Chapter 408: Together, Even to Hell
"What should I do?"
"No, wait a minute."
I broke out in a cold sweat again trying to stop Jang Chae-yeon.
It was only after I finished my explanation that Jang Chae-yeon looked at me with a pout.
"...Did you lie to me?"
"No, it's not that I lied."
"Then why did you ask that?"
"Song A-rin told me to ask."
"You asked her the same question as me?"
"Yes."
"Then that's fine."
"Should I ask Yu Daon too?"
"Yeah."
How is it that even the way they think is the same?
I had that thought as I looked at Jang Chae-yeon, and she met my gaze.
"You didn't need to test me. I've always felt the same way about you."
"...It wasn't really a test."
"I see."
She nodded calmly. Honestly, how should I describe her? Calm yet passionate? That's the only way it can be expressed.
"Anyway..."
I trailed off and looked at Jang Chae-yeon, and she looked back at me.
"Let me explain why I ended up contacting you, Chae-yeon."
I began to explain slowly to Jang Chae-yeon.
Unlike Song A-rin, I figured Jang Chae-yeon wouldn't know much about this kind of situation.
What Jang Chae-yeon and the others said to me, what I thought after hearing those words, and how that led me to make this choice.
"..."
After listening to my explanation, Jang Chae-yeon looked at me.
"I..." she began slowly.
"I'm worried about you."
"Huh?"
That was an unexpected thing to say.
As I looked at her, seemingly dumbfounded, she slowly opened her mouth again.
"Sometimes I get the feeling that you're being chased by something."
"..."
Am I?
As I tilted my head, Jang Chae-yeon continued.
"You always say you want to rest, but when a situation calls for it, you always jump in."
"Because it's necessary."
"Exactly."
She said in a calm voice.
"You have no real reason to be so good to me, or to Yu Daon, or to Song A-rin."
"..."
"But you are."
If she puts it like that, I have nothing to say.
Why have I been good to the three of them?
Honestly, I don't think I've only been good to just them.
"Of course, you're not just good to us."
As if reading my mind, Jang Chae-yeon spoke slowly.
"But still."
"..."
"Sometimes you seem too busy."
"I see."
"So please, think slowly."
"Huh?"
Jang Chae-yeon turned her gaze to the distant view from the observatory.
She was looking far away.
"Like I said last time, I'm not saying this because I expect an answer from you."
"..."
"So you don't have to answer. I just wanted to convey my feelings to you."
"...You know I'm not the type to just wait without giving an answer to something like that."
I sighed as I replied, and hearing my words, she smiled softly.
"But I also know you're not the kind of person who would just be nice and leave me hanging, or torment me."
"..."
Why is it that whenever the conversation goes in this direction, I can never win against Jang Chae-yeon?
I sighed again and looked away.
"Well, if that's the case, I have no choice."
"Yeah. I'll wait."
Then Jang Chae-yeon moved closer to me.
Every time our bodies swayed slightly, her arm brushed against mine, creating a strange sensation.
"Uh, Chae-yeon. Um... aren't you a bit too close?"
"Is that so?"
As if playing innocent, she smiled and looked at me.
"I still think it's far."
"Where did you learn only the bad things..."
"I did have a pretty good teacher."
She laughed softly.
"Thanks to you, I learned a lot."
"...What else did the Observer teach you?"
"Want to know?"
"No."
I don't want to know. To be precise, I have a feeling it would only be things that would make me so embarrassed I wouldn't be able to show my face.
Thinking that, I looked at Jang Chae-yeon, and she looked back at me with a pleased smile.
"When I first saw you."
"...Yes."
"You were such a pain."
"You set the mood so seriously, I was a little intimidated, but this is just embarrassing."
"It wasn't a good first meeting, was it?"
"That's true. But didn't you also try to twist Yu Daon's neck?"
"I... probably didn't twist it."
"Did you?"
"I'll ask her later."
"Please don't."
After joking with Jang Chae-yeon like that, she continued.
"Anyway, after being together for a long time..."
"...Yes."
"Do you remember?"
"..."
I closed my mouth, and she chuckled.
"It was fun, though."
"No, if anyone hears that, they'll think I did something bad."
"People don't usually say bad things are fun. Maybe embarrassing things, but not bad."
She laughed, and I just looked away, saying nothing.
I should just clear my throat or something.
"I'm not very good with words, so I might not be good at this kind of thing."
"Chae-yeon, you're overflowing with skill with words."
Otherwise, I wouldn't be in such a fix.
I looked at her with that feeling, and she looked back at me and shrugged her shoulders.
"I think I'm better at speaking with my body than with words."
"Chae-yeon!"
"Okay, sorry."
When I scolded her, she grinned.
"First of all."
Now, the very act of Jang Chae-yeon speaking is scary. Thinking that, I looked at her, and she smiled softly and opened her mouth.
"There's... um, one thing I can tell you."
"Yes?"
"No matter who you choose, I intend to accept the result gratefully."
She spoke without erasing her smile.
"Ah, well, thank y-"
"Even if."
She cut me off and continued.
"Even if it goes against social norms a little."
"..."
This is scary, really.
I thought that as I looked at Jang Chae-yeon, but she just looked back at me with a calm face.
And so, our day came to an end.
*
This time, too, it was my role to take her home.
To be precise, Jang Chae-yeon insisted she was fine and refused, but I pushed and ended up taking her home.
"Honestly, even if we were attacked by a suspicious person, I think I'd be better at protecting you."
She said calmly, and while I agreed internally, I didn't say it out loud.
"Well, if I shoot them with a gun, I'll catch them, right?"
"You carry a gun?"
"No."
"Yeah, if you get caught with that, it'll be troublesome later. You could face disciplinary action."
She nodded with a serious expression and stopped in front of her house.
"..."
"..."
After sharing a brief look with Jang Chae-yeon, she grinned at me.
"I had fun."
"Me too."
"Could we do this often from now on?"
"I'll take that under positive consideration."
"Sounds like a no."
"Not at all."
We looked at each other and shared a laugh, then she looked at me.
"Close your eyes for a second."
"Huh?"
"Quickly."
"Ah, okay."
Is she going to give me a present or something?
Or maybe something a bit unset-
A citrus scent suddenly rushed towards me,
- mwah.
Along with a sound I was hearing for the first time, a soft touch landed on and then left my cheek.
I hurriedly opened my eyes. There was Jang Chae-yeon, her face red, looking at me from a distance close enough to feel her breath.
"...I thought you might not like it if I did it on the lips, and I thought the others might say something."
She muttered shyly and quickly walked towards her house.
"..."
I touched my cheek and fell into thought, no. Honestly, I couldn't think of anything.
After Jang Chae-yeon disappeared, smelling the citrus scent, I just blankly fiddled with my cheek for several minutes.
*
The next day.
"..."
Wondering what awaited me today, I took a step forward, and
"Here."
This time, Eileen was waiting for me at the door.
With a face full of displeasure.
"Uh, Eileen?"
"Tomorrow, it's my turn."
Ignoring what I said, she held out an amusement park ticket.
"You still have one left, right?"
"...Is someone setting this up?"
Like, is the Management Bureau orchestrating this on some level?
As if reading my expression, Eileen let out a sigh as if she couldn't believe it and looked at me.
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"It's because you've lived too well normally."
"...Uh..."
"Your Team Leader has been going around asking people to gather nice things for you."
Ah, Team Leader.
I'm grateful, but I don't think you needed to go this far...
Thinking that, I accepted what Eileen handed me.
"...It's an amusement park ticket."
"Yeah."
She muttered, seeming displeased, and took a large step away.
"...Have fun."
Well, at least she said goodbye.
Thinking that, I opened the office door,
"..."
"..."
My eyes met with Song A-rin and Jang Chae-yeon.
The two blushed and looked away, then their eyes met each other.
Ah, I don't know.
"Daon."
"Yes?"
"Come out."
"Huh?"
Yu Daon looked at me, tilting her head as if she didn't understand what I was saying.
What? Didn't you explain it to her?
"Come out."
"Uh, um."
"Let's go for a-"
"She's asking you out on a date."
Jang Chae-yeon cut me off and said calmly. Yu Daon's eyes widened.
"A date!"
"Boo, trash!"
And upon hearing that, Park Ye-eun shouted, giving a thumbs-down.
I really want to punch her.
Thinking that, I glared at Park Ye-eun, but Yu Daon had already appeared in front of me, making me momentarily speechless.
"Jae-heon, let's go quickly!"
"Ah, yes."
Then Yu Daon walked ahead happily.
I looked back at the others; they were all talking amongst themselves.
My conscience is stinging.
*
The amusement park still had quite a few people.
Yu Daon's eyes sparkled, and other people glanced at her.
"Wow, this is my first time at this amusement park!"
"It's not your first time, is it?"
"It's my first time at an amusement park I haven't died in!"
"..."
Let's not talk about that.
Thinking that, I walked with Yu Daon.
I looked around, thinking we shouldn't ride any rides just yet-
Come to think of it, I have to ask the question this time too.
"Daon. By any chance-"
"Yes!"
"No, listen to the question first-"
"I like it! I'll do it!"
"No. Wait."
Can't you just listen to the question?
I reached out to stop her and then spoke.
"If I were to ask you to quit the Management Bureau, would you quit?"
"...?"
Yu Daon stared at me blankly, then tilted her head.
"Jae-heon."
"Yes?"
"Of course."
She smiled softly.
"Even if you asked me to go to the hospital with you, I'd go."
"..."
What am I supposed to say to that?