My Childhood Friend’s Stock Will Never Fail Chapter 34

“Anyway, Senior. If a stranger offers you something or asks you to go somewhere with them, promise me you won’t accept it or go with them, okay?”

 

“……”

 

Seohyunho looked at Yoohee with an irritated expression, as if asking what on earth she took him for.

 

Even so, she couldn’t let her guard down.

 

“I had my tarot cards read, and they said you need to be careful around strangers for the next month. They are also said to be wary of meaningless acts of kindness or favors. Otherwise, you could end up suffering a major financial loss or even health problems.”

 

“I don’t believe in that stuff.”

 

“It was a really famous fortune teller. It wouldn’t hurt to be careful, even if it’s just to humor me, right? I know I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but… I’m worried about you, Senior.”

 

Yoohee looked up at him with wide, pleading eyes like Puss in Boots from that movie, and Seohyunho let out a quiet chuckle before answering,

 

“Alright.”

 

Then he gently patted her on the head.

 

It felt less like an affectionate gesture and more like he was praising a loyal puppy trying to protect its owner.

 

“Well then, enjoy your lun—”

 

Just as Yoohee cheerfully turned around after finishing what she had come to say, her body was suddenly yanked backward.

 

Seohyunho looked just as startled, and something warm and solid pressed against her back. A familiar voice soon reached her ears.

 

“Yoohee, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

 

She knew who it was without even turning around.

 

“Joohoon.”

 

Yoohee turned to him in surprise.
She had definitely told him she had something to take care of before coming here.

 

“Why… did you come all the way here?”

 

“Because you never came back after I waited.”

 

Joohoon answered as though it were only natural.

 

“I was worried something might’ve happened to you.”

 

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

 

She had forgotten just how excessively Joohoon had always worried about her ever since they were children.

 

If she’d known this would happen, she would have told him not to wait for her before leaving.
As Yoohee gave Joohoon an apologetic smile, Seohyunho, standing beside them, muttered blankly.

 

“You…”

 

He stared at Joohoon as though he had just seen a ghost.

 

“So you’re the student who came out of F Hall?”

 

While Joohoon was meeting Seohyunho for the first time, the opposite wasn’t true.
Seohyunho had already seen Joohoon back in F Hall.
His expression turned icy before he spoke in a surly voice.

 

“…You’ve got some nerve showing your face.”

 

Then he strode forward, grabbed Yoohee’s wrist, and tried to pull her away from Joohoon.
But Joohoon had no intention of backing down either. As if refusing to let her go, he grabbed her other wrist.

 

“Don’t handle her so roughly.”

 

Caught between the two of them, Yoohee wanted to cry.

 

Damn it. Nothing good was ever going to come from these two meeting.

 

She had lied about Joohoon before in order to persuade Seohyunho, so it was only natural that Seohyunho couldn’t bring himself to think well of him.

 

“Let go.”

 

“No. You let go first.”

 

Ironically, she could feel both of them tightening their grip on her wrists even more.

 

[Some of the Constellations are thrilled by the love triangle.]

 

[Some of the Constellations are cheering for our Joohoon.]

 

The Constellations’ reactions were split between those who loved pure romance and those who enjoyed love triangles.

 

But this tug-of-war wasn’t accomplishing anything.

 

“Ow… It hurts, so could you both let go… please?”

 

She exaggerated just a little, and both Joohoon and Seohyunho immediately released her at the same time.

 

“I’m sorry, Yoohee.”

 

“Tch. Why are you so fragile?”

 

You could’ve done that from the start.

 

Finally free again, Yoohee quickly tried to explain things to each of them.

 

“Senior, Joohoon isn’t a bad person. Please don’t be so hard on him.”

 

“Joohoon, um… this is a senior who’s helped me out a lot.”

 

Neither of them looked convinced.

 

Instead, they each voiced their own opinion while looking at Yoohee.

 

“They say people can’t be changed.”

 

“Even if he’s your senior, I don’t want you letting him push you around.”

 

Receiving both of their gazes at once, Yoohee could only force an awkward smile.

 

Damn it. How did things end up like this?

 

And wasn’t it true that problems always came all at once?

 

[Notification: The 30th Transmigrator is nearby.]

 

The message that appeared in the status window made Yoohee’s eyes widen.

 

‘The 30th Transmigrator is nearby?’

 

She hurriedly looked around, but there were too many students to tell who it was.
Students were leaving their classrooms to grab lunch. Others stood chatting with friends along the hallway.

 

Who is it…?

 

Just then, a female student walked up to Seohyunho.

 

“Senior.”

 

She had short black hair and a familiar face. She was the same girl who had given Joohoon the canned coffee before.

 

Her name was Choi Yuna, wasn’t it?

 

“The teacher asked you to come to the faculty office for a moment. Apparently there’s something on your written exam that needs to be corrected…”

 

Choi Yuna spoke in a clear voice, but the moment she noticed Joohoon, her face instantly flushed red.

 

They weren’t particularly close classmates, but since she was the class representative, they had spoken a few times before.

 

Could Choi Yuna be the Thirtieth Transmigrator?

 

But there were still plenty of other students around.

 

It was too soon to jump to conclusions based on suspicion alone.

 

“Hey, honor student.”

 

At Seohyunho’s call, Yoohee snapped out of her thoughts.

 

“Oh, yes.”

 

“You have my number, right?”

 

“Ah… yes.”

 

When they had gotten out of F Hall, Seohyunho had saved his number in her phone.

 

“If anything happens, call me. Well… it doesn’t even have to be anything serious.”

 

“Ah… okay.”

 

Caught off guard by Seohyunho’s unexpectedly considerate attitude, Yoohee answered absentmindedly.

 

“Anyway, I’m off.”

 

Seohyunho walked away down the hallway together with Choi Yuna.

 

The moment they disappeared around the corner, the status window appeared before Yoohee once again.

 

Perhaps she had thought this game would continue to be too straightforward.

 

[Notification: The Thirtieth Transmigrator is still nearby.]

 

So it wasn’t Choi Yuna.

 

Even though no one else seemed particularly suspicious.

 

“……”

 

Her palms grew damp with nervous sweat.

 

Just then, Joohoon called out to her.

 

“Yoohee?”

 

“Ah… yeah.”

 

Joohoon was looking at her with worried eyes.

 

Deciding that she needed to get away from this place first, Yoohee grabbed the edge of his collar.

 

“It’s okay. I’m not upset. While I was gone, it makes sense that there’d be seniors who helped you.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Let’s go have lunch.”

 

Joohoon gently took Yoohee’s hand.

 

Just as they were about to leave the hallway—

 

“—!”

 

Someone suddenly grabbed Yoohee firmly by the shoulder.

 

“E-Excuse me, um…”

 

The voice was trembling unusually.

 

“S-Senior… I-I mean, our junior already promised to have lunch with us.”

 

The one holding Yoohee’s shoulder was none other than Jo Sooyoung.

 

Standing this close to Joohoon seemed to have flustered him because of his good looks, and he stumbled over every other word.

 

Beside him, Choi Aram and Kim Nayoon also looked visibly startled after seeing Joohoon.

 

“Yoohee. Who are they?”

 

Joohoon asked curiously.

 

With an awkward smile, Yoohee introduced the group of followers.

 

“They’re seniors I’m close with.”

 

“Oh, so they’re the seniors you’re close to.”

 

Joohoon’s expression immediately brightened.

 

Unlike when he had met Seohyunho, he even wore a warm, gentle smile.

 

Seeing that, Jo Sooyoung suddenly choked on his own breath and hurriedly looked away.

 

“T-That’s right! W-We’re really close with our junior.”

 

“We’ve even gone through life-and-death situations together.”

 

Well, the White Day event had definitely felt life-threatening.

 

On top of that, Choi Aram and Kim Nayoon had also gone through the Race from Hell together with her.

 

Listening to Jo Sooyoung’s and Choi Aram’s claims, Joohoon nodded thoughtfully.

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“S-So today, our junior already has lunch plans with us.”

 

“I see.”

 

He answered politely enough, but his attitude didn’t change.

 

At this point, shouldn’t he have simply said, Oh, you already had plans, and backed off?

 

“Then I’ll join you too. Is that not allowed?”

 

Joohoon’s suggestion left Yoohee staring at him in complete disbelief.

 

Is this really the same Joohoon who used to be so painfully shy?

 

He had always hated getting close to strangers, yet now he was the one casually suggesting they all eat together.

 

What on earth happened to him while he was in America?

 

Worried that he might be forcing himself, she tugged him aside by the arm and whispered softly.

 

“Joohoon. If you’re uncomfortable, we can just eat together tomorrow.”

 

But Joohoon simply smiled brightly and answered without the slightest hesitation.

 

“It’s okay. You’re here with me, Yoohee.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. And since they’re people you’re close to, I’d like to get to know them too.”

 

His answer tugged warmly at her heart.

 

Meanwhile, Choi Aram puffed out her cheeks and complained,

 

“What are you two whispering about over there? You’re making the rest of us feel left out.”

 

“No, it’s nothing. Seniors, is it okay if Joohoon comes with us too?”

 

“Well, if you’re okay with it, Junior.”

 

And so Yoohee left the hallway together with Joohoon and her group of followers.

By the time they reached the end of the corridor, the notification about the Thirtieth Transmigrator finally disappeared.