Short story collection [multi-angle]

Unrequited love [☆☆☆☆☆]

W.Li Tie








Byul could barely attend class, clutching her pounding head. “My head hurts worse today,” Byul said, leaning her forehead against the desk and groaning as the pain grew unbearable. Wheein, perhaps worried about Byul, stroked her head. She looked at Byul with a tearful expression as if she were in more pain, asking if she was okay. Byul looked at Wheein with flustered, startled rabbit eyes. But she didn’t even have the strength to look at her. Byul buried her forehead against the desk again. Wheein ended up doing something she didn’t have to do. Wheein’s mission: taking Moonbyul to the infirmary.



“Why do you do things you don’t have to do?”



“Why? My friend is sick. How can you do that?”



“Since when did you start taking care of your friends?”



“Tch, but I still take care of my friends, right?”



Wheein looked at Byul with concern, touching her earlobe. "You're so stupid yet so cute, oblivious to your own inner feelings and blindly believing you're in pain." Byul closed her eyes with a faint smile.



“I’m sleepy. Can I sleep?”



"uh..?"



Wheein lay down next to Byul, curling her back like a shrimp. Then, she hugged Byul tightly. But, she knew it would be the pose she was being held in. Byul felt her heart rate increase, so she sang the national anthem at full blast to calm herself down.



“My heart is beating fast.”



Byul was nervous that Wheein would reveal her feelings. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. If she stayed still like this, what would she do? Wheein called Byul's name in a soft voice.



“Star.”



"huh..?"



“I want to be confessed to.”



"huh?"



"I wonder if there's any way. I think I'm starting to get lonely."



“What did you say..”



“But, do you like someone?”



"Really, what are you trying to say?" Byul let out a silent scream, secretly losing her temper. She bit her lip, afraid that if she turned around, she would pounce on Wheein at any moment. She wasn't even hot, but clung to me, feeling warm. Byul tried to push Wheein away with a subtle reflex.



“Go away, it’s hot.”



“You catch cold easily.”



“I don’t know, I’m feeling hot these days.”



“What? It’s October now.”



“I don’t know, I’m going to sleep, so don’t touch me.”



“Yeah, don’t sleep..”



Wheein hugged Byul tightly, who had turned her back. Byul didn't know what to do with Wheein's incomprehensible behavior. Haa-.. Seriously, this is wrong. This is weird.



“Hey, get out of here.. It’s hot-.”



“Later, let me sleep.”



“..What are you saying?”



“The house is too dark and scary. I can’t sleep without someone around.”



“You little punk, you’re so scared.”



Wheein grumbled and released the hand that was holding Byul. Then she lightly slapped Byul on the back of the neck. Byul was worried and had a hard time dealing with her inexplicable feelings for Wheein and the mysterious relationship between them. Because she couldn't hide these feelings forever. But she couldn't give up. In a word, she was panicking. Because of you, Jung Wheein. Byul fidgeted and then turned her back at the sound of a rustling sound coming from behind her and looked at Wheein. "You're cute, you're pretty." Byul caressed Wheein's lips. Wheein squirmed as if tickled and entered Byul's arms. Byul kissed Wheein's lips very briefly.



“Uh… Wheein. Are you sleeping?”



Wheein seemed to be sleeping, and Byul thought even the sound of Wheein's breathing was so beautiful that she wanted to listen to it for the rest of her life. In this infirmary filled with awkwardness and tension, she wondered when she would ever be able to escape.



-



Star, like the desk, seemed completely united, and didn't even think about getting up. Seeing the notification on her phone, she sighed deeply. "What, you want me to play?" That must mean something like that, right?



[I have something to say, will you come out?]



[I'll wait in front of your house.]



Byul knew that Wheein would be cold, and perhaps that was why she seemed to be standing in front of Wheein, who was waiting for her, even more quickly. At some point, Wheein suddenly seemed to have become serious. Wheein, who always spoke as if she knew everything about herself, seemed to have come today to find an answer to something.



“You know.”



"huh."



“I got confessed to.”



“..”



“But I guess I can’t help it. I accepted it without even realizing it.”



“You too, find a good lover.”



“I’ll have a hard time dating.”



“No way-.. You have a lot.”



“I like girls-.”



"ah.."



Byul gave a bitter, trembling smile, and Wheein turned and walked towards her house. Byul frowned and stared at Wheein absentmindedly until her small back disappeared. "You're pretty." Every day, I wonder how I should treat you from now on. If I confess, you might hate me. Because you're different from me. Fearing that, I suppressed my emotions again today, recalling Wheein's appearance.



-



Wheein seems to be acting strange these days. Like when I was lovesick? Wheein had a hot head and was coughing. Byul was a little worried, so she bought her some medicine. It's the weekend, was the pharmacy open..? Why am I thinking this after already buying the medicine? Byul handed Wheein the medicine and headed for the front door to leave the house again. That's when she heard your voice, getting thinner.



“I’m just asking because I’m really curious.”



"huh..?"



“Do you like me-..?”



“..Huh? Are you crazy? What am I-...”



“Tell me the truth. I’ll give you some time to sort things out.”



“Will you sort things out with me..?”




"what-."



Wheein sighed and looked up at the star. The star groaned softly, as if in pain, and turned back to Wheein.



“I like you.”



"...Actually, I'm embarrassed. I don't know what this feeling is, but I feel strange without you, and my whole body tingles when I see you."



“I like it.”



“Huh..? Me-, you? But.. I’ve never liked a woman.”



“But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way forever.”



"I've been thinking about what a true friend is. Even if I don't know exactly what that means, it's true that we're more than just friends."



“...”



“..So what I mean is,”



“Let’s date.”



Byul hugged Wheein tightly and confessed her love. She said, “Let’s date,” and that she couldn’t live without her. Wheein, despite the awkward situation, seemed to quickly calm down and began to gently pat Byul’s back. Byul promised Wheein that she wanted to say that she loved her just once, and that she wouldn’t hide it anymore, and kissed her. Wheein’s actions, fully accepting Byul’s words, could have been a sign of permission. Byul was overcome with happiness, and all the things she had wanted to do burst out. As if she couldn’t hold it back any longer.



“I love you, Wheein.”