One Day Is Enough
I need to put a period on it, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.
“The longer it drags on, the harder it gets—you know that as well as I do, right?”
I don’t think she’s rushing me. It’s advice laced with concern, more likely.
I know better than anyone that the longer it goes on, the tougher it becomes, but this is important enough that I want to choose carefully.
“I know that too. Probably… one day should be enough, I think.”
“It’s not a firm answer, but showing that much resolve is enough. Mind if I get my hopes up?”
What should I say to Yoon Narae, who’s beaming at me?
I quickly folded away my thoughts and, wearing a wicked, provocative smile that was the complete opposite of hers, I said,
“Well? Expectations are usually something one side places unilaterally, right? You can pin your hopes on me or not—either way, I don’t care.”
“?”
Seeing her tilt her head, it seemed she had no idea what I was getting at. What was this sudden sense of superiority? Whatever it was, it didn’t feel bad. If anything, it felt good, I suppose?
Without wiping away my smile, I continued.
“I can’t guarantee how the result will turn out, and I don’t have the ability to steer the process the way I intend so that a good outcome comes. So go ahead and pin your hopes on a good result if you want. But I won’t take responsibility. I’m pretty sure I said something similar when we made our deal.”
No need for anxiety, no room for doubt. This time, I could confidently say I had the upper hand over Yoon Narae.
“Ah, right. The deal! That was a thing. Sorry, I forgot. I’ll send you the answer you want on my own. You make sure you come back on time, okay?”
“W-wait!”
I tried to stop her, but Yoon Narae had already slipped out of the Counseling Room.
I won, right? It feels like I won, so why doesn’t it feel that way? More than that, she’ll send it on her own—how and when is she planning to send it?
For a brief moment, I had no choice but to sit in silence inside the Counseling Room, feeling empty.
I’d finished preparing for the next class and sat down at my desk, but I couldn’t calm down no matter what.
Five minutes before morning assembly started, I was called by the homeroom teacher and went to the Counseling Room.
Inside the Counseling Room, the homeroom teacher and Narae were sitting side by side.
As soon as I sat across from them, the homeroom teacher laid out the plan in detail—when, where, who, what, and how it would happen today.
After hearing the homeroom teacher’s plan in that short time, I had no choice but to wait for the results with a nervous heart. I was especially sensitive to every little movement of Jo Yul’s, and Narae even teased me, saying I looked like a flinching kitten.
“Haa…”
A deep sigh escaped on its own, the anxiety and tension swirling so thickly.
I think this is the first time in recent memory that I’ve been this tense. Today was the first I learned what it feels like to be extremely nervous.
Ah. Maybe it wasn’t the first. Even though it was something unpleasant, I think I’ve felt this same anxiety and tension before. Trying to recall that past suddenly started to sour my mood.
“!”
In the middle of that extreme tension and anxiety, I jumped at the sudden vibration of my smartphone.
I pulled out my phone and checked the caller—it was Narae.
“?”
The Counseling Room isn’t that far from the classroom.
Calling me deliberately must mean there’s some reason for it, right?
I scanned the classroom and the hallway, but Narae was nowhere to be seen.
Since she still hadn’t returned, maybe she had some other business? But I hadn’t heard anything, so I didn’t know.
Given Narae’s personality—kind to everyone, deeply considerate, and earnest about everything—I could picture her getting caught up in something on the way and helping someone out. With Narae, that kind of thing could easily happen.
Since the bell for class hadn’t rung yet, I decided to take Narae’s call.
“Narae, what’s up?”
“I’m stopping by the teachers’ office to report to the homeroom teacher. On my way there now.”
“Ah…”
Hearing Narae’s words, the tension started building again.
Come to think of it, Narae leaving the Counseling Room meant her conversation with Jo Yul was over. In other words, her job of persuading Jo Yul was done.
Now I could hear the result.
My heart started pounding faster.
I glanced around, worried that the sound of my heart beating so violently might be audible to those nearby.
Augh~! My heart’s really racing so hard it’s driving me crazy…!
“We’re short on time, so I’ll just give you the conclusion quickly.”
“Okay.”
I forced my mind to calm down.
I was ready to accept whatever ending came.
Probably.
“The result you wanted didn’t come out.”
“…”
I thought it wouldn’t be easy.
I even anticipated the possibility of a result completely opposite to what I hoped for.
But hearing the truth for real, I couldn’t avoid the disappointment.
A sense of frustration washed over me.
Self-reproach, too.
My eyes seemed to be welling up. The bridge of my nose stung—were tears flowing right now? I didn’t feel any shame. Just a flood of negative emotions and regret that I had been such a fool…
I know the fault lies with me.
I know my choice wasn’t the right one.
So I wanted to apologize.
I wanted to atone.
Even if Jo Yul cursed me out, I wouldn’t be able to say anything but “I’m sorry.” But Jo Yul won’t even look at me.
What am I supposed to do now?
Just as tears were about to roll down my cheeks.
“But it’s not a bad result either.”
“Huh…?”
At Narae’s words, I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand.
“Even thinking about it again now, all I can say is it was really tough. Looking at the outcome, though, it’s a relief that a decent result came out.”
“A decent result…? Did you just say a decent result? Right?! I didn’t mishear that, did I?!”
“First, calm down.”
“Okay. I’m calm!”
“And listen carefully.”
“Got it, so hurry up and tell me.”
Narae definitely said it was a decent result.
Not a good result, but not a bad one either.
I felt a tension and anxiety different from the ones just moments ago.
I hoped the flutter I was feeling wasn’t just my imagination.
With my heart pounding, I waited for Narae’s words.
“Probably in the near future, you’ll be able to tie up the past between you and Jo Yul. And the one who will put the period on it will probably be Jo Yul.”
“Really?!”
I couldn’t help but get excited.
Jo Yul, who had always pushed me away and avoided me whenever I tried to approach—now he was going to come to me first? That Jo Yul? I really couldn’t even imagine it.
While I was lost in surprise, Narae continued.
“I don’t know exactly when, and neither does Jo Yul. Because Jo Yul asked for just a little more time, and I even got a promise that one day would be enough to sort out his thoughts. So you’d better prepare your heart firmly.”
Finally, Jo Yul is going to approach me first.
Even though I don’t know what ending awaits, this is a chance. The ending will change depending on how I handle it.
There’s the worst ending where the connection between me and Jo Yul is severed.
There’s the neither-good-nor-bad ending where the connection between me and Jo Yul continues half-heartedly.
There’s the best ending where the connection between me and Jo Yul returns to the past.
There will be many endings besides these three. But the ones I can think of right now are only the three above. And the ending changes depending on what I do.
I think this is the last chance given to me. No. It’s definitely the last chance. That’s why I can’t make a mistake.
Crossing a bridge you can’t return from… once is enough. I don’t want to go through that experience again. Yeah. Jin Jo-hwa, don’t mess up this time!
While I was burning with firm will and resolve, Narae’s voice came through the smartphone.
“Jo-hwa? Jin Jo-hwa? Are you listening?”
“Ah, uh, yeah.”
“So do well this time. As a friend, I’d really be happy if the ending you want comes out. I don’t want to see my friend looking sad. You’re thinking this is for yourself, right? Thinking that is fine, but add to it that it’s also for the people around you, including me. Then you’ll be able to try even harder.”
My relationship with Jo Yul isn’t something I can call good, but it seems I met a good friend in Yoon Narae.
Was it because the negative thoughts and emotions had vanished, replaced by positive ones and courage? A smile seemed to bloom on my lips on its own.
“Narae.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you so much.”
“I told you thanks aren’t necessary. There she goes again.”
I still had more to say. It was something I rarely said, so it was embarrassing.
Even though Narae herself wasn’t right in front of me, my face burned hot.
“And I love you.”
“Pfft!”
“Why, why are you laughing! I worked up the courage to say it!”
If Narae had been right in front of me, she definitely would have burst out laughing and taken a photo of my embarrassed face with her phone.
“No. It’s just been a long time since I heard those words from your mouth. How should I put it—it’s sudden, and welcome, and a little embarrassing. That’s why I laughed. It’s definitely not in a bad way.”
I know full well that Narae didn’t laugh with the purpose of mocking me. The problem is—
“Too bad.”
“What is?”
“That I can’t capture the sight of you getting embarrassed.”
—that she can be a little mischievous every once in a while.