Unrequited Love Obsession Diary - Chapter 29

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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 29

 

Hyeonoh had been thinking of Yeon-jae as his ‘meal buddy.’

 

So, well, how should he put this.

 

‘…Like having a friend stolen?’

 

The moment that thought crossed his mind, goosebumps rose all over Hyeonoh’s body.

 

Hyeonoh immediately retracted the thought.

 

Am I crazy? What’s this about having a friend stolen, what the hell?

 

Profanity he rarely used came out naturally.

 

Wow, am I insane?

 

Hyeonoh thought to himself, got goosebumps by himself, then jumped up and down in place by himself.

 

Evil thoughts must be overcome with supreme mental strength.

 

‘What… getting older and acting all crazy.’

 

So Hyeonoh ended with bland self-deprecation and put away all related thoughts. At least he thought he did…

 

The moment he saw Yeon-jae, he unconsciously blurted out his complaint.

 

Hyeonoh realized his mistake after saying it.

 

Yeon-jae just asked “Me?” with a puzzled expression, not changing her expression at all. Somehow it felt irritating.

 

Hyeonoh had always been the type who didn’t get jealous. He wasn’t jealous even between lovers, let alone friends. So one of his ex-girlfriends had gotten angry at him about it.

 

“Hey, Kang Hyeon-o. Do you really like me? Aren’t you too uninterested in me? You know you didn’t contact me even once today? Why don’t you care at all about where I go, who I’m with, or what I do? Am I the only one who likes you?”

 

Hyeonoh explained to his ex-girlfriend that he just wasn’t the jealous type, but that relationship eventually fizzled out not long after.

 

That’s how it was.

 

Let’s move the category from lovers to friends.

 

Taking his closest friend Dohan as an example, he didn’t care at all whether Dohan made a hundred or a thousand friends.

 

Actually, isn’t it weirder for guys to care about stuff like that?

 

Most men were like that. No matter how close a friend was, they were completely indifferent to who he hung out with, where he went, what his distant relatives were up to, all of it.

 

But the thought didn’t last long.

 

If he had other feelings for Yeon-jae, he should have been annoyed from the moment she told him about meeting Dohan at Jungdo.

 

‘I was just proud of her.’

 

Hyeonoh’s mood instantly cleared up.

 

After all that bickering, the two entered the classroom almost 30 seconds before class started.

 

Once class actually began, Yeon-jae and Hyeonoh each focused only on the lecture.

 

Exams were approaching.

 

Of course, for those who studied hard (=Yeon-jae), it had been exam period for a while, but now it was truly exam period to the point where even those who crammed like it was their daily bread (=Hyeonoh) could no longer ignore it.

 

“Alright, we have about 30 minutes left. We’ll use the remaining time for group project idea meetings that will proceed after the exam. I’ve put up the groups you submitted last time and the randomly assigned groups on the screen, so check them, gather together, introduce yourselves, and discuss what’s needed~”

 

As the professor finished speaking, students began getting up from their seats one by one. Soon the classroom became bustling.

 

Hyeonoh and Yeon-jae, who were already sitting next to each other, didn’t need to get up and just sat quietly in their seats.

 

“Usually we cover one page per day, but today alone we covered thirty pages.”

 

Hyeonoh muttered while flipping through his textbook.

 

“This professor is really phoning it in.”

 

“You applied for this class without knowing what it’s called?”

 

“What’s it called?”

 

“The grave.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because it’s where business administration students who messed up course registration gather.”

 

…No wonder the seats were too empty, even considering it was a Monday 1st period class!

 

Among students gathering in groups of three to five, introducing themselves and getting to know each other, Yeon-jae and Hyeonoh just chatted.

 

Suddenly Yeon-jae became curious about why Hyeonoh was in this class, even if she could understand her own situation.

 

“But I didn’t know, so that’s understandable. Why are you taking this class, senior?”

 

“Me? I overslept on course registration day. Haha.”

 

…Ugh. I’m an idiot for expecting some other special reason.

 

“Oh right. I came to school with senior Dohan again today.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“We ran into each other on the way out of the house.”

 

“At this point, isn’t it almost like you’re dating?”

 

“…I wish. But that’s definitely not it.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Well. My intuition is telling me.”

 

“Ah, is that so?”

 

“Ah. Your story came up too.”

 

“My story?”

 

“He said your nationality is Canada. Korean-Canadian. Something like that?”

 

No wonder she always thought it was suspicious how much he bought meals.

 

In Yeon-jae’s mind, Korean-Canadian meant rich. So he was born with a silver spoon. Then everything makes sense.

 

But wait. Korean-Canadian?

 

At that moment, a new question arose in Yeon-jae’s mind.

 

“Why are you attending university in Korea?”

 

If he had citizenship, attending university in Canada would have been much cheaper.

 

“Ah. I graduated high school in Korea. When I was in middle school, my parents’ business in Canada failed.”

 

Huh, this wasn’t the development Yeon-jae had expected.

 

“So we all came to Korea together since we had some connections here. But then things worked out well again, so last year everyone except me went back to Canada. Thanks to that, I ended up living alone.”

 

Yeon-jae didn’t know what to say in response. She could only cover the awkward moment with a cough.

 

Watching her, Hyeonoh smiled as if amused. He could roughly guess what Yeon-jae was thinking.

 

“Why are you acting so awkward again?”

 

“No! It’s not that… I just thought you must have had some hardships when you were young. Things that are small tend to feel big when you’re young… I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

 

“Nothing to be sorry about.”

 

Hyeonoh shrugged. Yeon-jae stared intently at him. Hyeonoh really seemed unbothered. He didn’t show even a trace of being upset.

 

Conscious of Yeon-jae’s piercing gaze, Hyeonoh added an explanation.

 

“This kind of experience isn’t particularly rare or remarkable. All lives have such ups and downs, big and small.”

 

In a rarely serious voice.

 

“But looking at it differently, that’s what makes it interesting. No one enjoys a race that only runs on flat ground.”

 

After finishing his words, Hyeonoh muttered lightly.

 

“Well, living physically apart during the age when parental constraints are most suffocating has its advantages too. There are many kids who come to Seoul from the provinces, but probably not many like me who need to take a plane to meet family, right?”

 

His face was as light as someone you couldn’t believe had just had a serious conversation.

 

With an expression that seemed to say ‘Jealous?’ he even yawned loudly and stretched, as if he’d never been serious.

 

Only Yeon-jae still had the expression of a head of state at a summit meeting.

 

* * *

 

As soon as class ended, Hyeonoh quickly got up from his seat.

 

“Hey, stop spacing out and get up.”

 

His usual joking tone intact.

 

Following Hyeonoh with shuffling steps, Yeon-jae realized something.

 

The fact that she had been comforted by this trivial conversation she’d just had with Hyeonoh.

 

For people barely over twenty, their teenage years tend to have a significant impact.

 

When Yeon-jae looked back on her past, far from feeling nostalgic, she didn’t feel very good about it.

 

She had no friends, and her parents who didn’t get along eventually ended in divorce.

 

Yeon-jae often wondered why only her life was so twisted.

 

But Hyeonoh was the first person she’d met who accepted ups and downs so lightly.

 

His attitude seemed to say that those times weren’t everything in life.

 

Right now, Yeon-jae was even feeling a trace of respect for Hyeonoh. He seemed like someone who had reached a certain level of enlightenment.

 

Not pitying yourself too much.

 

Most people spent their entire teenage years trying to realize this, and even then, many failed to grasp it and wandered around for a long time.

 

“Not going? Do you have more classes?”

 

“No. But I’m planning to stay at school and study.”

 

“Jungdo?”

 

“Yes. Would you like to go too, senior?”

 

She didn’t know why. Usually Yeon-jae didn’t enjoy doing things together with others, but those words flowed out naturally now.

 

“What? You’re asking me to study together?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

Well, it wasn’t wrong to say that. But Hyeonoh’s answer came immediately.

 

“No way. I have to read manga.”

 

Hmm… respect rescinded!

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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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