Taesan Fanfic | You met me in the prologue of youth - 02. Finding the Missing You

김여주

Uh... ? Where did Han Taesan go... ?

It was break time. The heroine was packing up the textbook for her next class when she naturally turned her gaze toward the window side of the neighboring group. Taesan had definitely still been sitting at his desk when she’d handed him strawberry milk that morning, but now only his bag sat forlornly on top of it, with its owner nowhere to be seen.

김여주

'Maybe... he skipped class... ?'

Taesan was the type to ignore school rules and disappear whenever he got restless, but today, for some reason, she felt even more anxious. Even though the heroine was timid and never really dared to step in on other people’s business, she squeezed the carton of strawberry milk in her hand and finally got up from her seat. Since she’d received it this morning...

The convenience store, the athletic field stands, even the water fountain. The timid heroine mustered up her courage and searched the whole school, but there was no sign of Taesan’s tall back anywhere.

김여주

'If Taesan gets caught by the teacher, he’ll get demerits...'

As her worry kept growing, the heroine headed one last place: the stairwell by the rooftop at the end of the 4th-floor hallway, where students rarely went. Carefully climbing the dusty stairs, she spotted someone lying on the shaded landing right in front of the rooftop door.

A person sleeping with a school jacket as a pillow, his long legs crossed. It was Han Taesan.

김여주

Haa... Thank goodness... You were here...

The heroine let out a sigh of relief and cautiously approached Taesan. Not wanting to disturb his sleeping face, she stood on tiptoe and lingered nearby, when Taesan’s tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open. His sharp gaze met the heroine’s in midair.

김여주

Uh... ?

The moment the heroine startled and tried to step back, Taesan quickly grabbed the cuff of her uniform sleeve. Before she knew it, the heroine ended up collapsing beside the stairs where Taesan was lying down.

한태산

Why are you running around so busily since this morning?

In a low, husky voice heavy with sleep, Taesan asked indifferently. His eyes were still half-closed, but his hand gripping the heroine’s sleeve was tight.

김여주

I-I came to find you...

한태산

Me?

Taesan opened the eyes he’d been closing fully and looked at the heroine. In those deep eyes, her flustered, reddened face was reflected just as it was.

김여주

It was class time, but you didn’t come back... so I thought you’d get scolded by the teacher...

As the heroine barely managed to offer a weak excuse in a crawling voice, the corners of Taesan’s mouth curved up slightly in a faint smile. Taesan lifted the body he’d been lying on and leaned his upper body right up against the heroine, who was sitting there. His large frame cast a deep shadow over her.

한태산

You were worried about me, so you searched the whole school?

김여주

Ah, no... it’s not exactly that...

한태산

Don’t misunderstand, Kim Yeoju.

Pretending not to care, Taesan reached toward the heroine’s reddened cheek and gently tucked her messy hair behind her ear. The instant his fingertips brushed her skin, the heroine gasped for breath.