Breaking Up With the Heroine in an Otome Game - Breaking Up With the Heroine in an Otome Game chapter 82

82 – Love (6)

082

“Uh, ah, uh?”

Jin So-yeon widened her eyes, her face flushed.

She couldn’t properly整理 her feelings of being embarrassed, and her heart was beating irregularly.

The dried-up feeling was like this.

In the beautiful golden eyes, there was a sense of embarrassment, and Jin So-yeon’s mind was lost, like a refugee drifting on the sea.

‘What did Jin-hyuk just say?’

Could it be that Jin-hyuk had seen right through Jin So-yeon’s inner thoughts?

Or was it a playful teasing, like the kind they used to exchange in the past?

But the atmosphere was different from usual.

Very different.

Jin So-yeon bit her lip, her expression hazy, as if trying to force a smile.

She didn’t know how to respond, so she just stood there, unsure of herself.

“Ah, that… that…”

After drying her mouth with her sleeve, Jin So-yeon tried to smile, despite the stiffness in her face.

But the smile that she managed with her stiff facial muscles was awkward and unnatural.

“Eh, eh, what’s the matter all of a sudden?”

“……

Again, he said something strange. It’s not even funny as a joke, Jinhuk. Ahahahaha.

“……”

“Ah, hahahaha, ha… ha.”

“……”

Finally, the laughter abruptly stopped.

Jin Soyeon, who had tried to cover the awkwardness with laughter, sighed with her head slightly bowed.

She had initially intended to pass it off as a mere joke, like a trivial remark, but it seemed that the atmosphere was not conducive to such playfulness, so she quickly changed her mind.

Jin Soyeon raised her drooping head.

She discreetly glanced at Lee Jinhuk, but he just shook the beer can lightly, gazing blankly.

With a gaze that revealed nothing, fixed on Jin Soyeon’s face, tension built up, and she found herself clenching and relaxing her awkward fists repeatedly.

After maintaining silence for a while, Jin Soyeon opened her lips with a slightly trembling voice.

She couldn’t brush it off as a joke any longer.

“……Bold, aren’t you?”

Jin Soyeon, with a bitter expression and a wry smile, finally met his gaze with her eyes downcast.

It was a voice that felt somewhat despondent and self-deprecating.

“I know too. It’s selfish to harbor these emotions now.”

“Soyeon.”

Jin Soyeon slowly clenched her fists, trembling slightly.

“I’ve done a lot of things to you, like the fake relationship.”

The request for a fake romantic relationship with a childhood friend had been a mistake.

Due to this foolish request, Jin Soyeon realized how much Lee Jinhuk had suffered for a long time.

“I didn’t know, around me… I have many opposite-s*x friends… I didn’t think it would feel like this.”

Jin Soyeon tightly gripped her chest.

She hadn’t imagined that just the presence of Lee Jinhuk with other girls could make her emotions crumble like this.

Although it had been only a few weeks since she realized her feelings for Lee Jinhuk, every time he laughed and joked with other girls, a part of her heart hurt so much.

It was like being stabbed with a needle, and not only did she feel pain, but she also felt a petty jealousy, even though she had no right to be jealous.

“I, I… made you feel this pain for several years… I didn’t know, and now I’m saying these things… It’s really shameless, isn’t it?”

Golden eyes, moistened with tears, subtly looked up at Lee Jinhuk. The trembling pupils conveyed guilt and sorrow.

“In your… in your position, talking about this topic that you probably never thought about with other men… saying this now might… make you feel uncomfortable…”

Even if he may have been forgiven, the wounds caused for several years remained unchanged.

It could be said that it was truly embarrassing to suddenly reveal such emotions on that topic.

However, at the time when Jin Soyeon mistakenly thought that Ijinhyeok had died, she realized.

That Ijinhyeok was more than just a childhood friend.

The reason they were able to be together for more than 10 years was not due to the emotion of friendship, but because of the emotion of love.

As she had experienced the loss once before, she knew that their relationship as mere childhood friends would not be enough to continue being together.

That’s why Jin Soyeon made up her mind.

Even if it may seem shameless and selfish, let’s go all the way.

Regretting without doing anything, regretting the loss of Ijinhyeok, once is enough.

“…I, well, I think I’ve liked you from when we were young. It feels like I’m realizing it too late.”

Jin Soyeon spoke slowly, her lips trembling.

“Oh, no, I’ll say it more clearly. I like you.”

“…”

“Like…like…yes, yes, I do…yes.”

“…”

“Actually, I was planning to say it later…but considering the current situation, I don’t think I can be too relaxed.”

“…”

She had received numerous confessions until now, but this was the first time she directly confessed to someone.

Confessing like this was trembling and difficult.

Jin Soyeon glanced at Ijinhyeok with a sneaky look.

Ijinhyeok simply stared at Jin Soyeon’s face without saying anything.

‘In the end, it turned out like this.’

Ijinhyeok let out a sigh secretly.

He had anticipated it, but he didn’t expect Jin Soyeon to go this far.

‘I didn’t think she would confess for real.’

He mentioned it directly in order to test Jin Soyeon and see if she would avoid it, but unexpectedly, Jin Soyeon confessed with a serious expression.

If it had been the usual Jin Soyeon, she would have made some nonsense and avoided it.

But today’s Jin Soyeon was different.

She chose to break through head-on.

‘I did think that Soyeon would like me.’

It’s not just because of Jinsuyeon’s character setting.

After Jinsuyeon woke up in the hospital, her gaze, words, attitude, and so on as she looked at Ijinho clearly changed.

Jinsuyeon, who used to secretly watch Ijinho with a curious face whenever he interacted with other girls and awkwardly smiled when their eyes met, started to not get along well with other boys.

Should we say that she subtly noticed Ijinho’s feelings?

Her demeanor was very similar to that of a teenage girl experiencing the emotion of love for the first time.

Like a girl who doesn’t know what to do when she starts to like someone and can’t control her own feelings.

That was exactly how Jinsuyeon looked.

If she had been another girl, she might not have noticed such a change.

But Ijinho and Jinsuyeon had been together for over 10 years.

Even if it was Ijinho, he could have noticed such a significant change.

Moreover, wasn’t Ijinho carefully observing Jinsuyeon’s changes as the protagonist of this world, just in case?

Considering that Jinsuyeon had been showing clearly different behaviors lately, he couldn’t help but notice.

Besides, he already knew that Jinsuyeon liked him based on the setting, and he knew that she was realizing her emotions after death, and she had been asking who he liked all the time.

“Just today, Suyeon’s reaction was so different from usual.”

He thought it was f*cked up when he got caught drinking.

Considering Jinsuyeon’s usual personality, it was obvious that she would nag him for a long time. However, Jinsuyeon sighed deeply and let it pass as if it didn’t matter.

Until this point, he could have thought it was possible, but when Jinsuyeon suddenly mentioned wanting to drink, it was an unmistakable situation.

It seemed strange not to know in this situation.

Ijinho wasn’t a character like a clueless, insensitive character that could only appear in certain subculture genres.

Ah, although he seemed insensitive based on his usual appearance.

“This is really… “

Ijinho’s feelings when he received a confession from Jinsuyeon were honestly awkward.

He didn’t dislike her, but it was also difficult to say that he liked her romantically.

It seemed that when he was young, he had held a feeling of favor towards her.

But since the memories of his past life resurfaced, Jinsuyeon became his favorite character and felt like a childhood friend to him even more strongly.

No, even excluding all these reasons, he had no intention of accepting this confession.

Because from now on, he was planning to confront and oppose the Rebelion Members in earnest, and it wouldn’t be good to have discord with someone like Ishiwoon, who had a strong background.

When Jinsuyeon was kidnapped, she received great help from Ishiwoon’s bodyguards.

He clearly realized that Ishiwoon’s background would be of great help in restraining and dealing with the Rebelion Members.

If she were to develop a relationship with Jin So-yeon now, it was certain that it would create friction with Lee Si-woon beyond what was necessary.

Lee Jin-hyuk was not in a situation where he could afford to be resentful towards the male protagonist for no reason.

Jin So-yeon hoped to become close with powerful figures like Lee Si-woon as much as possible.

“Seems like she still hasn’t become involved with Lee Si-woon yet. But surprisingly. I thought she would get involved with him quickly.”

Since there was a setting that Lee Si-woon had liked Jin So-yeon when they were young, they quickly became close in the game.

Maybe Jin So-yeon didn’t realize that she was the girl Lee Si-woon had met when she was young.

Anyway, it seems like Lee Si-woon is also surprisingly clueless.

“So-yeon.”

“Yeah….”

Breaking the silence, he called out Jin So-yeon’s name.

Jin So-yeon lowered her eyes and weakly replied. It was an instinctive response.

What is Lee Jin-hyuk going to say?

“Thank you for thinking of me in a positive light, but I’m sorry.”

“….Ah.”

For a moment.

Jin So-yeon’s tear drop quivered.

But soon after, she wore a bitter expression as if everything was fine.

“Y-yeah, that’s right…. It’s okay… I already expected it….”

Yeah, I expected it.

That Lee Jin-hyuk would reject her.

I already knew very well, so I won’t be shocked now. Mmhm. I confessed with the assumption that it would be like this.

What else is there to be shocked about like a fool?

By confessing, I have already fulfilled my purpose.

Whether Lee Jin-hyuk likes it or not, he will be conscious of it.

But.

A little, really just a little, it’s sad.

Ah, so that’s how it is, as expected.

I didn’t have any expectations, but now that I’m experiencing this personally, it feels different.

Now that I think about it, Jin So-yeon was always in the position of pushing someone away.

So, this experience of being rejected is truly a first for her, quite something different. Yeah, it’s different.

I wonder if this is how everyone felt towards Jin Soyeon?

If that’s the case, I apologize a little.

Like this, my heart, it hurts…

“Soyeon, maybe you’re just experiencing the adrenaline effect. It could be a temporary misconception because you helped in a dangerous situation…”

“It’s not a misconception.”

Jin Soyeon unexpectedly met his eyes and spoke with a firm voice.

“It’s not a misconception… So don’t say it like that, Jinho.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“No, you don’t have to be sorry…”

No, I clearly knew Soyeon’s feelings and I spewed nonsense about a familiar topic, insulting her feelings. It would be right to apologize.

Jin Soyeon tried to dispel the sinking atmosphere by wearing a faint smile.

“…Ah, hahahaha, I think I said some silly things while drunk.”

“….”

“Well, I just wanted to say… um…”

Jin Soyeon hesitated slightly, then raised her voice.

“…I wanted to say that I like you. Oh, well, maybe it’s too burdensome?”

“Soyeon, I told you already that I have someone I like.”

“Yeah, I know… but hearing it directly like this still hurts a bit. Oh, of course, it’s my own fault.”

Knowing that the person you like likes someone else was indeed painful.

However, confessing to give up on such a trivial matter was not an option.

For Jin Soyeon, today’s confession was not a conclusion but rather a beginning. Yes, a declaration to Jinho.

It was the outcry she could only make after thinking she would be rejected.

From Noble mtl dot com

“…I don’t know who the person you like is, but we’re not dating or anything, right?”

Then, isn’t there a chance until that happens?

“So until then, um, can I still like you?”

“Even if you do, it’ll just make you struggle, so don’t do that and just…”

“Ah, ah. I can’t hear you~.”

Jin Soyeon playfully covered her ears and made a pouting face.

“You know, I’m subtly stubborn.”

Even the feelings I have for you.

“So, you’ll just be fine with it… Hmm, was it a bit shameless? Ah, hahahaha.”

“Jin So-yeon.”

“Don’t make it awkward just because I said I liked you for no reason. You said you liked me too. So, it shouldn’t be a problem if we hang out on Monday, right?”

Jin So-yeon, who had regained her usual composure, stood up from her seat after firing off the words she wanted to say.

No, she hadn’t regained her usual composure.

She was just pretending.

“It seems like it’s getting late, I’ll go in first. See you next time, Jin-hyuk.”

“Are you planning to go somewhere after drinking?”

Jin So-yeon, who could no longer have a conversation with Jin-hyuk in this place, waved her hand with a forced smile.

“I’m already awake~.”

“Hey, Jin So-yeon, wait a moment!”

Without even looking back, Jin So-yeon quickly walked away.

Jin-hyuk could only sigh deeply.

“It doesn’t seem easy for her to give up just by saying it out loud. It might be awkward for Ishiwoon to see her like this.”

Then, why not try dating another girl since things turned out this way?

Well, it was just a sarcastic thought that arose from his frustration, as Jin-hyuk wasn’t trash enough to date another girl just to make Jin So-yeon give up.

***

“Ah, I messed up, I really messed up.”

Returning home, Jin So-yeon lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, clutching her penguin doll tightly.

“It really didn’t work out. Of course it wouldn’t, but I still had a slight hope.”

Jin So-yeon looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

A beautiful face reflected back at her, but there was a hint of helplessness and loneliness in the girl who was looking.

Sniff.

“Ah.”

A single tear ran down her cheek.

Caught off guard by the sudden tears, Jin So-yeon was taken aback.

“This, this is silly, it’s silly to cry over something like this…”

It’s so embarrassing, to come home and cry like this.

Really, it feels like I’ve been heartbroken even more now.

“It’s embarrassing, I… I seem foolish…”

Jinhyuk already knew that his heart had already left.

He already knew that he had feelings for someone else.

It was pitiful and disgraceful to cling on like this, but he didn’t want to give up.

No, he couldn’t give up.

“…But if Jinhyuk really starts dating someone else, then I…”

Jinhyuk dating someone else?

An abrupt and unpleasant thought briefly crossed Jinsu’s mind.

It was such a bad thought that Jinsuyeon herself was surprised and quickly shook her head from side to side.

W-What are you thinking, Jinsuyeon?

Even if that’s the case, let’s not have strange thoughts.

“…”

Jinsuyeon blankly stared out of the window.

The moonlight was still radiating its mellow light as always.