Chapter 16: Promises and Photos

[7:39 PM] [Lee Hyun-a, did you get home okay?]

[7:39 PM] Yes.

[7:40 PM] Today was really fun!

[7:40 PM] [Haha, it was for you too ^^]

[7:40 PM] [Let’s hang out again next time~]

[7:41 PM] Next time, I’ll definitely treat you.

[7:41 PM] [Aww, that’s touching! But it’s okay; you have plenty of money~]

[7:42 PM] [A photo has been sent.]

[7:42 PM] Oh!

[7:42 PM] [Here’s the one we took together today~ I have to show it to my siblings! Look at how pretty my little sister is~ Haha]

[7:43 PM] Yes, haha. Good night! Haha.

Haha…

Haha…

Hmm…

That’s a bit embarrassing.

On the screen was a photo of me eating ice cream, awkwardly looking at the camera.

• Alright, Lee Hyun-a. Say “Kimchi~!”

· Click

Feeling a bit shy, I asked her to delete it, but Song Chae-hyun insisted it looked great.

It really did look good.

How could it come out so well, even in such an unexpected shot?

• … Please send it to me later.

So in the end, I couldn’t bring myself to ask her to delete it.

…

Let’s save it for now.

Next, I checked the time.

It was getting close to night.

[7:47 PM]

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath.

This time, I didn’t forget.

If I had forgotten again, I might have actually filed a complaint.

I found ‘Yoo Ji-eun’ in my contacts and dialed her number.

I could hear the dialing tone.

Dialing tone.

Dialing tone.

Just three more rings, and then I’d hang up.

Dialing tone.

Dialing tone.

Dialing…

[“Hello?”]

I jumped slightly.

Honestly, I was hoping she wouldn’t pick up.

[“Oh? Can’t you hear me? Hello~”]

“Ah, um, I can hear you. You can hear me, right?”

[“Ah, yes.”]

A brief silence.

[“Did you have fun?”]

“Excuse me?”

[“You said you hung out all day today. Did you have fun?”]

“Ah, yes. Hehe…”

[“Hmm… Then, tell me everything you did today.”]

“Again today? I just hung out…”

[“There can’t be any exceptions.”]

“Okay…”

I sighed quietly to myself before recounting my day, folding down my fingers one by one as I remembered.

“Hmm, we met, went shopping for clothes, had lunch… There was an art museum, so we checked it out… Then we went to the arcade… After that, we went to a batting place, and then had dinner before parting ways.”

[“… Sounds like you had a good time. What did you have for lunch and dinner?”]

“Burgers and mala soup.”

[“Hmm. What was the brand of the clothes?”]

“The brand? Just a moment.”

As I spoke, I pulled out the shirt from my bag.

“Hmm… It’s a brand called ‘Think What?’.”

It was probably an unknown brand.

[“Hmm…”]

I thought I heard a slight chuckle from Yoo Ji-eun after that pause.

“Did you just laugh?”

[“No?”]

What is this? I definitely thought I heard something…

[“Anyway, you need to tell me the details of what happened.”]

“Uh, like what?”

[“Like what happened when you went shopping for clothes, what happened while you were eating hamburgers, etc. Tell me in detail.”]

Even about that?

I hesitated for a moment and said, “The skirt was a little embarrassing, but when I tried it on… Do I really have to say this…?”

[“Yes. Tell me everything.”]

“Umm…”

I felt a bit shy.

But I had to say it.

“When I tried it on… it was, surprisingly pretty, so I liked it.”

[“Hehe, is that so? And then you went to the hamburger place, right?”]

“Yes.”

[“What happened then?”]

“Ah, no?”

I couldn’t tell her that I ended up crying after getting into an argument.

No way.

[……..]

… Why is she silent? It’s making me anxious.

[“You’re lying.”]

“Eek.”

How did she know?

Psychic ability?

Anyway, it’s fine. I can just deny it.

I calmed my startled heart and opened my mouth.

“Uh, no? I’m not lying!”

[“Can I hang up for a moment? I have to make a call.”]

“Uh…? Where to?”

[“To the police station, I have some business—”]

“Ahh! I’ll tell you!”

Cold sweat dripped down.

How on earth does she know I’m lying?

Setting that question aside for now, I honestly explained what happened.

If I hid this once more, it felt like she really would call.

“Uh… After buying the clothes, I was so excited walking around that…”

[“Yes.”]

“Umm… I bumped into someone and then spilled coffee on their clothes…”

[“Oh my.”]

“And then… I got cursed at.”

[“… And then?”]

“So… I was asked to pay for the damages, and it was 400,000 won, so… I cried…”

[“Did you end up paying?”]

“No. At that time, my unnie came and chased them away.”

In the end, my voice got a bit higher.

Song Chae-hyun was so cool.

[“Hmm…”]

Yoo Ji-eun let out a little sigh. She didn’t seem pleased.

[“So, what happened next?”]

“Next—”

I explained what had happened during that time.

I skipped over the trivial details that didn’t really need explanation.

However, each time I did, she seemed to scrutinize my reactions, falling silent for a few seconds every time I spoke.

• Did you skip over something?

Yikes…

If I deliberately left something out, she would catch on immediately.

That was so scary.

“Uh, um… how do you know…?”

[“Ah, haha. you can’t lie.”]

“Really?”

[“When you lie, you say, ‘Ah, this is a secret.’ You can hide your habits, after all. Anyway, that’s why it seems suspicious, and when I ask again, you struggle to answer.”]

“What is that?

Is it really possible to know someone’s lie this easily?

It’s not like she has a person planted in my life.

Or is it that I really can’t lie?

She really only pointed out the times I tried to hide things. It’s not like she was guessing…

…

It’s scary.

As I continued to speak honestly, I reported my daily activities.

[“Hmm, I see. It doesn’t seem like anything strange happened.”]

“Uh, what were you thinking about?”

[“I was worried if Moon Hyun did something bad.”]

“Uh…?”

[“Was there any physical contact?”]

“Wh-why would you ask that…? We’re both girls.”

[“Just tell me.”]

Um… There wasn’t any.

…

But if I said that, she would figure it out right away, and I couldn’t bring my lips to move.

If I said I was petted and hugged, I would seem childish, which I didn’t like…

But it couldn’t be helped.

It’s better than getting scolded.

“Um, my sister petted me… and hugged me.”

[……..]

After a moment of silence,

[“Hmm. In what situation?”]

“Um… When I got into an argument at the clothing store, she hugged me when she saw me crying… And the petting, um…”

I couldn’t quite remember…

“Maybe when she bought me clothes, when we ate ice cream, and after the hamburgers… I think that’s about it.”

[“I see. No other physical contact, then?”]

“No.”

[“… Yes, it doesn’t seem like you’re lying. Good job.”]

“Y-yeah…”

[“Okay, now…”]

“Ah, yes…”

[“Send me the photo you took earlier. I’ll let you off with this selfie.”]

What? Wasn’t the selfie supposed to be a punishment?

I thought to myself as I selected the photo I took with her from my gallery.

It was a photo taken from a bit above, with Song Chae-hyun doing a peace sign while I stood next to her licking my ice cream.

“… But can I crop it before sending…?”

I hesitated a bit about sending it to Yoo Ji-eun. We didn’t have a very good relationship, after all.

The intent behind the photo wasn’t exactly positive either.

[“No? You have to send it as is.”]

“Y-yes…”

Reluctantly, I sent the original.

I’m sorry, Chae-hyun…

“Sent it.”

[“Hmm.”]

[“Your sister is tall, huh?”]

“Yeah? Ah, yeah. She’s about 176 cm.”

[“Hmm……”]

She was silent for a bit before speaking again.

[“But the shirt and skirt go well together. Really.”]

“Ah, thank you. Hehe…”

Even though the compliment was from someone like Yoo Ji-eun, it made me feel a bit good.

To be honest, I was hoping for a compliment when I sent it.

[“Now, finally, please take a selfie.”]

“A selfie…”

“B-but didn’t you say you would let it go with the photo?”

[“Ah, that.”]

Yoo Ji-eun smiled and then said,

[“I changed my mind. Please take a picture of you wearing the shirt and skirt from a distance.”]

“She’s really doing things her own way.”

When I realized the intent behind asking for a selfie, I felt a bit hesitant.

With each picture I send, I’m giving her another one of my weaknesses.

But I have to send it…

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and took the picture.

Actually, I was still wearing the dress and shirt after coming back.

I felt it would be a waste to take them off.

After coming back, I had posed in front of the mirror a bit…

So I could take the picture right away.

However, I wasn’t happy with the photos I was getting.

It seemed like I froze up from the awkwardness.

Why is it that I can strike poses so excitedly by myself, but freeze up in front of the camera?

I stepped back a bit from the mirror, trying to frame my legs in the shot.

—

Click

“… Hmm…”

But I wasn’t really satisfied.

Wouldn’t it be better to send a pretty one if possible?

Is this really my personality?

Thus, I spent over ten minutes taking photos.

And then, I carefully selected the best one.

I held my phone beside my face, made a peace sign with my remaining hand, and slightly crossed my legs.

“Hmm.”

Finally, I was satisfied.

After sending the picture, I called Yoo Ji-eun again.

[“Hello?”]

“I sent it.”

[“Yes, good job. But it took a while, didn’t it?”]

“Ah… I was just picking one.”

[“Hehe, I see. Um…”]

She paused for a moment while speaking.

It made me a little tense.

Even though this isn’t for me, I still hoped for some praise.

… But still,

[“It’s pretty.”]

“Hehe, thank you.”

[“Please wear it again when we meet the day after tomorrow.”]

“Hehe, he…”

?

“Y-yeah?”

[“Why?”]

“Did we ever make such a promise…?”

We’re supposed to meet again?

I don’t know why, but I would have to face the suffocating Yoo Ji-eun again?

Even when we happen to meet at Bell, I dodge her like crazy.

That area is narrow, so we often bump into each other.

I can’t avoid her if we’re on opposing teams, but if we’re on the same side, I dodge her at light speed.

But now she wants to meet in real life?

[“We can make a promise. Besides, it’s raining the day after tomorrow, right?”]

“Ah, ah, hehe… a promise…”

[“Another lie. Am I right?”]

“Ugh…”

And so, I ended up making a one-sided promise with her.