Chapter 33: Crossed Lines
Most of her actions had a reason behind them. While she tended to act first and explain later, her motives usually made sense when she eventually got around to explaining them.
That’s why I figured there must be some kind of reason for her behavior this time too. The moment lunch started, she gestured for me to follow her.
What could she want this time? Did she really need to be so bothersome about it? Various thoughts crossed my mind, but she remained silent.
Unable to bear the frustration, I asked her directly—why had she been pestering me with her tail during class despite my signals for her to stop?
“…There wasn’t a reason?”
“Yep.”
She claimed there was no reason. Just like that. As I was about to protest about how unfair it was for her to bother me without any reason, one word flashed through my mind: test.
Maybe this was some kind of test. It didn’t matter why she wanted to test me—what mattered was that some women thrived on this kind of irritating behavior.
The type that expected you to read their mind perfectly or found satisfaction in watching others try to figure them out. It was an exhausting type, to say the least.
I hadn’t pegged her as the type to play such tiresome games.
Then again, I’d been wrong before—like that sweet, kind older girl who turned out to be an extreme sadist. It was my mistake to judge people too quickly.
Still, she wasn’t the kind of person to act without a reason. At least, that’s how she’d come across to me so far.
If I had done something to upset her, I had no idea what it could be.
It wasn’t as if she knew about the… questionable thoughts I’d entertained. I’d reassured myself that even if I yelled at the top of my lungs, the sound would barely carry next door. Surely, I was safe inside my room.
I hadn’t even considered the possibility that her sharp hearing could pick up the faintest of noises.
So when she’d asked me why I’d called her name that morning, my heart nearly stopped.
If she’d figured out the reason, I was sure she’d cut ties with me immediately.
The thought that I’d ruined everything in a moment of weakness had nearly sent me spiraling.
But as it turned out, Hoyeon was more clueless than I’d given her credit for.
She might understand how the male body worked, but that was clearly the extent of it.
That misunderstanding saved me, but it only made her behavior more puzzling. Was this about something that happened yesterday? Or had she taken offense at some trivial action?
“If I did something you didn’t like, I apologize as a friend,” I said.
“Friend… Ehehe. That’s sweet, but no, really, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
I didn’t expect her to brush it off, even after I’d brought up friendship.
Asking further would only make things worse, so I let it drop.
Still, it didn’t feel like she’d done all that without any reason.
She wasn’t the type to enjoy tormenting others for fun, which made her motives even harder to figure out.
“Um… About earlier, sorry for bothering you during class with my tail. I’m really sorry. As an apology, you can ask me for anything—any favor!” she said.
The way she said it, as if she’d rehearsed it a dozen times, was baffling.
It almost sounded like she was offering me an open-ended promise to do anything I wanted.
If she had scolded me, or even gotten mad, I could have understood. But this? This made no sense. She’d deliberately caused trouble just so she could apologize and offer a favor?
“…Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you doing this?”
I wanted to understand. Why bother creating a situation to apologize for? Why offer to do anything in return?
What was she thinking? I needed to know her reasoning.
“Because I did something wrong…”
“That’s not what I mean. I want to know why you did something wrong in the first place.”
“That’s, um…”
“You said I could ask for anything. So I’m asking this: tell me why.”
“Ugh…”
I realized I might be pushing her too hard, but my curiosity wouldn’t let me stop.
And since she’d already promised I could ask for anything, there shouldn’t be a problem.
“…Can’t you just let it go?”
She was looking up at me because of our height difference. Seeing her like that softened me a little, but I still needed an answer.
I had to know. Why had she done this?
It was unusual for me to feel this way—I knew it wasn’t good to make assumptions about people. But I couldn’t help myself this time.
She was completely unlike anyone I’d ever met.
“No,” I said firmly.
“Well… I thought that maybe if I did this, you’d stick with me more…”
When she finally explained, piecing her words together with effort, it all made sense.
She didn’t like being cooped up in her room doing nothing, but she also didn’t like doing things alone. So, she wanted to spend time with me.
But since she didn’t feel right just asking outright, she’d deliberately created a situation that would lead to her offering me something like an unlimited favor card. That way, I might want to stay by her side.
“You seem lonely too, and it’s not like you’d lose anything. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”
Her tone grew more indignant as she spoke, and I realized I’d need to comfort her. But at least my curiosity was satisfied.
To think she’d make such a ridiculous suggestion for such a silly reason.
“…What if I had asked you for money because I didn’t have any?”
She could have used any excuse, like asking to visit my room every night, or claiming it was something friends do. Even worse, someone else pretending to be her friend could have made those kinds of “requests.”
Honestly, it was a relief that I was her first friend.
“D-Do you… need money?”
Wait, that’s not where I was going with this.
“I-I’ve got plenty of money! So, if you’re short on funds, just let me know. I can give you some anytime.”
Somehow, I’d been turned into a trashy freeloader who extorts money under the guise of friendship.
The problem was, she seemed genuinely earnest about her offer.
Well, it made sense—her status probably meant she had more money than she could ever need. But it wasn’t like I actually wanted her to give me any.
“No, it’s fine. I’m not in such dire straits that I’d need to borrow from someone.”
“No, I insist! We’re friends… So, take it!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, she handed me a bundle of gold coins, leaving me with a hard-to-describe feeling.
Could it be that she’d really lived without any friends until now, and I, her first friend, had become someone she clung to so desperately?
“…Have you ever considered making other friends?” I asked her, a mix of curiosity and pity coloring my voice. I still hadn’t gotten a clear answer last time, so I was genuinely curious.
Her expression said everything. How could you even say that? It was written all over her face, like she was holding back the urge to yell.
I’d just taken her money and, instead of being thankful, was now poking at her most sensitive wound. I felt bad, but I couldn’t help but ask.
Was it really so difficult for her to approach others? With her status, she could easily build a social circle if she wanted. So why didn’t she?
“…Never mind. I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me,” I said.
Her gaze was filled with resentment, and I had the feeling it was too late to fix things.
***
“…Have you ever considered making other friends?”
The moment I heard that, it felt like time froze.
Was this guy seriously asking me that? Him, of all people? Someone who made friends and dated girls as easily as breathing?
It was fine when my parents brought it up. After all, it made sense for parents to worry if their child went through life without any friends.
Mom wasn’t too concerned, but Dad had gone out of his way to introduce me to countless people, trying to help me make friends.
Most of them either ran off scared or treated me with so much deference that no real connection formed.
But for someone as socially capable as him to ask me if I’d ever considered making friends? That was crossing the line. Sure, I hadn’t put in much effort recently, but did he think it was easy?
People either assumed they’d gotten the wrong person and avoided me, or flat-out ran away if I so much as made eye contact. And he had the nerve to ask if I’d ever tried making friends?
Of course I’d tried. I’d attended club meetups and even gone to parties.
But it didn’t work.
How was I supposed to deal with the overwhelming urge to run away every time I faced someone?
Now that I thought about it, I was getting angrier.
I’d apologized earlier and been interrogated in return, and now this guy had the audacity to poke at my deepest wound after taking my money.
“…I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me,” he said, trying to apologize.
But I wasn’t going to forgive him. Not this time. Not even if he was my first friend.
“…”
Hmph. At least he realized he messed up. Still, I wasn’t letting this slide.
…Maybe I’d keep this up for three days. No, two days should be enough. If I didn’t talk to him for three days, he might go find another friend.
Ugh, why did everything go so wrong every time I tried to do something? Back home, I used to leave all decisions to the gods. Things always worked out then.
But the moment I started doing things for myself, it all turned into a mess.
Even so, I’d already decided. For two days, I wouldn’t say a word to him. I wouldn’t leave his side either, but I wouldn’t speak.
If I stayed close, he’d feel too guilty to consider making other friends.
After shooting him one last glare, I turned and started walking toward the cafeteria.
Dogeon seemed to understand the mood and trailed behind me at a reasonable distance.
The stares of the surrounding crowd didn’t bother me at all.
Maybe if I ate something spicy, this frustration would simmer down on its own.
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