Chapter 26: Extra accepts the offer to be friends.

“Haaam…….”

Looking at the evening sky at sunset, I yawned without realizing it.

“Hayeon, you look very tired.”

“Do I look like it?”

If even Yoon Sejeong next to me could feel it, I must really be tired.

‘I just shopped, ate lunch, watched a movie, and then had dinner.’

I was as exhausted as if I had run 10km.

It wasn’t that my physical strength was exhausted.

I was just mentally exhausted.

‘No, how can I not be tired when they’re sticking to me like that on both sides…….’

Yeah, well, it was okay until before watching the movie.

In my memory, there was the memory of ‘Kim Hayeon’ before finding the memories of my previous life, and I had no resistance to playing around with girls.

But, the problem started when Yoon Sejeong and Baek Ahra stuck to me tightly in the movie theater.

-They’re not watching the movie and just sticking together…

-That’s not fair!

In the end, Sohee and Jia saw the two sticking to me.

Because of that, after watching the movie, the two of them stuck to me even more.

Literally, to the point where most of my body was touching.

They weren’t the type to touch so unreservedly.

They were pure kids who would just touch me once when playing around, but they must have been quite envious.

‘Actually, Baek Ahra, who was the starting point, went back.’

-The movie today was fun. Then, let’s all see each other at the academy later.

After receiving a call, Baek Ahra left us with only such a simple greeting.

Because of that, the concern/hesitation of whether to eat dinner together became useless.

‘……It must have been a call from Baek Ahra’s family, right?’

There was no other reason to think about why Baek Ahra’s expression, which was quite soft, became sharp again.

‘It must be really hard for her.’

She ran away from home to the dormitory, but because of that, she has to report her every move to her family.

I could definitely say that I wouldn’t be able to stand it.

‘I should have just asked her to eat dinner together.’

She ate alone nearby at lunchtime, and I was sorry that I just sent her away when I thought about it again.

And, I thought that if Baek Ahra was there, I would have had some breathing room at dinner.

Because, when we ate dinner, there was almost a battle.

-Hayeon, try this.

-This too!

-This was delicious when I put it on bread.

-It’s okay…

Originally, I was considering a slightly expensive restaurant, but I chose a suitable franchise Western restaurant because I thought Yoon Sejeong, who was being treated, would feel burdened.

Unlike a restaurant where course meals are served and served on individual plates, the place was set up in the form of giving food in a large bowl and serving each other.

They gave that food on my plate, or tried to put their own in my mouth, and so on…

Someone might say it’s a luxury, but the person being subjected to it is just tired.

I accepted everything because I couldn’t refuse the offer, so after eating everything, I even felt a little overeaten.

‘Certainly, Yoon Sejeong was the main character of this gathering…’

The fundamental purpose of today’s gathering was for Yoon Sejeong, who transferred, and the other kids to become friends, but after eating dinner, I felt that that purpose was somehow blurred.

Rather, wasn’t I swayed around?

‘……Hah, well, what can I do.’

Sohee and Jia have already taken their own buses to their homes.

Me and Yoon Sejeong are also on the same bus now, but we’ll part ways in a little while.

In a situation where the day is already coming to an end, all I can do is pray that Yoon Sejeong had fun today.

‘……Should I ask her directly?’

Suddenly, I had that thought.

‘Were you happy?’

That was, very embarrassing.

And even if I asked that, one hundred out of one hundred would answer that they were happy, they wouldn’t give any other answer.

If so, there was even more meaning in asking.

But.

Still, just asking a little…

“……Hayeon?”

“Uh, huh?”

I was surprised.

I was thinking deeply for a moment, so I didn’t know until Yoon Sejeong’s hand came in front of my eyes.

“Ah, I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Hayeon surprised.”

“I’m also a person, so I get surprised too.”

There weren’t many things that would surprise me in my usual academy life.

Basically, the academy was very quiet, and except for the time to relieve stress during PE class, there was little emotional fluctuation.

This wasn’t because of memories, but rather because it was the original ‘Kim Hayeon’’s personality.

‘……That being said, I think there were a lot of things that happened this week.’

On Monday, the president approached me from the beginning, and Yoon Sejeong, who is next to me, transferred.

After that, I also decided on a club, so it was full of things that were mentally busy.

“So, why did you call me?”

She wouldn’t have wanted to disturb me while I was lost in thought, right?

……Even if that was the truth, the only thing I could do was express my dissatisfaction by pinching her cheeks.

“I wanted to say thank you.”

“Huh? For what?”

I’m embarrassed once again by Yoon Sejeong’s sudden words of thanks.

“Actually, before transferring to the academy, I was worried if I could make friends. Aria Academy is an academy where famous young ladies attend, and although there are a very small number of scholarship students in similar situations to me… Honestly, I even considered being bullied.”

“…….”

“But on the first day, I met you, Hayeon, and after that, I got to know Sohee and Jia, walked around the academy together, and even came out together on the weekend like this and played together… It was so fun that I wondered if it was okay for me to be this happy.”

Yoon Sejeong’s ears were red.

“Thank you. And, in the future…will you be friends with me?”

My right hand was held by Yoon Sejeong’s two hands.

My hands were longer than Yoon Sejeong’s, and even when they were folded with two hands, my fingers protruded little by little.

That appearance was somewhat awkward, and I laughed a little without realizing it.

That wasn’t all.

Even though she raised her head slightly to meet my eyes, she couldn’t look straight into my eyes and turned her eyes subtly.

Her face was also a little red, and combined with the sunset light coming in from the window, it was the appearance of someone who was embarrassed no matter who looked at it.

‘Really…….’

……Where is there a person who says such embarrassing words, not in a letter, but directly by mouth?

I wish she would at least knock before coming in.

The person listening also needs time to prepare their heart, but people who always say such things always come in in an instant.

‘I’m weak to this kind of thing.’

Baek Ahra and Yoon Sejeong, why are they both doing this to me?

Even if they keep trying to come inside me like this, the only one who gets sad later is me.

This is precisely when I need to maintain the boundaries I’ve set when they are trying to get close.

The line I set for Yoon Sejeong was up to ‘close friend’.

Anything beyond that was beyond my ability to handle.

‘Even if I don’t push her away, it’s not strange for the fact that Yoon Sejeong is of the emperor’s bloodline to be revealed at any time.’

Yoon Sejeong awakens her ability regardless of Kim Hayeon.

When her ability awakens, the change in hair color and eyes that come with it is a matter of time, so even if the time when Yoon Sejeong changes comes late, it will come someday.

In other words, it means that it is not strange for her to be noticed by the emperor’s eyes at any time.

If that happens, regardless of whether I am convicted, Yoon Sejeong will overcome the ‘trials’ that appear in the latter half of the original work, and will be proudly recognized as the Crown Princess  of the Korean Empire and live in the Imperial Palace with the heroines.

And, my place was not there.

‘According to the laws of the royal family, the number of wives that can be taken is up to two. It was said that more than that would not set an example for the subordinates.’

Therefore, if things go wrong, I might be in a position to fight with Baek Ahra or Lee Seorin to take a seat.

I really wanted to avoid that.

Therefore, the relationship with Yoon Sejeong must be well defined.

If I give too much affection, I will be swept away, and if I treat her too coldly, I don’t know how others will see it.

‘That being said…….’

Even though I had thought that far, I couldn’t help but be shaken when I saw her revealing such a pure heart in front of my eyes.

The cuteness of a cute small animal running towards me while wagging its tail.

I had no way to overcome that.

“Ahem.”

First, I clear my throat for a moment, and I put my remaining left hand on her two hands, which are still holding my hand tightly.

And, I spoke.

“……Of course.”

There were many things I wanted to say, but the only word that came out, despite clearing my throat, was that one word.

‘……Next?’

What should I say?

I need to have done this kind of thing to know, it was really unfamiliar to me.

‘Wow, it’s awkward…….’

Me and Yoon Sejeong, for some reason, didn’t say anything.

“Ah, really!”

Because of that awkward atmosphere, I got annoyed for no reason, released the hand I was holding, and stroked Yoon Sejeong’s head.

“Even if you say it’s annoying, I’ll be friends with you, so you can’t abandon me later, okay?”

“……Hehe, okay.”

I don’t know what was so funny about my words, but Yoon Sejeong kept a smile on her face until she got off in front of the academy.

“……I love you.”

As a friend.

Yeah, it’s just as friends.