A Terrible Senior - Chapter 6.2

She felt as if a magic spell had been broken. All day, she’d felt like she’d lived in a fantasy, playing the role of his girlfriend. But now, with the day ending, she felt like herself again. She wished, though, that she could stay under the spell forever.

Her reverie faded the moment she saw a woman standing in front of his house. It was Hye-ri, the same woman she’d seen near the engineering building a few days ago.

“But aren’t you cold?” he asked, glancing at her bare arms and legs.

“I’m fine. We’ll be on the bus soon anyway.”

He looked at her exposed arms and legs with concern. Though it was March, the morning air was still chilly, perfect for catching a cold. He shrugged off his cardigan and handed it to her.

“Wear this until the bus comes.”

“No, really, I’m fine,” she said, surprised and waving her hands in protest.

“Is it because I’ve been wearing it?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Well, if you don’t want it, that’s fine,” he said, starting to pull the cardigan back. But Sarang quickly grabbed it.

“No, it’s okay. I was actually really cold. Thank you. I’ll wear it.”

She put on the cardigan as if someone might take it from her. Wearing his cardigan made her feel like she was wrapped in his warmth. She could catch a faint trace of his scent, and it made her feel light-headed.
Clutching the cardigan tightly, she silently wished for the bus to take its time, and for the day to last as long as possible.

For their first date, Sarang had chosen a temple nestled within the city. When she searched for places to visit in Seoul in March, this spot had caught her eye. The photos showed a serene scene with plum blossoms blooming against the backdrop of traditional tiled roofs, so peaceful it was hard to believe it was in Seoul.

“Plum blossoms,” Do-han remarked, recognizing the flowers on the trees. Sarang was surprised.

None of her friends could distinguish plum blossoms from cherry blossoms, but Do-han had recognized them immediately. He was the only person she knew who could identify them correctly.

“You know a lot! Most people mistake them for cherry blossoms.”

She felt thrilled, even though it wasn’t a big deal. It made her feel like they shared something in common.

“You can tell by the sepals on the back of the flowers. Cherry blossoms have pointed sepals, while plum blossoms…”

“Are round,” she finished, her eyes widening. She looked at him in surprise, and he seemed amused by her reaction.

“Do you know what other flower looks even more similar to plum blossoms than cherry blossoms?”

“Apricot blossoms.”

This time, Sarang’s jaw dropped in surprise. Do-han chuckled and continued explaining.

“I could never tell the difference; they all look alike to me. But I did notice that the sepal on apricot blossoms tilts backward,” he said.

“Wow, what kind of engineering major knows so much about flowers?” she asked.

“Well, what about you?”

“When I was little, I lived with my grandma. I’d follow her around and learned a lot,” Sarang replied with a soft smile.
The thought of sharing something in common with him made her heart flutter. She stared down at her feet, afraid her feelings might show. Just then, he stepped a bit closer, bringing with him that familiar scent from his cardigan. Her heart pounded as she wondered what he was doing, but she couldn’t bring herself to look up.

Do-han reached his hand out, moving toward her face, making her heart race even faster. She squeezed her eyes shut, barely breathing. Then, his hand brushed her hair lightly.

“A flower petal fell on your head.”

His voice snapped her out of her daze. She looked up to see a single plum blossom in his hand. Embarrassment flooded over her. She’d let her imagination get completely carried away. She forced a laugh, saying, “Let’s go over there,” and quickly walked away, not wanting him to see her flushed face that probably matched the plum blossoms.

It was still early, so everywhere they went was quiet. Determined not to forget that this was an assignment, not a real date, Sarang took photos on her phone to capture the scenery. Without them, she feared she’d only remember Do-han’s face and might struggle to write the report.

While snapping pictures here and there, she caught a glimpse of his back in the frame. She hesitated for a moment, then tapped the capture button. The click of the camera made Do-han turn around, and she quickly shifted her phone to the street beside him, pretending she’d just taken a random shot. Her heart raced as if she’d been caught doing something wrong.

But then he approached her, and she felt a drop of sweat form, wondering if he’d ask to see her phone. Sure enough, he reached his hand out.

“Want me to take your picture?”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll take a picture of you,” he clarified.

“Of… me?”

“Yeah.”

Relieved that her secret was safe, she handed him her phone with trembling hands. She was nervous, though she couldn’t explain why. As she awkwardly posed, he lowered the phone and looked at her.

“This is a date, isn’t it? You look like someone who’s lived at this temple forever,” he teased.

“But I’m having a great time,” she replied.

“You always look like that when you’re happy?”

She relaxed a bit and began to smile. As her smile softened into something more natural, his finger hovered over the camera button, paused. Her face, illuminated with her smile, looked even brighter than the blooming plum blossoms, filling his heart with warmth.

“Did you get it?” she asked, bringing him back to reality.

He shook off the brief spell he’d fallen under and snapped a few shots. As she took her phone back, a couple passing by asked her to take their picture. After gladly taking a few photos for them, the couple offered to take one of her and Do-han.

She glanced at him, then handed over her phone without saying a word. He gave her a surprised look.

“For the report,” she explained with an awkward smile. “Since it’s supposed to be a date, having a picture of us together wouldn’t hurt.”

Amused, he moved closer to her with a single step.

“Let’s skip the whole arm-around-the-shoulder thing today; we can save that for the next ‘date,’” he said with a slight smile. He considered putting his arm around her for the picture but thought maybe it’d be better for their next outing—there were, after all, plenty of reports still to come.

At his mention of “skinship,” Sarang froze in place as the photo was taken, her mind racing, wondering what kind of touch he’d initiate next time. Her imagination spiraled so much she almost felt lost in a fantasy.

“Ready for lunch?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” she said, patting her cheeks lightly to clear her head.

On the way back to campus, Sarang dozed off on the bus, exhausted. Feeling a slight draft from the window, she instinctively crossed her arms. Do-han, noticing, hesitated for a moment before draping his cardigan over her shoulders. He adjusted it so it wouldn’t slip, just as her head dropped onto his shoulder. A soft hint of rose filled the air.

Looking down at her, he felt a change within himself. With her, he felt like a different person—more at ease, more patient, someone he’d like to be. When she smiled, he found himself smiling too. She made him want to be someone better.

Even though he knew he wasn’t that person. A “relentless guy” suited him more than someone good-natured.

While he was lost in thought, Sarang stirred awake.

“Sorry… I must’ve made you uncomfortable. You could’ve woken me up,” she said, straightening quickly.

Realizing she had been leaning on him and covered with his cardigan, she blushed, awkwardly taking it off to return it.
“It was fine. Keep it on; you might get cold,” he replied, placing it back on her lap as he stood up. Their stop was next.
Unsure what else to do, she put on the cardigan as they exited the bus. A chilly breeze swept by, reminding her that spring hadn’t fully settled in just yet.

“I’ll write up the report and send it to you soon. We still have time,” he said.

“Okay,” she replied, feeling that the walk home was far too short. Normally, it took twenty minutes, but today, walking with him, it felt like two.

She felt as if a magic spell had been broken. All day, she’d felt like she’d lived in a fantasy, playing the role of his girlfriend. But now, with the day ending, she felt like herself again. She wished, though, that she could stay under the spell forever.

Her reverie faded the moment she saw a woman standing in front of his house. It was Hye-ri, the same woman she’d seen near the engineering building a few days ago.