Chapter 19 : Chapter 19

Chapter 19 : Chapter 19

"..."

Clatter, clatter.

The sound of dishes clashing echoed through the wide dining room.

Although I wasn't the only person in the dining room, I was the only one eating.

Standing behind me to the right was Yang Hye-in, and a bit further away stood the chefs who had prepared this morning's meal.

They were standing quietly, ready to act the moment I gave a command, but they probably wouldn't say a word until I spoke first.

So, even though I wasn't alone in the dining room, it was essentially like eating alone.

Honestly, I hadn't really paid much attention to it until yesterday.

Ever since I came to this world, my biggest concern hadn't been escaping this lonely dining situation but rather whether I could return to the world I came from, or how I should act in Ye Sara's body to ensure my safety.

Over the past two months, I've managed to adjust… or so I thought.

But there really wasn't anything to "adjust" to in Ye Sara's life.

There was no one in this mansion to order me around.

As long as I adhered to the unspoken rule of not leaving the mansion, I could wander anywhere within it freely.

The heavy atmosphere typical of an old mansion?

The tense air among the staff?

None of that mattered once I realized I was the highest-ranking person here.

What did it matter if the mansion had a heavy atmosphere?

It was mine, after all.

And so what if the air was tense?

I was the one who decided whether those people stayed or were fired.

In other words, I had nothing to fear.

That's why I thought I had adapted pretty well to Ye Sara's solitary life.

Clatter, clatter.

I was used to eating alone.

I had gotten used to feeling alone in such a large mansion.

But, even so.

Even though I thought I had gotten used to it, for some reason, I kept recalling last night's dinner.

Of course, we hadn't exchanged a single word during that meal.

Everyone had been so focused on their steaks that even if I had spoken, no one would have responded.

But the lack of conversation didn't mean the dinner was tense or uncomfortable.

For example, well…

Clatter, clatter.

As I moved my fork and knife now, I recalled that yesterday I had heard the sound overlap multiple times.

And it wasn't just the same sound.

The sounds of me handling my utensils, Yoo Ha-neul's, Lee Soo-ah's, and Shin So-hee's were all different.

Lee Soo-ah moved her utensils in a quiet and rhythmic manner, probably because she had used them many times before.

Honestly, she was much more skilled at using them than I was, even though I'd only been using them for two months.

Yoo Ha-neul imitated Lee Soo-ah and me but was a bit more hasty.

Occasionally, her knife or fork would loudly clatter against the plate, but she was too focused on her steak to notice.

Shin So-hee, on the other hand, started by awkwardly following the others, but eventually, she began cutting her meat into large pieces and focused solely on eating.

Naturally, the sound of her fork and knife was the loudest.

Although the dining room was much too large for just three people, it still felt more full than it did when I ate alone.

…Was I someone who longed for relationships like this?

"..."

I put the last piece of toast into my mouth.

Then, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and stood up.

Yang Hye-in quietly followed behind me.

Come to think of it, she always follows me around, but when does she eat?

I've never seen her eat anything.

I glanced back at Yang Hye-in.

"Do you need something?"

Yang Hye-in asked perceptively.

"…No, it's nothing. Let's get ready for school."

"Understood."

Well, at least I wouldn't have to eat in silence at school.

Unlike in the game, Lee Soo-ah was unexpectedly quiet, but Yoo Ha-neul would start conversations even if I didn't.

At least, for one meal a day, I could feel somewhat normal.

As I changed clothes with Yang Hye-in's help, I idly thought about this.

*

Yoo Ha-neul considered herself to be someone who arrived at school fairly early.

Since childhood, she had often been told she was meticulous, and she thought of herself as well-prepared.

Before entering Hwayoung High School, she had searched for various information, which led to her starting school early.

Hwayoung High School was a school attended by the children of wealthy families.

Apart from the very few students like Yoo Ha-neul, whose tuition was waived, the tuition fees were beyond what an average household could afford.

It wasn't impossible to attend with great effort, but few families were willing to sacrifice their daily lives and future just to send their children to Hwayoung High School.

Conversely, families who could afford to send their children here did so even if it meant traveling a long distance.

As a result, the entrance to every school under the Hwayoung Foundation's umbrella was crowded with cars every morning, ferrying students.

Since it was a prestigious school, there was plenty of space for cars to park, and traffic control was well managed, so accidents rarely happened.

Still, it's always better to be careful.

But this was something Yoo Ha-neul realized after starting at Hwayoung High School.

Even when she thought she had left earlier than usual, she would see cars everywhere.

There were many students walking toward the school, and when she entered the classroom, students who had arrived earlier were gathered in groups, chatting.

It wasn't a studious atmosphere.

Aside from the fact that most of them ignored her, the overall atmosphere was warm and friendly.

In fact, it was that warmth that made the alienation feel even more pronounced when it happened.

Screech.

As Yoo Ha-neul opened the classroom door, the chatter momentarily ceased, and eyes turned toward her.

But, after assessing that it was no one important, the students returned their attention to their conversations.

Except for one person.

There was one person who never averted her gaze when Yoo Ha-neul entered the room.

With her sharp eyes, she looked Yoo Ha-neul up and down.

The closer her gaze got to Yoo Ha-neul's face, the narrower her crimson eyes became, as if something displeased her.

By the time her gaze reached Yoo Ha-neul's face, her expression looked as if she was glaring.

But the moment their eyes met, those sharp eyes curved slightly.

Although Yoo Ha-neul knew it wasn't a genuine glare, the intensity of her gaze always made her nervous.

In an instant, the sharpness faded, leaving behind a bewitching smile that could charm even a fox.

She propped her chin on her hand and met Yoo Ha-neul's gaze, but without a greeting, she turned her head back to the window.

That distant look made her seem even more aloof.

It was the same Ye Sara Yoo Ha-neul had seen every morning for the past few days.

In this place, Ye Sara was the only one who acknowledged her greetings and responded to her words.

The thought made Yoo Ha-neul's heart flutter with a strange feeling, though she wasn't sure why.

If this were a normal situation, she probably wouldn't feel this way.

Yoo Ha-neul took her usual seat next to Ye Sara.

But today was a bit different.

Normally, she wouldn't go out of her way to start a conversation, waiting for something to come to mind, but today she had brought something.

She rummaged through her bag and took out the item.

The sound of rustling didn't prompt Ye Sara to turn around.

She never showed much interest in others unless they specifically called out to her.

That must be why she seemed so isolated from her surroundings, even though she didn't appear to care.

…But when I think back to dinner last night, maybe that's not entirely true.

With everything ready, Yoo Ha-neul took a small breath.

Honestly, she was a bit nervous.

She had done this kind of thing with friends in middle school, but there were still so many things she hadn't done with Ye Sara.

She had no idea how she would react.

But still.

You never know until you try.

Yoo Ha-neul poked Ye Sara's side with her finger.

"Ah!"

Ye Sara, who always made a cute sound when startled, was no exception this time.

It might be a little mean to say, but Yoo Ha-neul had always imagined Ye Sara as the type who would just turn her head calmly and ask, "What?" if someone poked her side.

Of course, her reaction was completely opposite to that image, making it all the more adorable.

Someone nearby inhaled sharply, though no one openly reacted.

"What—"

Seizing the moment when Ye Sara, startled by the poke, turned toward her with a disgruntled expression,

Yoo Ha-neul quickly popped the chocolate she had been holding into Ye Sara's mouth.

It wasn't that big.

Even though Ye Sara didn't have a particularly large mouth, the chocolate went in without any resistance.

…Oh, my fingers touched her lips.

Yoo Ha-neul quickly pulled her hand away, but the soft sensation lingered.

"..."

Ye Sara blinked her eyes wide and stared at Yoo Ha-neul.

Yoo Ha-neul felt her face flush.

Should she try to explain herself?

Ye Sara chewed the chocolate for a moment, then swallowed it.

She glanced at the bag of chocolates Yoo Ha-neul had placed on the desk.

"Want another one?"

Trying to erase the awkwardness, Yoo Ha-neul quickly asked.

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I bought it so we could share."

It wasn't fancy chocolate, just something from a convenience store, but sweet things were universally loved.

Without hesitation, Ye Sara took another chocolate.

Her wrist looked particularly thin as she reached for the chocolate.

Even during lunch yesterday and dinner last night, Ye Sara had eaten barely half of what Yoo Ha-neul ate.

In general, to maintain a healthy body, you need to exercise, and to exercise, you need basic stamina.

Seeing how she got exhausted after just one lap, it was clear she needed to build up her stamina.

And the best way to do that was to make her eat more.

If she couldn't eat a lot at once, maybe she could eat small portions consistently.

And preferably, something high in calories that she enjoyed.

"…Why are you staring at me like that?"

Ye Sara, chewing her second piece of chocolate, narrowed her eyes.

Her wary expression showed that she didn't trust Yoo Ha-neul's intense gaze.

Normally, she was the epitome of an ice princess, but sometimes she had an oddly small-animal-like quality.

"Nothing, you just look good while eating."

"..."

Despite Yoo Ha-neul's response, Ye Sara's wariness didn't disappear right away.

Though she did eat two more chocolates.