Chapter 6: The Burden of Fate and a New Mission

“…

“Something urgent came up. Could we finish the rest via messenger?”

“I understand. I was thinking of ‘Journey to the West,’ but please let me know if you think of anything else you’d like to do, Eunhae sunbae.”

“No, no. ‘Journey to the West’ sounds good to me too. Let’s go with that. So, we’ve decided on ‘Journey to the West,’ right? I’ll consider it set.”

“…Yes.”

“Thanks. I’ll get going then. See you next time!”

“…”

Eunhae swiftly exited the study room. Her mind was solely focused on meeting someone else to prove her hypothesis.

As she emerged from the deserted library, she spotted a passerby.

“I really can’t see it!”

Eunhae murmured the exclamation, which sounded more like a sigh.

She quickly checked the time. She intended to use this opportunity to see how long the effect would last.

“6:23 PM… It’s been a little while since I touched him, so I’ll consider it 20 minutes.”

Just in case, she adjusted her hat. She would need it to minimize the vision if fate appeared again.

“Here I go.”

Eunhae took a deep breath and ventured out into the bustling street, teeming with people.

****

“About three hours, then…”

Eunhae, her hat pulled low, confirmed the time displayed on her phone.

It was 9:21 PM.

This was the duration from when she had held Jung Seunghee’s hand until fate became visible to her once more.

Her hypothesis was proven. Yet, a significant challenge still remained.

“How to hold a man’s hand…”

On the subway ride home, Eunhae decided to rely on the only deity she trusted: the God of the Search Bar.

It was the deity that showed the way to those who sought it.

“No, not holding hands with a boyfriend!”

What was so difficult about holding a boyfriend’s hand? You just grabbed it!

“What should I change the search terms to… ‘Male friend’?”

She decided not to dwell on whether Jung Seunghee could truly be called a friend.

Regrettably, the results were no different from before.

“‘If your male friend keeps holding your hand, there’s a high chance he likes you’… This isn’t what I need. Isn’t there anything about a woman initiating it?”

The person next to her glanced over at her mutterings. Fortunately or unfortunately, Eunhae didn’t notice their gaze.

Her mind was currently consumed with how she could naturally hold Jung Seunghee’s hand.

Suddenly, a chilling thought struck Eunhae.

‘What if he misunderstands that I like him if I keep holding his hand?’

What difference was there between men and women? The prevailing theory suggested that if a male friend constantly held a female friend’s hand, he liked her. Wouldn’t the reverse also hold true?

‘Ah, that won’t do.’

Eunhae still felt uncomfortable around Jung Seunghee.

It was good that his presence made fate invisible to her. Three hours, even if temporary, was significant.

However, forgoing fate for a lifetime, or even a month, was one thing; three hours felt somewhat ambiguous. Was she to endure being misunderstood as having feelings for him just to briefly ‘recharge’ her fate-seeing ability?

‘That’s a bit much…’

Previously, she had believed Jung Seunghee’s discomforting presence was solely due to his unique ability to make her unable to see his fate.

However, once she realized that other people’s fates also temporarily became invisible, she understood that wasn’t the case.

Jung Seunghee’s very presence was overwhelming.

Some people were naturally born with strong energy. Jung Seunghee was one of them.

Eunhae speculated that this might also be why his fate remained hidden from her.

Being sensitive to such things, Eunhae could sense Jung Seunghee’s potent aura. If she were too close to him, she would easily be affected by his energy.

“Ugh… Why did it have to be him?”

While Jung Seunghee’s strong energy was likely the reason his fate was invisible, her discomfort and awkwardness around him remained unchanged.

****

The next day, Eunhae still hadn’t found a solution by the time she headed to school.

‘Hold Jung Seunghee’s hand every three hours without him misunderstanding that I like him.’

Even to Eunhae herself, it sounded like an impossible mission.

“…Do I just have to live like this?”

She had lived this way for all 24 years of her life, growing accustomed to it.

But she didn’t want to continue living with this familiarity.

After her mother’s death, Eunhae hadn’t left the house for two years. She couldn’t even attend her mother’s funeral.

Her father had told her it was alright.

‘Your mother wouldn’t have wanted you to struggle by coming.’

“…”

Eunhae bit her lip tightly.

“No, I can’t live like this. I must… I must!”

She clenched her fists, making a firm resolve.

She would definitely use Jung Seunghee’s hand to end her reclusive life!

As Eunhae quietly steeled her resolve in front of the classroom, people subtly avoided her. It was best to steer clear of anyone who seemed a little strange.

“Eunhae sunbae, Park Eunhae sunbae.”

“Ack!”

Eunhae shrieked, startled by a tap on her shoulder.

Jung Seunghee was looking down at her intently.

“If you stand in front of the door like that, no one can get past.”

“Oh, oh! Sorry. Go on in.”

“You should attend class too, Sunbae.”

“Right, right. I need to attend class.”

Feeling embarrassed, Eunhae followed Jung Seunghee into the classroom.

“You’re sitting here, right, Sunbae?”

Jung Seunghee pointed to the very corner seat, which was practically her designated spot.

Eunhae nodded reluctantly.

“Then I’ll sit here.”

Jung Seunghee sat directly in front of Eunhae. She couldn’t fathom why he chose to sit right in front of her, of all places.

‘No, think positively. I’ll secretly try to grab his wrist or something… He’ll notice, won’t he?’

Jung Seunghee had tapped Eunhae’s shoulder moments before, but since it was over her clothes, it had no effect.

She swallowed a sigh and sat behind Jung Seunghee. She decided to consider his large stature, which obscured half the classroom, an advantage.

The other students in the classroom noticed the two sitting close together.

“Who’s sitting behind Seunghee?”

“Oh, you didn’t come to the orientation because of your part-time job, did you? She’s a senior from the XO class year who returned this semester.”

“They seem close.”

“Isn’t it just because their classes overlap?”

“No, I’ve never seen Seunghee initiate a conversation with anyone before.”

“Well, everyone’s desperate to talk to Jung Seunghee, aren’t they?”

While some people definitely shook their heads and avoided him, referring to him by his nickname ‘Dosa Dog,’ most were drawn to Jung Seunghee’s charm.

This attraction transcended gender.

“Jung Seunghee! You’re taking this too?”

Jung Seunghee gazed steadily at the male student who sat down next to him.

“I like to spread out my things. There are plenty of seats, so sit somewhere else.”

“Oh, oh…”

The repelled student moved to the seat right next to him. However, whether he was brazen or simply resilient, he spoke to Jung Seunghee again.

“This class is super tough. They say there’s a pop quiz every week. You’re top of the class, so it must be easy for you.”

“It’s not because I’m top of the class; it’s because I studied in advance. You should study too.”

He spoke with a faint smile, but his words carried an incredible sting.

If Eunhae had been that student, she would have fled immediately. Though she wouldn’t have approached him in the first place.

‘So, Jung Seunghee was top of the class.’

He was handsome, had strong energy, and was good at studying. Meanwhile, someone else was a recluse with no friends.

Clearly, there was no God.

Eunhae secretly trembled with a brief surge of anger and betrayal.

“By the way… the person behind you, Seunghee, that’s the senior, right? The one who returned this semester.”

As her name came up, Eunhae pulled her hat down further. If she accidentally made eye contact, even for a moment, she would see that male student’s fate.

“Uh, um. Yes. I’m Park Eunhae, from the XO class year…”

“Oh, please speak informally! I’m from the same XX class year as Seunghee.”

As the male student introduced himself, breaking the ice, other students also approached.

Eunhae couldn’t lift her head. People were too close.

“But Sunbae, why are you wearing a hat? Did you not wash your hair?”

“I wear a hat too when I don’t wash my hair.”

“That’s why people who wear hats get misunderstood as not having washed their hair.”

As they laughed and chatted about her, Eunhae could only awkwardly shrink into herself.

During their conversation, one person was accidentally pushed. She inadvertently hit Eunhae’s hat with her hand.

“Oops! I’m so sorry, Sunbae! I didn’t mean to hit it. Are you okay?”

“Uh, um, I’m fi—”

The female student leaned in to check if Eunhae was alright. As Eunhae lifted her head to adjust her hat, their eyes met.

“…”

Focus vanished from Eunhae’s eyes.

The female student’s fate forcibly surged into her mind.

“Couple rings…”

“Pardon?”

“…Nothing. It’s nothing.”