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n

n.

nHe might have thrown it as a joke, but his terribly trembling voice didn’t make it sound like something funny or silly. As if he also knew that he had failed to crack a joke, Eun Jiho sealed his mouth again. That was when Ban yeo Ryung’s apathetic response returned.

n“Why are you running to meet your troubles? If that’s the case, Donnie and I may have ended our friendship like hundreds of times.”

n“Oh…”

n“How many times have I made Donnie get involved in trouble that took place between me and some bullies?”

nListening to Yeo Ryung’s words, I, who was suddenly dragged into the middle of their conversation, smiled awkwardly. Actually, I didn’t want to get engaged in such happenings, so I attempted to break off our friendship almost hundreds of times, which all failed. Well, I guess it was needless to bring that up at this moment.

nAnyway, all those happened in the past; even if I was abducted with the female protagonist in a warehouse, I now had nerves of steel that I decided not to end our relationship.

nI diverted my eyes back onto Eun Jiho, who was walking side by side with Ban Yeo Ryung.

nLooking at his silver hair surrounded by the vague dawn light, I murmured, ‘He hasn’t said a word to me since a while ago.’

nIt wasn’t that surprising. To protect my feelings and keep peace of mind, it was indeed better not to have any expectations. With that being said, I was, of course, just the supporting role in the kidnapping of the female protagonist no matter what, right?

nWhile Ban Yeo Ryung returned safely from the fancy rescue plan, my role in this episode was someone, who was remaining almost invisible during the incident, but later who got to escape together with her. I would then compliment Ban Yeo Ryung’s spirit of sacrifice and Eun Jiho’s courage. That was my role in this novel I had been aware of from the very beginning; therefore, I wouldn’t be expecting anything special.

nHaving let the two walking together in front of me, I began to shake off my dusty arms alone. While dusting off myself, I spoke to myself.

nWell, Ban Yeo Ryung was actually a hundred times more surprised than me. I was fine since everything was something I had really predicted to happen someday.

nFrom the moment of the kidnapping until now…

nThat was when Eun Jiho slowly turned around to look at me as if he, at last, realized my presence from Ban Yeo Ryung’s sudden remark about me.

nFacing him without thinking too much, I saw his black eyes and held my breath for a second. I then corrected my mind immediately. Until now, I thought that he didn’t think about me at all and only came up with my presence when Ban Yeo Ryung mentioned about me. That was why he turned around to look at me eventually. Those were what I had in mind just until now.

nDropping his gaze at the ground with a tearful grim face, Eun Jiho soon raised his head at a slow face and diverted his eyes back onto me. When he came toward and stood in front of me, I was, at last, able to read his emotions.

nHis black eyes under his platinum blond hair were soaked in worries and fears that had yet to be washed away. I seemed to get a glimpse of the reason for his fear.

nHe was too afraid of me blaming him.

nThat was why he couldn’t look me in the face for quite a while and barely got to turn around right now.

nA moment of silence hung between us standing blankly. Many people threw a glance at us, who didn’t get in the car yet, then passed us by like a wave of water.

nThe wind that blew from them while walking past by us shook my dress as well as Eun Jiho’s hair quietly. Eun Jiho then finally uttered a remark that made me perk the ends of my eyebrows upwards, thinking, ‘What??’

n“I told you I would also make your day like a birthday just like mine…”

nI never thought I would hear that again here. Holding my hand, Eun Jiho spoke like that before stepping into the shop. That moment seemed like it had happened in a very distant past, about a century ago. I nodded my head.

nYeah, he did tell me something like that. If I treat him like his birthday he said he would do the same to me as well; however, I didn’t know he was caring about that suggestion until now.

nWhile I stared at him in confusion, he still blurted out yet with a grimace.

n“It became the worst birthday ever.”

n“…”

nHis following words then struck me dumb. Quickly lifting my head, I asked back with a suspicious voice.

n“What did you say?”

n“Should I stop being friends with you?”

nEun Jiho uttered such words in a low voice with subsided eyes. Listening to what he just said, I could hardly believe my ears.

nIn the past, right before entering high school, I asked him to act like we were strangers to each other. He, however, still didn’t respond nicely or favorably to my request. Eun Jiho could hardly tolerate me giving up before I attempted something; he also wouldn’t allow me to act passively or negatively. Perhaps, his god damn perfectionism was transferred to me.

nAnyway, every time he felt uncomfortable about some of my true colors, Eun Jiho acted like he was my big brother. Grabbing my head, he threw out some comments, and when those words got on my nerves at some point, we fought frequently.

nHowever, Eun Jiho was now dropping the most unfamiliar remark that he had ever made so far. Stop being friends? Who? Eun Jiho… with me?

nStaring at my eyes for quite a while, Eun Jiho cast his gaze down at the paving blocks again. He then continued with a trembling voice. I was too perplexed to say something that I just stood still with my eyes on him.

n“I… I was…”

n“Eun Jiho.”

n“I have been too greedy.”

nI barely called his name, but he didn’t respond to it. As if he couldn’t hear any sounds, Eun Jiho raised his hands to cover his face and kept on speaking.

n“I was trying to be greedy just once… just for only one time, but I messed up things like this. How am I supposed to…?”

nI lifted my hand and grabbed his arm.

n“What’s wrong?” I asked.

n“How dare can I…?”

n‘What are you talking about? No matter what’s happening, it’s not your fault,’ I tried to say these words but suddenly stopped to do so. That was because I saw a streak of a tear running down below his hand that was covering his eyes.

nIt felt like the air around us had vanished away and I entered a vacuum state. Barely drawing in my breath, I murmured, ‘I never saw Eun Jiho looking that weak.’

nHe didn’t show that vulnerable side even upon his father’s strict discipline, which would be the most susceptible thing for him.

nRubbing out the tears around his eyes, he said, “How dare can I… I must not even hope for looking at you…”

nWhen I could say a word, he put down his hand wiping the tears then turned his head to glance at me. Directing his teary eyes at me, he continued to speak.

n“So, if you want… I can leave without any trace.”

nWhen Eun Jiho spoke further to that point in a faint voice, I couldn’t stand it any longer that I raised my foot. Not only Eun Jiho but also Ban Yeo Ryung stared at me in wonder. Suddenly, I kicked him in the shins.

n“OUCH!!”

nHaving his knees in his hands, Eun Jiho shrieked at my sudden attack. Something seemed to move up and down inside the black car that was standing near the street even until then.

nEun Jiho, who reeled under my kick for a while as if he was about to collapse, then barely recovered the balance and stared at me with reddened eyes. Looking very bewildered, he shouted out loud.

n“Hey, what the hell are you doing?! Don’t you see me talking… even something serious…?!”

nBlurting out to that extent, Eun Jiho shut his mouth when Ban Yeo Ryung, standing beside me, lifted her fist threateningly. Of course, maybe because I also put up my foot with pointy shoes on once again.

nCrossing my arms, I then opened my mouth.

n“Dude, fine. It can be your fault that I have been kidnapped, and let’s say you felt responsible for that happening.”

n“Then how can I act like normal?!”

nHaving his knees in his hands, Eun Jiho yelled like that right away, so this time, it was me who stood awkwardly.

nEun Jiho wasn’t a kid who raised his volume instinctively like that way, especially in this kind of situation. The kick was quite painful, huh? Rambling those thoughts, I lowered my head and smiled clumsily while looking down at my pointy shoes that glinted sharply in the dawn light.

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