WTFUDLS 63

Chapter 63

Even though Chuseok had already passed, the weather was still hot that year. At least the humidity had eased, so staying in the shade didn’t feel unbearably warm.

September or not, the sky was clear. Wisps of cotton-candy clouds floated sparsely here and there.

A breeze whooshed by.

Anyway—it was a good day.

People moved back and forth, here to there, there to here. Their bright faces matched the pleasant weather.

Only Hansol felt like damp powder sinking to the bottom of water—unable to mix in with anyone.

Was she wallowing in self-pity again?

Maybe it was because she hadn’t seen the others during the long holiday. She suddenly felt much more distant from them than before.

It was only five days, but the nights of drinking together, talking about everything, traveling and messing around—those things felt like a lifetime ago. Like a lie, almost—as if those friends had never existed. As if Hansol had always been someone who sat alone in the shade like this.

Maybe Noeul and Jiwoo had gotten a bit closer.

It felt like they had, but also… maybe not. It wasn’t like she could ask anyone how close they were now. There was no way to know for sure. The best she could do was guess from the atmosphere whenever the three of them were together.

Once Noeul and Jiwoo eventually became completely close, then… would Hansol be allowed to hang out with them again? When would that be? After they started dating? But if the two of them dated, wouldn’t it be even weirder for the three of them to hang out? She’d just look like a clueless idiot. Jiwoo wouldn’t like it, either.

Still… maybe once or twice a week, they could still hang out together?

Thinking that only made Hansol feel pitiful.

Just don’t think about it… Who knows what’ll happen with people anyway? Noeul and Jiwoo might date, but they might not. She might naturally grow close to both of them again, or… maybe she wouldn’t.

It wasn’t something Hansol could control. She was already doing everything she could. The rest was just going with the flow.

That’s what she decided.

Just then, she saw Noeul and Jiwoo coming down the stone steps.

Hansol checked the time. Their shared class shouldn’t have ended yet.

Why did they finish so early?

Hansol jumped up from the bench.

She had planned to stay out here until her liberal arts class, but if she stayed, she’d run into Noeul and Jiwoo—and then they’d ask her to eat lunch together.

She needed to get inside the liberal arts building first.

Hansol quickened her steps toward the building—

And then froze, as if her feet were stuck to the ground.

Junhee was standing right in front of the building.

What the hell is she doing here again?

After graduating high school, Hansol had secretly looked into which university Junhee attended. It wasn’t Goseo University. That was one of the reasons Hansol had chosen Goseo, actually.

So why did she keep showing up? Had she transferred? Or maybe… her boyfriend just went here?

At that moment, a guy came out of the building and tapped Junhee on the shoulder.

Is that her boyfriend…?

“…?”

Hansol blinked.

That’s…

Kim Taewoo.

Taewoo was also one of her old classmates.

Was he… that smart?

And those two were dating…??

Hansol’s eyes widened.

Maybe he wasn’t her boyfriend—just a friend? Were they even that close? But last time, Junhee said she was waiting for her boyfriend.

As if answering Hansol’s confusion, Taewoo leaned in and kissed Junhee on the forehead.

Junhee’s boyfriend is Kim Taewoo…

Birds of a feather… The girl and boy who teased Hansol the most in high school were dating.

Hansol stepped back.

She could be shocked later—right now she needed to get away.

Noeul and Jiwoo were coming from the steps, and Junhee and Taewoo were right in front of the building.

Hansol decided to just leave campus through the main gate.

She turned toward the gate—

“Hansol~ Park Hansol~.”

She flinched and stopped.

Jiwoo’s voice.

Did Junhee hear?

Hansol glanced over instinctively.

Her eyes met Junhee’s.

…Shit.

She looked toward the steps.

Jiwoo and Noeul were approaching.

She looked toward the building.

Junhee and Taewoo were also walking toward her.

This is the worst. The worst. Absolutely the worst.

How could all five of them end up here together?

Her two favorite people—and her two least favorite—were walking toward her from both sides.

It felt like she’d died and was now being judged by the King of the Underworld. Two witnesses who’d speak well of her, and two who’d speak the worst—gathered to evaluate her life.

There was no other explanation for how this impossible gathering happened.

Jiwoo reached her first.

He rushed up and hugged Hansol from the side.

“Gotcha! You don’t have class right now, right?”

“Uh…? Ah… I’ve got a liberal arts class soon.”

“Oh really? What time? Can’t we eat together? A sandwich only takes ten minutes.”

“Ah… um…”

By then, Junhee had also reached them.

She looked between Hansol and Jiwoo, then spoke to Jiwoo.

“Hello. I’m Hansol’s high school classmate.”

“Ah… hello.”

Jiwoo answered cautiously.

Junhee didn’t care—she smiled brightly. Then she turned to Taewoo.

Taewoo stared blankly at her. He didn’t seem to recognize Hansol at all.

Junhee saw his blank expression and let out a small snort.

Hansol bit her lip.

Something very bad felt like it was walking straight toward her.

Junhee said to Taewoo with a mocking smile,

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to say hi? You two know each other.”

Taewoo looked confused, glancing between Junhee and Hansol.

Then his eyes widened and he gasped.

“Wait, she’s….”

He couldn’t even finish the sentence.

Hansol clenched her teeth.

Junhee burst out laughing.

“Yup. It’s who you think it is. Surprised, right?”

“Huh… wow, you…”

Taewoo openly scanned Hansol from head to toe—staring at her face and body, amazed and incredulous.

Then he let out a few little chuckles.

Hansol felt naked. Exposed.

Her head spun, her ears rang.

She needed to escape. Immediately. But there was no way out.

All she could do was endure until this moment passed.

Junhee turned to Jiwoo.

“Your friend is really pretty. What’s your name? I’m Yang Junhee.”

“…I’m Lee Jiwoo.”

Jiwoo answered stiffly—like he only said it because she introduced herself first and because she was supposedly Hansol’s friend.

Junhee continued.

“Oh I see. I bet you were super popular in high school too, right? Or maybe not?”

“Since high school”—those words stabbed Hansol right in the chest.

Junhee said that on purpose. So Hansol would hear it.

When Jiwoo didn’t give a clear answer, Junhee laughed awkwardly.

“Oh… did I say something wrong? Sorry if I did. You just look so naturally pretty. If you were like this in high school, you probably had a fan club.”

“Ah… thank you.”

Jiwoo looked puzzled. She probably didn’t understand what Junhee was hinting at. She just responded because saying nothing would be weird.

If they stayed any longer, Hansol didn’t know what Junhee might say next.

Hansol forced her mouth to move.

“We need to go eat… We don’t have much time before the next class, so we have to eat quick. We’ll go now. See you next time.”

She sounded like she was making excuses for some crime she didn’t commit. Her voice small, timid. Not even able to look anyone in the eye.

Jiwoo stared at her, confused. The Hansol who always cursed casually and acted cool was suddenly shrinking like this—it must’ve been strange to see.

Hansol was too embarrassed to even look at Jiwoo.

What was Noeul thinking? Noeul knew the whole story—was she pitying Hansol? Realizing Hansol was still the same timid, pathetic person underneath her changed face?

Why was Junhee doing this? Why torment her like this? Hansol hadn’t done anything to her. Yes, Hansol had lied about her looks—but that didn’t harm Junhee. So why act like Hansol committed some crime? Why keep bullying her even as adults?

Was it Hansol’s fault? If she acted more confident, would Junhee stop?

But standing in front of Junhee always made her revert back to her high school self. Junhee felt like a judge who knew every one of Hansol’s “sins.”
Is that your real face? Don’t lie to me. I know everything.
That’s what her eyes said.

“Hey Hansol, you got insanely pretty.”

Taewoo apparently hadn’t heard Hansol saying she had to leave.

He kept chuckling, amazed and amused.

Junhee shot him a sharp look.

He flinched—probably because she didn’t like him calling Hansol pretty.

Junhee said,

“Hey, I could get way prettier too if I wanted. I just don’t. It’s not part of my values.”

“Ah… right, right.”

“Think about Hansol’s real face.”

Hansol couldn’t say anything.

Everything around her sounded distant, like she was sinking underwater.

All sounds disappeared—except one phrase echoing in her head:

—Think about Hansol’s real face.

—Think about Hansol’s real face.

—Think about Hansol’s real face.

—Think about Hansol’s real face.

—Think about Hansol’s real face.

“……”

Hansol couldn’t even control her expression.

She stood there stiffly.

Anyone could tell she looked strange. Jiwoo must be confused. Junhee must be delighted. Taewoo must be amused. And Noeul…

“She was pretty.”

“…….”

A voice cut into her ears.

Noeul’s voice.

It was like hearing “Freeze!” followed by “Go!” and her mind snapped back into place.

Sound returned. The world refocused.

Everyone was looking at Noeul.

Hansol looked too.

Junhee said incredulously,

“Huh? Hansol? What picture did you even see…?”

“I saw the graduation album.”

“You saw the graduation album and thought she was pretty?”

Junhee laughed in disbelief.

Noeul didn’t laugh.

“Yes. She looked the same as she does now.”

“Haha. Come on, you’re defending your friend too much.”

Noeul tilted her head.

“Am I? But don’t most people glow up a little when they start college?”

“Hansol is way beyond a little.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell… Anyway, who cares. Honestly, who doesn’t look awkward in their graduation photo? Did you look the same at graduation as you do now, Junhee?”

Taewoo burst out laughing.

Junhee glared daggers at him.

He shut up instantly.

Noeul continued with a smile.

“But you must’ve been super close with Hansol. Normally, you don’t tease people about how they looked in high school unless you’re really good friends. Doing that to someone you’re not close with would be rude.”

“…….”

“And childish.”

Silence fell.

Junhee opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Then Noeul laughed lightly.

“But I guess you two were really close.”

“…Yes. Of course. We were.”

“Well, we really don’t have much time before class. We’ll be going now.”

Noeul didn’t wait for a reply. She looked at Hansol and Jiwoo.

“Let’s go.”

“O-okay…”

Hansol looked at Junhee to say goodbye—

But Junhee wasn’t looking at her. She was glaring at Noeul instead.

Hansol followed Noeul silently.

After two or three steps, a sudden thought struck her.

—She was pretty.

—I saw the graduation album.

Hansol glanced sideways at Jiwoo’s face.

There was no trace of a smile there.