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Unable to endure the steadily dwindling time, Eunhae reached out and grabbed Jung Seunghee’s hand.
Jung Seunghee looked at her, his sharp eyes crinkling gently.
At his knowing gaze, a deep flush crept up Eunhae’s neck.
“Let’s just take a short break.”
She whispered, and Jung Seunghee nodded, setting down his pen. Eunhae sprang to her feet and hurried out into the corridor.
“Phew!”
Reaching the vending machine, Eunhae exhaled a long breath.
“Eunhae noona, you don’t seem to focus for very long, do you? Or is your handsome boyfriend too distracting?”
“…Aren’t you embarrassed saying he’s handsome?”
“Why would I be embarrassed stating a fact? Wouldn’t it be more deceitful to say he’s ugly?”
“Wow, how insufferable.”
“The truth-tellers are always ostracized, aren’t they?”
“Wh-what the–!”
Eunhae shrieked, startled, as Jung Seunghee, who had approached right beside her, took her hand.
“Noona, you really get scared easily.”
“N-no, I don’t usually get scared easily…”
She couldn’t help but be on high alert around Jung Seunghee. His presence constantly stimulated her.
Even when the ‘fates’ weren’t visible, Jung Seunghee’s heavy, colossal presence was still palpable.
“P-please let go of my hand.”
“Didn’t you want to hold my hand? You kept looking at it.”
“…”
It wasn’t that she wanted to hold his hand when she looked… No, it was true she looked with the intention of holding his hand! But that wasn’t the real reason!
“Noona, what are you doing this weekend?”
“The weekend? I’ll probably be playing games at home.”
Naturally, Eunhae never left the house on weekends. There were no classes, so there was no need to go outside and needlessly encounter people.
“This week, I’m definitely going to confess to Makoto.”
“…Makoto?”
“There’s a girl I’ve picked out as my little girlfriend. She’s incredibly cute.”
“…You can date Makoto later; date me first.”
“Date?”
“We haven’t even had our first date yet. Honestly, studying in the library isn’t really a date, is it?”
Eunhae’s eyes widened.
‘That’s right, I was dating Jung Seunghee!’
“Th-that’s right. We should go on a date.”
Having abruptly decided to date him for the sole purpose of holding his hand, she had been a bit lacking in the ‘being in a relationship’ awareness. She reflected on it.
Regardless of whether Jung Seunghee was uncomfortable or not, or what her feelings towards him were, if they were a couple, they had to do what couples do.
With a solemn resolve, Eunhae nodded.
“Alright, let’s go on a date!”
“I won’t devour you right away, so you don’t have to be so nervous. Want to go to the movies this weekend?”
“The cinema?”
The cinema was a crowded space. Naturally, it was one of the places Eunhae wouldn’t go, even if pushed.
‘But it’ll be fine if I’m with Jung Seunghee, my good luck charm…’
Eunhae nodded gravely.
“Alright. I’ll go to the cinema.”
Jung Seunghee chuckled softly.
“Is it your first time going to the cinema? Why are you so dramatic?”
“It’s my first time.”
“Then you’ve never watched a movie before?”
“With the internet, why wouldn’t I watch movies?”
“…”
“…”
“…I see. You’ve only watched them on OTT.”
“Exactly. It’s great how many things are released simultaneously these days.”
“Is the cinema perhaps uncomfortable for you?”
Jung Seunghee suddenly hit a nerve.
Eunhae flinched but shook her head.
“I-it’s just more comfortable and nice to watch at home. Our sofa is really comfy.”
“That’s true. Still, watching on a big screen at the cinema will be a different and good experience.”
“…Alright! I’ll give it a try!”
As long as she held Jung Seunghee’s hand tightly, no matter how many people there were, she would be fine!
“Are you really okay with the cinema? If you’re uncomfortable, we can do something else.”
“No, I want to try. If not now, when will I ever challenge myself?”
It was something she wouldn’t even dare to consider without the power of Jung Seunghee, her good luck charm.
Jung Seunghee smiled gently.
“Alright. Is there a movie you want to see? Among what’s showing these days, something that looks interesting…”
The two put their heads together for a long time, choosing a movie.
The final result was an old Hollywood series. Jung Seunghee chose it because Eunhae said she had seen all the previous installments.
“I’ve booked tickets for Saturday afternoon. We can have lunch nearby and then watch it.”
“Okay.”
“Well, it seems we’ve rested enough, so shall we go back in?”
“Alright.”
Eunhae nodded, subtly grabbing Jung Seunghee’s hand once before letting go.
Jung Seunghee chuckled in exasperation.
“Why did you only grab it once and let go?”
‘Because once is enough?’
Jung Seunghee gripped Eunhae’s hand with his large one. His fingers, tracing her palm, intertwined with hers.
It was a strangely embarrassing feeling.
Eunhae’s cheeks flushed crimson.
“Keep holding it.”
“N-no. People are watching.”
“What’s wrong with holding hands?”
That was true, but what he did just now felt different somehow.
“I-it’s fine.”
Eunhae tried to pull her hand away, but it didn’t budge.
“Let g-go.”
“You wanted to hold it earlier, didn’t you? Are you already tired of me?”
“Th-that can’t be true, can it? I-I’m just embarrassed…”
“Eunhae noona, are you embarrassed by me?”
“That’s not… true.”
“I liked it when you grabbed my hand first.”
Eunhae couldn’t even meet Jung Seunghee’s gaze and lowered her head. The tips of her ears, visible beneath her hat, were bright red.
Jung Seunghee’s eyes, looking down at her, deepened and darkened.
“…Because we agreed to take things slowly.”
Jung Seunghee released her hand. The slow manner in which he let go only made Eunhae’s heart pound faster.
“S-sorry for always grabbing your hand.”
“I told you, I like it. I wish you’d grab it more often.”
“Alright, alright. If I had my way, I’d cut off your hand and keep it in my pocket.”
Eunhae mumbled in a tired voice. Hearing her, Jung Seunghee said with a hint of laughter in his voice,
“You like my hand that much?”
“…Yeah. I like it a lot. So much that I don’t want to be separated from it for a moment.”
“You’re actually dating my hand, aren’t you? Not me.”
“No, not to that extent…”
“You’re dating me because you like my hand, not because you like me?”
A flustered Eunhae hunched her shoulders.
‘Why is he so perceptive?’
“Oh, come on, how could I date someone just for their hand? I’m dating you because I like you as a person.”
“Right? I almost got jealous of my own hand.”
“Y-yeah. No, you don’t need to be jealous of your hand.”
“Now that I think about it, one finger might be okay.”
“Huh?”
“I kind of like the thought of you always carrying one of my fingers with you.”
“…Huh?”
****
Eunhae discovered an unforeseen problem.
‘There are… too many people!’
She, who had never voluntarily left her house, whether the weather was good or bad, since becoming an adult, didn’t realize.
On a bright spring weekend, just how many people would flock outside.
‘I’ve already seen three…’
She had already seen three ‘fates’ just getting to the subway station exit, their meeting point.
‘Fortunately, none of them were serious.’
One was a future of passing an exam.
Another was a future of being dumped by his girlfriend.
The last one was a future of dropping all the items he was carrying.
Knowing it would likely be futile, Eunhae still stepped forward to help him. If she hadn’t seen it, perhaps, but seeing it and pretending not to was impossible.
“G-grandpa, it looks like your things are about to fall. Let me help you.”
“Huh? No, it’s alright.”
“Just organize them here for a moment before you go again.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Oh, whoa!”
Despite her attempts to stop him, the grandpa stubbornly turned, his body precarious. He collided directly with someone walking briskly.
“Oh dear!”
“Oh my! Grandpa! Are you alright?”
“L-let me help you.”
The person he collided with and Eunhae helped the grandpa gather his belongings.
It wasn’t a major incident, but it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
‘It’s not like I was trying to change fate anew, but…’
She was a fool for stepping in, knowing she would feel this helplessness. Yet, Eunhae knew that if such a thing happened again, she would still intervene.
With a bitter feeling, she pulled her hat lower.
Still, it was a date, so she wanted to dress nicely. But she couldn’t take off her hat.
‘If I didn’t have this, it wouldn’t be three people, it would be ten.’
The hat was Eunhae’s last line of defense.
Jung Seunghee was already at their meeting spot.
“Noona, you’re here?”
“O-oh, hi. The hat, well… I-I’m a bit sensitive to sunlight.”
Even she thought it was a ridiculous excuse. If she was sensitive to sunlight, she should have worn long sleeves and long pants.
Her outfit today was a knee-length dress with three-quarter sleeves.
She had chosen it after searching for something that would look dressed up yet still go with her hat.
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, Crow's Golden Fragment is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : Crow's Golden Fragment
