Yumi couldn’t take her eyes off Yi Soo’s necklace.

A few days ago, Ji Ho said with his own mouth that he had a girlfriend he was seeing, so by now that necklace should be around his girlfriend’s neck…

Out of all the many necklaces, it bothered her that the exact same one was hanging around Yi Soo’s neck.

But when they met at the restaurant a few days ago, Yi Soo and Ji Ho barely acknowledged each other and didn’t even exchange proper greetings.

Given that atmosphere, there was nothing suspicious about their relationship, so why did it bother her so much?

If Yi Soo were Ji Ho’s girlfriend, she wouldn’t have stayed so quiet.

Rumors would have already spread around school.

‘Right, it must be a coincidence. That’s such a popular necklace after all. I wanted to buy it too if I had the money.’

Yumi shook off her suspicions about Yi Soo.

More than that, Ji Ho’s unbelievable words that she didn’t want to believe still lingered in Yumi’s mind.

“My girlfriend… is someone else.”

If there was one sliver of hope, it was the fact that Ji Ho hesitated a bit while saying those words.

For some reason, he clearly faltered.

It seemed like words that came out impulsively rather than what he had originally intended to say.

In that case, maybe it wasn’t true?

Seeing Yi Soo made the memory of that day vividly come back, hurting her pride.

Trying to make up for it even a little, Yumi opened her mouth towards Yi Soo.

“It’s the same brand as the earrings I got for my birthday gift.”

Yumi, whose vitality had returned, brushed her hair behind her ear.

‘So that’s the gift Ji Ho bought when he went along on his mother’s errand.’

Yi Soo glanced at Yumi and continued eating with an uninterested expression.

“Ji Ho picked out a pretty one,” Soo Min said, matching Yumi’s tone.

She guessed Yi Soo would show some reaction if she had a special relationship with Ji Ho.

“He seems indifferent, but Ji Ho has such a caring side. His birthday is coming up too, I shouldn’t forget to celebrate it.”

“Of course. How could I forget elder brother’s birthday?”

Ji Ho’s birthday is coming up soon.

That was all Yi Soo heard.

Come to think of it, she didn’t even know when Ji Ho’s birthday was.

There was still so much she didn’t know about Ji Ho.

What foods he liked, what his hobbies were, what his childhood was like, what his blood type was, what season he preferred, and so on.

“Yi Soo, do you know Seo Ji Ho who goes to the same school as you? Ji Ho is so good-looking, I’m sure he must be popular and famous at school…”

Soo Min asked while carefully observing Yi Soo’s expression, feigning innocence.

“Ah, yes… I know him well.”

Yi Soo answered, wondering if Soo Min really didn’t know and was asking.

There’s no way Jung Yumi, a mama’s girl who tells her mother everything, wouldn’t have said anything.

“Really? I thought so. So you know him too.”

“Yes, we’re in the same club.”

“Oh my, then you’re not just acquainted, you must be close with Ji Ho.”

As Yi Soo nodded, Won Jin also showed interest.

“Who are you talking about?”

“You know my friend Yeon Soo, right? Ji Ho is Yeon Soo’s son. I’ve known him since he was little, so I know him well. He’s such a good son that I think it would be nice if he married our Yumi later.”

Soo Min revealed her true thoughts while glancing at Yi Soo.

If there was even a slight possibility of something special between Yi Soo and Ji Ho, it seemed better to declare it in advance, like a declaration of war.

She didn’t want to see a situation where sisters become uncomfortable over one man later on.

“Is he that good of a friend? Seems like you really approve of him.”

“Of course. He’s the kind of son-in-law any parent with a daughter would want. Ji Ho doesn’t lack in anything.”

Yi Soo was dumbfounded by Soo Min’s excessively forward remarks.

‘How can she jump to conclusions like that without even considering Ji Ho’s position?’

Yumi, who had been listening to Soo Min’s words, was blushing.

Yi Soo thought the mother and daughter were too much alike.

“So are you and Yumi dating now?” Won Jin asked Yumi.

Yi Soo became increasingly uncomfortable with the strange direction the conversation was taking.

But she couldn’t reveal here that ‘Ji Ho is actually my boyfriend.’

“No. For now we’re just like elder brother and younger sister.”

Yumi answered in a gloomy voice, recognizing the reality.

“Well then… that means you’re not in any relationship yet.”

Won Jin, who had shown brief interest, laughed incredulously at Yumi’s answer.

“Oh my, no one knows what can happen between a man and woman. They start out like siblings, then like each other and date, and end up getting married. He just doesn’t see her as a woman yet because they’ve been like siblings for so long. It’s only a matter of time before Ji Ho sees Yumi as a woman. It would be hard to find a girl as pretty as our Yumi anywhere.”

Soo Min said with a laugh, as if telling Yumi not to worry.

Yumi also smiled slightly at those words, as if activating her hope circuits.

It’s only been a few days since she was rejected by Ji Ho, has she already forgotten?

Yi Soo shook her head at Yumi’s mental gymnastics and finished her meal.

**

The ski club’s regular pub.

It was the day of the meeting for the one-day pub event during the festival period.

While the first-years were taking the lead in most of the preparations, the seniors who had experience running the pub last year agreed to provide necessary support.

“Yi Soo and I will help make snacks in the kitchen. If we do similar snacks to last year, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Aera and Yi Soo volunteered for kitchen duty.

After that, volunteers for accounting, hall serving, dishwashing, promotion, and ingredient preparation were quickly filled.

“Ha Joon, is Ji Ho not coming today?” asked Jae Ho, a classmate from the physics department.

“He said he couldn’t come because he has an appointment.”

“It would be so great if Ji Ho could do hall serving.”

“If word gets out that Ji Ho is serving, we wouldn’t even need to promote separately.”

“Girls would probably line up in droves to eat. Would it be too overwhelming if too many people come? What do you think?”

The classmates each chimed in about Ji Ho’s role assignment.

“Hey. It’s tough if too many people come at once. We already closed club sign-ups early this year because of Ji Ho. How are we supposed to handle it if a whole crowd rushes in at once?”

Ju Hee frowned, not wanting the pub to become chaotic.

“You worry too much. If it gets crowded, we can just have them wait in line. Let’s try to make our pub a huge hit this time. Who knows when we’ll get another chance like this?”

“You’re getting way ahead of yourself. It’s not like Ji Ho even agreed to help yet.”

“That’s your job, Ha Joon. You’re closest to him, so talk to him.”

“I’m not sure if he’ll listen to me… It’s not just about hall serving, I’m not even sure if he’ll come to the pub that day.”

Ha Joon made an uncertain expression.

He knew well that Ji Ho wasn’t the type to easily do what others tell him to.

“Then call him right now and ask.”

The classmates’ gazes focused on Ha Joon.

Ha Joon sighed deeply, then took out his phone and called Ji Ho.

After a few rings, Ji Ho’s voice was heard.

[Yeah. What’s up?]

“Oh, Ji Ho. You know about our club’s pub event, right?”

[Yeah.]

“We’re dividing up roles with everyone right now. So I was wondering… if you could take charge of serving that day.”

[…]

Ji Ho was in the middle of meeting with Hyung Joo for the arrangement work on a song he had recently composed.

Although he already had several released songs that he had written himself, he always sought Hyung Joo’s advice and consulted with him whenever working on a new song.

Ji Ho laughed incredulously after answering Ha Joon’s call in the middle of a serious conversation.

‘They want me to do pub serving?’

Was this what they meant when they said joining a club would be fun?

“Everyone wants you.”

[Well… Let me think about it.]

“Okay. Think it over and let me know. I’ll hang up now.”

Ha Joon wanted to add that Yi Soo was participating too, but he couldn’t say it with his classmates watching his every word.

“You heard, right? Ji Ho said he’ll think about it.”

“Serving just requires showing up on time that day, so you just bring him along.”

Regardless of what Ji Ho had said, the classmates left Ha Joon responsible for bringing him.

The meeting wrapped up early, leaving Ha Joon with homework.

As Yi Soo was leaving to go home, Ha Joon approached her.

“Yi Soo.”

“Yeah?”

“About getting Ji Ho to do hall serving. Can’t you just say something to him?”

“Me? I don’t think Ji Ho will do that kind of thing.”

Yi Soo couldn’t imagine Ji Ho serving drinks and snacks at the pub.

“No, I think he’ll agree right away if he knows you’re doing it too.”

Ha Joon knew better than anyone how many things Ji Ho was doing that he normally wouldn’t, all because of Yi Soo.

Even pub serving, which the usual Ji Ho wouldn’t even consider, didn’t seem impossible if he knew Yi Soo was working at the pub that day.

“I’ll try talking to him. But I won’t force him. If Ji Ho says no, there’s nothing I can do.”

“That’s fine! We don’t need anything else, just one word from you is enough.”

Ha Joon smiled, feeling unburdened.

**

Yi Soo got off the bus and took out her phone as she walked home.

She called Ji Ho, who had left a message asking her to call as soon as she got home.

Ji Ho’s voice was heard immediately after one ring.

[Yi Soo.]

“Oh, you answered right away.”

[Because I was waiting.]

Though she was clearly on the phone with the phone to her ear, it felt like Ji Ho’s voice was coming from behind her too.

Yi Soo slowly lowered the phone from her ear and said:

“Ji Ho.”

As she was about to turn her head back, feeling something strange, Ji Ho’s hand suddenly appeared and wrapped around Yi Soo’s waist.

Yi Soo’s body was drawn into Ji Ho’s arms like a magnet.

Ji Ho held Yi Soo tightly from behind and gently rested his face on her shoulder.

“Oh my! You startled me. When did you get here?”

Yi Soo asked, turning her head to the side with surprised eyes.

Ji Ho’s face was close enough that Yi Soo’s lips almost touched it.

“When I sent the text earlier.”

Ji Ho said with a gentle smile after softly kissing Yi Soo’s cheek.

“I waited in front of your house because I thought you might not like it if I went to pick you up at school. Did you drink?”

“Yeah, just one beer.”

Yi Soo tried to unwrap Ji Ho’s arms, but they didn’t budge.

Ji Ho held Yi Soo tightly, like a mother bird sheltering its chick, and wouldn’t let go.

“Let’s stay like this for a moment. I’ve been holding back wanting to hug you all day.”

Feeling trapped by that firm strength made Yi Soo strangely excited and her heart flutter.

She could feel Ji Ho’s intense heartbeat through her back, which was pressed tightly against his chest.

A moment later, Ji Ho’s soft, warm lips touched Yi Soo’s nape.

Feeling an electric tingle, Yi Soo slightly twisted her body.

“It tickles.”

Only then did Ji Ho’s arms slowly loosen, freeing Yi Soo’s body from its confinement.

Yi Soo slowly turned around to face Ji Ho.

“At school, we just greet each other and pass by, so it’s disappointing. I want to hug and hold hands with you every time I see you.”

Yi Soo looked for a long time at Ji Ho’s eyes, overflowing with affection, then slowly opened her mouth.

With a man looking at her with such eyes, it felt like she could say anything.

Though it wasn’t planned, in this mood, it seemed like she could speak.

“Ji Ho, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

From the moment she decided to confess, Yi Soo’s heart started pounding loudly.