Love for Love’s Sake - Chapter 61

Chapter 61

“The road to your lodging. I’m walking along that road.”

– “Up or down?”

“The direction we went during the day.”

– “I’ll be right there.”

As soon as the call disconnected, silence fell. The night road, without a car in sight, was quiet and eerie.

Sensing a noise, I stopped, but the surroundings were still silent. Then, across from me there was a rustling sound of trees.

[ Entering Love Supremacy Zone. ]

I felt relieved when the alarm appeared. It was indeed Cha Yeowoon.

“Cha Yeowoon, why are you coming from that way?”

He didn’t come from his lodging? The moment I was about to cross the road, someone grabbed my shoulder.

“Ah!”

I was so startled that I almost fell. When I scrambled to check behind me and stumbled, a familiar large hand supported my back.

“It’s me. Why are you so surprised?”

“Cha Yeowoon?”

It was Cha Yeowoon supporting me.

“I thought you were coming from the other side and got startled. Oh, my heart.”

Cha Yeowoon, who confirmed that I was standing properly, loosened his arms and covered my chest with his palm.

“You’re right. It’s beating very fast.”

The entire part pressed by his palm seemed to be pounding. My heart throbbed without any sign of calming down.

“Rather than that, are you allowed to walk around at night? What does the coach say?”

While talking, I naturally moved away from Cha Yeowoon’s hand. Lately, I had been acting as if I was running away, yet I thought staying still in such situations would overload my heart.

“I sneaked out.”

“Show off.”

“I can’t sleep because I keep thinking of the lodging right across.”

That, of course, Cha Yeowoon was talking about me. He knew how to say words that itched.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him walking, illuminated by the moonlight.

Why did the faint moonlight seem like a spotlight shining solely on him? Unlike in where he wasn’t the protagonist, he stood out as if he was.

“How far are we going?”

Cha Yeowoon stopped. We were right under a streetlight.

Spherical lights resembling the moon were floating on the ground. It was a night so quiet that even the cries of bugs couldn’t be heard. Perhaps I just wasn’t hearing them.

My attention was solely on Cha Yeowoon.

The shadows in the honey-colored light overlapped into one.

I wanted a closer look. The tips of our sneakers touched, and the remaining distance was barely an inch.

Cha Yeowoon staggered in surprise at the unexpected contact. He was rather brazen when taking the initiative but would stiffen once the situation was reversed.

“You’re really pretty.”

It was a sincere admiration. Eyes, nose, mouth, hair…Everything was perfect.

Cha Yeowoon’s face flared.

“Senior, even…”

It seemed like Cha Yeowoon was about to say something, but I couldn’t resist and took out my phone.

“Just a moment. The moonlight is perfect now.”

“…Can’t you do that later?”

“Three seconds.”

Cha Yeowoon counted the seconds bitterly. Of course, I frantically took pictures of him during those 3 seconds.

“Is this really me?”

“Um. Yes. Since I took it.”

“Which way is up and down?”

“…I think this is your head?”

Naturally, what I saw with my eyes and the results I had captured were different.

“I thought I could capture something amazing this time.”

I thought I would be able to capture a picture that would become a hot topic. In my eyes, it was like a celestial being descending from the moon. The problem was that my camera couldn’t capture it.

“I can’t upload this.”

After looking to see if I could find any usable pictures, I gave up. Some things were meant to be enjoyed solely with the eyes.

“But why doesn’t senior upload a picture? Weren’t we a social media couple?”

I recalled tempting Cha Yeowoon with such words. I had briefly forgotten because I had been focusing solely on his social media account.

“I’m too embarrassed to take a selfie.”

“I’ll take one for senior.”

“It’s fine.”

“I took one, but senior won’t?”

“Hearing that, I have nothing more to say.”

“Look at me.”

Cha Yeowoon shoved his phone at me. Due to the continuous shutter sound from his enthusiastic shooting, I instinctively assumed a military posture. Judging by his mischievous smile, it seemed to be retaliation.

The resulting retaliation was of course unsuccessful.

Let alone the phenomenon of the red-eye glare that had its own charm, the pictures were indistinguishable.

“Hey. Beams are coming out of my eyes.”

“But it’s still cute.”

“What’s cute about it?”

Cha Yeowoon had a habit of saying that. Lately, whenever I did something, he would remark that it was cute. What I hadn’t heard in my 29 years of life was now constantly heard from him.

“Delete it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Hey, delete it.”

It wasn’t necessary to delete the pictures, but it was embarrassing imagining Cha Yeowoon looking at them and finding them cute. It was a strange discomfort. Although it wasn’t something I disliked, I felt I had to stop him.

“If you kiss me, I’ll erase it.”

As Cha Yeowoon and I scuffled over the phone in his hands, he set a condition.

I didn’t understand how being obedient, observant, and increasingly bold could coexist. Anyway, he was accomplishing that.

“Yeowoon, did you really get addicted to kissing?”

Cha Yeowoon always brought up kissing. Was dating like this where couples kissed every time they met?

“Yes.”

Cha Yeowoon quickly answered, moonlight shimmering from his half-moon-like smile. It was overwhelmingly destructive.

Each time I blinked my eyes, a wonderful sight that I couldn’t photograph was captured on my cornea.

As Cha Yeowoon gently caressed my neck, thoughts of the pictures quickly vanished. Other thoughts too.

Ah…I didn’t know anymore. With a muddled mind, I wrapped my arms around Cha Yeowoon’s neck.

Let’s just say I was enchanted by the moon.

* * *

On the way back after relieving all the tension, the moon was still bright. Cha Yeowoon, holding my hand, was dawdling.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“About?”

“Senior should turn your account private.”

Since Cha Yeowoon and I had discussed being a social media couple, I had recreated my social media account. However, I didn’t pay much attention to it because it was unrelated to the Sub-Mission.

“Only I will see the pictures senior upload.”

“Are you a child?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“I’m a child, so only show it to me.”

Cha Yeowoon and I were very close to the lodging. Not much time had passed since our passionate kiss, and it was definitely not the right place now for a kiss.

Despite knowing better, I went ahead and kissed him. He stopped as if he hadn’t expected it at all. His breath seemed to have stopped.

The startled Cha Yeowoon was cute. I felt like I was starting to understand why he constantly said I was cute.

Just before he was about to open his lips, I skillfully avoided it. Instead, we exchanged kisses on each cheek.

“Now go in and prepare for the competition.”

“After doing this?”

“You said you would win and give me the gold medal.”

When I brought up the gold medal and pushed, Cha Yeowoon was pushed away. He stepped back and took a deep breath.

“Senior is sometimes so wicked and cute.”

Who had the right to criticize who?

[ Calculating Cha Yeowoon’s favorability. ]

[ Favorability: 55 ]

The way Cha Yeowoon said something like that while biting his lips tightly was much more wicked and cute.

Just before he entered his lodging, he waved his arms enthusiastically at me. After confirming that he had gone inside, I was about to go inside as well when I smelled a familiar smell.

I had a bad feeling.

The spot where I had heard a self-introduction during the day, the perfect spot to witness Cha Yeowoon and me flirting, a cigarette light flickered.

This was why I shouldn’t be swayed by impulses. I walked weakly toward the cigarette smoke.

Choi Jinseo awkwardly waved at me as she put out her cigarette.

“I’m telling you, I didn’t intend to see it.”

Choi Jinseo struck first before I could even ask. A sigh escaped involuntarily.

“Since when have you been watching?”

“Is that important? I think I’ve seen the main point.”

It meant Choi Jinseo had seen it all. Her expression was difficult to read. It didn’t seem like she was disgusted. No, well, I didn’t know what she would do if she knew. Nonetheless, I was afraid whatever it was might harm Cha Yeowoon.

“Don’t worry. I’m not so old-fashioned that I would be surprised by such things.”

“…”

“But your face still looks uneasy.”

Choi Jinseo drew a small circle toward my face with her index finger. My expression must not be good right now.

“Would you feel more comfortable if there’s a condition? How about this? In exchange for keeping your secret, you’ll help me talk to Mister Yeowoon.”

“It seems like you’re not trying to put my mind at ease; instead, you’re just using this opportunity to say what you want to say.”

“Smart.”

Choi Jinseo put the cigarette to her mouth and grinned. She didn’t light it, perhaps for my sake.

If she hadn’t noticed and had gone inside, she might not have taken the initiative to bring up today’s matter. Anyway, it didn’t seem like she was a bad person.

“He wouldn’t like it if I told him to talk to Team Leader right now.”

“So, that’s why I’m asking for your help. I thought he was angry at me and I wondered why, but now I know why. It’s because of Mister Myeongha, so you need to take responsibility and fix the situation.”

Even though Choi Jinseo abruptly shifted the blame to me, she continued with a lively smile.

“Will you help me?”

If I tried to make the two meet again, I was expecting Cha Yeowoon to give off a cold atmosphere again.

“I won’t force anything. The decision will depend on Yeowoon’s feelings. I’ll bring up the topic to him, but in return…”

“In return?”

Perhaps Choi Jinseo was my only way out.

[ Sub-Mission: Find 100,000 (621) fans for Cha Yeowoon. ]

In the grating Sub-Mission, there was a glimmer of hope.

Realistically, 100,000 was impossible no matter what extreme measures I took. But what if it was someone else?

There was more than one way to peel a potato. Similarly, if I couldn’t do it, I just needed to find someone who could and learn from them.

“You said you were a legendary Marketing Team Leader.”

“I never said I was legendary?”

“Aren’t you good at social media?”

“I roughly understand what you’re trying to say.”

Choi Jinseo, chewing on the cigarette filter, paused.

“But if you want to promote athlete Cha Yeowoon, wouldn’t it be quicker to sign a contract with us and entrust it to our side? It would be better than social media.”