Exists, but does not exist
Episode 17


오후 6:03

sound_of_coups
If you have time tomorrow

오후 6:04

sound_of_coups
Do you want to see a movie?

uh..?

It was an unexpected date request.

Is this... a date request?

오후 6:04

yeoj2o_r
tomorrow?

오후 6:05

sound_of_coups
yes

오후 6:05

sound_of_coups
If there's no time, there's nothing I can do...

Somehow, I felt like I shouldn't refuse.

오후 6:06

yeoj2o_r
It's time

오후 6:09

sound_of_coups
Okay!!! See you after school hehe

Seungcheol's joy could be felt just through the text.

I found Seungcheol cute like that and chuckled to myself.


강여주
uh..?


강여주
Did I just laugh..?

And he covered his smiling mouth with his hand.

- The next day

-Drrrrr


고하율
Ah, seriously, moving classes are so tiring-,


고하율
Huh? What is this?


강여주
chocolate..?

There was a small chocolate bar placed on my seat.


고하율
what?


고하율
Who gave it to you?

Ha-Yul and I looked around.

And then a name flashed through my mind,

Yoon Jeong-han.


강여주
ah..


고하율
if..


고하율
Yoon Jeong-han...is that you?

I smiled awkwardly.

Then, Ha-Yul smiled meaningfully.


고하율
It used to be completely impenetrable...


고하율
You've changed a lot, haven't you?


강여주
...

I was speechless because no suitable answer came to mind.


고하율
It looks quiet~


고하율
Are you interested in Yoon Jeong-han too?

Ha-Yul laughed and poked my ribs.


강여주
Ahhh... it hurts...

Wasn't my dry reaction amusing?

Ha-Yul laughed like that and then returned to his seat.


강여주
...

But if it were normal, I would have given it to him myself.

Why did you just leave me alone today..?

~ School is over ~


강여주
Because I said I'd meet you after school.


강여주
Can I just wait in front of the school gate?

At that time, while I was waiting for Seungcheol,

Jeonghan came out of the school gate.


강여주
Jeonghan-..!

Jeonghan and I made eye contact, but Jeonghan quickly left the seat.


강여주
... what..?

-Jiying

오후 3:56

sound_of_coups
Senior! Where are you?


강여주
ah..

Although Jeonghan was on my mind,

I couldn't break a promise I had already made.

오후 3:56

yeoj2o_r
I'm standing in front of the school gate

오후 3:57

sound_of_coups
Yes, I'll be there soon!

After I received a DM from Seungcheol,

The sound of footsteps, as if someone was running, came closer and closer behind me, and the person tapped me on the shoulder.


강여주
ah..!

I flinched slightly in surprise.


최승철
Oh.. are you surprised..?


최승철
sorry..


강여주
Uh.. no it's okay..!


강여주
..let's go!


최승철
yes

Seungcheol smiled brightly.


강여주
By the way, did you reserve movie tickets?


최승철
of course!


강여주
What movie are you watching?


최승철
It's an action movie-..~

.

..

...


강여주
Maybe because I came right after school, there aren't many people.


최승철
That's right..!

That was the first thing I said in five minutes.


최승철
Popcorn... are you eating it?


강여주
Yeah, eat it.


최승철
What kind of popcorn do you like?


강여주
I absolutely love caramel!


최승철
Wow, me too!


최승철
What would you like to drink?


강여주
I'll drink cola


최승철
There's a lot of overlap between us..


최승철
I like cola too!


강여주
I see..!

I laughed awkwardly.

After this conversation, another moment of silence came upon us.

.

..

...

직원
Customer number 273, your drink and popcorn are here~


최승철
Ah.. it's ours!


강여주
Yeah, that's right..!

The only sound between us was the crunching of popcorn.


최승철
.. it's good


강여주
Well then... shall we go in now?


최승철
Yes, I like it!

We were more awkward than we thought.

-Tick,


최승철
uh?


최승철
Senior, here is the senior card, drop it.


최승철
...Resident registration card..?


최승철
....... Born in 2004...?


강여주
Seungcheol, what are you doing standing there?


최승철
... senior..


강여주
huh?

Seungcheol's expression darkened suddenly.


최승철
..senior, my ID card fell off..

Seungcheol handed me my ID card that had fallen on the floor.


강여주
... uh..?

And then I,

I had a gut feeling that it was ruined.