Chapter 96: Duality (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 96: Duality (3)
“I’m sorry.”
Those were her first words—uttered in a flat, monotonous tone.
Shin A-young kept her head bowed low as she spoke.
“……”
When she finally looked up, she was met with the same gloomy expression she had seen countless times before. It was the look she had to confront every single time she received a confession.
“Ah…”
A short sigh brushed past her ears.
When she had first started receiving confessions, she had been restless, fidgeting awkwardly in this kind of heavy atmosphere. But at some point, it had become routine. At the very least, it didn't rattle her anymore.
“…Right, I see…”
Jung Jae-hoon covered the lower half of his face with one hand, as if trying to manually force up the corners of his mouth that were drooping with disappointment. She could see his eyes darting back and forth, searching for an opening.
“……Is it because of your studies?”
“It’s not necessarily just that.”
Shin A-young shook her head slightly.
“Then……”
Jung Jae-hoon trailed off for a moment before looking her in the eye.
“Is it because you have someone else you like?”
In that instant, Lee Seung-ho flashed through her mind.
“……No?”
The end of her sentence pitched up slightly. She had almost let her poker face slip.
No, I can’t let that happen.
Shin A-young tried her best to calm her racing heart. She looked up and met Jung Jae-hoon’s gaze directly.
“……”
Ah, there it was. The inevitable follow-up.
“Then, let’s just try seeing each other for a little bit. It’s not like you dislike me, right?”
“……”
“If we date, we’ll be able to find more things we like about each other.”
You’ll grow to like me once we start dating.
She had heard those exact words several times before as well.
“I’d rather we just stay on good terms as Senior and Junior.”
It was a practiced answer. The same response she had given every time before flowed out like a pre-programmed script.
“……”
Jung Jae-hoon said nothing. He just stood there, as still as a stone statue. It looked as though he couldn't quite process what he was hearing.
……It wasn't that she didn't understand his shock.
A "good friend," a "good Senior and Junior."
She wasn't even sure what "good" was supposed to mean in this context. It was just a way to wrap the rejection in a pretty bow; it didn't carry any deeper meaning than that.
“……I’ll head back inside first.”
“……”
There was still no reply.
Shin A-young bowed her head once more and took the first step away, leaving the spot quickly. Since she had already rejected him, leaving was probably the kindest thing she could do for him.
Thump, thump—
She walked away from the end of the hallway where he had called her out and slowly made her way down the stairs.
“Sssshhh……”
As she moved, Shin A-young found herself taking a deep, shaky breath.
It wasn't because of the confession itself. It was because of the thoughts naturally surfacing in her mind—the realization that, in reality, she wasn't all that different from him.
Following her train of thought, Shin A-young couldn't help but compare her own situation to his.
“……”
A situation where she was in Jung Jae-hoon’s shoes.
And Lee Seung-ho was in hers.
Exactly like that.
‘Ah, damn it……’
She shouldn't have thought about it.
Shin A-young’s expression hardened. She was becoming anxious about the future for no reason. She knew all too well how to reject a confession, and exactly how a rejection felt to the person receiving it.
That was why it was so difficult to convey her feelings to Seung-ho.
After this cycle repeated itself over and over, she had ended up this way before she even realized it.
‘……It’s just useless anxiety.’
Shin A-young clenched her fists tight.
It was something she didn't need to think about and had never considered before. But now, she was terrified that she might one day receive the exact same words she had just given.
That thought, more than anything, made her blood run cold.
Lunchtime.
I walked out of the cafeteria, still chewing. The meat was especially chewy today.
……Anyway, it looks like he got dumped in the end.
I looked at Shin A-young’s Mini-Me walking ahead of me. I thought she seemed to be in a bad mood today, and I guess that was why.
“……By the way, what happened with the Band Club?”
The thought suddenly occurred to me. I turned my head and asked Ji Nuri, who was walking beside me.
“Oh, that?” Ji Nuri answered nonchalantly. “I decided to join for a trial run.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, for about a month? I’ll try it out for a bit, and if it’s okay, I’ll keep going. If not, whatever.”
If it works, it works; if not, it doesn't. It was a very cool-headed way of thinking.
“I see.”
I nodded. Since she had made her decision, all I could do was cheer her on.
“What, are you worried?” Ji Nuri smirked.
“I am worried,” I spoke honestly.
“……Huh? What?” Ji Nuri’s expression turned blank.
“I’m worried you’ll be spaced out and cause some kind of accident.”
“……”
“Ah, and they don't have snacks there like we do. Since you’re a Senior, don't go stealing the kids' snacks—”
Whack, whack! Ji Nuri swung her palms at me.
“……Ow!”
I got hit for teasing her. I rubbed my arm; the girl had a stinging touch.
“……I’m going to stop by the snack shop before I go back. You coming?”
The weather was hot, and I was craving something cold to drink after eating. Lee Sol had skipped lunch today, and Shin A-young had already walked ahead. Since Ji Nuri was the only one left, I asked her.
“No, I’m going to go raid the snacks in the club room.”
“Is that so?”
Well, there were things to eat in the club room too. It was just that they didn't have what I was specifically craving.
“Don't eat too much.”
Otherwise, there won't be any snacks left for the people who actually come for counseling.
“Hey, I don't eat that much!” Ji Nuri’s eyes narrowed.
I hurried away from the spot as if escaping a crime scene.
Whirrrr—
As I entered the school snack shop next to the cafeteria, a cool breeze from the air conditioner washed over me.
‘Let’s see.’
I looked around the shop and picked up a peach juice. Nothing beats this for clearing the palate. It’s cheap, the portion is generous, and it tastes great.
I was looking around a bit more to see if there was anything else I wanted—
“Oh, hey.”
Along with a faint rustle, I heard a surprised voice. To be precise, it was a voice pretending to be surprised.
“……”
I slowly turned around. Jung Jae-hoon was standing there.
“What, you’re at the snack shop too? What are you buying?”
Jung Jae-hoon struck up a conversation in a forced, cheerful tone. His attitude was strangely friendly—for someone who had just been rejected, it felt incredibly unnatural.
“Hello.”
I gave him a casual greeting as he approached. At the same time, I scanned the area, searching for his Mini-Me.
Ah, there it was.
The Mini-Me was perched on his shoulder. Its expression was dark. As expected, there was a reason he had come looking for me.
“Wow, you’ve really grown tall, haven't you?”
Jung Jae-hoon approached with a natural stride. He made a big fuss, saying he hardly recognized me from when we first met.
“Thank you.”
I gave a standard reply, wondering why he was suddenly showering me with compliments.
“I guess you’ve been working out hard lately?”
“In my own way.”
I answered while looking at the shelves. I wondered if we had this particular snack in the club room and debated it for a moment.
“Seung-ho, you……”
As I was browsing, Jung Jae-hoon spoke up tentatively.
“Do you happen to have a girlfriend?”
“No, I don't.”
“What about someone you like?”
“……Why do you ask?”
I shifted my gaze toward him.
“Oh, no reason in particular.” Jung Jae-hoon gave a faint smile. “Want me to set you up on a group blind date?”
He then started tapping on his phone screen.
“I know this girl. She’s pretty great.”
He held the screen out toward me. An Instagram post was pulled up. It wasn't someone I knew—probably a third-year.
“What do you think? She’s pretty, right?”
“……Why the sudden offer for a setup?”
“There are actually quite a few girls interested in you lately. Didn't you know?”
“……”
I checked his Mini-Me. I couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or lying.
— “--------”
That was because his thoughts were obscured by static noise. It’s never helpful at times like this.
“I appreciate the offer, but you don't have to do that.”
I looked down at the phone and pushed it back toward him.
“……Is she not your type? Should I introduce you to someone else?”
Even though I couldn't read his thoughts, his actions made his intentions clear enough. He wanted me occupied with someone else. I had no desire to get caught up in whatever he was planning.
“I prefer an organic match, so I’m okay without a setup.”
I made up a suitable excuse.
“……I see.” Jung Jae-hoon nodded slightly. “Alright then. If you change your mind, let me know anytime.”
“……”
I didn't bother responding to that, because that was never going to happen.
Jung Jae-hoon walked straight out of the snack shop. He hadn't bought a single thing.
— “Mmm…… so Seung-ho prefers organic matches too……?”
Just as I was about to head to the counter, a voice from behind made me stop in my tracks. What was that?
“……”
I tilted my head back slightly.
Flutter, flutter—
Short arms and legs were sticking out from behind the corner of a shelf. The movement caught my eye.
“Oh……”
That’s Ji Nuri’s Mini-Me.
I looked again, and it definitely was. Setting aside the question of why it was here...
“……”
I walked over there. I walked right up to the shelf. I suddenly approached Ji Nuri, who was hiding behind it.
“Hey, when did you get here? I thought you said you were going to eat in the club room.”
At my question, Ji Nuri’s eyebrows shot up.
“Ah……”
A short breath escaped her lips. But her expression quickly shifted back to normal. She turned her gaze forward again.
“No, well…… there weren't any drinks in the club room. I came to buy something to wash down my lunch.”
Ji Nuri replied in a calm tone. She pulled the refrigerator door open with a clatter.
“I guess the club room fridge is just too small. Everything disappears so fast.”
She then crouched down and picked up two drinks lined up at the bottom of the fridge. She seemed to be debating which of the two to have.
On the surface, at least.
— “…He rejected all the setups too….”
A small, muttering voice.
— “Is he more serious about me than I thought……?”
She didn't smirk or act her usual boastful self. The Mini-Me was just muttering with a stoic expression.
“……”
I blinked. I was a bit surprised by the reaction, which was a complete departure from her usual self.
“Hey, aren't you going to pay?”
“Ah, right. I should go.”
I snapped out of it at Ji Nuri’s call. Our eyes met briefly.
— “Hehe.”
Soon, the Mini-Me’s nose turned up. It let out a triumphant laugh.
“……”
Watching that, I let out a silent sigh.
Right, this is the usual Ji Nuri.
=========
(!Signpost!)
(Scroll down for the AI illustration!)
=========
Ji Nuri lost in thought