Does It Matter If I Flirt With Him?
My mood was a total mess right now.
I'd just witnessed the first meeting between the heroine, Chae Serin, and the hero, Lee Wooju.
The classic romcom opening at the start of the semester. For some reason, those two always show up late to class.
Then comes Chae Serin, all elegant and haughty, saying,
"Don't block the way. Move."
And Lee Wooju, fumbling like a total dork:
"Uh, s-sorry."
The whole class's attention snaps to them in an instant, hinting that they're the main characters. Two people who seem like they'd never click end up sitting together because there are no seats left—an ironic twist.
Yeah, that's the scene I wanted to see.
Chae Serin casually gazing out the window, Lee Wooju fidgeting awkwardly. That fresh, heart-melting vibe that tugs at anyone watching.
So why the hell is it playing out like this?
I couldn't help but frown at what was unfolding.
Up until they entered the classroom, it had been identical to the original story. Chae Serin should've shoved the hero aside, claimed her seat, and Lee Wooju should've followed, squirming as he sat down behind her.
But...
"Hey, mind if I sit next to you?"
Why the fuck is this guy sitting next to me?
Lee Wooju set his bag down not beside Chae Serin, but next to me.
I glanced over at her, confused, and there she was.
"Serin! I saved a seat for you!"
Some random extra was welcoming Chae Serin, and she just naturally headed that way.
What the hell is going on?
Is it because of me?
Did I cluelessly take the seat they were supposed to share?
No, that doesn't make sense. The spot I was in was that awkward middle-back corner—not prime real estate. It was the kind of place that should've filled up before the protagonists even arrived.
Wait...
Has word already spread that I'm a thug piece of trash, so no one wants to sit with me? That's why there were no empty seats for Lee Wooju and Chae Serin, forcing him to take the one next to me...?
That explanation actually made some sense.
In the original, it wasn't explicitly shown, but Baek Haon's neighbor was one of his trashy friends. But now, most of the delinquents except Lee Seohwan had avoided me and gone to other high schools. So someone else filled that spot instead.
Which changed everything.
"Haa..."
I let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
If the original plot was twisting because of me, what could I even say? I didn't want to mess it up, but...
I'd reformed, and this was the result. What did they expect me to do? Live like garbage? Beat up kids, teachers, even parents, and end up in prison?
Bullshit.
Sure, I cherished the original story as a reader, but that didn't mean I was gonna throw my life away like some lunatic.
I scowled and sighed again.
"Uh... am I bothering you or something?"
Lee Wooju fidgeted, sneaking peeks at me.
"Nah, just gotta take a massive dump."
"Oh! I have tissues—want some?"
What a bright-eyed kid.
His beaming smile had this knack for stirring protective instincts, even in another guy.
Right, that's the kind of guy he is.
The one they called a puppy-like character.
It was the most common way he was described in the novel. Cute as hell in looks, pure-hearted, bubbly yet gentle in personality.
That's why, early on, he seemed like easy prey and got picked on a lot.
But Chae Serin always stepped in.
They were total opposites.
The heroine bursts out in girl crush mode to protect her pet, and the hero submits, trailing after her with puppy-dog affection.
Yeah, that's the charm that drew them together and opened their hearts.
"Dude, you're seriously hot."
So why was this puppy wagging his tail next to me?
I was not going down the BL route. Hard pass.
I didn't want to watch guys giggling like schoolgirls or sucking up to each other about looks.
Tell that crap to a proper pretty boy. It'll just disgust me.
Even if it was a compliment.
Absolutely not.
I brushed off Lee Wooju's creepy remark and got ready for class.
After class ended, during break time.
Thankfully, Lee Wooju knew someone else in class and didn't cling to me.
Stay the hell away as much as possible.
I felt uneasy.
If there was some unavoidable reason I had to get involved in their story—and if that required me to be my pre-reformed trash self—then my future was inevitably headed for the criminal route.
I hadn't worried much before high school started. My current state was a perfectly reformed, clean slate.
But...
Seeing the three of us crammed into the same class felt ominous, like the original plot preservation law was kicking in.
It was like meaningless extras were being shoved aside to force events together.
And another reason.
If that wasn't it...
This was probably crazy, but... what if... just what if... the love target had switched from Chae Serin to me?
Like I said, a guy hitting on me? I'd hate it so much my trained fists might come out to greet him.
I'd never dated seriously my whole life, but that didn't change the fact that I liked girls.
I had to somehow make sure Lee Wooju and Chae Serin crossed paths.
Otherwise, the sweet romcom could devolve into a vomit-inducing yaoi shitfest.
The thought made my stomach churn.
To clear my head, I left the classroom to grab some cold water.
"Yo, top scorer. Know anyone here?"
Lee Seohwan was waiting for me at the front of the class.
"You think? This is the farthest high school from home. At least you're here."
"Same. But cliques are already forming—hard to make friends."
He sighed shortly, looking troubled.
"What can ya do? Just study like always."
"You psycho. Anyway, any cute girls in your class?"
Lee Seohwan clearly didn't want to talk boring studies from day one; he grinned mischievously.
"Dunno. Even if there are, they won't give a shit about me. Rumors from middle school must've spread already."
"Huh? How? This is the farthest from our middle school."
"Haa... that's what I mean. Girls were whispering about me at the entrance ceremony."
Lee Seohwan gave me a weird look.
Then,
"You going for a concept?"
He spouted some nonsense.
"?"
I stared at him, confused, and he clicked his tongue like whatever.
"What's the point of hanging with a hot tall guy if you won't hook me up even once?"
"Dude, there need to be girls around first."
"Whatever. Big bro's got high hopes for you."
He patted my shoulder lightly and headed back to his class.
That lunatic. When's he gonna wise up?
Anyway, I wasn't against dating if the chance came. I wasn't narcissistic enough to ditch a girl who liked me, and staying solo in a romcom just looked pathetic and lame.
Come to think of it, did Baek Haon ever date in the original?
Back at my seat, I pondered his patterns.
He was always surrounded by girls as a delinquent, but no real girlfriend. Probably because Chae Serin occupied his heart.
But not anymore.
If the former sweet potato villain dated someone else? That'd eliminate 70% of the threat to the Lee Wooju-Chae Serin couple.
Hell, he'd probably cheer them on as the childhood friend.
Assuming he could date, of course.
Damn Baek Haon... couldn't you just live right for once...
Like Lee Seohwan said, my classmates were already forming groups, chatting away.
The girls especially had factions forming, huddled in threes and fives.
And those groups kept glancing at me and whispering.
Seohwan... it's already too late.
I wiped away imaginary tears inside and stared out the window.
The sky was pointlessly blue, clouds fluffy as ever.
Was I doomed to vicariously live through others' romances this lifetime too...?
At least it was my favorite characters in my top novel, so that was some comfort.
Haha!
Lost in such thoughts and daydreams,
someone lightly tapped my shoulder.
"Mind if I sit here for a bit?"
I turned without thinking.
A pretty girl smiled at me.
Chae Serin couldn't believe her eyes.
Baek Haon?
The guy she knew was a total thug trash.
That's why she'd cut him off, assuming he'd never show up in front of her again.
But.
"Why the hell is he giving the entrance pledge...?"
Having taken the exam herself, she couldn't comprehend it.
It was brutally hard—even average scores could've gotten into a Seoul uni.
Yet the trash she'd despised had taken first place, like rubbing it in her face.
Complete with a total makeover.
She doubted it.
Was this really the Baek Haon she knew?
She tried getting close to see his face, but a massive crowd always swarmed him.
They didn't look like his old friends, nor were they talking to him directly.
Just like her, they were gawking out of curiosity.
Ha, whatever. Probably nothing.
Looking at her assigned seat chart, a familiar name jumped out.
No way.
She kept telling herself it wasn't, opened the door—and someone blocked her path.
Eh?
She couldn't look away. Not from Lee Wooju in front of her, but from the guy sitting far off.
Sharp jawline, striking features, standout sky-blue hair.
Her childhood friend she'd known since they were kids stared back indifferently.
He wore the same uniform jacket as the pledge guy, and the fierce muscles clinging to his frame set him apart from any ordinary high school boy.
No one could deny this was reality.
"So he studied a bit...? Doesn't change his shitty personality. Bet he'll cause drama right from the start..."
She tried denying it.
Tried rejecting the reality she knew.
But his behavior was model-citizen perfect.
No threatening the class, slipping away during breaks or prepping for the next lesson.
This can't be real.
She kept staring holes into Baek Haon.
"Serin, you know him?"
A friend from the same middle school asked.
"Childhood friend. Not close."
"Oh? Thought it was some secret crush."
"We're not close. What the hell?"
She snapped at her ridiculous friend.
But her friend just grinned like it was great news.
"So it doesn't matter if I flirt with him?"
"Huh?"
"You said you're not close."
With a meaningful smile, she got up and headed straight for him.
No chance to stop her, no words.
The friend plopped down next to Baek Haon with a bright smile.
Chae Serin could only watch blankly.
What's so great about that thug...
The whole class's eyes turned that way.
The reactions were so absurd she didn't want to see anymore.
She left the classroom without a word, but...
Baek Haon with his high standards wouldn't like Minji anyway.
For some reason, she found herself trash-talking her closest friend.