The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 36

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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36.
‘Ah, yes, yes. I see.’
Do Ah found Cha Gyeong’s reasoning sound, even as something rankled in her chest.
Watching Na Hui leave work in such high spirits earlier made it clear—Cha Gyeong had already won her over.
‘Here we go again.’
The plan was progressing as intended, which meant she should be pleased. Yet her heart stung as if pricked by needles, again and again.
Do Ah forced her lips upward and spoke to Cha Gyeong.
“It worked out well. I was worried Na Hui might distance herself from Gyeong Jun if things didn’t go according to plan.”
Then Cha Gyeong posed a question, his expression turning flat and disapproving.
“Are you really pleased?”
“What? Of course it’s going well, isn’t it……?”
“Do Ah—aren’t you jealous when I see Na Hui?”
“What? Why would I be jeal—jealous?”
“You have no reason?”
“What reason would there be? I’m the one who asked you to meet with her in the first place.”
Why is he like this, really.
Jealousy in a contract relationship? That made no sense.
Had he actually grown attached to this fake romance?
Do Ah shoved tteokbokki into her mouth to banish the useless thoughts, and her face contorted at the spice.
Seeing her face flush and wince, Cha Gyeong retrieved a Cool X’s from the refrigerator and poured it into her cup.
‘Where did a chaebol heir learn the equation of tteokbokki plus Cool X’s?’
Do Ah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she downed the drink in gulps. Once the heat subsided, she could finally breathe.
Cha Gyeong leaned slightly forward, watching Do Ah as if she might expire at any moment.
“Do Ah.”
“Yes?”
“Do your eyes always do that when you eat something spicy?”
“Do what?”
“They keep drawing my attention.”
Do Ah hurriedly wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. Tears glistened there.
“It’s from the spice. But is that strange to look at?”
“I didn’t say strange.”
“Then what do you mean by drawing your attention……?”
Cha Gyeong answered curtly.
“It’s not strange—it’s the opposite that draws my attention.”
Then he picked up a piece of sundae as if nothing had happened.
Do Ah’s ears burned crimson. Her heart plummeted as if dropping through the floor.
She needed some comeback, but her mouth wouldn’t open.
Hey. I told you to stop doing that.
If you keep saying things that make me misunderstand, I’ll end up liking you. No—I already like you!
* * *
The alley leaving the Tteokbokki Restaurant had grown darker than before.
Do Ah walked under a streetlamp, her eyes fixed pointlessly on her shoes.
Cha Gyeong walked beside her without any sign of hurrying, matching her pace—and that was precisely the problem.
Walking in step, moving at the same speed, the way it all felt natural—it was all the problem.
‘I really don’t understand why this man is doing this to me.’
Why did he keep saying these cryptic, confusing things? Had he already figured out that she liked him? Was that why he found this amusing, why he wanted to toy with her?
‘No. He’s not someone who’d waste time on something so pointless.’
She didn’t necessarily trust his character as much as the cold, excessively rational side he’d shown her so far seemed to say otherwise.
God, I don’t know.
I can’t understand anything about why he even wanted to start this contract relationship in the first place!
Do Ah’s mind spun in confusion, so she grabbed a handful of her hair and shook it mercilessly.
Cha Gyeong glanced at her hands and spoke.
“Your hair won’t grow back if you pull it out.”
“……What?”
“Stop tugging at it.”
Here I am, dying of confusion because of him, and he’s going to crack jokes like he’s got nothing else to do?
“It’s my hair! I’ll manage it myself.”
Seeing her bristle, Cha Gyeong looked taken aback, then let out a soft laugh.
He moved closer and dropped a quiet word into the space between them.
“I meant don’t pull it out—you’ll hurt yourself. If you keep gripping it like that, it’ll ache.”
Cha Gyeong took her hand and slowly drew it away from her head. Then he didn’t let go.
Heat bloomed from where his palm wrapped around her wrist and traced backward through her veins.
His subtle woody scent drifted through the night air, and a heavy thump-thump echoed in her ears.
“Your—hand…….”
“Oh, sorry. I was holding on too long.”
Cha Gyeong released her hand without ceremony.
The gesture was so careless, as if he’d simply set down a pen after holding it, that Do Ah wondered if her wildly galloping heart might actually be broken.
Unable to shake the confused tangle in her mind, Do Ah climbed into Cha Gyeong’s car. She simply watched the city lights drift past the window in silence.
Cha Gyeong, concentrating on the drive, said nothing either, so the car remained tense and quiet throughout.
“Thank you for the ride. I’ll just―”
She grasped the passenger door handle and stepped out, when suddenly the door on the opposite side began to open as well.
“I’ll walk you to the apartment entrance.”
“What? You don’t need to do that…….”
It wasn’t even fifty meters from here—she couldn’t fathom why he insisted on seeing her the rest of the way.
Regardless of her objection, Cha Gyeong exited the car and walked ahead.
His firm back muscles rippled rhythmically beneath his white shirt with each step.
The sinews in his forearms beneath rolled-up sleeves, the clean lines of his silhouette—Do Ah’s gaze clung to him like iron drawn to a magnet, fixed on his retreating form.
The streetlight caught the edge of his broad shoulders and scattered into fragments.
The sight seemed so carefully orchestrated, so perfectly staged, that Do Ah’s heart raced wildly once more.
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
They had reached the apartment entrance. Do Ah finally voiced the words she’d been turning over in her mind during that short walk.
“Don’t you think we should stop the dating practice now?”
Cha Gyeong looked at her. His gaze was direct and unrelenting, so Do Ah found herself staring at her shoes instead as she continued.
“We’ve been meeting quite a lot. We’re much more natural with each other than before, and I think we already look like real lovers to people. So I don’t understand why we need to keep making time like this…….”
Then Cha Gyeong moved.
One step closer. Toward her.
The words caught in Do Ah’s throat.
Cha Gyeong gently brushed her bangs back with his fingers. After tidying the windswept strands, he spoke.
“You’re still so awkward with me.”
“What?”
“You flinch the moment I step closer. How could we possibly fool my grandmother and mother without practice?”
“No, it’s not awkward…….”
“You even stammer.”
“I’m not stammering—I’ve been trying, but when you say things like that―”
“Are you afraid of me?”
Do Ah was still trying to formulate an answer to the sudden, cutting question.
Before she could finish thinking, something even more disarming slipped from Cha Gyeong’s lips.
“Or are you getting nervous because you like me?”
Gasp.
Gasp.
His words hit the mark, and Do Ah went rigid. A diagonal smile played across Cha Gyeong’s lips as he spoke.
“Just kidding. Rest well.”
As Cha Gyeong turned to leave, Do Ah pressed the elevator button with trembling fingers.
“This is bad. Really bad.”
* * *
Na Hui sat across from Gyeong Jun.
A multi-course meal was being served in sequence across the table.
This Fine Dining Restaurant was run by a star chef, making reservations nearly impossible to obtain.
She had sung its praises to Gyeong Jun countless times before, but now that she was here, she felt nothing.
“Na Hui. Do you like it? You’ve been dying to come here. Man, I pressed the button on my phone so many times trying to get this reservation—my fingers are still tingling.”
“Oh, is that so? Thanks.”
Na Hui answered in a flat tone.
In truth, she felt no gratitude toward Gyeong Jun at all. If anything, his self-congratulation over something so trivial struck her as pathetic.
It wasn’t as if he’d done heavy labor; what was there to brag about in pressing a few buttons on a phone?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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