The person standing in front of the door was Ki Woo. As soon as he saw Joo Han’s face, Ki Woo blurted out.

“Is that even possible?”

Ki Woo, who always had a kind smile, had a rare icy look in his eyes.

“Honestly, I can’t stand this. You still have feelings for Eun Soo, don’t you?”

“No, hyung…!”

Even though there was no one around, Joo Han flinched and glanced around before pulling Ki Woo inside.

“Come in first. Let’s talk inside.”

Ki Woo reluctantly came in, but without taking off his shoes, he stood in the entryway and continued speaking.

“I let it slide because I knew that pretending to be friends and colleagues even though it was obvious was your way of handling things. I thought it would be better to confront it head-on and become estranged and numb rather than holding on and becoming more attached. But pretending to meet again? Pretending to be a couple? That’s the complete opposite of how you’ve tried so hard to handle it until now. Is that okay? Why are you doing that?”

Seeing Ki Woo spitting out uncharacteristically blunt words, Joo Han recalled what he had said before.

‘We’re just friends, friends. There was a time when we were unusually close, but now we’ve become appropriately distanced friends. You and Eun Soo are like that too.’

He thought Ki Woo was saying that without knowing anything. He really thought that’s how it seemed.

Joo Han rubbed his face with his dry hand.

“I was right not to try to deceive you too.”

“Why are you doing it, that thing?”

“Hyung, you said to try promoting it by going on broadcast.”

“Hey, that’s…!”

“I didn’t want to do it either. I know it doesn’t make sense. But that condition got included in the contract…”

Joo Han practically pushed Ki Woo to sit on the sofa. Then he roughly explained the situation. Ki Woo made a grim expression once when it was mentioned that Sol Hee was the first to propose the casting, and then a second time when it was mentioned that even Eun Soo said to just do it.

Ki Woo, who had a lot to say but none of it made sense, opened and closed his mouth, sighing deeply before managing to say one thing.

“Will you be okay?”

Joo Han reflected on his day today.

The presence he felt beside him while driving, the face laughing while riding amusement park rides in uniforms, the hand he properly held again after a long time, the moments of standing side by side in the colors of the fading day.

Somewhere in his chest stung. It was a sensation he couldn’t tell if it was excitedly hot or painfully chafing.

Joo Han smiled while rubbing his chest with one hand.

“Yeah. It’ll be okay.”

The sound of the classroom door opening was particularly loud. Eun Soo calmly entered the empty classroom, put down her bag, and sat in her seat.

Today was the day of the spring picnic. However, Eun Soo had separately told her homeroom teacher and was excused from the picnic. The homeroom teacher, who knew Eun Soo’s circumstances, tried to persuade her to go together a few times, but eventually allowed her to self-study at school.

‘I didn’t know the school was such a quiet place.’

It felt awkward, as if she had come to a different world. After taking in the view of the schoolyard and the unusually clear sky outside the window for a while, Eun Soo turned her head.

After tightly tying up her hair and just as she was about to focus on opening her textbook, there was suddenly a creaking sound. Startled, Eun Soo looked up.

“Hi.”

Joo Han entered through the open front door and greeted her as usual. Then he headed towards his seat diagonally two rows behind.

“Why are you here? Didn’t you go to the picnic?”

“I didn’t go. I told them I have trauma from amusement parks, that I’m scared so I can’t go and asked to be excused.”

“You said you’re scared so you can’t go…?”

“The teacher didn’t believe it at first either. She scolded me, telling me not to talk nonsense and asking if I really want to see something scary. But when I said I’d rather self-study or clean or do volunteer work or anything rather than go there, she was like, are you serious?”

Joo Han, who put down his bag and pulled out his chair to sit, grinned.

“Honestly, it’s not to the point of trauma. I just don’t get why people ride things like amusement park rides. But the thought of having to be there all day seemed so tiring, so I’m skipping out.”

As he continued talking, Joo Han took out several textbooks from his desk drawer and stacked them up. When it reached a suitable height, he also put the cushion from his deskmate’s seat on top.

“Don’t mind me. I won’t disturb your studying.”

Eun Soo hadn’t even thought it would be a disturbance, she was just a bit surprised. While Eun Soo was fumbling, Joo Han folded his arms and laid down.

Are you going to sleep as soon as you get here?

Eun Soo stared blankly at the top of Joo Han’s head for a moment, then turned her body and lowered her gaze to the textbook. Honestly, she was flustered by the appearance of an unexpected person when she thought she would be alone all day.

Still, it’s fortunate that it’s Kim Joo Han and not another kid…

Eun Soo, who had that thought without much thought and became embarrassed, re-gripped her pen.

It was ambiguous to readily call him a close friend, but if she had to pick the person she was closest to, it was indeed Kim Joo Han.

They were in the same class last year and this year, and he was the only one who would approach first and talk to her, and somehow always came to her side to say let’s do it together when there was a partner project.

At first, she was wary. She thought he would easily show goodwill and then arbitrarily withdraw it like the other kids.

But Joo Han was consistent. Whether he was doing it consciously or it was innate, he maintained an amazingly just right distance. He would back off right before it became burdensome and approach when she seemed lonely.

At first, there were kids who whispered about the relationship between the two. Even Eun Soo herself had doubts. But now, everyone had either become used to it or indifferent. Eun Soo also concluded that it was goodwill, not favor.

The kind of goodwill that you shouldn’t think is a right just because it continues.

Joo Han behind her back was quiet as he said he wouldn’t disturb her, but that in itself was distracting.

It would have been better if I was the one sitting behind.

Eun Soo, who muttered to herself, tried hard to shake it all off and focus on studying.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the 3rd period break. Only then did movement come from behind. The sound of pushing back the chair and standing up was heard, and Joo Han approached with long strides and spoke.

“Let’s go eat.”

“It’s not lunchtime yet?”

“What does it matter when it’s only you and me anyway. Let’s go out quietly.”

Joo Han wiggled his eyebrows and gestured with his hand.

“Let’s go eat kimbap instead of school lunch. You have to eat kimbap on picnic day.”

It was a strangely convincing logic. Eun Soo reflexively closed her book and stood up.

The two went down the stairs, passing the empty corridor. The sound of classes being taught on the 2nd floor where the 2nd years were could be heard.

After safely going down to the 1st floor, muffling their footsteps, they went around the edge of the schoolyard and slipped out the back gate. Joo Han naturally headed to the nearest snack shop.

“Oh, what brings you two here? Aren’t the 1st and 3rd years going on a picnic today? The 2nd years are going on a school trip next week.”

“We didn’t go to the picnic to self-study. Because we’re the kids who study even when everyone else is playing.”

“Oh my, you, Joo Han?”

The owner laughed. Joo Han laughed along.

“Please give us two rolls of kimbap and a tteokbokki and twigim set.”

“Okay.”

The owner took out the plates and looked at Eun Soo closely.

“I feel like it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen this student. I think she came a few times last year with Eun Young and her friends, or am I wrong?”

“Ah…”

How do you remember that.

An uncomfortable smile passed over Eun Soo’s lips. When she first transferred to this school in her 2nd year last year, Eun Young had approached her first to become friends, and they had come together then.

Joo Han suddenly spoke.

“Oh, sorry auntie, could you leave out the cucumber in the kimbap? She can’t eat cucumber.”

“Sure, sure.”

While the owner’s hands became busy, Joo Han took out spoons from the container and said.

“I’ll pay for this.”

“Why?”

“In return, teach me some math problems later. There are a few that I don’t understand even after looking at the answers and explanations.”

Eun Soo was about to say that’s a separate matter from money, but then the tteokbokki plate came out. Joo Han wiggled the chopsticks in his hand.

“The jjolmyeon here is delicious too. It seemed like too much to order today, but let’s try that next time we come too.”

Next time we come.

Eun Soo stared at Joo Han who spoke nonchalantly, as if he would come here together again tomorrow, until he asked why with his mouth.

“No, it’s nothing.”

From then on, Eun Soo only ate silently.

The two, who had filled their stomachs, came out and each bought an ice cream from the stationery store next door and headed back to the rear gate with it in their mouths. Eun Soo was walking lost in thought when Joo Han suddenly pulled her arm.

“Hey! Hak Joo, Hak Joo.”

Eun Soo was pushed by Joo Han into the gap between the buildings. Joo Han peeked out, craning his neck, then quickly hid again.

“Ah, why are they walking around. If we get caught…”

Joo Han grumbled, furrowing his forehead. As the space was narrow, the distance between the two facing each other was also narrow.

Seeing Joo Han’s eyes wavering in surprise, Eun Soo quickly lowered her gaze. The white school uniform shirt’s chest and the hand holding the ice cream stick came into view. The ice cream looked precarious as if it would melt and drip at any moment.

“Eun Soo.”

Eun Soo, who raised her head with a start, widened her eyes.

Joo Han’s gaze had changed in an instant as their eyes met. It was an eye that made her heart sink.

“Let’s go together later.”

“W-Where?”

“The picnic we couldn’t go to today.”

Joo Han lowered his voice as if whispering and smiled.

“Just you and me, the two of us.”

Plop.

A cold and sticky liquid fell on Eun Soo’s hand. Even though she was just standing still, looking into his eyes, she became short of breath. The sound of her pounding heart filled the narrow and close gap.

At that moment, a huge wave-like realization swept over Eun Soo.

In the end, I come to love you.

We come to love each other, and then…

Joo Han held Eun Soo’s hand. The melted pink ice cream made Joo Han’s hand sticky as well. Joo Han bent his body with a face that didn’t care at all. The moment Eun Soo felt Joo Han’s breath and lips approaching, she unknowingly closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, what Eun Soo saw was the familiar ceiling. It took some time to realize that she had dreamed in her room, on her bed.

Slowly, very slowly, the welled-up tears slid down the corners of her eyes.

“Ah, damn…”

Eun Soo raised both hands and covered her eyes.

The hands covering her face did not fall for a long time.

The next day, Eun Soo, who went to work a little earlier than usual, stopped in her tracks after witnessing an unexpected sight.

Joo Han was sitting in a chair placed in the front yard. The back was reclined all the way, almost lying down. The bright morning sunlight was evenly scattered over Joo Han, who had his eyes closed.

Is he photosynthesizing or what.

The moment she saw Joo Han’s extremely peaceful expression, something surged up inside Eun Soo. The memory of her own night, which was not at all peaceful even in her dreams, came to mind.

Eun Soo tried to pass by without even a greeting. But somehow Joo Han knew and called out to her without opening his eyes.

“Manager Sun, come here for a moment.”

If he had called her name, she would have ignored it, but because he called her position, Eun Soo stopped her feet as if by an office worker’s instinct and stood next to the chair. Then Joo Han raised one hand and gestured.

“No, come a little lower and stand there.”

Eun Soo moved a couple of steps and stood at Joo Han’s feet. Then the corners of Joo Han’s mouth relaxed slightly.

“There. That’s perfect.”