How to End a One-Sided Love – Episode 8 (8/110)
I was pressing my forehead with a serious expression while absentmindedly eating snacks when a voice came from beside me.
“What are you talking about?”
Mallory, who had been sitting next to me with her chin propped up, looked at me with curious eyes.
“Ah, nothing.”
If I told the truth, she would definitely make a big fuss, so instead of answering, I popped a snack into her mouth.
“One for me too.”
Seeing that, Echo, who was braiding Mallory’s hair, opened her mouth.
“Here.”
Mallory fed a snack into Echo’s mouth. Echo chewed it thoroughly and swallowed before going back to braiding Mallory’s hair. Her hands were incredibly fast.
“So, what’s going on with Kate?”
Ah, damn. I thought I’d successfully diverted their attention with snacks.
“Don’t be surprised.”
Dorothy, who had been chewing on a snack, swallowed and whispered with wide eyes in a subtle tone.
I frowned, about to tell her not to say anything.
“Hey.”
“She finally confessed to her senior.”
“Huh?”
Mallory covered her mouth in surprise.
“Wow, really?”
Echo, hearing that, was so startled she almost let go of Mallory’s hair.
I frowned slightly as I looked at the strands of black hair sticking out here and there.
Ugh, if that all comes undone, I’m really going to be mad.
Mallory’s brown eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“Come to think of it, earlier everyone was going crazy saying Senior Noas came by.”
“Oh, he came to drop her off.”
Dorothy, grabbing a handful of snacks, pointed at me. I gave a bitter smile, looking resigned.
“What?!”
Echo was so shocked she let go of Mallory’s hair. As the black strands loosened and fell, she brightened her dark green eyes and started smacking my shoulder.
“Whoa, whoa! Hey, so are you two dating? Are you dating?”
“Ow.”
I muttered blankly, but she didn’t care and kept fussing, clapping with Mallory.
Mallory dragged her chair closer and pretended to wipe away tears.
“Could this finally be a ray of light for our Kate’s love life?”
“So we won’t have to hear about her senior anymore?”
“I’ve really been sick of hearing that.”
Their focus seemed a bit off, but I decided to ignore it.
“So you’ll introduce him to us, right?”
I turned away from Mallory, who was saying nonsense.
Echo leaned in, her green eyes sparkling.
“So, are you dating? Are you dating?”
“Yeah, are you?”
At that moment, they had never looked so annoying.
In the end, I slammed my hand on the desk and shouted.
“Stop it, you guys. I got rejected, okay? Rejected! Got it?”
The atmosphere suddenly turned solemn. I bit my lip and collapsed onto the desk.
I could hear my friends murmuring sympathetically around me.
“What? He came to drop you off, but you got rejected?”
“Yeah, what is that?”
“Are you okay? You didn’t look well earlier.”
Mallory patted my back.
“I don’t know… I don’t know.”
I groaned with a sigh, and for a moment, the surroundings fell quiet.
Watching my face carefully, Dorothy shouted loudly.
“Guys, she’s crying!”
“I’m not crying!”
I raised my head abruptly with a shout.
Seriously.
“Don’t cry, eat this instead.”
“Ugh.”
Echo shoved a chocolate snack into my mouth. I mumbled as I struggled to chew.
Forcing it down, I started choking when the bell rang, signaling a class change.
“We have to move classrooms.”
Hurriedly grabbing my books, I pushed in my chair.
The next class was magic circle class, which I took with Echo.
“Hey, let’s go?”
Echo looped her arm through mine and waved at Mallory.
Holding a textbook and pencil case in one hand, I stepped out of the classroom—then saw someone standing outside the door. Judging by the silhouette, it was a tall person.
“Senior Noas…?”
Seeing Senior Noas leaning against the wall as if waiting for someone, I stumbled over my own foot.
No way he came to pick me up again, right?
“Wow, who is it? The senior is looking for you and you’re still not out yet.”
Forcing an uneasy smile, I tightly grabbed Echo’s arm.
It’s not, it’s not…
Repeating that in my head, I covered my face with one hand and tried to walk out—when a pleasant voice called my name.
“Kaitlyn.”
Damn it. There was no way out now.
“Ah, senior…”
I muttered weakly.
The senior looked at me, blinked, and gave a small smile.
“You had a friend with you.”
Why are you smiling all of a sudden?!
At that overly beautiful smile, I dropped the book I was holding.
Senior Noas picked it up, brushed off the dust, and handed it back to me.
“T-thank you.”
I took the book back with a dazed expression.
Meanwhile, Echo, having quickly assessed the situation, tidied her hair and greeted him with an exaggeratedly proper demeanor.
“Kate’s friend, Echo Green, at your service, senior.”
“I see.”
The senior tilted his head slightly and met my eyes, his radiant silver hair tied back slipping down. His pale eyelids lifted, revealing golden eyes beneath.
“Should I just go?”
“Huh? N-no.”
If he asks like that, who would tell him to leave?
I shut my eyes tightly and shook my head while stammering.
Echo, glancing between me and the senior with an awkwardly gentle smile, quietly turned away.
“Then I’ll be going. I have somewhere to stop by.”
“What? Hey, don’t go!”
You liar. There are only five minutes left before class—what place do you have to go?
Good luck.
Echo winked at me as she said that. I was going insane.
Watching her leave with a tearful expression, I heard the senior’s voice from behind me.
“Shall we go?”
The few minutes it took to walk to the classroom felt endlessly long.
“Um, senior.”
Thinking that this was happening every day made it feel suffocating.
I lifted my head, intending to say he didn’t need to do this anymore.
“…!”
The golden eyes looking at me curved faintly into a smile. A gentle smile.
I awkwardly turned my head away.
Senior, why do you keep smiling at me like that? It makes my heart race.
My heartbeat suddenly sped up. Pretending to adjust my tie, I brushed my chest and took a deep breath.
If things keep happening like this, I don’t think I’ll live long.
Why are you doing this to me?
Feeling like I would die from the awkwardness if I stayed silent, I unconsciously took out my book and opened it.
Then the senior gently closed it with one hand. His movement was careful and not forceful, as if avoiding catching my fingers.
“It’s dangerous to read while walking.”
“Y-yes…”
What’s dangerous is my heart.
I quietly closed the book.
Glancing sideways, I saw that the senior was still looking at me. Worried that our eyes might meet again and he’d smile, I quickly looked down.
“How were your classes?”
As he walked, the senior asked me a question. I gave a textbook-perfect answer.
“Yes. How about you, senior?”
“Yes.”
Come to think of it, the situation had reversed. Until now, I had been the one desperately trying to talk to him first, but now he was the one initiating conversation.
It wasn’t that I disliked it, but I was a bit flustered. I had truly intended to end things, but this made it complicated.
Frowning deeply and thinking seriously, a calm, pleasant voice settled in my ear.
“What are you thinking about?”
And when I turned my head, the senior’s dazzling face was right in front of me. His usually emotionless golden eyes held a rare hint of curiosity.
“!”
Startled, I quickly pulled my head back.
What do I do, what do I do—my mind was completely filled with panic. My face felt hot.
“…W-we’re here already!”
Flushed, I pointed at the classroom right in front of us and shouted.
“Goodbye!”
Keeping my head bowed, I ran into the classroom before he could pat my head.
“Haa… haa…”
Breathing heavily as if I’d been chased by a murderer, I heard the final bell ring in my ears.
Thank goodness. If I had been even a little later, that would’ve been bad.
Come to think of it, wasn’t the senior going to be late?
Curious, I looked outside—and saw him walking leisurely even as the bell rang.
I slapped my forehead in despair.
No, seriously. Run a little.
Is he doing this to make me feel even worse?
