My Childhood Friend’s Stock Will Never Fail Chapter 57

As they released their handshake, the corners of Min-hwan’s lips lifted.

 

“You’re handsome.”

 

“…Thanks.”

 

“Ahem. Ahem.”

 

Yoohee glanced sideways at Min-hwan, unable to read what was going on inside his head. As if sensing her gaze, he smiled and spoke.

 

“I really am in this class.”

 

Then he turned toward Yoohee. Even though his hair concealed his eyes, she could tell he was looking directly at her.

 

Seeing them side by side, Yoohee realized that Min-hwan really was about the same height as Joohoon.

 

“Actually, I was held back a year.”

 

According to Min-hwan, he had entered the academy last year, but because he had been trapped in Building F for so long, he had to repeat a year.

 

He had said that he’d been trapped in Building F until recently, but Yoohee had seen him yesterday as well as during the Race of Hell, so apparently he could move around whenever he wanted to.

 

She didn’t know much about it, but Constellations seemed to be just as omnipotent as the system, if not more so.

 

[Most of the Constellations are curious about the shaggy-haired man’s face.]

 

However, judging by the fact that the Constellations didn’t seem to know Min-hwan’s identity, he appeared to be keeping the fact that he was a Constellation hidden.

 

Considering that Constellations had never revealed themselves before, Min-hwan’s actions were extremely unusual.

 

Yoohee couldn’t help but worry that he might be putting himself in danger by doing all this.

 

“I’ll get going first.”

 

When the first class ended, Min-hwan quickly gathered his things and stood up.

 

Yoohee wanted to talk to him separately, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop him in case the Constellations discovered his identity.

 

“See you next class, Joohoon.”

 

After naturally saying goodbye to Joohoon as well, Min-hwan left the classroom.

 

From time to time, whispers followed him as he walked away.

 

“Apparently he repeated a year. No wonder his vibe was different.”

 

But Min-hwan didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

 

“He seems like a pretty nice guy.”

 

At those words, Yoohee’s eyes widened as she turned toward Joohoon beside her.

 

She hadn’t expected that at all.

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“He’s probably a year older than us, but he still tries to make people feel comfortable. He seems considerate.”

 

“Y-yeah.”

 

Her mind was a mess.

 

If Min-hwan was her lover from her previous life, then Joohoon was her childhood friend who was supposed to become her lover in this life.

 

There was… no harm in the two of them getting along, right?

 

No, this isn’t Hollywood. Is this really okay?

 

“Our next class is practical training, right? We should get going too.”

 

After gathering their things somehow, Yoohee left the classroom with Joohoon.

 

As they walked down the hallway, they naturally ended up talking about Min-hwan.

 

“I-I went to visit him pretty often. And… I even went to the top floor once, remember?”

 

“Oh, so that’s when you met him.”

 

Once Joohoon understood how Yoohee had met Min-hwan, he nodded vigorously as though everything suddenly made sense.

 

“You had a hard time back then, Yoohee.”

 

“It’s okay. It’s all in the past now.”

 

Even thinking back on it, Yoohee could only sigh with relief that everything had ended safely.

 

Click, click.

 

The sound of Yoohee and Joohoon’s shoes echoed through the empty hallway.

 

The students who had been scattered around gradually became fewer and fewer until there wasn’t even another voice to be heard.

 

…But this isn’t the way to the changing rooms.

 

Joohoon opened the door to the emergency staircase and turned around to look at Yoohee, who followed him inside.

 

“Are you hiding something from me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

The emergency staircase door closed behind them, leaving the two of them completely alone.

 

“You’ve been acting strange today.”

 

“M-me?”

 

“I’ve known you for years.”

 

“……”

 

Just as Yoohee knew Joohoon well, Joohoon must have known her just as well.

 

She had thought she was hiding it, but apparently, he had noticed.

 

“What’s wrong? Is it because of Min-hwan earlier?”

 

“That…”

 

“Or is it because you kissed me yesterday?”

 

“Cough!”

 

How?

 

No, since when did you know?

 

Her face heated up rapidly, making it impossible for her to raise her head.

 

“You… you knew?”

 

I desperately wanted to crawl into a mouse hole and hide. I tried to conceal my face, flushed with embarrassment, behind my long hair. Just then, Joohoon’s gentle hand reached up and brushed my hair aside.

 

“……No way.”

 

Joohoon stared down at Yoohee, his lips parting slightly.

 

“You didn’t think I wouldn’t know, did you?”

 

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

 

Unlike me, who was growing increasingly anxious, the Constellations were making a fuss as though they were watching someone else’s house.

 

[Constellation ‘A Die-Hard Romance-Fantasy Fan’ gazes at you with a pleased expression.]

 

[Constellation ‘Yolo of the Galaxy’ excitedly munches on popcorn.]

 

[Constellation ‘Spicy Churu’ licks their lips, eagerly anticipating what comes next.]

 

Ignoring my burning face as best I could, I darted my eyes around.

 

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I was, um, sober at the time, but the situation was kind of…… I-if you were uncomfortable with it—”

 

“I wasn’t uncomfortable.”

 

Joohoon’s firm answer caught me off guard.

 

He wasn’t upset?

 

Ah, come to think of it, a kiss on the cheek was just a casual greeting in America. Thinking of it that way seemed to calm me down a little.

 

“That’s a relief. Still, I acted without thinking. I shouldn’t have just done it without warning.”

 

“You did it to me, so that means I can do it to you too, right?”

 

Huh?

 

Yoohee’s eyes widened at Joohoon’s question. Was that really how it worked?

 

“Hmm?”

 

“So…… I guess.”

 

When she answered awkwardly, a bright smile spread across Joohoon’s face.

 

One step.

 

Joohoon closed the distance between them, his shoes nearly touching hers.

 

Behind Yoohee was the firmly shut emergency stairwell door. Unable to find anywhere else to look, she lowered her gaze, only to feel something cool brush against the side of her cheek.

 

Joohoon had lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

 

‘…….’

 

At his leisurely touch, she swallowed nervously. The sound of her swallowing seemed unnaturally loud in her ears, making her feel strange.

 

Joohoon slowly withdrew his hand, the smile disappearing from his lips.

 

“……So this day finally came.”

 

With those murmured words, Joohoon lowered his head.

 

The sudden collapse of the distance between them left Yoohee at a loss. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and then, in an instant, soft lips touched her cheek. At the same time, a great realization dawned on her.

 

……I see.

 

Now that she had experienced it herself, this was definitely a sensation that could never be mistaken for a hand.

 

Along with his lips, the firm tip of Joohoon’s nose touched just beneath her cheekbone. Unfamiliar with the sensation, Yoohee waited for his lips to pull away, but the moment seemed to last longer than expected.

 

Smack.

 

The sound of his lips parting was distinct. It was on an entirely different level from Yoohee’s light, fleeting kiss.

 

“……That’s all for today.”

 

Still dazed by the lingering warmth on her cheek, Yoohee was bombarded by the Constellations’ reactions.

 

[Constellation ‘Yolo of the Galaxy’ drops the popcorn they were eating.]

 

[Constellation ‘Spicy Churu’ jumps to their feet.]

 

[Constellation ‘Happy Kiss Ghost’ dies of happiness.]

 

…

 

Even as she listened to the flood of reactions, Yoohee was just as incapable of coming to her senses.

 

[Constellation ‘My Taste, Michelin 3-Star’ creates a short video of the scene just now and distributes it throughout the galaxy.]

 

[The promotional effect of the short video brings numerous Constellations into the channel.]

 

[Number of Constellations: 98 → 189]

 

[Number of Constellations: 189 → 256]

 

Even through her dazed eyes, the rapidly increasing number of Constellations was clearly abnormal.

 

[Congratulations! Channel R-29 has been selected as the ‘Hottest Rising Star Channel to Watch’!]

 

And then a status window appeared with a megaphone emoji and sparkling effects.

 

[The promotional effect of the Hot Rising Star Channel banner brings numerous Constellations into the channel.]

 

[Number of Constellations: 256 → 417]

 

Seriously, wasn’t that an increase a little too much?

 

Constellations continued pouring in without end, until the notification sounds automatically muted themselves.

 

Hot Rising Star Channel.

 

It wasn’t difficult to realize that my channel was truly hot right now, living up to its name.

 

‘…….’

 

When everything around them finally grew quiet, Yoohee could hear the pounding of her own heart.

 

Joohoon was still standing close enough that they would touch if she rose onto her tiptoes. Slowly lifting her head, she saw Joohoon enveloped in an unfamiliar atmosphere.

 

“Did we get a little closer?”

 

His breath was slightly quickened. His eyes, gazing intently at her, seemed to glisten with moisture.

 

“Let’s take our time and get closer.”

 

With those words, Joohoon concealed the strange atmosphere from moments ago and gave her a gentle smile.

 

It had only lasted for a moment, but Yoohee felt as though she had caught a glimpse of an unexpected side of her childhood friend.