Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Contact Me. Like Yesterday.
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"Is there anywhere you want to go?"
Saturday.
The day we'd decided to hang out to celebrate getting closer with Sea.
I'd originally wanted to go with Woojin oppa too...
But if I showed him how disappointed I was about his prior commitment, he'd just feel bad for me.
So I pretended it was no big deal, acted totally fine.
I don't think I let it show...? I tried pretty hard...
Will stuff like this happen a lot from now on...?
Unlike me, who had nothing but studying to fill my empty days, Woojin oppa must have tons of friends.
Thinking about it like that left me feeling a little down.
No, it's fine. That's exactly why he got close to me in the first place.
...Right? We did get close, didn't we?
"Yerin-ah, you listening~?"
"Ah, sorry..."
Oh. I'd been thinking about Woojin oppa and totally forgot I was on the phone with Sea.
Lately, it happened every day like this.
I'd think of Woojin oppa, then get lost in thoughts of him and zone out.
"Jeez, I said let's go wherever you want~!"
But Sea...
I'm really grateful you're willing to go wherever I pick...!
—I have no idea where to go...
Sad as it is to admit it myself, I'm a total pro at being a loner...
I never even had the chance to learn about fun spots to hit up with friends, so I had no clue what to suggest.
I did look some stuff up after getting home yesterday...
But even reading the reviews,
'Is this even fun...?'
'I'd rather spend the money on...'
That's all that came to mind.
...I know, I know. Thoughts like that are kinda lame. But what can I do? My environment made me this way. What was I supposed to do? If I'd had Woojin oppa by my side since I was little, maybe I wouldn't be like this.
...Probably.
As I muttered lame excuses to myself, thinking of Woojin oppa suddenly brought one place to mind.
"...How about a cafe, Sea?"
"A cafe? Sure, cafes are great! Got a specific one in mind?"
"...Sugar Cafe."
"...Sugar Cafe?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"Hmm~"
Did I let it show too much...?
It wasn't a video call like last night, but somehow I could picture our expressions right now.
"What a coincidence~?"
"W-what do you mean...?"
"The place you wanna go today just happens to be exactly the same as the cafe where my big bro's meeting his friends~?"
"......"
You knew all along.
You're the worst, Han Sea...
I was a little annoyed at her voice, full of laughter.
But right now, whatever I said, I'd lose, so I had no choice but to hold it in.
"...I've been wanting to check out that cafe too."
"Hee~ Really~?"
"...For real."
"What do you wanna drink there?"
"......"
As if my little struggles meant nothing.
Sea asked mischievously, like she was saying I couldn't dodge without being honest.
For the first time in my life, I felt like cursing.
"...You're gonna be like this?"
"Yup~? What do you mean, I wonder~?"
"Let it go..."
You're too much...
I heard Sea squealing about how cute I was after hearing me, but it was just embarrassing from my end, so I covered the speaker with my hand for a bit.
"Okay! Sugar Cafe it is. But..."
"But?"
"Oppa'll probably be with his friends, so we can't just butt in, right? Clingy girls aren't attractive?"
"What the heck do you think of me...?"
"Hmm~ Can I be honest?"
"...Don't."
"Yep!"
...I kinda get why Woojin oppa gets so emotional whenever Sea comes up.
"Anyway, I'm not that bad, so don't worry..."
"You know someone who wants to go there?"
"......"
Click.
We hadn't even met up yet, and she was already draining my energy, so I hung up without thinking.
[Han Sea]
-Yerin-chan kawaii! See ya later~!
I was a little impressed that she messaged me right after I hung up.
Still, it made my heart pound, thinking this must be what friends are like.
- ...But seriously, clingy girls aren't attractive?
I sent the reply and asked what had been bugging me.
Not about me, obviously, but ghosting is rude, right? Yeah.
"Yerin-ah, filling up on straw?"
"...What're you talking about?"
Following Sea's finger as she pointed quietly, there was the straw in my mouth.
...Huh?
The straw I'd been sipping had somehow become a mushy paper mess.
"...This is why I hate paper straws."
"I don't think the paper straw's the problem..."
Until just before entering the cafe, I'd been excited thinking I'd see Woojin oppa soon.
But the moment we stepped inside.
First, there was a girl at oppa's table—the one he'd said was all guys.
...Only one, but still, she was there.
Second, oppa looking all flustered and pleased when that girl said he seemed like the type who'd have a girlfriend.
...You like that so much, oppa?
Those two things turned my good mood ice-cold, like the iced tea in my hand.
I'm not mad, probably. No reason or need for oppa to lie.
Like I thought earlier, unlike me, oppa has lots of friends.
Just... I was a tiny bit jealous of how happy he looked without me there.
...I shouldn't have come.
Then oppa could enjoy his day his way, and I mine.
We'd go home, casually text about how our days went, swap stories from our everyday lives.
And naturally, end up on a call like yesterday and fall asleep feeling great.
But now it felt like I'd ruined it for no reason.
"...Sea, I'm gonna hit the bathroom."
...It's stuffy.
Seeing this side of oppa I didn't know was making my chest feel tight, so I used the bathroom as an excuse to get up.
When I went in, the mirror showed my eyes had turned red before I knew it.
-Clingy girls aren't attractive?
...Am I the clingy type...?
No way...? Isn't this normal between close friends...?
I'd probably feel the same if it was Sea. Yeah, yeah.
I'm not the weird one—thinking that eased my mind a bit.
Feeling much lighter as I left the bathroom, there was Woojin oppa standing by the entrance, looking at his phone.
...Did he come to wait for me?
I wasn't mentally prepared, so running into him like this flustered me.
"...What're you doing here, oppa?"
"Ah, there you are."
"Were you waiting for me...?"
"Yeah. I was waiting for you."
"Why...?"
"Just wanted to talk to you. We ran into each other so suddenly today."
The moment I saw him smiling, saying he'd waited because he wanted to chat with me.
All the bad feelings knotted up in my chest vanished like a lie.
Oppa, that's cheating. Makes me look like an idiot for sulking alone...
"...I don't have anything to say."
Wait, did I really just say that?
Contrary to my happy heart, what popped out was a prickly line.
Seo Yerim, you idiot. What if you hurt his feelings...
"Hmm~ Looks like you've got a lot to say to me?"
Oppa said it like he knew exactly how I felt, still smiling.
"...Me?"
"Yeah."
"...Nope."
"But."
Oppa leaned in toward me with a troubled smile.
In his eyes, now close to mine—
"You've been calling out to me this whole time."
Were my eyes, glowing red.
Ah—
These eyes I'd only ever thought of as a curse.
Being with oppa made them feel like the greatest blessing.
The emotions I'd hated because I couldn't hide them... I realized they let me share my true feelings openly, and that made me happy.
And I was grateful he'd noticed. No more hiding behind shallow lies.
"...Oppa, you said it was just the guys today."
"Sorry. I didn't know she was coming until I got here, really."
"...Oppa, you liked it earlier?"
"Ahem. What're you, guh...!"
He was so annoying pretending not to know when he totally did, so I pinched his side.
"No, honestly, it'd make anyone happy. You might not get it, but it's not easy hearing compliments on your looks from the opposite sex. Even from a friend you're not into."
I could do that for you anytime. Way more sincerely.
How much oppa...
"So, anything else?"
It was something that unraveled this easily.
I was just grateful he'd come over and talk to me first.
As I looked at him, inviting me to say more, about to say I was okay now—a good idea hit me.
"Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"I wasn't mad or upset."
"......Oh, really?"
'No one's ever said they weren't mad while looking that un-mad.'
That's the face he was making, oppa.
His delayed reply, that 'Yeah, I believe you, Yerin' expression—I wanted to pinch his side again.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go hang out somewhere else with Sea now..."
"Already? Where to?"
"Curious...?"
"Yeah, it's your first time out together."
"Then..."
I slowly, naturally reeled in oppa, who'd bitten the bait I'd tossed lightly.
"When we get home later, contact me. Like yesterday."
I said it smiling—I'm curious where you're going too, oppa—and his face suddenly turned bright red.
But I could guess what my face and eyes looked like in his right now.
Part of me wanted to grab the oppa in front of me and spend the whole day together.
But now was the time to let go, regretfully.
This feeling dressed up as mere interest.
It was starting to overflow.
"Got it?"
"...Yeah, got it."