Episode 03
She had hoped her days would continue quietly, as an unremarkable extra who blended into the background—but Seo Eun-ho was far more persistent than Jae-i had ever expected.
“Jae-i.”
It had already been several days like this. Whenever there was a break, Seo Eun-ho would come looking for her. Each time, he brought something with him.
Today, it was chocolate milk.
Jae-i immediately flicked her eyes to the side.
As expected, Han Lee-hyun—who had come to the classroom to see Seo Eun-ho—was glaring at her like he wanted to bore a hole straight through her forehead.
I have to refuse.
If I don’t, I’ll die.
“My stomach isn’t feeling so good…”
“Why? Is it bad? Should we go to the infirmary?”
Seo Eun-ho looked ready to drag her there on the spot, so Jae-i hurriedly said it wasn’t that serious. When he told her to make sure she spoke up if she felt sick, she nodded with an awkward smile.
“Then you can’t drink the milk.”
Looking disappointed, Seo Eun-ho took the milk back.
Jae-i hoped he’d return to Han Lee-hyun now—but instead, he crouched down beside her desk and completely settled in.
The burning stare grew sharper.
Jae-i shrank in on herself.
She didn’t want to get involved with Seo Eun-ho at all. So why did things keep turning out like this?
I’m just a normal extra…
“What do you like, Jae-i?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Like food you enjoy.”
Resting his arms on her desk, Seo Eun-ho asked casually. Without thinking, Jae-i found herself struck by how deep his dark brown eyes were—and then immediately snapped back to her senses.
This is not the time to be dazzled by looks.
I’m currently being watched by a lunatic.
“S-So, um…”
“What kind of milk do you like? Chocolate? Banana? Strawberry? Or are you a plain white milk purist?”
Telling him to go away to his face wasn’t easy.
After hesitating, Jae-i finally answered in a small voice.
“…Chocolate.”
“I knew it. You like chocolate.”
“…You did?”
“Yeah. You look like someone who’d like chocolate milk.”
What did that even mean—looking like someone who liked chocolate milk?
As she seriously pondered that question, a dark shadow fell over her head.
Jae-i flinched and slowly looked up.
Han Lee-hyun had approached without a sound and was staring down at her with cold eyes.
She wanted to say that she had absolutely no intention of getting close to Seo Eun-ho.
But in reality, all she could do was quietly curl her trembling fingers into her palm.
After glaring at Jae-i long enough, Han Lee-hyun called out—
“Seo Eun-ho.”
“Huh? When did you get here?”
Seo Eun-ho looked up, spotted Han Lee-hyun, and broke into a bright smile. In an instant, spring returned to a face that had been icy just moments before.
“Private tutoring got canceled today. You going to the study room?”
“Hmm. Not sure.”
“Jung Da-um said he’s going to the PC café.”
“Just Da-um? What about you, Lee-hyun?”
“Still thinking.”
Seo Eun-ho jumped up and slung an arm over Han Lee-hyun’s shoulder.
They had a slight height difference, so it looked awkward—until Han Lee-hyun smoothly bent down to match him.
“Rest up, Jae-i.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“I’ll come again.”
No, please don’t.
She couldn’t bring herself to say it. She just waved weakly as the two walked away.
Only after they were gone did Jae-i finally release the tension she’d been holding.
I just want to live as a normal extra.
But the next day—and the day after that—Seo Eun-ho kept approaching her.
He had so many friends. Jae-i couldn’t understand why he was fixated on her.
Today, too, he’d suggested eating together, and she’d avoided him with the excuse that her stomach hurt. It had been almost a week of this.
I’m sick of convenience store bread…
Sitting on a bench in the central garden, Jae-i ate the bread she’d bought from the school store. Worried it might get stuck in her throat, she took a sip of chocolate milk.
Even after finishing one bun, she was still hungry.
She was debating whether to go back for more when suddenly—someone’s face popped into her view.
It was Seo Eun-ho.
They said that if you were too shocked, you couldn’t even scream.
That was exactly how it felt.
Seo Eun-ho glanced between Jae-i’s frozen face and the bread wrapper beside her, then pouted.
“What? You said your stomach hurt.”
“…Ah.”
She tried to hide the wrapper belatedly, but it was already too late. Lowering her head, Jae-i avoided his gaze, which was filled with disappointment.
“Well… as long as you’re not actually sick.”
Seo Eun-ho relaxed his expression and sat down beside her.
He asked if she was still hungry. Jae-i was about to say she was fine when—
Grrrk.
A loud, unmistakable sound rang out.
Seeing Jae-i’s face flush with embarrassment, Seo Eun-ho bit his lip hard.
He seemed to hold it in for a moment—then abruptly turned his head away, his shoulders shaking.
“You can laugh, you know.”
“I’m not laughing. I’m totally fine. It’s not funny at all.”
Seo Eun-ho quickly straightened his expression and looked back at her calmly.
She was sure she’d seen him laughing just now… but maybe it was her imagination.
“Want another bread?”
“No, it’s okay.”
She was hungry, but she was sick of bread. She’d rather endure it and eat ramen at home later.
And starting tomorrow, she’d go back to eating school lunches.
If Seo Eun-ho asked her to eat together again, she’d refuse properly this time. She could just say she preferred being alone—
“Jae-i. Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“…What?”
“Is that why you’re not eating? Because of me?”
It felt like he’d read her mind.
Jae-i blinked, eyes wide, struck right at the core.
Looking downcast, Seo Eun-ho said that if that was the case, she should tell him honestly.
But how could she?
The reason Jae-i avoided him was Han Lee-hyun’s future obsession.
To explain that, she’d have to start by explaining possession itself.
That’s impossible.
From Seo Eun-ho’s perspective, he was being rejected over and over for no clear reason.
That alone was unfair.
But knowing what would come later, Jae-i couldn’t accept his kindness wholeheartedly.
Every time she did—
Han Lee-hyun was staring at her like he wanted her dead.
“It’s not like that. I really don’t feel well today.”
“Then… can you eat with me tomorrow?”
Seo Eun-ho leaned closer, bracing his hand on the bench.
Putting aside the shrinking distance—having such a handsome face right in front of her made her mind go blank.
Is this what people mean by a face attack?
“Actually, I’ve wanted to be friends with you since the start of the semester.”
“S-Since the start?”
“Yeah. You didn’t know?”
It had been two months since the semester began—and he’d been waiting for the right moment all that time.
He was always surrounded by people. What could he possibly lack?
“Why did you want to be friends with me?”
“You’re similar.”
“To who?”
“To you and our cotton ball.”
cotton ball?
It didn’t sound like a person’s name—and sure enough, it was his dog.
A fluffy brown Pomeranian.
So… he wanted to be friends because she looked like a dog?
How was she supposed to take that?
“Our cotton ball is really cute.”
Seo Eun-ho pulled out his phone and showed her a picture.
Bright, sparkling eyes. A tiny tongue poking out.
Anyone would call the dog cute.
Excited, Seo Eun-ho began bragging about his dog, his cheeks flushed with enthusiasm.
Jae-i tried to find some resemblance between herself and the dog—but she couldn’t see it at all.
Where, exactly?
“Don’t you think the fluffy, cute vibe is similar to you?”
“…I-Is it?”
“Yeah. I think that’s why you caught my eye.”
There wasn’t a trace of malice in Seo Eun-ho’s face.
Jae-i smiled awkwardly and murmured a reluctant thank you.
To her, it was just a dog she’d never met—but to him, it was family.
She couldn’t exactly get offended.
“Is the reason weird?”
“N-No. That makes sense.”
At her answer, Seo Eun-ho smiled brightly.
His slightly tilted head, pink-tinged cheeks, and gentle gaze directed only at her made her foolish heart start racing.
Thump. Thump.
“I really want to be friends with you, Jae-i…”
Mumbling shyly, Seo Eun-ho tugged at her sleeve.
Her unbalanced body leaned into his solid arm.
When she lifted her head, his face was right there.
“Would that be… not okay?”
This was unavoidable.
