Paranoid Love Affair 93
Paranoid Love Affair chapter 93

93
The cracks in Yun-woo’s eyes were, as always, covered with new cellophane. But, unlike always, this time it wasn’t gray.
The cellophane paper was the color of Ji Eun.
So, when Ji-eun, who was holding Yoon-woo’s head tightly, relaxed his arms and moved to the side, the world that he saw in his eyes was full of light that he had never seen before.
The whole world was painted over with Ji-eun’s color.
The scent of Ji-eun was floating in the air.
The bustling school campus, the evening sky just after the sun had set, and even the moon in the sky had a look Yun-woo had never seen before.
“let’s go. hurry.”
“uh… … Huh.”
It was a dazed feeling.
My mind is full of vague questions that cannot be expressed in sentences… … It seemed that he had to look at Ji-eun to solve that question.
It felt like I had to listen to Ji-eun’s voice.
However, Yoon-woo, who was sitting so blankly, urged Ji-eun to go quickly by pulling her sleeve.
Yun-woo did not dare to resist the touch and followed Ji-eun with a still stupid expression.
After the last class, the school and the roadside were crowded with people.
The group of red nappies that Yun-woo was always afraid of, the loud noises of happy people, the stinging gaze on Yun-woo… … .
But now, Yoon-woo, who was walking along the road with Ji-eun, didn’t care at all.
Because it didn’t matter now.
Perhaps there has never been a moment when that was so important.
Ji-eun said that Yun-woo was not someone else.
When he heard that, Yun-woo and Ji-eun thought something was wrong.
It is because Yunwoo thought that the world is divided into ‘me’ and ‘others who are not me’. ‘Men’ is just a word that refers to ‘everyone other than me’… … .
But now he seemed to understand the meaning of Ji-eun.
If someone in the world told Yun-woo to call Ji-eun Nam right now, Yun-woo would hesitate for a while.
On the way to Hye-rim’s house, the people who passed by Yun-woo and Ji-eun, the people who had nothing to do with Yun-woo’s life and were not important to Yun-woo, how could they be grouped together and called together?
Why do I know now that they don’t matter?
There was absolutely no reason to waste time and focus on such things, whether or not such people looked at Yun-woo, what kind of eyes they looked at, what they were talking about and laughing at.
That time and heart were worth spending on Ji-eun.
Big eyes that look up at Yoon-woo several times while walking side by side with Yun-woo, and cute lips with a pretty voice… … .
All of that was a miracle.
Yun-woo was always witnessing miracles, and he didn’t even know it was a miracle.
Only now did I realize
It was only now that I started to notice.
Ji-eun’s eyes, voice, expression, and gestures towards Yun-woo… … The heart of Ji-eun contained there was not hypocrisy.
“Sorry.”
“Huh? what suddenly? no way… … are you cold now? I’ll answer you later… … .”
“It’s not that, step… … I was walking too fast.”
“Oh… … OK. I used to walk like this You have short legs.”
“… … Let’s walk slowly. Now I will walk slowly.”
Because of the narrow stride, Ji-eun was always walking with a gait, fearing that Yun-woo would feel stuffy because of his slow walking.
He said that his legs were constantly hurting because he walked in a hurry along Yun-woo’s stride.
It was never that the author lacked stamina.
Why did I only see this now?
What the hell was Yoon-woo watching?
“But you know, Yun-woo… … .”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been… … You’re staring at my face too much… … Then am I too shy?”
“uh? sorry. I’m just… … .”
“Just, what? Do you want to see my face over and over again?”
“uh… … Huh.”
“… … What if you answer that? look ahead don’t look at me Turn your head quickly! I usually don’t respond when I say things like this… … .”
It was Yoon-woo, who listened to Ji-eun and tried to walk straight ahead… … It wasn’t easy.
It was because if I looked away from Ji-eun, everything seemed to disappear like smoke.
I keep thinking that I have to check with my own eyes whether what happened in the classroom today, the walk I had with Ji-eun afterward, or the conversation I had just a few seconds ago, whether it was a hallucination created by Yun-woo’s delusion.
If you turn your eyes away from Ji-eun and look ahead, you become unbearably curious about what Ji-eun’s expression was just before, how her lips were moving, and what shape her tiny feet were walking on the ground. I couldn’t help but see it.
I wanted to confirm over and over that a person named Ji-eun next to me really existed.
“Because you don’t see… … Eh, do whatever you want.”
Ji-eun’s cheeks are gradually getting red… … At least it wasn’t a dream.
Because Yoon-woo only has nightmares.
There is no way such a person would appear in a dream.
“sister.”
“Huh?”
“I… … What should I do?”
“What do you do?”
“that… … I don’t know how to deal with my sister anymore.”
“You can do it as usual.”
“usually… … No, I usually think I did something too wrong.”
“Nope. You did nothing wrong.”
“The fact that my older sister was walking fast alone without knowing it was difficult… … I didn’t look at my sister properly. I keep getting weird all by myself… … .”
“it’s okay. it’s okay.”
“Besides, my sister… … What should I do… … .”
“Hey, it’s kind of weird to ask me about that.”
“uh… … is it?”
“Is that right? What if I ask you how you will treat me? If I said, ‘Hey, you have to go out with me. It’s the first day from today.’ If you answer like this, will you start dating with ‘I got it’?”
“… … .”
“Well, maybe it is. You’re such a kid… … But that can’t be it, Yoon-woo. Don’t make it too complicated.”
“then… … .”
“You can just do what you want. If you like it, you date, if you don’t like it, you wear it… … Eww… … .”
“How could I… … .”
“Are you okay? I don’t even like it, but it’s more rude to force myself to pretend to be a lover. Later, Hyerim likes me more than me, so even if I date her… … I won’t be resentful. You really do what you want.”
“It’s not going to happen.”
Now, Yun-woo felt like he wanted to affirm everything that came out of Ji-eun’s mouth, but there was only one thing, that was absolutely not.
“… … Didn’t you talk to Hyerim a lot? on Wednesday.”
“Yes it was.”
“Are there still misunderstandings?”
“well… … .”
In Yun-woo’s eyes, there was only one misunderstanding.
At first, Yun-woo, a 4th grade elementary school student, misunderstood that Hye-rim wanted to get to know her.
“You want more time… … I hope you two get along well.”
“Yes, sister.”
“Huh?”
“If, after paying off the debt I owe to Hyerim, I don’t want to see her again… … What will your sister do?”
“… … do not do that. A misconception that can be resolved over time. do not say that.”
“But if… … .”
If it had been Yunwoo, he would have thought it was a presumptuous and cheeky question, and would have regretted what he had said. In fact, ‘Is it me? Or is it Hyerim? Which of the two would you choose?’ It was the same question.
But this time, I wanted to be sure.
I wanted to believe that if I was going to have hope, if I was going to accept Ji-eun’s feelings for Yun-woo as the truth, then Ji-eun’s love for him was solid without even the slightest hole.
“under… … There you are, Yoon-woo. If there is even one such situation, that is, if you and Hyerim confront each other… … .”
Yun-woo swallowed his breath and listened to Ji-eun’s words.
Is Ji-eun really on Hye-rim’s side?
Or is it Yun-woo’s side?
“Then Hyerim will want me to stand by your side. He is such a kid.”
“… … .”
Ji-eun is like an angel.
So, to the same extent that he trusted Yun-woo, who is not much of a concern, he is also showing strong trust to Hye-rim.
However, Yun-woo couldn’t agree with what he said, so he just did not respond to Ji-eun’s words, and Ji-eun looked at Yun-woo’s face for a moment, then quickly changed the topic and started talking about something else.
‘And you don’t know. That there is me who expects you and Hyerim to continue to fight like that, that I have such a hideous appearance… … .”
* * *
“Walking, were you okay?”
“Huh. sorry. I asked to go a little further, so the time calculation… … As you know, my legs are short, so my steps are slow, right?”
“it’s okay. Come and wash your hands.”
Yoon-woo and Ji-eun, who arrived at Hye-rim’s house at around 6:40 pm, didn’t even say why Hye-rim was late.
Dinner was smoked salmon salad. I also made some tuna onigiri for Ji-eun.
In fact, there were still a lot of meatballs left in the freezer, but after seeing Yun-woo having a seizure while eating it, Hye-rim did not want to take them out in front of Yun-woo again.
Except for rice balls, in fact, diet meals do not take very long to prepare.
So Hyerim, who had just finished preparing dinner, leaned her back against the wall and sat on the bed, waiting for Yunwoo and Jieun.
Skip class and go for a walk together for such a long time… … Hyerim couldn’t know what was going on between Yunwoo and Jieun.
Considering Yun-woo’s personality, it was too easy to predict.
Seeing Ji-eun and Yun-woo entering the house, Hye-rim was convinced that her prediction was true.
It was as if it was not the cold outside that dyed Ji-eun’s cheeks red.
Besides, Yoon-woo’s gaze, drawn to Ji-eun like a magnet, his expression much softer than usual… … .
The usual coldness was missing from his gaze.
The face, which was still blunt without knowing how to smile, only turned into a face of affection towards Ji-eun.
Sitting at the table, watching the two of them, Hyerim quietly chewed the salad in her mouth for a long time, just like Yunwoo did all day yesterday.
The reason was the same as yesterday’s Yunwoo.
I don’t want to talk, so I don’t want anyone to talk to me.
How she was feeling right now, Hyerim couldn’t put it into words.
If Yun-woo accepts Ji-eun’s affection, Yun-woo will live in Ji-eun’s house and live a brighter life in the future.
That is definitely a pleasure.
But then, Hyerim after that… … .
Obviously, this is her house, but Hyerim is starting to think that this is a place she shouldn’t be.
So, in the end, after chewing for a long time or pretending to chew, she barely swallowed the contents of her mouth, and Hyerim looked at Jieun and said.
“Hey. sister.”
“Huh?”
“I am this morning… … Did you exercise very hard? I think I made a mistake by putting too much weight on the military press. My shoulder hurts a bit.”
“uh? So what? Aren’t you supposed to go to the hospital?”
“It’s not like that… … But when it comes to dinner, the pain comes slowly, so I think I need to put some paste on and rest for a while. I’m sorry, but would you like to study together with you and Yunwoo today?”
“Yes. Get some rest. Let’s clean things up together, Yoon-woo. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Well… … Can you just throw out some trash when you go out?”
“Ah, that one tied up in front of you?”
“Huh.”
“okay. But are you really okay? Do you have pasta at home?”
“then. many.”
“What can I do for you… … May I give you a massage?”
“Even if my sister did it, it wouldn’t be cool at all.”
“What, are you ignoring me? I also have some kind of grip… … .”
“it’s okay. More than that, Yunwoo. I don’t think we can exercise together for a while. sorry. As I said it first… … .”
“it’s okay.”
In fact, it was a welcome story for Yun-woo.
This is because Hyerim was the one that made Yunwoo the most difficult among the elements that make up Yunwoo’s daily life.
“Take care of yourself. I’ll call you tomorrow morning. Call me anytime if there is anything I can help you with.”
“Yes. thank you, Sister.”
Yoon-woo also greeted Hye-rim, but, unfortunately, Hye-rim realized very easily this time as well, that there was no heart in her dry tone.
After closing the door and turning around, all that was left for Hyerim was a lonely room.
I was unbearably lonely. Yoon-woo and Ji-eun had been sitting here a while ago, but even at that moment, their hearts seemed to have gone somewhere far away.
Where there is no Hyerim, no matter how much she walks, Hyerim cannot go… … .
It was a lie to say that I injured my shoulder, but I couldn’t put any strength into my body.
I didn’t even think about playing with my phone.
For several hours after that, Hyerim was lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling.
“Let’s go by bus. sister.”
“Huh? I thought you’d ask me to walk.”
“Your leg hurts from walking a lot.”
“it’s okay. Just walk slowly. It’s only two stops, so taking the bus is not worth it.”
“still… … .”
“Because it’s okay. Then, would you pick it up… … No, I’m joking. do not do it.”
The day after class was the same as yesterday.
I ate at Hyerim’s house, then I study for the exam at Jieun’s house, and I ate the medicine that Jieun gave me… … .
But it was a completely different day than yesterday.
This is because the meaning of Ji-eun in Yun-woo’s life has completely changed.
It was no longer unpleasant for Ji-eun to hide Yun-woo’s medicines and take care of them every time, and to keep chasing after Yoon-woo so that he was not alone.
Because she wasn’t the manager of the closed ward, she wasn’t the watchman watching Yun-woo, and she wasn’t the volunteer on the other side of the serving table.
‘Why are you doing this to me?’
The answer to that question was not because Yun-woo looked pitiful.
Seeing Yun-woo’s behavior, it was not that he was identified with his mother in the past.
‘Can you believe this? that I like you.’
‘Yoonwoo, you are absolutely not the person you are talking about.’
‘Because you are such a kind and nice person… … .’
“Are you Yoon-woo?”
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“uh… … why?”
“just. Somehow the expression… … I think I’m smiling I’ve never seen you smile before.”
“Oh… … that… … .”
“What did you think? Did you think of something interesting while reading the textbook?”
“No, just… … I remember what my sister said earlier… … .”
“… … I just asked it’s okay. Do not say. Let’s keep studying… … .”
In a pink room, Ji-eun and Yun-woo, who sat facing each other with a desk in between, in the room that Ji-eun thought of Yun-woo was overly bright, their faces were dyed pink like the atmosphere in the room while studying.
Boom, thump, thump, Yoon-woo’s heart was beating much faster than usual, but this time it wasn’t fear or anxiety.
“… … So, that’s it.”
[I thought it would happen, but I didn’t expect it to be this fast.]
“Your words… … You’re right. Ji-eun’s older sister was not an enemy. not enemies… … .”
[Yes. Know. So what are you going to do now?]
“Are you saying that for the time being, let’s just stay as usual?”
[Not that… … i say you know that I like you too… … Did you say you believe?]
“uh… … right.”
[If you look around properly… … I said that if I found out that many people like you, I would like you to choose me out of the many people and love me. What do you think now? That senior and me, who will you choose?]
Paranoid Love Affair chapter 93

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