Unforgettable You {Extraordinary You Sequel!}

Episode 27: With Haru

KRRCHK.

Dano's eyes snap open. She's in the lecture hall, again, sitting next to Dohwa. But they're not scrawling things into their notebook like they were the last time they were here. Instead, they're watching fervently as a scene plays out before them.

Haru and Shin Saemi stand on the professor's floor—a few feet apart—eyes intense and entirely focused on each other.

Something squeezes in Dano's chest as she registers this. It hurts. She wants to tear her gaze away, but she can't. Haru's doe-eyes are large, and shine attentively; they're all for Saemi.

What is Dano even doing here? Mentally, she curses foully. She doesn't need to be here. She's just a stupid onlooker in this scene, she doesn't have to witness this, the writer than write in some faceless character in her place!

The scene unfolds.

"What do you say?" Haru asks, low under his breath. The students around the hall are all very bad at being subtle; it's clear that everyone is listening in. "You'll go out with me, won't you?"

There's a beat of silence.

"No, I don't know," Saemi says. "I don't think I can trust you."

"You're still on about that? Saemi... I've proved my sincerity to you already, but, if you want, I'll do it again. I'll do more. I'll buy you anything you w—"

"No, Haru."

Haru. Haru? Dano's heart aches all over. Even though she knows this is not real. It's not real! she tells herself. It's not.... real....

Why does it hurt?

Why does it hurt so much?

"That's not what I mean. I know you're sincere to me. I can trust you to be sincere and loyal to me, yes, but that's not what I'm talking abut. I'm saying... I can't trust you... to be... a good person."

What kind of a stupid scene is this.

Haru's eyes widen, "Saemi..."

"I've seen how you are. We've all seen how you are. So, I just—I'm sorry, Haru. I can't... if I know you would hurt Namju or hurt Gyeong at the expense of your emotions, then how can I be with you?"

Saemi turns around to leave the hall, but Haru grabs her wrist. He stops her.

"Don't go," he begs, his voice soft and low.

Saemi pauses. She looks up at him and their gazes lock.

WWHHS.

Dano gasps. Something accumulates inside her—a giant wave of emotion. It builds and builds and stifles her breathing.

Dohwa comes to life beside her, cursing foully.

"It must really suck for him to have his ego, and be forced to go through something like that," Dohwa observes in a pitiful tone, staring ahead of himself. "Can you imagine being in all those romantic scenes while not feeling anything for the person?"

His words register. Dano stops abruptly what she's doing. And she remembers: Gyeong, serenading her on a park bench, proposing with a diamond ring, and sharing an afternoon at a beach sunset.

Tears prick her eyes, "Yes. I can imagine all of that."

She stands and makes for the doors of the lecture hall.

•••

Haru lets go of Saemi and whirls around, scanning a sea of faces in the hall of gossipy college students. But it doesn't take him long to find Eun Dano—she's already beelining for the doors of the hall.