When I Returned, a High School Romantic Comedy Began

17. f*cking flag

“It’s late.”

Even though it’s been 20 minutes since class ended, Jaune hasn’t even looked at his nose.

If I had been in the classroom, I would have known what happened.

After school, many students returned their books right after class ended, so we left quickly, so we didn’t know what happened.

‘Surely he won’t come again this time?’

If you broke your promise during lunch and still don’t come…

‘No, that can’t be possible.’

Something must be going on.

Like being called by a teacher or being caught by friends.

‘Yes, if you wait, he will come.’

I waited quietly because he wasn’t the type of person to break his promises one after another, but I couldn’t help but feel a little distraught.

“…”

Nowadays, fewer students are returning their items.

The library was extremely quiet.

As I opened the bookmark along with the bookmark I had put there to read, I heard the sound of the door opening.

When Hayan turned his head, Jaune, who had been waiting intently, was there smiling shyly.

“Sorry, I’m a little late.”

Seeing that, she immediately put back the bookmark she had taken out and stood up.

“no! “There were a lot of people returning things today anyway, so I was barely free.”

It’s a lie.

There were especially few people today, so I finished everything within 5 minutes of arriving at the library.

Hayan left the librarian’s seat and sat down at the round table in the middle of the library, and he also sat next to her.

“But did something happen?”

Did the teacher order you to run an errand?

When she asked why she came 20 minutes after the funeral out of sheer curiosity, Jaune hesitated for a moment and then told her.

“To take Park Chae-rin to me.”

This is a story that everyone in the class knows except for Ha-yeon because Chae-rin made a fuss in class anyway.

I spoke honestly because I thought there was no need to lie or be subtle here.

“Chaerin…?”

“I understand what the misunderstanding is, but that’s not really the case.”

I wonder if she might misunderstand.

No, of course it was right to misunderstand, so Jaune went out of his way to make an excuse to Hayan.

‘I’m going to tease you a lot again.’

He thought back to the playful side she sometimes showed. I expected this time too that he would play mischievous pranks like a small devil with a cute face.

“why?”

But that light guess was wrong.

There was no playfulness or innocence on her face.

There was a seriousness that was not usually seen on his face.

“Why did you take me there?”

“Oh, that’s it. uh.”

“You were late for lunch because of him, and this time too?”

Of course, I smiled here and said, ‘Aren’t you two dating~?’ It should come out with the same message.

When I suddenly asked him why he took me there, my mind went blank for a moment.

‘What should I say?’

My heart sinks as the atmosphere suddenly becomes colder.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t say anything and just kept eye contact.

The white, cloudy brown eyes suddenly drew an arc, and a laugh escaped from the mouth.

“Puhahahaha! “I’m kidding~ Why are you so surprised!”

“… under.”

My heart, which had been cold because I thought she was really angry, finally became calm when I saw her smile.

‘It’s hard to say anything because it was my fault.’

Yes, I arrived late this time because I broke my promise last time, but I’m glad it ended like this.

Seeing him relieved, Hyayan smiled like usual again.

“Our Jaune is scary?”

“Maybe you’re too good at acting.”

When Park Chae-rin gets angry, it can be assumed that it is because of her sharp appearance.

A child like Hayan, who always smiles and never gets angry, suddenly had a straight face, which doubled the sense of fear due to the sense of disconnect.

‘But you’re really good at acting. For a moment, I thought you were truly angry.’

Hayan said with a playful frown on his face that had been laughing at a compliment that wasn’t my compliment.

“To some extent, it’s not acting. “I’m a little sad.”

“Oh sorry.”

I had nothing to say, so I looked away and apologized, and she asked me in a curious tone.

“By the way, are you two dating?”

“… I’ve told you several times, but we’re not dating. “I just brought you there for some reason.”

“Hmm~”

She looks at me with an interesting expression.

“Chaerin is very pretty.”

“Dating something pretty and dating are two different things.”

Of course, the face also plays a big part in dating.

But that can’t be everything.

“You don’t have to have the same personality or tastes to communicate well.”

“… For example.”

With just one word of his, an ambiguous feeling hidden deep inside her heart moved.

“Someone like me?”

Normally I wouldn’t play pranks like this.

Is it because of the name Chae-rin that I just heard, or is it because of the tingling feeling near the top of my solar plexus?

She, who has never intentionally tried to show off her talent, added a hint of unfamiliarity to her natural smile.

I wondered what I would do if he thought it was a little strange, but soon I didn’t think much of it.

If it was the Jaune she knew, he would have been the one to smile slyly and ask her how she knew.

“Oh that…”

It was a mistake.

He couldn’t counter her smile.

No matter how crazy I always do at school, I end up being a parent for 25 years.

It was okay because Chae-rin and I were already in a comfortable relationship, saying that you liked me or not and did all sorts of things.

Hayan and I still felt awkward around each other, so I was a bit stumped because I didn’t expect the sight of a girl who was already there suddenly smiling and flirting.

“yes?”

Therefore, his belated reply actually made the atmosphere between them awkward.

What follows, of course, is breathtaking silence.

Although it wasn’t bad, I felt something uncomfortable around my neck and couldn’t look at each other or breathe properly.

It was even more unfamiliar because the two of them did not yet know that the name of that feeling was excitement.

Jaune, who sensed something was clearly wrong with the unnatural silence, quickly laughed and joked.

“If I had just been a little taller, I would have really had potential, but it’s a shame…”

“what?”

When I made fun of her short height, she frowned cutely, probably because she was paying attention to it.

“Are you still growing slowly?”

“I don’t think I should grow slowly at my current height…”

A white one whose height doesn’t even reach my shoulders.

I was already 17 years old, but seeing as I hadn’t reached that point yet, I didn’t see any possibility.

Perhaps she knew this to her core, and without even being able to refute it, she flinched slightly, turned her head away from Jaune, and opened the book she had placed on the desk.

“hey?”

“…”

“Why read a book instead of talking…”

She responded lightly, putting down the bookmark between the books on the desk.

“Don’t talk to bad people who make fun of your height.”

From noble mtl dot com

“…”

It seemed like I touched something that shouldn’t have been touched.

Although I could barely control the strange atmosphere caused by my verbal mistake that day.

Because I offended Hayan, I could barely be forgiven after begging and begging until the library closed.

*

Has an hour passed since class ended?

Fortunately, I was able to calm her down and walk out of the school together.

Hayan said as he was about to walk out the school gate.

“But is it okay to stay up this late?”

It felt so natural that I couldn’t remember it until now.

He must have always left school quickly because of his part-time job.

For some reason, I didn’t leave school today even though the sun was setting.

Jaune, who had no choice but to know the intention of that question, asked her back.

“huh? Why all of a sudden?”

“Other kids go to academies or part-time jobs. just wondering.”

I threw this bait because I knew he was always busy working.

I naturally asked, pretending not to know, and Jaune said without any doubt.

“I used to work part-time, but I don’t work now.”

“okay?”

Hayan was surprised for a moment by the unexpected answer, then looked at his right arm and sighed inwardly.

‘I got hurt while trying to save Chaerin…’

Joo-woon throws himself in to save his classmate, but finds himself unable to even get a part-time job.

Hayan, who was vaguely aware of his situation, grew saddened.

‘Well, I don’t need to walk anymore, so I won’t walk even if my arm gets better.’

Of course, it was all useless worry.

If I had already won the lottery, bought a house, and invested the remaining money in electronic money, I wouldn’t have to worry about life.

Hayan, who had no way of knowing that fact, continued to feel uneasy.

“Then see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

After misunderstanding each other like that, the two parted ways at a crossroads.

After Jaune disappeared, the fake smile disappeared from Hayan’s face.

“Chaerin…”

A girl in class who hit Joowoon and even cursed at him without hesitation.

‘Actually, I did deserve it…’

Anyway, her attitude didn’t look very good to Hayan.

I didn’t know why he was taking Park Chae-rin with him.

[He often glares at me with those Medusa-like eyes.]

[I just brought you there for some reason.]

“…”

Judging by his expression, it didn’t seem like a particularly good thing.

“Jaune is so kind.”

I remembered him apologizing again and again, not knowing what to do when he seemed a little upset.

Actually, I was the one who made the joke first.

A very considerate friend who even says things he doesn’t mean to make things awkward.

That’s why I was a little worried that Chaerin might have caught Hogu.

‘… I’ll have to wait and see.’

It’s the first book friend I made when I entered high school.

Because only you know what kind of pain he is going through.

I know that it is difficult to tell anyone.

Even so, I know him who keeps smiling.

“No one but me.”

Only I can help Jaune.

She thought to herself as she reflected herself in the convex mirror of an alley she passed by.

Then I suddenly remembered what he said at school.

[If only I had been a little taller, I would have really had potential, but it’s a shame…]

‘…’

She headed home, determined to start anew with her morning exercises.

‘It’s not because of Jaune, it’s because it would be better if it were a little bigger.’

*

After falling out with Hayan.

I sat in the park holding dinner in one hand and takoyaki, which I desperately wanted to eat when I had no money, in the other.

“Ha… it’s really delicious.”

It was so delicious.

The scent of katsuobushi first stimulates your nose, and then the sweet teriyaki ravages your tongue.

Just when you feel like the soft texture of the batter inside is not interesting, even the bouncy octopus appears.

“It’s crazy, it’s crazy.”

The corners of my mouth didn’t lower as I enjoyed the emotion I couldn’t get because I only spent 3,000 won.

“Ha… I’m happy.”

I never imagined that I would be a human being who could experience these emotions.

‘Now that I think about it, I met the sister who bought me the lottery ticket here, right?’

She has a face full of dark circles and dull eyes.

I wondered what would happen if someone heard that I had won the lottery and came to see me.

Seeing as I haven’t heard anything so far, I definitely picked the right person.

‘Now that I think about it, I think I look like someone…’

Since we live in the same neighborhood, how many times have we seen each other in passing?

“Well, I won’t have to see you again.”

Although it bothers me a little that he even showed me his student ID, it doesn’t seem like there’s any problem considering he hasn’t come to see me until now.

‘It’ll be okay.’

As I was alone with my useless thoughts, the light from the street lamp told me that it was time to go home.

“Should I wake up soon?”

I got up from the wooden bench, threw away the trash of the takoyaki I had eaten, and walked out of the alley outside the park.

“Bwak!”

“ah.”

A contact that occurred as a result of not being able to confirm each other’s presence for a moment.

A rather small-looking figure was pushed by me and fell to the floor.

“sorry. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

I automatically gave my hand out of regret.

‘What is that voice…’

The woman who fell got up by putting her small hands together and giving strength.

And the face I saw.

“Oh, thank you. “There were no injuries…”

“…”

Dark circles and blurry eyes… No, now he is looking at me with great surprise, as if he has seen a monster.

“f*ck flag.”

It was the face of my older sister who bought me a lottery ticket.