“ … ”
“ … ”
Because of yesterday, things got even more awkward. So, are we dating since yesterday..? No, we should have experienced this before..!
At that time, Choi Soo-bin spoke first.
" excuse me.. "
" huh..? "
“Chocolate milk... do you want some?”
" .. good. "
Just as Choi Soo-bin and I were about to get up and head to the store,
Knock knock,
“ ..!! ”
” … “
We ran into each other at the perfect timing. Why was he wearing a bandage on his face? Who was he fighting with? I was sure there were so many things I wanted to say, but strangely, nothing came to mind. It was just...
I feel sorry for myself for still worrying about you.
at that time,
Hug,
“ ..?!! ”
“Let’s go quickly. I’m hungry.”
In that moment, Choi Soo-bin grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the classroom. What the... This is so exciting.
So we headed to the store together.
"Oh? Why is there a metropolitan area?"
"Really..?! This is crazy"
Swish,
"The metropolitan area's form is crazy... so lovely"
"Phew... You're really serious about chocolate milk"
" of course! "
“Are you feeling better?”
“ .. Yeah. Thank you for earlier.”
“I’m so happy to hear you say that.”
“Choi Soo-bin took my hand first.. I’ll live long and see.”
"Tch... I told you, right? I'm better at dating than you."
“Huh? Why are you talking like that?”
"Honestly, you've been excited for me for a long time."
"Huh..? Hey, I can make you excited too?! "
"You're funny~ How did you do that?"
Honestly, I don't really know how to get excited. Well, I guess you have to have actually tried to seduce someone.. I guess just showing them a simple eye smile or something like that makes them excited?
Swish,
“How is it? Haha”
" .. really "
“Are you excited?!?”
"It doesn't seem like a serious eye smile, heroine."
“Tch.. you’re really unlucky Choi Soo-bin”
“Ah~ I’m just kidding, I’m just kidding”
“So, were you excited?”
" uh? "
“..Get out. Get out, you bastard Choi Soo-bin.”
“Ah, I’m really sorry ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”
Still, I'm glad that Choi Soo-bin helped ease the awkwardness a lot. Anyway, what's going on with him... No, he's going to switch partners soon.
So, I went back to class with Choi Soo-bin, joking around. Yeah. I think this life suits me best.
at that time,
Swish,
"Oh my, you two seem to be really close?"
“Choi Yeonjun?”
"Is that why you two are dating?"
" uh? "
" uh? "
The momentary familiarity seemed to be turning awkward again. Why did he bring up that kind of topic...!
at that time,
"..we're not that close yet"
” … “
"But now it's completely tilted towards me"
” … “
"We'll be like that soon, right?"
” ..!! “
Heart pounding,
Heart pounding,
It's really crazy. Now I get nervous just looking at him... I guess I really like Choi Soo-bin.
“But what if I get lonely when you guys meet?”
“..? You broke up?”
“..Yeah. Yesterday.”
I was really surprised. Choi Yeonjun broke up with her...? Choi Yeonjun's girlfriend had been friends with him for quite some time. I heard that Choi Yeonjun had liked that girl for a very long time.
“What the… Isn’t this too casual for someone you just broke up with?”
" okay..! "
“.. Breaking up is sad in itself, but if you cry on top of that, it becomes really sad.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“He came to my house yesterday and said that he liked someone else.”
“ ..!! ”
“.. It was truly miserable that I couldn’t say anything or do anything in that situation.”
“ … ”
“I couldn’t hold on, I couldn’t get angry… We just broke up like that.”
"..is this okay?"
"I have to pretend everything's okay. That way..."
” … “
“I don’t think he’ll think about me at all.”
" .. you "
Choi Yeonjun was considerate. Even though she had treated him badly, he chose to care for her until the end simply because he truly loved her.
A kind and generous guy... If it were me, I would spend my whole life cursing him. The betrayal would be great because I trusted and liked him for a long time.
If Choi Soo-bin does that... oh my, I can't handle it. Well, Choi Soo-bin doesn't have enough human connections to like anyone else in the first place.
There are many different types of breakups. Whether it's a breakup with a lover, a friend, or a family member, the intensity of the breakup varies depending on who it's with.
What must Choi Yeonjun be feeling now, having experienced the breakups of both his friend and his lover? Perhaps it's the same feeling I have right now: wanting to hate someone but unable to?
Although the temperature of the parting may be different,
After comforting Choi Yeonjun, we returned to the classroom. As expected, Choi Beomgyu was sitting next to me, and I made an effort to stay next to Choi Soobin and didn't sit down until the bell rang.
however,
Ringing,
“ … ”
“ … ”
The school bell was always strict with me. I don't know how it could be so sharp, never even a minute late. It was during class and it still is.
As expected, studying doesn't work when you're around Choi Beom-gyu. Of course, the reasons are clearly different from back then.
He had a bandage on his nose and chin, so I wondered who he really got into a fight with. His lip was also cracked, and if you looked closely, you could see a bruise on his fist.
No, who else would he fight besides Choi Soo-bin?
But I can't say Choi Soo-bin fought without telling me. She was with me all day yesterday.
He kept coughing, as if he had a cold. Well, if we had fought outside yesterday, we would have been getting rained on.
" .. under "
No, why am I worrying about him? Yeah. This is wrong of Choi Soo-bin. Don't worry.
But my horizons were wider than I thought.
" .. hey "
” … “
".. If it's cold, you can cover it with this"
” … “
How dare you ignore me? Don't you realize I'm being incredibly generous right now? Is this true?
Mr. Lee, why are you ignoring my words and making a fuss?
Swish,
“I’ll cover this..l”
bang,
“Choi Beom-gyu..!!”
When I gently shook Choi Beom-gyu's arm while he was lying face down, he fell towards me weakly and when I looked at his face, I saw that he was covered in cold sweat.
"What's going on? Why?"
"I think I need to take this kid to the infirmary..! He has a high fever."
"Really... first, bow down to me"
" huh..! "
So, with Choi Soo-bin carrying Choi Beom-gyu, we headed to the infirmary together.
Knock knock,
“Teacher..! This child has a high fever!”
After a while,
“I think I have a bad cold.. Hey.”
"Ha.. I really thought my heart was going to burst and I was going to die."
"I was surprised when you screamed too"
I was so grateful to Choi Soo-bin. He's a guy I don't even like, but he picked me up without hesitation and ran... He's a nicer guy than I thought.
" .. thank you. "
“If you’re grateful, why don’t you go eat tteokbokki with me later?”
“..if you live, I’ll go”
“Are you a gangster?”
"When Beomgyu wakes up, you guys take him. The teacher has to go to a meeting."
"Ah.. yes!"
So the teacher left the infirmary, leaving only me, Choi Soo-bin, and the sleeping Choi Beom-gyu.
I never thought I'd have this awkward three-way encounter again.
“.. Choi Soo-bin”
" why? "
“I have a favor to ask...”
After a while,
Swish,
“Come to your senses?”
“ ..!! “
"What are you surprised about? I'm the one who's surprised."
” … “
"..I have a cold, a rather bad cold"
” … “
“They even treated the wounds on my face and the back of my hands.”
” … “
Choi Beom-gyu lowers his head and stares at the floor, perhaps because he realizes his mistake or because he simply finds it uncomfortable to look at. It makes me feel like I'm the one doing the harm.
“If it were normal, I would have worried about everything and wondered why I got hurt.”
“ … ”
“I have pride too, so I can’t do that.”
" .. I guess so "
"Actually, Choi Soo-bin was here too, but I told her to leave for a moment."
” … “
"Now tell me your truth. Stop trying to deceive me."
“ … ”
“If you lie to me again, you and I are truly finished.”
" .. okay "
So Choi Beom-gyu told me everything that had happened. He told me everything, from the reason for the bet, the emotions he'd experienced, and even how he felt now.
“So your face and the back of your hand are like that because you fought with them?”
" .. huh "
" .. under "
“ … ”
“Honestly, when I see you, I really have a lot to say.”
“ … ”
“But when I actually saw you, the first thing that came to mind was that you were hurt.”
“ … ”
“I’m really pathetic too.. That’s why”
” ..? “
Swish,
"Let's break up."
“ … ”
"We broke up while we were both in love. Even if you say you like me now, I don't."
“ … ”
“It’s hard to maintain a relationship if you don’t have the same mindset.”
“ … ”
“When your heart becomes like mine, then...”
” ..? “
"There's something we haven't done before. Let's do that 'friend' thing."
” ..!! “
Even now, I don't want a complete breakup with Choi Beom-gyu. Even if it means sacrificing my pride, we're in a relationship I don't want to give up on.
So I'm trying to make our relationship a little different. I've tried writing two lines with Choi Soo-bin: as friends and as lovers.
Because he's only written one line so far
“I’ve been friends with Choi Soo-bin and now we like each other too.”
” … “
"But I've never been friends with you before."
” … “
Choi Beom-gyu's face remained completely still. What? You don't like it? Did you just want to have sex with me?
"If you don't like it, then don't say it."
"..Okay. Let's be friends"
Hug,
“But when you get your mind in order, then that’s when it starts.”
" .. huh "
I knew Choi Soobin would strongly discourage this choice, so I deliberately told her to stay out. By the time Beomgyu's mind had settled, Choi Soobin might be less wary than she is now.
So I left the infirmary with Beomgyu, and Choi Soobin was leaning against me.
“How was the story? Did it go well?”
"Yeah. Thanks."
“.. I really agreed after making up my mind.”
"Then you know"
"I'll go to class first. You two, come slowly."
“Oh, okay.”
So Beomgyu went back to the classroom first, and Choi Soobin and I talked a little more before slowly walking together to the classroom.
"But what did you talk about?"
"What... why did you do that all this time?"
"Why did you do that?"
"That's a secret"
"Huh... Do you think I left your seat for you two to keep a secret?"
"Oh my, what should I do if I'm already this jealous?"
at that time,
Hug,
“ ..!! ”
“If I do it, jealousy is also attractive.”
“Okay, okay~”
I hope these two strings that connect you will never break.
And I hope that the bond that connects me with Beomgyu will never be broken again.
I dare to hope.