Chapter 125: 2nd Semester Midterms (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 125: 2nd Semester Midterms (2)
The final day of the second-semester midterms had arrived.
"You all worked hard studying for the exams. Go out and have some fun today."
Homeroom was over. The teacher was the first to slip out of the classroom. Following close behind, the students rose from their seats as one, a bustling crowd pouring out into the hallway.
Vrrr, vrrr—
As I was packing my bag, the phone I’d left on my desk vibrated.
[Yo]
[PC cafe for the first time in a while? Let me know.]
It was a text from Yoon Jin-su, a guy who had been in my class during freshman year.
"Friends from first year?"
Shin A-young, who was getting up from her seat, noticed the message and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah," I replied.
"……."
She looked down at her desk in silence, lost in thought. Her finger tapped a rhythmic beat against the wood.
— “Well, he has been hanging out only with us lately….”
As if she had made a decision, her Mini-Me gave a small, firm nod.
"It’s okay if you go play with them, you know?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you want to hang out with them?"
It wasn't necessarily that I was dying to go. But I suppose that’s how it looked to her.
— “Come to think of it, I didn't make any specific plans with Seung-ho for today anyway….”
That was true. Since we’d been hanging out so much lately, I just naturally assumed we’d do something together. No one had actually spoken up and asked to hang out first.
— “Seung-ho needs time to hang out with his guy friends once in a while, too.”
The Mini-Me spoke as if she were perfectly fine with it. Her tone was calm and gentle.
"……."
But she wasn't fine at all.
When I shifted my gaze, the Mini-Me’s appearance told a completely different story.
— "……."
The corners of her eyes were drooping, and her body was slumped over the desk like a puddle of slime. Her entire being was radiating disappointment.
How could I say yes when she looked like that?
"Forget it. They have plenty of fun without me."
I sent a rejection text and shoved my phone into my pocket. I could always hang out with those guys later.
"Let's go."
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood up.
"I really would have been fine with it, though," Shin A-young said, grabbing her bag and falling in step beside me. Despite her words, a pleasant curve had already formed at the corners of her mouth.
"What about the others?"
"They said they'd return the club room key and wait for us by the shoe lockers."
When we reached the first floor, the other two were already there waiting for us.
"…So, what are we doing today?"
At my question, Shin A-young offered a suggestion. "PC cafe?"
"Is that all you can think of?" Ji Nuri immediately shook her head. "We went there last time."
She clearly wasn't in the mood to visit the same place twice. I tried to think of other options. Excluding the places we’d already been…
"Hmm, we've been to an OTT room once… how about a bowling alley?"
"…No thanks."
This time, Lee Sol shook her head. To be fair, that place was her natural enemy. Maybe other sports would be fine, but this was bowling. I could easily imagine her grabbing a heavy bowling ball and trembling—“Hee-eck!”—as her limbs turned to jelly.
"……There really isn't much to do, is there?"
It was because we’d already exhausted almost everything in the neighborhood. If it were winter, we could go to a ski resort, but it was too early for that, and the distance made it a bit much for a day trip. It sounded like it would be fun later, though.
"Then how about we just wander around the department store and catch a movie?" Ji Nuri suggested.
"You want to go shopping?"
"Yeah."
"That sounds reasonable."
Besides, come to think of it, the four of us had never gone shopping together. I’d heard that the three of them had gone before the school trip, though.
"Sounds good."
"…Okay."
The others seemed to agree. Lee Sol, in particular, nodded as if the timing was perfect.
— “I need to buy clothes to wear for the dance challenge video anyway.”
It seemed she’d been planning to go shopping recently.
*
Bustle, bustle—
‘…Wow, there are a lot of people.’
That was my immediate thought as soon as we stepped off the bus. Perhaps other schools finished their exams today too, because the streets were crawling with students in uniforms. Because I could see the Mini-Mes, the sense of chaos felt twice as intense.
"This place looks nice."
We wandered through the department store before stopping at a suitable shop. Only Lee Sol, Shin A-young, and I were inside the store; Ji Nuri had stepped away for a moment to buy some drinks.
"Seung-ho, which of these two looks better?" Lee Sol held out two knit sweaters toward me.
"Ummm…."
My eyes narrowed instinctively at the question. Honestly, it was a tough choice. It was even harder because it was Lee Sol asking. She looked good in literally anything, which ironically made it more difficult to choose.
"I think both would look great. The style is pretty similar, too."
"What if you had to pick just one?"
Lee Sol’s eyes blinked seriously. Had she ever been this serious about anything else?
— “I got some allowance from Mom… but I don't have enough to buy both.”
Sigh.
Her Mini-Me let out a deflated breath. Deep down, she clearly wanted both.
"……."
I looked back and forth between the two hangers Lee Sol was holding before making a choice. I pointed to the one on the left.
"This one?"
"…Yeah. I’ll go try it on."
She didn't argue. As if my choice was enough for her, Lee Sol immediately turned around and scurried into the changing room.
‘She seems to have taken an interest in buying clothes lately.’
Maybe she’d finally discovered the joy of shopping. At the beginning of the semester, she used to just throw on any old hoodie because she found dressing up a chore. Now, she was volunteering to change clothes. If Lee Sol’s mother saw this, she might have burst into applause.
"Seung-ho."
Shin A-young tapped me lightly on the shoulder.
"Aren't you going to buy anything? Want me to pick something out for you?"
"Hmm…."
I did need to buy some winter clothes. Everything I wore last year had become too small.
"Sure."
I nodded. I might as well get something while I was here.
"Is there a specific style you like?"
"To be honest, I'm fine with anything."
"There's no such thing as 'anything.' If you don't have a preference, I'm just going to pick whatever I want, okay?"
Shin A-young led me to the corner right next to us. This section sold men's clothing. Since it was the casual floor, it seemed both men's and women's clothes were on display together.
"How about this?"
Shin A-young picked up a garment and held it up against me. Then, deciding something else might suit me better, she brought over another item. This repeated several times. I felt a bit like a mannequin.
As we were picking out clothes…
"You're looking for clothes for your boyfriend, right?" A shop assistant approached with a knowing smile.
"Wh-what?"
Shin A-young jumped, her face turning bright red. She nearly dropped the hanger she was holding. Her explosive reaction made me feel awkward as well.
The employee raised her eyebrows and covered her mouth. "Oh my, I'm sorry if I was wrong."
"No, it's just…!"
"Yes, they're just classmates."
That response came from Ji Nuri, who had walked up behind us. She took a long sip of her fruit juice with a neutral expression.
— “Because Lee Seung-ho will just feel awkward otherwise.”
Sniff.
Ji Nuri’s Mini-Me gave a little sniff. She followed close behind her real self, who walked away as if it were no big deal.
"……."
Shin A-young’s face went cold, as if she’d been doused with water. The air between us became unbearably awkward.
Swish—
Along with the sound of a curtain moving, the changing room door opened. Lee Sol, who had gone in to change, stepped out.
"Oh…."
A small exclamation escaped my lips involuntarily. She walked out with confidence. Given Lee Sol’s personality, I expected her to be awkward or shy, but there was none of that. Maybe it was because she was a model; she seemed used to showing off clothes.
"…How is it?"
She turned her body this way and that, showing off the fit.
"It’s nice. It suits you well."
I couldn't think of any other way to describe it.
— "……."
Lee Sol’s Mini-Me was silent. She covered her reddened face with both hands and rubbed it as if washing her face.
"…Then I'll go try the other one on, too."
Lee Sol fled back into the booth. I let out a small chuckle. Her reaction was cute.
"Ji Nuri, aren't you going to pick anything?"
She was the one who suggested shopping, yet she’d been doing nothing but watching.
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"……."
At my question, Ji Nuri stopped sipping her drink and let a mischievous smile play on her lips.
"…Why? Do you want to see me in something?"
For some reason, the corners of her mouth were quirked up.
"……."
My eyebrows twitched instinctively. She really was an expert at bruising one's ego. I knew that if I backed down here, she’d only get more arrogant. I decided to be bold instead.
"Yeah."
A single, short syllable. I nodded with a calm gaze.
"……Huh?"
At my direct answer, Ji Nuri’s expression went blank. She clearly hadn't expected that kind of response. She looked as if she were questioning whether she’d heard me correctly.
"……."
Ji Nuri’s eyes darted around.
Whew.
She let out a short breath.
"……Fine, then."
Ji Nuri’s eyebrows softened. She reached out and began rummaging through the clothes.
— “I might as well buy one thing since I'm here.”
The Mini-Me muttered to herself.
"……?"
I blinked blankly. I had expected her to be annoyed or get angry. But this… it wasn't the reaction I was expecting at all.
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(!Signpost!)
(Illustration below!)
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