DHCYA 05

Chapter 5

How to End a One-Sided Love

A strong mint scent lingered even though the package hadn’t been opened.

How could even the candy be so much like him?

Candy—the candy given by a senior.

Holding the colorless, glass-like candy with no artificial coloring, I quietly spoke.

“Hey, you don’t like him anymore, right?”

At my vague question, not even sure who I was referring to, Dora swore under her breath and buried her face in both hands.

“When was that guy even from?”

Dora, who had once suffered from love fever just as intensely as I had toward a male classmate, now cursed at the mere mention of him.

Maybe it’s because she got rejected last month.

I see. If you confess and get rejected, does the “rose-tinted glasses” come off instantly?

“I think I’ll just confess to my senior.”

“Yeah, good thinking.”

Dora, sitting beside me and munching on snacks given by Senior Flora, replied. Her pronunciation was slightly muffled since she was chewing.

“I told you not to eat on the bed—it leaves crumbs.”

It’s uncomfortable when sleeping.

Frowning, I brushed the snack crumbs off the bed.

“Oh, but what’s that?”

Dora wiped her mouth after setting her snack aside at my nagging and looked curiously at the candy in my hand.

I immediately became cautious and clenched the candy tightly. This one, I could not let Dora put in her mouth.

“Don’t eat this.”

“Relax, I don’t like mint anyway.”

Dora waved her hand dismissively while rolling her eyes.

“But why? Did you buy it? You don’t like mint either, right?”

It was true—I didn’t like mint. It’s tasteless and spicy, yet only the scent is strong.

Blushing slightly in secret, I held the candy tightly and muttered.

“…A senior gave it to me.”

“Senior Flora?”

“…No.”

“….”

There were only two people I called “senior.”

Dora’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Senior Noah? Wow, what’s going on?”

With her eyes wide open, Dora kept patting my shoulder.

“You should keep that as a family heirloom.”

“Anyway, I’m going to confess.”

Putting the candy back into my pocket, I clenched my fist as if making a resolution and stood up.

It had already been over a week since I last saw Senior Noah.

And yet, seeing how restless my feelings still were, it was clear—I hadn’t let go.

Rather than suffering like this, it would be better to be clearly rejected, cry for a few days, and move on.

“No one goes to the back building, so I’ll tell him to meet me there.”

Muttering while sitting at my desk, I smiled shyly.

“If he actually shows up, then I’ll just… confess…”

“Yeah, just confess anyway. You’ll get rejected regardless.”

That girl, seriously.

I glared at Dora.

“But don’t seniors usually throw away letters like that?”

“That’s exactly the point.”

I calmly replied, taking out pink stationery I had thought I’d never use in my life.

“Eh? You’re just giving a letter and nothing else? Isn’t that a bit modest?”

Dora tilted her head while picking up the snacks she had dropped and resumed eating.

“What do you know? I’m already nervous just doing this.”

“You’re too timid. Love is something you go out and seize.”

Ignoring Dora’s words, I dipped my pen into pink ink.

Who would’ve thought the pen I bought for note-taking would shine like this? I’ll make it so overwhelming he won’t even want to show up.

“Please don’t come.”

“Don’t worry, he won’t.”

Dora replied, stuffing the remaining snacks into her mouth.

“He gets how many letters a day? If he actually handled all of them, he’d be called out all day long.”

“…Right?”

Damn it. It’s true, so why does it hurt?

After Dora’s sharp remark, I began writing the letter in a round, cute handwriting.

Senior Noah, I have something I’d like to tell you. If it’s alright with you, could you please come to the back of the rear building at 9 PM?

“Hm.”

Thinking it sounded too stiff, I drew a heart as well.

There. Now it’s much more… embarrassing.

Satisfied, I placed the letter into an envelope, sealed it, and let out a determined sigh.

“Haa.”

Please, I hope the senior tears this letter to pieces and throws it into the trash.

7:00 AM

At a time when most students were either barely waking up or still asleep,

I left the dorm holding the letter. Since the senior was a model student and early riser, this was necessary.

“Ah, I’m sleepy.”

Rubbing my eyes, I walked toward the boys’ lockers. It didn’t take long to find Noah’s name.

As expected, the locker—reflecting his personality—was neatly organized, and it was already piled with letters. It seemed they had started accumulating since yesterday.

He’s really popular.

Once again, I felt like I was nothing more than a speck of dust in the universe.

Pink—deep pink everywhere. So much that it hurt to look at.

Looking closer, almost all of them were pink. Thankfully, my letter wouldn’t stand out.

I casually slipped mine among them and stared at it. The stack of letters tilted slightly, so I quickly closed the locker before it collapsed.

“Phew.”

What would’ve happened if they all fell?

Shuddering at the thought, I closed my eyes tightly—then, from down the hallway, silver hair glimmered.

“!”

I quickly hid behind a pillar.

Soon, as expected, Senior Noah appeared.

Walking with steady steps toward the lockers, he reached out his hand to open them.

No, not now. I bit my lip.

“…!”

A pile of letters fell onto his face.

The carefully stacked tower of heartfelt letters from girls collapsed, and their feelings came crashing down onto the marble floor of the hallway.

I felt sorry for those unknown girls—but even more so for the senior who had been struck by letters.

Senior Noah picked up one of the letters that had hit his face, looking puzzled.

…Let’s run.

Overwhelmed by embarrassment, I quietly slipped away from the scene, my legs still trembling.

After sunset, the rear building was completely quiet.

Due to rumors that ghosts appeared, no one came here after dark.

I didn’t believe in such things, so it didn’t matter. More importantly, there was something far more important than nonexistent ghosts.

I paced across the grass, biting my nails repeatedly.

“Hmm…”

I hadn’t been able to focus on any of my classes all day. At least the exams were already over.

Checking the time, it was 8:55 PM. Five minutes left—such an awkward time. Maybe I should’ve come later.

“Sigh.”

Letting out a breath, I crouched down on the grass and plucked a daisy from the flowerbed. I was too nervous just standing still, so I thought I’d do a flower fortune.

“Come… not come… come…”

Plucking petals one by one while murmuring, a deep sense of doubt crept in.

“…Not coming.”

Sigh. Figures.

I let out a dry laugh and tossed away the remaining stem. I had been prepared for this, but it still felt a bit bitter.

Just as I stood up, brushing off my skirt—

“Hey, what are you doing there?”

“Gah!”

Hearing a familiar male voice, I fell backward onto the ground. Grass clung to my palms.

“S-Senior?”

Senior Noah stood behind the rear building, extending his hand toward me.

I grabbed it hastily to avoid staining my uniform with grass and stood up.

“W-why are you here…?”

Please just say you came for a night walk.

As I stammered, he blinked and replied.

“Didn’t you call me here with a letter?”

Crap—how did he know that? Did he see me putting it in?

The color drained from my face. I had removed the heart at the end, but maybe I should’ve left it…

“…Sorry about messing up your locker.”

“It’s fine.”

Noah replied calmly, his long eyelashes fluttering as he asked in a smooth voice,

“So, what did you want to say?”

At that, I lifted my stiff head.

Ah… I’m doomed. I had planned to pass time casually, assuming he wouldn’t show up—but now I had no idea what to say.

“….”

As I stood there silently, opening and closing my mouth without speaking, his golden eyes gleamed with curiosity. Moonlight shimmered through his glasses.

Damn… he’s even prettier after not seeing him for a while.

Meeting his eyes made cold sweat run down my back.

“U-um…”

I looked up at him with trembling eyes.

His silver hair shimmered under the moonlight. That gemstone-like glow seemed to mesmerize me as I opened my mouth.

My voice came out shakily, pitifully so—like an eighty-year-old grandmother gasping for breath.

“I… really like you, senior.”

He said nothing.

I’m doomed. What is this atmosphere?

I never thought my first confession would turn out like this.

I quietly closed my mouth and lowered my head. Countless messy thoughts swirled in my mind.

What expression was he making? Was there any sign of rejection? Too afraid to find out, I couldn’t lift my head.

“…Ah… thank you.”

Noah finally spoke after a long silence. His voice trembled slightly, unlike his usual tone.

As a cloud passed over the moon and light returned, he lowered his head, partially covering his face. His ears seemed slightly flushed red.

Well, it must’ve been quite surprising and awkward for him, suddenly being confessed to by a junior.

Several seconds passed without him saying anything. I could hear him taking deep breaths, swallowing, and even opening and closing his lips. I wasn’t foolish enough not to understand what that meant.

I clenched my fists tightly. My nails dug into my palms. Those few seconds felt like an eternity.

If I had resigned myself and not come, I would’ve been really disappointed.

In the silence that felt like the whole world had stopped, only the sound of branches rustling in the night breeze could be heard.

After a few more seconds, unable to endure the silence any longer, I stiffly spoke.

This is too awkward. I have to say something.

“Actually… I had something else to say.”

“…Go ahead.”

After a slightly delayed response, his calm golden eyes shimmered in the moonlight.

Fine, whatever.

Clenching my fists, I spoke loudly.

“I… I’m going to leave the club.”

Silence fell, and the senior asked back with a somewhat puzzled expression.