Because the book we read this time was much simpler, the club finished a bit earlier today. Since I had some time until the next class, I decided to remain for a bit in the club meeting room.

“Ah, sunbae. It’s about what I told you last time.”

I handed Flora Sunbae a bag of caramels.

“Wow, thank you!”

Flora Sunbae put some of the caramels I had given her into her mouth, raised her eyebrows and said to Gloria Sunbae.

“Ria, isn’t this what you bought last time? I remember how tasty it was.”

“Yeah, it is. I gave some to Kate and she said it was really good.”

“Wow, you two seem to have become a lot closer all this while. That’s great!”

“Of course! We’ve even shared our deepest secrets with each other.”

Gloria Sunbae wrapped her hands around my shoulder and smiled at Noah Sunbae who was sitting on the other side. I saw his fine brows crumple slightly, but I pretended not to see it.

“Secrets? What secret?”

“It’s a secret.”

Flora Sunbae looked hurt at the reply.

“Oh, come on. What is it? You have to tell me. I want to know too.”

“No can do. It’s a bit personal.”

“Alright, got it.”

Seeing the sullen look on Flora Sunbae’s face, Gloria Sunbae patted her head.

How peaceful it all was.

Suddenly, I made eye contact with Noah Sunbae, who had been staring quite blatantly at me.

“What are you looking at?”

With her hands still around my shoulders, Gloria Sunbae picked a fight with him. Noah Sunbae replied in a rare thorny tone.

“Not you.”

Gloria Sunbae replied in a voice dripping in aegyo, although what she said was not lovely or cute in the slightest.

“Then turn your eyes away~”

How scary.

I shuddered, listening to her speak. Flora Sunbae laughed, seeming used to such a scene. It was like she had given up trying to do something about it. I felt pity for the past me that had mistakenly thought the relationship between Gloria Sunbae and Noah Sunbae was good. As expected, being biased was a bad thing.

But why do they hate each other so?

My gaze moved as I watched the two seniors. Noah Sunbae was indeed handsome, but when he wasn’t moving, he gave off a cold feeling, and for Gloria Sunbae, it goes without saying that she was an ice queen. Was it some type of hatred for the same kind? Because they possessed the same type of beauty? ^[1]

As I was thinking silly thoughts with my hand on my chin, the peals of the warning bell rang.

“Oh, I have to get going.”

Gloria Sunbae took my arm with practiced ease, leading me to the door. I began following her, but Noah Sunbae awkwardly grabbed my shoulder from behind, his long fingers leaving a subtle touch.

“Can we talk for a bit?”

Then he turned to Gloria Sunbae and said in a cold tone:

“Without you.”

“You go first, Sunbae.”

Just as she began shaking her head as if I had stunned her speechless, I waved at her and turned my head towards Noah Sunbae. The quiet corridor was enveloped in silence for a moment; nervous, saliva began to pool in my mouth. I was worrying over when the bell would sound, when Noah Sunbae began speaking,

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Huh?”

What did he mean by that?

My eyes flitted around, avoiding his gaze, as I tried to understand what he was talking about. I shook my head as I replied.

“ Not at all. I am not sure why you felt that way.”

Noah Sunbae murmured in such a small voice that I almost missed it.

“You have been avoiding my eyes since earlier……”

“Ah…… I wasn’t doing that on purpose.”

Even as I said that, I still couldn’t meet his gaze. It was so strange.

An awkward silence ensued once again.

“The caramels.”

Noah Sunbae moved again, a low voice coming from them.

“Why do you think I gave them to you?”

My breath stopped for a second. The question blindsided me, and my heart thumped uneasily.

‘Calm down, be calm. Just answer like you’ve always done.’

Soon after, I carefully answered in a voice that was completely lacking in confidence.

“Because Sunbae is kind……?”

“……thank you.”

Noah Sunbae, who had been standing still with a vacant look on his face, replied awkwardly with his cheeks flushed.

Does he like hearing that he is kind as a compliment?

“You’re welcome.”

After standing for so long, I felt my body gradually lose strength. Frowning at my sore legs, a question came to me all of a sudden.

“That… are you and Gloria sunbae not on good terms?”

Everytime the two met, there was always a violent undercurrent in the air. It wasn’t some huge problem, but as someone who had no idea what was up between them, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Mhmm. It’s just a difference in personalities.”

Noah sunbae hummed, replying with a troubled face.

That figured. Gloria sunbae was always relaxed and outgoing, while Noah sunbae was detached and quiet; they really were not compatible.

“I’m sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable.”

Hearing his next words, I looked up at him and smiled.

“Not at all. It’s almost always Gloria Sunbae who starts trouble first.”

Notes:

^[1] Ice queen: , a cold beauty