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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Are You Avoiding Me?
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They were drawing closer.
Their lips were close enough to touch when someone called out A-jin's name.
"A-jin?"
It was Kwang-hyun.
A-jin finally snapped out of it and stumbled back in panic, while Jun-woo scowled irritably at the interruption.
"Teacher."
"What are you two doing? What's with your hair, A-jin?"
Kwang-hyun didn't look pleased.
"Oh... I spilled some clothes, so I showered."
His gaze felt uncomfortable somehow.
Jun-woo bristled at Kwang-hyun's expression.
"Showered? Here?"
"Yes."
"How much did you spill?"
"It had chocolate all over it."
"I see. But you should head out quick. Hanging around a place like this might cause misunderstandings."
"Yes."
"What kind of misunderstanding?"
A-jin nodded like she understood, but Jun-woo took offense and pressed him.
"What?"
"What do you think we're misunderstanding?"
The air grew tense at Jun-woo's defiant tone.
Jun-woo and Kwang-hyun eyed each other warily.
It was the glare of man versus man, not student versus teacher.
A-jin, caught in the middle, fidgeted awkwardly.
"Teacher, Jun-woo just lent me some clothes. That's all."
"Go home already. Your hair's still wet—you'll catch a cold."
His tone was icy.
It was a cold voice from Kwang-hyun she'd never heard before.
He seemed angry.
Kwang-hyun left, and A-jin teared up at his unfamiliar attitude.
"Teacher!"
If it was a misunderstanding, she wanted to clear it up, but Jun-woo grabbed her as she tried to follow.
"Where?"
"To the teacher."
"Why?"
"He seemed mad."
Jun-woo let out a scoff of disbelief.
A-jin felt hurt by his mocking laugh.
"Why are you laughing like that?"
"Who said the student teacher is mad?"
"It was obvious."
"Then why would he be mad?"
"Well..."
"Isn't it ridiculous? You just washed up after spilling clothes. What's he got to be mad about?"
"Maybe he misunderstood. Like we were doing something weird."
"Weird? What weird thing did we do? What would make it weird between you and me?"
"That's not what I meant. I came out of the shower room wearing your clothes."
"We never said we were together in the shower room, and I never said those were my clothes."
"Well, obviously they're big..."
A-jin glanced at Kwang-hyun, who was walking far ahead.
It wasn't even important, but she worried this pointless argument might make her lose him.
"Got it. I misspoke. Anyway, I should explain properly to the teacher."
She turned.
Jun-woo's cheeks flushed red.
He was angry that she only cared about Kwang-hyun.
He felt hurt that she wouldn't look properly at his feelings.
He stepped in front of her.
"Why?"
She looked urgent, like she wanted him to move.
That pushed him over the edge, and he blurted out his heart.
"Do you really not know? Or are you pretending?"
"Huh?"
"Are you that oblivious? Are you an idiot?"
Unsure what he might say next, A-jin just thought he was insulting her again.
"Idiot?!"
This wasn't how he wanted to confess.
Not cool, but definitely not like this.
"I like you."
Jun-woo shouted.
His feelings for her, long suspected, denied, and finally admitted.
"I like you."
"...."
She said nothing.
She just blinked her wide eyes.
It made his heart race with anxiety.
"Why won't you say anything?"
"Uh..."
"I like you. You really didn't notice? I made it so obvious."
He'd suspected as much.
But she really seemed clueless.
She was completely stunned by his confession, staring blankly without a word.
"Hey! Even if you're oblivious... I don't even talk to other girls."
"Uh... yeah, that's true. Um... sorry, I gotta go first."
She said she was leaving.
She hadn't even said a proper sentence and was already backing away, putting distance between them.
He was just bewildered.
"You're just gonna go?"
"Uh... sorry! I'm going."
She turned and ran off quick.
Like fleeing a disaster.
"What the hell."
He had no idea how to process this and just stood there blankly.
* * *
A-jin sprinted back to the kitchen.
"What did I just hear?"
She touched her ears, wondering if it was a hallucination.
No.
She'd heard it clearly.
He'd said it multiple times.
She nearly collapsed right there.
She couldn't say anything, and nothing came to mind that she should say.
She couldn't face him anymore.
So she ran for now.
Avoiding him seemed like the best move.
A-jin squeezed her eyes shut and replayed what happened.
"I didn't mishear that, right?"
She'd vaguely heard him say it at her place.
'I like you.'
She'd thought it was just sleep-talk.
And without a subject, she figured he was just mumbling about liking something.
She never imagined it was about her.
Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.
It was beating so fiercely it might burst out.
"What do I do..."
She stroked her chest, telling herself to calm down.
* * *
Cho-hee stormed home, fuming.
She stomped up the stairs and flung open the front door.
She kicked off her shoes haphazardly and tossed her bag anywhere.
Then her phone buzzed.
She snatched it up irritably.
It was Kang A-jin.
Her voice made Cho-hee bristle, but she hid it.
"Yeah."
-Where are you?
"Sorry. Mom called me home suddenly."
-Oh, okay?
"I left my gym clothes in the kitchen."
-Yeah, I saw. But you weren't there.
"I was gonna text when I got home. Just got here. I'll grab the gym clothes Monday."
-Oh, I put them in your locker. Didn't wear them.
Of course she didn't.
She was wearing Park Jun-woo's clothes.
"...Yeah. See you Monday."
Cho-hee ended the call and hurled her phone onto the floor.
The edge cracked a bit from the impact.
"Argh!"
She tore at her hair and screamed.
She'd sent A-jin to the shower room, then slowly gone to her classroom to grab the gym clothes.
She'd walked as slowly as possible back to the shower room.
She timed it just right—the basketball team was heading in.
Cho-hee hid behind a pillar, expecting A-jin to come bolting out in shock.
But instead of bolting out alone, she emerged with Jun-woo.
They looked intimate.
As their distance closed, Cho-hee couldn't just watch and was about to step out when the student teacher appeared.
She held back, relieved, and hid to watch.
Then she heard something she shouldn't have.
Jun-woo confessed to A-jin.
It was so absurd she let out a hollow laugh.
It came out louder than expected, nearly giving her away.
Back in the kitchen, she flung the gym clothes onto the counter.
She wanted to rip them to shreds.
But she barely held onto her reason.
She picked up the discarded clothes, folded them roughly, and left school.
She didn't trust herself to keep a straight face around A-jin.
* * *
Never had reality felt so unreal upon waking.
A-jin clutched the blanket pulled up to her chin and blinked.
Even she, as dense as she was, had wondered once or twice if Jun-woo had special feelings for her.
But she'd dismissed it as a delusion.
Sometimes guys who liked Cho-hee were nice to her.
She knew it was just to use her as a connection, so she never got her hopes up.
She'd thought Jun-woo's kindness was the same.
Or just friendship between classmates, groupmates, or desk neighbors.
Thinking back, it was mostly teasing or pranks, so she'd never dreamed of romantic feelings.
"Ha... How am I supposed to go to school."
She lacked the courage to face him there.
And he sat right next to her—no way to dodge.
Her deep sigh filled the room.
* * *
Her steps to school felt heavy.
She hesitated at the gate when someone called her.
"A-jin."
It was Kwang-hyun.
"Teacher."
He looked brighter than over the weekend.
"Did you get home okay that weekend?"
"Yes."
"Sorry about Saturday. I was out of line."
"About what?"
A-jin shrugged, clueless.
Jun-woo's confession had crowded out everything else.
Kwang-hyun gave an awkward smile at her innocent look.
Jealousy had made him act immature, and it'd bothered him all weekend.
Her attitude, treating it like nothing happened, made him feel even more embarrassed about his immaturity.
"You know... I said some weird stuff on Saturday..."
"Oh, that. It's okay. You were just worried about the students."
"Thanks for understanding."
A-jin smiled it off, and Kwang-hyun smiled back.
Unaware of the prickling at the back of her head.
Jun-woo was behind them.
His eyebrows shot up, brow furrowed deep at the sight of their closeness.
Jealousy and anger twisted his face.
She hadn't picked up the phone all weekend.
Her just leaving had been baffling, but given her personality, she must've been flustered, so he figured it was fine.
But not even a reply?
No call back, ignored his texts.
Didn't even read them.
He glared at her, seething.
Sensing something, A-jin turned.
Their eyes met.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Teacher, I'm heading in first."
She fled again.
"Why does she keep running?"
Was his confession that shocking?
Dumbfounded, Jun-woo twisted his lips and followed her to the classroom.
She sat first, pulling out her stationery, but jumped up when he approached his seat.
"Where?"
His question halted her steps.
"Locker."
Sitting side by side felt awkward, huh.
He knew her game.
"Let's go together after class."
"Why?"
"Need to talk."
"I have plans with Cho-hee."
"What plans?"
"She asked for homework help."
Liar.
"Fine, lunch then."
"I eat super late."
Her excuses lacked creativity, so he scoffed.
"Then come out now."
"Huh?"
"Come out now."
He was firm. Intimidating, even.
