Love for Love's Sake - Chapter 21
Chapter 21
“I can run that much.”
“Sangwon, if you’re not going to run, just shut up and watch.”
I said sharply, but there was no sign of Cheon Sangwon being discouraged. Instead, he let out a faint laugh as if he wanted me to hear it.
The coach, who was measuring the results, called out to Cha Yeowoon. Judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like a positive conversation.
I felt like a parent wanting to be there for their child when they were sick. My legs trembled with impatience.
“Won’t he get dropped from the starting position?”
“What do you mean?”
“Brother say you’re a fan of Cha Yeowoon, but you didn’t know? I was curious how good he is, so I asked the guys who were practicing today. They said he hasn’t been practicing properly the past few months and his results have been declining.”
“Hey, that’s…”
I wanted to retort that it was because of his grandmother’s illness and the funeral, but at the same time, I didn’t want to bring it up carelessly. Especially in front of this guy.
“He’s competing in place of Tak Jungyeong next Monday. I heard if he doesn’t perform, he might not be selected for the national competition.”
“I guess you think that’s funny.”
“It’s not funny at all, but it’ll be fun to change brother’s impression of Cha Yeowoon whenever you talk about him.”
“If you want to die, keep it up, Sangwon.”
In the face of my threat, Cheon Sangwon smiled while showing his teeth as if he found it amusing. Seriously, this guy.
“Go watch your friends.”
Tired of dealing with Cheon Sangwon, I relocated to a spot farther away. Cha Yeowoon, who was trudging back on the track, suddenly looked up in the direction of the stands.
As if on cue, we locked eyes.
Cha Yeowoon’s pale yellow eyes flickered as he looked at me.
Despite our distance, his eyes were clearly visible.
His light-colored irises, shining in the sunlight, appeared even paler. In them were only me.
The corners of his eyes twitched. For a moment, there was an illusion as if his pupils were shimmering with moisture.
I felt like I had done something wrong. I had only come to cheer, but that was how it felt.
Cha Yeowoon never regained his composure even as practice ended.
Although he had clearly seen me waiting for him, he receded as if he was running away. I spotted him across the schoolyard and managed to catch up with him.
“Yeowoon!”
Cha Yeowoon briskly walked away without even looking at me.
It was my turn to run this time.
“Why have you been running away since this morning?”
He finally stopped when I grabbed his arm.
“Did you see everything?”
“What…”
“Don’t come to practice.”
Cha Yeowoon’s words were sharp and clear.
“You are sick. You had a hard time. There are times when things don’t work out.”
“I don’t want to show you.”
Cha Yeowoon turned his head to one side as if he didn’t want to see me. The thin side of his face turned red. It was similar to the face I had seen when there was only a candle lit between us.
“I don’t want to show senior my shortcomings.”
Cha Yeoowon looked downcast as if confessing a shameful fact. Not knowing how to soothe him, I pulled his arm tightly.
I brought him in front of me as his feet scraped across the schoolyard. His red-stained face was now fully visible.
“I don’t care if you’re good or bad.”
Being closer, I could distinctly see the changes in Cha Yeowoon’s expression. Heavy eyebrows, cramps above the cheekbones, etc…
“No, I don’t mean anything bad.”
“I know.”
Cha Yeowoon exhaled a short breath.
“I know.”
The conversation stopped there, and both Cha Yeowoon and I fell silent.
He abruptly withdrew his arm, his mouth tightly sealed, and once again, he left me behind.
[ Calculating Cha Yeowoon’s favorability. ]
Again.
I was wondering if something like what had happened this morning would happen again, but it was as expected. This time, there was no message of recalculation or current favorability. The phrase came to mind and disappeared, and that was the end.
It was unnecessary to think what it would be this time. Rather, I felt an urgency not to lose Cha Yeowoon who kept moving forward.
“Let’s go home together today.”
“I don’t want to be with senior.”
I tried to follow and talk to Cha Yeowoon, but his response was resolute. The cold-hearted guy didn’t even bother to look back at me.
“Brother Myeongha.”
As I was busily chasing after Cha Yeowoon at some distance, an intruder intervened in front of me.
“On the way to catch the bus? Want to go together?”
Cheon Sangwon, who appeared out of nowhere, stood strategically in front of Cha Yeowoon. When I tilted my head to the side to try and look ahead, he did the same thing and blocked my view.
“Move aside.”
Even when I tried to push him away and move forward. He hindered my path by stepping backwards.
“Not answering and even telling me to move aside…”
[ 10m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]
Looking at the notification, I realized that Cha Yeowoon was already quite a distance away.
“Ah! He ran away because of you!”