Zero Lime Promise at the Station
The distance from school to the station was roughly 2-3 kilometers. If I put some real effort into sprinting, it took exactly 15 minutes. That lined up with the military's 3km special sprint standard of 12 minutes 30 seconds. Without building up my stamina beforehand, I could've missed it in that brief moment of huffing and puffing.
"Phew. Made it just in time. If I'd missed this one, when's the next?"
"Probably... about 40 minutes from now."
"The bus."
"No direct route. Gotta transfer twice, and since the bus companies are different... no free transfers. Takes longer too."
"Way too specific for no reason. What kinda setup is that?"
"Huh...? Setup?"
"Nah, nothing."
Even if it's a world where superconductors were discovered and you can zip anywhere in the country in 5 minutes, that'd be plenty. A guy who says mango cola tastes good is alive and breathing here—what's a little extra setting? Oh, wait—maybe it's the big picture for those moments when the last train gets cut and you crash at Ban Do-young's place for the night event. Pretty damn meticulous, you sneaky author.
"Looks like it's here. I'm heading down first."
"Yeah, don't dawdle and miss it."
Do Ha-min headed down the stairs to catch the train home after swiping his youth pass.
> The train is now arriving. Please step back from the platform edge.
The familiar train announcement. A rumbling sound followed, lights coming into view.
"Alright, guess I'll head out too."
I was about to leave the station after watching him descend the stairs—
"Wait up!"
Do Ha-min suddenly came rushing back up.
"What, did you get on the wrong one—going instead of coming?"
"No...! Not that... here!"
Whoosh!
Do Ha-min hurled something my way. His hands had been empty just moments ago.
"Whoa...!"
Grab.
Thud.
Pat pat.
Squelch!
Ah, if these were the hands of Ban Do-young from my office worker days, I'd have snatched it one-handed in a flash. But these dainty, flawless jade hands of hers were ridiculously small and smooth—I nearly fumbled it several times. Only after using both hands did I finally catch what he'd tossed.
"This is..."
What Do Ha-min had thrown was a can of cola. Bright green label. Unmistakably lime-flavored.
"Huff... saw it in the vending machine down there and grabbed it."
"You idiot, you know convenience stores and vending machines at stations gouge you way more than regular ones, and you still bought it?"
Station convenience stores and vending machines rarely did discounts like other chains. Be grateful if they even sold at regular price. Platform-adjacent machines or street vendors jacked up prices absurdly thanks to "location fees."
"I promised. Said I'd get you a proper one next time...!"
"You're such a moron—who asked for it now? Whatever, just run! You gonna miss the train you timed perfectly for?"
"Y-yeah! See you tomorrow...!"
I didn't say thanks. No time—the train might leave while I did. Instead, I yelled at him like I was shooing him off toward the train.
"This thing's gotta be 2,000 won a can. No discounts, obviously."
I gazed down at the can he'd bought. A chubby little 200ml-ish thing, fresh from the machine, covered in beads of sweat from the outside air—just like Do Ha-min hustling up those stairs right before tossing it.
"Pfft, total sucker."
My mouth spat curses, but for some reason... it didn't feel half bad.
"Hey, Ha-min catch it?"
"Yeah, barely made it."
It was a while after Do Ha-min's train departed that Sa-hyung and Hye-rang finally arrived at the station. They couldn't sprint as fast as me and him, so we'd split up midway when the gap widened.
"Whew, good thing. Man... haven't run like that in forever."
"What, Do-young? That in your hand—cola?"
Sa-hyung eyed the Zero Lime in my grip.
"Yup, the dude bought it for me right before boarding. Epic win, right?"
"Eww, couldn't hold out and begged for it? You're such a total thug, Do-young."
"Huh?"
"Even if you hate mango flavor, making the kid shell out here? You know station prices are trash, and you still shook him down?"
"Kek, king receive though...! I...!"
I'll squeeze even more out of him later. This much is fine! If buying Zero Lime means he gets my virginity, he's coming out way ahead!
The words bubbled up to my throat, but I couldn't spit them out. Talking about the webtoon's destined ending in this world? That alone threatens its existence. Everything I'd studied from my crash course materials said as much.
"...Sorry."
"Tch, apologize to Do Ha-min later, not us."
"Chungju apple."
"No, apologize to us too. For that lame-ass 'daddy issues' drip that'd only fly with boomers."
The main heroine of the story. School's top beauty. Bulsago Middle goddess. Titles that could bend a whole class to her will just by existing. But they meant zilch to same-sex friends you'd grown up with.
"Anyway, we're already in the city—feels lame to just head home, right? Let's hit karaoke like I said! Yeah?"
"Told you. Got a date with my boyfriend tonight. Heading to his school then straight home together. Next time."
"Tch, buzzkill. Hanging with your bf over us feels that good?"
"He's a senior this year. Might not see him as much soon. Jealous? Get your own."
"Ah, should've told Do Ha-min to take a later train knowing this."
"For real. Should've made Ha-min sing a bit."
"..."
Hye-rang, who'd been listening to me and Sa-hyung, went quiet like she was pondering, then turned to me.
"Hey, Ban Do-young."
"Didn't hear that?"
"Dunno if it's pity for the kid commuting from afar, or if you actually like him. But how about putting a little distance between you and Do Ha-min?"
"...Huh?"
"Don't act too buddy-buddy helping him out."
Her words caught me so off guard my head tilted right.
"Said it before. That Lee Jeong-gyu punk. Turned one kid half-crippled and got suspended."
"Yeah, he did."
"My boyfriend's from the same middle school. Heard the kid he beat down was tight with the girl Lee Jeong-gyu was dating."
"..."
Lee Jeong-gyu was apparently a notorious troublemaker back in middle school too. Casually putting hands on his own girlfriend was baseline; he'd even targeted and assaulted her friend for calling him out.
"What, Hye-rang? Scared of a loser like Lee Jeong-gyu? Anyone in our hood who even tries laying a hand on Do-young? Forget getting doxxed like today—they'd get beaten to death by your dad on the spot."
"I know. At least in our area. Everyone knows each other. But you think that punk's just gonna swallow his grudge against you and do nothing? Where do you think it'll spill over?"
Where would Lee Jeong-gyu's payback hit? The answer was obvious. One guy with zero connections here, getting unexplained attention from the Bulsago Middle goddess herself: Do Ha-min.
"Not saying dance to Lee Jeong-gyu's tune. But if you really wanna keep Do Ha-min safe, avoid the 'girl saving boy' vibe. Nothing looks weaker to guys."
I'd doubted at first, but couldn't fully dismiss Hye-rang's point. This was a pure-love high school webtoon world. My top priority to get back home? Craft the story's perfect ending. But just pairing the leads wasn't enough.
If it were, no need to overthink. Hike up my skirt in front of Do Ha-min at first sight and beg 'pound me like a dog'—done. Though he'd probably say no.
A Do Ha-min who only gets saved by Ban Do-young, never growing? He couldn't be the protagonist. Pure-love high school endings demanded growth. That's the 'this slaps' payoff readers buy, and my ticket home.
"Thanks. I get what you're saying."
"Good. I'm late anyway—gotta meet my boyfriend. Catch you later."
Hye-rang flashed a cool smile and waved at me and Sa-hyung.
"Get home safe, Yoo Hye-rang! Don't forget condoms at the convenience store with your bf!"
"Yup, strawberry flavor."
"Do-young. That's sexual harassment."
"It's fine, I'm a voyeur too."
Guess no matter the world, good friends make all the difference.