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Chapter 3: His So Naive
Ding!
The doorbell rang.
Hyun-bin's mum, still enjoying a massage from her darling husband, furrowed her brows with concern. She stood up quickly when she saw her beautiful daughter—now a grown, striking young woman—stumble into the house.
Her mood changed instantly.
Hee-Kyung's hair was a mess, her steps wobbly, her cheeks red. She leaned on the wall for support, managing a weak smile at her mum before turning toward the hallway.
"Where's the toilet?" she asked hurriedly.
Her mum reached out to steady her, but Hee-Kyung shrugged her off. "I need to go now."
She faced the two doors to her left. "Number one? Number two?"
She tried the first door—it was locked. With a frustrated sigh, she knocked.
"I'm in here!" her brother called out from inside.
Hee-Kyung clenched her teeth. "Hey, you little…" she hissed, her voice low and threatening. "I'll make you eat my hot dump!"
She gripped the doorknob in desperation.
Her mum looked on with pity. "Use the one in the master bedroom!"
Hee-Kyung's eyes widened. "Master bedroom…?"
It hit her. She spun around and speed-walked toward the room, humming, "It's coming out!" as she clutched her bottom.
Her mum and dad trailed behind her, worried.
"Don't move too much," her mum said.
"Don't forget to breathe," her dad added.
---
Meanwhile, Ju-Kyoung sat cross-legged on her bed, admiring the two Metal Metal Band concert tickets in her hand. She smiled to herself and placed them inside a cute box filled with homemade cookies. Then she picked up a neatly folded note from beside her.
"A letter to Hyun-bin," she whispered, chuckling and adjusting her glasses.
"You dummy…" she read aloud. "A dummy for not knowing how I feel about you."
Her voice softened as she read on. "And I'm a dummy for only thinking about you."
She laughed sweetly, hugging the letter close.
Hyun-bin's room wasn't the typical girly space with pink décor or makeup scattered around. Her walls were decorated with rock band posters, skull stickers, and dim lighting. Her bedsheets were a soft blue, not too bright—just calming.
To her left was a tall bookshelf filled with novels. Her prized collection, Shadow Slave, had its own shelf, each volume neatly organized in order.
She picked up a black fluffy cat pillow and held it in front of her.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" she said seriously, leaning in to kiss the pillow.
Just then, the door swung open.
"Hey, Hyun-bin, can you turn the music—" Her brother stopped mid-sentence, blinking at the sight. His face contorted in disbelief.
"I feel like poking my eyes out," he muttered before walking off.
Embarrassed, Hyun-bin tossed the pillow after him. "What's wrong with her…" he murmured from the hallway.
Smiling, Hyun-bin picked up her bunny plush and held it in her lap. She carefully slid the letter into the envelope and tucked it inside the box.
---
The next morning, two girls stood in front of a memorial poster. On it was a photo of a young, handsome boy, his smile frozen in time. The poster was covered in heartfelt notes.
"Jeong Se-yeon, I'll always keep you in my heart."
"Happy Birthday, Se-yeon. Hope you're happy in heaven."
One girl scoffed as she read the messages. "His fans are unbelievable."
"Didn't they trash-talk him before he died?" the other replied.
The first girl nodded. "Now they're acting all sad? Two-faced much?"
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At the bus stop, Ju-kyoung sat quietly, holding a box close to her chest. Her eyes looked dull with nervousness. She pulled out her phone and took a deep breath.
I'm going to tell my crush how I feel today. I'm super nervous. Cheer me up with courage. she typed.
I admire your courage. You can do it. I hope he likes you back! the reply came.
Ju-kyoung—Hyun-bin—smiled. Let us know how it goes, the person added.
She dropped her phone into her bag just as the bus pulled up. It was packed. No seats left.
Still gripping her box, she got on and stood by the door. The bus jerked with every turn.
Then, it stopped.
A girl stepped in. All the guys turned their heads.
"It's Sam-mi," someone whispered.
"Her beauty gets better every day."
They made way for her like she was royalty. As she passed by, she pushed Hyun-bin toward the window. Her face squished against the glass, her box awkwardly trapped between her body and the bus wall.
Three boys immediately offered Sam-mi their seats. She sat gracefully with her friends, her expression calm and composed.
Hyun-bin tried to push herself up, but the pressure from the crowd made her stumble—right onto someone's lap.
"Hey! What the heck?!" the boy barked.
Hyun-bin looked up, flustered. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked and adjusted her glasses.
She opened her box to check. Thankfully, everything inside was still intact. She sighed with relief.
Later, she entered class, proud and nervous. She'd worked hard on these gifts.
Then—bam. Sam-mi bumped into her.
"I'll get the dumplings!" Hyun-bin yelped, panicking and running out.
Sam-mi's friends burst into laughter.
"What was that?"
Sam-mi's eyes drifted to the box on Hyun-bin's desk. She hadn't noticed it before.
"Look what she brought," Sam-mi said, amused.
Her friends gathered.
"Dumpling brought something?"
The box was cute, tied with ribbons and black buttons.
Inside were cookies.
"Ew, cookies?" one of them frowned.
"So ugly," Sam-mi muttered, tossing one back. "Looks tacky."
She pulled out the note and read aloud mockingly:
"You're a dummy. A dummy for not knowing how I feel. I'm a dummy too…"
"Geez, so lame."
The girl sitting near them read quietly, pretending not to hear.
Sam-mi tapped her.
"Hey. Is she asking him out today?"
"Yes," the girl whispered.
Sam-mi chuckled. "Can't even speak up. I guess like attracts like."
---
In the cafeteria, Hyun-bin carefully cleaned the food tables. Students watched as Sam-mi and her girls strutted in.
Sam-mi smiled when she spotted him.
"Hyun-bin!" she called.
He turned to her with a grin. "Hey, Sam-mi. What's up?"
"Are you busy?"
He adjusted his chef's cap. "Do you have something to say to me?"
Sam-mi tilted her head sweetly. "Are you dating Lim Ju-kyoung?"
"What?"
He blinked. "Why do you ask?"
"I heard the rumors," she said, playing with her hair.
Before he could reply, she pointed her finger dramatically.
"You're like clean water. She's like sewer water… way down the stream."
Hyun-bin was speechless.
"You're way out of her league."
"Yeah… of course," he said, unsure.
"She probably mistook your kindness for something else," she added, then gave him a soft smile. "Right?"
"I guess I'm just too nice," he murmured.
Sam-mi looked away, pretending to be hurt. "Those rumors really broke my heart."
She pouted slightly. "Hyun-bin… you shouldn't say things like that. You might hurt your handsome face."
He smiled weakly.
"I'll see you later," she said.
"When later? I've got time now."
She kept her composure, pretending not to be annoyed.
"Perhaps later."
"Alright, Sam-mi. I'll DM you."
"See you soon," she said sweetly, turning away.
As she left with her entourage, one of the girls giggled, "That was so easy."
Sam-mi smirked.
"He's so naive."
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