DHCYA 06

Chapter 6

How to End a One-Sided Love

I was at a loss for words, staring blankly up at Senior Noa. Countless questions floated around in my mind.

What do you mean? Why don’t you want me to quit?
…Can I take that as a little bit of hope?

But his face was so calm and serene that I couldn’t bring myself to ask any of those things. I simply couldn’t.

As I stood there silently for a long time without saying anything, the senior—who had been hesitating—finally spoke.

“Nothing special. Just think it over and decide for yourself.”

Then he raised one hand, as if he was about to pat my head again.

“…!”

I instinctively flinched.

I came here to cut off my lingering feelings. This would only make things harder.

After rejecting me like that, doing this is too cruel, senior.

He froze for a moment, then slowly lowered his hand.

A brief silence followed. Soon, Senior Noa spoke again, a hint of hesitation in his voice, perhaps feeling apologetic for trying to pat my head.

That made sense—until now, I had never once refused him.

“Thank you for being honest.”

A faint smile briefly appeared on his beautiful face.

I didn’t know what exactly he was thanking me for, but for some reason, a corner of my heart ached.

“Then, good night.”

As Senior Noa turned away, his long silver hair fluttered.

Watching his back, I repeated to myself inwardly:

I like you, senior. I’ve liked you since the first day I saw you. Even if you don’t like me back, I think I’ll still keep liking you—what am I supposed to do?

In the end, I murmured it almost like a groan. Even to my own ears, my voice sounded full of longing.

“…I really like you.”

Fortunately—or unfortunately—he didn’t seem to hear it.

Senior Noa, having turned his head, asked with a puzzled expression.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

I shook my head and forced the corners of my mouth upward into a smile.

“Good night, senior.”

I was facing away from the moon, which was fortunate—he wouldn’t be able to see the expression on my face.

“You’re back? So, how did it go—got rejected?”

The moment I opened the door, Dora’s figure, leaning against the frame and giggling, greeted me.

It annoyed me to death, but since it was true, I couldn’t even refute it.

“…I’m going to sleep.”

Leaving Dora behind as she rambled on about how heartbreak is just like that, I lay down on the bed.

I felt another sigh rising and closed my eyes. The scene from just a few minutes ago came back to me.

Fluttering silver hair, golden eyes shimmering beyond his glasses in the moonlight.

Wow… he’s really, really good-looking.

“Have I lost my mind?!”

Feeling my face flush, I grabbed a pillow and slammed my fist into it.

Calm down, calm down. Stop thinking about it.

Placing a hand over my chest, I slowly exhaled.

Reliving that awkward situation seemed to make the lingering feelings fade a little.

After tossing and turning on the bed for a while, I pulled a candy out of my pocket.

“…Hey, Dora. Eat this.”

I’m really done holding onto any lingering feelings now.

“Huh?”

Dora tilted her head at the peppermint candy in my hand.

“I don’t like this.”

“Just… eat it. Eat it. Before I shove it into your mouth myself.”

Hurry up and get rid of it.

Rubbing my forehead, I pushed the candy toward Dora.

“…?”

Dora accepted the candy with a bewildered expression.

Ignoring her complaints about why I was giving her something that didn’t even taste good, I buried my face in the pillow.

My one-sided love had ended.

I was mistaken. It hadn’t ended at all.

I realized that regret the very next morning.

“Did you eat it? Did you eat it?”

I grabbed Dora, who had just woken up and was still half-asleep, by the collar and shook her.

“…What?”

Dora squinted sleepily and mumbled softly.

“You told me to eat it.”

“You actually ate it right away when I told you to?!”

I clutched my head and groaned.

Now that I thought about it, it felt like such a waste. When would Senior ever give me candy again? I should’ve kept it for a few more days… then eaten it myself.

“Ah, I hate you! I really hate you!”

“Shut up. Ugh, now I’m fully awake.”

As I flopped around on the bed in a tantrum, Dora rubbed her eyes and looked at me with a pitying gaze while stretching and yawning.

“You were quiet yesterday, so why are you suddenly like this today?”

“The candy…”

“Ugh.”

At my answer, Dora shook her head with a disgusted expression, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Wow, your face is something else! Hahaha!”

Wondering what she was on about, I looked in the mirror—and was shocked.

My messy golden hair was sticking out in all directions, and my eyes were swollen.

Pulling at my hair, I muttered,

“Damn it.”

Grumbling inwardly, I took out my glasses from the drawer and put them on. This should cover things up a bit. I couldn’t skip class.

“Ha… I loved you, Noas…”

As I buried my face in my hands and groaned, Dora, halfway through putting on her clothes, clicked her tongue at me.

“That’s just how love is, what can you do?”

“Shut up.”

I glared at her and warned in a low voice.

“I don’t want to.”

Dora stuck her tongue out and muttered annoyingly in response.

Should I punch her?

I tightened my fist, but in my current state, neither magic nor physical force was in a good condition.

My fist was crying.

“Hey, wait a—”

Hurrying to gather my books as Dora had already finished getting ready and was about to leave the room, I followed after her.

“Ahh!”

Dora opened the door to leave and suddenly stumbled backward with a scream.

It would normally be a satisfying moment, but I didn’t even have time to feel that.

Wondering why she suddenly reacted like that, I turned my head toward the doorway—and let out a scream just as ugly, if not worse, than Dora’s.

“Waaah!”

Both of us had good reason to react that way.

Standing right in front of the door was none other than Senior Noa.

Wait—my appearance right now is a total mess.

My hands instinctively moved to fix my hair.

“Oh my. Dora, are you alright?”

Deliberately elongating my tone and putting on a friendly expression, I reached out my hand toward Dora. I helped her up despite her sour expression and brushed off her skirt.

Then I casually turned my head toward the door.

“Senior? Oh, why are you here?”

“Good morning.”

Senior Noa spoke calmly, his expression as composed as ever.

“Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

I looked around, then pointed at myself with a finger and asked again.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

He nodded.

Before I could even ask where we were going, he turned around.

“Hey, where are you going—”