SWNOVELXO Chapter 74
Chapter 74: Choi Yeseo’s Views on Romance
“But teacher, this isn’t really still life, is it?”
“What’s in front of us right now?”
“A cherry blossom tree. Well, a model of one. And animals around it. Also models.”
“They’re all standing still, aren’t they? So it’s still life.”
That logic didn’t quite add up, but… I guess it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“You might be the only person who rents an entire set just to paint a picture, teacher.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Good for you, but it wasn’t one.”
Another day in my life of accumulating karmic debt.
I stayed tucked away in a corner of the set, making small talk while watching the work unfold.
Teacher Lee A-reum was the one doing the actual painting; I just chimed in when she got stuck.
“You’re adding more than just a little spoonful, you know.”
I ignored her teasing. I had to have some fun, didn’t I?
“Oh, right, teacher. Did you manage to get tickets for Yeseo’s concert?”
“Tell her I’m sorry~.”
She waved dismissively without even turning around, too busy tracing outlines.
Her previous sketches had all ended up in the trash. This time, she wasn’t taking chances.
So, Teacher Lee A-reum had failed to get tickets. Yeseo would probably be disappointed.
[Me: She couldn’t get them, but she says she’s sorry.]
[Choi Yeseo: Aww, that’s too bad… But I appreciate the effort! That’s good enough for me!]
At least she was taking it well.
I was in the middle of texting Yeseo when Teacher Lee A-reum called out.
“Lee Ha-eun, come here for a second.”
“Could you not call me like that? It’s scary.”
I put down my phone and walked over.
“Should I draw this part like this?”
“Hmm. Teacher, can you do contour drawing?”
“Contour drawing? Like drawing with one continuous line?”
“Yes. Blind contour drawing, specifically. Do you think you can do it?”
Teacher Lee A-reum frowned.
“I mean, I can, but I’m not very good at it.”
“That’s fine. The lines can be fixed later. I just think it might make this part more efficient.”
Resting her chin on her hand, she stared at the canvas for a moment before sighing.
“I’ll try, but don’t complain if it doesn’t turn out well.”
“Of course. If it’s really off, I’ll take care of it myself.”
Less than 30 minutes later, a pencil was in my hand.
…Magic?
“Heh, hehe…”
I ran into a zoned-out Choi Yeseo during lunch.
“Three days left… hehe…”
“She’s like this every time her concert gets close. Snap out of it.”
I warned her before she started eating through her nose.
“But! What am I supposed to do with these nerves?”
She flailed her arms around, only to have Ha Soyeol calmly restrain her.
“Why do I always get so tense before stepping on stage? I’m fine once I’m up there.”
“What if you tried going about your day as if you were already on stage?”
“Does that sound realistic to you?”
Her sharp glare made me look away awkwardly.
“Why don’t you take a calming pill or something? It might help.”
“Should I? But I need to manage my condition too…”
It did seem like her condition wasn’t great lately. Maybe she wasn’t sleeping well? That was concerning.
“Are you heading to practice today too?”
“Yeah. The concert’s just around the corner, so I’ve got to give it my all.”
Her bright smile was overshadowed by the fatigue in her eyes.
“You’ve done great so far, and you’ll do great this time too.”
I offered her a word of encouragement. Ha Soyeol and Hong Yehwa chimed in as well.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right!”
Bolstered by our support, she perked up…
“Let’s stop by the snack bar! It’s been a while!”
…Only to immediately derail. I thought you were going to practice, Yeseo.
I was stuffed. I’d eaten about 1.5 times my usual amount.
The girls, however, had easily doubled that. Where does all that food go?
As we left the snack bar and began heading home, Yeseo called out to me.
“Ha-eun! Can I stop by your place for a bit?”
I was about to walk off with Ha Soyeol but paused to look at her.
“You’re coming over whether I say yes or no, aren’t you? What about practice?”
“Hehe. Already got permission! My coach said it’s fine. And I’ve got permission for this too!”
“Well, that’s good. Oh, and my little sister was saying she misses you. You should hang out with her.”
“Of course! It’s been forever since I’ve seen Ha Yoon!”
I noticed Ha Soyeol shooting a rather intense glare at Yeseo. Best to ignore that.
The three of us walked together under the gray sky, which felt like a warning of impending rain.
Even if we hurried, we’d probably still get caught in it.
‘Should’ve grabbed an umbrella this morning. The forecast said rain at 5, but it looks like it’ll start at 4.’
“Should we stop by a convenience store? We might need an umbrella.”
“Good idea. I was feeling like I forgot something too,” Yeseo said, her eyes sparkling.
What was she planning now?
“How about some ice cream?!”
“What about your diet?”
“Future me can starve! Present me needs happiness!”
That’s certainly… an optimistic mindset. Hopefully, it doesn’t spiral into a Mobius strip of endless indulgence.
It reminded me of the saying, “Diet starts tomorrow.”
To my surprise, Ha Soyeol actually stopped Yeseo this time. Though her gaze lingering on Yeseo’s chest was… probably just my imagination.
“Yehwa’s already got enough, and if yours get any bigger…”
Hmm. Definitely pretending I didn’t hear that.
We made it to the convenience store. Or so we thought.
To be continued…
“No Umbrellas”
“Um… looks like we’re out of umbrellas.”
“Yes… I don’t have one either.”
“I swear I’m not trying to rob you.”
Awkward laughter filled the air as we scratched the backs of our heads, mirroring the clerk’s uncomfortable expression.
‘What now? No umbrellas…’
Waiting for the rain to stop was an option, but it didn’t look like a passing shower. That idea was vetoed.
Next thought: call my parents. But neither of them picked up.
Mom was probably napping in front of the TV, and Dad was at work, making him difficult to reach.
‘Should I call a taxi? But hiring one for such a short trip feels like overkill.’
It wasn’t worth it. My house was only about an eight-minute walk away—well, at my pace.
While I stood there, arms crossed and deep in thought, Ha Soyeol and Choi Yeseo approached.
…Looks like Yeseo had lost whatever argument they’d had. She looked dejected, her face radiating gloom.
“They’re sold out of umbrellas. Should we call a cab?”
That would work, but the thought of all three of us running through the rain didn’t sit right with me. Besides, I wasn’t exactly in shape to run.
Both girls shook their heads at my question.
“It’s not that far! Let’s just run for it. Stuff like this is what school memories are made of!” declared Yeseo enthusiastically.
“Sure. I’ll carry Ha-eun, and we’ve got two cardigans to protect our heads,” Soyeol added, giving me a confident look and two thumbs up.
This bizarre sense of romance—and her unwavering confidence—was almost convincing.
…It might actually be fun.
We’d get wet, sure, but what’s the worst that could happen?
With our plan set, we left the convenience store, cheered on by the clerk’s “Good luck!”
Caught a Cold
“Ugh… ah-choo!”
My throat itches, and I couldn’t stop coughing. Dry coughs turned into a full-blown sinus infection.
‘Still, it was fun, so it’s fine… I guess.’
That’s what I told myself. But there was one thing I didn’t understand.
“I get why Soyeol’s fine, but how are you not sick?”
“Don’t underestimate an idol’s physique!”
Yeseo, sitting in front of me and chatting with Soyeol, looked annoyingly healthy despite having been drenched in more rain than me.
“Seriously, who even gets sick from rain these days?”
Her smug tone made me want to whack her blond head.
But then she stopped laughing, her expression shifting to concern.
“You don’t have to push yourself to come to the concert. Rest if you’re sick.”
“I’ll be fine by then. I have a doctor’s appointment that day anyway.”
I shrugged, brushing it off casually.
The truth was, I caught colds often. Sometimes I wondered if my immune system even existed.
Maybe it was because I didn’t play in the dirt enough as a kid.
‘…Wait. I did play outside, though.’
Guess I just got unlucky. My immune system’s balance was impeccable—in the worst way.
“Sniff.”
“Don’t sniffle,” Soyeol scolded.
“It’s a reflex. Can’t help it. Are you sure it’s okay to hang out with me?”
“No problem.”
“Yeah, me too. That’s why I brought a mask,” Yeseo added, gesturing at her face.
Soyeol’s robust health didn’t surprise me, but I still worried about Yeseo.
“Just don’t catch this cold from me.”
“Don’t worry about it, gramps,” she said with a teasing grin.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“After the concert, you’ll be busy again, huh?”
“An entire week of hell… Ugh, it’s awful just thinking about it.”
Even as she groaned, she couldn’t hide her excitement.
“But I get to do what I love, so it’s worth it.”
“Well, that’s what matters.”
Just don’t overdo it and catch a cold, though.
Concert Day
“Phew… made it with plenty of time to spare.”
The concert venue was already packed, a literal sea of people.
‘At a glance, there’s got to be at least 12,000 people here.’
They weren’t kidding when they said Yeseo was doing well. She wasn’t just an idol but the most popular member of her group.
It was impressive, really. Being a public figure was no easy task, and she’d managed to avoid any controversies or missteps.
Plenty of celebrities ended up in trouble because of a single mistake, but Yeseo hadn’t slipped up even once.
‘I think she said to meet her over here.’
Unlike Ha Soyeol and Hong Yehwa, Yeseo had asked me to meet her separately.
Sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder what went on in her head. She always found ways to surprise me.
I followed her instructions to the staff room. When I arrived, no one was there—just a conference table and some chairs.
It was silent. Uncomfortably so.
“Ah, what the heck! You’re already here?”
The door opened, and Yeseo walked in, startled to see me.
I stood up from my chair, stretching with a yawn.
“So, what’s—mmph.”
Before I could finish, she stepped right up to me, her face suddenly inches away.
Soft, warm pressure met my lips.
I couldn’t close my mouth. The sensation lingered.