Hayun, Is Something Bothering You?
I was having dinner with Hayun. It was my first time ever sharing a meal alone with a girl my own age. The excitement and nerves hit me so hard I could barely think straight. I kept worrying whether sauce was smeared on the corner of my mouth or if I was wolfing everything down like some kind of animal. After agonizing over it for what felt like forever, I ate with the most careful, refined movements I could manage. I didn’t even register whether the food was actually sliding down my throat.
Online guides said I should ask some natural questions to keep the conversation going.
Something about Hayun’s expression just looked… off. She wasn’t really eating, either. Was it because I’d jokingly asked her to buy me food? Ah, I really had been kidding. I’d planned to pay myself. After turning it over in my head for a long time, I finally worked up the courage.
“Hayun, is something bothering you?”
“Well. What could possibly be bothering me?”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Of course I’m happy. We just beat Barca 4-3. You even scored a hat trick. And during the celebration you came straight to me.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried you seemed upset.”
“Why were you worried?”
“Huh?”
What was I supposed to say here? The three useless hyungs flashed through my mind. Some of their advice had actually been decent, though.
“I asked why you were worried.”
“Because we’re friends, obviously.”
“Oh, is that it?”
“Yeah.”
“If you’re okay, then don’t worry about me. I’m only worried because we’re friends too. Is your knee all right? It got pretty scraped up.”
Hayun’s voice was still cold, but the simple fact that she was worrying about me made me smile. I gave an awkward laugh and nodded.
“It’s fine. Doesn’t hurt much.”
“Hehe, good.”
Her mood seemed to lift all at once. Hayun finally flashed me a bright, full smile, and my own mood soared along with hers. I asked her another question.
“How often do you go back to Korea?”
“Hmm… at least three or four times a year, I think. We visit my grandparents for Chuseok and Lunar New Year. Sometimes just to relax. Whenever I go, I usually stay at least a week.”
“Whoa…”
“What about you?”
“Pretty similar to you.”
“What do you usually do when you’re in Korea?”
“Just rest or meet up with friends. You?”
The conversation was simple, almost mundane.
“I came to Spain earlier than you, Suhyuk. So I don’t have many friends left in Korea. When I go back I usually just knit with my grandma. We make scarves and stuff.”
Whoa. That was actually a really cool hobby.
“That’s a seriously cool hobby.”
“…Really? You don’t think it’s boring and old-fashioned?”
“No, it seems amazing. It’s creative work that takes real care. You’re making things that are one of a kind in the whole world.”
“Oh.”
“Your parents would love getting something like that as a gift.”
I’d only said what I honestly thought, but Hayun looked strangely touched.
“Want me to make one for you later? Spain’s winters are pretty warm, but everyone still wears scarves.”
“Wow, I’d love that. I’d use it forever. A gift with real effort and heart behind it? That’s the best.”
I meant every word. Hayun was beaming, clearly pleased with my answer.
“You were really popular today.”
“Huh?”
“So many people came up asking for your autograph. A lot of girls, too.”
Hayun’s tone had turned noticeably chilly.
…Was she jealous? No, probably not. Why would someone as pretty as Hayun need to be jealous? Besides, it didn’t seem like she liked me that way. She was just a hardcore Pericos fan. That was it. Because Hayun was pretty.
“Ah, those people. Guess everyone really loves Espanyol, just like you.”
“Like me?”
“Yeah. You love Espanyol too, Hayun.”
“That’s true. But I’m not exactly an ordinary fan.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, a big-club supporter being friends with a youth player and deliberately going out to eat together?”
“True. You are my friend. You’re the person I’m closest to at the international school.”
“Hehe, right?”
Hayun laughed, then asked, “So why did you exchange SNS IDs with her earlier? She doesn’t even go to our school, does she?”
“Ah…”
Why was she suddenly asking? Did Hayun want to get closer to Sofia too?
“She just suggested we grab a meal. Turns out she goes to our school—one year above us. She said we should be friends, so I said sure.”
“…”
“She was pretty.”
“Yeah, and she seemed nice.”
“Nice? After just a few words?”
I’d heard it before—girls supposedly like pretty girls. That’s why so many of them are into female idols. …It was true. Pretty people just get each other.
Maybe I should ask her to eat together.
The moment I opened my mouth, instinct stopped me cold. A chill ran straight down my spine.
“So what did you end up planning with that Sofia girl?”
“We’re supposed to have lunch together tomorrow.”
I checked Sofia’s message on my phone and answered. Hayun’s face immediately fell into a pout.
“Then what about me? I wanted to have lunch with you tomorrow.”
Looked like Hayun’s usual lunch group had plans. That explained why she wanted to eat with me. If I ate with Sofia, would Hayun end up eating alone?
…Sofia was pretty, but I was definitely closer to Hayun right now.
“Then let’s eat together tomorrow.”
“What? You already have plans. You’re not seriously telling me to crash your thing with Sofia, are you?”
“No. I’ll just tell her we’ll do it another time.”
“…You sure that’s okay?”
“You said you wanted to eat with me tomorrow. I’m way closer to you than to Sofia, so eating with you feels more comfortable anyway.”
I did want to try eating with Sofia at some point. But I couldn’t stand the thought of Hayun eating by herself.
After dinner with Suhyuk, Kim Hayun stood up and headed to the counter to pay. Only to learn he had already taken care of the bill.
“Ri paid? I kept wondering why that boy’s been working so hard lately. Turns out he has a girlfriend this pretty!”
The restaurant owner, who already knew Suhyuk, let out a big hearty laugh. Suhyuk, who had already stepped outside, smiled awkwardly.
“Thanks for eating with me today. It was fun.”
“…Hey, I said I’d pay.”
“I got a bonus today. You came to watch and I scored a hat trick because of it, so of course I’m buying.”
“Youth league games give bonuses?”
“They give a little pocket money if you score a hat trick in an important match.”
“…That’s interesting. Anyway, thanks for the meal.”
A flush rose on Kim Hayun’s cheeks. The words Suhyuk had said so casually—“It’s because you came that I got a hat trick”—kept echoing in her ears.
“I’ll walk you home.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Kim Hayun told him it was fine. Most guys would have insisted on walking her back anyway, flirting about wanting to spend just a little more time together. But Suhyuk, with zero dating experience, simply accepted it.
“Oh, okay. Get home safe, then.”
He took her at her word and headed straight home.
“…What is with that guy, seriously.”
Kim Hayun climbed onto the bus alone, completely unable to read Suhyuk’s feelings.
“It’s actually hilarious.”
Did he really have no interest in girls? But he’d looked overjoyed when those girls approached him earlier. He’d even exchanged SNS IDs with Sofia—basically the same as swapping numbers.
But maybe exchanging numbers is easier when you’re not that interested in romance? That would explain why he talked about Sofia so casually the whole time we were eating.
The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Suhyuk had canceled his lunch with Sofia to eat with her instead. That alone made it seem like he was interested in her. Yet he hadn’t walked her home.
I don’t get it. I just… want to hang out with him again.
Kim Hayun spent the entire bus ride home thinking about Suhyuk, trying to figure out what he was really feeling, and realized she wanted to see him again.
The next day, I canceled my lunch plans with Sofia and headed out to the garden with Hayun during the lunch break. We spread a mat on the grass at the international school and opened our lunch boxes. It seemed completely normal here for students to eat like this. Every day, groups of kids who got along would come out to the garden and have lunch like they were on a picnic.
I was eating with Hayun. For some reason it felt like we were a couple, and the thought made me happy. Was this what a date by the Han River back in Korea would feel like?
“When’s the next match?”
“Next week. We’re playing La Fabrica.”
La Fabrica. The nickname for Real Madrid’s youth academy—the factory that churned out prospects.
“Another strong team, huh.”
“Yeah. If I play well, I might even get a shot at a call-up to the second team… so I’ve got to give it everything.”
“Hmm, then I guess I’ll have to come watch again? You said yesterday that you got a hat trick because I was there.”
…My heart started racing like it was trying to escape my chest.
“If you come watch, I’ll get another hat trick.”
“You mean it?”
“Of course.”
“…I’ll definitely come.”
That was when a familiar beauty started walking toward us. It was Sofia—the famous influencer with over a hundred thousand followers.
“What is this, Ri! We were supposed to eat together!”
“…Hey, Sofia.”
“We had plans! I thought something urgent came up!”
“Sorry. This was kind of an urgent thing too.”
I couldn’t just sit by and let a friend eat alone. It would’ve felt wrong.
“…She’s pretty, though. Not your girlfriend, right?”
I shook my head.
“Then have dinner with me after training today.”
At Sofia’s bold suggestion, I glanced at Hayun. Hayun’s face crumpled for a second before she looked at Sofia and said,
“…I was just about to ask him to have dinner with me tonight, too.”
…?
Two gorgeous girls were both asking me to eat with them. Once again… soccer really is the best.