Five minutes before I die

14. Trying to meet you. (+ Notice)

“The….“

”I like Eun, though…“

”How about me, Eun..?“

”….Huh?“

”Ah…..“

”This…so suddenly.“

”Ah, I know it’s a bit sudden.“

”But I’ve thought about it a lot.“

”Since the first time we met, I’ve liked you, Eun. Being with you is fun, and I look forward to it.“

”It’s the first time I’ve ever fallen for someone like this. I don’t want to lose you.”

I didn’t know what to do. Right in the middle of the street, and we’d even had a bit of a spat earlier.

”…I don’t dislike Seungwoo either, though.“

”It’s just a little too soon.“

”We haven’t met that many times, have we.“

”Could I… think about it a little and tell you later?“

”Ah, yes, yes.“

”Of course.”

“I didn’t mean to put Eun in a difficult spot, but I guess I did for no reason.”

”I’m sorry.“

”I keep making things I should apologize to Eun for today, over and over.“

”Haha… it’s okay.“

”I’ll head back now.“

”Yes, then please text me.“

It ended vaguely. Without being able to refuse or agree.

Seungwoo was definitely a good person. But on the other hand, since we’d only met a few times, I also thought it would be foolish to judge too hastily.

I came back home.

Without showering, eating anything, or even changing clothes, I just lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

I had no thoughts. No, I had plenty of thoughts, but I didn’t want to think.

I definitely hated avoidant types, but at times like this I felt like I kind of understood their hearts. (Maybe this is actually pretty sweet?)

Ah, anyway.

What am I supposed to do, really?

My eyes slowly closed, and just as I was drifting off, my phone on the table beside the bed rang with an alarm.

….Ah.

Damn.

I’d forgotten about that bastard.

Ah, now that KakaoTalk popped up, I’m thinking about it again-

….I guess I can just go like this?

No, but.

Really, this suddenly?

….

Is today some kind of special day? Why is everything being sprung on me like this?

When I took the elevator down to the first floor, Choi Yeonjun was there.

We’d seen each other yesterday, but it felt like it had been a while.

Choi Yeonjun had been looking at his phone, then lifted his head and looked at me at the sound of my footsteps.

“You got ready fast?”

“No, I was just home and came right out.”

“I had plans a moment ago, so I went out and came back.”

“Who did you meet?“

At Choi Yeonjun’s words, I hesitated for a moment.

“….”

“Seungwoo.”

“.Ah.”

Choi Yeonjun didn’t add anything else.

I wanted to break the awkward atmosphere, so I said whatever came to mind.

“Ahem, uh, me.”

“A car? You walked here?”

“Yeah. It took less time than I thought.”

“I see.”

“But where are we going?“

As we chatted absentmindedly, we were heading somewhere.

”Well. I don’t really have anywhere to go.”

“I just missed you, so I called you.”

Ah….. there it goes again.

”…..“

”Missed me? What do you mean, missed me.“

”I’m serious.“

My face flushed bright red. I felt like I was going crazy.

Even though I knew he was probably just saying it.

”Have you eaten? If you’re hungry, should we eat?“

”I need hangover soup.”

”I did eat a bit when I met Seungwoo earlier….“(Actually I barely ate.)

“You look hungry.”

“Let’s go eat.”

We went into a restaurant in a shopping complex.

We sat at a table facing each other.

It was way too awkward.

From the kitchen, only the sounds of cooking could be heard, and outside there were only the voices of a few people talking.

“So….”

“Did you sleep well yesterday?”

“I dropped you off at your place and went straight home.”(A lie.)

“Yeah.”

“Ah, I barely ate yesterday, but from the moment I got in the taxi, everything just cut out.”

”You did eat pretty fast yesterday.“

”I told you to eat slowly; that alcohol was strong.“

”But you really didn’t get drunk.“

”How did you manage to find your way home after drinking that much?“

“Even if I get drunk, I’m good at finding my way home-?”

“…You.”

“You don’t even remember getting home?”

“I carried you home.”

“I vaguely remember.”

“But I don’t remember clearly.”

I wanted to ask. What that meant.

Whether it was the alcohol talking, or whether he was serious.

There was about five seconds of silence.

”But why are you asking that?“

”Did I mess something up?“

”…..“

”I got a confession from Seungwoo.“

Choi Yeonjun slowly set down the spoon he’d been eating with.

Then he leaned back in his chair and looked at me.

”And?“

His gaze was cold. His tone was cold too.

It was so different I wondered if this was really the same person who’d told me not to meet that guy yesterday.

“What does that have to do with me blacking out yesterday?”

I couldn’t say anything. My eyes slowly dropped lower.

“Say it.”

I hadn’t done anything wrong, so why did it feel like he was interrogating me?

”No, it’s just….“

”As a fellow guy, I’m asking what you think.“

”That has nothing to do with what I said.“

Choi Yeonjun lifted one corner of his mouth in a sneer, like he was mocking me.

”What, if I say that person seems bad and you shouldn’t meet him, then you won’t meet him?“

”If I say you should meet him, then you will?“

”I didn’t know this, but you’re really passive, huh?“

“What….?”

“No, I’m not saying anything with some other meaning. I’m just asking, plainly, what kind of person Seungwoo seems like, whether he looks like he’d treat me well.”

“Why are you reacting so sharply?”

I was annoyed..

I’d been in a bad mood since the morning, and then you too, seriously….

”So. If I say don’t meet him, you won’t?“

“Is that what you want?”

“Then I’ll do that.”

“Really? Then don’t meet him.”

I let out a scoff at the absurdity.

“Shouldn’t you at least give me a reason?“

”If I tell you not to, you won’t, you said.“

”You said I was passive.“

”Does that mean the reason has to be included in this too?”

“Haa…..”

“No, I’m not going to do whatever you tell me to.”

”Rather than live hearing crap like ‘you’re passive,’ and all that.”

“Haha, so?”

”So that means you’re going to meet him, right?”

”Why shouldn’t I?”

”Are you my boyfriend?”

The atmosphere grew colder and colder.

Choi Yeonjun wiped his face dryly, as if annoyed.

”Ha…. Hey, Bae Eun.“

“I always felt it, but this time you’ve really made it clear.“

”You’re still a kid, huh.“

”You’re only tall; you’re still immature.“

My use of the word ‘young’ got under Choi Yeonjun’s skin.

Choi Yeonjun’s brow furrowed.

”Fine, I’ll go try meeting him.”

”At least he’ll be better than you.“

After leaving that last line, I got up all at once.

Then I left the restaurant.

What I said wasn’t sincere. I just wanted to provoke Choi Yeonjun.

Hello, I’m Yeondori? (Yeonjuncheodo-ri)입니다.

Sorry for coming back after so long, really….

Because I’m a Korean high schooler….. I’ve been way too busy.😭

I’m really sorry, but I think I’ll be busy often going forward too.

As I started long-running serialization of while also beginning to serialize <5 Minutes Before I Die>, managing two works turned out to be harder than I thought. But that part is something I can work harder on, so it’s not a big deal,

Honestly, I considered stopping serialization before either one was even completed because of school issues, but I thought that wouldn’t be right even for you all, so I’m going to keep serializing. At the earliest, I’ll definitely come back in mid-to-late November, and if it’s later, by early-to-mid December. Thank you for reading this long message, and thank you so much for always enjoying my works.❤️

I’ve been Yeondori until now. Thank you.

Saying it like this makes it sound like a farewell…..I’m coming back, I promise~