Ordinary Daily Life? (5)
The tension that had gripped her chest just moments ago had vanished, replaced by U Hana's usual expression. Even if she tried to hide it, the relief shining through was unmistakable.
"You can't let it show to the others, right? Keeping it a secret?"
She thought for a moment, then nodded slightly as if she'd reached her own conclusion.
"…Sounds fun."
I looked at her in disbelief, and she suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
"…Oh? Wait. We're gonna be late to the club room."
It was as if the thought of the art club room had just popped into her head, and I headed there with U Hana.
Our distance felt a little closer now.
Yeoul theater club room. Normally, we'd be gathering in the school auditorium by now to seriously rehearse for the festival stage, but today there was something else going on.
I knew why.
As I opened the door and stepped inside, sure enough, the room was already packed with people. We were pretty late to the party.
But even among them, there was a crowd gathered in one spot.
The group huddled around a table was staring intently at something. I didn't need to get close to know what it was.
They were all glued to their phone screens. And on those screens was Eighteen's Temperature.
"You always do this. When I get upset, I end up looking like the sensitive one, and when you're laughing with other girls, I feel like the weird one."
"Yu-na."
"But now you're suddenly worried about this?"
It was episode 8, the one that had just been uploaded.
How long had it been since release… and they were already watching it?
Of all scenes, it was that one—the peak of their conflict.
On the anniversary of Kim Yul's biological mother's death, rain fell steadily all day. Kim Yul skips school, then returns to the area near it late. By chance, he spots Jung Yu-na sharing an umbrella with another guy on their way home, follows them, and they fight.
By this point, petty arguments over Kim Yul's issues with girls had already driven them apart bit by bit. Kim Yul, who hadn't bothered fixing any of it, suddenly burns with intense emotion—like fire in his chest. More precisely, jealousy. He chases after Jung Yu-na and they clash.
From a short distance away, I listened to my voice coming from the phone like it was someone else's story.
"I just hate seeing you with another guy. Hate your smile, hate how close you are."
Kim Yul's voice in the screen sank heavily, soaked by the rain.
"But I don't even know why I'm like this… it just pisses me off more. If you say you're already late… I got nothing to say."
Everyone watched the screen in silence, not saying a word. It felt strangely unreal that so many people could be this immersed in a single tiny phone.
Then someone spoke up regretfully.
"It's about to start soon… guess we gotta watch later?"
At that, the viewers reluctantly paused the playback and started chatting among themselves.
"Whoa, the acting is insane."
"Looks like he's really jealous. Check out those eyes."
"Must suck having the comments all about his looks…."
When that last comment came up, U Hana, standing beside me, cleared her throat.
"Ahem."
She deliberately signaled my arrival, and the kids whipped around, scrambling to fix their postures or smooth their clothes like they'd been caught red-handed.
"Oh… Igu. You're here."
"Comments? What comments?"
"Shut up."
I didn't mind at all, but maybe they felt awkward talking about me behind my back.
The looks comments were feedback I'd already internalized long ago. Even at the wrap party after the final shoot, I'd admitted my hunger for better acting.
I smiled lightly and said,
"Acting all guilty just makes it weirder. Anyone could've said that stuff. No need to feel bad toward me."
Maybe because the core group was all third-year seniors. It just amplified the awkwardness.
"Uh, yeah, sorry."
Standing there would only make them more uncomfortable, so I slipped away to another spot.
U Hana naturally followed, tilting her head slightly as she asked,
"If you got jealous, would you act like that?"
She'd clearly already watched episode 8.
…When? It hadn't been up long.
But the question was odd. As if I'd ever get jealous like Kim Yul.
Kim Yul was Kim Yul, and I was me. That was just a drama character—his personality the polar opposite of mine. It was oddly fascinating to be having this chat with U Hana….
Anyway, I shook my head, and she launched in earnestly. That scene must've really stuck with her; her face was more serious than expected.
"But Kim Yul's all chill about hanging with girls himself, yet he gets jealous if the girl he likes is with another guy? Isn't that unfair?"
I wasn't the type to handle girls as smoothly as Kim Yul, but putting myself in his shoes….
"He realizes he's in love too late. After that…."
"He won't?"
I couldn't answer right away.
The ending I'd embodied for Kim Yul and Jung Yu-na wasn't a straight happy one—it leaned bittersweet.
They do confirm their feelings, reconcile, and get back together in the end. The writer said it was open for season 2, but from acting it out, I felt like the same fights would just repeat.
U Hana leaned in closer, urging me on.
"What do you think? C'mon?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Why?"
"Spoilers."
"Oh."
She got it right away but couldn't hide her disappointment.
To change the subject, I turned it back on her.
"What about you? With jealousy… oh."
I realized the answer mid-question. She'd spilled all about her jealousy-fueled antics just this morning.
"The 'does it a lot' type?"
"…."
I'd teased a bit, expecting her to brush it off playfully, but surprisingly, her face grew even more serious.
"…You hate that kinda thing?"
Caught off guard, I blinked. She glanced up, gauging my expression, then added,
"No, of course you'd hate it. No one likes it. It's not like saying you like someone means you can do whatever…."
Her voice trailed off softer toward the end.
I watched her for a moment and said,
"Dunno. Never been through it."
"You just did this time."
"That's different. Things got kinda tangled up here, right?"
She pondered my reply, then lifted the mood with a slight smirk.
In a teasing, ticklish tone, she murmured,
"But you've never been jealous, huh, Min-woo. I'd love to see your first jealous face."
"You talk like you've seen it all. I'm not counting this one."
"Hmm… Well, you're my first too, anyway."
That was when it happened.
"Um, sorry to interrupt."
Someone wedged between us—a new first-year who'd just joined the club.
"You two… dating?"
U Hana fielded the question with a grin.
"What do you think?"
The underclassman smiled awkwardly, scratching his head.
"No, just… the vibe."
"What about the vibe?"
"Like, um, you know… couple-y."
U Hana's eyes sparkled.
"We match?"
"Yeah, you do."
"Ooh… praise? Me and Min-woo match."
She rolled with it smoothly without denying anything.
Just then, the club room door opened, and Lee Na-hee, Yeoul's president, walked in. The former vice president had stepped back upon becoming a third-year, and one of the acting team members had taken the spot.
As Lee Na-hee stood up front, even the murmuring crowd quieted down one by one.
"Before exams kick in for real, I want to cast the actors. We already announced it—everyone auditioning ready?"
A few murmured yes.
"I'll hand out numbers, so wait here and head to the auditorium in order."
Chairs scraped here and there, and the low buzz returned.
I watched the scene quietly until my eyes met Lee Na-hee's. She called my name casually.
"And Min-woo. Can you help?"
Help with the auditions—judging.
…Was I okay for that?
A few glances turned my way, but oddly, no unease. It was like, Of course he'd help.
I stood and replied,
"Sure, I'll do it."
Sitting across from Yoon Seo-ha, Lee Seol radiated an ominous aura.
Like a thin, taut membrane wrapped around her, ready to burst at the slightest touch.
It had been a few days since that feeling started.
They were at a café near school. Lee Seol had grabbed Yoon Seo-ha on her way home after school, pleading for advice on her troubles.
The two at the window table stood out even in the crowded café—their stunning looks drew eyes effortlessly. But that didn't last.
Lee Seol's issue was this:
"Why do my words go weird only in front of one specific person?"
Casual as the question was, the anxiety behind it was plain.
"About Lee Min-woo?"
"…Huh?"
Lee Seol's eyes widened instantly.
"No? Why? Outta nowhere? Lee Min-woo? Why bring him up?"
After the outburst, she seemed to realize her slip.
Lee Seol was brutally honest—except where it mattered most, where she was the least honest of all.
Yoon Seo-ha sipped her chamomile tea and spoke calmly.
"You used to be close with Min-woo, but suddenly you won't even look at him."
"But Min-woo… you've gotten close too, huh."
"Does that bother you?"
"No? Well, not denying it?"
Yoon Seo-ha didn't flinch under Lee Seol's barrage.
Composed, she set down her cup and said coolly,
"I could lie like you and say 'no' when I don't mean it, but I just don't."
"…."
Lee Seol's lips moved wordlessly, stunned.
Yoon Seo-ha summed it up.
"Anyway, your worry is: you get tongue-tied around Min-woo, and you're scared he'll think worse of you?"
"I didn't say it that bad…."
Reading even Yoon Seo-ha's tiniest expression shift, Lee Seol backpedaled.
"No, yeah… you're right. He probably already thinks bad of me."
"So you've acted on your feelings, and now you're stressing the cleanup."
"…."
Yoon Seo-ha rolled her cup with her fingertips—a moment of thought.
"Once you've started something, apologize first."
"…Yeah. I should."
She answered, but without conviction. Not the voice of someone unaware they should.
The voice of someone who knew but couldn't. Yoon Seo-ha nailed it.
"You know the answer, so it's about courage? Was this therapy?"
"If… if I apologize and he doesn't accept?"
"That's what an apology is—risking that outcome. That's how I see it."
"…."
Yoon Seo-ha let go of the cup and looked straight at her.
"If you can't, start from the beginning. Admit your feelings first, I think."
"Admit… my feelings…."
"Yeah."
Lee Seol seemed lost in thought, and Yoon Seo-ha added,
"If you can open up to someone like this, you're already halfway there, right?"
Lee Seol caught the comfort in those final words.
"Even comforting me… What can't you do?"
Offhand comment, but Yoon Seo-ha turned serious.
"Making friends?"
"But you're friends with Lee Min-woo now."
"…Yeah."
"Starting to suspect something. Wonder if he'd say the same."
"…."
"Oh, right. Can't talk to Lee Min-woo myself."
As Lee Seol sighed in frustration,
The café door chimed, and someone entered.
Familiar face.
Seo Jae-hyun glanced around, spotted Yoon Seo-ha and Lee Seol, and approached with a bright smile.
"Hey, Seol-ah."
Yoon Seo-ha glanced at Lee Seol. Her face had stiffened the moment she saw him.
Yoon Seo-ha didn't miss it. Seconds ago, raw emotion; now, a different weariness.
And Yoon Seo-ha heard Lee Seol mutter to herself.
"…This time, I'm really gonna say it."