Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Friends
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Because he was sitting by the window, warm sunlight was pouring straight in from outside.
As a result, even as the new classmates came up to the front one by one, clearly nervous and diligently introducing themselves, Ji-hoon's side profile—propped up on his hand with his gaze fixed out the window as if he had zero interest—already shone on its own, but bathed in the sunlight, it glowed even more brilliantly.
Honestly, even to Na-young, who was head over heels in love, his face wasn't particularly handsome, but right now, he looked more handsome than anyone else.
'So cool......'
She'd been stealing glances at Ji-hoon's face for a while, but soon she was openly staring at him with a dreamy expression.
"Ah, hello...! I'm Park Ga-ro-se-ro-ri, graduated from OO Elementary School. My dream is......"
Even as introductions continued from the front row, one by one, Na-young's ears had been closed off for a long time.
Because of that, she didn't remember a single name from those who'd already introduced themselves.
'I want to kiss him......'
She wanted to try that kissing thing she saw lovers do in dramas, in a sweet, lovey-dovey atmosphere with Ji-hoon.
That simple yet incredibly difficult act of pressing lips together and then parting.
Beyond just pecks, French kissing with tongues was something Na-young absolutely wanted to do with Ji-hoon someday.
She'd seen online in some community that everyone's lips taste different. What would Ji-hoon's taste like?
Licking her lips seductively, Na-young imagined it.
If those bright red lips touched hers and moved fiercely and passionately...!
"Hehe, hehe......"
Just imagining it made her happy.
Na-young let out a silly, goofy grin with a relaxed face.
"Next."
At the word "next," Ji-hoon pushed his chair back and stood up.
Ah...! It's already Ji-hoon's turn!
Which meant Na-young was right after Ji-hoon.
Even though her turn was coming up soon, Na-young felt no tension at all.
She wasn't used to going up front and introducing herself, so why wasn't she even nervous?
The reason was ridiculously simple.
She was only interested in watching the person she loved introduce himself up there.
"Hi. I'm Ji-hoon Lee."
"Hawawa!"
Just saying his name made him look way cooler than any guy in the world.
Na-young's face turned bright red, and her heart pounded.
"Please take care of me."
Unlike the previous kids who'd finished their introductions.
Ji-hoon was trying to end it just with his name.
"Ji-hoon. That's it?"
"Yes."
"......."
The teacher shut his mouth with an expression like, "What kind of kid is this?"
It wasn't the first one; it was almost the last, after seeing everyone else, so of course it was baffling.
Feeling like it'd be troublesome to push it, the teacher nodded and sent him back to his seat.
"Next."
Na-young dreamily watched Ji-hoon, who was exuding charisma.
"Next!"
"Y-yes!"
So on the second call, she finally stood up.
The kids were on their first day at the new school, entrance ceremony just ended, so no matter how diligently they introduced themselves, they just wanted it to end quickly.
But when Na-young went up front, they focused intently as if they'd been waiting for this moment.
"Hi! I'm Na-young Han!"
Just saying her name brought applause and cheers.
Mostly from the boys.
"I went to the same school as Ji-hoon, I like doing things with Ji-hoon... I dislike when Ji-hoon's not there... My hobby is spending weekends with Ji-hoon... My dream is with Ji-hoon......"
Na-young diligently continued her introduction.
The problem was that Ji-hoon's name came up in every sentence.
As a result, the boys' faces soured quickly.
Without any chance for them to wedge in, Na-young seemed completely taken by Ji-hoon, who didn't seem particularly outstanding or handsome.
Still, Na-young was so pretty that the boys confident in their looks and background didn't seem ready to give up entirely.
"Let's be friends~!"
She finished everything she wanted to say.
"Anyone have questions for Na-young?"
After the introduction, question time began under the teacher's lead.
"Me!"
"Me me!"
"I have a question!"
Previous kids had at most one or two hands, but for Na-young, more than half the class shot up their hands.
One boy was picked.
"Are you dating that Ji-hoon guy?"
"Yeah!"
Without hesitation, she nodded vigorously with a bright, innocent face.
The boy who asked slumped dejectedly into his seat.
"Next question."
"Me!"
"Me! Me! Pick me!"
Since most wanted to ask if she was dating Ji-hoon, few hands went up now.
"If you're dating Ji-hoon, is that ring on your left ring finger a couple's ring?!"
"Yeah! It's a couple's ring!"
"When and how did you get it?"
"Hehe! Ji-hoon put it on me when he confessed!"
"Wow!"
The girl was filled with admiration and envy at this drama-like event happening in real life right under her nose.
"What kind of ring is it?!"
"This? It's emerald!"
"Pffft!"
The teacher, who had been innocently listening to the kids' love story, spat out the water from his thermos.
"E-emerald...?!"
In disbelief.
"N-Na-young...! C-can the teacher take a quick look?"
"The ring?"
"Y-yeah......"
"Sure!"
"Is it really... an emerald?"
The teacher carefully took the ring and examined it closely: a large emerald gem with a brilliant blue sheen set with cubic zirconia.
"It's pretty big and looks like an expensive emerald... More than that......"
He looked away from the emerald.
Now to the band and setting around the emerald.
"This all looks like diamonds......"
The rest was all diamonds.
"You... got this?"
"Yeah! Pretty, right?"
"It's not just pretty......"
The teacher glanced enviously at me.
"Sigh."
Then sighed deeply and returned it.
"Next question......"
The teacher's voice lacked enthusiasm.
"Me! Me!"
The kids, who knew next to nothing about jewelry, didn't feel the relative deprivation like the teacher.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Lunch on the first day at the new school.
Third graders eat first, so us first graders had quite some time before lunch.
As soon as lunch time hit, kids ghosted over to Na-young, who was in the seat next to Ji-hoon.
Ignoring them, Na-young plopped her butt on Ji-hoon's lap and leaned back against him.
"Yeah! Yeah! Really...?! Hehe!"
Ji-hoon, uninterested and not curious about the conversation, silently looked out the window or occasionally checked his mysteriously large smartphone.
So the girls who'd befriended Na-young treated him as invisible and continued chatting among themselves.
Somehow a group formed, with Na-young at the center.
The girls kept talking only to Na-young.
When asked which male idol she likes, she says she doesn't know idols and only likes Ji-hoon.
Asked favorite food, she eats everything but it tastes better with Ji-hoon.
Everything for Na-young revolved around Ji-hoon.
"So, have you two kissed?"
"......"
"......"
Even trying to block her ears, she couldn't fully.
Even ignoring and looking out the window, she heard it.
That's why, at the question about kissing, Ji-hoon's body trembled slightly, and Na-young's stiffened.
"Uh, uh...? No way, you haven't? You two?"
"Wait... you have... but only, like, two times.....?"
"Only two times? Why? You've been dating a while, right?"
Each word stabbed like a dagger.
Ji-hoon looked young, but inside he was experienced.
Even experienced, he had lines he wouldn't cross. That's why no progress with Na-young. She hadn't shown interest or maybe didn't know.
That's why they'd dated without progress until now.
"Wait a sec......"
Na-young got off Ji-hoon's lap.
"Ji-hoon."
"Yeah.....?"
"I'll be back before we go eat lunch!"
Leaving those words, Na-young took her friends and left the classroom.
She found a less crowded spot, pushed the girls in, and they followed her lead, bewildered.
"I have... pecked... no, a lot......."
"But why the reaction earlier?"
"Well... only secretly when Ji-hoon was asleep. Hehe, hehe......"
She laughed awkwardly, scratching her head.
"Amazing. You seem like you'd gone all the way to sex, but not even proper kisses."
"S-sex!"
Shocked at the casual lewd word, face bright red.
"Have you had sex?"
"N-no......"
Even the girl who said it blushed and looked away.
"So, why'd you bring us here?"
"Hehe. Well... how do you do dating stuff?"
"What.....?"
"It's my first and last time dating, so I don't know how. Ji-hoon seems clueless too. So... I wanted advice... hehe."
She was willing to embarrass herself for help from new friends.
"I want to kiss Ji-hoon. French kiss too, and if possible, s-sex... hehe!"
Maybe these girls could help make her fantasies real!
"Sorry......"
Contrary to expectations, one apologized bluntly.
"I've never dated......"
"Me neither?"
"Ugh... d-don't look at me!"
Na-young's plan to get advice and advance with Ji-hoon spectacularly failed.