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Chapter 60
[ Hansol: I’ll go to the club room first. ]
[ Noeul: Okay. ]
How strange. She actually said she’d go first.
Hansol usually waited for Noeul so they could go to the club room together.
Noeul knew it was because Hansol felt awkward being around a lot of people,
but she still liked to think Hansol waited for her because she wanted to.
Because it felt like she was the only one Hansol relied on.
A pretty girl who only does something when I’m there…
Noeul could almost hear the smug little sound of her own dark, possessive thoughts purring with delight.
It was a good thing Hansol didn’t know what Noeul was really thinking.
Even during the hot summer, Hansol would sweat while waiting for her.
Whenever Noeul told her, “It’s hot, go ahead first. The club room’s got air conditioning,”
Hansol would always answer as expected — “No, I’ll wait.”
So why today? Why go first?
Did she hear that no one was in the club room?
Noeul headed there anyway.
From the hallway outside, she could already hear a buzz of voices.
Sounded like there were quite a few people inside.
She opened the door.
“Hey~.”
“Oh, Noeul!”
“Hey, are you free right now?”
A few classmates greeted her.
“No, not exactly free. I just have class at three, so I’ve got some time to kill.”
She replied and sat down on the sofa.
Hansol waved.
Noeul nodded back.
What’s this? Sitting at a desk?
Hansol usually sat in the corner of the sofa, scrolling on her phone.
That spot was basically her territory — people even called it “Hansol’s zone.”
But today she was sitting at a desk.
Even though the sofa corner was open.
Maybe someone had been sitting there when she came in,
and now that it’s empty, she’s too embarrassed to move?
Noeul took out her laptop, thinking about it.
She opened the file for her report and started typing a bit.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Hansol.
Hansol wasn’t looking at her — just listening to what the others were saying, laughing now and then, reacting with “Oh” and “Ah.”
After a moment, Noeul asked,
“Hansol, did you finish this one?”
“Which one?”
Hansol looked up.
Noeul pointed at her laptop screen.
Hansol smiled and said,
“You gotta tell me what it is first.”
“…‘Understanding Folklore.’ That report.”
“Oh, that one? There’s still time for that.”
Hansol turned back to the group.
What the…?
Noeul had thought Hansol might be waiting for an excuse to come over — that’s why she’d asked.
Hansol had to have understood that.
And yet she acted like she didn’t.
Noeul’s mind began to spin.
Had something happened?
It was their first time meeting since she’d gone to Hansol’s house.
Nothing weird happened that day… right?
They just had sweet and sour pork, drank a bit of soju, laughed, and went home.
Noeul had actually been proud of herself — they’d hung out like real friends, no weird tension, no ulterior motives.
So what was this now?
Was Hansol… avoiding her? Hiding among the others on purpose?
Could it be Hansol had somehow sensed Noeul’s darker thoughts?
Maybe she’d caught Noeul’s gaze lingering too long on her legs, her collarbone—
Noeul suddenly felt anxious.
But Hansol didn’t seem uncomfortable at all.
No, no. Don’t overthink it.
She’s just chatting. That’s all.
If Noeul waited, Hansol would surely talk to her like always,
and Noeul would realize it was nothing.
“Hey, who here’s seen The Cursed Toy, Part 1?”
It was Hyemi, sitting next to Hansol.
A few people raised their hands.
“They’re releasing Part 2 on Friday. Anyone wanna go?”
Hyunsu asked, “What time Friday? Evening?”
“Yeah, when everyone’s done with class, right?”
“Last class Friday’s usually Copy class. Let’s go after that!”
“Sounds good.”
“Noeul, you in?” Hyunsu asked.
Noeul replied,
“I already made plans to drink with Jungtae on Friday.”
“What, already? Hey Byungjun, what’s your last class Friday?”
Byungjun said, “I take Copy with you, idiot. Maybe pay attention?”
“Oh, right. Sorry. You’re just so forgettable.”
“You asked that on purpose, didn’t you, jerk?”
The two playfully bickered.
“…Can I come too?”
The table went quiet for a split second.
Everyone looked at Hansol.
So did Noeul, without even realizing it.
Hyemi said,
“Oh, of course! I just didn’t ask ‘cause you don’t usually join these things. Didn’t wanna pressure you. And since Noeul said she wasn’t going…”
She glanced briefly at Noeul.
But Hansol didn’t look her way.
“I actually liked the first movie,” Hansol said.
“Oh really? Then let’s go together! Nice, Hansol’s in!”
Hansol smiled.
Noeul turned back to her laptop.
But the words on her screen blurred.
Hansol… voluntarily hanging out with the others? Without me?
That was unheard of.
When the group went on trips, Noeul had to beg her to join.
Even for drinking nights, Hansol always asked first — ‘Are you going?’
Noeul tried to focus on her report.
Trying to focus meant she couldn’t.
For the first time, she felt a distance between them.
They’d shared a secret — shouldn’t that have made them closer?
So why did it feel like this?
Was Hansol regretting telling her about her past?
Noeul had said she didn’t mind, that it didn’t change anything,
but maybe Hansol didn’t believe her.
Then Hansol rustled in her bag and pulled something out — jelly candy.
She tore open the pack and set it on the table.
“Eat.”
“What’s this? You treatin’ us like pets?” Hyunsu joked, reaching for some.
Byungjun laughed.
“Eat! No, wait—sit, Happy! Bite! Bite!”
Hansol laughed too, then picked one up and held it out to Noeul.
“Here, Noeul—eat!”
“What am I, your dog?”
Noeul bantered back, taking it without thinking.
Hansol smiled.
That reaction — she wasn’t avoiding her after all.
Then maybe… she was just trying to be more social?
All of a sudden? Why?
A change of heart?
A big one.
It hit Noeul all at once.
Maybe Hansol never really hated being in groups — maybe she’d been afraid.
And now, that fear was gone.
She used to be scared because she thought everything about her was fake —
that people’s kindness wasn’t real, that she didn’t deserve it,
that she was lying to everyone.
But Noeul had told her: she wasn’t a monster, she was normal.
That she didn’t need to reveal everything to be forgiven.
Maybe that eased the fear.
Noeul wasn’t naïve enough to think her words had magically fixed everything.
But Hansol trusted her — wanted to believe her.
And maybe she finally did.
So she must’ve thought, I was just too scared all this time.
Noeul pretended not to hear the group’s laughter.
Pretended to focus on her report,
staring at the screen like her life depended on it.
Was Hansol only close to her before because she was too afraid of everyone else?
Noeul couldn’t decide.
Her head spun.
Too much depended on the answer.
If yes, then this relationship she thought was special — wasn’t special at all.
Had she really misunderstood that badly?
But if no, then how else could she explain Hansol’s behavior today?
The truth was, Noeul liked that Hansol didn’t have many people around her.
Hansol was beautiful, smart, easy to talk to — and all hers.
People saw Hansol’s looks,
but not the genuinely good person she was inside.
To Noeul, Hansol was a hidden treasure that only she knew.
From Hansol’s side, it was unfair —
to have only Noeul see her shine.
More friends would be better for her.
And yet, Hansol had never really sought them out.
So Noeul had smirked inwardly, thinking,
Hey, it’s not like I stopped her. If she’d rather hang out with me, what can I do? I’m just the most fun, right?
But what if that wasn’t true?
The thought that she was this upset
just because Hansol laughed with a few classmates
made her disgusted with herself.
God, how pathetic.
She always acted so composed, so superior —
but in truth, she was no more mature than a preschooler.
Hansol was just… going back to normal.
Isn’t that good?
A girl that pretty and kind — of course she should have lots of friends.
But Noeul hated it.
She hated it so much.
She tried to calm herself.
Nothing was certain yet.
She didn’t even know what Hansol was really thinking.
But even imagining the possibility hurt.
“Oh, wow, so many people in here~!”
Jiu walked in, glanced around, spotted Noeul, and came straight to her.
Plopped down next to her.
“Heyyy, don’t write your reports so early! You make me feel like such a slacker!”
“You should feel like a slacker,” Noeul replied.
She suddenly felt calmer.
After imagining being abandoned by Hansol,
Jiu’s presence felt oddly comforting.
She’d never been this happy to hear his voice.
When she thought about it,
Jiu had always wanted to be near her —
calling first, asking to hang out,
coming straight to her without hesitation.
If Noeul hadn’t been so defensive,
they probably would’ve been closer already.
She suddenly saw Jiu like a loyal little Maltese,
always wagging his tail,
always calling her fun and smart and amazing.
She’d really taken that warmth for granted.
“Your class is at three, right?” Jiu asked.
“Yeah.”
“Then you’ve got time! Hmm… I want bubble tea from the library café~
but I bet you won’t come with me, huh~? You’ll say, ‘I have to write my report,’ right~?”
Jiu was always cute, but somehow today he looked even cuter.
Noeul closed her laptop.
“Let’s go.”
Jiu blinked. “Huh? Really? Oh, sweet! I didn’t even expect that!”
He looked genuinely happy.
Noeul stood up from the sofa.
Jiu left the room first.
Noeul followed.
Before closing the door, she looked back.
Hansol was looking at her too.
They locked eyes for a brief moment—
Then Noeul closed the door.
