Unrequited Love Obsession Diary - Chapter 14
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 14
Unlike before, Hyeonoh recognized Yeon-jae immediately. He even felt somewhat pleased to see her.
Yeon-jae hadn’t changed at all.
She still maintained her long straight hair, and her face revealed beneath the black hair was pale like someone who had grown up without sunlight.
Those ugly glasses were still there too. Along with her pretty features that couldn’t be completely hidden even by those ugly glasses.
She was still thin enough to make one wonder if she ate properly, and even that peculiarly bored-looking expression hadn’t changed one bit.
But wasn’t she in Korean Literature Department? Why is she in a Business department class?
The question didn’t last long. In these times of employment difficulties, it was common for humanities students to double major in business administration, so Hyeonoh quickly accepted Yeon-jae’s presence sitting in the business classroom.
Even in the changed year, Hyeonoh often observed Yeon-jae.
And there are facts that only someone who watches another person comes to know.
Before long, Hyeonoh discovered the person caught at the end of Yeon-jae’s gaze. The protagonist of Shin Yeon-jae’s world.
Lee Do-han.
A classmate he only knew by face (he’d known him since freshman year but kept forgetting his name) would often joke about whether Yeon-jae was Do-han’s stalker, adding evidence to what Hyeonoh had discovered.
It was literally true.
In the love village called university, the fact that someone liked someone else wasn’t particularly remarkable. Especially for a man like Do-han who frequently became the object of unrequited love.
But when that unrequited lover turned out to be Yeon-jae, Hyeonoh was somewhat surprised.
Yeon-jae always sat behind Do-han, stayed in the classroom until the very end and then followed Do-han around, and treated everyone except Do-han like background scenery, showing no interest in them whatsoever.
Recently, Yeon-jae had even cut off her long straight hair that reached nearly to her waist, which had been like her mascot.
In Hyeonoh’s mind flashed a scene where Do-han had answered listlessly “Short hair?” to Kwak Seong-hyeon’s question about what hairstyle he liked on women.
Could she really have cut her hair because of that one comment?
Hyeonoh, who had considered long hair to be Yeon-jae’s identity, could only click his tongue in regret.
However, watching Shin Yeon-jae’s constantly changing expressions as she didn’t know what to do with herself from liking someone was quite enjoyable.
That was probably why.
His heart had moved too much when he discovered the notebook.
“I’ll help you.”
Those words had no justification, reason, or purpose whatsoever.
It was just a new semester, and maybe it was because it was spring.
It was the season when everything was just beginning. In such a season, everyone experiences unreasonable movements of the heart at least once.
* * *
Meanwhile, Do-han had been thinking once a day for several days.
Where have I seen her? Her face is definitely familiar.
“Yeon-jae.”
“Yes?”
“Are you in the advertising club?”
“Oh, no.”
“Ah, really? Never mind then.”
And 30 seconds later.
“Yeon-jae.”
“Yes, yes?!”
“Did you used to be in our school’s central reading club?”
“No….”
“I see….”
And another 30 seconds later.
“Yeon-jae.”
“Yes?!”
“You two over there, do you have any questions?”
Finally the professor passive-aggressively called out Yeon-jae and Do-han, and Yeon-jae bowed her head apologetically.
Do-han, who somehow felt sorry as if everything was his fault, stopped asking more questions and thought.
‘Am I making her uncomfortable?’
If not discomfort, then what else could be the reason she startled like this every time he spoke to her?
However, instead of directly asking Yeon-jae if she was uncomfortable, Do-han said.
“Yeon-jae seems to be really shy around people.”
“Hahaha.”
And Yeon-jae just let out an awkward laugh without any proper response.
Laughing made her realize another truth.
Wasn’t laughing like this admitting that it was awkward?
“Oh, that’s,”
Just as she hurriedly opened her mouth to explain.
Do-han, who had been sneaking a look at his phone under the desk, came close to Yeon-jae’s face and whispered. His breath brushed against her cheek. Yeon-jae unconsciously held her breath.
“Kang Hyeonoh wants to have lunch together. The three of us.”
“Oh, sounds good. Hahaha.”
In the end, Yeon-jae couldn’t make any explanation and just laughed awkwardly.
‘Ugh. I want to die….’
Hyeonoh’s words about not being able to eat even if spoon-fed seemed completely accurate.
Right now, even with Do-han initiating conversation in front of her, Yeon-jae couldn’t muster any strength.
Moreover, even Hyeonoh, who would usually jump in at the right timing to help, wasn’t here now.
This was even a class that all three of them were supposed to attend.
Right now, while class was in full session, what was Kang Hyeonoh doing?
I overslept
…Indeed.
And the messages that followed.
If I’m late again today
I’ll really get an F
Can’t you just take attendance for me once
Please Shin Yeon-jae goddess
Noona!
Are you crazy.
Who are you calling noona!
Oh please
I’m on my knees right now
ㅇ
I’ll buy you food hehe
So Yeon-jae had also taken attendance for Hyeonoh using a disguised male voice.
Last night, Hyeonoh had proposed a specific roadmap to Yeon-jae. He said that now that they’d been introduced, it was time for the relationship building phase.
He said it would be good to study together at the library this week, and boldly declared that he would arrange the study session, while giving Yeon-jae a different mission.
Ask for Do-han’s phone number.
Because of this, Yeon-jae had been unable to concentrate since the class began.
‘I need to ask for his number. Number. Phone number. Number.’
Her head was completely filled with thoughts of having to ask for his phone number, to the point of developing neurosis.
After class ended, while waiting for Hyeonoh, Do-han asked.
“But you seem to like books. You’re in all those reading groups too. You said before that you chose Korean Literature Department because you like books, right?”
Ah, if not today, there won’t be another chance…
It was Dohan’s voice that brought Yeon-jae back to her senses when she had been distracted by the thought of asking for his phone number. A low baritone. Moderately gentle yet slightly husky.
“Haha. Well…”
Yeon-jae liked books.
…Comic books, and martial arts novels.
“Yes, I love them!”
But she said this instead. Well, it wasn’t entirely wrong. Web novels are quite entertaining these days.
“Do you have a favorite author?”
Dohan smoothly led the conversation.
The problem was that Yeon-jae wasn’t able to respond as smoothly.
Yeon-jae pondered between several model answers.
1. Philip Roth
2. Raymond Carver
3. Kurt Vonnegut
Dohan often read books when he arrived early at the classroom before class started. And this was a fact that Yeon-jae, who had secretly watched him every time, couldn’t help but know.
Senior Dohan likes English and American literature.
All the authors listed above were writers whose books had passed through Dohan’s hands at least once.
Yeon-jae had bought and read all the books that Dohan had read. Some books were extremely interesting.
But some other books were so boring that she kept yawning. Once, she fell asleep as soon as she opened a book and woke up the next morning.
‘But I don’t know who his favorite author is…’
Yeon-jae sincerely lamented her inadequate stalking skills and decided to answer honestly instead.
“I like martial arts novels like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon…!”
Stories where swordsmen fly across rooftops and battles are decided with a single glance…
Dohan was silent for a moment.
I’m screwed. Maybe I should have said I like Korean novels instead.
“Ah, I like martial arts novels too.”
However, the response didn’t seem like mere politeness, so Yeon-jae’s eyes sparkled.
“Oh, really?! I thought you would never read martial arts novels, Senior.”
Jackpot. I lucked out.
“Really? Why did you think that?”
“I just thought you’d only like scholarly books. Or books that would appear in world literature collections…”
“What? Me?”
Ah. Did I misspeak again?
“Yeon-jae, you have quite an interesting way of speaking.”
But once again, Dohan’s carefree voice rescued the dismayed Yeon-jae.
With just the word ‘interesting,’ Yeon-jae felt her mood soar.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
I’m at the cafe on the 1st floor of the Management Building
“Senior Hyeonoh says he’s waiting at the cafe on the 1st floor of the Management Building.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Dohan nodded and began gathering his belongings scattered across the desk.
This was the moment.
“Senior, your num—”
Yeon-jae was about to ask for Dohan’s number.
“Ah. Right. I don’t have your number either, Yeon-jae.”
Dohan pushed his phone toward Yeon-jae first.
“…!”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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