Miss Ji-ah
Aigoo. I was on the verge of dying from anxiety.
I pushed Han Si-a's body sideways into the alley and muttered to myself.
Even though Han Si-a had a cool and laid-back personality for a girl, it turned out she was just as clumsy and lacking in caution.
She had been standing there blankly, and just when I thought she was about to get run over by a passing motorcycle.
...I couldn't just let it happen.
I was Seon Woo-hyun now, but my mind was still that of an adult.
If I saw a female student doing something that looked like it could be dangerous, I'd automatically protect her.
That was the role of an adult, after all.
I didn't know how it would look to her, but...
I could imagine her thinking, "He was probably just overprotective."
But I couldn't know how things would turn out in this world, so being cautious wasn't a bad thing.
'But why has she been so quiet since earlier.'
Of course, we weren't the type to talk a lot anyway.
Even though we sat next to each other in class, we didn't chat much in private.
If anything, we only talked when Yoon Tae-jun or Nam Yu-ri were around.
Otherwise, it was just bickering over pointless things.
Even so, right now Han Si-a was quieter than usual.
'Was it because she was shy? Meeting outside of school?'
Of course, this was the first time we had met outside of school.
It was understandable to feel awkward.
Just changing spaces made people feel completely different.
Even I, right now, had thought the atmosphere felt completely different just from seeing her casual clothes.
Yet, despite all that, Han Si-a wasn't the type with a low tension in the first place.
Especially around other girls, she was the one who would lead the conversation.
Still, staring at me like this without saying a single word since earlier was just plain weird.
"What is it? You."
"Huh? What?"
"Why are you so stiff? Awkward? Were you nervous?"
"Nervous? What are you talking about? Of course I'm not nervous when I'm with you. How ridiculous."
Whoa.
Her ears turned red as if she had been hit right in the spot, despite her attitude that didn't seem like it was nervous at all.
That was actually more proof that she was nervous.
Why would she be the one who called me and then get nervous herself.
I shrugged my shoulders in puzzlement, and before I knew it, we had arrived in front of the store.
"Here?"
"Yeah. This place."
It was a famous chicken galbi franchise restaurant.
It was the kind of place that existed in every region.
I opened the door and entered, greeted the part-timer, and we sat down at a table.
"What do you want to eat?"
I unfolded the menu and placed it in front of her.
The timid eyes of Han Si-a earlier were now quickly darting around the menu.
Thinking about it, she did like to eat.
Because of her idol activities, she always managed her diet strictly.
So at these rare opportunities for eating out, she had no choice but to drool.
Plus, she was originally the type who loved food.
...Thinking about it, how did someone like this become an idol trainee.
Once she became an idol, she would have to restrict her eating for the rest of her life.
It really seemed like an unfair thing for her.
Even now, the way she was sparkling-eyed and looking at the menu was adorable, bordering on pitiful.
"Order whatever you want. After all, you're the one paying."
"Eh? But you should also want to eat something, right?"
"I can always eat what I want. You can't, you're always leaving your school lunch."
At my words, Han Si-a blinked her eyes.
Then she lowered her head and said.
"Okay. You were telling me to order whatever I wanted, right? No complaints about not being able to eat?"
"Don't worry. A second-year high school guy can chew on rocks."
"Uh-huu. Just show-off talk."
It wasn't show-off talk; I really had the confidence to eat anything.
After all, when I was working at the factory, I rarely had proper meals.
Because I sent most of my money to pay off debts, my living expenses were extremely tight, and I filled my stomach with poor-quality things like convenience store bentos or ramyeon.
Even at these eating-outs.
Or even school meals felt like a luxury to me.
"Then, add cheese topping to the red chicken galbi, and let's have udon and sweet potato tteokbokki."
"What kind of combination is adding cheese to chicken galbi? Seriously."
"Spicy is spicy. With more cheese it tastes less spicy."
Then why the hell do people even order buldak then.
I couldn't understand ordering something spicy and then making it mild.
But since I had promised not to complain about the menu, I nodded.
"For today, eat everything you want."
"Hehe. Sounds tasty."
Once the order was placed, she licked her lips with a happy expression.
I took spoons and chopsticks from the drawer and poured water in front of her.
This too was a natural habit from dealing with society.
And finally, I asked her the main point.
"So, what's the reason you called me out?"
"Huh?"
"On this golden weekend, especially on a day off, there must be a reason you called me."
"..."
"You didn't call me just to eat together or something like that."
"Of course not."
She drew a line with her words.
I had to ask, right.
That way I could have expectations and live happily.
Of course, I knew that wouldn't happen, so I didn't even turn on the happiness circuit.
"But...?"
"Yeah."
"It's a bit embarrassing to tell you, but I think I still can't let go of the burden on my heart."
"What do you mean by that?"
"What should I say... It's a bit off. It's about what happened during gym class last time. It's still on my mind."
So that's what it was.
Now I finally understood why she called me.
"I don't know what you think of me, but I'm pretty shy by nature."
"Yeah."
"I don't like causing trouble to others or that kind of thing. So I end up thinking about it all day."
I had a rough idea of that.
According to the story of , that was also the reason she wanted to become an idol.
She wanted to leave behind her original gloomy and shy personality.
"So if I don't do something for you, I'd be the one who can't handle it."
"So, buying me food?"
"Yeah. I thought if I bought you something, your heart might feel a bit lighter."
But even so, she was really shy.
Actually, nothing happened in gym class.
I just got caught up in the moment and showed a bit of stubbornness.
I didn't say harsh words or use violence on her.
I didn't need to feel that sorry.
"Does that mean you called me out because you wanted me to feel relieved?"
"...I feel sorry about that part. Anyway, just hang out with me for today. In return, I'll buy you food."
Han Si-a laughed brightly.
But since free food was always a win, I was actually satisfied.
Plus, eating with such a beautiful girl.
How many times would I get the chance to eat alone with her like this in my life.
"Since it's free, I'll let it slide."
"Right?"
"If it makes your heart feel better, that's all that matters. Honestly, I don't mind."
"...Really?"
"Isn't it normal for friends to be together? After all, we're always fighting anyway."
"Yeah, but..."
Han Si-a looked at me with a strange expression.
What was that look.
"What is it? That gaze? Were you amazed by Seon Woo-hyun's enormous benevolence?"
"A little?"
No, I wasn't trying to tease her.
If I answered honestly, it would be embarrassing.
"To be honest, even a month ago you were super childish and had a narrow mind."
"Uggh."
"I don't know if there's been a change in your heart, but you've just become more adult-like."
Actually, it wasn't that I had become adult-like; I was an adult.
Since I couldn't explain that to her, I switched topics.
"Until now I thought it would take a long time for that to happen... but it seems I have no choice but to admit it now."
"What?"
"You've changed. You've changed a lot. In a good way. You listen to class diligently every day."
I was at a loss for words in the flood of praise.
This guy. Did he know that praise was my weakness and was doing this on purpose.
"Yu-ri also talks about you all the time. In the cluster, she says you study really hard."
"..."
"The atmosphere... what's the word. The irritability is the same, but you've become much calmer."
"Even with that much praise, it doesn't amount to much. I didn't even take my wallet out because you were buying me food."
How dare she try to get a free meal by trying to look cool.
When I sharply read her intentions and countered her, Han Si-a laughed as if my action was ridiculous.
"Even now."
"..."
"Being praised makes you feel shy and deliberately acting cool is kinda cute."
Uggh.
The embarrassment exploded when my intentions were exposed.
When I lowered my head, unable to say anything because I had been hit in the spot, she giggled.
"Hey, let me go to the bathroom for a moment."
She made room for me as if it was for my sake.
Was this what they meant by giving a drink and taking medicine?
The sense to make someone feel embarrassed and then vacate the seat.
It was a bit mean.
'It's embarrassing that my true self was exposed to someone much younger than me.'
That's why you couldn't ignore girls.
Especially in these situations, they were trained from a young age, so they were quick on the uptake.
After she left the seat, I downed a cold drink and cooled my burning face.
While I was cooling my cheeks with my hands.
Suddenly, Han Si-a came out of the bathroom.
I noticed a man slowly approaching her.
...Something felt off.
Her expression and hesitant actions weren't natural at all.
Usually, people who went to that kind of place were trying to get a number.
They always tried to do that.
And the bad feeling was correct; as Han Si-a was about to return to our table, the man finally grabbed her.
"Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"Is the man you were sitting with earlier your boyfriend?"
"Huh? No, that's not it."
It seemed she had been watching us since we entered the store and was waiting for a chance.
The impact must have been strong. A girl like her walking into the store.
But the problem was that the man was a university student or older.
It was confusing.
High school girls had finished growing by then.
With Han Si-a's explosive figure and the way she dressed and did her makeup, it was hard to tell she was a minor.
So probably the man approached her thinking she was an adult woman.
I had to protect the minor.
I jumped up from my seat to help her and headed toward the side dishes corner.
Since Han Si-a was standing near there, I pretended to take side dishes and watched the situation.
"Then, can I get your number? You're really pretty."
"Ah... well."
The man was more proactive than I expected, while Han Si-a stepped back awkwardly.
When a man who looked much older than her spoke, even she seemed a bit restrained.
I stood in front of the side dishes corner and spoke to her.
"Hey. Do you eat pickled radish? Si-a?"
"Huh? Ah. No. I just eat kimchi."
When I asked that, she answered, and I stood next to her, looking at the man waiting for my response.
"Hey. That man over there."
"...Yes? Me?"
I scooped up kimchi and called him.
The man turned his head slightly and looked at me.
His eyes didn't look happy at all.
'I wonder why he's interfering when I'm not even his girlfriend.' The intent was clear from his eyes.
How ridiculous.
I looked at the brazen-faced man and spoke in Han Si-a's place.
"Sorry, but she's a high school student. Is that okay?"
At that, the man's face froze hard.
He turned his head with a creak and looked at Han Si-a.
Han Si-a nodded as if agreeing with my words.
Then.
"S-Sorry! I didn't know she was a high school student!"
And the man ran away as if scared of the surrounding gazes.
I looked at his back and chuckled.
...No matter what, I couldn't let Si-a be touched. Hmm.