Chapter 203 – Let’s Feast on Stars (3)

Wouldn’t it be awkward if a boyfriend suddenly showed up at the reunion?

Star wanted to show me off, but hadn’t made any specific plans. So, I decided to attempt a little trick.

“You said you’d finish quickly and come back.”
“…Huh?”

At the reunion, we promised to have a short conversation before going on a date. Thus, the scenario was that I, her boyfriend, came to meet her here.

The rest of the classmates who attended the reunion would likely suggest we stay and join them. That’s how I’d naturally become part of the gathering.

“Wow…”

All eyes were on me, filled with admiration and awe. It seemed my charm was working its magic on the others.

“Why don’t we talk here before leaving? Star was just telling us about her boyfriend.”
“Really? No way!”

Upon hearing the sisterly address, Star widened her eyes and looked at me.

It seemed as though he wanted to brag about himself, so I decided to play along.

Was it that he couldn’t read my intentions? Byul was taken aback by the unusually friendly attitude and didn’t know how to respond.

“Were you talking about me?”
“…Huh? Oh, yes! Siheon was talking…”

As I smiled and gave a hint, he finally nodded his head. The women around us wore expressions of great interest.

“My boyfriend also hangs out here.”
“Oh, really? But… I didn’t make a reservation. Can I still join?”
“It’s fine! There are many people who end up being no-shows anyway.”
“Aha.”

Tap tap. The woman sitting in front of Byul tapped the shoulder of the guy sitting next to her.

“Hey, move quickly. Make room.”
“Uh, hehe. Alright.”

I naturally took a seat next to Byul. The woman beside her seemed very tense, her body rigid.

“…”

-Stuttering.

Why can’t I say anything?

You wanted to show off?

Place your hand on their shoulder and express some affection.
It’s not that difficult, so why act this way?

“…Wow, you really are handsome. I don’t know if I should say this. What abilities do you possess?”
“Abilities? None.”
“Really? Unbelievable.”

When Byul remained silent, the women around us unleashed a barrage of questions.
It seems there are people who acquire unique abilities related to charm when they awaken.

As I curtly refuted it, the atmosphere around us grew warmer.

“How did you two meet?”
“We met on a blind date… I liked them, so we decided to date right away. I didn’t know they were the vice-president, though…”
“Aha~”

Each time I respond, the ambiance becomes more congenial.
The dynamic shifts dramatically when a woman joins a gathering with only male friends, and that’s precisely the feeling now.

‘…This person stays silent until the very end.’

As I spoke, I turned my head to gaze at Byul.

The water, hardened like a rigid wooden log, remains water, and the mountain stands as a mountain.

I’m unsure if it’s embarrassment, but I worry as she spaces out.

“Sister.”
“…Yes?”
“Are you in pain?”

I reach out and gently caress her forehead.
Her bangs slowly rise, revealing her pure white forehead.
A star-shaped pupil gazing into the void.

It doesn’t seem like she’s feverish, but I wonder if she’s all right.
I came with light-hearted intentions, yet her reaction is such.

She blankly stares at my hand.
Then, suddenly, her face flushes with heat, turning strawberry red.

-Hiccup

A charming hiccup escapes her lips.

“Sister?”
“No, no fever!”
“Is it a cold? Should I buy you medicine?”
“…It’s not a cold.”

Briefly answering, she lifts the beer in her hand to her lips and drinks.
Those observing her seem somewhat astonished.

As if they’ve discovered a new side of her.
They gaze at her with wonder.

“How long have you been dating?”
“Uh… has it been two months? She doesn’t act like this when it’s just the two of us, but she gets really shy in front of her friends.”

It’s endearing, but it feels slightly off from the original intention.
Byul evaded the gazes from those around them.

At that moment, a woman who had been observing them for a while asked in a teasing manner.

“…Wow, but you’re really impressive. Is Byul dating you because she found a weakness to exploit? Hehe. After all, you’re the vice president of the association.”

Flinch-

Byul’s shoulders trembled.
She parted her lips as if she thought she needed to defend herself against this remark.

“Ah… no, that’s not it.”

Her voice retreated, as if disappearing into a mouse hole.
The once confident, adorable, and innocent Byul, who used to be well-versed in all sorts of internet humor.

Did she really need to be so disheartened by friends who knew only a little of her past?
Byul’s self-esteem had hit rock bottom, but they hadn’t expected it to be this extreme.

‘She said she changed after her parents passed away.’

I loathed myself for being so pitiful.
The star attempted to bury and forget that part of herself.

Yet, could the star truly distance herself from her past in the presence of those who knew it?
Perhaps Byul attended the reunion with me in hopes of overcoming this trauma.

Am I overthinking this?
At least, that’s how it seemed to me.

Azalea and Lee Se-Young, as well as White Peach and Zodiac, were all aware of their entanglements with the past.
As a companion, I would at least keep an eye on the situation.

“Ah, a weakness. Did it get exposed?”
“Uh… huh?”

Deftly, I wrapped my arm around Byul’s shoulder.
Her head, the size of a fist, nestled against my arm as I pulled her closer and embraced her gently.

Byul, not understanding the situation, gazed at me with a questioning look on her face.
Her eyes seemed tired.

I playfully poked her soft cheek and chuckled.

“If having a fondness is a weakness, then it is a weakness indeed.”
“…Um, what?”

With eyes softened to appear as tender as possible, I gently stroked my hair with my hands. Byul’s face turned a deep shade of red, like molten iron, due to the assertive physical contact.

I was so flustered that my body trembled like a vibrating cell phone.

“Ah, what the—haha!”
“Snicker.”

The act of igniting the hearts of the unattached provoked teasing and irritation from those around us. Yet, I could clearly see the envious gazes of several women.

Byul, ever sensitive to the eyes of others, must have noticed as well.

Having put in so much effort, it was only natural to feel a sense of pride. Though jealousy might inevitably follow, it was acceptable to indulge in such attention for once, considering I usually sat in some remote corner.

“…”

Byul cast her gaze in my direction.

Her pursed lips quivered, and her half-open eyes glistened with moisture. She glanced around and then said:

“You two make a good match.”

Upon hearing a woman’s remark, her expression gradually shifted.

“Ah, yes.”

He buried his head, which he was about to lower, in my embrace.

“My boyfriend… I don’t deserve you.”

A soft smile blossomed on his lips. Jealous onlookers, captivated by the lovely grin akin to a delicate flower, diverted their gazes.

His nerves seemed to have subsided. I reverted to my original expression, smirking wickedly.

Slowly, I guided him back to his true nature.

“Ah, well, I did catch you off guard.”
“…Huh?”
“You know, at the blind date – you threatened me, saying it would be a big deal if I didn’t date you.”
“Hey, when did I ever say that…?”
“But I liked you too, so I decided to go along with it.”
“…You, really.”

We playfully bickered.

He patted my shoulder and tried to break free from my embrace. I hugged him even tighter, laughing softly.

“Last time, we played a game with kisses at stake, and you deliberately lost, didn’t you, Byul?”
“Oh, really? Byul, you’re so adorable, hehehe.”
“Ah! I didn’t do that!”

With a startled cry, Byul let out a “squeak!”

However, Byul was startled by her own voice and opened her eyes wide.
She glanced at me and blinked. Then, she looked around and blinked again.
After that, she turned her gaze back to me.

“Did Byul really do that? She won a game competition back in high school. She’s like a fox in front of her boyfriend.”
“Right? But more like a puppy than a fox, I’d say.”

Byul laughed awkwardly at the natural cadence of my words.

I gently stroked Byul’s hair.

“Indeed, she’s like a puppy. She has a lot of delicate aspects. I’m younger, but sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s the younger one.”
“It does seem that way. Hehe.”
“Exactly. The past doesn’t matter. She’s down on herself, and I don’t know why. She’s pretty and accomplished enough.”
“You’re right, Byul does have that side.”
“When she was working as the vice president, she was incredibly reliable. But seeing her so disheartened… It makes me worried. That’s why I try to support her.”

True love, indeed. True love.

I heard such a voice from somewhere. It was a phrase that emerged during everyday conversations, but still, it might have struck a chord with Byul.

Byul was making an effort to giggle.

“When did I ever do that?”
“I’m serious.”
“…Hey.”
“Hehehe. I’m going to use the restroom.”

Leaving Byul with a vacant expression for a moment, I entered the restaurant’s bathroom. I stood in the urinal stall to cool off.

‘It’s so awkward trying to say something I didn’t mean to say.’

-Whoosh.

I sighed as I listened to the sound of water coming from the nearby urinals.

Wouldn’t this be enough to boast about a boyfriend? I wished for strength to fill Byul’s shoulders.

-Squeak.

A classmate of Byul’s who followed me stood next to me and lowered his pants.

And then, his gaze shifted downward toward my pants. I stealthily moved to the right, trying to dodge his blatant stare, and the man swallowed a gasp.

“…”

A man who suddenly glimpsed at my stuff and left, feeling disheartened.

…What?
Stunned, I stared at the man who washed his hands on the spot and left.
He never looked at me again.

* * * * * * * * *

“Byul, your boyfriend is really a great guy.”

Words laced with jealousy.

However, it’s an emotion of an entirely different nature than what they’ve experienced so far.
Not a spiteful insult that would cause them to suffer for a long time if they didn’t shrink away, bristling with thorns.

Simple envy.
…At first glance, it’s admiration.

Will I ever meet a partner like that?
I envy you for having met such a person.

The intentions of those people are conveyed.
Outsiders who are always hunched over have an innate ability to read people’s expressions.

“You seem to be really good at observing.”
“…Do I?”

My heart races.

Admittedly, Lee Si-heon did have many women in his life… but at the very least, he was not one to neglect his relationships when dating or meeting up.

He truly cherished and cared for his own people. Each word that had just been spoken pierced his heart.

Whether it was genuine concern from a naive heart or a hidden intention to rekindle the energy of the stars, it didn’t matter.

“Boyfriend, you should really treat me well… Are you planning to carry me on your back?”
“…Really?”
“If you don’t know this, you’re a fool. Don’t view me as a pushover.”

She etched the constructive advice of a few classmates into her heart.

– You’re definitely pretty and impressive.

Pretty… they say I’m pretty.

She shyly smiled when Si-heon wasn’t around.

“…We did get along quite well. Hehe.”
“See?”

He responds with a thud and accepts it.

As Lee Si-heon returned from the restroom and sat next to her, she managed to shake off some of her unease.

“Now you’re smiling a little.”

Seeing that impish smile as soon as he looks at me.

It was the first time I felt an instant attraction for someone, just by looking at their face and how well it matched my ideal type. Now, however, I find myself looking beyond their face, and more at what’s inside.

‘…He’s handsome.’

It’s not about the aesthetic standards that society generally accepts.

When I come to realize it, I… I wanted to meet someone who shared some of my hobbies and thought of me like this.

They say there’s no such thing as an ideal romantic relationship, that when you get hurt once, it lasts a lifetime, and that you’re supposed to live with gradual acceptance.

A person whose heart aligns with yours and whose presence brings you joy. Meeting someone like that… If that’s the naïve dream of a young girl’s love, then I don’t care if I’m called childish for the rest of my life.

“Siheon.”
“Hm?”
“Let’s go now.”

There was a place I wanted to go.

With this person.