Chapter 054 …
A Dating Sim Without Romance
“Isn’t this…not that kind of game?”
As if reading my thoughts, a popup appeared, large and bold.
<Throbbing♥ School Attack ~Win the Boy’s Heart~> supports “Yeonsanha”’s free-spirited and enthusiastic youthful♡romantic school life!
Wait, are they saying I can take it off if I want?
I checked my slightly shabby appearance and asked back.
“…Take it off?”
“No, no! Your coat! Jacket! Jacket! I mean the jacket!”
The previously cool, stern face flushed red as if nothing had happened.
Kwon Cha-hyeok repeatedly splashed his face with water and groaned.
“That’s not what I meant…ah…”
“Come to think of it, this is your jacket, and it’s really dirty now.”
“Haah…”
“I’ll drop it off at the dry cleaners and return it to you.”
“That’s…fine, really…”
I took off the blue jacket as he requested. But then…
“…Really fine?”
“Ah, um.”
“Sanha, are you serious?”
I hadn’t expected it to look like this myself.
‘It’s not like I can honestly say it’s fine.’
Under the short sleeves, my arms were covered with large bruises here and there.
If my arms looked like this, it was easy to guess my legs without even rolling up my pants.
“Ahaha… well, it turned out this way.”
“Sanha, you—”
“Has Vanessa arrived at the hospital? She must be scared being alone.”
“Class 7’s teacher went with her, so it should be fine.”
“Oh, right. That’s true.”
It was an obvious topic change, but Kwon Cha-hyeok quietly went along.
Although his gaze wasn’t exactly gentle when looking at my arms—
“Cha-hyeok, you’re close with Vanessa, right?”
“Close…well, we went to the same middle school.”
So his favorability level was unchanged. That should be okay, for now.
Rumors that Vanessa had been stranded spread quickly throughout the grade.
‘Truly popular.’
And naturally, everyone speculated about “who caused it.”
“Geum Hyo-jin and her crew are really insane, huh?”
“Totally crossed the line.”
“Seriously, bringing up last year’s incident now is way too much.”
“I saw them just now scrubbing things with Byung-cheol.”
Wherever you went in the resort, everyone was eager to share the story.
‘I guess the Vanessa–Geum Hyo-jin thing is more well-known than I thought.’
Thanks to that, the fact that I was involved barely spread. At most, a few people including the class 1 president, or…
How could the teachers let something like that happen on the mountain?
“I really said I’m fine.”
Let’s get you properly checked when you come up.
A long sigh echoed through the phone. I slowly moved in a direction where no one was around.
Or do you want to come up now? Should I have your aunt pick you up?
“I’m fine, Aunt. You don’t need to bother; you’re busy.”
Even if Aunt is busy, can’t she spare that time? Or I can send Uncle.
“Really, really fine. You don’t need to.”
Still…
Her worried words went on and on. But I barely listened.
“-No, really.”
“You were the one who pushed Yeonsanha!”
My name was mixed into the sharp voices.
‘Why is my name coming up all of a sudden?’
I brushed it off with a promise to call later and hung up.
The source of the voices wasn’t far from where I was.
Under the bluish light, familiar faces appeared.
“How could you guys do that?”
“Hey, Ham So-bin. Are you taking their side now? Not ours?”
The culprit who pushed Vanessa a few hours ago sneered with a red face. The others beside her had similar expressions.
“Have you forgotten what Vanessa did to me?”
“I’m not talking about Vanessa…!”
“Or that nerd?”
Thick lips were noticeably pursed.
The girl standing alone shivered at the shoulders.
“Hey, if you’re really our friend, shouldn’t you take our side? I’ve been letting you hang out with just Goo Eun-jin lately.”
“…Still, still, pushing someone isn’t right.”
“Crazy, it wasn’t us who pushed her! You’re trusting what that kid said over me right now?”
“And don’t talk to Yeonsanha carelessly. You don’t even know her properly.”
“Hey, Ham So-bin. Your friend isn’t with us?”
“I…”
Her clear forehead furrowed. The girl facing the group spoke slowly, weighing each word.
“If Geum Hyo-jin is the kind of friend you’re talking about, then I can’t do it either.”
“Ha, seriously, damn it.”
Fortunately, no physical fight broke out.
‘Should I call a teacher?’
The group spat some curses and brushed past her.
Darkness fell over the side of the girl left behind. As I deliberately approached, our eyes met.
“…Yeonsanha?”
“Yeah, Yeonsanha. Are you okay—”
“Sorry.”
An inexplicable apology.
‘Both her and Vanessa…’
The ones who really should kneel and beg brazenly go about freely, so why are the wrong people apologizing?
“What are you sorry for?”
She hadn’t pushed me on the mountain, nor had she teased or laughed at me like some first-year kids.
Maybe that’s why.
I was a little surprised by her words as she bent her fingers and spoke.
“At first, when I saw you… taking the others and scaring and ignoring you.”
I had completely forgotten.
“The part where they were talking badly about you, and I joined in.”
“Ah.”
“Just kept my mouth shut and did nothing.”
“…”
“Talking recklessly without knowing, without knowing what kind of person you are.”
Truly—
“Everything.”
For 28-year-old me, it was nothing to feel guilty about.
“Everything, I’m sorry.”
The sky was pitch black.
The face lit by pale blue light was flushed. Furrowed brows seemed embarrassed—and fearful.
‘Fear of what?’
No need for deep contemplation. She was afraid of me.
More precisely, of my reaction.
Curled orange lips, clenched fists, shoes tapping the floor.
She was watching me.
“…So, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Sorry. Honestly, saying it now seems kind of funny.”
“…”
“Still, sorry. I shouldn’t have. I thought it was okay back then.”
“…”
“I’m not asking you to accept my apology. I just….”
“…”
“Just thought I should say it from the beginning…”
The apology was so serious it felt solemn, and that made it almost awkwardly touching.
I couldn’t just laugh it off. Because—
In my life…
I had never…
Received such a heartfelt apology.
Maybe that’s why I’d wanted to hear it for so long.
“…Thank you.”
“Tha-thank? Huh? Thank you?”
“Yeah. Thank you for saying that.”
“Oh… no, you don’t need to thank me…”
“I’ll accept your apology, So-bin.”
Long eyelashes fluttered quickly.
Ham So-bin looked bewildered but pleased. Her orange lips with teeth marks awkwardly curved into a small smile.
“So, um, from now on…”
“Speak comfortably.”
“Can I call you by your name too?”
“You just did.”
“Without the surname, like Eun-jin does. Can I call you ‘Sanha’?”
What’s difficult about that?
“Call me however you want.”
She smiled lightly, as if a weight had finally been lifted.
Just before lights out, a short text arrived.
📶✉️ 🔋
Text Message
Can you come out for a bit?
