Date Me! - Chapter 26
Ina’s eyes widened at Siwoo’s words, which seemed determined to only throw straight pitches today.
“…Huh?”
“Of course you’re pretty now too, but when I first saw you… I fell for you at first sight. Because you were totally my style.”
The buffering that had stopped for a moment started operating again, and Ina’s surprised eyes began to blink once more. Looking at Ina’s blushing cheeks, Siwoo continued speaking with a smile.
“Of course, it’s not that I liked you just for your looks. It’s just… your very existence made my heart flutter. When I went to school, my heart would pound if you were there, and if you hadn’t arrived yet, I’d feel excited wondering when you would come. But from the first time I saw you, you somehow looked sad, so I wondered why that was. Then I heard from a friend and found out. That you had come down to Yeosu right after your father passed away. Ah, that’s when I understood and my heart ached so much.”
At Siwoo’s words, Ina was reminded of her depressed and sad self back then.
“Honestly, I wanted to confess to you so many times because I liked you so much, but whenever I saw your sad face… I thought my confession would only be a burden to you, so I just held it in.”
“…”
“But as I kept holding it in, later those feelings grew too big for me to handle. So I made up my mind to confess even if I got rejected, but the timing was really…”
Siwoo touched his coffee cup with a sad smile.
Ina also knew why Siwoo had transferred as soon as he became a second year in high school.
There was no way she couldn’t know.
When the news spread that Smiley Angel Kim Siwoo was transferring, the classroom was in an uproar and there were even girls crying.
Even if she didn’t want to hear it, rumors spread quickly on wings and reached Ina’s ears too.
The night before Siwoo had made up his mind to confess to Ina, his dad didn’t come home until late at night. Siwoo’s mom sat him down and brought up a difficult topic.
That she and his dad were going to get divorced. That they would give him the choice of who to live with.
Although his mom didn’t tell the shocked Siwoo the detailed reason for the divorce, Siwoo soon found out.
The fact that his reliable and warm-hearted father had actually been cheating for quite a long time.
Siwoo was as shocked as his mother, but without a second of hesitation, he chose his mom.
He couldn’t turn away from his mom whose insides must have rotted, and he had to protect her.
When it was decided that they would move to Busan, his mom’s hometown, respecting her opinion that she could no longer live in Yeosu where his dad and that woman were, one side of Siwoo’s heart began to throb with pain.
Because of Ina.
He was so anguished that he couldn’t convey his feelings, but now that he had decided to leave, he had to bury Ina in his heart and give up on those feelings.
“I thought about you a lot in Busan too. I wanted to contact you so many times, but I knew that conveying my one-sided feelings from far away Busan would only be a burden to you…”
Ina stared at her coffee cup without a word.
She thought the best thing to do now was to listen to Siwoo’s words silently.
“So I left without being able to confess to you and kept you as my first love… I lived cherishing you in my heart. But last week, I went to Yeosu for the first time in 12 years and heard news about you there. That you’re living in Seoul now and that you’re single. The night I heard that, I couldn’t sleep. Thinking maybe this was a chance that had come to me.”
Ina swallowed once, lowering her head instead of answering.
It felt like something heavy was repeatedly striking her heart.
“So I vowed to never let go of this chance that had come to me with difficulty.”
Siwoo swallowed dryly as if he was nervous before continuing.
“So I had planned to slowly become close to you and then convey my feelings… But after seeing that friend on Tuesday, I was concerned and couldn’t sit still.”
Ina lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers.
At the mention of Juwon, her heart slowly began to pound.
“The way that friend looked at you… It seemed just like the way I look at you, so I felt anxious and impatient.”
Her heart pounded louder and louder.
“Ina.”
When Siwoo whispered her name, Ina slowly raised her head and looked at him.
Siwoo’s brown eyes were shimmering like a calm sea surface.
“I don’t want to bury you in my heart again. So if you can make even a little room for me in your heart… would you give me a chance?”
Ina’s eyes widened as she faced Siwoo’s shimmering brown eyes.
Various thoughts tangled in her head about how she should answer, not easily coming out as words.
After some time passed, Ina slowly opened her mouth.
“Honestly… I don’t really know what to say. I never imagined I would hear these things from you today. I’m so surprised that I was your first love, and the things you said after that… I’m so surprised and flustered that I can’t say anything right now.”
Having finished speaking with a flushed face, Ina lowered her head deeply.
It felt like her heart was burning up.
As Ina let out a deep sigh inwardly at the burning feeling, Siwoo quietly said,
“I’m sorry… for making you feel burdened.”
Ina slowly raised her head and looked at Siwoo.
“I’m not asking you to answer right now. I just… want you to know that my feelings of liking you are sincere, more than anyone else’s. So take as much time as you need to think, and then answer me. I can wait as long as it takes.”
Siwoo said with a faint smile.
A little while later, the two of them left the coffee shop and got in the car.
After Siwoo’s car stopped in front of the villa where Ina lived, silence filled the car.
As Ina fidgeted with her fingers, thinking she should say goodbye now, and turned her head, Siwoo was gazing at her intently.
Embarrassed, Ina quickly averted her gaze.
“W-well then, I’ll go in now. You should go in and rest soon too.”
“Ina.”
Siwoo called Ina’s name in a gentle voice.
“…Yes?”
When Ina turned to look with a tense face, Siwoo gave a soft smile.
“You might not be able to sleep well tonight because of what I said. I’ll apologize for that in advance.”
“Oh? Ah, no, it’s okay.”
“Still, I’m so happy to have met you again. It makes me happy.”
Somehow, seeing Siwoo’s face smiling brightly like a pure child made her heart ache.
Perhaps, because she thought the conclusion might already be drawn in her heart.
“Then let’s have a meal with Hyunju next time, the three of us.”
“Okay. You be careful on your way back too.”
Giving a faint smile, Ina got out of the car and went into the villa.
As soon as Ina entered the house and went up to the living room, she collapsed onto the sofa as if falling.
She felt like her mind and body were sinking somewhere down to the bottom.
The aftermath of Siwoo’s series of confessions still remained in her heart.
It felt like something hot kept rising up, and her head hurt as if it would burst.
After lying with her eyes closed for a long time, Ina barely got up and took a shower.
After roughly drying her hair, she turned off the light in the room, leaving only the lamp by the bed on.
Staring blankly at the light, Ina thought about this and that, and finally fell asleep at 3 a.m.
***
Sunday came.
Although she had fallen asleep at 3 a.m., she hadn’t slept well, so her mind was hazy even after waking up.
Looking at the clock, it had just passed 11 o’clock.
After going to the refrigerator and drinking a glass of cold water, Ina briefly ran the vacuum cleaner.
She also turned on the washing machine, and it was just past 12 o’clock.
Feeling thirsty, she poured a glass of milk to drink when the doorbell rang.
Hyunju’s face appeared on the intercom screen.
Last night before falling asleep, Hyunju had informed her in advance that she would come to Ina’s house during lunchtime today. Hyunju was probably on the verge of going crazy with curiosity about what had happened between Ina and Siwoo.
Ina slowly went and opened the door, and Hyunju held up the paper bag she was carrying.
“Ta-da! This unnie bought seolleongtang. You haven’t had lunch yet, right?”
Ina nodded her head instead of answering.
“Hey, but why do your eyes look so dark? Didn’t sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
Ina answered and walked slowly to the kitchen.
“Hey. Then just sit down. I’ll set the table.”
Hyunju set the table and the two sat side by side and ate.
Normally Ina would have vigorously polished off a whole bowl, even adding kkakdugi broth, but given the situation, she had no appetite.
Hyunju patiently waited for Ina, who was eating slowly like a cow chewing fodder, and even displayed volunteer spirit by cleaning up afterwards.
Then she quickly brought two cups of coffee and handed one to Ina.
“So, did you and Siwoo enjoy the movie?”
Hyunju’s eyes sparkled as she asked the question she had wanted to ask as soon as she arrived.
Instead of answering, Ina let out a long sigh.
“Why, why, what happened?”
Ina fiddled with her coffee cup with a troubled face, then looked at Hyunju.
And slowly told her about what had happened yesterday.
After hearing the story, Hyunju’s mouth gaped open.
“Wow… This Kim Siwoo, he was a total strategist, huh? How could he throw his winning move right after you two met? Wow, he took you to that expensive restaurant? He totally sharpened his blade. Sharpened it.”
Seeing Ina’s troubled face unlike her own excitement, Hyunju calmed her heart and asked seriously,
“So what did you say?”
“I said I was too flustered, so I couldn’t say anything right now.”
“Yeah. I would be the same. Phew… So Siwoo said he would wait for your answer?”
“…Yeah.”
“Ha, you must be really confused. If even I, who’s not directly involved, feel this troubled, how much more so for you.”
Ina let out a short sigh and picked up her coffee cup.
“Still, you should make a decision quickly. Making him wait indefinitely is, in a way, giving him false hope too.”
At those words, Ina moved her lips as if to say something, then quietly opened her mouth.
“But I…”
“Yes?”
“Even while I was feeling complicated after hearing those things from Siwoo yesterday… I kept thinking of Juwon.”
Hyunju narrowed her eyes.
“Actually… even when I was at the theater with Siwoo, and when I was eating steak at the restaurant, I kept thinking of Juwon. Am I weird?”
Hyunju grabbed Ina’s hand tightly.
“Hey. What’s weird about that? It means your heart has become honest now.”
Hyunju’s voice was highly pitched.
“If this isn’t the answer, then what is?”
“In case… I’m mistaking my feelings for Juwon.”
“Hey. I’m telling you it’s not. Why would Kim Siwoo throw his winning move at you as soon as he saw Juwon? It’s because he got anxious after seeing the way Juwon looked at you. When there’s such clear evidence, what more do you need?”
Ina quietly bit her lip at Hyunju’s undeniable words.
“Still… I’m not sure if this feeling I have for Juwon is 100% romantic or not.”
“You’re not sure?”
“Yeah.”
Hyunju stared at the serious-looking Ina, then tapped the back of her hand.
“Hey. Then you can just call him and see.”
“Huh?”
“If your heart thrills the moment you hear Juwon’s voice on the phone, isn’t that 100%?”
Instead of answering, Ina swallowed dryly once.
“Don’t hesitate and call him right now. The heart doesn’t lie.”
Hyunju kindly put Ina’s cell phone in her hand and said.
Cold Male Lead Became My Clingy Husband (Female-Dominant)
Feng Bai Su transmigrated into a matriarchal novel, becoming the sister of the female protagonist and the Seventh Princess of the Feng Ling Kingdom.
After working herself to death in her previous life, finally reincarnating as a princess, she only wanted to be a lazy fish who could eat, sleep, and play.
Until she met the male protagonist from the book, Wei Jing Mo, and he took a liking to her!
Wei Jing Mo is the top young man in Feng Ling City, talented in both appearance and ability, from a prestigious family, with a cold and otherworldly appearance, a figure like the bright moon in the hearts of noble ladies. It was thought that only the most powerful and talented noble lady in Feng Ling City would be worthy of such a brilliant young man. Who knew that this young gentleman would secretly admire the infamous Seventh Princess?
Short scene 1:
Feng Bai Su looked at the young man crying like a pear blossom in the rain before her, and couldn’t help but doubt her life.
Wasn’t the male lead described as a cold and otherworldly figure in the book?
Then who was this poor little thing crying with swollen red eyes and tear-stained face?
Short scene 2:
Wei Jing Mo stared intently at Feng Bai Su who was about to go out, wanting to say, “Be careful on the road.”
Before he could speak, Feng Bai Su suddenly bent down and bit his cheek.
Her peach blossom eyes were full of disdain: “Tsk! You’re so clingy!”
Wei Jing Mo: “…”
A talented fox spirit female lead with a flirtatious appearance but actually abstinent VS A cold-looking but actually naive and clingy little jealous male lead
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