I Told Her I Liked Her… And It Became My Biggest Regret

After successfully getting her to stay, we went back into the store together.

Since the convenience store sold things like boxed lunches and bread, there were also tables and chairs for customers to take a short break, eat, or read magazines.

After gesturing for her to sit there for a moment, I grabbed two cans of coffee from the cooler and returned to her side.

It was already the early hours of the morning by now, and there were almost no customers, so there was no need to stand behind the register.

I handed her a can of coffee as I spoke.

“Uh… sorry about this, I only have these canned coffees…”

“It’s fine, thank you for the coffee.”

Even her smile was incredibly beautiful.

Maybe it was just love being blind, but because my first impression of her was so perfect, every action and every expression she made gave me a feeling of pure, refreshing comfort.

Perhaps this was what being a simp felt like.

“Um, is it okay not to be watching the store?”

“It’s fine, hardly anyone comes in at this hour anyway.”

“I see… Ah, here, please have a seat.”

The white-haired beauty shifted over a bit, making space beside her.

Uh, did she want me to sit next to her?

I was originally planning to sit across from her… but why play the gentleman when there’s a chance to get closer?

Don’t mind if I do!

I sat down right beside her, leaving only half a person’s width between us.

My heart was already racing from excitement, and now, being this close, I was having trouble breathing, and my brain felt starved of oxygen…

I tried to calm myself with deep breaths. Inhale… Exhale…

Ah… she smells so nice…

…Isn’t this just being a pervert?!

“Um…”

Hearing her voice, I immediately straightened my back and responded loudly.

“Yes!”

Ugh, ‘yes’ what.

I sounded like a soldier being called on by a drill sergeant. So lame…

—— You’re way too innocent, lol ——

It felt like I could see bullet comments mocking me again. This was my own unique way of regulating my mood—the power of my vivid imagination.

If I stayed this stiff, there was no way I could have a proper conversation, and I’d miss my chance.

She was already looking at me with a puzzled expression.

I raised my palm, a wry smile on my lips, and explained.

“Ahem, sorry, I’m a bit nervous… I haven’t talked to a beautiful woman like you in a long time.”

“Beautiful woman, you say…” She didn’t blush shyly, just gave a modest smile and said, “Thank you.”

“Not at all…”

I was a bit disappointed she didn’t get flustered. And what was with this polite small talk?

Was I on a blind date?

“Besides, I’m the one who should be sorry. I said something strange and made you worry.”

She turned her face towards me, nodded apologetically, and continued.

“I thought I should explain. The rope I was looking for wasn’t for suicide.”

“Ah…”

She’d seen right through me.

So that’s why she responded to my stupid pickup line.

She saw that I was worried she might harm herself, so she stayed to clear things up.

“If I wanted to kill myself, I wouldn’t necessarily need ‘rope,’ would I?”

True. If someone really wanted to die, they wouldn’t be fixated on ‘hanging’ as the only option.

In fact, if there was no rope around, they’d probably just rule out hanging altogether.

I was too anxious, I wasn’t thinking straight… I’d overlooked such a simple logical point.

It really was because she was so beautiful that I couldn’t think calmly.

“Then what did you need the rope for?”

“Actually, the rope I wanted wasn’t thick; a thin string would do. It’s for tying up my hair.”

“Tying your hair? Ah, you mean a hair tie?”

So that’s the kind of rope she meant. I was really overthinking it…

“We don’t have string, but we do sell hair elastics and clips. Would those work?”

“No, it’s for tying my hair, but it’s also for something else… Ah, what am I saying… How should I put this…”

Realizing she’d contradicted herself, the white-haired beauty gave a wry smile, shook her head, and thought about how to explain.

But I understood.

Not to brag, but I’m a native Chinese speaker; my reading comprehension is top-tier.

Back in high school, when everyone else was clueless on the reading comprehension section, I could write pages and pages.

As for the score… well, that’s not important!

What mattered was that I could write it!

“You mean, after tying your hair up, you need a length left over to use for something else.”

That’s why something short like a hair tie wouldn’t work; she needed a longer string.

Hearing my words, her confused expression cleared into a relieved smile, and she nodded.

“Ah, yes. It’s amazing you understood from just that.”

“You don’t need to be so formal. I’m just a regular convenience store clerk… My name is Ming Qi. Ming as in ‘sun and moon,’ Qi as in ‘big’ and ‘strange.’ We seem to be about the same age.”

Good. Prioritizing self-introduction, giving her a friendly impression.

“Alright, Ming Qi-san… may I call you that?”

“Of course!”

Though I gave her a thumbs up, I was a little disappointed inside.

Still using the honorific ‘san’… it felt a bit distant…

But it showed she had good manners; her upbringing was probably good. Her style also had a sort of classy vibe to it.

“Yes, as you said. Actually, I want to tie up the ends of my hair and fix them higher up, to make it easier to dye.”

“Huh? Dye your hair?”

Was she going to dye that magnificent white hair black?

“Yes. It’s hard to dye it evenly by yourself, it might end up patchy. And if I keep my head down, I can’t reach the ends. The biggest problem is my arms get unbearably sore.”

As she spoke, she turned her head and pulled her hair forward to show me.

“See, my hair is very long…”

Her hair was indeed very long—the kind that reached her waist.

“I was actually thinking about cutting it short; that would make dyeing it simpler… but my family won’t allow it…”

“Traditional beliefs…”

I’d heard of that. Long hair reaching the waist shouldn’t be cut because ‘waist’ sounds like ‘early death’ in some contexts, and cutting it might bring bad luck.

There’s also a saying that hair accumulates spiritual energy over time, so it shouldn’t be cut casually…

Well, I don’t believe any of that for a second. I believe in science.

“But if you want to dye it, why not go to a salon?”

Doing it yourself is definitely troublesome, especially with hair this long. Doing it alone would be a huge hassle.

No wonder she came to buy rope. To hang the ends up while dyeing? That could work…

But the mental image was too vivid; I didn’t dare think about it.

“Well… you see, my hair is this color…”

She gathered her hair in her hand, a wry smile on her lips.

So this hair color wasn’t by choice. Could it be natural white?

I’d heard of hereditary white hair. I had a buddy like that, but he just had a lot of white strands.

A full head of white like this was a first for me.

“Actually… it only became like this recently…”

She seemed hesitant to continue, and I didn’t press.

We had only just met. I didn’t even know her name.

“It’s hard to go out during the day with this hair color. My family doesn’t want me to go out looking like this, so I can only come out at night when no one’s around to look for things I can use to dye it myself…”

Hard to go out during the day.

It wasn’t just about image or lacking confidence.

She mentioned her family again. Earlier she said they wouldn’t let her cut her waist-length hair.

It seemed her hair wasn’t originally this color. Something must have happened to make all that long hair turn white.

A family with deeply ingrained traditional views would definitely see this as an ill omen.

Otherwise, stories like The Bride with White Hair wouldn’t exist, or get adapted into TV dramas.

Plus, her family might even be shunning her now.

Otherwise, why would she be trying to dye it herself? If someone could help her, she wouldn’t need to come out looking for rope like this.

I felt a bit angry.

They were family, yet they were creating a rift over something so trivial.

“But coming out at night doesn’t seem great either. People might mistake me for a ghost or something… hehe…”

Maybe realizing she’d said something heavy, she tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

“I didn’t scare you, did I, Ming Qi-san?”

“I was scared.”

She hadn’t expected that answer. She paused, a little flustered.

“Ah, I’m sorry, I…”

Just as she was about to bow her head in apology, I placed my hand on her shoulder.

“No need to apologize.”

“Huh? But…”

“I was scared by your beauty.”

“Ah…”

She paused again, becoming even more flustered. With my hand on her shoulder, she couldn’t turn away.

She could only lower her head slightly, hiding her face behind her bangs, not daring to look at me.

This time, she really blushed.

Ah! So cute! Aaaah! Super cute!

Her body was so provocative, yet her expression was this adorable. It’s cheating!

Normally, this would be the time to press my advantage, to say something like “I’m not lying, I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you since the day I was born” to continue the flirtation.

But I thought better of it.

I don’t have the face of a handsome guy. Saying lines that only work for an attractive guy would backfire horribly.

Still… there was one thing I had to say.

“I don’t think you need to dye it.”

“Huh?”

I patted her shoulder, pulled my hand back, and casually popped the tab on my canned coffee.

“White hair really suits you.”

“But people might still think this white hair looks awful…”

“Why does it matter what those people think?”

“Huh?”

She looked dumbfounded, like she completely didn’t understand what I was saying.

It seemed her family’s upbringing had ingrained certain beliefs… she was trapped.

I took a sip of coffee to wet my throat, then pointed at her.

“Why do you need approval from people who never approved of you in the first place?”

“That’s…”

She looked like she wanted to answer, but even she didn’t know if her answer would count.

She was confused, probably starting to doubt the beliefs she’d held for so long.

So I poured fuel on the fire, continuing.

“People can think whatever they want. I’m not going to try to change anyone’s beliefs, and I don’t expect approval from people who already disapprove of me… I don’t need it.”

I don’t need it.

I finished my coffee in one go, put the empty can on the table, and tapped the unopened can in her hand with my finger.

“I’ve just told you I think white hair suits you… What do you think?”

“I…”

For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Maybe her mind was in turmoil.

Because no one had ever said anything like that to her before.

I was the first.

The bastard who just crumpled up her worldview and tossed it in the trash.

Saying “I’m not trying to change anyone’s beliefs” while doing exactly that.

Men’s words are full of lies.

“I don’t know…”

Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion.

This reaction was within my expectations.

That’s when I spoke.

“Even if everyone else finds it scary, I won’t be afraid of you.”

“Ming Qi-san…”

I naturally broke into a smile and said—

—

And then I said the words I shouldn’t have said.

Looking back…

That might be the only thing in my life I truly regret…

How ridiculous, to say something like that without even knowing her name.

So arrogant.

If I hadn’t said those words…

Heh, but there’s no such thing as ‘if only’…

And even if there were…

I think I’d still say it anyway.

—

“I like you.”