Chapter 36: A Misunderstood Call

“You’ve been sticking close to ImSoCute lately.”

‘This isn’t jealousy….’

After the [Putting Hands Together in Prayer] incident, I became comfortably close with ImSoCute.

It seemed to be noticeable enough for Ban-ye to see.

‘But why is he being so sarcastic…? No, no, let’s not get my hopes up….’

I frantically repeated this in my head to stop myself from misinterpreting Ban-ye’s words.

Then, I made an excuse.

“Well, I’ve been running dungeons with ImSoCute… hehe.”

“I told you to be my buffer. You said you’d help with my broadcast.”

“Huh? Ah, I have to do yours too. But… it would be a nuisance if I’m too bad, so I’m trying to practice with ImSoCute….”

“But why have you been locking your door when you play games lately?”

“Ah… D-Did I?”

Truthfully, I had been locking the door when I played with ImSoCute to get his virtual relationship advice on the side, and to prevent Ban-ye from suddenly walking in.

I had only done it twice, but I didn’t expect to be called out on it so quickly.

Ban-ye smiled at my clumsy attempt to change the subject.

Of course, it didn’t look… particularly pleasant.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“N-No! That’s not it…. I won’t lock it from now on….”

In the end, I was cornered and had no choice but to answer like that.

Only then did Ban-ye’s somewhat eerie smile disappear.

Looking at this alone, it seemed as though Ban-ye was being possessive of me, but….

‘No, I wish that were the case, but….’

If you were to ask if Ban-ye liked me because of this… I really couldn’t say.

Ban-ye had never stared at me intently, nor had he ever blushed while looking at me like I did with him.

When I said something, he was more likely to sigh than to laugh or listen attentively.

At best, he saw me as a friend… maybe?

‘Ha, sh*t… Should I just act crazy and ask him if he’s ever liked anyone…?’

But according to ImSoCute, asking questions like that starts to make the other person feel burdened….

More importantly, he said he didn’t recommend it because the probability of getting caught was high.

So I couldn’t do this or that, and just continued to suffer in silence.

“I’m going to go get some groceries.”

Hearing Ban-ye’s voice from outside, I trotted after him.

Ban-ye was dressed lightly and preparing to go out.

“Should I go with you? It’ll be heavy.”

“Why would you carry something heavy? I’ll be right back.”

Ban-ye refused my offer and went out alone.

I was a little disappointed because I had wanted to go out with him, but my heart raced uncontrollably at the kindness of him telling me not to carry heavy things.

I once again repeated ImSoCute’s words to myself.

‘A friend. That’s a friend…. Friendship….’

I was sad to send him off alone because I wanted to go with him.

Right, if you like someone, it’s only human to want to spend every possible moment with them.

The fact that Ban-ye could go out alone so casually meant that we were just clean, platonic friends with no other feelings.

“Sigh….”

What’s the point of these useless worries?

It’ll just be me running in place anyway….

A string of miscellaneous delusions followed: Should I try a confession attack? If I confess and he rejects me, will he leave the house? If he leaves, where will he go to live…?

“Why isn’t he back?”

Then I suddenly realized that a considerable amount of time had passed since Ban-ye left.

I checked the clock.

Considering the usual time it took, he should have been back with time to spare.

Worried something might have happened, I tried calling Ban-ye, but he didn’t answer.

“Did something happen….”

Ban-ye isn’t a child, but with a track record like the trash can incident, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Even as I paced around the entrance, I couldn’t hear the sound of the elevator coming up.

“Should I go out and look?”

I immediately got dressed and went outside.

He might already be on his way back from grocery shopping, but the path to the nearby supermarket was obvious, so there was no chance of us missing each other.

“Huh?”

As I was walking down the street, I spotted Ban-ye on the side of an alley.

Under the artificial lights that had turned on as the surroundings grew dark, I could see Ban-ye’s figure.

But, Ban-ye was talking to someone.

The other person was a man with a somewhat intimidating impression.

Ban-ye was engaged in conversation with the man, adopting a demeanor that was quite unfamiliar to me.

Since his back was half-turned, I couldn’t see well, but whenever the angle was just right, the expression on his face looked quite relaxed.

The other person was probably a friend of Ban-ye’s.

Even though there was no real reason for it, I felt like I shouldn’t be seen, so I quickly hid behind a car parked nearby.

But eavesdropping didn’t sit well with me either.

It would be nice if I could at least hear what they were talking about, but I couldn’t hear a thing….

In the end, unable to just watch, I tried calling Ban-ye.

Then, I saw Ban-ye in the distance checking his smartphone.

I carefully held my own phone, worried the sound might echo if he answered.

“…”

However, it was a useless action.

Ban-ye glanced at the screen and then, with a flick of his finger, swiped and dismissed the call.

“Uh….”

I froze in shock.

Just then, the friend standing with Ban-ye said something while looking at Ban-ye’s turned-off smartphone.

And Ban-ye… frowned slightly and replied with something.

I was too far away to hear properly, but judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like he said anything good.

‘Did he talk about me?’

I wanted to deny it, but I was sure he did.

And I had a premonition that it probably wasn’t anything good….

“…”

Instead of the options that required courage, like calling Ban-ye again or approaching him to talk… I chose to run away.

I turned back and returned home, pretending I was never there.

My heart was pounding.

I calmed my flushed face, which was red with agitation, changed back into the clothes I was wearing before I left, and acted as if nothing had happened.

Afterward, Ban-ye returned home quite a while after I had.

“I’m back.”

“…You’re late.”

I said, feigning nonchalance while glancing at the clock.

Ban-ye replied as if it were no big deal.

“I was having a smoke.”

“I see….”

You weren’t smoking, you were chatting with your friend.

The dissatisfied words only swirled inside my throat.

I was disappointed that Ban-ye wasn’t being honest with me.

And then I realized I wasn’t even in a position to be disappointed.

In the first place, it was st*pid of me to get my hopes up just because Ban-ye was being a little kind.

If the relaxed look I saw earlier was the face he shows his friends, then that means I’m not even a friend….

A person he lives with.

Yes, that’s probably the extent of our relationship.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, just… I’m sleepy.”

“If you’re sleepy, go to your room and sleep. Don’t doze off uncomfortably out here.”

Ban-ye’s advice was kind, but it didn’t sound as confusing as before.

The scene I saw just a moment ago was certainly a shock, but it was a good remedy for getting rid of pointless lingering feelings and expectations.

“Okay…. I’ll go to sleep. Good night.”

Just as I had run away from the dark alley, I ran away to my room again.

And with a heavy heart, I tossed and turned, finally giving up and falling asleep only in the early hours of the morning.

The next day.

“…You’re up?”

“Yeah.”

I had woken up and washed up before Ban-ye came to wake me, and was sitting at the table, stifling a yawn.

Ban-ye was about to casually enter my room but was surprised to find me at the table and approached me with a look of surprise.

I quietly said the words I had been thinking all night to him.

“You don’t have to wake me up anymore…. I can wake up on my own.”

“…”

Ban-ye sat down across from me at the table without a word.

Then, he seemed to be studying my expression.

It was as if he was trying to gauge the source of my unusual behavior.

Then he looked at me and said bluntly.

“You don’t look like you slept.”

‘You’re sharp….’

I had indeed slept poorly, so I flinched, but I didn’t make any excuses.

When I didn’t reply, Ban-ye rested his chin on his hand and stared at me for a moment.

Then he spoke, as if warning me.

“Hyung, you’re hiding something from me lately, aren’t you?”

“…! N-No?”

I said no, even as my shoulders tensed up.

Ban-ye stared at me with a blank expression.

That very blankness seemed like an omen of something to come….

Ban-ye looked at me once more, then closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them again.

“Alright.”

And that was it.

After that, Ban-ye… began to subtly ignore me.