NILWM - 21

The two of them continued to chat for a while about their families, their future career paths, popular movies, and other content, not parting ways until after 10 p.m. Choi In-ha insisted on walking her home to see her mother after a long time, but Ye-seo dragged him all the way to the subway station.

“Come next time. It’s too late, and your house is far away.”

“It’s not far. It’s just across the Han River.”

Choi In-ha finally descended the station stairs with a look of regret. Ye-seo turned back, feeling both relieved and a little disappointed.

While she enjoyed spending time with Choi In-ha and lost track of time, his overly energetic personality would often drain her and leave her exhausted. It was like being in the middle of a crowded amusement park.

Ye-seo turned onto Bogwang-ro alley at the intersection. It was a two-stop bus ride away, but she wanted to walk for a bit since she felt full. She was just about to take a shortcut at the beginning of the alley when she heard a low voice from behind her.

“Min Ye-seo.”

The deep, cold voice was not unfamiliar to her.

“Senior...?”

She turned around to see Han Joo-hyuk standing there. He was holding a takeout cup in his hand—a cup from the same café where she and Choi In-ha had been sitting just a moment ago. Was he there, too?

“Were you at M Cafe, Senior?”

“You and Choi In-ha seem pretty close.”

Instead of answering, he abruptly asked a question.

“Do you two meet alone often like today?”

“Huh...?”

She couldn’t figure out the meaning behind the question. Suddenly, Han Joo-hyuk looked like an interrogator. His large frame cast a dark shadow under the streetlight, and the pressure she felt from his even darker-glowing eyes was inexplicable.

“You’re not dating, are you?”

“Why... are you curious?”

“Why? Am I not allowed to be curious?”

Ye-seo furrowed her brow slightly. His tone wasn’t argumentative, but it was definitely sharp.

“Yes.”

Ye-seo gulped. Suddenly, her vision blurred. The situation of them facing off in a dark alley didn’t feel real.

“Why would you be curious about that, Senior?”

Of all people, it had to be her senior—Han Joo-hyuk, the man who had flatly rejected her confession and said he had never thought of her as more than a junior.

Ye-seo’s eyes widened as she looked up at him, watching him slowly approach her. She felt foolish for not being able to take her eyes off him even in this situation.

“Why would I be curious? Obviously...”

He trailed off as he threw his cup into a trash can. But no matter how long she waited, he didn’t finish his sentence. Unable to wait any longer, Ye-seo spoke up.

“Are you curious if I’ve completely gotten over you, Senior?”

“...”

“If that’s it, don’t worry. As I said before, it was just a sudden confession... and I don’t like you anymore.”

Her voice was extremely dry and calm. A peculiar look crossed Han Joo-hyuk’s eyes. It might have just been a reflection of the light.

“That’s not an answer to my question.”

“...”

“It was only two months ago that you said you liked me, and your feelings cooled down so quickly? Were you really sincere?”

“Huh...?”

“If it was genuine, your feelings couldn’t have faded away so fast.”

“Senior.”

Ye-seo’s eyes grew wide. She couldn’t believe Han Joo-hyuk’s words; she thought she must be hearing things. What on earth was happening?

“What are you doing...?”

“It’s true, isn’t it? If you were really sincere about liking me, would your heart turn to someone else so quickly?”

Han Joo-hyuk took another step closer. The sharp look in his eyes, which didn’t match his calm tone, was frightening. It didn’t feel threatening, but there was a sharp edge that made her stiffen with tension. However, her indignation was greater than her fear.

“What are you even talking about? You’re the one who rejected me, saying you only thought of me as a good junior.”

“I didn’t tell you to immediately jump to some other guy.”

Ye-seo stopped breathing for a moment. More than the surprise of hearing Han Joo-hyuk use such rough language for the first time, the meaning of his words was more shocking. The fact that Choi In-ha was like an older brother, not a romantic interest, was irrelevant at this moment.

“Then... Then were you hoping that even after being rejected, I wouldn’t take an interest in other men... that I wouldn’t get close to them or date them?”

It sounded absurd even as she said it herself. He couldn’t possibly be serious. If Han Joo-hyuk truly wanted that, then he was a lunatic. She couldn’t say the words out loud, but wasn’t that the truth?

“Yes.”

Ye-seo subconsciously took a step back. Han Joo-hyuk closed the distance between them.

“I guess that’s what I wanted.”

“...”

“I just realized it for sure. Thanks to you for making me see it.”

A moment of silence hung in the air. The main street behind the building was bustling with cars and people, but the alley they stood in was quiet. The noise that filtered in from beyond the building was a faint, ringing sound.

“Then...”

Ye-seo was the first to speak. She was suffocating under Han Joo-hyuk’s gaze, which seemed to swallow her whole, and the weight of his silence, which gave away nothing.

“Ultimately, this means I’m on your mind, doesn’t it? So... will you accept my confession again?”

She didn’t know where she got the courage. She was surprised by her own genuine feelings, which had suddenly surfaced despite thinking he was crazy.

“The part where I said I don’t like you anymore—that was a lie. I still like you.”

She had only drunk coffee with Choi In-ha, but her mind felt hazy, as if she had been drinking heavily. At the same time, it felt clear and sharp.

“I know.”

Han Joo-hyuk replied calmly. The interrogating tone from before was gone, and his voice had softened.

“You know?”

He watched her in silence. Ye-seo’s heart beat wildly. She even liked his calm and arrogant demeanor. There was nothing she could do about it.

“So, what do you want?”

“I want to date you, Senior.”

The words tumbled out as if she had been waiting for them. What other answer could there be? When you confess to someone that you like them and have a crush on them, the hope is always the same.

“I want to get closer to you and get to know you better. Of course, I might be lacking in many ways, but you...”

...but you also have feelings for me. Enough to be bothered when I’m with another man. The fact that you followed me here with that annoyed look on your face, asked if I was dating In-ha oppa, and criticized me for changing my mind so soon—that’s all proof, isn’t it?

“Ye-seo.”

Before she could finish her breathless thoughts, Han Joo-hyuk called her name. In that moment, a sense of dread washed over her. Her instincts seemed to know how this conversation would end from the sound of his voice alone.

“I have no intention of dating anyone.”

“...”

“Not you, or anyone else.”

“Why?”

Not wanting to date at all—was there a special reason for it? Like not wanting to date a classmate, or wanting to focus only on her studies and job applications until graduation?

“Because emotional labor is exhausting. I just don’t like getting emotionally entangled and swayed by others.”

“...”

“And that’s why you...”

Han Joo-hyuk ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. A crack appeared on his forehead, which was as smooth as polished marble.

“I was hoping you also wouldn’t date anyone or let anyone close to you, and that we could go back to the way things were. Although that might be too much to ask for.”

“What did you just say...?”

Her heart rate sped up at his unbelievable confession. Of course, it was a completely different feeling from excitement and hope.

“You can call me a lunatic, but that’s the truth. What can I do about how I feel?”

“Wait... just wait a minute. If I heard you correctly...”

Her mind was shrouded in a thick fog. Ye-seo struggled to push through the chaos and came to a difficult conclusion.

“So what you’re saying is... you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either—is that it?”

“...”

“That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“The word ‘don’t want’ isn’t right. As I said, I have no intention of dating anyone from the beginning.”

“But you also can’t stand to see me dating another man... is that it?”

Ye-seo clenched her fists. Something hot welled up inside her. She didn’t even realize that she had blurted out her inner thoughts.

“You’re crazy.”

“...”

“Senior, you’re a real piece of trash.”

Her bottom lip trembled. In that moment, she wanted to slap Han Joo-hyuk’s face, which showed not a hint of emotion. But she didn’t. She felt that no matter how many times she hit him, he would remain as composed as he was now.