ICYM Ch 28

Episode 28

Thankfully, the front of my pants was clean.

My pants are fine…?

Kendrick followed my gaze and, as if realizing what I was thinking, quickly added an explanation.

“…The plastic bag you’re holding.”

“Oh.”

Only then did my eyes fall to the plastic bag lying next to me. It looked like the bottom of the Mongolian beef container at the very bottom had cracked when I fell, and now the inside of the bag was a mess, soaked in brown sauce.

Kendrick picked up the bag and reached out his hand.

Flinch.

“…I thought it’d be better if I helped you up.”

“Oh, right.”

I couldn’t really shake him off after that, so I awkwardly took the hand he offered.

It was much bigger and firmer than it looked. I swallowed dryly as I stared at the veins standing out on the back of his hand.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“What happened? Why were you on the ground?”

“…I tripped over a rock.”

I couldn’t say it was because I saw your true nature, so I blurted out a lame excuse.

I wasn’t a preschooler, yet here I was saying I tripped on a rock while walking. How ridiculous did that sound?

At least it was better than saying I fell because I was startled by what I just saw.

“You tripped?”

Kendrick, surprisingly, didn’t laugh at me.

How could someone stay this calm after punching a person like that?

“You’re on your way back to the dorms, right?”

“Yeah.”

There wasn’t any other way to explain it since this whole area was residential until you reached the dorms.

I dusted off my knees even though they weren’t dirty.

A heavy silence settled between us. I felt like I should say something, but my brain was frozen from what I’d just seen, and no words would come.

When we were almost at the dorms, Kendrick finally broke the silence.

“…Did you see?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked awkwardly down at the ground. The quiet tone of his voice somehow made it all the more frightening.

“W-what, what do you mean?”

“Earlier. When we ran into each other.”

Kendrick looked like he was about to say more, but whatever it was, I didn’t want to hear it.

I had clearly seen him use violence against someone with my own two eyes.

“…Earlier? Yeah, I saw. That’s why I’m walking back with you.”

But I desperately pretended I didn’t know anything.

“……”

“I didn’t see anything!”

When I repeated it as if trying to emphasize it, Kendrick’s expression shifted subtly.

Did I overdo it with the denial?

I glanced at Kendrick out of the corner of my eye. He was rubbing his chin, looking unsure.

“…Really?”

His tone made it clear he didn’t quite believe I hadn’t seen anything.

I figured I should get out of there before the suspicion dragged on any longer.

“Huaaah~”

Damn it. It had sounded a lot more convincing in my head, but once I actually said it out loud, it was the worst fake yawn ever.

Still, I couldn’t back down now.

“I’m suddenly really sleepy, so I’m going to head up first.”

Before Kendrick could say anything more, I quickly turned around without even looking back.

Tap tap tap.

Even I had to admit it was an awkward exit, but what else could I do when I was scared?

It was only after I got back to my room that I could finally breathe. 

Thankfully, the plastic bag hadn’t ripped, so I decided to deal with the mess inside it later and just catch my breath for now.

“Hoo… Hoo…”

I brushed the dust off my backside and tried to calm my pounding chest.

My heart had been racing so wildly that it took a while to settle down.

…I wish the break would end soon.

Until vacation was over, I should just stay quietly in my room and keep a low profile.

That night, I had a dream where Kendrick looked at me with a disgusted expression because I had peed my pants.

Because of that dream, I barely left my room until the weekend.

Fortunately, by the time the weekend came, students started returning one by one.

When I ran into one of the recently returned potato squad members while doing laundry, I was actually happy to see them.

Noticing my gaze, the potato frowned and looked me up and down.

“What the hell? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s creepy.”

Even that annoyed reaction felt tolerable, and I kept a smile on my face as I warmly looked at the potato.

* * *

Even though I hadn’t set an alarm, I woke up early in the morning.

Today was an important day.

Out of habit, I checked my phone and found a message I hadn’t seen before going to bed.

[Senior: I’m back at the dorm. I think I’m going to sleep now, so I’m just leaving a message 🙂 ] 11:18 PM

There wasn’t much to it, but I read the message a few more times before getting out of bed.

Since it was still the mid-term break and many students hadn’t returned yet, I wrapped a towel around my waist and headed to the showers.

Normally, I would’ve brought a full change of clothes, but I hated that damp feeling when changing inside the shower room.

As expected, the shower room was empty. I stepped into one of the stalls, hung my towel over the door, and turned on the water.

Shhhhhhh.

It might come off as cheesy, but I had even bought new clothes for today’s confession and washed them yesterday.

Dressed in clothes carrying the soft scent of fabric softener, I looked at myself in the mirror.

Since I hadn’t lived my whole life with this face, I could see it a little more objectively.

I tilted my head this way and that, studying my features.

It wasn’t a bad face. My hair was a common dark brown, and my eyes a lighter brown than my hair, but my features were all neatly placed, giving a clean impression.

The outer corners of my eyes slanted slightly upward, so I could look a bit sharp with a neutral expression, but overall, I looked decent.

I dried my slightly damp hair completely and finished getting ready, but it was still early.

Should I head out now?

Even if I went early, I doubted I’d be able to focus on studying.

But staying in the room would only make me more anxious. I figured it’d be better to just go and wait.

“Should I grab a drink on the way?”

In case I got so nervous that my throat dried up while talking.

With a determined expression, I packed my bag and left the room.

* * *

A breeze blew in through the open window. The curtains fluttered, and behind them, the scent of leaves dried in the sun filled the air.

I’d been out in the sun just moments ago, and now sweat trickled down from my forehead. A quick glance toward the window showed a pile of fallen leaves gathering beneath the trees.

Click.

The sound of the library door opening made my body tense up.

The dormitory library was on the top floor, and since very few people studied even in the dorms, the ones who came here were always the same.

After a month of observing, I’d learned that on weekend mornings, only I and one other person came to the library.

At this hour, the library was practically our secret hideout.

Once in a while, the potato squad came by too, but only when they were looking for Sunbae, not to study.

Since Sunbae had arrived late last night, no one should know he was in the dorm yet.

It’s earlier than usual today, so no one else should be coming.

I gulped down the soda I had just bought from downstairs to soothe my dry throat from nerves. The cold drink fizzed sharply in my mouth.

“Phew…”

My seat was in the farthest corner, so I couldn’t see the door while sitting. Conversely, it also meant that whoever opened the door couldn’t see me either.

Perfect. It felt a bit cowardly, sure, but for someone like me who wanted to confess but lacked the courage to do it face-to-face, it was the ideal setup.

Click.

As the door opened again, I quickly spoke up before the other person could walk in any farther.

“Hey, wait a second.”

At my words, the person at the door froze mid-step.

“Just… listen from there.”

The timing was perfect.

I hesitated, afraid that maybe he didn’t feel the same way, but I didn’t want to delay this any longer. Clenching and unclenching my fists, I tried to steady myself.

Sunbae, standing at the door, seemed to recognize my voice and remained still, quietly waiting for me to speak.

I swallowed dryly and squeezed out my courage.

“I like you… I want to date you. Let’s go out.”

Once the words left my mouth, I covered my lips with the back of my hand and squeezed my eyes shut. I was nervous, sure, but I still felt confident.

Rather than being nervous about the confession itself, I was more anxious about how our relationship might change afterward.

“Okay.”

A deep voice answered. It was a yes.

I should have been overwhelmed with joy at hearing the response I’d hoped for, but I wasn’t. I snapped my eyes open.

“…Huh?”

It was definitely the answer I wanted, but something felt off.

Did his voice sound different because he’d woken up early after arriving late last night?

No… It wasn’t just that. The voice was completely different.

I quickly sprang to my feet.

My gaze halted at a height much taller than what I was used to seeing.

His hair, shining under the sunlight, caught my eye. And beneath that, his eyes were looking straight at me.

The moment our eyes met, I was so shocked I forgot to breathe.

“Okay. Let’s date.”

“…Huh?”                                                                                                

Seeing my confused expression, still unable to grasp the situation, Kendrick looked straight into my eyes and calmly repeated himself.

As if to confirm not only that he had heard the confession, but also that he was definitely the one I had confessed to.

There was no misunderstanding.

He had fully understood that I was the one who confessed, and he was responding to me.

Wait, why are you here?

It was only then that I realized the mistake I’d made, my mouth falling open in shock. I had confessed… to the wrong person.