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Areum was feeling devastated.
For the first time in her 15 years of existence, she was hurt—romantically hurt!
She honestly didn't know why she couldn't stop bothering Yuno when, in fact, he was right that maybe she was just playing with him. But for some reason, hearing those words coming from his mouth made Areum realize that it wasn't just simply an interest but something more.
"Do I like that handsome jerk?" she whispered to herself, her finger tracing the outline of her lips, a nervous habit she'd developed as a child.
This wasn't just a fleeting crush, a childish infatuation; this was something deeper, something that had taken root in her soul. The realization struck her with the force of a lightning bolt, leaving her reeling in the aftermath.
But a pout immediately covered her mouth when she remembered that he didn't accept the flowers she offered earlier.
"That doesn't justify what he did earlier! That kind of hurt, you know," she muttered, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. The pain of rejection was a foreign sensation to her, a sharp contrast to the warmth of her usual carefree existence.
Areum thought that once she gave those flowers to Yuno and asked him for a date, he would say 'yes,' but unfortunately, her calculations were wrong, and that frustrated her even more.
Yuno, with his enigmatic smile and wind-swept hair, was a puzzle she couldn't solve.
A hard equation she could not easily fathom.
It didn't take her long to reach the Black Bulls base. She entered inside and was greeted by Magna ni-san and Luck ni-san's magic.
Areum blankly looked at them, completely unfazed by the effects of their magic. It's not like it would affect her anyways. The two seniors didn't even mind the impact of their actions and just continued to do their thing, which didn't affect her anymore.
She walked towards the counter, trying to distract herself by the foods offered by Charmie-senpai.
"Can I request a nomotatoe pie, Charmie-senpai?"
"Sure la~"
"Thank you." Areum rested her head on the counter, the cool surface a welcome contrast to the heat rising within her.
The feeling she couldn't name, a heavy weight in her chest, threatened to consume her. It was like a knot, a tangled mess of emotions she couldn't untangle.
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. She peeked to see who it was and saw Vanessa nee-san as she was drinking a liquor.
"You look like you had a heartbreak, little girl. Got dumped by someone that you like?" she asked, her voice laced with a playful lilt.
Areum froze, her heart skipping a beat.
'Was this what heartbreak felt like?'
The uncomfortable tightness in her chest.
The urge to cry but the inability to do so.
The overwhelming sense of confusion and disappointment.
'So it means that I really like, Yuno?!'
"Vanessa nee-san," she began, her voice trembling slightly.
