Chapter 374 (1/2)

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Once the van pulled over to the side of the road, I got off and shouted, “Yeo Dan oppa is outside!”

“Ah, really? Good night then.”

“Yeah, see you, tomorrow guys.”

“See ya!”

Leaving their farewells behind, I stepped down from the car. As soon as I shut the door, I ran toward the opposite direction where the car just passed by. A big human figure suddenly appeared at the end of the street shortly after my run.

“Oppa!”

He could have called my name, ‘Donnie,’ in a sweet voice as he usually did; however, he just moved his steps toward my side with a slight grimace. He asked, “Where’s your phone?”

“Um… sorry, it was all my fault. I kept it in a silent mode.”

Replying politely even with using honorifics, I gently smiled and put my hands attached in front of my face as a gesture to say sorry.

“Please forgive me…”

Uttering a short apology, I just rolled my eyes while looking for his mercy. Soon after, Yeo Dan oppa heaved a sigh and raised his hand to take off the scarves on his neck. He then began to wrap it around my neck.

Eh? I insisted, “I’m fine. You know I’m not that sensitive to cold.”

“What if you catch a cold when you have to keep studying?”

“Come on, you’re turning into a senior…”

Speaking that way, I suddenly realized something. Just because the college entrance exam was coming soon, it didn’t always mean that those who had it upcoming should study hard. Yeo Dan oppa would probably continue the same life even if he became a senior. All he did was taking classes in school; however, he always got the highest scores in the nation. Thus, his life wouldn’t change in his new grade.

Although he started to go to the library with his friends, he wasn’t there to study. It was because he had nothing to do while I was in cram school.

I carefully touched the scarf that he wrapped it around my neck just now. ‘Cooking skills and dexterity are utterly separate.’ Having that rude thought in my mind, I soon put my hand down and grabbed his hand.

The street glistened like silver since the snow piled up a few days ago didn’t melt yet. We began to walk on the gleaming road side by side.

According to the Lunar calendar, it was the last day of the year.

* * *

Unlike Yoon Jung In or Lee Mina, I didn’t have to ask yeo Dan oppa about his holiday schedules. We had been next-door neighbors for such a long time; we knew everything about each other’s relatives, their occupations, and even the latest family events.

Sometimes, Yeo Dan oppa’s family seemed like ours; thus, I could get the insight of our ancestors, saying, ‘A neighbor close by is better than a brother far away.’

All I asked him was that if his studying went well today. I also told him that I had the same day as usual then carefully flung another question.

“How were your friends in the library? Didn’t they make a fuss today?”

“…”

As soon as I dropped that question, his face stiffened fiercely. I grasped that his friends had gone through something again. Geez, weren’t his friends the only hardships of Yeo Dan oppa’s life that he had to deal with…? Thinking that way, I tried to pat him on his back, but suddenly his lips opened.

“Today was fine.”

“Oh, really?”

“Because…” Fastening his gaze at the street for a moment, Yeo Dan oppa added quietly, “I had something else today…”

“Eh? What happened?”

Being hesitant for a second, he replied, “… Don’t get mad.”

“Why would I get mad?” I asked him a question; however, his following words made me turn stiff. ‘Ah, so that’s why he told me not to get mad.’

“Someone confessed her feelings… very loudly…”

Though he omitted the subject in his sentence, I could tell who she was aiming at. I would, of course, not become angry upon someone confessing a crush on his friends, would I?

A moment of silence hung between us. Still walking along with his hand holding mine, Yeo Dan oppa was just reading my countenance.

Shortly after, I loosened up the strained look on my face and said, “I thought it was time.”

“Time?”