When I Returned, a High School Romantic Comedy Began

22. responsibility

Silence expresses much meaning without any sound.

Rather, since there is no interference through the ears, the senses that were blocked by hearing become clearer.

For example, the unfamiliar expressionless expression seen on white.

The eye smile that spread the positive virus by smiling brightly every day has disappeared somewhere.

“…”

The other side was similar.

Chae-rin, who had always been confident, had a clear expression of embarrassment on her face.

I didn’t know that Hayan would intrude into the conversation between the two.

Also, he couldn’t have imagined that the kind girl would criticize him in such a cold tone.

There was silence, just spitting out empty air.

Chaerin slowly faces Hayan.

“Did I… tell you?”

My heart was filled with love as I looked at Jaune.

I froze at Hayan’s cold tone.

Unlike the irritation he always showed, his cold anger naturally made his skin crawl.

“Is what you said to Jaune the problem?”

Still, Hayan was not at all intimidated.

She’s definitely not the type of person who likes to argue.

They don’t even let that happen in the first place.

Not now.

“If you ask Jaune while showing a little tears, he will listen to everything.”

Just state the truth so that the other person cannot refute it.

“Even if you pretend not to like it on the outside, you will eventually accept it.”

Leaving her heart on the ground.

“You keep acting so foolish.”

I trampled and crushed it carelessly.

What made her who was kind to such a ruthless person?

Even Hani, a family member, couldn’t open her mouth to see this unfamiliar sight that she had never experienced before.

“…”

Of course there was no rebuttal.

Chae-rin wanted to deny the harsh words directed at her.

That was criticism, not indiscriminate criticism.

I couldn’t shamelessly open my mouth.

Despite Chaerin’s silence, Hayan did not stop.

“If I got help from Jaune, at least I wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

“White.”

And I crossed the line.

“… ah.”

Ha-yeon, who had been silent, must have come to her senses after hearing a word from Joo-un, and let out a short sigh.

Only then did she finally notice how her older sister and classmate were looking at her.

An expression with no meaning that I have ever felt before.

It was difficult to fully understand the meaning there.

At least I knew it didn’t mean anything good.

But the glass was already broken.

The fragments flew towards the opponent and became deeply embedded.

“Sorry, I’ll wake up first.”

Chae-rin quickly pulled out her chair and stood up in the silence.

She immediately packed her bag and quickly ran out the door.

I sighed inwardly at the unexpected situation and was about to rush out with the thought of following her.

“ah…”

I saw Hayan with a puzzled expression.

His hands were shaking slightly, as if he missed something he had done.

“… sister.”

“okay.”

I just called her, but Hani nodded as if she understood what I was thinking.

‘I’m sure they’ll comfort you because they’re family.’

Feeling relieved that she was there, I left the house with my sister and followed Chae-rin.

*

A sunset colored orange like an orange.

The sky, which darkened slightly with every step she took, was peaceful without a single cloud, contrary to her feelings.

‘A nuisance…’

The words stuck in her dizzy heart tormented Chaerin without any intention of leaving them.

With each step, I am reminded of everything that happened in a very short period of time.

The day he saved me.

A week of being forced to stay in the hospital.

Yesterday, too, when I fed him at school.

“It’s all a nuisance…”

The fact that he had tried so hard to deny, thinking that having a woman like him by his side would make him happy, was embodied in sound, and the illusion he had made on purpose had no choice but to be shattered.

“…”

I was embarrassed.

Because I knew how stupid my actions up to now were.

Because I knew that his smile wasn’t because he was truly happy, but for his own insecure self.

It was so shameful to see him cover his eyes and hide his face.

As I was walking for a while, I heard the voice I had just remembered from behind me.

“hey!”

“…don’t follow me.”

As she heard footsteps getting closer, she quickly ran away.

If I see Jaune now, I will be so sad that I won’t be able to endure it and it will start to rain.

It moved quickly in the opposite direction of his voice.

“Just stand there for a moment.”

“Don’t follow me.”

However, the distance became increasingly narrow due to the shoes I wore crumpling as I rushed out of the house.

In the end, she was caught by Jaune, who couldn’t even run properly due to the cast.

“Let’s talk.”

The temperature of his empty hand overlapped.

I asked you not to follow me.

Jaune ran to catch him.

It was obvious without even looking at who it was for.

“why…”

So I was angry.

No matter how much you ask, he never leaves you alone and always follows you.

It’s not like he’s acting like Chae-rin Park, but because he’s Lee Joo-woon.

“Don’t follow me!”

I was so angry.

“The annoying b*tch said she would go away on her own, but why… why are you doing this!”

“…”

she cried.

As my emotions exploded, I couldn’t control my tears, rolling down my cheeks and making the clear weather gloomy.

“Let go.”

Last request.

It was cute compared to the outrageous behavior he had done so far.

Just let go and let yourself go.

That was her sincere wish now.

“If you let go, it will run away.”

However, Jaune did not grant the request.

No matter how hard she tried to shake off his grip, he wouldn’t relax his grip.

Chaerin said.

“Is it because you feel sorry for me? “I feel a sense of kinship because, like you, I grew up without a father?”

“Or do you show your weak face sometimes?”

“Please, I’m begging you… If you caught me because of such petty sympathy, let me go quickly.”

I felt a tremor in the hand I was holding.

Is it shame or anger?

Jaune hesitated for a moment due to an unidentifiable feeling.

‘A sweet pity…’

It would be a lie to say no.

The reason was that when I came back, I was worried about watching someone die.

The biggest reason for that behavior was a feeling of sameness.

‘That’s true.’

The anger she vented was all emotional and unsettling like a sandcastle in front of the waves, but the implied meaning was all on point.

His ambiguous attitude of always pushing her away as a joke.

Of course, the original fault was Chae-rin’s, but honestly, if you think about what she did, she did more, not less.

Since he is not emotionally sound, let’s just accept it.

Such carefree thoughts actually brought embarrassment to her.

‘Really… I wonder where I got so old.’

Even if this experience is unfamiliar to you because you have no contact with women, you are a person who is 25 years older than you.

I felt like it was a burden for her, a high school student, to attack me, so I couldn’t act like an adult.

He spoke seriously, staring into Chae-rin’s watery eyes.

“sorry.”

“…”

My second sincere apology to her.

“You’re right.”

I shook her for the sole reason of kinship.

There was a justification for saving it.

Because she had no way of knowing that.

“In some ways, I may have approached you to make myself comfortable.”

It was understandable to be angry.

However, a situation that had already occurred could not be dismissed as something that never happened.

If you were hurt, I wanted to put a band-aid on it.

“Still, I don’t want to let go.”

That might be a really cruel and selfish thought.

I don’t have the confidence to turn back time again so I can give up and pretend not to notice her shedding tears.

I laughed.

“You know. “Always doing whatever you want.”

No matter how hard she tries to shake it off, she has no intention of letting go.

If Chae-rin sincerely tells me to go away, I will have to let go of this hand.

His clumsy actions filled with hesitation drew him closer.

“…”

Chae-rin was speechless at Joo-un’s behavior, smiling so proudly.

I was about to pour out the curses I had been holding back until now, at a man who didn’t even give me a chance to erase the guilt that was filling me up.

“So you can do whatever you want.”

“… what?”

When I heard those words, the words that were rising to my throat collapsed in absurdity.

The guy who had been pushing me away all of a sudden can now do whatever he wants.

Silence flows as I look at him laughing heartily at the absurdity of his heart.

Jaune squeezed between them and spoke slightly playfully and cautiously.

“To begin with, I also insisted on leaving school with you for no reason. Do you have anything to say?”

Chae-rin remained quiet despite his answer.

I took a deep breath and accepted what Jaune had said.

After slowly exhaling and understanding the meaning.

Unlike before, he asked in a slightly calmer voice.

“… Then can I really do whatever I want?”

“Except it’s too burdensome.”

Jaune belatedly remembers what happened at school.

I laid the groundwork that the brakes might break down if I just agreed without saying a word.

“…”

Time stopped again between the two.

In that moment, my head became a little calmer.

‘Except for the burdensome thing…?’

So isn’t it the same as now?

Clumsily leaning and clumsily pushing away.

Isn’t this a story about continuing an extremely painful relationship?

‘It’s already too late.’

Chaerin said, tightening her grip on her hand.

“no.”

“… uh?”

Such foolish actions as trying to maintain distance.

“Then I’m not doing it as I please.”

She couldn’t tolerate it anymore.

If you think about it, isn’t that true?

When did he approach me and ask for my opinion?

Like a gentleman, did you slowly narrow the distance and get closer?

‘no.’

Even though Chae-rin cursed and kicked his shin with all her might, even when she tried to move away because she didn’t want to be with him, he didn’t stop.

‘But why me?’

Should I ask permission from you or another b*tch to approach me?

Not anymore.

can’t stop

The boy in front of me did that.

“That’s what you said. “From now on, no matter what anyone says, I will do whatever I want.”

So for now.

“Be sure to take responsibility.”

He must accept the consequences of his actions.

“…”

The wrinkled brow that had been frowning until just now, bored with everything, straightens and a bright smile blooms.

Sharp eyes are like the thorns of a rose.

The thin traces of tears are a device that moves the heart.

Jaune silently admired her beauty as if time had stopped.

“First of all, take me home today.”

Without saying a word, the man walked in the direction led by her hand.