The Next Day in Class
Damica kept fidgeting beside Inmi, who was dozing off.
“Inmi, what should I do? Should I go back to my ex? He suddenly started acting sweet and kept apologizing. Honestly, I don’t want to lose him…” Damica kept rambling, wearing a pouty expression.
After a while, she realized Inmi hadn’t responded to anything she said.
“Inmi!!!” Damica shook Inmi’s body several times.
“Huh… Damica…” Inmi looked at her with a serious expression.
Damica, still a little childish, quickly noticed how exhausted Inmi looked.
“Sorry…”
“If you really want to hear my opinion, then listen properly,” Inmi said, trying her best to respond to the lengthy rant.
Damica nodded seriously.
“Stop loving someone who isn’t even loyal to you. Think about yourself too. Reflect on your time alone and find the lesson in it. Once you know what you truly want, the sincere love you hope for will come,” Inmi explained with her usual flat, tired expression.
Damica’s eyes sparkled, touched and reenergized.
“Inmi, you’re not even experienced in love, but you’re so good at giving advice. I’m so proud of you, aaaa~” Damica hugged Inmi tightly.
I was just repeating something I read in a weird pink book. It made me cringe, but turns out it helped her problem.
Normally Inmi hated being hugged, but this time she surrendered to it. Somehow, it just made her feel more exhausted.
This girl… I want to hit her for being so noisy, but I don’t have the energy…
From afar, Alez—waiting for class to start—kept glancing at Inmi.
“Looks like she’s studying really hard,” he muttered, watching Inmi still dozing off.
After class, Damica invited Inmi to eat and get coffee before her work shift at Lurécake.
“What’s really going on? Are you working again?” Damica asked seriously.
Inmi just nodded as she sipped her warm coffee in the cold weather.
“Inmi, if this is a financial problem, I’ll give you some money to help. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but please accept my help,” Damica said, looking worried.
Inmi shook her head.
“Inmi, I’m your friend. Do you think I’m unreliable?” Damica said, annoyed.
“Thank you for wanting to help… but you can’t.”
“What do you mean??!! How much do you need??”
Inmi wrote it down on a piece of paper.
Damica’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Inmi, are you planning to buy a penthouse or something?”
Inmi, who had been so sluggish, suddenly chuckled and let out a small laugh.
“That’s one of my dreams, but no, that’s not it,” Inmi replied, turning serious again.
“Can you tell me?”
Inmi didn’t answer.
“Inmi, just tell me. I’ll listen.”
Inmi looked at her for a moment, then took another sip of her coffee.
She sighed lazily.
“I know you’re always like this—caring and sometimes a bit pushy—but I have to say, you really like to meddle. Damica, your life could be peaceful and good with what you already have, but you keep involving yourself in people’s problems. Is your life that boring?” Inmi asked absentmindedly.
Damica fell silent for a moment.
“Inmi, I just want to help you. That question was kind of insulting. Why are you acting like this?”
“For now, if you don’t want to get hurt, you should go.”
Hearing that, Damica clenched her fists in frustration.
“Fine, maybe you need some time alone. I’ll go. I hope your problem gets resolved,” Damica said, looking at Inmi who was still staring blankly at her coffee.
Inmi, aware that Damica had left, said nothing. She slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep at the table.
I feel like sinking to the bottom of the ocean…
~
Alez walked with steady steps, wearing headphones on his head. After picking a book to read, he searched for an empty seat.
Soon, his eyes landed on a familiar figure—someone asleep at a table, bathed in sunlight streaming through the glass.
Alez didn’t really understand why his body moved on its own toward her. He took the seat next to her to block the sunlight from hitting Inmi’s face.
About twenty minutes passed before Inmi’s phone alarm went off.
Inmi stirred, opening her eyes and finding Alez beside her, reading.
“You’re awake?” Alez asked, glancing her way.
Inmi stayed quiet and slowly sat up straight.
“Since when have you been sitting there?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know, maybe since you fell asleep,” Alez replied, eyes back on his book.
Did I snore? My mouth was closed the whole time, right? Wait—why am I even worried about how I looked while sleeping…
“Um… I guess I should get going,” Inmi muttered, standing up quickly.
“Buy me food,” Alez said abruptly.
Inmi froze.
I know he saved me that time, but he’s usually so blunt. It’s weird seeing him act like this.
“I can’t afford fancy restaurants, but the food at the place I work is really good.”
“I don’t mind,” Alez replied, closing his book and standing in front of her.
~
At the Lurécake café, Inmi was preparing pasta and dessert for Alez. It didn’t take long before the dishes were served.
“I hope this is enough,” Inmi said.
Alez said nothing, just stared at the neatly arranged food.
“I can’t eat with you—I’ve got a lot to finish,” Inmi added.
“I’ll eat it. Thank you,” Alez replied.
Inmi stood still for a moment, then nodded and walked off to continue her tasks.
Alez began eating. Though he hesitated with the dessert—since he didn’t like sweet things—he still gave it a try.
“This is good. She’s definitely skilled at cooking,” Alez murmured.
From afar, he watched Inmi interact with customers. Suddenly, their eyes met. Neither of them looked away for several seconds—time seemed to slow—until a customer called her and Inmi turned her attention back.
So she tried it. But what was that just now? Her gaze… so intense… Was it because the food wasn’t good?
Almost an hour passed, and Alez was still at the table, laptop open.
Inmi, done with her work, checked her watch. It was late. She approached him.
“Like I said before, I couldn’t eat with you. You can head home now.”
“There’s still stuff I need to finish, and this place is comfortable to work in.”
“Alright, I get it. But you can continue at home. I’m closing the shop.”
Hearing that, Alez began packing up his laptop and stood.
They walked together into the cold night and waited at a crowded bus stop.
“Are we headed the same way?” Inmi asked, curious since Alez had stayed silent and was now on the same bus.
“I’ll get off soon.”
Inmi nodded silently and put on her headphones.
Hiss…
The bus stopped—just like Alez said.
“Take this,” he said, handing her a paper bag with a thick pink and white scarf.
Then he got off and looked back through the bus window at Inmi, who stared in confusion.
After the bus drove away, Alez called someone to pick him up. Finishing the call, he exhaled sharply—it was freezing, even though winter was almost over.
Why do I even care about her? —Alez17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxT1KKYqo7
Lately, she’s been on my mind too much —Alez
Flashback
Alez recalled how he had repeatedly seen Inmi crying alone in random places. Even though she’d picked quiet, “safe” spots to let out her emotions, it had already happened three times—at different places. And it reminded him of someone.
It’s been a long time since I felt excited to go through the day like this. I guess… it’s not such a bad feeling.
~
Inmi stared at the ceiling in her room for over five minutes, her cheeks slightly flushed at the memory of being so close to Alez when the bus suddenly braked.
She shook her head quickly and slapped her cheeks gently. Then she got out of bed and distracted herself by studying for class tomorrow.
What is this feeling? No… I can’t let this happen!
After giving herself a mental reset, she focused again on her book.
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