ICYM Ch 41

Episode 41

Instead of jumping into the conversation, Laura kept herself busy flipping through the menu, saying she was hungry.

I still couldn’t accept reality and muttered under my breath.

“…Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today…?”

“……”

Kendrick, who had nodded honestly in response, soon noticed my sour expression and closed his mouth with a flustered look.

“Is it really your birthday today?”

“…Yeah.”

When I asked again, Kendrick answered absentmindedly, his face showing no sign of realizing why I was so dumbfounded.

“Kevin, what are you going to eat?”

“You guys… huh?”

“Hurry and decide. They said if we order late, the food will take a long time.”

Just as Kevin was about to join our conversation, a menu was shoved in front of him. Urged by Laura to pick something, Kevin averted his gaze from us and focused on the menu.

Seizing the moment, I pulled on Kendrick’s arm, and he leaned toward me without resistance.

“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

“…Because I was worried you’d feel burdened.”

With that, the reason he had suggested going out today was explained.

“So the reason you asked me out today… was because it’s your birthday?”

“……”

So it wasn’t just because he was frustrated from studying too much and wanted to go out?

When he asked what I wanted to do, and when he even mentioned exactly where we should go, I should have realized.

That means he wanted to go out even before I suggested it.

But if that was the case, we didn’t really do much, did we?

I retraced the day.

We had left the dorms separately, met at the bus stop, and then headed straight to the mall.

Although it was Kendrick who had suggested going out, once inside the mall, we only went to the places I wanted.

He has friends he could be meeting on his birthday, so why insist on going out with me, who didn’t even know it was his birthday?

Several thoughts raced through my mind. Something didn’t add up. What was it?

“Ah.”

Then it suddenly hit me.

Why is he speaking as if it’s a given that I’d feel burdened?

Yes, that was strange. Feeling burdened was natural for me, but it wasn’t something that should have been natural for Kendrick.

Didn’t Kendrick firmly believe that I liked him?

Why would he think it’s a burden?

At first, when I heard the word “burden,” I thought maybe Kendrick had just mistaken me for being reluctant to go out. But that wasn’t it.

If that had been the case, we wouldn’t have gone out in the first place.

Could it be that he knows something?

For a moment, I wondered if he knew, but I quickly shook my head.

The only thing I’m hiding here is that accidental confession.

If he really knew that confession was a mistake, there’s no way he would’ve accepted it.

Then what on earth is it?

“…Are you okay?”

Lost in thought, I was pulled back by Kendrick’s cautious question. At a glance, his face looked indifferent, but if I looked closely, I could see a peculiar restlessness.

By now, I was starting to get the hang of reading Kendrick’s expressions.

No matter how much I thought about it, it wasn’t something I could figure out alone. For a moment, I considered asking Kendrick, but we weren’t alone, and I didn’t want things to get awkward by bringing it up.

“Ah, yeah.”

I gave him a big grin to show it really was nothing, then took a long sip of my drink through the straw.

I had let my thoughts go too far.

“They were just talking about Halloween, so I was thinking about that.”

“It’s already mid-October.”

At any other time, I would have thought it’s only been a week, but being with Kendrick made it feel like an entire week had already flown by.

Time really did pass quickly whenever I was with him.

Getting scared, studying, pretending not to know, then feeling reassured because he seemed like a good guy again.

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t realized before, but ever since we started dating, my whole world had revolved around Kendrick.

Feeling oddly self-conscious, I tilted my head back to stretch my neck. Thanks to the transparent dome-shaped ceiling, we could see the sky from inside. Thick gray clouds covered the sky on this gloomy day.

Maybe that’s why there are more people inside than earlier, because it looks like it might rain.

The claim that there were no empty seats wasn’t a lie. Even the benches scattered throughout the mall were completely filled without a single space left.

If I’d known it was his birthday, I would have gone out with him without needing that condition.

It might have felt like a burden, but I wouldn’t have refused.

Whatever the reason, the reality was that we were dating.

Before the conversation could go any further, Kevin, who had finally decided on his order, jumped in at just the right moment.

“What are you two whispering about?”

“Nothing much.”

“What did you say?”

“That it’s October now.”

“And? That can’t be the only thing.”

Kevin crossed his arms and glanced back and forth between us. Why was he staring like that, as if trying to keep me in check?

“That Halloween’s coming soon.”

“And?”

“That it looks like it might rain.”

Kevin, who had been half-doubting our claim that we weren’t close, found it suspicious that we even came out together on the weekend, and soon broke into a grin.

“Guess you really aren’t close.”

“…Why?”

I had been the one to say we weren’t close to keep our relationship a secret, and Kevin had accepted it. But Kendrick asked why, his face showing some kind of dissatisfaction. What exactly had rubbed him the wrong way?

What’s with the two of them?

“When people have nothing to say, they talk about the weather or the season, you know.”

“……”

Come to think of it, we really had only talked about the weather and the season.

“And you didn’t even know it was his birthday.”

“……”

“But I did!”

Kevin, sulking because Kendrick had gone out with me instead of him, suddenly perked up again once he remembered he was the one who knew it was Kendrick’s birthday. He looked smug, like a grade-schooler who thought that made him the closest friend.

“There’s no real reason to go around telling everyone about it.”

Kendrick brushed it off lightly, and Kevin raised his eyebrows.

“A birthday’s a big deal. You’re eating with me, too, got it? Hey, Ken. Why aren’t you answering?”

“……”

Kevin clung to Kendrick’s arm and shook it. Looking drained, Kendrick reluctantly gave a half-hearted nod.

“Oh, right. About Halloween….”

Kevin, eager to keep the conversation going about things only they would know, glanced at me sideways, but I just wanted to focus on the rest of my sandwich. 

It would’ve been nice if at least one of our wishes had come true, but once Laura, who had called the waiter and finished ordering, joined in, neither of us got what we wanted.

“Sorry. I’ll focus now.”

Laura set her arms on the table and flashed a sociable smile.

“Thanks for letting me sit with you.”

The way she spoke while stealing glances at Kendrick made it clear she was talking to us but secretly hoping Kendrick would be the one to reply.

“Don’t mention it.”

So I quickly answered first.

Hadn’t I already decided not to let a fated connection, one that should have flowed naturally, get messed up because of one careless word of mine?

But Laura was bolder than I’d expected. After giving me a quick glance, she rested her chin in her hand and spoke openly to Kendrick.

“Seeing you in such a crowded place like this, it really hits me… You’re seriously handsome.”

“……”

“Don’t you think so?”

When Kendrick gave no response, Laura turned to Kevin as if seeking his agreement.

Why keep throwing looks Kendrick’s way when her fated connection was right in front of her?

What’s the big deal about a haircut anyway?

Well, it was a big deal. All day long, countless people had been sneaking glances at Kendrick.

But no one dared to approach, no matter how good-looking he was, because of his build and that cold, intimidating stare.

Worried Kevin might be offended, I glanced at him, but contrary to my concern, instead of looking bothered, he snorted, as if he had been waiting for this.

“That’s why I kept telling him to cut his hair ages ago. With his face hidden, all anyone could see was that threatening aura.”

“Really? I like it, though.”

“Isn’t that just because you’re a dominant Omega?”

“Is that so?”

Kevin, happily chatting with Kendrick, suddenly realized his mistake and looked at me with an awkward expression.

“Oops. Did we talk too much about traits in front of a Beta? Sorry.”

Why was it that, even though he was also an extreme-dominant, Kevin didn’t have any of that characteristic overbearing aura?

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

So much for ending the day on a good note.

I gave a half-hearted reply, clicked my tongue, and ate the last piece of my sandwich.

…When should I buy a gift?

Honestly, ever since I found out it was his birthday, that thought had been stuck in my head.

Suddenly, feeling someone’s gaze, I lifted my head and saw that Laura had turned toward me.

The moment our eyes met, she shot me a question as if she had been waiting for it.

“I think I heard your name earlier, but I didn’t quite catch it. I was really tired. Felt like I could’ve sold my soul for a cup of coffee.”

Laura rolled her eyes dramatically, stressing how exhausted she was, then lifted her cup, saying she had already finished half of it the moment the waiter set it down.

“Oh, it’s…”

I almost said my name naturally, but then froze. The only reason she hadn’t reacted until now was because she hadn’t heard my name.

What if she hears my name?

Remembering Owen’s relentless urging made goosebumps prickle up my arms.