The Kiss I Never Should Have Asked For - Chapter 33 – The Question I Finally Asked

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The school festival was only a week away.

Every classroom was busy with decorations.

Teachers were too occupied to pay attention to students wandering from one room to another.

Everyone seemed excited.

Everyone...

Except me.

For the past few days, Narin had become even busier.

He still sent me good morning messages.

He still asked if I had eaten.

But our conversations no longer lasted more than a few minutes.

Sometimes...

He replied hours later.

Sometimes...

He apologized.

Sometimes...

He forgot to reply at all.

I kept telling myself not to overthink it.

But my heart wasn't listening anymore.

That afternoon, I decided I couldn't keep pretending.

I had to ask him.

After classes ended, I found Narin arranging decorations outside the auditorium.

"Can we talk?"

He smiled.

"Of course."

We walked to a quiet corner of the school garden.

The same place where I had confessed that I kissed Korn.

This time...

The silence felt much heavier.

"Narin..."

"Hm?"

"I want you to answer honestly."

He nodded.

"I will."

I looked straight into his eyes.

"Are you avoiding me?"

His smile slowly disappeared.

"No."

"Then why do you keep leaving?"

"Why are you always busy?"

"Why don't we spend time together anymore?"

He lowered his head.

"I'm just busy."

"That's not the whole truth."

He didn't answer.

I took a deep breath.

"And..."

"...is Rin only your friend?"

The moment I said Rin's name...

His shoulders stiffened.

He looked away.

"I..."

For several seconds...

He couldn't find the words.

Finally, he spoke.

"He's important to me."

Those words felt heavier than I expected.

"Important..."

"...how?"

Narin closed his eyes.

"I don't know."

"I really don't know."

"I never planned for this to happen."

I stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

He opened his eyes again.

"They're confusing feelings."

"I've been trying to ignore them."

"I've been telling myself they'll disappear."

"But..."

"They haven't."

I felt my throat tighten.

"So..."

"You like him?"

Narin didn't answer immediately.

After a long silence...

He whispered,

"...I think I do."

The world around me suddenly felt quiet.

The laughter from the festival.

The voices of other students.

The music playing from the auditorium.

Everything faded into the background.

Narin looked at me with guilty eyes.

"I haven't done anything."

"I swear."

"I've been trying to stay away from him."

"But every time I tell myself to stop..."

"...I end up talking to him again."

He looked as if he hated admitting it.

"I don't understand why this is happening."

I remained silent.

Not because I was angry.

But because I didn't know what to say.

Only a few days ago...

I had confessed that I kissed Korn.

Now...

The person I loved was admitting...

That his heart might be changing too.

Neither of us had betrayed the other completely.

Not yet.

But for the first time...

We both understood something painful.

Love alone...

Was no longer enough to keep us the same.58Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1gUU09ik6

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