Chapter 45.2

Chapter 45.2

The man suddenly called out Ara’s name.

What? Does he know me? Who is he? Could he be a loan shark…?

Tense, Ara stepped back and turned around, ready to throw the ginger like a grenade and quickly escape if necessary.

“You’re Ara, right? Student council at Sinya High School. Ara from the general affairs department.”

But the man reciting her details was not a loan shark.

“…Senior Soo-ho?”

Yoon Soo-ho.

Ara recognized him instantly.

His tall, slender frame, neatly handsome face, and trademark silver-rimmed glasses…

The face of her secret, unrequited childhood crush remained unchanged.

“I’m glad you remember me.”

Soo-ho smiled with unrestrained delight. A completely harmless smile.

“How long has it been? Since high school graduation… eight years now?”

Ara stood awkwardly, looking up at Soo-ho as he approached.

Perhaps an side effect of seeing too many tall goblins up close. She used to think Soo-ho was so tall, but now he didn’t feel as overwhelmingly tall.

Come to think of it, Kim Seok-kyung was really tall.

Recalling the face of someone much more handsome than her first love, Ara lowered the ginger she was gripping like a weapon.

“What brings Senior Soo-ho here? I heard you went to Seoul for university after graduation…”

That’s right. Graduated university in Seoul and came back here as a public health doctor. It’s been two years now.”

“Oh, is that so…”

“What about you, Ara? Are you here to visit grandmother? Or for work?”

Ara didn’t immediately answer Yoon Suho’s question. Her gesture of wiping her soil-covered hands became awkwardly stiff.

It was a bit embarrassing to explain her complicated circumstances, and with the grandmother already misunderstanding her situation, it was difficult to be straightforward.

“Do the doctor and the young bride know each other well?”

The grandmother, who had been observing their interaction, stepped in.

“Yes, we graduated from the same high school.”

Yoon Suho answered kindly, then turned back to Ara with a slightly furrowed brow.

“But ‘young bride’… Ara, are you married?”

“What? Oh, that…”

Ara was tongue-tied again. She thought to herself, ‘Is this why people say lying makes you restless?’

“What’s there to doubt? If you’re sharing meals and living together, aren’t you a couple?”

To make matters worse, the grandmother misinterpreted Ara’s hesitation and spoke in her defense.

“Haha. Grandmother…”

Ara forced an awkward smile. In the end, it seemed like she had only made herself look even more suspicious, as if she were involved in some strange marriage. But there wasn’t enough time to properly explain, nor was this the right place for it.

“Oh my, look at the time! Grandma, please pack all of this quickly.”

At times like this, the best strategy was a swift retreat.

Ara hurriedly moved all the items she had gathered onto the counter, feigning a sense of urgency.

“Can we talk outside for a moment?”

As she passed by Suho, she whispered just softly enough for him to hear.

Suho looked as though he couldn’t quite make sense of the situation but nodded soon after. He casually grabbed a nearby basket of vegetables and paid for it.

“Eat well and come back, both of you. Send my regards to Mr. Kim, too.”

Before long, the two of them stepped out of the vegetable shop under Grandma’s warm farewell.

Trailing behind them was Baekseol, who had somehow managed to score a sweet potato from Grandma. Her cheeks were puffed out as she followed closely.

“Give it to me—it’s heavy. Did you bring your car?”

Suho asked as he gently took the cart Ara was pulling. In doing so, his hand brushed lightly against the back of hers.

“No, I walked.”

Ara quickly pulled her hand away and took a step back. Only then did she realize something.

Wait, I’m acting like a woman caught cheating.

No sooner had she thought this than Baekseol snickered behind her. She felt like someone caught drinking kimchi soup straight from the jar without permission.

“……?”

Yoon Suho, initially puzzled by her blatant rejection, soon seemed to realize something and turned pale, offering an apology.

“Oh, I’m sorry. That was inappropriate. I absolutely didn’t mean anything by it… it wasn’t intentional…”

“I know. It’s okay.”

“No. I was inconsiderate. Just hearing you were married and then… I’m really sorry. I just couldn’t process it…”

“Senior.”

Ara stared at Yoon Suho, who was clearly embarrassed, and finally let out a large sigh.

“Actually, I’m not married.”