That day was unbearably clear.

Even though I shielded my eyes with my hand to block the piercing sunlight, I couldn’t help but frown. I’ve always hated days when the sun was scorching. I detested being outside on such days even more.

“Jin-ah, could you possibly fill in for the soccer game?”

Despite that, the reason I nodded to those words was solely because of Lee Ju Eun.

It was during the morning. When I briefly went inside the building to escape the sun, a girl approached me.

“Hey, Jin-ah!”

I turned around at the sound. Judging by her somewhat familiar face, she was probably from my class. However, I couldn’t remember her name. The girl stopped me and said with a somewhat shy expression.

“You know Chul-ho from our class, right? He injured his leg while running earlier. It looks like we’ll need someone to substitute for him in soccer.”

Normally, I would have thought, ‘So what?’ I didn’t even remember who Chul-ho was, nor did I care. There were twenty boys in our class, so plenty of others could substitute for soccer besides me.

“So, I was wondering. Would you be interested in playing soccer?”

But at that moment, I had no choice but to answer like this.

“Sure.”

“…Huh? What did you say?”

“I said okay. I’ll play soccer.”

The girl seemed completely taken aback by my ready agreement, looking dumbfounded even though she had asked the question herself. But she quickly regained her composure and exclaimed with a bright face.

“Really? That’s great. I just asked on the off chance, thinking you’d definitely refuse!”

She probably said something more after that, but I wasn’t really listening, so I don’t remember. As I was letting her words go in one ear and out the other, the girl began explaining about the soccer tournament.

Well, it’ll work out somehow. That was my mindset at the time. What could be so special about the rules of a sports day soccer game? You just run around, right? It might be a bit annoying, but… Just as I was thinking that far, I suddenly turned my head.

There was Lee Ju Eun.

Lee Ju Eun was looking at me from a short distance away. The moment our eyes met, I no longer wanted to pay attention to anything else.

I just thought I should go to Lee Ju Eun.

“I’m going.”

“Huh? Wait, Jin-ah! Seon Woo Jin!”

Ignoring the voice calling from behind, I approached Lee Ju Eun.

“Lee Ju Eun.”

“…Ah.”

Lee Ju Eun had a somewhat dazed expression.

Why is she like that? The thought briefly crossed my mind, but I immediately dismissed it. I didn’t want to harbor expectations by thinking as I pleased.

Anyway, Lee Ju Eun quickly regained her composure. I returned to the field with her.

While I was briefly arguing with Yoo Hee Na in the stands, Lee Ju Eun left her seat. I had something to say to her. Having no choice, I sat down and waited, and eventually Lee Ju Eun returned.

But somehow, Lee Ju Eun seemed to be acting awkward around me.

I was curious about what was going on in that head of hers. What was bothering her so much? After staring at Lee Ju Eun for a moment, I said.

“I’m going to play in the game later.”

Lee Ju Eun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A game? You?”

If I told her I was doing it for her sake, she’d probably faint. I added an explanation.

“I’m substituting. They asked me to fill in for someone who got injured. That’s what I was talking about earlier.”

“Earlier?”

Lee Ju Eun’s face brightened noticeably, as if she had just realized something.

“What kind of game are you playing?”

Her bright smile was beautiful.

It was then that I think I finally noticed. Perhaps. Just perhaps… Lee Ju Eun might be conscious of me too.

That was the cause of my carelessness and my downfall.

* * *

In the meantime, Lee Ju Eun went out for the mission race and fell, injuring her leg.

It was infuriating to see her still focused on completing the mission rather than getting treatment. But what could I do? She’s always been like that. Lee Ju Eun’s strange behavior was nothing new.

Still, thinking she needed treatment, I was considering how to take her to the infirmary when Ban Ha Min suddenly barged in and carried her off on his back. I was dumbfounded.

“Thanks, Ban Ha Min!”

“Kyaa! Chun-ja!”

Seeing her joy after finally winning first place in the mission race, I was exasperated.

“Lee Ju Eun.”

Lee Ju Eun turned to look at me when I called. She had a startled expression. I guess she didn’t expect me to come at all. She was laughing and chatting so well with Ban Ha Min… I started to think, but stopped because it seemed too childish.

“You’re injured.”

When I reminded her of her injury, she seemed to remember and examined her wound. I took Lee Ju Eun to the infirmary.

“Ah, all done.”

After applying medicine to the wound and putting on a bandage, Lee Ju Eun flopped onto the bed. I chuckled at how cute she looked.

The tension eased. Ever since the kidnapping incident, I had been sensitive about Lee Ju Eun getting hurt. But seeing her lying there so carefree, my frayed nerves calmed a bit.

“Seon Woo Jin.”

“What?”

“Just felt like calling your name.”

Lee Ju Eun often called me like that. It was a meaningless action. However, I thought her voice sounded nice.

Whether there was any real meaning this time, Lee Ju Eun yawned and said,

“Ah, I want to go home.”

I sat on the bed opposite Lee Ju Eun.

“Has there ever been a time when you didn’t want to go home?”

“No…”

Her wistful response made me laugh. I’m not sure anymore if I’m laughing because it’s genuinely funny or because I like Lee Ju Eun. Either way, it’s clear that I’ve been laughing more than before. Because of Lee Ju Eun.

I rested my chin on my hand and looked at Lee Ju Eun. I just enjoyed this ordinary moment. The reason was obvious. Because Lee Ju Eun was here with me.

Chatting about trivial things, laughing together, occasionally playing pranks. Just being in the same space was enjoyable.

In such a situation, it was perhaps inevitable that I let my guard down and failed to keep my feelings in check.

In the middle of our conversation, Lee Ju Eun suddenly turned her head.

Our eyes met, and Lee Ju Eun opened her mouth.

“You…”

But Lee Ju Eun didn’t finish her sentence.

“What about me?”

“It’s nothing.”

Lee Ju Eun made a somewhat embarrassed expression, then suddenly pulled the blanket up over her face and muttered,

“…I want to sleep now.”

“Are you tired?”

“…Yeah.”

Only then did I realize my mistake.

It was a clear warning sign. I had messed up. Was it wrong to let my guard down so much? Lee Ju Eun must have sensed something.

But from another perspective, it could be an opportunity. I thought this could potentially change our relationship.

“Then get some rest. I’ll go.”

I stood up without saying anything more. Perhaps it was for the best. Let’s give her time to think.

At that time, I had a certain confidence. At least if what I had seen was real, the odds weren’t completely against me. So I thought then that all I had to do was wait for Lee Ju Eun’s choice.

And what came back to me was…

“I think you don’t need to walk me home anymore from now on.”

…that.

* * *

It was after the soccer game ended that I realized something had gone wrong.

“Seon Woo Jin!”

Because we won the soccer game, the guys from my class were acting overly friendly.

My ears felt like they were going to burst from the shouts of guys whose names I didn’t even know. I hate annoying things. I regretted not just staying put. A belated regret washed over me.

I was sick of people’s stares, the noise, and others whispering about me.

The one person I wanted to see me was nowhere to be found… I gulped down my drink in frustration.

I guess people shouldn’t do things they’re not used to. I felt inexplicably dissatisfied and anxious.

No, actually, I knew the reason. It was because of Lee Ju Eun. Her absence had been bothering me since earlier. Especially after parting ways like that.

Finally unable to bear it any longer, I turned my head towards where Lee Ju Eun’s class was.

At that moment, Lee Ju Eun finally appeared. She was talking about something with Yoo Hee Na. Given that Yoo Hee Na was pointing this way, they were probably talking about me.

However, the moment our eyes met, Lee Ju Eun flinched and immediately turned her gaze back to Yoo Hee Na.

“…Huh?”

I let out a bitter laugh.

Something had gone seriously wrong.

I don’t even want to think about what happened after that.

“Jin-ah, I like you! Please accept my confession.”

The day after the sports festival. An unfamiliar girl called out to me.

Thinking back now, she was probably the one who had asked me to play soccer. To be honest, it didn’t matter who it was. I wasn’t interested anyway.

At that time, the only person I cared about was Lee Ju Eun.

So after receiving the confession, I went to find Lee Ju Eun out of frustration.

“Why did you just leave yesterday?”

At my question, Lee Ju Eun visibly flustered.

Lee Ju Eun tried to smile nonchalantly, but her awkwardness was palpable in her demeanor.

“I was just tired from getting hurt yesterday and wanted to go home early. Sorry.”

Looking at her, I felt a chill in the corner of my heart. Because I could tell what kind of ‘choice’ Lee Ju Eun had made.

My mind became complicated, and I stared at Lee Ju Eun wordlessly. Lee Ju Eun avoided my gaze and pretended to be distracted.

And finally, those words came out.

“I think you don’t need to walk me home anymore from now on.”

It couldn’t simply mean that we didn’t need to go home together. It was clearly a rejection of my feelings.

In that situation, there was only one thing I could say.

“I see.”

It was bitter. Feeling an inexplicable sense of defeat, I stood up.

“Then I’ll go.”

“Oh, okay. Take care.”

As I was about to leave, Lee Ju Eun visibly looked relieved. It stung.