Unrequited Love Obsession Diary - Chapter 63

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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 63

“Oh, y-yes…”

And she realized a bit late. The meaning of what Dohan had said.

With her cheeks turning red, Yeon-jae’s head whipped around.

Dohan was walking forward looking straight ahead as if he had never said such a thing.

Dohan, who had another class, checked the time and greeted Yeon-jae first.

“I’ll contact you later.”

Yeon-jae watched Dohan’s retreating figure as he walked away with long strides, realizing anew how much he had adjusted his pace to match hers.

And also the fact that she had been thinking only of Hyeonoh the entire time while walking beside such a Dohan.

‘This is strange.’

As soon as she realized this fact, Yeon-jae stopped walking toward the Female Student Lounge.

Yeon-jae stood like an old tree in the middle of the path, and only after receiving several strange looks from people passing by did she step aside to the edge.

Then she took out her phone and entered the chat window with Hyeonoh.

The “1” on the last message she sent was still there unchanged.

‘I called Dohan. Even though I contacted him later than me…’

Apart from Hyeonoh and Dohan being best friends, Yeon-jae knew they weren’t the type to contact each other daily reporting their private lives like female friends do.

Nevertheless, Hyeonoh had called Dohan but hadn’t even replied to Yeon-jae.

Yeon-jae tried to think that she was probably misunderstanding Hyeonoh for no reason, but it wasn’t easy.

In the end, Yeon-jae pretended nothing was wrong and sent another message.

Senior, should I lend you my notes today?

However, there was no response from Hyeonoh.

* * *

The next day, Yeon-jae couldn’t sleep well due to an inexplicable uneasiness. On her phone that she checked out of habit, Hyeonoh’s name was still nowhere to be found.

The day after that too. The day after tomorrow too. The day after that too.

During this time, various names appeared and disappeared on Yeon-jae’s phone, but Hyeonoh alone remained silent. Even the “1” on the last message Yeon-jae had sent remained unchanged.

By then, Yeon-jae couldn’t help but know. Hyeonoh was definitely avoiding her right now.

Yeon-jae finally sent one more message.

Senior, did I make some mistake?

There must be a reason why Hyeonoh was acting this way. And whatever that reason was, Yeon-jae wanted to resolve things well with Hyeonoh.

She didn’t want to drift apart like this without knowing the reason, without having a proper conversation.

This was also a kind of trauma that Yeon-jae had.

Drifting apart from a friend without knowing why.

Hyeonoh might not know, but at least for Yeon-jae, Hyeonoh had been her closest friend for a while.

Back then, Yeon-jae had pretended to be calm, but there was actually one thing she regretted.

‘I should have tried more actively to talk with Miyeon.’

If she had, the relationship might have been restored amicably.

‘Of course, it might not have worked either.’

But there was a difference between drifting apart after at least trying to talk and accepting it without a word like Yeon-jae had done back then.

At that time, Yeon-jae was tired of the kids who excluded her, and even aside from that, she already had many stressful things, so she chose to isolate herself.

If there was one thing twenty-two-year-old Yeon-jae had newly learned, it was that back then she had actually chosen to give up on a friend because she wanted to avoid the process of repairing the relationship.

So after much deliberation, Yeon-jae sent one more message.

If I did something wrong, I’ll apologize

After sending that, Yeon-jae bit her lip, rolling it inward, and pondered for a moment.

The “1” in the chat window was still unchanged.

Let’s just stop here and quietly wait for a reply from senior.

Yeon-jae resolved.

Believing that the Hyeonoh she knew surely wouldn’t keep her anxious for long.

* * *

Contact from Hyeonoh came a few days later in the evening.

I was busy. Sorry

Hyeonoh’s reply was brief. The next reply came after a noticeable hesitation.

And I’m not angry

What could you have done wrong to me

For a reply that came after days of anxious waiting, it was rather bland. It made all the countless simulations she had run in her head, considering every possible response, seem pointless.

‘Still, at least a reply came.’

Yeon-jae pondered what to reply as she walked.

She was on her way to catch a bus home after spending time with Si-eun at a cafe. She saw a familiar figure in the distance.

Yeon-jae stopped in her tracks.

The person across from her also looked up from their phone, saw Yeon-jae, and stopped in place.

“…Oh, hello.”

It was Hyeonoh.

He added somewhat sluggishly.

“You’re still at school?”

“Yes. I had dinner with my classmates.”

“Good for you.”

“…”

“Get home safely.”

“Senior.”

Hyeonoh’s steps, which had been passing by Yeon-jae, stopped again.

Yeon-jae also turned around.

With some distance between them, Hyeonoh’s broad back came into view.

Hyeonoh was already somewhat far from Yeon-jae.

‘This kind of situation is too unfamiliar.’

Suddenly, Yeon-jae realized that she hadn’t seen Hyeonoh’s back very often.

She also realized that when she was with Hyeonoh, it was mostly herself who showed her back first.

Hyeonoh didn’t respond to Yeon-jae’s call at all.

“…Are you really not angry at me?”

“I said I’m not.”

“…Really not?”

“Yeah. Really not. Even if I’m angry, it’s at myself, not you.”

“What?”

Yeon-jae didn’t quite understand what Hyeonoh meant and asked back.

Hyeonoh didn’t explain further.

“Anyway, get home safely.”

Hyeonoh returned to his usual self and waved his hand at Yeon-jae.

At that moment, Yeon-jae thought she had to say something, anything, to stop Hyeonoh. She couldn’t let him go like this.

But no matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn’t think of a suitable topic.

“Um, well… the third date!”

Yeon-jae just blurted out whatever came to mind.

Hyeonoh, who had turned around and started walking away again, stopped once more.

Hyeonoh looked back at Yeon-jae.

Hyeonoh’s expression as he looked at Yeon-jae again was somehow subtle.

Unable to read that expression, Yeon-jae just swallowed nervously.

“…When are you going to arrange the third date?”

When she actually asked that question, the fact that Dohan was her date partner didn’t even cross Yeon-jae’s mind.

Hyeonoh scratched the back of his neck.

“Ah… weren’t you two almost together already?”

And he asked somewhat sluggishly, as if he didn’t want to continue the conversation with Yeon-jae any longer.

That’s when it happened.

“Coming through!”

A passerby who seemed to be in a hurry came running and bumped hard into Yeon-jae’s shoulder.

Yeon-jae swayed as if she might fall into the road.

Seeing this, Hyeonoh instantly approached, wrapped his arm around Yeon-jae’s waist, and pulled her inward.

Yeon-jae hurriedly stepped back with a flushed face and bowed her head.

“Thank you.”

“That bastard should apologize after hitting someone… never mind. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Good, then.”

And he turned his back as if to leave again. Yeon-jae, becoming desperate, hurriedly called out.

“Um, senior!”

Hyeonoh’s face when he turned around again had none of his usual composure or warmth left.

Somehow, Yeon-jae felt like crying.

She felt a bit miserable thinking that she seemed to be the only one trying hard in this relationship.

Still, she mustered her courage once more.

Of course, being human, Yeon-jae had no intention of clinging to someone who clearly disliked her. But still…

‘I want to try my best as much as I can…’

In fact, if the person was none other than Hyeonoh, she didn’t think this much effort was wasted.

“Let’s go somewhere and talk for a bit. We don’t have to go inside anywhere, we can just stand to the side…”

Yeon-jae wanted to say:

‘It’s just… I feel like you’re angry, senior, but you keep saying you’re not angry. But from what I can tell, you are. I’m frustrated too…’

Perhaps she was over-interpreting things because she was too anxious.

But Yeon-jae’s urgent thoughts didn’t reach that far.

Hyeonoh looked down at Yeon-jae sideways, then jerked his chin toward the nearest cafe.

“Let’s go in for a moment.”

* * *

The two sat facing each other in the cafe.

Yeon-jae was so nervous that she forgot to order a drink and just fidgeted with her fingers.

Hyeonoh watched Yeon-jae’s slightly trembling hands quietly, then sighed softly and asked.

“You don’t drink coffee at night?”

“No, no.”

“I’ll order for you. Wait a moment.”

Hyeonoh stood up again. Normally, Yeon-jae would have immediately followed Hyeonoh and hovered around him.

But being dazed, she got up from her seat a beat too slowly.

However, she was quickly stopped by Hyeonoh.

Hyeonoh placed his palm on top of Yeon-jae’s hand that was gripping the table to stand up and said.

“Just stay here.”

Suddenly made to sit back down, Yeon-jae could only sit there awkwardly while Hyeonoh ordered drinks and brought back the prepared beverages.

She couldn’t figure out what Hyeonoh was thinking at all. She had even less idea why he was suddenly avoiding her like this.

The Hyeonoh that Yeon-jae knew wasn’t someone who would avoid things like this even if there was conflict between them.

She had long known that his expressionless face could look cold immediately.

This wasn’t the first time Yeon-jae had seen this face either.

Sometimes when seeing someone of the opposite sex showing interest in Yeon-jae, or when someone picked a fight with Yeon-jae, Hyeonoh often made this face.

So this wasn’t an expression Hyeonoh showed to Yeon-jae. It was an expression he never showed to Yeon-jae, even if he showed it to others.

In other words, Hyeonoh’s sharp, expressionless, overbearing, and sometimes even frightening aspects were all things Yeon-jae didn’t know about.

A heavy silence settled between the two sitting across from each other.

“Senior. You know, what I wanted to say was…”

“…”

“You say you’re not, but why do I keep feeling like you’re angry, senior?”

Yeon-jae wanted to cry. She wished Hyeonoh would say something, anything, but Hyeonoh remained silent.

Until now, it was usually Hyeonoh who threw out words to get Yeon-jae to open her mouth. It was Yeon-jae who made unpleasant expressions.

The current situation, which had become the complete opposite in an instant, was confusing, but only briefly.

“I… even if we’re going to grow apart, I don’t want us to drift away like this without having a proper conversation…”

“Shin Yeon-jae.”

Hyeonoh cut off Yeon-jae’s words.

The voices of people around them suddenly became quieter.

In the illusion that only she and Hyeonoh were alone in this space, Hyeonoh spoke again.

“I like you.”

Soon, the surroundings became quiet.

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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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