Chapter 91: A Confession That Burned Too Long

In the unlit space, the pair of deep reddish-brown eyes facing him were shimmering.

It was as if a spotlight had been turned on only there, glowing in the dark.

Suppressing pleasure and desire by force, the expression looking straight at him from up close made Woojoo swallow unconsciously.

“When did you….”

“Since the first time I saw you.”

“…What?”

The first time? Since the very first time?

Woojoo stared blankly into the air for a moment, as if trying to measure the years they had spent together.

Last time, during the live broadcast, Jitae said they first met at a neighborhood sports center, but Woojoo had no memory of that.

At least, as far as Woojoo knew, the first time he met Jitae was during their first practice match in middle school.

“Since we were fourteen…?”

Even that alone was already well over ten years ago.

“No, even before that.”

“…….”

“I’m sure. I liked you from the very first time I saw you.”

Jitae’s voice was like a calm wave.

It was moist with emotion, yet not overly excited—almost like he was making a confession.

“I had no idea at all….”

Woojoo muttered unconsciously.

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

Since middle school?

That meant even during their three years of constantly clashing in high school, Jitae had harbored those feelings for him.

Including middle school, they had spent around six years together, yet Woojoo had never noticed even a hint of it.

During matches, they burned fiercely against each other, and afterward, like a promise, they would meet and bicker childishly—just ordinary same-age rivals.

“I hid it. So you wouldn’t notice. Kang Woojoo, the fact that you’re completely oblivious compared to others helped too.”

Ah, a sigh slipped from Woojoo’s mouth.

Being called clueless or dense was something he had heard countless times.

As Jitae said, if he had deliberately hidden his feelings and acted like a normal rival, then it wasn’t completely impossible that Woojoo hadn’t realized until now.

“I really tried hard to hide it.”

Jitae let out a small chuckle.

That not-quite-a-smile somehow sent a strange tingling through Woojoo’s chest.

“Hey, sorry… I still really can’t believe this.”

Woojoo murmured, brushing his hair back.

His once neatly styled hair had become disheveled, as if reflecting the chaos inside him.

As Woojoo staggered, unable to steady his steps, the sensor light by the front door suddenly flicked on.

“I get it. But Woojoo, do you really think it was a coincidence that we met on that show?”

At that moment, the light went off again, and shadows quietly settled between them as if there had never been any light at all.

Woojoo lifted his head once more.

His mind already felt like it was about to explode from everything he had heard, and the new topic Jitae brought up was no less shocking.

“What are you talking about?”

“How do you think the producer knew about our relationship?”

He had vaguely assumed that the producer must have picked up some information somewhere.

Back then, Woojoo and Jitae were fairly well-known as student athletes, and with a little digging, anyone could easily find out they were rivals who fought like dogs.

“I told him. I asked him to cast both of us together.”

“Seriously? Why?”

“Because I wanted to see you again. Woojoo, I like you that much.”

Those eyes facing him seemed to ask, Do you believe me now?

How could he not?

The affection overflowing in that kiss, the gaze that made no attempt to hide it, and even the situations he thought were coincidences—all of it.

Even though he hadn’t been drinking, a headache hit him like he was completely drunk.

Woojoo felt as if he were standing in the center of a raging storm.

The wind inside his head was so fierce that it was hard to even stand, hard to even think.

“Then why… are you only telling me this now?”

After hiding it for so long, even lying to create “coincidental” situations.

Why now of all times?

“I didn’t want to be greedy at first. But after meeting you again, I couldn’t control my feelings. I want you to look only at me, and if there’s someone next to you, I get insanely jealous.”

Woojoo unconsciously clenched his teeth.

He bit down so hard that his jaw nearly protruded.

“You’re good at sports, you’re rich, and you have a good personality. And most of all, you’re handsome and pretty, so of course other people would find you cute like I do. And if someone actually ends up by your side….”

Even though he was exhausted from lack of sleep, every word Jitae spoke was painfully clear.

It made Woojoo feel as if he were completely stripped bare.

The confusion was now replaced by raw embarrassment consuming him whole.

“S-stop talking. I get it, so stop.”

Woojoo buried his face in his hands.

Jitae tried to approach, worried, but stopped when Woojoo held him back with his free hand.

“First… okay. But I don’t even know what to say right now, and my head isn’t sorted out at all.”

Still lowering his head, Woojoo spoke almost like a shout.

“Let’s talk later. Later….”

Then he quickly ran to the front door.

In his haste, he even stepped into his sneakers awkwardly before flinging the door open and rushing out.

With the sound of the door lock clicking shut, everything came to an abrupt end.

“Haah….”

Woojoo practically ran down to the underground parking lot, opened his car door, and got in.

As he entered the soundproof space, his throbbing head seemed to ease a little.

‘…Kang Woojoo, I like you. Woojoo, I like you.’

“…….”

His ears felt like they were burning.

‘This is what I meant when I said I like you.’

Even the lips that had touched earlier.

Every place Jitae’s heated gaze had touched—his face, his body—felt like it was being scorched.

Like anesthesia wearing off and pain rushing in all at once, his sense of reality returned the moment he was alone.

Before, he hadn’t felt anything, but now his senses were not just awake—they were overwhelming him.

“Isn’t this insane?”

Woojoo muttered, clenching his fist.

He said he liked him—Won Jitae liked him.

Not as a friend, but in that kind of way, the kind that involved kisses.

And that feeling had lasted over ten years.

It was even Jitae who had created the “coincidence” of the show just to meet him again.

Thump—thump.

He could hear something like a drum beating.

‘I wanted to see you again. Woojoo, I like you that much.’

The flames that had clung to him now seemed to engulf his entire body, even reaching deep inside his organs.

And the place those flames were heading for—was his heart.

He couldn’t even tell if it was a drum or his heart anymore, as if something was pounding wildly.

The blood rushing through his body felt like it was boiling.

‘Since meeting you again, I can’t control my feelings. I want you to look only at me, and I get insanely jealous if someone is next to you.’

“…Isn’t he seriously crazy? That guy?”

Finally, Woojoo shouted, collapsing over the steering wheel.

Even without looking in a mirror, he knew his face was burning red.

‘You’re handsome and pretty, so of course others would find you cute like I do. And if someone ends up by your side….’

“…Ah.”

A small sound escaped Woojoo’s throat.

He felt something wet trickle beneath his nose.

Startled, he touched it—his hand came away stained with red blood.

As he stared blankly at it, his phone rang—it was Dongha.

For a moment, he thought it might be Won Jitae and was startled, but then let out a sigh of relief.

Taking out tissues from the console box, he answered the call.

“Hyung, are you still working?”

“Huh?”

Woojoo pulled out several tissues.

“I didn’t get a reply to my message.”

Ah, right—he had plans to meet Dongha.

Woojoo pressed the tissue against his nose and thought for a moment.

“Dongha, sorry, can we postpone? I don’t think I’ll be able to make it. Sorry.”

There was no way he could meet anyone in this state.

Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to focus.

“No, it’s okay! I was the one who asked last minute anyway… then I’ll contact you again later.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“But hyung, are you catching a cold?”

“Huh? No?”

“You sound a bit congested. If not, that’s good. I’ll call you later.”

Click—the call ended.

Still holding his bleeding nose with one hand, Woojoo stared blankly at his phone.

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