Chapter 2
chapter 2
The Secret of the Popular Kid in the New Semester (2)
“……”
Even while listening to her crude stream of curses, I pretended not to notice and turned my head away.
Ever since I started hearing other people’s thoughts, there was one rule I decided on.
The first rule.
‘Even if you read someone’s thoughts, don’t act like you know.’
Even if I know, I act like I don’t from the start.
Even if I’ve heard it before, I pretend it’s the first time.
That way, life flows much more easily.
People have a tendency to not leave a protruding nail alone.
“……”
That aside.
Shin Ayoung really is trying hard.
Up until now, she hasn’t slipped out of that personality even once.
Even I didn’t realize she was like this before I could read her thoughts.
Just look at her now.
“Ayoung, I’m really sorry, but… could I borrow your notes for a bit if you wrote anything down?”
A female student subtly clung to Shin Ayoung.
“Hm? Notes?”
“Yeah, yeah. The pace was too fast from the first day, so I missed part of it… could you maybe help me out? Please?”
The girl blinked her eyes, desperately clinging to her.
Seeing that, ‘Shin Ayoung’s mini-me’ thumped its chest in frustration.
— “Ugh…! Don’t you have hands and feet? Do it yourself instead of always borrowing from others.”
Though she grumbled inwardly.
“Okay. It’s not anything difficult.”
Outwardly, she smiled brightly as if it were no problem at all.
Without hesitation, she handed over her notebook.
Watching that almost feels scary instead.
“I’m really sorry! I’ll copy it quickly and return it!”
“It’s fine, you can take your time.”
— “Yeah, just bring it back fast if you don’t want to die.”
The big Shin Ayoung and the small Shin Ayoung were saying completely different things.
A scene that looks normal to others becomes something strange when I see it.
Usually, there’s at least some overlap between what’s inside and outside.
‘But someone this mismatched… this is a first.’
The same thing continued during PE class.
Since it was the first day, we played a simple dodgeball game.
Shin Ayoung stood out there as well.
“Hup!”
Paang—!
The ball she threw hit an opponent and bounced off.
“Ayoung, nice!”
“My ball!”
She was running around energetically, but if you look at her mini-me nearby, it’s completely different.
— “Ah~ I want to rest~”
The little one was lying flat on the ground, scratching its belly.
It makes you wonder if they’re really the same person.
— “Or should I just get hit on purpose and sit out…?”
“Pass, pass!”
Shin Ayoung raised her hand while running across the field.
Watching that does make you admire her.
‘…She’s kind of amazing.’
All of that is acting. And she keeps it up consistently.
Maybe it’s something worth admiring.
Is this what it means to be a famous actor’s daughter? She clearly inherited that talent.
But still.
“……”
Watching her from the side, I became more certain of something.
Shin Ayoung is not someone you want to get deeply involved with.
Someone who piles up emotions like that is basically a ticking time bomb.
It’ll explode someday, and nothing good will come from getting caught up in it.
I’d be lucky if I don’t get hit by the fallout.
‘I should keep a reasonable distance.’
…At that time, I didn’t know.
That human relationships don’t go the way you want them to.
---
Noon. 12 PM.
Lunchtime arrived.
The first day of the new semester. The final line had fallen.
“…This is seriously a disaster.”
I failed to make any friends.
It felt like everyone already knew each other, so it was hard to jump into the middle.
And I’m the type who takes time to make friends.
I needed some time.
‘Still, I have to eat.’
I thought about eating with those two guys from other classes, but I couldn’t find them anywhere.
They probably already went to the cafeteria with their classmates.
“…Still, eating alone is a bit… maybe I’ll just go to the store.”
I’ll just grab something simple.
“…It’s pretty empty.”
I could walk around the convenience store comfortably.
It wasn’t completely empty, but there were fewer people than usual.
Maybe because it’s the new semester. Everyone must’ve gone to the cafeteria with their friends.
“Oh, there’s stuff I haven’t seen before.”
That was a pleasant surprise. Items that would normally be sold out were still there.
I picked up a triangle kimbap, a frozen hamburger, and milk, then headed to the counter.
“That’ll be 2,500 won in total.”
“Thank you.”
The next problem was where to eat this.
‘The bathroom is definitely not an option.’
I walked up the stairs with familiar steps.
Around this time last year, I was in the same situation, so I already knew a good place to eat alone.
“It’s been a while since I came here.”
An open view and a green floor. The school rooftop.
I found this place when I first entered high school while looking for somewhere to eat alone.
There were benches, a nice breeze, and no one around, so I didn’t have to worry about being seen.
“Uh, ah…”
Dust stuck to me. My nose itched.
“Achoo—!”
Is it pollen?
There was a surprising amount of dust floating in the air, even though it’s outdoors.
“Ugh… has dust already piled up here? I should clean this later…”
I’ll think about that later—first, I should eat.
“Alright.”
I brushed off the dust from the old bench and sat down.
As I tore open the bag, steam rose from the freshly heated hamburger.
I took a big bite.
“Mm.”
The taste of an instant burger after a long time.
“This isn’t so bad once in a while.”
Only once in a while.
I wouldn’t want this every day.
I should make friends soon.
Just as I was lost in those thoughts.
—Step, step.
The sound of someone walking up the stairs echoed.
“!”
I quickly moved behind the rooftop door. It was instinctive.
There’s nothing more embarrassing than getting caught eating alone.
Fortunately, there was enough space to hide.
I barely managed to squeeze myself between the railing and the wall.
“Huff.”
I stuffed the burger into my mouth and held my breath.
“You said you had something to tell me?”
A soft voice.
That voice.
That’s Shin Ayoung.
I’ve heard it so much since this morning that I recognize it now.
“……”
It really is her.
When I peeked outside, Shin Ayoung and Park Jinsu from earlier were there.
“Inhale… exhale…”
Park Jinsu took a deep breath with a serious expression.
…Is he going to confess here?
“I won’t drag this out. I’ll just say it directly. Would you like to go out with me?”
Wow.
He really confessed.
“……”
After a brief silence, Shin Ayoung spoke.
“I—”
“Of course, I’m not saying we have to start dating right away. If it’s too much, we can start as close friends first.”
Park Jinsu cut her off.
As if he had anticipated her answer.
He’s trying to at least keep a connection.
“If we get to know each other little by little—”
“I’m sorry, but I want to focus on my studies right now.”
But Shin Ayoung’s response was even firmer.
“Ah…”
“Of course, I’d like to stay close as classmates, but I don’t intend to go beyond that.”
A firm and clean rejection.
“So I’m sorry. I don’t think I can accept your feelings.”
“…I understand.”
Park Jinsu didn’t push any further.
He probably knows that saying more would only make things worse.
“Uh… then I’ll head out first. Sorry for taking your time.”
“It’s okay.”
Park Jinsu gave an awkward smile and went downstairs first.
“Haah…”
Shin Ayoung scratched her head.
For the first time, fatigue showed clearly on her face.
— “Was that the last one…? What am I even doing, not even getting to eat.”
It seems this wasn’t the first confession she received today.
‘Our school does have a lot of confessions though…’
Myeonghwa High is an arts school, so there are a lot of attractive students.
Many of them have high confidence from receiving confessions since they were young.
Confessing from the very first day of the semester is probably an expression of that confidence.
Shin Ayoung just happens to be the target.
“Damn it… I seriously want to drop out…”
That wasn’t her inner thought. She actually said it out loud.
Shin Ayoung half-collapsed to the ground, showing her exhaustion openly.
She probably thought she was alone.
“……”
She really has it rough too.
Of course, I had no intention of getting involved.
‘I’ll just stay hidden and leave when I hear her go.’
The misfortune happened at that exact moment.
Flutter—
A speck of dust landed on the tip of my nose.
“Uh, ah…!”
My nostrils flared as I failed to hold back the itch.
“Achoo—!”
I hurriedly covered my mouth, but I couldn’t completely muffle the sound.
The loud sneeze echoed across the rooftop.
“…Ah.”
Ah, damn it.
“…Y-you…”
When I turned my head, I saw Shin Ayoung’s flustered expression.
Her act had broken.
She was now facing me with her true self fully exposed.
“Uh, um.”
Why does nothing ever go my way.