My Ex-Girlfriend Regrets Dumping Me

49 – Uncertainty (3)

“Sigh…”

Having come out of the ghost’s house, Hayeon was completely petrified.

She was trembling all over and didn’t even think of releasing my arm.

“Are you okay?”

“No… I don’t think I am…”

As she came out of the exit, she froze in place, trembling.

I managed to drag her out of there, literally pulling her, and finally escaped from the entrance.

I glanced at her shivering shoulders subtly.

Her legs seemed to be wobbly, and it would take some time for her to calm down.

“…Yul, I’m sorry, but can I hold on a little longer?”

Ha-yeon asked me cautiously with a melancholic gaze.

It seemed like she was talking about the arm I had caught.

If I let go, she would collapse right there.

……Alright. She must be acting like this because she’s scared.

I nodded to her as if understanding.

“When you calm down a bit, then you can let go.”

“Okay… thank you…”

After expressing her gratitude, Ha-yeon held onto my arm even tighter.

I could feel the rough beating of Ha-yeon’s heart through my arm.

Thump-thump-thump

Was the haunted house really that frightening?

Her heart was racing at such a rapid pace that it was concerning.

“Are you that scared? You might explode your heart from fear.”

“…….Ah… yeah. I’m scared. I’m scared.”

Ha-yeon spoke to me as if convincing someone.

Embarrassed by being caught, her face turned slightly red.

I didn’t expect her to be this frightened.

From now on, it seemed like we shouldn’t come to the haunted house together.

We stood still, not moving an inch, until her trembles subsided.

*

They say that time flies when you’re having fun.

Ha-yeon realized today that those words were true.

The time spent with Gun-yul passed by at an unbelievable speed.

Before she knew it, their amusement park date was already just a highlight.

“Look over there. It’s coming. Oh, so cool, right?”

As night fell, the parade began precisely at the appointed time.

People in costumes, grand carriages, and toy-like cars.

Dazzling colors intertwined in various ways, creating a splendid spectacle.

However, the parade didn’t captivate Ha-yeon’s attention.

She felt nothing but regret in this moment.

I hope this date at the amusement park never ends.

…But Kun-yul probably doesn’t even think of this as a date.

“…Looks pretty cool.”

Hayeon’s voice barely reached him.

Actually, the parade didn’t really matter.

Any time spent with him was good enough.

Kun-yul gazed at the parade as if in a trance.

Hayan stared at his profile.

Then she noticed his arm in the short sleeve.

…I want to hold it again.

She thought of the feeling of holding his arm from earlier.

She didn’t realize how surprised he would be at her heartbeat when she pointed it out.

For him it was nothing, but she couldn’t help it.

Her heart was racing not just because of the haunted house.

“I wanted to go on the Ferris wheel.”

Honestly, she was disappointed.

The Ferris wheel had a much better atmosphere than the parade.

But she decided not to cross the line into friendship and gave up.

She had to make him believe she had given up.

She couldn’t approach him thoughtlessly. She still needed to play a role.

“I had fun today. Didn’t you? It’s been a while since I went to an amusement park.”

“…Yeah. It was fun.”

As the parade passed by, the lights went off and the streetlights grew brighter.

In the matured atmosphere, Kun-yul also seemed to reveal his true feelings.

“To be honest, I was a little worried. It’s been a long time since we played together, just the two of us.”

“Yeah. It’s been almost 2 years.”

“But playing like this makes me remember the old days, and it feels good to just be real friends.”

He muttered with his eyes still fixed on the parade.

Hayan was bothered by the word “real friends” but didn’t show it.

A good atmosphere like this wasn’t easy to come by.

I didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere with a sudden burst of emotion. Instead, I wanted to take advantage of this mood and ask him something.

“Yul-ah.”

“Yeah?”

“…Do you still hate me?”

Would he still blame himself? Would he think of her as someone he despised for leaving him? She felt like she could hear his honest thoughts now, knowing the great pain she had caused him.

Hayan could never escape that worry. That’s why she always tried to look her best around him.

“Um…what should I say? If I said I don’t hate you at all now, that would be a lie.”

“…”

“But I’m much better than before.”

It wasn’t easy for those mixed emotions to just disappear. If that had happened, Hayan might have been able to forget Geon-yul easily.

“…It’s a little strange to say this, but…it was thanks to you, for having the courage to approach me first. I mean, I tried hard to get closer to you even when I was hurt.”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Without that effort, we wouldn’t be friends again. I wouldn’t have had a change of heart.”

There were many difficult moments when he was pushed away. At first, Geon-yul had been too busy pushing her away whenever she approached him. But when she thought her efforts paid off, those memories seemed a little bit better.

Hayan was overwhelmed with emotion. It was the feeling of joy swirling inside her chest. Her heart was pounding with happiness again. Geon-yul’s attitude was much softer than before. However, it was still closer to a friendly liking.

“…That’s my role now, isn’t it?”

Now she had to seize the opportunity to turn this liking into affection.

She thought there might be a high chance.

Because she knew that people can do something they have done once again.

“So, let’s continue getting along well in the future. As friends.”

If only she could erase the word ‘friend’ attached to his words, it would be perfect.

She nodded at Geon-yul’s words, engraving them in her mind.

*

Her legs were in pain all day from walking.

The two of them riding the subway back after the parade ended.

She hoped she could sit on the way back, but reality wasn’t so easy.

“…Ah… Why are they pushing like this? Just take the next one. Seriously.”

As the subway door opened and people squeezed in, a voice mixed with complaints could be heard.

The subway was packed like it was filled with Pocky sticks.

Although they were returning home late, for some reason, the subway was incredibly crowded.

“…Hae-yeon, aren’t you tired?”

Hae-yeon threw a worried question at Geon-yul as she looked at him.

They managed to stand during the journey here, at least.

But suddenly, when they arrived at a major station, people poured in, and it became like this.

…That’s why having a seat matters.

Hae-yeon, standing by the door, had a bit of space since she was in the corner.

But Geon-yul, standing in front of her, was being jostled by people around.

“If it’s too tiring, come a little closer to me. You can lean on me.”

“…It’s uncomfortable.”

“It’s okay. It’s cramped. There’s no other way.”

And it was pitiful to see Geon-yul making an effort to clear even a small space for Hae-yeon.

On the other hand, it brought forth a longing feeling because she felt like she was seeing Geon-yul’s old self.

Geon-yul was always the one protecting Hae-yeon.

Even when they were very young, in middle and high school, and even after entering university.

“Surely we won’t have to take the next station, right?”

“… It seems like it.”

Geonyul asked Ha-yeon with a worried expression.

It wasn’t easy for both of them to create distance between each other now.

Pushed from behind like this, it was natural that his arm strength had its limits.

If they continued riding here, Ha-yeon would probably be pressed against him uncomfortably.

-Chiik

We arrive at the next station, and the subway doors open.

But people don’t move at all.

“Sigh.”

A sigh can be heard somewhere.

People jamming into the narrow space, trying to get on the subway entrance.

Naturally, Geonyul, who was surrounding Ha-yeon, is pushed away as well.

-Thok

Eventually, perhaps the support of his feet was released.

Geonyul comes into Ha-yeon’s embrace as if nothing happened.

Yet, from behind, someone continues to push Geonyul forcefully.

“…Huff.”

As a large adult male body pushes against her, breathing becomes slightly difficult for Ha-yeon.

Considering the considerable difference in their builds.

“Oh, sorry. Can’t help it… Is it hard to breathe?”

“No… It’s okay…”

Usually, she might have been full of irritation.

She would have secretly murmured why he was pushing so forcefully.

But today, Ha-yeon felt surprisingly good.

How long has it been since she last held Geonyul in her arms?

Until now, they had never experienced skinship beyond crossing their arms.

Instead, she had hoped that he would cling a little closer until it became hard to breathe.

She wanted to cheer on the person pushing from behind him.

“Phew…”

Their faces pressed closely together.

They were both turning away from each other, but Geon-yool’s breath brushed against Ha-yeon’s ear.

From her back, a shiver ran up her spine.

The exhilarating sensation felt like it was brushing from her toes to her head.

“I’m really sorry.”

“Uh, it’s okay.”

Geon-yool kept apologizing.

But Ha-yeon felt grateful on this side.

She was trying to hold back a smile, unable to show her feelings on her face.

In this situation, she felt pathetic for enjoying it, but it didn’t matter.

Maybe today was a day when the heavens were helping her.

It felt like nothing but good things were pouring down on her.

The amusement park and this subway, too.

…It would be nice if the subway didn’t stop like this.

The thought filled Ha-yeon’s mind until the subway came to a stop.