My gaze was always on you.
04 | Each person's priorities
이지안.
A person who is pretty when he smiles, kind to everyone, and sometimes misunderstands others.
배주현.
Do you like people who mislead you?
The person I like doesn't like me back. I could tell they didn't like me. But, it's really just something I do, and even though it's pathetic to see me excited by myself, I like it. I just like that person so much.
I absolutely couldn't say "Taehyung." I felt like it would make things awkward not only for her but for me as well. I wanted to be happy, but I couldn't. As long as Joohyun existed.
배주현.
So you're going to give up? The person you like likes someone else.
이지안.
I don't want to give up. But it's so hard to see the person I like struggling. And the person they like doesn't even look at them.
배주현.
It's so complicated. But wouldn't that person start to see you as time goes by? But it depends on your priorities. Friendship comes first for me.
이지안.
Huh? What did you say? I didn't hear the last word.
배주현.
No, I'm just cheering you on.
Even when I spoke to her, I thought of Kim Taehyung. But he was smiling brightly at her. Should I just wait, as Joohyun had said? I didn't want to rethink his everyday actions and words, interpreting them one by one, and continue to fantasize about them alone.
김태형.
Lee Ji-an, are you bored without me?
이지안.
It was a bit disappointing. There were three people every day.
김태형.
There's no one better than you. Cabbage, get out of here.
배주현.
It's really going.
김태형.
Just kidding. Don't forget we decided to go to the movies yesterday. I'll buy you popcorn instead.
배주현.
Dog profit. You promised.
It starts with three, and every conversation ends with two. I've tried countless times to exist in his eyes, but it always ends with two. Does Joohyun know who made me so miserable?
이지안.
By the way, Joohyun, do you meet that senior often?
김태형.
What senior?
I finally spit it out, knowing the person I loved would be hurt. Perhaps it was my pride that kept me from giving up and kept me stuck between them. I wished he wouldn't be hurt, but I also didn't want to suffer any longer.
I wanted to lighten the load, even if it was just a little, and in the end, I chose myself over him.
배주현.
Ah.. I have someone I like.
김태형.
Who is it..?
배주현.
Senior Park Jimin. I met my perfect ideal type. Isn't that amazing?
[Joohyun's point of view]
From the moment I was born, I was loved by everyone. So, whenever I wanted something, adults would give it to me. I didn't have any negative relationships with anyone, but within those relationships, aside from my family, the only people who saw me as Bae Joo-hyun were Ji-an and Tae-hyung.
배주현.
Yay. All three are in the same class.
I don't know exactly when I first realized it. Since I've always been perceptive, I could easily tell that Ji-an liked Tae-hyung, and that Tae-hyung liked me. But, knowing everything meant I had to endure a lot.
Because my friends' feelings always came before mine. I didn't want to hurt my precious friends who saw me as myself, and I wanted to maintain this relationship. To that end, my liking for Taehyung didn't matter.
I needed true friends. Friendship, not love. I thought that if I just pretended not to know or like them, nothing would go wrong.
배주현.
Senior Park Jimin. I met my perfect ideal type. Isn't that amazing?
The corners of his mouth lifted as high as they could. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him, his pupils shaking and his thoughts growing deep at Ji-an's words. How did he take it? This performance must have been the most difficult moment. I laughed in front of the man I loved, and hurt him.