Chapter 6. Why Does He Accept It So Naturally Again?

Chaea had a dream.

Or perhaps it was a memory that surfaced while she slept.

— “I’m sorry, Hyunwoo.”

Was it during kindergarten? Or elementary school?

She couldn’t recall exactly.

The only thing she was sure of was that both she and Hyunwoo were very small.

Chaea, who used to run around recklessly like a little troublemaker, always ended up with scrapes and bruises.

— “Hurry up and kneel down.”

Hyunwoo would always follow her around, applying ointment and covering her wounds with bandages.

Still, she had some conscience.

— “I’ll be more careful next time…”

She always apologized to Hyunwoo.

Then, one day, he said something different.

— “Stop saying sorry.”

— “Huh?”

— “Either stop doing things that make you sorry or…”

— “…?”

That day, she had gotten a particularly big wound.

While slathering ointment onto it, Hyunwoo gave her a firm reminder.

— “From now on, instead of saying sorry, say thank you.”

— “…Huh?”

— “It sounds much better, both for the one saying it and the one hearing it.”

A sentiment both indifferent and considerate at the same time.

Back then, she didn’t have the ability to articulate such feelings into words.

— “Thank you, Hyunwoo.”

— “Then stop getting hurt already.”

— “Hehe.”

But at the very least, she understood this:

She wanted to stay with Hyunwoo forever.

— “Hyunwoo, then when we grow up, let’s—”

Thud.

The dream—or memory—ended there.

“…Wake up already.”

Shake, shake.

“Yoo Chaea!”

“…Huh?”

Hyunwoo was shaking her body to wake her up.

“Today’s a school day. Did you forget we were supposed to wake up early?”

“Mm… Right.”

Chaea rubbed her sleepy eyes and released her grip from Hyunwoo’s arm, which she had been clutching tightly.

‘I felt like I was about to remember something.’

Holding her head, she slowly sat up.

If only she had stayed asleep a little longer, she might have remembered something…

But the moment she fully woke up, everything disappeared like foam.

“You okay? Does your head hurt?”

“No, it’s fine. Thanks.”

“…For what?”

“For not leaving me and waking me up.”

“That’s obvious. Besides, you were the one clinging to my arm.”

Flick.

“Ow.”

Hyunwoo flicked her forehead lightly before pulling the blanket off her.

“If you’re thankful, hurry up and get ready. You need to wash up and eat before we go.”

“Got it.”

The school wasn’t far, but…

Chaea was still in a cast.

Considering her slowed walking pace, they needed to leave early.

Even getting ready required Hyunwoo’s help.

“Turn around.”

He helped dry her hair, and—

“Why won’t this button fasten? You should’ve bought a bigger shirt.”

“It’s only tight around the chest.”

—He even buttoned up her shirt.

‘I wouldn’t mind if he just touched me normally, though.’

Hyunwoo carefully avoided touching her as he fastened the buttons.

He acted like it was nothing, but…

There was no way to hide how red his face had become.

“…Sorry it’s too big.”

“…”

“But isn’t it better than nothing?”

“Just be quiet. Please.”

“Hehe.”

Chaea couldn’t hold back her laughter.

When she first woke up after the accident, she had been completely overwhelmed.

Her body moved, but it didn’t feel like her own.

That terrifying sensation was something only those who had experienced it could understand.

But when she was with Hyunwoo, that fear vanished like it had been washed away.

He was the only person she remembered.

A childhood friend with faint but tangible memories.

Whenever she felt like she was sinking into darkness, Hyunwoo was the light that illuminated her world.

“All done. Let’s go.”

Hyunwoo, who had been sweating just from buttoning her shirt, wiped his forehead.

“Thanks.”

Hug.

Chaea suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

“Hey… We have to go.”

“Just for a moment.”

The moment she felt the warmth of his embrace, she felt the safest.

Thump, thump.

When they held each other close, their heartbeats synchronized.

The comforting pressure of their closeness melted away her fears.

“…We really have to go now.”

“Okay.”

Reluctantly, Chaea let go.

She wanted to stay in his warm arms forever, but…

Reality wouldn’t allow it.

Beep, beep.

“Huu…”

Stepping outside, she took a deep breath.

Aside from short walks or trips to the market, she hadn’t really gone out since the accident.

Moving around with a cast wasn’t exactly convenient.

But she had to go to school today—there was no other choice.

She thought she’d be fine as long as Hyunwoo was with her, but—

“If it gets too hard, tell me. We’ll go back home.”

“…Huh?”

“You look really uncomfortable right now.”

“…Oh.”

She hadn’t noticed.

The moment she stepped out of Hyunwoo’s house, the ordinary street looked… terrifying.

‘How did he know?’

She had tried her best to hide it.

But with Hyunwoo, she could never keep anything a secret.

“This won’t do. I’ll call the teacher—”

“No.”

Chaea firmly grabbed his arm, stopping him.

The fear of stepping into an unfamiliar space surged within her, but…

“I’ll keep feeling like this no matter what, unless you’re with me.”

That would be the same whether she was at school or alone at home.

Ultimately, what mattered was whether Hyunwoo was there or not.

“I’ll be fine. As long as you’re here, I’ll be fine. So…”

Slide.

Her fingers, which had been gripping his sleeve, slid down…

And interlaced with his.

“Just hold my hand.”

Honestly, hugging him would have been even more reassuring.

But they couldn’t exactly walk around school like that.

So this was the next best thing.

A way to reassure herself that Hyunwoo was right beside her.

‘What if this makes him uncomfortable?’

Despite not being able to take a single step without holding onto him…

She still worried about it.

‘It’s fine, right? We’re just childhood friends.’

It was a thought rooted in a blurry yet vivid memory.

— “We’re not dating.”

Hyunwoo had always been straightforward.

For some reason, every time other kids teased them about being a couple, he would seriously deny it.

‘He’s just taking care of me because we’re childhood friends. I shouldn’t cross the line.’

Throughout their time living together, Chaea constantly reminded herself.

She couldn’t risk ruining this relationship.

As long as they remained ‘childhood friends,’ they could stay together.

But now, she realized she had slipped.

Holding hands like this… was definitely something couples did.

What if he didn’t like it?

“…Alright. Let’s go like this.”

Hyunwoo simply started walking toward school, hand in hand.

Even though he hated being mistaken for a couple—

“If you feel any pain, tell me. We’ll head back right away.”

—he was still worrying about her.

“Mm. Thanks.”

Squeeze.

Chaea tightened her grip on his hand.

They continued walking at a steady pace.

With her cast slowing her down, they couldn’t rush.

As they neared the school gates—

“Yoo Chaea, Do Hyunwoo! Wait up!”

A girl ran up to them.

Her cheerful greeting quickly turned into alarm.

“?! What happened to you? You’re hurt!”

She had noticed the casts on Chaea’s arm and ankle.

“…??”

Chaea turned around, a question mark forming in her mind.

‘A… friend? I think?’

A brown-haired girl with a ponytail—

Her face looked familiar, but…

Chaea couldn’t remember her name at all.

“Before, Chaea had an accident, and now, no one else remembers anything except me.”

“…Are you messing with me right now?”

Of course, it was hard to believe that fact as it was.

“Amnesia? Chaea got something like that?”

“01.”

“And you’re the only one who remembers?”

“Yeah.”

“So, what’s this about now?”

“I’m telling you, it’s real. She doesn’t even remember her parents.”

“…Really?”

At first, Eunbi had been chuckling, but by now, her expression had turned serious.

“It’s real. Why would I lie about something like this?”

“Well, but…”

“Sorry, I’ll explain on the way. I think we’ll be late if we keep talking.”

“Uh, uh.”

Eunbi nodded absent-mindedly and slowed down to match Chaea’s pace.

In the meantime, Hyunwoo began explaining what had happened to Chaea in detail.

“It happened a week ago…”

Of course, he left out the fact that he was planning to confess.

“Is that possible…?”

After hearing the full story, Eunbi mumbled to herself as she followed behind.

Meanwhile, Chaea was thinking to herself.

‘Come to think of it, why was I even there?’

She had only heard the situation from the time of the accident.

She hadn’t heard why she had been there in the first place.

Listening to Hyunwoo’s words, it seemed like she was supposed to go to the playground?

• We must, later…

A certain scene seemed to come to mind, but…

“Ugh…!”

It felt like an electric shock, and her head buzzed.

“Are you okay, Yoo chaea?”

“Are you alright?”

Hyunwoo and Eunbi looked at Chaea, who had suddenly stopped, with concern.

“It’s just… a bit of a headache.”

“Let’s go to the hospital. I’ll carry you.”

As soon as she said she was in pain, Hyunwoo knelt down and turned his back.

Up until this point, she thought it was understandable. After all, Hyunwoo had always been attentive and considerate.

“No, isn’t it better to go to the health office first? We’re almost at school.”

But then, Eunbi, her friend, surprised her.

“Are you seriously going to run to the ER? Why not just borrow the health teacher’s car?”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re so smart, Eunbi.”

Eunbi had come up with a rather practical suggestion.

As Hyunwoo hesitated and was about to accept it,

“Wait a second. I’m fine.”

Chaea subconsciously pulled Hyunwoo’s arm.

“I was in pain for a bit. I’m fine now, so we can keep going.”

“You really were in pain, though.”

“Hyunwoo’s right. It hasn’t even been long since the accident.”

Hyunwoo and Eunbi were working together to somehow get Chaea to the hospital, but…

“Hugging like this, it’ll all be fine.”

Chaea pulled Hyunwoo into an embrace, burying her face in his chest.

“….”

Hyunwoo froze, startled, and Eunbi watched in shock, her mouth agape.

Even though Chaea was bold, she wasn’t the type to show this kind of skinship outside, especially not with Hyunwoo.

‘What’s going on? Did she get more forward after losing her memory? …Wait, then is Hyunwoo kind of trashy?’

Eunbi’s eyes were narrowing with increasing suspicion.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure it’s not what you think.”

Hyunwoo shook his head, trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

Of course, his explanation didn’t matter.

Chaea was just seeking comfort in Hyunwoo’s arms.

“Sss… Ha…”

To others, it only looked like they were exchanging a passionate hug in front of the school gates.

“Oh my. What are they doing?”

“Wait, isn’t that Hyunwoo and Yoo chaea?”

Chaea, being a popular student at school, couldn’t go unnoticed by anyone.

In the end, Hyunwoo was the one who ended up feeling embarrassed.

“Hey, hey. What’s going on? Quietly pass by, geez!”

Eunbi waved her arms to shoo away the students who were gossiping.

“…Thanks.”

“If you know, hurry up and figure out what’s going on with Chae-ah. What happened that made her like this?”

“I swear, I didn’t do anything.”

While Hyunwoo was feeling wronged,

Chaea slipped out of his arms.

“Recharge is over. I’m really fine now, let’s go.”

“What?”

Seeing her say such cheeky things, Hyunwoo let out a wry laugh.

“Couldn’t you have finished before the others showed up?”

“The charging speed was too slow.”

“Alright, is it really okay now? If you’re not, I’ll carry you to the hospital without a second thought.”

“Yeah. It’s really fine.”

Feeling like they might really be late, Hyunwoo grabbed Chaea’s hand again and they slowly passed through the school gates.

Meanwhile, Eunbi, who had just been shooing away students, blinked her large eyes.

‘What’s going on? What’s up with Hyunwoo? Why is he so natural about accepting this? Aren’t they just friends?’

Even though they were best friends, the sight of Chaea acting way too forward and Hyunwoo accepting it so easily was difficult for her to process.