Chapter 349: Chapter 349

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Indulging in reminiscence, I marveled at how fast the time went by. ‘Wow, how long has it been already?’ It was almost ten months since we entered high school, but it felt like a long time ago. So many things had happened in the meantime.

Anyway, just what they said, before entering high school, I asked them, ‘Would you mind pretending you don’t know me at all in the new school?’ without telling the reason. They felt uncomfortable and almost frustrated but accepted my request in the end.

That happening wouldn’t be that delightful to both me and them; however, the fact that the boys were bringing out the memory would mean that they were, right now, as desperate as they had been in the past.

Still, why? I really had no idea. Disheveling the back of my hair, I finally nodded my head.

“Okay, fine. If you guys say so, what else I can do?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, but…

‘You and I can still see each other, right?’ Just when I tried to fling that question, Jooin added ahead of me, “Oh, mama, and these bastards… I mean, the boys are telling me that try not to see or keep in touch with you for a while.”

“Eh?” Wondering for a moment, I barely suppressed my anger and asked him, “What the fu*k is going on?”

If there were a time when I desperately longed for learning Yeo Ryung’s skill of smiling and swearing simultaneously, it was now.

Jooin’s voice suddenly became urgent, “Mama, I’m really gonna lose my phone. You know I love you, right?”

“Huh?”

“Even if we won’t be able to see each other for a while, please keep in mind that I’m always thinking about you.”

“No, hold on…”

“Congrats for your first love.”

“Jooin?”

The call ended again without exception. Being left with the beeping sound, I sincerely didn’t know what to do this time and just stared blankly at the space in front of me. Exchanging eye contact for a long time with those who were asking me if I was okay, I later banged my head onto the desk again.

“URGH!!” While I shouted that way, Shin Suh Hyun, who was sitting behind me, uttered, “I guess banging their heads onto the desk is the latest trend in our class.”

It was indeed a sharp insight of an archer.

Usually, I, who didn’t go to cram school, would have returned straight home with Yeo Ryung; however, I was now dating Yeo Dan oppa although it was a fake relationship. Besides, the reason why we were together was none other than to get rid of his stalker, wasn’t it? In other words, we had to advertise everywhere that our relationship was official.

Thus, we decided to return home after school, bring things to study, and go to a café together. Wasn’t a café in the downtown area the best place to draw attention in public to promote that we were an official couple? The place would be full of students from neighboring schools.

As soon as we promised to go to a café, I also asked Yeo Ryung, “Do you want to go together?”

Since Yeo Ryung was his sister and my best friend at the same time, it wouldn’t look that strange while having Yeo Ryung on our date. Though the advertising effect would slightly cut by half… However, Yeo Ryung, whom I thought she would follow us at once, was, unexpectedly, in agony with her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I mean, even though I’m aware that you two are together, I’m not sure if I can stay with you guys…”

“…”

“Sob sob… It’s so painful when thinking about what you guys will be doing out of my sight, but it’s also still excruciating to see that in front of my eyes.”

Agonizing for quite a long time in pain, Yeo Ryung finally declared that she wouldn’t come with us. Instead, she confined herself to her house.

Watching her behaving that way, I felt a little… no, very guilty. I wished the stalker thing was resolved as soon as possible, so that we could reveal the truth to her, saying, ‘Ta-da! Actually, it was a fake relationship!’

But for now, I couldn’t help but let her do whatever she felt comfortable. Heaving a sigh, I waited for Yeo Dan oppa then headed straight toward the café.

When high school students were dating, people were mostly concerned about the drop in academic performance. So was I. Although I wasn’t the type of person, who risked my life for good grades, I wanted to go to college with my friends in the same metropolitan area. My house was also in Seoul, so I didn’t want any declining grades, which would affect my college admission.

However, ever since I dated Yeo Dan oppa, I realized a new thing. If having a relationship as a high school student was something like this, there was nothing to worry about getting lower grades.

Unlike my anticipation, Yeo Dan oppa was quite a good teacher. Honestly, his teaching skills were as amazing as Eun Jiho. Listening to his explanation while pressing my lips with the eraser tip of my pencil, I raised my hand for a second.

“Ah, oppa, hold on. You skipped explaining the process from going here to this part.”

As long as he belonged to the category of genius, he, of course, had some limit; therefore, I had to point out the parts that he naturally skipped from his excellent thinking skills. However, taking that matter into account, I could listen to his lecture, which was clear and easy to understand like that of the famous online tutors.

Coincidentally, our study place was ‘A Twosome Place’ near Wangsimni station, the café where we had our group hangout. It turned out this way since this place was the biggest café around the neighborhood, the best spot to maximize our advertising impact.

Near our table, a few girls, who were wearing uniforms from a neighboring high school, constantly glanced in our direction. Although I was being aware of their attention, I showed a satisfied grin instead of feeling uncomfortable.

Studying and helping Yeo Dan oppa at the same time… this was what they called, ‘Killing two birds with one stone.’

At that moment, Yeo Dan oppa suddenly detached his lips, “Ah, now I come to think of it…”

“Huh?”

I lifted my head in a flash. Looking around, Yeo Dan oppa whispered in a low voice, “I told Kim Sun Woo and Ji Yeon Woo.

“Oh…”

Even though he kept his voice down, Yeo Dan oppa omitted the following words in consideration of riskiness; however, it was enough to estimate what he was about to say.

I nodded my head, thinking, ‘He told them that we’re having a fake relationship.’ I opened my mouth.

“I… um… about our relationship…”

“Uh-huh.”

Yeo Dan oppa nodded calmly, but for some reason, I suddenly felt so sad. In order to hide my teary eyes, I raised both hands and covered my face; however, it made me look even more crying.

“Donnie?” asked Yeo Dan oppa in perplexity.

On the other hand, the people, who were sitting beside our table, began to whisper, ‘Oh my god, they might be fighting all of a sudden! She’s crying, isn’t she?’

Meanwhile, I uttered while trying hard not to break down, “I… I… you know oppa…”

“Uh-huh.”

His considerate expression blurred upon my following remark.

“I think I don’t have any friends.”

A moment of silence hung in the air. Looking at me enigmatically for a while, Yeo Dan oppa then got up from his seat and sat next to me. He stretched his hand to put his arm around my neck and made me lean my head on his shoulder.

As if putting a baby to sleep, he patted me rhythmically. Leaning my forehead onto his arms, I mumbled, “I mean, I really… I truly didn’t want to keep it a secret you know. I did my best to tell them about us, but…”

“Uh-huh.”

“But no one’s talking to me…”

“…”

“I… I have no one to confess my secret… not even one…”

“Donnie.”

“Life is alone… Friends? Nah… no one is around me…”

While I was gradually murmuring to myself, Yeo Dan oppa patted me for a long time while staying beside me.

So, there was this quest.

[Quest] Tell your secret to two of your friends. 0/2

The reason why it had to be done to two friends was that Yeo Dan oppa also revealed his secret to two of his friends.

Anyway, I thought this quest would go very easily since I decided to tell my secret to the Four Heavenly Kings. Needless to say, they were a group of four people. Thus, once I grabbed two among the four and confessed the truth, I would simply succeed in the quest.

However, as it turned out, geez… it wasn’t that easy as I expected.

When I tried to put my theory into practice, the cold and cruel reality struck me like a cutting wind from the north. The reality asked me, ‘Hey, don’t you have any friends?’

‘No, I don’t.’

Therefore, I revised the whole quest.

[Quest] Make two friends. 0/2

I was getting the wrong end of the stick until now. The beginning of the quest was from here. I had to make friends, whom I could tell my secret, before confessing the truth!

Thinking to that extent, I carefully covered my face with both hands. As soon as I took that action, Ruda flung a question from beside me.

“What’s wrong?”

That was when I took my hands off from my face and replied, “Ah… nothing. I was thinking about the cold and cruel reality…”

“What?”

Showing an expression of wonder, Ruda soon flaunted an aimless grin. He stretched out his hand above my head and continued, “You are quite silly sometimes.”

I knew what action would come next. He would try to pat my head, of course. Since Ruda and I were very close, I never felt bad upon that gesture. Besides, my head was like public property in my class in the first place.

However, just before his hand touched my hair, Ruda took his hand off from me with a look that seemed to say, ‘Oops’ as if he thought that he was making a mistake.