Chapter 134: A Sudden Rival’s Challenge

“How was today?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Just, did you have fun today?”

He had never asked me something like this before, even though we had hung out together many times.

Maybe it was the café’s atmosphere, but his answer came out differently than usual.

“Yeah, it was nice.”

The words escaped without any thought.

I answered honestly, straight from the heart.

A beat later, I realized what I had said and quickly shut my mouth in surprise.

I froze in place, still stirring my drink with the straw, watching Ban Eunhyeol’s reaction.

He looked calmer than me, but his ears were bright red.

“Really?”

Ban Eunhyeol paused just as he was about to take a sip.

He had been stirring his fruit syrup ade with a small, slender spoon, but mistook it for a straw and had pressed his lips against the top of the spoon.

“Oh, this was a spoon.”

Flustered, he put the spoon down and drank from the straw instead, clearing his throat to brush off the embarrassment.

“Ahem, isn’t it hot?”

He had unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt and was now rolling up his sleeves, fanning himself with his hands.

“Come to think of it, it is a bit warm.”

The drink was already finished, and chewing on the ice cubes was too noisy in the quiet café, so we were careful.

Ban Eunhyeol gestured outside with his chin, as if thinking the same.

“Wanna go out?”

The street.

Leaving the café with its dangerously cozy atmosphere, almost making me spill everything I was thinking, the cool spring breeze of the evening cooled the heat on my face better than the daytime had.

‘If we had stayed longer, I probably would have said all sorts of things.’

It must have been the lighting.

The nice interior probably played a part too.

Blaming the café’s atmosphere, I looked around at the noisy evening street.

Between the arcade, PC bang, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops, lively conversations filled the air.

After walking side by side in silence for a moment, we stopped in front of a building and turned to look at each other simultaneously.

“Want to go in for a bit?”

“Want to check it out inside?”

We said the same thing at the same time and burst out laughing.

The building housed a large stationery store that used to sell BSharp and Red stickers.

I suggested it since it seemed better to look at something than just wandering around, and Ban Eunhyeol seemed to think the same.

We went inside and browsed highlighters and pens, then moved on to the adjoining bookstore to look at some workbooks.

Only now did my mind feel a bit refreshed.

It seemed I had shaken off the atmosphere from the café that had swept me away helplessly earlier.

I glanced up at Ban Eunhyeol, who was seriously flipping through a workbook page by page.

‘I thought it was just the café lighting that made him look like that.’

I had assumed he looked more handsome under the warm café light, but under the bright bookstore lights, his face was no different.

I always knew he was good-looking, but I’d never been this conscious of Ban Eunhyeol’s face before.

‘Am I wearing blinders or something?’

Worried he might catch my gaze and ask if I was staring because he was handsome, I quickly looked away.

‘Jaedo must have noticed today’s difference too.’

Now what should I do? Should I ask him directly if he likes me, just like Yeonhayeon told me to?

‘Ah, on second thought, that might not be right.’

If Ban Eunhyeol has feelings for me, he’d express them eventually.

It wouldn’t be good for me to rush and ask.

‘Then should I meet him a few more times like today?’

We see each other every day at school anyway.

Plus, we’re partners, so we’re together all day.

From morning to homeroom, and even after school, we often hang out or study together.

…What should I do?’

This was all new to me, and I had no idea how to act.

Maybe it’s best to just act normal.

At a glance, Ban Eunhyeol didn’t seem much different from usual.

Of course, the random things he blurted out today had surprised me.

As I flipped through the workbook beside him, my mind wandering elsewhere, someone called out warmly.

“Eunhyeol oppa!”

A girl was walking toward us, calling Ban Eunhyeol in a familiar tone.

A bad feeling swept over me the instant I saw her.

‘No way she likes Ban Eunhyeol, or that he’s especially weak around her, or that they have some deep history, right?’

I hoped not, but my hope was in vain.

“Cheon Yeonju?”

It seemed they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

Ban Eunhyeol narrowed his eyes, almost doubting what he saw.

Then a faint look of gladness flickered across his face.

Cheon Yeonju looked a year or two younger than us.

Taller than me with a striking appearance, she casually strode over on long legs and tried to hug Ban Eunhyeol.

“When did you get back to Korea?”

Ban Eunhyeol gently pushed her away before allowing the hug and asked.

Puffing out her cheeks in a pout, Yeonju tucked her long hair behind her ear and said coquettishly,

“A week ago. I really wanted to see you first, but I had lots of things to do. I didn’t expect to run into you here like this!”

“Right. Oh, this is Cheon Yeonju, who’s been close with our families since we were kids. And this is…”

“It’s Idanha.”

Before Ban Eunhyeol could introduce me, I quickly cut in to introduce myself.

Yeonju glanced between us and her expression cooled slightly.

“Oh, so you’re friends. Oppa, we’re having a barbecue party at our villa this weekend. You’re coming, right? I really want you to come.”

What was this atmosphere?

I felt left out.

Ban Eunhyeol seemed to be looking out for me as usual, but Yeonju kept acting like I didn’t exist, trying to have a conversation with him alone, and it was starting to make me uncomfortable.

Even if they hadn’t met in a while, shouldn’t they talk briefly and leave if they were with someone, or make a separate plan by contacting each other later?

“I can’t this weekend. I have to go with her now. Let’s meet next time.”

If Ban Eunhyeol didn’t cut the conversation, I was going to take him away myself, but he refused Yeonju’s invitation without hesitation.

When he even gestured to take my hand and leave, Yeonju grabbed his arm urgently.

“Wait! You’re leaving just like this? It’s been such a long time. I came back to Korea to see you…”

Yeonju’s sulky face suddenly turned to me as she asked,

“Unnie, if you don’t mind, why don’t the three of us hang out? There’s a park we used to go to often with oppa when we were kids.”

Yeonju held on to me and looked like she wasn’t letting go easily.

I hesitated briefly, then glanced at the workbook and pen in Ban Eunhyeol’s hand and said,

“Go pay first. I’ll wait here.”

“Come with me.”

“No, hurry up and pay.”

Ban Eunhyeol tried to come with me to the register, but when I kept pushing him to go alone, he had no choice but to head to the counter by himself.

‘If Ban Eunhyeol goes, he’ll reveal his true feelings.’

If Yeonju exposed her intentions, I wasn’t going to stay quiet either.

Usually, you have to put these kinds of people in their place clearly from the start so they don’t cause trouble later.

I watched Ban Eunhyeol’s back and glanced at Yeonju’s expression.

‘Just as I thought.’

Not quite a sly fox.

Her face changed the moment Ban Eunhyeol went to the counter.

“Unnie, what’s your relationship with Eunhyeol oppa?”

She asked so directly?

I was a bit taken aback, but maybe that was for the best.

I smiled faintly and returned the question.

“What about you? What’s your relationship with him?”

“You can tell just by looking. We practically grew up together. Our families are close, and oppa and I share a lot of memories.”

Yeonju went on at length, scanning me up and down before curling one corner of her mouth.

“Oh, our families are on the same level too.”

Seeing her smile with a teasing glint, I wondered if she was trying to provoke me into getting angry.

But her challenge didn’t affect me at all.

“Oh, you’re like siblings then.”

I had no intention of going into detail like Yeonju, explaining my relationship with Ban Eunhyeol here.

My words seemed to bother her because her smile deepened.

Matching my gaze, she bent at the waist and clearly threw down a challenge.

“More like you’re the younger sibling.”

She was mocking my short height.

But since I didn’t have a complex about my height, it didn’t even feel like a provocation.

“He’s mine. If you’re eyeing him, it’s better you lose interest while you still can.”

“No way.”

“What did you say?”

Usually, a warning like that would make most people back off.

Seeing how much her face twisted right after, I realized she wasn’t about to give up.

“Who said he’s yours? Does he even want that? Ban Eunhyeol is just Ban Eunhyeol. He belongs to no one.”

“Ha, what a person.”

“And Ban Eunhyeol wouldn’t want to be yours either. If you came here just to annoy him, you should just go home.”

“What?”

She didn’t even bother with polite speech anymore.

Her high-pitched voice grated on my ears.

Just as I was about to give up and return to Ban Eunhyeol, Yeonju grabbed my shoulder and spun me around, raising her hand in anger.

‘Here? With Ban Eunhyeol right there? Is she sane?’

Does she have anger control issues?

I couldn’t understand why she was trying to slap me openly in a bookstore.

Of course, I had no intention of just taking the hit, so I moved to dodge and grab Yeonju’s wrist.

“What are you doing right now?”

Ban Eunhyeol suddenly ran over to us from the long queue at the register.

Grabbing Yeonju’s wrist, he stared at her with cold eyes.