After the lecture ended, Si-hyun gently woke up Ye-rin, who had been asleep.

Ye-rin opened her eyes with a sleepy expression, and Si-hyun, who had lowered his head, met her drowsy gaze and spoke.

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

"Yeah... I think I'm feeling better than before."

Ye-rin smiled softly as she sat up. Her smile seemed genuine, indicating she wasn't just trying to reassure him falsely.

"That's a relief. I had already picked out a place for us to eat once you felt better."

"I'm excited to see what kind of place it is... Shall we head there now?"

"Sure."

Once Ye-rin finished gathering her things, she followed Si-hyun outside.

It was lunchtime, so the streets were bustling with people, and the sunlight was particularly intense.

Navigating through the crowded masses, the two eventually arrived at a barbecue restaurant.

"This place is known for its tender meat and reasonable prices."

Ye-rin wiped her hands with a wet towel and answered.

"Then we'll have to eat a lot to get our strength back, right?"

"Yeah. I'll do the grilling, so you just focus on eating."

Si-hyun pinched Ye-rin's cheek as he continued.

"Don't make me worry by getting sick, okay?"

"Si-hyun..."

Ye-rin was touched, her eyes glistening with emotion. His genuine care and concern as the perfect boyfriend were revitalizing her.

"Okay. I'll be more careful from now on."

Ye-rin clasped Si-hyun's hand and rubbed it against her cheek. His hands were soft for a man's, and she delighted in their warmth.

Sizzle—

As Si-hyun grilled the pork ribs, a sweet aroma mixed with the rising smoke. The moment the meat was cooked, he placed it on his girlfriend's small plate, and Ye-rin occasionally wrapped the meat in lettuce and fed it to Si-hyun.

"How is it? Delicious, right?"

"Yeah. Maybe it's because you wrapped it for me, but it tastes twice as good as usual."

"Haha… You really do know what to say."

While Si-hyun's hands were busy, Ye-rin poured drinks into their glasses. As she brought the cup to her lips, she drank it down with big gulps.

'She's just drinking juice, but how can she be so cute doing it?'

Ye-rin and Si-hyun gazed into each other's eyes with affection, feeling full just by watching each other eat—as if they were feeding each other's hearts.

As they continued their sweet and lively meal, they soon felt full.

Looking at the empty bowls, Si-hyun commented, "You ate less than usual."

"Yeah, maybe it's because of the heat... I just don't seem to have an appetite today."

On any other day, the mere scent of the meat would have whetted her appetite, but now the smell seemed unpleasant to Ye-rin.

'Why am I feeling like this... Should I visit the hospital later?'

Facing an issue related to food was a first for her, and Ye-rin was puzzled by the unfamiliar symptoms.

Observing her, Si-hyun stroked her hair and said, "Don't worry too much. I also have days when I lose my appetite."

"Okay..."

Ye-rin nodded with a slightly uncomfortable expression, calming her queasy stomach with some orange juice.

Afterward, Si-hyun took Ye-rin to a café.

Si-hyun hoped his girlfriend, who had lost her appetite, would recover while enjoying some sweet desserts.

"Hmm..."

As Si-hyun glanced at the menu, he recalled what his girlfriend usually drank and placed an order.

"One Caramel Macchiato, one Cappuccino, and one Oreo Cake, please."

Just as Si-hyun was about to take out cash from his wallet, Ye-rin handed over her card and spoke.

"Please pay with this, and change the Cappuccino to a Lemonade."

"What's up with not having a Cappuccino?"

"Maybe because it's hot, I feel like having something refreshing."

"Okay. You should drink what you feel like having."

The two brought their ordered drinks to the table and sat down. Watching Ye-rin sip her Lemonade through a straw, Si-hyun scratched his cheek.

'Has her taste changed recently? Normally, even if she wanted something cold, she would order an iced tea.'

He wondered why someone who liked sweet things chose a sour Lemonade.

Maybe she found the meat too greasy, Si-hyun rationalized to himself, trying to ignore the strange feeling of discomfort welling up in his chest.

Meanwhile.

While Si-hyun and Ye-rin went for lunch, Sohui took Chae-yeon to a nearby fountain.

Passing by couples feeding each other lunch boxes, and by the time pigeons walking on the ground were out of sight,

Sohui stopped in a less crowded area, and Chae-yeon, who had been keeping her lips sealed, asked her question out of curiosity.

"Sohui, what's this about a prior engagement? We didn't have anything planned today."

They hadn't spoken, let alone made plans. Why did Sohui use a non-existent appointment as an excuse to postpone the meal? Chae-yeon asked, her question tinged with dissatisfaction, and Sohui quietly answered.

"Yes, I lied to Si-hyun."

"Why?"

As Sohui turned her head, her sleek, jet-black bob swayed. Meeting Chae-yeon's gaze with difficulty, she gripped her right arm and spoke.

"Because the closer you get to Si-hyun, the more you'll get hurt."

It was a continuation of the conversation they had yesterday. Chae-yeon, momentarily stunned by Sohui's words, narrowed her eyes.

"Are you trying to separate me from Si-hyun?"

Sohui nodded. At that unwavering response, Chae-yeon's hand tightened. Her fist trembled violently.

Glaring fiercely at her friend, Chae-yeon spoke.

"You seem to misunderstand. It's more painful for me to be apart from Si-hyun. I'd rather stay by his side and risk getting hurt."

Sohui shook her head with a cold expression.

"What's the point of staying by his side when you can't even date him? The more you stick around, the more negative emotions will pile up, and then something like yesterday will happen again."

Chae-yeon pressed her lips together tightly. Just like Sohui said, spending time with Si-hyun's group stirred up all sorts of negative feelings in Chae-yeon, like jealousy and inferiority.

She often found herself acting impulsively, with incidents like stalking or the sleeping pill episode.

Faced with Sohui's undeniable words, Chae-yeon trembled slightly. She responded in a voice tinged with frustration.

"Why are you even trying to stop me… In the first place, isn't it partly your fault that Si-hyun and I broke up? You even said you would support me and Si-hyun getting together!"

When Chae-yeon brought up the blind date incident, Sohui's pupils quivered rapidly. It was the first time Chae-yeon had so directly expressed her resentment.

Fearful of what might come next, Sohui instinctively stepped back before stopping herself. She steadied her weakening resolve and sharpened her gaze.

"Yes, until just two days ago, I thought so. But now it's different. Seeing how strong your obsession with Si-hyun is, I can't support your love anymore."

The possibility of Si-hyun and Ye-rin separating is almost zero. Since Chae-yeon won't be satisfied with just a normal friendship, keeping her close to them will only eat away at her.

"Yoon Sohui, you..."

In the end, even her long-time friend turned away. Past trauma, Han Ye-rin, Yoon Sohui. Why are there so many obstacles in the way of her love with Si-hyun?

Chae-yeon let out a shaky sigh at the harsh reality. She preemptively wiped away the tears pooling in her eyes with the back of her hand and lifted her face to hide her tears.

However, realizing the meaning behind her actions, Sohui clutched her aching chest.

A friend who can't let go of something that's already gone. Holding onto a rope that's about to snap, Sohui's heart gradually burned with anguish.

"Chae-yeon, please give up... If you hold on any longer, you'll really end up breaking."

But the earnest plea of her friend did not reach Chae-yeon.Even though it reached her, she deliberately ignored it.

Chae-yeon bit her lower lip while bowing her head. She struggled to hold onto her weakening resolve, then spoke in a trembling voice.

"If you're not going to help me, then don't hold me back. No matter how much you oppose it, I can't give up on Si-hyun..."

Chae-yeon turned away. Her lonely figure heading to school tore at Sohui’s heart. Unable to just watch, Sohui grabbed Chae-yeon's wrist...

"Let go of me!"

Tears streaming down her face, Chae-yeon shook off Sohui's hand. She looked at her with reddened eyes.

Her friend, filled with a sense of betrayal. Unable to face it, Sohui slowly lowered her head and left her with final words.

"I’ll be waiting. Whenever it gets hard, just tell me."

Taken aback by those words of hope, Chae-yeon gasped. She opened and closed her mouth, repeatedly flexing her hands open and shut, before firmly declaring in a cold voice.

"Sorry, but that's never going to happen."

Chae-yeon sniffed and then continued on her path.

One step. Two steps. With each step she took, her feet grew increasingly heavier.

By the time the distance between them had widened, she looked back.

"......"

In her sight was Sohui, standing forlornly by the fountain. Sohui quietly covered her face with both hands and crouched down.

'Sohui...'

Since middle school, they had never fought even once.

Now that they were torn apart by this ordeal, an indescribable loneliness settled in both of their hearts.