CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑
↻ ◁ ɪɪ ▷ ↺

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘
𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅

𝑰'𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓
'𝑪𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆
𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒆
𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 (𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆) 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 (𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆)
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆 (𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆)

𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚
𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅
𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 (𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆)
𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰'𝒎 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆
𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓,

𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅?
𝑰𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔?

─𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐄𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡

▄ █ ▄ ▄ █ ▄ █ ▄ █ █ ▄ █ ▄ █ ▄ █

It was a sunny day like summer. The children lined up under the blue sky looked suffocated. As they listened to the principal's speech in front of them, they thought with dry eyes: —Please... Please... You said earlier this was your last word!

—Everyone, this is the last thing I'd like to say.

—You've already said that ten times!— The children burst into silent waves of anger as they stomped their feet. The teachers, who had initially given several warnings, could no longer stand seeing the children's resentful faces. All they could do was avoid their gazes.

—Principal, please, stop!— Even the teachers found it unbearable, murmuring to themselves. Amidst the endless, boring speech, only one person stood tall.

Kwon Eun Hyung, the president of Class 1-1, remained silent as he stood in front of the class. Then someone tapped him on the shoulder. When Kwon Eun Hyung looked back, Eun Ji-Ho's smiling face was right in front of him.

—Why?

As he approached to ask, Eun Ji-Ho pointed to the right with his chin. Following Eun Ji-Ho, Kwon Eun Hyung turned his head in the indicated direction. Then he let out a small laugh.

Within the group of children from Class 1-8, Ham Dan-i was falling asleep while standing. Her head was drooping dangerously, her eyes closed in exhaustion.

—She must have stayed up late texting.

Eun Ji-Ho said as he handed his phone to Kwon Eun Hyung. The text had been received at 4:20 AM. 'What has she been doing until now?' Thinking this, Kwon Eun Hyung sighed deeply.

Sent by: Ham Dan-i

Our class is going to win the talent show tomorrow~

^^! ^^!! ^^!!!!!

Reading the message, Kwon Eun Hyung silently laughed, then asked softly.

—What did you reply?

—Like this,— Eun Ji-Ho replied briefly, pressing another button.

To: Ham Dan-i

Lol! Lol!! Lol!!!!!

This time, Kwon Eun Hyung couldn't help but laugh a little harder.

While thinking about what Dan-i's reaction might have been upon receiving that message, Eun Ji-Ho, who was still laughing at Dan-i, suddenly had a fierce look in his eyes. Seeing the strange tension in his jet-black eyes, Kwon Eun Hyung turned to look in the same direction in astonishment. Soon, he had the same expression as Eun Ji-Ho.

—Why don't you wake her up...— Eun Ji-Ho muttered under his breath. Kwon Eun Hyung silently nodded.

In the distance, someone from Class 1-8 was holding Ham Dan-i, who had just fallen asleep, in their arms. It was Lee Ru-Da, who rested his chin on Ham Dan-i's head and had his hands on her small shoulders. Almost embracing her from behind, Lee Ru-Da was whispering something softly and warmly.

Kwon Eun Hyung's eyes widened in disbelief. 'How can she be so defenseless when a guy is hugging her from behind? Doesn't she have any sense of caution?', he thought, with the typical concern of an older brother. He told himself he'd have to talk to her later about her careless attitude.

At least, that was his thought until he remembered how Han Mihyun behaved similarly with him. Wouldn't it be hypocritical to scold his friend about 'personal space' when he himself didn't respect it with Mihyun?

'No. It's different. At least I know myself, and I know I would never do anything to Mihyun, especially not in such a vulnerable state. But with Lee Ru-Da or other guys, you never know', he silently justified, nodding to himself as if agreeing with his own reasoning.

He was then interrupted by the sudden 'burst of energy' from Eun Ji-Ho, who, standing at the back, was furiously tapping his phone.

Ham Dan-i suddenly squinted her eyes and then stepped out of Lee Ru-Da's arms. Without a word, Lee Ru-Da let Ham Dan-i go, but he wrinkled his nose, clearly displeased. He then stared at the back of Dan-i's head.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket in annoyance to check it. When Eun Ji-Ho relaxed his shoulders with a satisfied look, Kwon Eun Hyung looked at him in confusion.

—What did you send her?— he asked.

Eun Ji-Ho, without flinching, just raised his phone to show Eun Hyung.

To: Ham Dan-i

Wake up

To: Ham Dan-i

I said, wake up

To: Ham Dan-i

WAKE UP

What Eun Ji-Ho had sent continuously were a series of messages, each containing one letter of the word 'wake up.' Since the phone kept vibrating rapidly, Dan-i couldn't help but wake up.

Eun Ji-Ho's screen flashed with a new message, and he turned the phone again for Eun Hyung to read.

Sent by: Ham Dan-i

Why?!

To: Ham Dan-i

Is the schoolyard your bed? Huh?

Eun Ji-Ho then started typing: 'Sleep on the bus', but quickly moved his fingers to delete it. Kwon Eun Hyung, now more puzzled, asked beside him.

—Why did you delete it?

—What if that bastard Lee Ru-Da sits next to her on the bus?

—Oh... that's...

Both fell silent for a moment. As if something had crossed his mind, Eun Ji-Ho, still watching Ham Dan-i, revealed a growing darkness in his eyes.

Eun Hyung silently stared at his friend.

Feeling the gaze of the red-haired boy, Ji-Ho soon lifted his head. Then he spoke with his eyes still lost in the darkness.

—What's wrong?

—It's nothing... it's just that...

Kwon Eun Hyung paused and then shut his mouth. It was rare for him to leave his thoughts unfinished, but at that moment, he didn't know what to say.

They had been friends with Ham Dan-i for three years, meaning they had shared physical affection at some point. Eun Hyung or Chun Young often patted her on the head. Woo Jooin didn't hesitate to hug her around the waist or neck. Ji-Ho, too, would put his arm around her shoulders.

Now that they were in different classes, it made sense that Dan-i had more friends, besides Mihyun, and had similar physical closeness with them.

The thought stirred something in Eun Hyung's chest, not just about Dan-i, but also about Mihyun. But he quickly dismissed those feelings and returned to focusing on Eun Ji-Ho's reaction.

Kwon Eun Hyung had confidence in reading others' emotions fairly well. This, in some ways, was the result of his childhood. If even a strand of his hair was out of place, he would receive harsh criticism, hearing, 'It's because he wasn't raised in a proper family.' To avoid reproach, he had to read people's minds and behave accordingly.

Since he lived that way, he believed he was aware of Eun Ji-Ho's emotions to some extent.

'Was I wrong?' However, Ji-Ho's eyes at that moment were unreadable.

The gentle gaze of Chun Young and the deeply submerged eyes of Ji-Ho...

Eun Hyung frowned as he closed his eyes. For some reason, he found them both strangely similar.

As if reading the boy's mind, Ji-Ho, who was staring into Eun Hyung's eyes, raised his silver eyebrows. Then he twisted the corners of his lips into a smile. His ebony-black eyes still swirled with darkness. Before Eun Hyung could continue his thoughts, Ji-Ho broke the ice, intentionally diverting his attention.

—It took us three years for Dan-i to open up to us. We had to go through some really tough times to make it happen,— he explained smoothly. —I just don't like that she's so close to that bastard she's only known for half a year.

But even as he said this, Eun Hyung's expression remained unchanged.

—Or Mihyun. Okay?— Ji-Ho added as an afterthought, trying to sound more convincing.

Hesitantly, Eun Hyung accepted the explanation without pushing further.

—Ah... yes, I understand.

As Eun Ji-Ho stared at him, Kwon Eun Hyung turned to face forward again. Finally, the principal had finished his eternal speech.

❀
゜
・
。
。
・
゜
・
。
。
・゜
゜・
。
。

The sunlight filtered through the bus window, bathing Dan-i and Ru-Da in a warm glow. Dan-i, trapped in the corner, felt increasingly overwhelmed; her back was pressed against the cold glass while Ru-Da, imposing and calm, blocked any possible escape. His piercing gaze settled on her, and the air around them grew heavy, charged with palpable tension.

Ru-Da's face was so close that Dan-i could make out every detail of his features: the soft arch of his eyebrows, the way his eyelashes caught the light. It was a captivating moment suspended in time, as if the universe had decided to pause just for them.

Tiny particles of dust danced in the air, sparkling like bright stars, accentuating the intensity of the moment. The closeness of Ru-Da, the warmth radiating from his body, was an overwhelming contrast to the coldness of the glass trapping her.

—Do you... want to be mine?— Ru-Da asked, his voice soft yet loaded with meaning, as if trying to reach Dan-i's very soul.

The world around her faded. Dan-i stared at him with wide eyes, as if the words echoed distantly in her mind while she 'searched' for an answer. Something she apparently found, as she opened her mouth and said...

—Badum Badum.

Yes, she actually made the sound of a heartbeat out loud. What made it even more ridiculous was that her voice came out cold, emotionless, like that of a robot programmed to respond.

Then, before she could continue her terrible performance, a shout echoed throughout the bus a few meters from them.

—CUT!!!

The figure of Yoon Jung In, their classmate and the play's director, stood with a look of frustration on his face. His gaze fell on the two like a lightning bolt, and his disappointment said it all about how disastrous the school retreat theater rehearsal had been.

—Oi, Ham Dan-i, why are you delivering your lines like you have a heart condition?— he scolded, with the exasperated tone of a tired mother. He was starting to feel overwhelmed by the almost inevitable possibility that their class would finish last in the competition.

Ru-Da, on his part, felt a twinge of discomfort at the indifference on the brown-haired girl's face, but he chose to stay silent. Instead, he observed Dan-i, who was clutching her chest, breathing heavily as if she had just climbed a mountain. She looked like an old woman exhausted after a long day.

'It's really pathetic,' thought Mihyun, struggling not to laugh as she sat next to Lee Mina.

Mihyun felt grateful for having faked laryngitis during the entire week of rehearsals, even if it meant inventing a whole new sign language just to keep up her act.

'Haa~... I'm too good at this. Too bad my studies aren't going as well,' she thought wryly. She had tied with Chun Young for last place on the most recent exam, something that the little voice in her head hadn't stopped reminding her of since they got their grades, all because she'd lazed around in bed reading romance novels instead of studying hard.

Ignoring that voice, Mihyun decided to focus on the present. 'I'll make up for it on the next test,' she told herself. In this life, grades had never been a serious problem for her. She wasn't as brilliant as most of her closest friends, but she always managed to stay afloat. With that resolution in mind, she looked out the window and smiled. It was time for the stop.

Time for the stop and for...

'Bothering Choi Yuri~'

Officially, they had never spoken. However, being Mihyun, she had been watching her from afar ever since the new term started.

Why hadn't she done anything yet? Well, the answer was simple: Mihyun didn't get involved with side characters unless she was forced to or it became necessary.

Choi Yuri had kept a low profile. It wasn't until three weeks ago that she started getting close to Ban Yeo-Ryeong, which confused Mihyun. If Choi Yuri was following the same pattern as in the novel, and she really wasn't supposed to approach Yeo-Ryeong until just before the school trip...

They were in serious trouble. Because by this point, Ban-Ban already considered her a friend.

And that meant that Mihyun would have to once again question Ban Yeo-Ryeong's naivety, something she hated doing but saw as necessary for her safety.

Considering people who had only been around for three weeks as —friends— was dangerous in a novel world where crazy things like CEO's sons, kidnappings, and combat rankings existed.

If they were too careless, something like what happened to Choi Yuri in the original plot could happen one day, and things might truly spiral out of control.

Mihyun knew Yeo-Ryeong was strong, she was incredible, a damn stellar protagonist! But that didn't lessen her worries. It never would because...

Because not all wounds were physical. No. And the ones that hurt the most were the emotional ones, the ones you couldn't see but everyone had.

And yes, Mihyun was aware of her own hypocrisy when it came to her Ban-Ban.

She couldn't stand the thought of someone like Choi Yuri hurting her again. It would hurt so much that she was willing to turn into a rabid dog to protect her.

Yet...

Once again, she was a hypocrite.

A hypocrite because Mihyun was starting to feel willing to bite the hand of her dear friend for a boy. A boy who was also her friend and whose feelings she could no longer ignore.

Yes... Mihyun knew. She knew that Kwon Eun Hyung had liked her for at least a year. Maybe even longer, but she had simply looked the other way until she couldn't anymore.

It was hard not to fall for someone so... so Eun Hyung, haha.

In some way, she had stood firm in her unconscious decision not to be interested in 'reserved boys'. After all, she was an intruder in this world. What right did she have to steal someone who had literally been written for someone else?

That's why Mihyun kept drifting through life without thinking too much about it. She came close to people and pulled away with the same carelessness. Wasn't that the life she had chosen to lead?

She thought she could go on like this forever, until one day she crashed into reality. She realized that this life without commitment made her feel empty.

She was starting to want something different.

Something that would push her forward. An adventure with a clear direction, because she felt like a ship adrift.

She wanted something overwhelming, something that demanded time. Dedication. Something absorbing, but not suffocating.

At first, she convinced herself that she just needed a hobby, something to occupy her mind. So she decided to learn how to cook. In her previous life, the only thing she knew how to make well was cookies and chocolates, and that was only because she had to learn for the one Valentine's Day she had experienced.

She remembered Haibara, a friend from her past life. A bright boy, always full of energy like the Sun. They had become friends because, in some ways, they were a perfect match. He always reminded her of that.

He used to say, : 'We're the same. Soulmates!'

Mihyun would laugh, though she never fully confirmed it. She knew it wasn't true.

They matched in specific moments, but she wasn't as cheerful or sincere as he was.

She wasn't as happy as she claimed to be. She wasn't as carefree as she pretended to be.

It was never coincidence or ease that made everything go so well for her.

She had accepted that truth while she was dying. And also in this new chance she had been given.

Dying because, well, she was dying? Duh, it was obvious that her true desires would spill over. That she would accept that she was enviously jealous of a naïve, silly boy who one day disappeared from her life without a word. Leaving behind a silly two-line letter wishing her the best, and a happy life. Apologizing for not saying goodbye 'properly.'

She hated him a little for that, but she accepted it. His departure didn't hurt as much as everyone thought. She just went on with her life until, two years after that spring romance, she fainted and woke up in a hospital bed with a degenerative illness the doctors had missed. Although it wouldn't have changed anything because it was unknown and incurable.

Then, a few months later, she died crying like a baby to the very end.

'Pft, pathetic.'

Yeah... Mihyun and that boy definitely were never alike. Hm, even in this life, even if she had freed herself from her tight, self-imposed leash... they weren't alike.

In the end, she had never been the innocent girl she appeared to be. How could she be? Since childhood, she had been more mature than others, understanding situations that other kids didn't. While the others cried when left at daycare, Mihyun simply watched calmly. She knew her parents were busy, that they couldn't always be there. And when they forgot her at school, she waited patiently until they picked her up, always with a smile on her face.

She was one of those kids who accepted their parents' apologies and made them feel better with a 'It's okay, Mom. Don't worry' or a 'It's not your fault, Dad, you're awesome.'

Somehow, without trying, she had been the perfect daughter for her busy, first-time parents, who were a little absent-minded but who had loved her sincerely.

Maybe that's why she...

—I'm sorry, but I have a girlfriend,— Jooin repeated for the third time after getting off the bus, maintaining the same patience in his tone as when this "conversation" began.

He had decided to stretch his legs along with Ji-Ho and Eun Hyung, but he was starting to regret not staying on the bus like Yoo Chun Young, who was comfortably seated. The girl in front of him was relentless, unable to catch his hints. She smiled flirtatiously, tilting her head as if she didn't understand his rejection.

'I'm hungry...' Jooin thought, as the young woman tried once again to approach him.

—Still... couldn't you give me your number just to talk?— she asked, her eyes shining with a mix of hope and expectation. —I just want to be your friend, is that okay?

Jooin almost let out a brief sarcastic laugh but held back. His patience was beginning to crumble, and both Ji-Ho and Eun Hyung, who were watching a few steps away, noticed. Despite the charming smile he still wore, there was an increasing tension in his expression.

There was nothing worse than bothering Jooin when he was hungry. Mihyun and Ji-Ho always joked that it was one of the quickest ways to die. He could even be scarier than a severely sleep-deprived Chun Young.

Counting to ten, Jooin continued with his torture. Oh, how difficult it was to be so cute and charismatic.

—Hahaha, but my girlfriend wouldn't like that. She's very jealous,— he replied, trying to reason with her as if he were talking to a stubborn child.

—But...— the girl began, pouting in frustration.

Before she could continue, someone gently moved her