496
[Chapter 136]
[Prelude to Love (5)]
Jeong Ha-yang confessed.
Eunha doubted his ears.
Without properly grasping the situation, he turned his eyes to the party hall and saw students looking at him.
They all had dumbfounded faces.
...What is this about?
The students, his friends, are demanding an explanation from him with their eyes.
But Eunha felt like saying they had the wrong address.
It was proper to demand an explanation from Jeong Ha-yang who suddenly confessed during a toast, not from him.
But Jeong Ha-yang was just calmly looking at him from the stage.
"—Answer me."
"..."
"Don't you like me?"
She even launches an additional attack.
It was the moment she made him realize the arrow had already left the bowstring.
In other words, it's spilled milk.
It can't be taken back.
She had already said words that couldn't be taken back in front of everyone, and now she was gesturing that she would wait for his answer.
So the students' gazes wouldn't leave him.
""""...""""
The hall sank heavily.
Eunha looked at Jeong Ha-yang standing silently on stage while receiving their gazes.
She is smiling with her eyes.
As if telling him to hurry and answer.
...She's crazy.
She really caused trouble.
Eunha bit his lip.
Jeong Ha-yang had made the worst move.
Because Alice Group's direct descendant had confessed publicly.
If Eunha himself rejected the confession, it would be no small disgrace.
Also, her prestige at the academy would plummet.
But Eunha's assumption was based on one premise.
If I— reject...
Oh no...
Eunha smiled dryly.
But though he was smiling with his mouth, his eyes weren't smiling.
From Jeong Ha-yang's perspective, the worst move could become an excellent move.
Live or die.
Though she had entrusted her life or death to him—
—So is she threatening me now?
Jeong Ha-yang, you've grown a lot.
Eunha couldn't kill her.
He couldn't shame Jeong Ha-yang by rejecting her confession in front of people.
Because she was Jeong Ha-yang, the
I was thinking wrong.
I thought Ha-yang wouldn't be able to disobey me no matter what I did.
Eunha realized his mistake.
He had been caught in the illusion that he completely understood Jeong Ha-yang as a person after spending a long time with her since she wasn't a direct descendant.
"...Do you hate me?"
"..."
In short, he had underestimated her.
That Jeong Ha-yang would never betray him no matter what.
He had been overconfident that she would follow whatever he said.
Even though she was also a person who could think for herself like himself.
He had been thinking carelessly all this time.
So he ended up like this.
"...To think I'd end up on a board Jeong Ha-yang set up."
As if self-deprecating.
Eunha muttered softly.
He who doesn't like getting on other people's boards unconsciously burst out laughing.
Strangely, it didn't feel bad.
"—There's no way I could hate you."
Jeong Ha-yang's growth was admirable.
And he felt proud in one corner of his heart.
Eunha infused mana into his voice and spoke so the people waiting for his answer could hear.
"Then?"
Then Jeong Ha-yang asks cutely.
As the heavy atmosphere lifted, students who had closed their mouths started opening them to say something.
Jin Pa-rang pops open champagne.
Then gets hit by Bae Soo-bin.
Kang Si-hyung stops her.
There's no way... to flip the board.
And Eunha resigned himself.
Unless a monster suddenly appeared.
There was no way to flip the board without damaging her prestige.
Maybe given Ha-yang's personality...
She might join the party even if I reject her confession.
But even if Ha-yang says it's okay... Alice Group won't think favorably of me.
Eunha sighed.
It was a moment when he keenly felt the fact that his childhood friend Jeong Ha-yang was Alice Group's direct descendant.
Moreover, he had currently asked her father, Jeong Seok-hoon, to make the elixir.
If he rejected Jeong Ha-yang's confession, he didn't know how Alice Group which had maintained an amicable relationship until now would suddenly change.
But the problem is—
—Yoon I-byeol confessed to me too...
Eunha glanced at Yoon I-byeol who had been standing beside him with a pale face since Jeong Ha-yang confessed.
She seemed unable to believe the situation happening now.
Then perhaps feeling his gaze.
She looked at him.
"..."
No, don't.
As if saying that, she opens and closes her mouth.
She shakes her head.
But her wish couldn't be granted.
I need to put out the urgent fire first.
I can deal with Yoon I-byeol later.
A confession from a high school academy student with no influence.
A confession from Alice Group's direct descendant, one of the ten pillars supporting Korea's economy.
Eunha coldly assessed the situation.
He knew what he should prioritize.
"—Sorry. Let's talk later."
"Ah..."
So Eunha spoke to her quietly so those around couldn't hear.
To this, she tried to grab him but it was already too late.
Because Eunha had stepped into the party hall lit by brilliant lights.
While students looked at him with sparkling eyes—
"—Me too. I like you too."
Whether Cha Eun-woo pushed to the front of the line and held up his smartphone or not.
Eunha answered proudly.
"Really?"
"Have you ever seen me lie?"
The corners of Jeong Ha-yang's mouth rise greatly.
She asks back in a bright voice.
He retorted to her in a tone mixed with resignation.
"Then will you date me?"
"Why are you asking the obvious?"
Jeong Ha-yang laughs happily.
The students' cheers burst out.
Eunha also burst out laughing as if he had no choice.
Meanwhile—
—I'll deal with you later.
Eunha inwardly sharpened his knife.
☆
"—What are you thinking?"
"What about me?"
"You call that an answer?"
Though he responded to the confession in public.
Eunha had no intention of dating.
It was just avoiding the situation.
While students were raising the atmosphere saying to go for round 2, thinking of the two's dating almost as their own business.
Eunha grabbed Ha-yang's wrist and made time for just the two of them.
"Just... You always do whatever you want. So I decided to just do whatever I want this time too."
"..."
"I'm not as nice a person as you think, Eunha, and I'm not an idiot either. I also get angry when someone plays with me, and I get jealous when the person I like is with someone else."
As if saying she'll be frank this time.
Jeong Ha-yang rattled off words like a machine gun towards Eunha who had sharpened his blade.
Eunha who was about to scold her right away was at a loss for words.
Because there was nothing wrong with the content she spoke honestly.
"Yeah... I'm sorry. It seems I haven't been considerate enough of you all this time."
It's all his fault.
Though it may be a serious concern for Eunha, from Jeong Ha-yang's perspective it may have seemed like he was playing with her.
Eunha withdrew the sharp atmosphere and apologized to her.
But that's that.
I need to somehow make Ha-yang's confession like it never happened.
Eunha tried to somehow smooth over what Jeong Ha-yang had done.
Just then.
"It's enough if you know now. I'm sorry for troubling you like this too. But, I'm sincere."
"..."
"I like you. Do you... hate me?"
Leaving no room for doubt.
Jeong Ha-yang who had become honest revealed her true feelings.
Unlike before, her face is red.
Her eyes are also shaking anxiously.
"Hah..."
Even if there's no one around, he can't ignore her confession.
No, he shouldn't ignore it.
Eunha let out a long breath.
Okay, fine.
Since it's come to this.
There's no one around.
Eunha decided to be courteous to Jeong Ha-yang who revealed her true feelings.
"—What I said earlier about liking you wasn't a lie."
"Really?"
Eunha confessed his feelings.
Though it can't be compared to the feelings he shared with Lee Yu-jeong in his previous life.
At least he had developed romantic feelings for her who had been devoted to him since sometime.
He unconsciously looked at her, and felt uncomfortable when she was with someone else.
In a way it was affection, and in a way it could be called possessiveness.
That must be what liking is.
Love... I'm not sure about that.
So to speak frankly, he had romantic feelings for Jeong Ha-yang.
But even so.
"—But I don't intend to date."
"..."
As I've said many times.
Eunha thought dating was a luxury for himself.
So Eunha politely added.
Her face that had brightened darkens rapidly.
But—
"—I know that too."
"What?"
"I said I know too."
Jeong Ha-yang wasn't depressed.
She pouted her lips and retorted to him.
Eunha couldn't help but ask back.
"Eunha, you're a coward."
"..."
"You never tell me important things, you just brood alone, and you're saying that because you can't give me time due to whatever you'll do in the future, though I don't know what it is. That I might end up waiting alone."
It hit the mark.
Eunha was at a loss for words.
He didn't know she had grasped him in such detail.
"But if you know, then why..."
That's why he was even more confused.
Eunha opened his mouth heavily.
Then Jeong Ha-yang said—
"—So let's date for just a short time."
"...What?"
"Let's... date for a short time and then decide. You don't know yet if what you're worried about will really happen, right?"
"..."
"You never know. You might come to like me sooo much during the dating period that you can't live without me and ask to keep dating me."
Jeong Ha-yang speaks rapidly with a bright red face.
Eunha just blinked his eyes.
I didn't expect this...?
Yoon I-byeol did the same, but.
He never thought she would approach like this.
He had no proper grounds to refute.
"...How short is short?"
"Hmm... 1 year. Exactly 1 year from today."
In the end, he was cornered.
Eunha couldn't refuse her proposal.
Actually, I can't pretend it never happened after saying I'd date her in front of people.
Eunha fell into thought.
In fact, it would be troublesome in many ways to make the confession like it never happened.
If he said to break up right after saying to date, he could incur Alice Group's anger.
That would also destroy her prestige.
In the end, the most ideal solution was to quietly date and break up when people's interest faded.
In that sense—
"—Will you break up if I say to break up after 1 year?"
"...Yeah... I will. But that won't happen."
1 year is an appropriate period.
Surely she must have said that with that in mind.
"...Okay. Let's date for 1 year."
"Okay!"
It's truly a contract relationship.
He decided to accept her proposal.
"Then it's day 1 from today?"
"Yeah, it's day 1 from today. And now you need to be scolded a bit."
"...Don't pull my cheeks..."
Day 1 from today.
Eunha who said the embarrassing words soon pulled her cheeks excitedly while feeling sheepish.
On the other hand, he harbored different thoughts.
I'm sorry to Ha-yang but...
I need to make her not like me so Ha-yang can accept it when I say to break up after 1 year.
In other words, lowering Jeong Ha-yang's favorability.
It's day 1 from today.
At this time, Eunha believed without doubt that what he planned would be achieved.
☆
Though she thought Korea would be less cold...
"...Hah..."
It's a cold wave.
It seems she won't be able to block the cold without tightly wrapping her scarf.
Han Seo-hyun blew out white breath while looking at the cloudy sky.
Buzz
When she left the airport.
Her smartphone vibrated.
It seems communication finally connected.
She who couldn't contact Korea for several days quickly took out her smartphone hearing the welcome signal.
"...I'll have to wait a bit."
The message at the very top was a message her older sister Han Seo-yeon sent just now.
The content was that her family would come to the airport to pick her up so please wait a moment.
She who sent a reply saying okay decided to go inside Terminal 1 to avoid the cold for now.
Just then.
"..."
While scrolling down the message list from top to bottom without any thought.
Her finger suddenly stopped at one point.
No Eunha's profile picture.
For some reason Jeong Ha-yang is with him.
Eunha with an annoyed face and Jeong Ha-yang with a gentle smile.
Thud
Because of the cold wave.
The carrier fell over with a clatter.
Han Seo-hyun blankly stared at Eunha's profile without trying to stand up the fallen carrier.
"...Kik..."
After a long time passed.
The sound that came from her mouth was just a giggle.
The corners of her mouth rise.
Han Seo-hyun cackled without caring that people around were looking.
"It seems something happened while I was gone..."
Though she was surprised for a moment.
Han Seo-hyun calmly assessed the situation.
She who took a deep breath decided to read the message Eunha sent.
Soon her face who read the message became strange.
"King Glutton": ...so we ended up dating (08:49 PM)
He ended up dating Jeong Ha-yang.
There was a reason for it.
Han Seo-hyun tilted her head at the content speaking as if making excuses and the content giving the nuance that they would break up after 1 year.
She didn't understand what it meant.
"—It's me."
[...Seo-hyun?]
Han Seo-hyun suddenly called No Eunha.
He answered the phone after not many rings.
[Did you come to Korea?]
"I said I'd come today."
[Ah, right, you did. I've been out of it lately so I forgot...]
"Forgot? Is this something you can forget?"
[Why are you like this too, noona...]
Han Seo-hyun asked in a prickly tone.
Then Eunha shrinks.
Though she couldn't see his eyes, she could imagine him looking tired.
She laughed without making a sound.
"Nevermind, tell me what happened. I can't understand from the text message."
[Well...]
"Yeah."
Han Seo-hyun quietly listened to Eunha's story.
She understood the situation.
"—You're full now?"
And she who grasped the entire situation harshly criticized Eunha.
She could understand his feelings for not wanting to date.
But Han Seo-hyun dismissed No Eunha's excuses as a coward's bullshit.
"Wait a moment."
Then a thought suddenly occurred.
Han Seo-hyun sighed softly and hung up the phone.
She searched for the message Jeong Ha-yang sent among the messages she received.
"Making such a fuss over just starting to date..."
The message Jeong Ha-yang sent was informing her that she had started dating Eunha.
Han Seo-hyun chuckled after reading her message expressing extreme apologies to her.
Then she called her.
"—It's me."
[...Seo-hyun unni?]
She heard the story from Jeong Ha-yang.
Jeong Ha-yang said that though she started dating Eunha, she was having a hard time because Eunha was trying to distance himself from her.
"...I see. Thanks for telling me."
[Unni... When you went to Japan...]
"Let's stop talking about that now. Or are you trying to mock me?"
[Ah, no! I'm sorry! Okay! I'll hang up!]
Han Seo-hyun hung up the phone.
Then she blankly looked up at the cloudy sky.
Snow is falling.
It's cold.
Snow-white breath rises to the sky.
"...So that's how it is."
Eventually.
Han Seo-hyun shook her shoulders slightly.
This situation was too ridiculous.
This time she called her father.
"—Yes, Dad."
[Seo-hyun. We're almost there now...]
"I have a favor to ask."
[Hm? What is it? Tell me.]
"Can you look into whether there are any suitable people for me who aren't engaged yet?"
[...Did I hear wrong? What did you say?]
"I'm asking you to look into potential marriage partners for me."
[No, why—!?]
Her father's sharp cry coming from the smartphone.
Han Seo-hyun took the smartphone away from her ear, and continued speaking when the sound quieted down.
"...I'm not saying I'll get engaged. I'm just curious who would be my fiancé if I were to get engaged."
[...Really?]
"Yes."
[If we're talking about people that come to mind now... Suitable fiancés for you would roughly be Lee Yoo-cheon of Luminous Group, Yoo Do-jun of Eternal Group, Choi Jung-hoon of Galaxy Group...]
"Didn't you say Jung-hoon oppa got engaged last time?"
[Ah, you don't know yet. Jung-hoon caused a big incident recently and broke off his engagement. He's currently reflecting at his mansion.]
"What?"
Lee Yoo-cheon, Yoo Do-jun, Choi Jung-hoon.
She frowned while murmuring the names of people that flowed from her father's mouth.
Because she heard about the incident that led to Choi Jung-hoon breaking off his engagement.
Unexpectedly, a big fish has appeared in the engagement market.
"That's enough. Thank you."
[Seo-hyun, but what on earth are you think...]
Anyway, I can use this.
Han Seo-hyun hung up the phone.
Now she called Eunha last.
[—Hello?]
"It's me. Let's meet."
[Now?]
"Within this week."
[Uh... this week is...]
"It would be good to meet me quickly."
[No, why?]
"I might get engaged."
[...What? With who!?]
No Eunha shouts loudly.
Han Seo-hyun giggled.
But she covered her mouth with her hand so no sound would come out.
Eventually, she suppressed her rising smile and spoke while looking at the cloudy sky.
"—It's Choi Jung-hoon oppa from Galaxy Group. Dad says how about getting engaged between people who just broke off engagements."
[...No way.]
"You said you're troubled too. I'm troubled too. So don't you think we should meet and have a productive conversation?"
The sky is cloudy.
As if unable to predict even an inch ahead.
Han Seo-hyun smirked.