When I Returned, a High School Romantic Comedy Began

5: I Was So In Love With You

“Just be honest and tell the truth!”

“…”

Why was she so angry?

What exactly did I do wrong to make her flip out like this?

‘Well, randomly assuming I’m a smoker and calling me out is worth getting mad about…’

But was it worth getting this furious over?

I was utterly confused, just blankly staring at her. Waiting for a response, she crossed her arms and said,

“You not saying anything means I hit the nail on the head. Why couldn’t you just be honest from the start, you piss me off.”

“I don’t have anything to say because it’s not true.”

I told you I don’t like you, so why do you keep trying to cast me as your secret admirer?

Joo-un gave a hollow laugh, gently speaking to resolve her misunderstanding.

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning to date anyone either.”

Of course, his response had a hint of sarcasm.

“…”

Hearing her own words thrown back at her, she looked dazed as if she’d been slapped upside the head.

Then her face reddened again as she got even angrier.

“Cut the bullsh*t and just tell the truth!”

“Ugh…”

After a lengthy back-and-forth, Chae-rin grabbed my collar and started shaking me violently.

Seeing that she had no intention of letting me go unless I gave her the answer she wanted, I had no choice but to play along.

“You’re right. I’m madly in love with you. There, happy?”

I tried to shake her off and leave, but her slender hands maintained their grip.

“Are you joking now? I don’t feel any sincerity.”

So damn persistent.

‘Well, she’s still a high schooler.’

It was a little annoying, but I shouldn’t lose my temper with a kid.

‘How do I appease her?’

As I was debating what to say while being shaken by the collar, a faint vibration sounded from somewhere.

“…Hold on.”

After staring daggers at me, Chae-rin promptly took out her phone from her pocket to answer the call.

I could faintly make out the conversation through her rumpled school uniform.

“Hello?”

-Chae-rin, class starts in 5 minutes, where are you?

Hearing that, she checked the time and frowned.

She must’ve spent quite some time holding me back instead of going to her academy.

“Sh*t… hey, can you put my textbook on my desk?”

-With your bare hands?

“…I’ll buy you something from the school store tomorrow.”

-Heehee, hurry back~

The call ended.

Chae-rin heaved a deep sigh, and glared at me.

“I’ll get back at you for this.”

The moment she turned to hurry off like some B-movie villain,

“Wait.”

I grabbed the retreating Chae-rin.

“…”

She stopped and looked back at me when I called her.

The irritation filling her expression now had a hint of a smile.

“Ha!”

Chae-rin threw a gratuitous laugh my way and flashed an alluring grin.

“What, you finally ready to properly confess?”

“No… Just wondering if you really don’t have any cigarettes.”

“…”

Her expression showered me in silent profanity.

Soon her face flushed red again as she rummaged through her pocket, then angrily flung a piece of candy at me along with a curse.

“Chew on this instead, b*tch.”

“Huh…”

With that, Chae-rin immediately left.

‘…Guess she really doesn’t smoke.’

Watching her gradually disappearing figure with regret, I had no choice but to pop the candy she had just given me into my mouth.

‘She should still be okay on her own for now.’

Her birthday I checked at school earlier was still 2 weeks away.

Meaning there would be no traffic accidents this week.

‘Starting next week, I just need to stick by her side no matter what.’

The ‘no matter what’ part was the real issue, but oh well, I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

“Isn’t she a bit too much of a princess?”

Of course I admit she’s very beautiful.

Objectively speaking, she had quite an intimidating aura, but equally mesmerizing eyes and fair skin.

The so-called cool beauty often spoken of by horny teen boys suited her perfectly.

‘Her mom must be a famous actress.’

When it comes to actresses in Korea, Chae Na-hee was one of the top three.

A veteran star who starred in dozens of blockbuster films with tens of millions of viewers.

Before time rewound, I remembered reading her last news article while browsing the web during my break at my part-time job, as I always did.

[Chae Na-hee suddenly announces retirement, reason unknown.]

It caused quite a stir when she abruptly declared retirement, seemingly too distraught to continue after her husband and Chae-rin died in traffic accidents.

I clearly remembered right before that article came out, the middle-aged men were noisily chattering because the lottery numbers were a full straight.

But the moment she announced her retirement, all that interest disappeared, showing just how much influence Chae-rin’s mother had…

“Huh?”

The lottery numbers were a full straight?

Recalling the article about Chae-rin’s mother’s retirement, another article I read back then faintly came to mind.

[Consecutive lottery numbers spark rigging controversy despite organizer’s staunch denial.]

In lottery where 7 winning numbers are drawn from 1 to 45, the numbers came out consecutive.

An impossible chance.

For a moment, hope of escaping poverty flashed before my eyes.

But there was an issue.

‘I remember the article but not the numbers…’

Right, I never imagined I’d go back to the past, so while I vaguely recalled the article, the specific numbers weren’t engraved in memory.

“..Hang on.”

But do I really need the exact numbers?

Since the lottery numbers will be consecutive anyway, the possibilities are clearly limited.

Meaning I could try my luck with just a small investment.

“…”

I wracked my brain trying to recall anything.

‘The retirement announcement was the day right after the funeral ended.’

I don’t remember the exact date, but if I think in weekly units…

“Phew…”

I slowly let out a breath to maintain composure amidst the excitement, then one thought came to mind.

“Let’s get out.”

Of this suffocating poverty.

And seize it.

The ordinary school days I’d given up on thinking it was another world…

An ordinary life for myself.

*

The next day.

School was noisy.

With about 30 students per class and 8 classes per grade, it was bound to be noisy.

The issue wasn’t the noise itself, but ‘why’ it was noisy.

“Yo, that dude’s crazy… Crazy!”

I understood the reason as soon as I entered class.

The moment I opened the door, all eyes turned to me following Yu-ma’s shout.

“What’s with all the fuss so early?”

I approached the shouting guy and several people crowded around his desk to ask me,

“What did you talk about with Chae-rin yesterday?”

“Were you two even close before?”

“Are you dating?”

One at a time, geez.

The boys’ curious gazes as they bombarded me with questions were quite a sight.

‘Didn’t think it’d cause this big of a reaction.’

Honestly, I was aware I’d been out of line the day before.

But I didn’t expect the whole class to charge at me like bulls right from the start of school.

I was a bit taken aback.

‘Should just brush it off for now.’

I didn’t want to bring up what happened with Chae-rin.

Nothing good could come from mentioning either the cigarettes or her.

To gloss over it, I casually replied,

“We’re decently close friends, not dating.”

Hearing that, my friends fell silent, intently observing my face before breaking into frivolous laughter.

Just then, Yu-ma, who was sitting there, spoke up.

“Dude got rejected.”

“How do you interpret my words that way? Do I need to teach you Korean again?”

Puzzled by the random leap in logic, I asked back and Yu-ma said,

“You know, when a girl wants to stay friends after rejecting you.”

“That’s not what… whatever, forget it.”

High school boys hearing about a female friend, they were barely human, more like primates.

‘Would primates understand human speech?’

It wasn’t a question that needed an answer.

I left them to fantasize however they wanted, and the boys started chattering excitedly.

“So even Joo-un, who we thought was as*xual, is having a spring awakening.”

“More like he got dumped before spring even began?”

“Right? We’re just messing around for fun.”

“Did you love her? Joo-un… oh.”

Seeing them tease me relentlessly, eyes wide, I casually answered,

“Yeah, I was so in love with her. Happy?”

“Oh… um, I see.”

Yu-ma, who wouldn’t shut up earlier, fell silent at my blunt reply.

‘That’s not like him to stop here?’

The guys who should be grinning ear to ear right about now were suddenly minding their own business.

“Uh… nice weather today.”

“It’s overcast with rainclouds though.”

I looked at the friend staring at the sky barely peeking through the dark clouds like he was an idiot.

Then I heard footsteps and a voice behind me.

“Oh, is that so~ You were so in love~?”

“…Hey?”

Dear god.

Just hearing that voice sent chills down my spine. I turned around to see Chae-rin standing there, arms crossed, glaring daggers at me.

“That’s a bit different from what you told me yesterday.”