By Zephyria 
-Everyone, calm down… Let’s just go home…
I vividly remembered a pale, neat-looking person trembling and saying that. It felt like a breath of fresh air. Like breathing fresh air for the first time.
So, the reason he chased Seong Hae-jun at first was probably because breathing became easier for a while after seeing him, even before discussing whether he liked Seong Hae-jun or not. Perhaps due to the character settings in the novel, it manifested in selfish and rude ways, like grabbing his wrist without reason, or saying ‘I like you’ or ‘I’ve claimed you.’
‘But….’
Do Yun-hyeok watched Seong Hae-jun’s fingers twitching and wriggling. Seong Hae-jun, who had been pale, was now flushed red up to his neck. Watching him look flustered, a pleased and joyful smile played around Do Yun-hyeok’s eyes.
‘Even if I had met him in reality for the first time, I would have liked Seong Hae-jun.’
Because Seong Hae-jun was a person who lived more sincerely than anyone else. So much so that he could make even lies feel like truth.
In Do Yun-hyeok’s eyes, Seong Hae-jun was a very timid and cautious person. The reason for his timidity and caution was that he didn’t want to get hurt beyond what he could bear. And the reason he got hurt so much was that the magnitude of the hurt was proportional to his sincerity. He seemed to think he wasn’t like that at all, though….
‘Actually, he’s more earnest than anyone. Always.’
The reason Seong Hae-jun was the only one who remembered reality might also be related to this point. It was just a guess, but not entirely unfounded. Among Do Yun-hyeok’s memories that surfaced when he became aware of the novel, there were also one-sided pieces of information that Ban Seo-yi had poured out to him.
Strangely, even after hearing such stories from Ban Seo-yi, he would forget them all the next day. But after returning to reality, he remembered them all safely. Perhaps Ban Seo-yi had used him as a confidant, knowing he would forget everything the next day.
According to the stories Ban Seo-yi confided daily, she was a person driven mad by repeatedly experiencing this novel’s content. Ban Seo-yi, with her extreme mood swings, would be smiling brightly one moment and then suddenly scream and cling to him, saying she was sick of it.
There was only one thing she desperately wanted to confirm. Whether ‘truth’ could truly exist in this world, which was endlessly repeating for her. She would hold onto Do Yun-hyeok, who didn’t understand her stories at all, and lament to him countless times.
‘So, perhaps all of this happened because of Ban Seo-yi.’
One day, with a bewildered look, she said that for the first time, a being capable of acting differently from the established settings had appeared amidst dozens of regressions. That was Seong Hae-jun.
‘…I don’t know the exact circumstances.’
Regardless, what Do Yun-hyeok was curious about wasn’t how such a thing happened. What mattered was that it had already happened.
So, Do Yun-hyeok was simply grateful. Thanks to that, he got to know Seong Hae-jun and could like him.
The damned circumstances all turned into good fortune simply because he could meet Seong Hae-jun.
“As expected, I’m lucky. Diligence can move heaven and earth.”
Do Yun-hyeok skipped many explanations and smiled. He was confident. If luck was part of fate, he was no different from facing the person destined for him.
His goal was clear. He wanted to see Seong Hae-jun’s happiness by his side. If he could be a little more greedy, he wished that happiness would stem from himself.
Seong Hae-jun, watching Do Yun-hyeok laugh familiarly, bit his lips tightly with a complex expression. Seong Hae-jun’s complexion wavered like a candle in the wind, and then his eyes filled with tears. A watery shadow fell upon his blurry pupils, like a window frosted by a sudden cold snap.
Drip. The tears that welled up silently poured down fiercely like hail. His neat eyes, his red cheeks, his tightly shut lips. The reddened parts were instantly soaked. Seong Hae-jun, making the observer feel even more sorrowful, shed only tears without a sound.
“…Hae-jun-ah?”
Startled by the sudden tears, Do Yun-hyeok quickly pulled out tissues and approached Seong Hae-jun. The situation was reversed from when Do Yun-hyeok had shed tears earlier. His touch was delicate and gentle. Seong Hae-jun sat beside him, crying silently as Do Yun-hyeok wiped his tears and patted his back.
After wiping away tears that seemed endless for a long time, Do Yun-hyeok whispered softly.
“I’m sorry.”
“…….”
“It’s too late, isn’t it.”
Seong Hae-jun squeezed his eyes shut as if suppressing a sob. His densely wet eyelashes fell rapidly. Do Yun-hyeok, tears also welling up in his own eyes, slowly pulled Seong Hae-jun into an embrace.
Seong Hae-jun finally gasped for breath, burying his face in his shoulder. Like being submerged in a full bathtub, tears that wouldn’t stop overflowed. His tearful breaths were hot.
Do Yun-hyeok patted Seong Hae-jun without a word, and Seong Hae-jun did not push him away.
In the tangled thoughts, soaked with tears and mired like mud, Seong Hae-jun could only pull out one word. And that word was enough to make Do Yun-hyeok cry.
“You are enough now….”
The arms holding him tightened. The tears showed no sign of stopping for a long time.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Hae-jun! I knew you could put on a bright face too!”
As I was leaving the lecture hall after class, packing my things, I widened my eyes at the playful Sunbae’s words. Other classmates chimed in beside me, making a fuss.
“That’s right! I heard your long-standing constipation was resolved!”
“I heard it was athlete’s foot?”
“You’ve definitely brightened up.”
“A cheerful Hae-jun has a different charm than his usual melancholic one….”
“What’s with all of you?”
Are people collectively insane? I drew a line, disgusted. Yet, I also felt a bit sheepish. Was it that obvious?
Before meeting Do Yun-hyeok recently, I had been living like a shut-in, gloomy and withdrawn. I couldn’t sleep well, so my complexion was poor, I couldn’t concentrate in class, and I’d flinch excessively at surrounding noises. I barely remembered the last time I’d laughed. I had to admit that much.
Still, I thought I had managed to recover quite decently. Even in that state, I hadn’t missed a single common tardiness or assignment deadline. It was only a short while ago, but I couldn’t even remember what state of mind I had been in to accomplish it. I felt like I couldn’t do it again even if I tried.
“But seriously, what happened?”
“Hey!!! Don’t ask about that!!!”
“Hahaha.”
As one classmate cluelessly blurted out the question, another immediately shut him down with a roar. Seeing him subdue the situation with a lion’s roar, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. In an instant, the surrounding noise quieted down.
“Huh?”
My laughter vanished automatically. Everyone was staring intently at my face. Even though I’m not usually one for dramatic facial expressions, was it really worth staring like this just because I laughed once? It wasn’t even a big laugh. This was the level that would usually require Lee Beom to yell “Quiet!”…
“Whatever happened, it’s much better. I’m happy too. My treat, I’m buying us coffee!”
The Sunbae, shouting with all his might into the sudden silence, gave a thumbs-up like a scene from a youth manga.
“Whoa, me too!”
“Aren’t we obviously going together?”
The classmates chattered and laughed boisterously. Other students passing by on the street glanced at our group. As I stood among them, I felt strangely embarrassed, so while everyone was distracted by the cafe, I quietly told a classmate next to me that I had plans and hurried away.
“Hey!”
As I quickly descended the stairs, I heard someone calling out loudly from behind. Thinking it might be classmates coming to find me, I pretended not to hear and quickened my pace.
The sound of running grew louder, and someone urgently grabbed my shoulder. My body spun around from the momentum.
“Hey!”
“…….”
Seeing the face, I reflexively stifled the name “Seong Hae-min?” that was about to escape my throat.
Seong Hae-min, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand from how hard he had chased me, panted and asked, “You’re that person from in front of the library, right?”
“Yes, yes….”
I nodded dumbly, and Seong Hae-min looked at me with a pleading expression.
“Can we talk for a bit?”
We headed to a nearby bench. It was time for classes to resume, so there weren’t many students on the street. A gentle spring breeze blew softly. The branches overhead swayed, casting shadows on the walkway.
“That….”
“…….”
I quietly waited for him to speak. What would he say? My heart pounded. But unlike last time, I felt calm. Although I was a little surprised by the unexpected encounter.
Seong Hae-min, who had been hesitating for a long time, fiddling with his tumbler while sitting on the bench, finally spoke with difficulty.
“I know this might sound strange to ask… but I have just one question. If you don’t mind.”
Seong Hae-min, with a face that could neither cry nor laugh, looked at me.
“You… can’t eat soy-marinated shrimp sushi?”