Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: My Childhood Friend Seems to Have Regressed
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#66
Scritch-scratch.
Flip.
The classroom was filled only with the sounds of pencils scratching across paper and pages turning.
With midterms right around the corner, even during break time, most of the kids were glued to their desks, poring over textbooks and workbooks. It was the quintessential scene that screamed, "This is senior year."
The ones who didn't study much must have felt awkward chatting in that atmosphere, leaving the room wrapped in a quiet hush.
I'd always hovered between 2nd and 3rd place, so I never thought of myself as bad at studying, objectively speaking.
But because Han Seo-ah, the perfect girl next door, always locked down 1st place, I'd constantly been compared to her.
—Man, I'm suddenly pissed off.
It's not like I'm the one who's bad at it.
Normally, I'd be like, "Eh, this is good enough," and prep casually for a test like this.
But this time, I was tense.
If things really worked out with Han Seo-ah... well, I'd love to end up at the same university as her.
I didn't think she'd cheat or anything, but people around us wouldn't just leave it alone.
I didn't want to deal with that kind of drama, so I was dead set on getting into the same school.
Ah, but 1st place is no joke.
Can't you just be moderately good at studying, you damn valedictorian?
I ruffled my hair, forcing myself to stare at a math workbook that wasn't registering at all, when someone tapped my shoulder from behind.
Turning around, there stood Ugly No. 1—er, Kim Seung-hyun.
"What?"
"Hey, come out for a sec."
"Why all of a sudden? You're annoying."
"Everyone's studying. Come on, man."
Ugh, I was trying to study (not really), and instead of helping, these guys...
I got up and headed into the hallway, where Park Jae-hwan was already waiting.
"Why'd you call me?"
Wondering what was up, I asked—and they shoved their phone screen right in my face.
"...What's this?"
A valley? A pension?
"Dude, after exams, wanna hit this place up?"
"Kim Seung-hyun's relative owns it, so they're hooking us up cheap. We have to go."
"Have to, have to, we absolutely have to!" The two of them made a huge fuss, and for a split second, I felt a tiny pang of guilt.
"Guys, I can't make it."
"What? Why?"
"You crazy bastard! Why wouldn't you go? This is the chance of a lifetime!"
Hesitating whether to tell them the truth or not—they were foaming at the mouth already—I figured it'd come out eventually anyway.
Better to rip the band-aid off now.
"I'm going on a trip with Han Seo-ah after exams."
For a moment, I thought time had stopped.
The hallway was still noisy, but around us three, a suffocating silence hung heavy.
Then, Kim Seung-hyun clapped his hands like he'd just realized something, his voice bright.
"Oh yeah! Your families go on trips together every year, right?"
Park Jae-hwan nodded along, acting like he'd remembered too. "Aaah—yeah, you went last year too, didn't you? Going again this time?"
"... ."
I couldn't tell these two the truth, so I just broke out in a cold sweat, staying silent.
"Hey, you don't mean...?"
"No way, for real...?"
They stared at me with eyes full of disbelief, like it couldn't possibly be true.
"...Yeah, that's how it is."
The second I finished speaking, the two of them roared like gorillas.
"You madman! For real? Where to?"
Kim Seung-hyun was practically snorting with curiosity when Park Jae-hwan smacked his shoulder with a sleazy grin.
"Dude, who cares where. Day trip? Or... overnight?"
I just gave an awkward laugh instead of answering.
That alone was answer enough, apparently—they looked impressed as hell.
"Whoa, Lee Jun-woo's a real man... Look at him, no hesitation once he decided."
"You guys aren't dating already, are you?"
"Not yet. ...Not yet."
My face was heating up, so I waved them off to end the convo, but the gorilla idiots only got more hyped, hooting like monkeys.
"Kya, Teacher Jae-hwan, did you hear? 'Not yet,' he says. 'Not yet.'"
"I heard, Teacher Seung-hyun. These kids these days are wild. Totally savage."
Their goofy cackling was so ridiculous, I couldn't help but snort.
"You crazy bastards. Anyway, I can't go. Sorry."
"If that's the reason, fair enough. I'd skip too."
"But we got no reason not to go..."
"Suddenly feels like crying. Damn it..."
Seeing them go from laughing to tearing up had me cracking up too, and soon we were all busting a gut.
"Sigh, jealous. Have fun, and make sure to give us the recap."
"Like hell I will, you jerks."
That day, until classes ended, those damn two kept teasing me about being a "real man." When Han Seo-ah came over to walk home together and overheard, she asked innocently why I was being called that.
All I could do was dodge with a cold sweat.
#67
"So, why are you a 'real man'?"
"...It's a thing."
Han Seo-ah kept prying curiously.
—Ugh, thanks to those idiots.
Lamenting why I always had to clean up their mess, I changed the subject to escape.
"Anyway. I narrowed down some trip spots. Take a look—any you like?"
"Already?"
I pulled out my phone and showed her the list I'd compiled. She looked surprised.
"Why?"
"When did you find so many?"
"Looked some up earlier. Plenty of good ones."
It wasn't a big deal, so I said it casually.
...Though thinking about going with Han Seo-ah made me way more thorough than usual.
She smiled, her eyes crinkling like she was proud of me.
"Hee. Must've been tough researching. Good job, Jun-woo-ya."
—Feels good?
I hadn't even found it hard, but seeing her happy filled me with this warm pride, tugging at my lips.
"Heung~"
She hummed excitedly through her nose, grabbed my hand holding the phone, and turned it toward her.
Then, her eyes widened in disbelief, her face paling.
"What's wrong? Something bad?"
"This..."
She pointed with a trembling hand—just the places I'd picked.
What's the issue?
All West Sea spots I'd searched.
Quick scan showed nothing off, so I asked.
"Don't like 'em?"
"Jun-woo-ya, is there a reason you picked these?"
She'd been excited about choosing just moments ago, but now her eyes glistened like she was holding back tears, lips trembling faintly.
Like someone forcing down an explosion of emotion.
Not just sad, more like...
Seeing something she'd longed for desperately.
Incredulously.
"Reason...? Well, they're popular spots, but yeah..."
Reason for these places...
Caught off guard by her sudden quiz, I figured there must be something and thought back.
It hit me quick.
"You mentioned wanting to go to the West Sea before. Nearby, there's that famous salmon sashimi place you like, and nice walking paths. Play at the beach during the day, stroll in the evening, head back to the lodging—"
Stuff you'd mentioned offhand.
Food you like.
Places you'd enjoy.
And... a spot to confess my feelings.
I'd tucked it all away in a corner of my mind, agonized over it all night, and picked these.
Hoping you'd like them.
Hoping you'd accept me.
Hiding my earnest wish, I listed out the reasons one by one.
As I spoke, emotions flickered across her face—joy and sorrow intertwined.
A faint smile, but it was clearly a struggle to hold back tears.
Like Cinderella who'd lost her voice, unsure how to express herself, mouth opening and closing with effort.
Gazing at me with eyes brimming with longing.
"...Why like this? Hate them all? Wanna look elsewhere?"
I had no clue why the sudden mood shift.
But seeing her so heartbreakingly vulnerable, even pulling me down, I couldn't just watch.
I quietly reached out and gently wrapped her small, slender hand in mine.
Her eyes widened briefly in surprise at my touch, but soon her fingers intertwined with mine, gripping tight like she never wanted to let go.
I waited silently, hoping she'd calm. The trembling stopped, she sniffled, and looked up at me.
Her cute button nose was Rudolph-red, so I teased playfully.
"Still pretty chilly out, huh?"
"Pfft... What kinda line is that...?"
She called me out for zero game, stretching out her free hand to lightly swat me with a smile. Relief washed over me.
"So, should I scout other places?"
I broached carefully. Her sparkling, teary eyes met mine.
"No, it's not that I hate them. I want to go—more than anything, Jun-woo-ya."
"...? These ones?"
I blinked, confused. Her grip tightened in our clasped hands.
"Yeah. Definitely."
She stepped closer, our breaths almost mingling, eyes locked with only each other reflected.
"These are the places I wanted to visit with you, no exceptions. I remembered them all."
She looked so fragile, like she might collapse any second. I just nodded silently, squeezing her soft hand tighter in mine.
As if to say, I'm right here.