HWAMB — Chapter 51

Panting, I forced strength into eyes that felt like they would collapse.

This was bad.

It seemed I’d gained another trauma to deal with.

With a sigh, I closed the toilet lid and flushed.

For a while, I crouched there, trying to calm my heaving stomach. Then, someone knocked on the bathroom door.

Startled, I turned toward it, only to hear a familiar voice.

“Eun-jae, are you okay?”

It was the voice of our class president, Do Jin-gyeong.

‘Could he have heard everything…?’

My uneasy hunch was always right.

If someone thought you were really fine, they wouldn’t follow you all the way to the bathroom. Everyone usually assumed you’d just gone to take care of something personal.

When I stepped out, Do Jin-gyeong’s darkened expression made a flood of thoughts run through me.

“Your stomach’s really bad, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you go to the hospital?”

“No, it’s fine. I think I just had a bit of indigestion. I threw up and feel better now.”

“Indigestion? Then you should take some medicine…”

“Ah! No, no! I mean, I’m not sure yet… I’ll stop by the hospital after school later!”

I hastily cut the conversation short with a flimsy excuse. When he asked if I was really okay without going to the nurse’s office, I quickly shook my head, insisting I was fine now.

Forcing a smile, I went to the sink and rinsed my mouth several times. Still, the taste wouldn’t go away.

I figured I’d have to brush my teeth again during the break. I turned the faucet handle and washed my hands thoroughly.

After a bit of time, the nausea began to settle down.

Through the mirror, I asked Jin-gyeong, who was still standing behind me.

“Class already started, right?”

“Yeah.”

No wonder there were no other students in the bathroom.

“Here.”

“Oh… thanks.”

Jin-gyeong took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me, and I accepted it naturally.

He actually carried a handkerchief. He was so thoughtful.

I wiped the water off my hands and the corners of my mouth.

“I’ll wash it clean and return it to you.”

Even if it was just water, it must still feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t dirty, but I felt uneasy just handing it back like that.

At my words, Jin-gyeong smiled easily and nodded.

I kept my gaze on him as I carefully folded the handkerchief and slipped it into my pocket.

Before leaving the hallway, I called out to Jin-gyeong. He stopped, turned around with a questioning look.

“Um… so…”

“…? Yeah.”

“Could you keep what just happened a secret from Hyun-woo?”

“…From Shim Hyun-woo?”

For a moment, his expression twisted subtly. A tiny change, but that made it all the more noticeable.

I nodded and added.

“…Yeah. Oh, and from the others too…”

“……”

He looked at me with a strange expression, then asked again, as if confirming.

“You’re sure you’re okay? I still feel like something’s wrong… is it because of what happened before…?”

“I said it’s not! Come on, we’re late. Let’s go.”

“……”

I pushed him gently on the back.

“You really…”

“…You’ll keep it a secret, right?”

At my upward glance, Jin-gyeong suddenly stopped what he was about to say.

He almost looked like he was about to scold me. But even then, I found it strange—this was the first time I’d seen that expression on him.

At my cautious question, he finally let out a quiet sigh and answered obediently.

“…Yeah. I’ll keep it a secret. From the teachers too, and from the others.”

“…Thanks.”

I couldn’t help but let out a relieved sigh at his words.

Thank god. I didn’t want to worry anyone else about this.

Especially not Hyun-woo.

‘Still, I keep showing this guy sides of me I’d rather hide…’

I caught up to Jin-gyeong’s stride and walked alongside him, glancing at him.

Unlike Hyun-woo, he had a neat appearance, a tidy uniform. A calm way of speaking, kind and diligent personality.

Now that I thought about it, he and Hyun-woo were opposites in many ways.

‘Come to think of it, how did he even know Hyun-woo’s number back then?’

That day I was dragged off by Jang Jae-ho, I’d heard Jin-gyeong had contacted Hyun-woo…

‘Wait, do they know each other?’

Suspicion crossed my face as I glanced at him. Were they ever in the same class?

‘I don’t think so…’

Or maybe their families were acquainted?

I recalled Hyun-woo’s attitude whenever Jin-gyeong came up. The displeased look, the distasteful tone—it all made sense now.

I carefully brought it up.

“Have you known Hyun-woo since before?”

At my question, Jin-gyeong’s steps slowed for a moment. Then, forcing a smile, he replied.

“Who in our grade doesn’t know Shim Hyun-woo?”

The smooth laugh was flawless. Well… it wasn’t wrong, but it still felt off.

Watching my expression, he then chuckled lightly and added as if it were nothing.

“We’re nothing special. Our parents just ran into each other a few times because of work, that’s all.”

“Oh…”

“…Well, now it’s just that Shim Hyun-woo pretty much hates me one-sidedly.”

“I… I see.”

His response made me nod vaguely. Even as he smiled politely, he looked somewhat bitter.

‘Could it be…’

My uneasy hunch struck again.

Like a scene from a movie, the memory flickered past.

That was what Jin-gyeong had said to me the day we practiced the three-legged race.

Swallowing dryly, I looked at him again. Could it be… he really liked Hyun-woo?

‘It would sort of make sense…’

“I don’t like him.”

His firm voice cut through my thoughts, and I stared at him blankly as we walked.

“…What?”

“I thought you might be misunderstanding. I don’t like Hyun-woo.”

“O-oh… okay.”

“Funny, right? People always think that if you’re close with someone for a while, you must be dating… Just like I misunderstood you and Hyun-woo at first.”

“Y-yeah…”

Even though it wasn’t the kind of thing to say with a calm smile, Jin-gyeong looked relaxed. I quickly turned my head away.

‘Why do I feel guilty for no reason…’

Still smiling softly, he said to me.

“The day I found out you were an omega—you remember I said I’d tell you a secret too?”

“I told you before, you don’t have to…”

“I’ve been in love with someone for a year.”

“What? Really?”

That was news that would make half the omegas cry. With his reputation as the kind, perfect alpha, Jin-gyeong was extremely popular.

“Who is it? Someone in our class?”

“Yeah. In our class.”

“…Seriously? You’re not joking?”

“Yeah. Seriously.”

“…Don’t you dare let the school newspaper club find out.”

At that, he laughed softly. I had asked half-jokingly, but it turned out to be true.

The newspaper club would go wild over news like that.

‘So it’s really not Hyun-woo, then… At least it’s not him.’

I hadn’t wanted to dig deeper, but my curiosity kept growing. My mind was already playing detective.

“…Is it someone I know?”

“Probably.”

“What, really?”

His easy answer to my probing startled me.

“Of course. We’re in the same class—everyone knows everyone.”

“R-right…”

As expected, he wouldn’t say more. Still, the fact that Do Jin-gyeong had a crush at all surprised me.

I wondered if he lacked confidence, if that’s why he hadn’t confessed yet. I figured he’d have no trouble succeeding.

“So, are you close with them?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure, honestly.”

“Kind of ambiguous?”

“Actually, I’ve been trying to give up for a few weeks now.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s too late. They already have someone.”

“Oh…”

Damn, I shouldn’t have asked. I found myself glancing at him cautiously.

“I know I should move on… but it’s not easy.”

His words made me hold my breath.

‘That’s not a crush anymore—that’s heartbreak!’

I had wanted to cheer him on with a warm “Good luck!” but instead it had turned into a story of rejection.

“I tried to forget… but every time I resolve myself, I end up running into them again. It’s embarrassing, but each time my resolve just collapses. So yeah… it’s confusing.”