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Chapter 69
“Three more draft beers, please.”
Hansol lifted the empty glasses toward the server.
…Haah.
She let out a deep sigh inside.
She should’ve just stayed out of it. Let the two of them hang out alone.
But she’d been unusually lonely that day, and because she impulsively told Noeul the truth, the three of them ended up hanging out again. And now she couldn’t avoid Jiwoo and Noeul anymore—because Noeul had found out what Hansol was up to.
Being lonely would’ve been better. Watching what Noeul and Jiwoo were doing, wide awake with both eyes open, was torture.
Why didn’t she think of this sooner?
Getting stuck between two people who are basically flirting, pretending she knows nothing, pretending she’s having fun—it was hell.
What pissed her off the most was this: Jiwoo was clearly showing Noeul he liked her, trying to get her attention—and Noeul was subtly enjoying it.
Noeul pretended to change the subject, pretended Jiwoo’s behavior made her flustered, pretended she didn’t understand the meaning behind his words… but inside, she was absolutely thrilled.
Sure, she didn’t show it outwardly, but Hansol knew Noeul too well. She knew exactly what Noeul was thinking.
You shameless thing… You like it, huh? Hey, you like it, you sneaky brat? Huh?
Hansol wanted Noeul to notice that she could see through her. That she knew exactly what kind of sly thoughts Noeul was having right now. So she didn’t even bother hiding her annoyed expression.
Maybe it worked, because Noeul kept stealing glances at her.
While Jiwoo was distracted with his phone, Noeul shot Hansol a look that said, “What? Why?”
This unbelievable girl. Zero conscience.
Hansol grabbed a handful of puffed snacks and shoved them into her mouth with an even more irritated expression.
Ding-a-ling—
The door opened.
A group of female students poured inside.
From the looks of it, they were dance majors—every single one of them was stunning. Tiny faces, slim figures that looked like they’d blow away in the wind. Probably freshmen too, judging by how young they looked.
Jiwoo seemed to scan them all in a split second.
People think men notice pretty women first, but honestly, women notice pretty women faster. Humans evolved to react quickly and sensitively to potential “threats,” after all.
Noeul had her back to the door and hadn’t seen the girls yet.
Jiwoo’s eyes darted back and forth between Noeul and the group of girls.
He looked worried that Noeul might see them.
Noeul seemed to notice Jiwoo repeatedly glancing behind her.
With a look that said, “What is it?” she started turning her head.
“Noeul!”
Jiwoo suddenly called out loudly.
Noeul stopped turning and looked at him.
Jiwoo blinked and moved his lips.
“…….”
“…Well? You called me. Say something.”
“…Do you… want chicken gizzards?”
…Jiwoo was really trying.
“Sure. But do they even sell that here?”
Noeul tried to glance at the menu on the wall again.
“Noeul!!”
Jiwoo called even louder.
Noeul flinched and turned back.
“What?”
“…They do.”
“…What?”
“They sell gizzards. I saw it.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Noeul looked confused—What’s with him?—but Jiwoo went on.
“Noeul, what do you like better? Skinny girls or girls with a bit of weight?”
Anyone could tell he was talking about the dance-major girls behind her.
Noeul answered.
“Uh… I guess… something in between?”
“No. If you had to pick one. Pretend there are only two types in the world.”
“…I mean… would they even care what I pick?”
“What are you talking about. Just pick one already.”
“Um… I guess… skinny girls… maybe…?”
“…Skinny girls?”
Jiwoo’s face instantly darkened.
He said,
“Skinny girls have no chest at all, you know? They’re like… really flat.”
…This girl is bragging about her own chest…
Hansol folded her arms.
Seeing Jiwoo’s face, Noeul quickly changed her answer.
“Uh—right. Yeah. Then I guess… girls with some weight… maybe? Healthier?”
“…Right?”
Only then did Jiwoo relax.
Noeul smiled faintly, like Jiwoo’s behavior was cute. She clearly knew why he was asking.
Of course she knew. No way she didn’t.
Seeing her like that made Hansol even angrier.
Why did she want to punch her so badly today…
No. Punch her? What was she thinking. The funniest person here was Hansol. If she weren’t here, this would’ve been a sweet little scene of two people flirting.
She was the one inserting herself and causing her own suffering.
My fault… my fault… it’s all my fault…
The server brought the gizzards.
Jiwoo, looking puzzled, said to Noeul,
“Why did they give us this? Free service?”
“What do you mean ‘service’? You said you wanted to order it.”
“…Oh. Right.”
“Dude, what’s wrong with you? You can’t be like this already.”
“No, I just forgot for a second.”
“Get it together, man!”
“I said I forgot!”
Jiwoo grabbed a puffed snack and threw it at Noeul.
The two giggled together.
Hansol quietly stared at Noeul’s smiling face.
It felt like icy winter wind swept right into her chest.
…Why did it hurt so much?
Why did she hate Noeul so much?
Why did she resent her?
Why did seeing her smile make her so unbearably upset?
Hansol turned her eyes to the window.
“I’m going to the restroom.”
At that moment, Noeul stood up.
Jiwoo also got up immediately.
“Oh, I’ll go too.”
They’re going together?
Usually one goes and the other waits. Why were they going together?
Hansol looked back and forth between them.
A bad feeling hit her.
She couldn’t let them go alone. Jiwoo seemed off today. If she let them go, something she absolutely didn’t want might happen.
“Hey.”
She called them just as they were about to leave.
They both looked at her.
Hansol said,
“Only one of you go.”
Jiwoo asked,
“Why?”
“…I’ll be bored if both of you leave. Go one at a time. …Han Noeul. You go later. After Jiwoo comes back.”
Noeul looked confused, glanced at both of them, then quietly sat back down.
“Well… okay.”
She told Jiwoo,
“You go first.”
Jiwoo looked between them for a moment.
Then he left without a word.
“So… should we go somewhere for round two or not?”
Noeul asked as they stepped outside.
Hansol answered,
“Let’s just go home. We have morning classes tomorrow.”
“Yeah. You guys take the bus, right?”
“Yeah.”
The three walked toward the bus stop.
Hansol had no desire for a second round. She just wanted to go home.
And she was annoyed with herself.
She shouldn’t have stopped Noeul. If she hadn’t, maybe Noeul and Jiwoo… could’ve made some progress.
But the truth was, she stopped Noeul because she was afraid they might.
Did she still want to monopolize Noeul? Was she afraid that if Noeul got a girlfriend, they’d grow distant, spend less time together?
She acted like she cared about Noeul, acted like she was helping Jiwoo, but she was the one interfering the most.
What the hell are you doing, Hansol?
Seriously, what is wrong with you?
Can’t you act a little more mature?
But what really worried her was something else.
The reason she was behaving like this… didn’t feel like she just wanted to “keep a friend.”
She’d sensed it for a while. But she didn’t want to admit it—because admitting it would do no good.
Noeul and Jiwoo already liked each other. Them getting together was just a matter of time. Noeul was just slow because she lacked courage.
What difference would it make if Hansol had feelings beyond friendship in this situation?
Nothing would change except her own suffering.
Like today—her emotions swinging all over the place.
Acting impulsively.
Regretting it.
Unable to confess because she was afraid of losing both of them.
How pathetic.
This was why she’d thought it’d be better if they just got together quickly. But things dragged on and now everything was a mess.
All because of Han Noeul.
Annoying. Infuriating. Shady. Stupid jerk.
Ugh, it pissed her off. She was pissed again.
…but she knew it wasn’t really Noeul’s fault.
It was because of her own heart. Her heart was messed up, so everything else became a problem.
She wished she could stay away from Noeul and Jiwoo for a few months. Then maybe she’d be fine. She wanted to forcefully isolate herself from them.
She shouldn’t have started hanging out with them again. …But even if she hadn’t, she would’ve ended up like this anyway. She wouldn’t have been able to stay away from Noeul.
…What now? What is she supposed to do…
What else? She had to pretend. Pretend nothing was wrong. Never let a day like today happen again. No matter how angry she was, how much it hurt, how jealous she got—she would stay quiet.
Those feelings would stay inside her.
As long as she never let them out, it would be fine.
She just had to—
“Hey, in front of you!”
Something slammed hard into Hansol’s shoulder.
Lost in thought, she stumbled sideways.
She almost fell before regaining balance.
What the…?
When she blinked back to reality, Noeul had stepped in something on the ground.
It was vomit.
That was exactly where Hansol had been standing.
“Gasp!”
It looked like Noeul had pushed Hansol aside and stepped on it instead.
Noeul grimaced and lifted her foot.
“Are you okay? Oh no… your shoe… I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention earlier…”
Hansol muttered, panicking, digging through her bag. Luckily, she found wet wipes.
She took out a few and crouched down.
“No, no, leave it.”
Noeul stepped back several times.
“What? I have to clean it.”
Noeul snatched the wipes from her.
Then she knelt on one knee and cleaned her own shoe.
Hansol scooted closer.
“Hey, let me do it. It happened because of me…”
“No. I have to do this.”
“Why?”
“This is karma. Karma for all the times I got drunk and puked everywhere in freshman year.”
“….”
“If I don’t clean this myself, I can’t break the cycle.”
“What are you even saying…”
Noeul blocked Hansol with one arm while cleaning with the other.
After wiping it roughly, she stood up.
“Good thing you had wet wipes. Otherwise I’d be walking home in Adidas Vomit Edition.”
She was joking on purpose so Hansol wouldn’t feel bad.
Hansol felt too guilty to laugh.
Noeul said,
“Now you know, right? From now on, puke in your own toilet at home.”
“…….”
…Why was she such a good person?
Hansol almost said “sorry,” but stopped. Noeul was trying so hard to keep her from feeling guilty—Hansol couldn’t say it. The more guilty she acted, the more Noeul would worry.
“…Okay…”
Hansol lightly grabbed Noeul’s arm.
And suddenly remembered.
Jiwoo was standing right beside them.
