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Chapter 2 …
From his languidly loosened gaze, a strange spark of interest flickered through for an instant. The cold aura surrounding him made Jung Hee instinctively tense up.
“Right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Jung Hee averted her gaze naturally and gave an awkward smile.
“Speak comfortably.”
“Uh, well……”
“We’re the same age anyway.”
Startled by the sudden suggestion, Jung Hee blinked repeatedly.
Unable to watch any longer, Seo Yoon suddenly cut into the conversation, tossing the bag slung over her shoulder straight at Se Hoon.
“Ji Se Hoon! Stop making Jung Hee uncomfortable.”
“What did I even do? It’s more awkward being formal between people the same age.”
“It’s fine, I’ll… slowly… start speaking casually too.”
Jung Hee hurriedly tried to stop Seo Yoon and Se Hoon, who were lightly bickering.
“Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”
“…Oh, okay.”
Perhaps because of Jung Hee’s cautious behavior, Se Hoon—who had been staring at her—let out a small laugh.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“You’re funny when you’re all stiff like that.”
“Sorry, I’m a bit shy with new people……”
Jung Hee trailed off awkwardly, growing embarrassed for no reason.
To Seo Yoon, it seemed like she was being teased.
“Just go to your room. Stop bothering us. Get lost, right now.”
She stepped in front of Jung Hee protectively and waved Se Hoon away as if telling him to leave.
“Ji Seo Yoon, did you rent out the living room or something?”
“Just go back to reading your book quietly.”
Clicking his tongue as if amused, Se Hoon leaned back into the sofa again and lowered his gaze to the book in his hand.
“Honestly, she does whatever she wants.”
Even as he complained, it was obvious he was indulging her as a younger sibling.
Seeing him go quiet, Seo Yoon seemed satisfied that she had successfully gotten rid of the nuisance.
With a pleased expression, she turned back to Jung Hee.
“Don’t worry. He just talks like that.”
She patted Jung Hee’s shoulder as if telling her not to be afraid.
It seemed she had slightly misunderstood Se Hoon’s distant attitude due to their lack of familiarity.
Still, it wasn’t like Jung Hee could immediately explain everything in detail.
“Seo Yoon, don’t do that, let’s……”
“Wait here for a second.”
Just as Jung Hee was about to suggest going back to the room, Seo Yoon cut her off first.
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“Wait, I’ll bring you something to drink.”
“I’m fine, I’m not really thir—”
Before Jung Hee could finish speaking, Seo Yoon quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
Soon, the living room was left with just Jung Hee and Se Hoon.
An awkward silence settled between them.
They had only met once or twice at most when Seo Yoon was around.
Jung Hee fidgeted uncomfortably, and Se Hoon, leaning back on the sofa, casually spoke.
“Does Ji Seo Yoon dump all her assignments on you or something?”
“Huh? No, it’s just that things were urgent today……”
“Good then. I was wondering if she was forcing you to do everything.”
Even though his tone was casual, there was a strangely gentle edge to it.
Contrary to his lazy-looking demeanor, Se Hoon stared at the visibly nervous Jung Hee with amusement.
“…Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Relax. I’m not going to eat you or anything.”
At her uncomfortable tone, Se Hoon let out a low laugh in response.
“I’ll try.”
Jung Hee answered in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible, a faint smile unknowingly forming on her lips.
His teasing gaze was burdensome, yet for some reason, it didn’t feel unpleasant.
That was how her connection with Se Hoon began.
Whenever she ran into him with Seo Yoon, they would exchange a few light words, and even after exchanging contact information, he was still just Seo Yoon’s twin brother and a rare male acquaintance to Jung Hee.
As they met more often, the awkwardness between them gradually faded.
But once they entered university and Se Hoon became as familiar as Seo Yoon, their relationship slowly began to change as well.
“…Ah… are you… doing… okay?”
A familiar voice drifted faintly into her ears even in half-sleep.
The words were broken and unclear, making it impossible to fully understand.
This is strange. Wasn’t she just in the library with Seo Yoon looking for materials?
Despite her thoughts, her heavy eyelids refused to open.
A hand reached out and gently brushed through the hair of Jung Hee, who was lying face down asleep.
Even as her mind gradually cleared, she didn’t immediately get up.
Footsteps passing nearby……
The sound of a chair being dragged……
Even faint whispers from afar.
The small noises of the library somehow made her feel more at ease.
‘Is Seo Yoon messing with me again?’
Enjoying the pleasant drowsiness, Jung Hee quietly accepted the hand stroking her hair.
The hand felt slightly large, but still half-asleep, she didn’t find it strange and simply exhaled steadily.
Only later did she realize she was in the library, and just as she tried to get up, her drowsy mind suddenly snapped awake.
It was because of the familiar voice above her head.
“What is this, sleeping so comfortably.”
“…?”
That lazy, low voice was definitely not Seo Yoon.
Then the owner of the hand brushing her hair was……
“You’re way too relaxed for a library.”
“….”
“…Hmm…”
It was Ji Se Hoon’s voice.
“That must be why Seo Yoon couldn’t bring herself to wake you and called me instead.”
Compared to the usual tone she remembered, his voice was noticeably warmer.
A languid, faintly smiling tone that felt unfamiliar to Jung Hee.
Even after realizing it was Ji Se Hoon, she couldn’t bring herself to get up.
If she opened her eyes now, the situation would only become more awkward.
“It’s not bad, seeing you sleep like this.”
His hand, which had been brushing her hair, slowly moved to her cheek.
Feeling that unfamiliar warmth against her skin, Jung Hee stiffened, unable to even breathe properly.
He hadn’t come around lately, so she hadn’t seen his face in a while.
His muttering voice came a little closer.
Meaning he had leaned down over the desk toward her.
“Looks like you don’t even really notice me anymore.”
“….”
“That’s fine. It just means you’re getting used to me.”
With the distance closed, Se Hoon’s faintly amused voice tickled her ear.
At first, she had simply been flustered.
The hand brushing her hair was uncharacteristically gentle for Ji Se Hoon.
That soft tone tangled her thoughts into complete confusion.
Unable to endure the gaze she could feel boring into her, Jung Hee finally opened her eyes slightly.
“….”
“….”
As her vision cleared, the first thing she saw was Se Hoon’s face, resting his chin on his hand as he looked down at her.
“…Ah, when did you… get here?”
Still half-asleep, Jung Hee hurriedly lifted her upper body from where she had been lying on the desk.
“I just got here too.”
He lied casually with a relaxed smile.
“Here for something at the library?”
“Yeah. Ji Seo Yoon told me to take you home.”
“Ah… it’s fine, it’s not that late……”
“You just woke up, you’re still half out of it. How am I supposed to let you go alone like this?”
“Let’s go. I’m hungry anyway, let’s grab something to eat and think.”
Without giving her a chance to refuse, Se Hoon slung her major textbook and bag from the desk over his shoulder.
“Hey, wait a sec.”
“If I just send you off like this, what do you think I’ll hear?”
You don’t know this, but when Ji Seo Yoon gets angry, her fist comes first.
Unlike his joking tone, there was clear consideration in the way he matched her pace as they walked.
That casually tossed kindness—that was Ji Se Hoon’s way.
And in that way, Yoo Jung Hee fell in love.
She fell helplessly for Ji Se Hoon’s rough gentleness, and the easygoing composure that was different from people her age.
