skip the lesson.

"Ha,"

"I don't even understand my own feelings.."

"I should go to class. Now,"

creeeak-

"Anyway, we just had bad timing,"

"It can't be helped,"

"Hey, Kim Yeoju,"

"You're really not going to tell him? To Kang Taehyun,"

"Wouldn't he be sad.."

"Still,"

"We should keep our distance before it gets even sadder,"

"You still don't plan to get surgery..?"

"Yeah, I'm going to die."

"I don't want to be in pain anymore."

"..Then instead, make a lot of memories with me."

"Sure, whatever. If it's your and my last wish, hahaha"

"Heh, thanks."

Some hours later-

ding-ding-

"Alright, that's it. Everyone go home,"

"Yes~"

The moment Yeoju was about to leave the classroom, Taehyun stopped her from behind.

"Kim Yeoju."

But before Taehyun could grab Yeoju, she went to Hueningkai.

"...."

"Jung Hyuning~"

"Did you wait for me?"

"No, not really. I just finished too,"

"That's a relief,"

"Right. What do you want to do today?"

"Hmm..today..?"

"Yeah.."

"What about you? Anything you want to do is fine with me."

"Really?ㅋㅋ"

"Hmm..I.."

"I want to go to a café with you,"

"A café? Okay,"

So Yeoju and Hueningkai went out and had fun-

"I had fun today!"

"Yeah, let's hang out again next timeㅎㅎ"

"Want me to take you home?"

"No, it's okay. I'll go."

"Take care, see you tomorrow."

That was fine up to this point. But a few days later,

"Ugh, a nosebleed."

"Three times in one day..?"

The symptoms of the illness began to worsen more and more.