Chapter 3.2

Chapter 3.2

Running away, and running away again…

Instead of sitting down and crying, she walked more roads, feeling soulless.

Her mother had done the same. She had walked the unfamiliar streets of Europe dozens of times a day, holding young Yeonsu’s hand.

At the time, Yeonsu simply thought her mother liked walking. She thought her mother just wanted to show her more of the world, nothing more.

But her mother had simply wanted to run away. She had wanted to hide away from the world endlessly, holding her small daughter’s hand.

Two days ago, Yeonsu quietly spoke to her mother, who lay in a hospital bed.

“Mom, I’m going to Seoul for a bit. I have an important meeting. Thanks to you, I’m earning a good living. So don’t worry.”

Her mother’s ashen face, nodding and smiling, came to mind. Yeonsu forcibly pushed away the feeling that made her want to cry…

“Are you really going?”

She thought she had slipped out unnoticed, but when she turned around, Jinseok was standing there. Yeonsu swept back her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind.

“How long have you been following me?”

“Since you lied about going to the bathroom.”

His gaze made her uncomfortable. She had realized Jinseok liked her quite a while ago. Since he had never explicitly confessed, she hadn’t been able to reject him outright, but she had always drawn a clear line.

Yeonsu’s eyes held a hint of boredom.

“I’m tired. I want to go back early and rest.”

“Your schedule tomorrow is in the afternoon, isn’t it? You could rest at the accommodation the others booked.”

“I didn’t come here to play; I came to work. I don’t want to make any mistakes.”

“…When will you come to Seoul again?”

“I don’t know.”

She didn’t bother elaborating that as a freelancer, work didn’t come in steadily.

When she answered dismissively, Jinseok, who had been rubbing the side of his jeans, scratched his forehead. Then he stepped closer to Yeonsu.

“Alright. I’ll take you to the hotel.”

She returned his words with a joking smile.

“Why would you?”

“Then I’ll just watch you get in a taxi.”

“It’s fine. I can take it alone…”

“Shin Yeonsu, did I ask you to date me?”

Suddenly, Jinseok grew angry. He, who was known among their classmates for his good nature, had fire in his eyes.

Yeonsu was momentarily dumbfounded by his obvious displeasure.

“What?”

“It’s late, and it’s dangerous, so I’m just saying I’ll watch you get into a taxi, that’s all. What you just did. That.”

“…”

“I do this much for all the other kids. So there’s no need to be so prickly. You understand? How you always draw a line with me? We haven’t seen each other in two years, and you have to be like this?”

Yeonsu briefly pressed her lips together then looked at him. She knew that the kindness Jinseok claimed to extend to everyone wasn’t quite true.

Giving her an apron or serving her food. She had never seen him do that for other classmates.

Two years ago, at a gathering, he had tried to carry her bag. Was it because she was too stiff when she said he didn’t need to?

Jinseok frowned in bewilderment, and she ended up handing him her bag and carrying his instead.

She knew her best intentions could hurt him, but she couldn’t give him false hope.

“So you don’t misunderstand.”

“I won’t misunderstand.”

“Okay, then I don’t need to feel sorry for you, right?”

Jinseok’s sigh rattled the surrounding air. He, who had never shown such easy excitement, was hot up to his neck, and spewed out all the words he’d held back.

“Yes, I liked you. From freshman orientation until now, I’ve liked you so foolishly. Is that feeling ridiculous?”

“I never said it was ridiculous.”

“Ha. What makes you so great that every time someone confesses, you cut them off without even listening? You didn’t even touch the chili shrimp I picked out for you to eat, did you?”

How could she just accept it? If one time became two, and two became three, he would definitely misunderstand.

While taking care of her was his choice, Yeonsu also had the right to refuse it.

Yeonsu’s light brown eyes grew cold.

“Do you need an explanation?”

“No, don’t explain! Yeonsu, I know you’re clearly a kind and good person, but ever since I got caught liking you, you’ve been so cold only to me. Do you know that?”

“…I know.”

“This is pathetic. What’s the big deal? Why are you such a big deal? Haa, when you come to Seoul next time, contact me. I’ll go in first.”

Jinseok, seemingly furious, stomped up the stairs to the second floor and disappeared.

She was confused whether he meant to contact him when she came to Seoul, or not to.

She stood there blankly for a moment, then turned the corner. As she was about to go outside to catch a taxi, she bumped into a familiar face.

His tall, slender figure and the weave of his knit vest caught her eye first.

It was her senior, Hajun. He subtly creased the corners of his eyes as he looked at Yeonsu.

“Shin Yeonsu, you’re really cold.”