Chapter 43. The Bright Red Yarn Scarf
A little earlier, when Gijun went to get drinks, he happened to overhear their conversation.
Ever since Haeyoung mentioned divorce, he hid behind a tree and listened.
After that, his thoughts grew too tangled, and he returned to the villa.
He was a little surprised to learn that they were planning a divorce.
From their entire conversation, it sounded like something they had agreed on long ago.
Perhaps, because it was a forced marriage, they had promised to take responsibility and separate once they became adults. He didn’t know when they made that promise.
But right now, Haeyoung liked Taeseong.
Even if he tried to ignore it, it showed too clearly.
So why was she the one bringing up divorce?
There was no need to let go of someone you liked.
“If you like them, you should hold on tight.”
That was his belief.
At first, teasing Taeseong was just for fun. Watching him get riled up over Haeyoung was amusing.
But at some point, he started provoking him to help Haeyoung.
He wanted Taeseong to realize his feelings for her.
Haeyoung, who had shared warmth with him for the first time, felt like a real little sister. He wanted to help her love be fulfilled.
But to hear she was planning to divorce…
It left him feeling empty inside.
Gijun cast his gaze toward Haeyoung’s room.
He was dying to know what was going on in that small head of hers.
Time Passed
As if time had sped up, summer quickly passed.
After returning from their short summer trip, Haeyoung and Taeseong focused completely on studying for the college entrance exam.
Especially Haeyoung, who was busy preparing for early admissions.
Despite that, as soon as September came, she bought bright red yarn and began knitting a scarf.
It was a gift for Taeseong.
Stitch by stitch, she knitted her feelings into it.
She prayed all her emotions would be woven into the scarf and that her one-sided love would end peacefully.
By working on it bit by bit, she managed to finish it two weeks before the exam.
She wrapped it carefully and waited for the exam day.
She wanted to give it to him on the morning of his exam.
Today was that long-awaited day.
The weather had been unusually warm that year, but thankfully, it was cold enough on exam day.
Perfect scarf weather.
After breakfast, Haeyoung packed her things and stood before Taeseong, who was waiting by the front door.
She handed him a cute paper bag she’d bought at a stationery store.
“Here.”
“What’s this?”
“A good luck charm for your exam.”
When he just stared at the gift with surprised eyes, she shook her hand.
“Hey. My arm’s going to fall off.”
“Huh? Oh.”
Taeseong blankly accepted the bag and peeked inside.
Inside was a shiny pink gift wrap, even cuter than the paper bag.
“Can I open it now?”
“Open it after the exam.”
“But then I’ll be too curious and mess up my test.”
At his teasing, Haeyoung smacked his arm.
“Hey, don’t jinx it! Spit it out, quick!”
“Ptoo ptoo.”
He obediently pretended to spit out the bad luck, then suddenly reached into the bag.
“Hey!”
He tore through the gift wrap without hesitation. The rustling paper revealed a fluffy, warm scarf.
Holding the bright red knitted scarf in his hands, Taeseong examined it closely.
“Did you… knit this yourself?”
“Yeah.”
Haeyoung replied shyly, looking away. Her ears had turned red.
“If you don’t like it, give it back.”
She extended her hand without turning back.
Then she felt a familiar texture in her palm. He really was giving it back.
She hadn’t meant it seriously, and her heart plummeted to her feet.
All those sleepless nights she spent knitting…
Unable to hold back her disappointment, she snapped her head up.
“I worked on this without sleeping, just to—!”
“You stayed up all night for me?”
Taeseong’s eyes curved gently, and his lips curled into a playful smile.
Startled, Haeyoung’s eyelashes fluttered.
Bending down slightly, he lowered his neck toward her.
“Who said I didn’t like it?”
“……”
“I wanted you to put it on me yourself.”
“Can’t you even wear a scarf on your own?”
“Things like this are supposed to be tied by the person who gifted them.”
“Honestly, you’re so shameless…”
Not wanting to waste energy arguing with him on exam day, Haeyoung spread out the scarf.
She wrapped it around his neck.
Although he bent his knees a bit to help, their height difference meant she had to reach up.
His eyes filled completely with her.
Under his intense gaze, her hands trembled as she tied the scarf.
His stare felt heavy, and his sweet scent clouded her head.
As she swallowed dryly, she wrapped the scarf one more time around his neck.
She had knitted it to let go of her feelings a little.
But seeing how her heart still raced this much… it felt like nothing had changed.
No, it felt even bigger now.
And that hurt.
“All done.”
She stepped back, creating some distance between them.
Looking down at the scarf, Taeseong touched it gently.
“Thank you.”
Unlike his usual playful tone, his voice was deep and sincere.
Then, lifting his gaze to her bare neck, he spoke again.
“But… I didn’t prepare anything for you.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t expect anything.”
She shook her head lightly, chuckling.
“Let’s go. We’ll be late.”
As she checked her watch and stepped forward to put on her shoes—
Tap.
Taeseong grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
Suddenly trapped against his firm chest, Haeyoung’s heart pounded violently.
“Hey, what are you—”
“Cha Haeyoung.”
“Huh?”
“Do well on your exam.”
He whispered so softly that only she could hear.
“I’ll give you all my luck.”
As if really giving it to her, he hugged her tighter.
“This is my gift to you.”
For quite a while, he held her in his arms.
Haeyoung stayed there quietly.
Because she liked his warm embrace.
And because she knew…
This would be their last hug as teenagers, before turning twenty.
At the Exam Site
Inside the test hall, Taeseong hung his bag on the desk hook.
While other students frantically reviewed their notes, he only focused on the scarf around his neck.
He touched the soft yarn, feeling the stitches she had woven one by one.
And he imagined it.
The sight of Haeyoung knitting this scarf.
Wondering if she struggled and had to unravel it many times.
How long it must have taken to knit something so long.
What expression she wore as she knitted it.
What thoughts ran through her mind.
And…
What were your feelings while you made this for me?
As that thought reached deep into his heart, his chest felt heavy all the way down to an unknown depth.
Then, suddenly, his heart came back up and pounded hard in his chest.
A strange, unfamiliar tension wrapped around his whole body.
Not unpleasant, but unsettling.
Burying his face into the scarf Haeyoung tied for him, he breathed in softly.
He thought he could faintly smell her scent, and his heart stirred.
Just then, Hyuk entered and stood before him.
“When did you get here?”
“A while ago.”
“Why aren’t you reviewing? Exam’s about to start.”
“…I will.”
“Why are you still wearing that scarf? It’s hot in here.”
“My choice.”
When he replied coldly, Hyuk clicked his tongue.
“Crazy bastard.”
Hyuk left to find his seat.
Taeseong kept the scarf on until just before the exam began, then folded it carefully into his bag.
The exam, college… none of it mattered.
He just wanted to see Cha Haeyoung again as soon as possible.
