Chapter 45.1

“Hey, did you hear about the social club? They have been moved to a smaller room. And their budget was cut down.”

“Really? But why, all of a sudden?”

I could hear the sound of students whispering amongst themselves. As I walked down the corridor, I rubbed my ears and looked away.

Gloria sunbae must have expended some effort, as nothing had happened to me, despite all my worrying. I never saw that Linda sunbae again after that day. We were in different grades afterall. However, I did meet some students from my grade who were in the social club, and each time, they avoided my eyes and ducked away.

It was a bit embarrassing, but I did feel a bit triumphant.

Sometimes I did wonder if it was worth it for Gloria sunbae to go to such lengths for me.

“What?! Worth it?! Never say such a thing again! You are precious to me and I just want to protect you.”

……as you can see, sunbae got furious, so completely let go of such questions.

Anyway, the whole business with the social club had been dealt with. But there was another problem.

After that day, it became hard for me to look Noah sunbae in the face.

“ Eek! ”

Walking down the corridor, I tried to hide after I saw a familiar head of silver hair.

“Please get away from me,” said Dora, who had grabbed my shoulder, in a low voice.

Thankfully, I was shorter than she was. Hiding behind Dora, I successfully left the building while avoiding being seen by Noah sunbae. I leaned on a pillar and breathed a sigh of relief.

“You were fine just a while ago. Why are you like this all of a sudden?”

“This is different. This is completely my problem,” I replied with a grimace, and with a hand on my chest.

I could no longer stop myself from wanting to hug Noah sunbae everytime I saw him. I flinched everytime I smelled jasmine, even though Noah sunbae was not the only one who used jasmine-scented perfume.

Katelin…… you incurable pervert.

“Ughhhhh.”

“What is it this time?”

I groaned as I swept my hair up. Dora slowly crept backwards and left.

Calm down now. You shouldn’t be thinking such shameless thoughts.

I rubbed my hair roughly and walked around, trying to empty my head a little bit. My aimless walking led me to the front of the boys’ changing room, where Arkhan and I had decided we would meet sometimes. Now that I thought of it, I had not been able to come recently.

“Hello! Long time, no see.”

I found Arkhan standing there, so I greeted him. But he replied sharply with his hands crossed.

“So I was right that you don’t want to hang out with me.”

“Huh?”

“You, noona , haven’t been spending time with me recently,” he said, pouting.

I covered my mouth as I smiled, and approached him slowly.

“Oooh, are you angry? You were upset because I didn’t come often?”

Arkhan kept his mouth tightly shut. Seeing how he avoided my gaze without saying anything, he must have been really upset.

Arkhan had always been like that since we were kids. Even if he was mad about something, he would never be the first to talk about it. So I always had to work really hard to relieve his anger.

“I’m sorry. Don’t be angry, okay?” I said, stretching out the words.

“I wasn’t angry,” he murmured sullenly as I pinched his cheeks.

“Lies.”

I chuckled and continued to poke his cheeks. Then, fiddling with his red hair, Arkhan mumbled in a small voice.

“…….I was a bit upset.”

“Got it, got it. I am sorry. I will come often in the future.”

I clung to his arm and laughed playfully.

“Okay. How could I ever be mad at you, noona ?” Arkhan said as he laughed, his face relaxing.

“No no, you definitely can.”

I sat down on the bench, smiling, feeling proud for some reason. I could see specks of dust floating in the air through the bright rays of sunshine. I tilted my head back with my eyes closed and felt the sunlight seeping through my eyelids.

“ Noona , did you hear? About the social club……”

“Ah, that happened because of me.”

Raising my finger and pointing to myself, I cut him off just as he began speaking. Arkhan’s eyes grew wide, clearly demanding an explanation. Feeling awkward, I smiled embarrassedly.

“So what had happened was……”

Arkhan blinked severally, surprised after hearing my story of how the social club members dragged me to their room.

“So you are saying that it was because of that sunbae that the social club’s funds were reduced and their room changed?”

“Exactly.”

I shook my head and smiled, while Arkhan expressed his surprise and then turned to look at me.

“Weren’t you scared, noona ?”

“Of course I was.”

Which was why Noah sunbae hugged…… ah, now was not the time to think such thoughts.

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