Tsk, I think it’s already too late anyway. So I decided to just hurry up and go see him.
I was just about to send Yoo In-ho a message, telling myself excuses didn’t matter anymore.
“Huh? Min Siheon, why are you here?”
“Ah.”
One of my classmates from the lecture room greeted me like we were close. It seemed he’d been lingering around after class ended.
For someone in a hurry like me, it wasn’t exactly a welcome situation.
It couldn’t be helped. To maintain my outward image, I forced the corners of my lips upward even though they didn’t want to move. I gave him a brief nod, planning to cut the conversation short and leave.
But it felt like fate pitied me. An unexpected hint fell from his mouth. He knew where Cha Jungwoo and Yoo In-ho had gone.
“Oh, are you here to meet Yoo In-ho and Cha Jungwoo? Then you just missed them. They went to the club room earlier. Yoo In-ho kept whining about the heat. That idiot doesn’t even know they’re not turning on the air conditioning there right now~”
Ignoring the guy’s mischievous laughter—he was probably just trying to tease Yoo In-ho—I rolled my eyes. Maybe he meant it as a joke, but the fact that he’d made Cha Jungwoo waste a trip too made it irritating.
“Right. But I’ve got something to do. I’ll head out first.”
“Huh? O-oh… yeah. See you.”
There was no reason to stay once I’d gotten what I needed. I turned my back without even glancing at him, no matter how flustered he looked.
The club room, huh… There was only one club room Yoo In-ho would take Cha Jungwoo to. …The Business Administration club room.
“Pointless.”
I’d worked so hard to pull him away from that place. Hearing it mentioned made my brows knit together.
Even as I quickened my pace, memories from the past flashed through my mind.
Cha Jungwoo was kind. And I wasn’t the only one who had fallen for that kindness.
Even if the depth of feeling differed, it meant there were others harboring affection too.
Not necessarily love—there were plenty who showed different forms of fondness. Around Cha Jungwoo were people who wanted to claim the seat beside him.
And I hated that. Not just disliked it—it felt unbearable.
That was why I’d made him stop going to the department club room. I’d used spending time with me as leverage, naturally steering his movements away from that place.
That was also why I chose the club room as the stage to stir his awareness. It tasted bitter to admit, but anyone would be shaken after witnessing a scene like that.
The familiar building came into view, and I ground my teeth. I didn’t know who might be with him, but all I could think about was hurrying.
***
I’d hoped he would be alone with Yoo In-ho. But it seemed my wish hadn’t come true.
Leaning against the wall right beside the club room and closing my eyes, the voices leaking out made my head throb.
I wondered when the right moment would be to step in and pull Cha Jungwoo away.
My clenched fist tingled, so I glanced down. The imprint of my phone was clearly pressed into my palm from how tightly I’d been gripping it.
Right… it wasn’t just Cha Jungwoo in there. The message app I’d opened but hadn’t sent yet came into view.
Recipient: Yoo In-ho. He was someone I’d be working on assignments with from now on. And more importantly, he could serve as my excuse for going inside.
The thought flashed by, and I immediately typed out a message. It wasn’t anything special, just enough to sound reasonable.
After leaving a small gap in time, I sent it. My patience, already scraped against the floor, felt like it was being tested.
[I’ve got a free period, so where are you? Let’s talk about the assignment.]
[I heard you’re at the Business Admin club room. I’m nearby, so I’ll head over.]
Standing in the quiet hallway emptied of people, I tried to calm myself by listening to the ticking of the clock’s second hand.
Just a little longer, just a little more. Whether Yoo In-ho saw the message or not didn’t matter.
All I needed was a reason that timid Cha Jungwoo could accept. I gritted my teeth and held on.
So he could feel at ease. So he wouldn’t have anywhere to run.
But I felt like I couldn’t hold out any longer. A stranger’s female voice drifted through the door.
“Um, sunbae-nim….”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Hey, are you really going to ask?”
This is bad. A siren blared in my head, and my vision tinged red. I’ve endured enough. I turned immediately, grabbed the doorknob, and twisted it open.
“S-sunbae-nim, do you maybe have a girlfriend—”
“Hm?”
There stood Cha Jungwoo, listening attentively to her, and a girl who was obviously expressing interest in him.
Only after my eyes landed on Cha Jungwoo did I realize what state I was in.
I hadn’t even noticed how much I’d been sweating. Brushing back my damp bangs, I walked straight toward him.
I shoved the phone in my hand into my pocket and tossed my bag aside, trying—at least indirectly—to show how bad my mood was.
The contents spilled out, but I felt nothing about it. I just wanted to shatter this sticky, interest-laced atmosphere.
“Ah, found you.”
I was irritated. No—this was anger. Rage rose toward my own stupidity for still not having secured the place beside Cha Jungwoo.
I wasn’t particularly self-absorbed, but I wasn’t the type to beat myself up either. Yet whenever it came to Cha Jungwoo, I became like this. I concluded that I must already be completely broken.
And strangely, I didn’t even think that was a problem.
As for Cha Jungwoo… I couldn’t bring myself to resent him. I kept making excuses for him, telling myself he wasn’t at fault. While I stood there, Yoo In-ho, who’d been farther away, looked over.
“Min Siheon? What brings you here?”
“I heard you guys were here. Thought we could grab food together. In-ho, we’ve got an assignment to work on too.”
“Ah, right. Sorry~”
Using the excuse I’d prepared, I moved closer to Cha Jungwoo. The dryness in my throat wasn’t simple thirst—it was something deeper.
If you’re not ready yet, I’ll wait. But at least give me this.
Before my vision could blur with impulse, I grabbed the cup Cha Jungwoo had been holding.
A few remaining ice cubes rattled at the bottom, but it didn’t bother me at all once I realized it was something he’d been drinking.
“Huh? Hey, that’s mine.”
“Sorry. I was thirsty.”
The water he’d been drinking and the melted ice slid into my mouth—something I normally wouldn’t have touched.
Was it the heat, or something else? Cha Jungwoo’s face was flushed red.
Through his thin T-shirt, pale skin showed faintly, and because he’d been leaning forward, the line of his deep collarbones and chest threatened to come into view.
…Hold it together. I crunched the ice desperately, trying to control where my eyes went.
Even as I struggled to keep my stiff smile in place, Cha Jungwoo fanned his shirt, stirring me up further.
I can’t let this continue. To stop him somehow, I lifted the cup and pressed it lightly against his cheek.
“Here, cool, right?”
“…It’s cold. My head hurts.”
My mouth was smiling, but inside I was a mess. The thin thread of control I clung to felt like it could snap at any moment.
“Sorry, maybe it’s not a good time to keep talking?”
“Huh? Ah, y-yeah….”
“I’ll listen next time. I don’t know what it was about, but if you’re really curious, I’m in the department group chat—just message me.”
“Oh! Okay!”
Kind-hearted Cha Jungwoo hurried to comfort the girl whose words had been cut off because of me.
A first-year… The one sitting on the left didn’t seem important. But the girl on the right, the one who had been talking to Cha Jungwoo, grated on my nerves.
…The way she looked at Cha Jungwoo was the same as mine. My emotions refused to stay contained.
Instinctively sensing danger, I realized I needed to break this atmosphere.
“…What are you whispering about?”
“Hey.”
As if I were a nuisance, Cha Jungwoo covered my face with his hand.
But I was more desperate than he was. I lightly buried my lips against his palm, which carried his scent.
“It’s a secret.”
“That’s harsh.”
“Didn’t you say you came for the assignment? Go talk to Yoo In-ho. Look at him over there slacking off.”
“Hmm, now that I’m here, I kinda don’t feel like it.”
“What are you even saying….”
The contact was frustratingly brief. As I complained softly, the opportunity to pull Cha Jungwoo away finally appeared.
“By the way, why didn’t you contact him? If you’d called, he would’ve come out right away.”
“Oh, I heard you guys came this way. Thought I’d come see you in person. And In-ho checks his phone slower than I expected.”
“That’s his fault. Hey, Yoo In-ho! You’re free until your next class, right? If you’ve got any conscience, go work on the assignment with Min Siheon.”
Yoo In-ho. The new interference annoyed me. Still, he didn’t seem to harbor the same feelings as that girl, so I decided to be satisfied with that much.
“Yes, yes~ it’s all my fault. I checked my phone and saw a bunch of messages. Min Siheon, I didn’t see them. Sorry.”
“It’s fine. We still have time before the deadline. Hmm, it’s kind of crowded to work in the club room…. Want to go to a café or a nearby restaurant? Jungwoo, you should come too.”
Let’s go. This environment felt unbearably suffocating, and I sent Cha Jungwoo a pleading look.
I already knew he’d be the one to stand up.
“We were actually planning to go to Dream Port anyway. Hey! Cha Jung! Get up!”
“Why me again….”
He grumbled, but he’d always had a soft spot when it came to me.
Even though I knew a little coaxing would be enough, watching him gather his things without resistance was endlessly lovable.
“Phew, fine. I’m going, I’m going.”
“Let’s go together. Sorry. Mind if I take Jungwoo?”
“Huh? Ah… sure….”
I watched as Cha Jungwoo stepped away from the table. Now there was only one thing left for me to do—leave a warning, not quite a warning, for the rival who might try to take him away.
I wouldn’t go easy just because she was a girl. If it involved Cha Jungwoo, I could endure any ugly behavior.
If you feel the same way I do, you’ll have to face me first.
Amid the noisy chatter of classmates, I opened the club room door and waited. Even as he walked toward me, the way his gaze kept drifting back toward the table annoyed me.
The moment Cha Jungwoo stepped within my reach, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I tried not to put strength into my grip, but the heat pouring out of me couldn’t be helped. His steady eyes turned toward me, full of question, yet all I felt was satisfaction.
Just being with Cha Jungwoo seemed to wash away my foul mood. I really did need him.
Lovingggg thisss