Who Will You Choose?
Who will you choose between the two? What choice do I have to make right now?
A public confession.
Honestly, I'd only ever seen that kind of thing in novels. In real life, it's a surefire way to humiliate yourself.
Everyone gathers around, turning you into the center of unwanted attention—who the hell would like that? Even if you had feelings for the person, pulling something like this in front of the whole school would send your hard-earned favor plummeting straight to zero.
And now some girl I'd never even seen before was doing exactly that?
"Sorry."
I just shut it down cold. As I turned to head back to class after rejecting the girl's confession,
"You don't know who I am?"
She grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go.
"Then you'll just have to get to know me from now on, right?"
She was still barking like a puppy, full volume.
Does this girl have no pride at all?
I stared at her with a blank look, and she flashed a confident smile.
"Didn't know you were such a shy guy. Guess I'll have to play along. I'll seduce you, Baek Haon, within the next month!"
The girl rattled off whatever she wanted to say, then scampered back to her class like nothing happened.
The friends around us were giggling like it was the juiciest drama ever.
A few looked at me with pity in their eyes.
What the hell is going on?
If I'd been part of this novel from the start, would I have taken this in stride? No way in hell.
Real romance is about gradually getting to know each other, exchanging feelings, understanding even the mismatched parts—that's when you start dating! A confession out of nowhere like that just breeds resentment.
"Haa..."
Either way, one thing was clear: I'd landed myself a headache.
And sure enough...
"Haon, what the—? Did you just turn down Lee Jihye?"
"Damn, classic Baek Haon. So jealous."
The guys were fawning over my apparent coolness.
"But I heard she has a bad rep. Shouldn't you be careful?"
"Yeah. Isn't she targeting a model student like Haon to turn him into her slave?"
"Total worst."
For some reason, the girls were gleefully trash-talking the girl who'd confessed.
"Cut it out."
I was getting pissed.
These people who never said a word to me normally suddenly swarming like this felt so fake. Just like those parasite punks who used to cling to Baek Haon back in middle school.
And spreading rumors without even knowing her? I didn't want to deal with that crap.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Haon. Wanna hit the vending machine?"
"Yeah, you guys get ready for class too."
Lee Wooju and Kim Taeyang stepped in late to defuse things.
The crowd dispersed awkwardly back to their seats.
"Loosen up, man."
Taeyang thumped my back. I could feel a vein throbbing on my forehead—I must've gotten sharp without realizing.
"Sorry, morning's been a mess."
"Happens. The guys I get, but the girls crossed a line."
"Right? Talking shit about you when they've never even said hi?"
Wooju and Taeyang patted my shoulder, saying I'd handled it well.
These guys...
Is this what real friends feel like?
My nose stung a little. I don't know why I snapped so hard, but those girls' gossip was definitely the trigger. For some reason, I felt like that girl was in the same boat as me.
But was I always the type to lose it over something like that?
Sure, it was a situation where getting mad was justified. But did I have to?
If I really had a high schooler's mindset, maybe, but my mental age is 27. Losing my temper over friends teasing a bit or badmouthing the girl who confessed to me? I was genuinely pissed.
...No way.
Was some of Baek Haon's personality lingering?
If so, that'd be a massive problem... I'd blink and suddenly be beating up Wooju and Taeyang, or hitting on Chae Serin out of nowhere, or coming to in prison during roll call...
No... not that... never...
I shook my head hard and sighed. Wooju looked at me worriedly from the side.
"Haon, you finally losing it?"
"Right on the edge, so shh."
Wooju had started treating me casually at some point. We traded light jabs and jokes now—like real buds.
Anyway, not the point...
I ripped a page from my notebook and started scribbling down every thought that came to mind.
For Baek Haon's personality to linger, it'd have to tie to his delinquent nature.
But I hadn't done any thug bullshit. Even when Seohwan got beat by those idiots, I felt the rage but held my instincts in check—reason won out.
But earlier... I unconsciously radiated killing intent at everyone around me.
Like some implanted behavior just popped out on its own?
Doesn't seem like Baek Haon's personality lingering. If it was instincts left to follow the original plot, my school life would've imploded already. So that means...
Tap tap tap.
I lightly smacked my pencil against my head.
Tap tap tap.
No clue, no matter how I thought about it.
Maybe I was just extra sensitive?
"Baek Haon!!"
The mystery girl tailed me relentlessly after that.
Even sitting quietly in class, she'd shove Wooju aside and plop next to me. She'd follow me all the way to the guys' bathroom door. Even at lunch, she'd barge shamelessly into our group.
"...Is 'seducing me' code for 'stalking me'?"
"What? My head's full of intel on you right now!"
"Uh... yeah? But my friends look uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?"
The girl—no, Lee Jihye—asked Wooju and Taeyang, who were quietly eating.
"Huh? No, we're..."
"See? They say it's fine! If it bugged them, they'd just shift seats—why ask?"
Lee Jihye.
This girl was no ordinary nutcase.
Zero tact whatsoever. Total bulldozer style—like everything she did was gospel truth.
Don't worry, folks. I know how to handle friends like this.
"Wouldn't it be better to meet one-on-one? I don't like you tagging along."
The strategy: give-the-hated-one-extra-rice!
Say what they want first, hide your real intent at the end. Then they...
"...Are you asking me on a date right now?"
"Well, you could see it that way."
...hear only what they wanna hear.
They have to accept the rest like it's charity.
Worked great on stubborn punks back in the day.
Jihye nodded, satisfied.
"Cool. When?"
"After school, I'll swing by your class."
"Got it~"
With that, Jihye finally left us alone.
"Phew... what kinda girl is she?"
"Kinda suffocating..."
The guys finally relaxed and ate properly.
"Anyway, Haon. You meeting her?"
"Huh? Yeah, after school."
"Nah, I mean, you gonna date her?"
Taeyang stared seriously. Makes sense—your buddy's love life is prime entertainment for high schoolers.
But...
"Dunno yet."
I didn't give them the juicy answer they wanted.
"Lame."
"Must like her if you're meeting after school, right?"
Tsk tsk tsk.
Wooju, you clueless pup.
Knows one thing, misses two.
"Could just be friends."
Yeah, friends.
High schoolers won't get how precious a girl friend is. Step into adult life, and you might not even talk to women, let alone have female friends.
My path—sports uni, military, athlete, trainer—cut chances to chat with girls... and eventually...
Ten years solo...
Ah, is the sky blurring? Why's my cheek wet...?
"Such a downpour..."
"Haon, meeting girls finally broke you? It's indoors—how's it raining?"
"It's rain."
I tilted my head up and pulled my cap low.
"Where'd the cap even come from...?"
Back from lunch, someone was in Wooju's seat.
"She back already?"
I hurried to my spot anxiously.
"Hey, Mr. Popular?"
Kim Minji was looking at me.
"Popular? It just kinda happened."
"Getting a public confession by accident? From a guy?"
"..."
Minji crossed one leg, propping her chin on her hand.
Even with panties on, that pose screamed danger.
I averted my eyes quick.
"Oh? What're you imagining?"
She scooted closer, nudging my leg with her foot.
"Nothing. Just being considerate."
"Don't bother."
Thud.
My heart nearly dropped.
Even with my 27-year-old mind, this body's a hormonal teen. If a curvy girl like her came at me full seduction mode, my sanity... sanity...!
"Hey, Kim Minji! Vending machine or what?"
My eyes rolled back 45 degrees when a booming voice echoed from behind.
"Tch, always interrupting at the worst time."
Minji patted my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
"Reserve before capacity's full?"
Her swaying hair brought another whiff of shampoo.
That was really close. My little boss almost showed up!
Minji sauntered out the back door casually, unlike me. Chae Serin waited there, glaring like she wasn't thrilled.
"Whew, intense."
"Yeah, way too much..."
Wooju waited awkwardly till Minji left before reclaiming his seat.
"Maybe this seat wasn't meant for me."
He stroked his desk wistfully, enlightened.
Ah, Wooju... I'm so sorry.
I should've made room somehow...
"Next time, I'll move."
"Nah, my desk and chair want pretty, cute girls sitting there more than me."
"Idiot."
"So, who is it? Who you picking?"
Wooju spouted nonsense again.
"N-no way. Haon-kun, not me, right...?"
Smack!
"Ow, sorry. Hand moved on its own."
My palm cracked against Wooju's back crisply.
He uttered the forbidden words from the male lead's mouth.
Legal smackdown.
"Haon-kun, too mean..."
Wooju rubbed his back against the wall to cool it.
"What now?"
Taeyang, back from the bathroom, asked. Wooju explained, then...
"H-Hon-kun...! So it was me after all...!"
These punks—getting chummy and losing their minds.
"Yeah."
"R-really? As expected...!"
"For a beating."
"Gaaah!"
I'll drill it in so that rotten plague talk never leaves their mouths again.
Time flew, and soon enough.
"Done already?"
"Keeping promises? Knew making you my boyfriend was the right call!"
I saw Lee Jihye again.