Let's Distance Ourselves
Let's Distance Ourselves
To put it bluntly, this world is a rom-com novel.
There is one male protagonist, and multiple heroines who like that protagonist.
And the male sub-lead who adds tension to the romance between the protagonist and heroines... wait, no.
There is also a villain.
A villain who likes a heroine who likes the protagonist, and tries to sabotage the relationship between the protagonist and heroine to win that heroine's heart.
Well... they call him a villain, but if you ask, "Is he really a villain?", you can't help but tilt your head.
After all, unless you're hurting someone or using illegal means, what's wrong with making an effort to win someone's heart?
Clashing hearts, conveying true feelings to each other.
There's no way living life to the fullest without regrets could be wrong.
...
...Right.
If this were a normal world, that is.
"Hey. I think I really like Jinhyeok after all."
However, this world is not a normal world.
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah."
This world was a rom-com.
To be more precise, it was a world 'inside a novel'—a rom-com centered around the love story between the protagonist and heroine.
What does that mean?
"So... do you think you could cheer me on?"
It meant that anyone other than the protagonist and heroine who tries to barge into the love story is inherently destined to be a villain.
In other words, a predetermined loser who can never end up with the object of his unrequited love.
Of course, being a loser doesn't mean dying or anything. After all, the genre here wasn't fantasy or apocalypse; it was strictly rom-com.
If failing at love meant death, this wouldn't be a rom-com; it would be a thriller or horror.
However.
"...Seojun-ah?"
Heading toward a predetermined defeat, and being unable to change it no matter how hard you try, was another story entirely.
Having the girl you like tell you to your face that she likes another guy and ask you to cheer her on...
Experiencing in person what I had only read in novels hurt quite a lot.
My stomach churned, I wanted to flee this spot this very instant, and I felt a sensation as if I were the only person left in the world.
"Seojun-ah? Knock knock? Hello?"
No matter how hard I tried, I could never reach the object of my unrequited love.
The childhood friend who had been by my side for over ten years after I possessed this world ultimately chose someone else, not me.
Because in the end, I am just a villain and a sub-lead.
Because I am not a main character like the protagonist and heroine.
This world was ultimately a world meant for the main leads.
It was a fact I had obviously known from the start, but only now did I feel like I truly understood its meaning.
Therefore—
"Chaeyun-a."
"Yeah?"
"Let's..."
.
.
.
.
"Let's distance ourselves."
—I decided to let go of this relationship.
'In the end, I went and did it.'
Having returned home, I lay dazed on my bed. What had just happened replayed vividly in my mind.
-"Let's distance ourselves."
-"...What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
-"You said you like Jinhyeok."
-"What about it?"
-"You're a good person, Chaeyun-a, so you'll probably develop a good relationship with Jinhyeok soon. That's why."
-"What does that have to do with suddenly distancing ourselves?"
-"No guy likes having another close guy hanging around his girl. If I want to support you, I think it's right for me to keep my distance."
You, who are attractive enough for me to fall in love with, will surely end up with the guy you like, and from his perspective, me being by your side would be an eyesore.
I tacked on those selfish motives and excuses.
And Chaeyun seemed to take it casually, without thinking much of it—
-"Thanks, Seojun-ah. But you don't have to go that far. We're closest 'friends' of ten years, aren't we? I'm sure Jinhyeok will understand too!"
-"...Is that so?"
-"Yeah. He'll understand. So don't carelessly talk about distancing ourselves or anything like that."
It had already been ten years since I possessed a world inside some unpopular rom-com novel.
In the end, as always, my feelings failed to reach her.
"...Is this what they call getting rejected without even confessing?"
I got dumped without even getting to confess.
The girl I had an unrequited crush on fell for someone else, leaving me with no opening to squeeze through, bringing everything to a complete end.
I knew it all along.
She is the main heroine, and I am nothing more than a male sub-lead, a villain jammed into the narrative between the main heroine and the protagonist. It was true in the original work, and it was true in reality.
Even so, I lost my heart to my childhood friend and tried so hard... but none of it mattered anymore.
"...This is tough."
I covered my eyes with my hand.
My words about distancing myself from her were genuine.
Of course, my reasons were a bit different from what I had spat out with my mouth.
I had babbled to her about supporting her love and whatnot, but...
"...It's just painful."
It was simply because it was painful.
Because it was too hard to convey my feelings to her anymore. Because it was painful to watch her smile brightly while thinking of another man.
Because holding onto feelings that wouldn't reach her even if conveyed was far too overwhelming.
So in the end, when she confessed that she liked another man, I decided to give up.
With the thought that if I gave up, it would become easier—
...
"How do I go to school tomorrow?"
I muttered quietly to myself.
Today was a day off. And today, Chaeyun, whom I met outside to hang out with as usual on a day off, confessed to me the fact that she liked another guy.
Which meant that tomorrow, I had to go to school.
"We're definitely going to run into each other."
To repeat myself, saying let's distance ourselves was genuine.
However, she was too close for us to distance ourselves. Just going to school tomorrow meant seeing her face every day since we were in the same class.
Well, still, if I hung around with other friends, the times I ran into Chaeyun would decrease significantly.
The problem was... embarrassing as it is to say, I didn't have anyone in my life I could actually call a friend because I was always hanging around with Chaeyun.
Because I played with Chaeyun every single day, I never made male friends, and female friends were naturally out of the question.
'...Come to think of it, I really have nothing, huh?'
Can't achieve love.
Have no friends.
What on earth have I actually done?
One side of my chest felt empty, as if hollowed out.
I also felt at a total loss, not knowing what to do from now on.
However.
"...I have to overcome it."
I couldn't stay like this forever.
Besides, my feelings for Chaeyun were closer to something I held onto while knowing it wouldn't work out anyway.
I made an effort, and now that I've received the report card, isn't it time to move forward anew?
Of course, that doesn't mean I'm going to immediately go out and meet a new girl.
'It's not like I'm a migratory bird or something.'
My heart was by no means that shallow.
It simply meant I would now spend the time I used to spend on Chaeyun on myself.
It seems nice to pick up a hobby, or maybe go on a trip somewhere alone.
Occasionally, I could return to my family home, spend time with my parents, or receive successor training. Since I don't have close friends, trying to make some would be good too.
If I live moderately like that, the day will come when I meet a new relationship, enjoy a sweet romance, get married, and live happily together.
I believed so.
Because I am not such a weak person who lies down for a week or over a month just because of a heartbreak.
I'm not that weak.
Only...
"........."
Maybe for just today, it's okay to feel sad.
Since all I have to do is live hard again starting tomorrow, just today, staying still and doing nothing should be alright.
Thinking that, I fell asleep.
.
.
.
.
.
And the next morning.
Jjaek-jjaek—
Pbibibibik—pbibibibik—
The alarm rang, and as always, I woke up from my sleep. Checking the time, it was 7 o'clock.
It was just the right time to wash up, get dressed, and head to school.
So, if I prepared as usual and went to school with Chaeyun—
"...Ah."
As I was about to step outside, I paused for a moment.
If I go now, I'll end up heading to school at the exact same time as usual.
And that meant running into Chaeyun, who would greet me at the same time and place as always, and going to school together as usual.
...Deciding to distance ourselves was just yesterday, so wouldn't that be a bit off?
Of course, distancing ourselves didn't mean cutting ties completely or anything like that, but simply keeping some distance.
"...Still, going to school together isn't right."
If I kept her close, my resolve might waver.
Then I'd have to suffer through a terrible unrequited crush again, watching her head toward another man.
Naturally, I stepped away from the door.
Concluding that I should change the time I leave for school from now on was an added bonus.
'To make a natural excuse in the future... would it be better to change my apartment? Or just commute from my family home altogether?'
I might be able to make the excuse of oversleeping to Chaeyun once or twice and commute separately.
However, if that continued, she would definitely feel something was strange, and that wasn't what I wanted.
So to distance myself naturally... all I needed to do was abandon this studio apartment close to Chaeyun and move somewhere else.
"I should move right after coming back from school today."
Anyway, money wasn't an issue, and I didn't have many belongings.
And so, I looked into nearby real estate agencies for a while, only heading to school after a lot of time had passed.
"Seojun-ah, why are you late today?"
I was late.