Setting Boundaries
“Huh?”
Jang Do-ah’s expression hardened in an instant. The lighthearted vibe from moments ago vanished completely.
What had felt like childish banter just seconds before, I’d now dragged onto the ring.
I had no intention of hearing her out any further anyway. I’d already confirmed she wouldn’t back down easily, even if it was all in jest.
By now, Jang Do-ah seemed to have grasped the situation too.
A dry voice leaked out.
“Wow… what a creep. I heard rumors you were such a nice guy. Guess not. This’ll be fun to spread around.”
The nuance was clear: she was threatening to tell everyone.
Thinking I hadn’t caught on, she drove the nail in deeper.
“That thing you just said—mind if I spread it to the others?”
But she was the one mistaken here.
“Doesn’t matter. The rumors you’ve heard about me? Those are probably true.”
“...Huh?”
“They say I’m nice, right? That’s how I normally act. Around people.”
I paused for a beat, then added,
“Not you.”
“What?”
“You’re the only one I treat like this. I don’t act this way with others. Get what I’m saying?”
Her eyebrows twitched subtly, but I wasn’t done yet.
“Even if you go around badmouthing me, I’ll keep acting the same. Who do you think people will believe then? You? Or me?”
I pointed at her, then myself, alternating.
“I’ve never been prickly at school. If I subtly spread bad stories about you, you think that’d hit harder? Or what you say?”
As a freshman, I’d been a bit distant with people, but I’d stuck close to Seo Jae-hyun. By sophomore year, I was mindful of my image and treated everyone kindly.
Of course, “distant” as a freshman didn’t mean I’d ever caused trouble.
“If you do that, you’re the one who loses. You’ve got way more image to protect.”
“Why would I say it outright? I’d just drop hints. Like right now—no one around, and you followed me here.”
“Wow, shady.”
She glared at me, her face full of spite.
I brushed off the stare and took another step closer.
Our already close distance shrank even more. Her pale makeup stood out sharper now, and the sharp, bubbly perfume scent grew thicker.
But I showed nothing, leaning my face even nearer to hers.
“W-what are you doing… Stay back.”
“And the rumors you heard about Lee Seol.”
“Eek.”
Even if she spread them, it’d all come back to bite her. In the original story, those rumors were proven false anyway.
They had built-in contradictions that’d eventually surface. And I knew exactly where.
“Better for you not to spread them. This is sincere advice. Poke at it needlessly, and your school life gets messy too.”
I tilted my head and tossed out the final line.
“So quit bothering me and go.”
“...”
Jang Do-ah couldn’t muster a word. She just clamped her mouth shut, glared one last time, then whipped around and stalked off.
I lingered there a bit longer before heading out.
And right at the building entrance stood Lee Seol.
...Again?
I stopped a few steps from her.
“You again?”
Lee Seol nodded.
I let out a hollow chuckle.
“Starting to get a little scared of you.”
“No way. How could I not be curious when you sneak off alone with her?”
Fair point. Had she spotted me luring Jang Do-ah there on purpose?
I’d definitely checked the surroundings before talking. Confirmed no one was around.
So...
“You were hiding and eavesdropping.”
“Hey! Don’t make me sound like a stalker.”
“You rushed back here before our talk ended, pretending nothing happened?”
“Hey.”
Lee Seol cut me off sharply.
Her ear tips flushed faintly.
“Don’t say more. No—don’t even imagine.”
She seemed mortified, so I dropped the teasing.
I switched back to a neutral face and asked,
“No one else around?”
“...Yeah.”
“Good. If she starts weird rumors later, back me up as a witness.”
Lee Seol asked cautiously,
“But is that okay?”
Not about being a witness... but treating Jang Do-ah like that.
I nodded firmly.
“Yeah.”
Her shoulders twitched, and she murmured softly,
“...Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Felt like a big risk from your side.”
“It’s not like I’m trading stocks... No need to overthink relationships. Too busy looking out for my circle.”
“...Yeah.”
Lee Seol seemed thoughtful for a moment, then said,
“Sometimes you seem too mature.”
“Annoying, huh?”
She shook her head.
“More like... expectant—no, that sounds weird.”
Lee Seol shook her head harder, like she’d misspoke.
“Uh, honestly? I was a bit anxious.”
So she’d been worried since Jang Do-ah first approached me? Or something before that?
“...Why are you so on edge lately? Everything okay?”
“Don’t come closer.”
“Not coming.”
“Don’t come closer.”
“Not coming.”
In Lee Seol’s view stood Lee Min-woo, keeping a set distance while watching her.
The same gap as before. Maybe learning from last time, he didn’t close it further.
...He listens well.
She’d told him not to come closer, but couldn’t complain about that expression.
His worried eyes made her chest itch oddly.
Not uncomfortable. Not comfortable either.
A fuzzy, lingering feeling.
Being around him always stirred this up.
Words tangled, mistakes slipped out, and she ended up needing his help for no reason.
Then, the distant Lee Min-woo stepped forward.
“Thinking about it...”
Lee Seol stiffened.
“I said don’t come.”
Her words lacked force.
Lee Min-woo stepped closer without a word.
Lee Seol clamped her mouth shut. Afraid something weird would spill if she opened it.
Now they were close. Not breath-sharing close, but too near to ignore.
She froze solid, but he just brushed past.
“Gotta get to class. Bell’s about to ring.”
All tension deflated.
Oh, right... we’re at the door.
“Ha...”
...Should I just die? Yeah, let’s do that.
But she couldn’t actually die, and as Lee Min-woo said, the bell soon rang.
After the last class ended.
Before homeroom, Yoon Seo-ha stood at the teacher’s desk. As class president, collecting the final assignments.
Lee Min-woo stayed seated, gathering papers from nearby desks first, then handed them to her.
They exchanged words naturally—whatever it was.
She gave short replies as usual, but he nodded casually, unbothered.
Lee Seol propped her chin, watching.
She’d thought he had this oddly dependable side, but now she saw the opposite too.
...He’s got a sneaky number of girls he’s chummy with. Doesn’t he manage his actor image?
But she knew he was acing it.
Kind to everyone without bias, friendly but not crossing lines, just the right amount of fun.
What was it? Perfectly balanced neutrality.
No rough edges.
Might be the real key to image management.
Like helping Yoon Seo-ha now. Plenty of chances to step up before, but he only did when needed.
Lee Seol’s gaze drifted unconsciously elsewhere.
A bit away: where U Hana sat.
She was watching Lee Min-woo too. Blank-faced.
No one pulled off expressionless cold like U Hana.
But as a fellow girl, Lee Seol occasionally sensed it: her mask cracking lately.
...Not that she was any different.
A sudden thought hit.
But why was she tiptoeing around U Hana’s feelings this much?
They weren’t even dating.
...Crazy.
What was that thought...
Lee Seol thunked her forehead on the desk.
“What’s up?”
A calm voice from beside her.
Yoon Seo-ha, back from her task. She was Lee Seol’s desk mate.
“Nah... head feels weird. Can you fix it?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You’re smart.”
“If you put it that way, let me correct you.”
Yoon Seo-ha pondered briefly, then continued evenly.
“Banging your head like that just kills brain cells—no real effect. It’s psychological comfort from self-harm, which isn’t healthy...”
“Got it.”
Lee Seol lifted her head from the desk.
“All better.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But first time seeing you talk that much.”
“You seemed worried.”
“This what it feels like to be cared for? Different from how you treat Lee Min-woo.”
“Did I? Wasn’t intentional.”
Yoon Seo-ha brushed it off, tidying her desk.
I sat up in bed and, still groggy, groped for my phone.
First thing, I called U Hana—to say we couldn’t commute together this morning.
The line connected after a brief ring.
“Hello? Yeah, Min-woo. What’s up?”
Her voice came through clearer than expected. Bright and alert, no trace of sleepiness.
Makes sense—girls and guys have different prep times, so wake-up times differ too.
“Yeah. Can’t go together today.”
“...Why?”
I started explaining, then hesitated.
Her tone had dipped oddly. And she rarely asked “why” so directly.
Not weird per se, but a tad aggressive. Not U Hana’s style—more Lee Seol’s vibe.
I gathered my thoughts late and continued with my prepared line.
“Final shoot today. Prep to do, and early dismissal midway.”
“I see.”
Short silence.
Then U Hana broke it.
“Hey... isn’t walking together every day kinda annoying?”
“...”
The question sounded casual, but the implication wasn’t.
Have I ever acted annoyed?
I mentally reviewed quickly.
Hm... There was that near-late day I didn’t say anything, and early on when I made her wait without texting.
Might’ve piled up those little things.
“No. Not annoying.”
I answered right away, then added slowly,
“Actually, it’s my favorite time lately.”
“...”
Since she brought it up, I added what I’d wanted to say before.
“And at school too—try not to worry so much. I’m not that fragile.”
“Was it obvious?”
“Impossible not to notice.”
A soft laugh came through the phone. Then her calm voice resumed.
“But Min-woo...”
Her voice dipped ever so slightly.
“You might regret it?”
“Regret what?”
“Saying not to worry. So... don’t get disappointed later?”
I’d heard something similar before...
When was it?
When she opened up about her family. Even if it wasn’t a big deal, don’t be disappointed. She’d said it lightly, jokingly then.
...Does my disappointment bother her that much? Or just a habit?
With all the original characters’ backstories known and loved—no way I’d be disappointed.
“Never gonna disappoint.”
“Never?”
“Yeah.”