Chapter 23: Choi Mun-hee, You're A Genius.

During the sports period, Eun-kyung exhibited an unparalleled level of dedication, surpassing that of her teammates. Remarkably, she required no assistance from Young-chul, unlike Ji-woo, whose presence consistently hindered their progress during training.

Meanwhile, Young-chul sat on one of the benches, attentively observing Eun-kyung's seemingly endless series of push-ups. He recalled that she had already completed fifty-four of them, her face partially obscured by loose strands of hair. Clearly, she had chosen to loosely tie her hair up with a few strands of her hair, for it appeared as though it could fall at any moment.

Perplexed, Young-chul wondered whether she had forgotten her hair band that day. Lost in thought, he suddenly found his line of sight obstructed by a canned beverage. Gazing up, he discovered Seo-ah standing beside him with a cheerful expression. "I bought it for you," she announced.

Disinterested, he averted his gaze. "I'm not fond of this flavor," he responded.

Seo-ah pouted, accusingly stating, "You're lying. You've developed a liking for this flavour over the past month."

"Are you monitoring my activities?" he inquired.

"No, I've noticed you purchasing it from that vending machine," she pointed towards a machine situated on the other side of the stadium.

With a sigh, he reluctantly asked, "What is it that you want?"

"I simply desire to be accepted as your friend, rather than a superior in our team ," she pleaded.

Pausing for a few moments, he carefully assessed her before agreeing, "Alright, but let's us not be to close." He reached out and took the beverage from her, raising it to his lips for a sip.

Seo-ah beamed with a warm smile, gracefully rising to her feet and making her way stealthily behind Young-chul. As her hand gently made contact with his hair, he instinctively recoiled, attempting to break free. However, the determined young lady possessed superior strength, persisting in her actions until she finally released him from her grasp.

"What on earth is the matter with you? I explicitly stated not to get too close!" he exclaimed in frustration, yet she simply gazed at him, emitting playful giggles.

Curiosity piqued, Young-chul cautiously touched his hair, only to discover it artfully restrained in the middle. "I've always wanted to try that," she admitted, but this declaration triggered an intense rage within him, prompting him to storm away towards the tracks.

Noticing his arrival, Eun-kyung halted her activities, standing upright and calling out to him. "Young-chul!" he turned towards her voice, glancing at her now-disheveled hair, as it unraveled itself due to her sudden movement. An idea formed in his mind, compelling him to approach her while he removed the hair band donned on his own head.

"Could you kindly turn around?" he politely requested.

Confused, Eun-kyung obliged, questioning, "Is there something behind me?" as her back faced him.

"No," he replied as he deftly secured her hair with the hair band, "Much better."

"Oh, thank you so much," she beamed appreciatively, reciprocating his kind gesture with a warm smile. He returned the smile before glancing past her and continuing on his way. Eun-kyung, however, glanced back only to find Seo-ah looking crestfallen.

"What in the world, does he wish to cause trouble for me?" Eun-kyung pondered anxiously, promptly fleeing the tracks in haste.

She swiftly entered the girls' locker room, deftly opening Ji-woo's locker and retrieving a diary earlier obtained from Ga-ram. Earlier in the day, Eun-kyung had fervently implored Ga-ram for the diary upon its discovery in Ga-ram's room. Ga-ram, ultimately relented, agreed to lend it to Eun-kyung under the condition that she assist her in completing weekend chores, specifically in the realm of toilet and bathroom duties.

Taking a seat on a nearby bench, Eun-kyung reached into her pocket and withdrew a pen before carefully opening the diary and commencing her task of recording the main characters within the novel. Deep in thought, she murmured to herself, "U-jin... Eun-woo... Ga-ram... and who else..." Her brow furrowed, wrestling with her memory as she transcribed the names onto the pages.

And suddenly, it hit her. Granny Wang, a pivotal character that prevented Eun-kyung from abandoning the novel prematurely. Granny Wang played a crucial role in aiding U-jin on his clandestine quest, ultimately empowering him to rise to prominence within the Wang corporation. Despite her inherent selfishness, Granny Wang possessed a unique charisma that befitted her age-defying appearance. Approaching her fifties, this woman exuded an aura of youthfulness that every high-class woman aspired to emulate, yearning to even befriend her. Without a doubt, Eun-kyung could swear that if it weren't for Granny Wang's captivating presence within the novel, her own interest would have waned considerably.

"Alright, so after Granny Wang... who comes next?" Eun-kyung pondered aloud, her thoughts drifting once again.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Mun-hee gracefully settled down beside Eun-kyung, causing her to startle ever so slightly. Hastily closing the diary, Eun-kyung inquired, "When did you arrive?"

"Just moments ago. I caught you in conversation with yourself," Mun-hee quipped, her curiosity piqued.

""Oh, I do tend to engage in that behavior occasionally. Have you completed your training?" Eun-kyung seamlessly shifted the conversation, striving to dissipate any shred of suspicion.

"Yes, in fact, I was actively seeking your presence," Mun-hee disclosed.

"Alright, what is it?"

"I had a sense yesterday that you did not desire for Eun-woo to become close to me. May I inquire as to why?" she inquired.

"No, it seems as though you have misunderstood things. Your residence was quite distant from U-jin's place, so dropping both of them off and then returning to your house, or even dropping you off first and then going back to drop U-jin and Diego, would be extremely tiring. I did not want him to suffer a breakdown when the next day was a school day. You should exhibit some consideration, as you know he cannot spend the night at your place if he drops you off and cannot return home," Eun-kyung elucidated.

"I believe I understand now. Therefore, you are conveying that you do not view him as anything more than a friend?" Mun-hee inquired.

"Absolutely not. Why would you jump to such a conclusion?" Eun-kyung expressed in disbelief.

"Let's just say that my mind has a tendency to wander," Mun-hee commented.

"Mine does as well," Eun-kyung replied, and they both laughed.

However, Mun-hee abruptly ceased laughing and regarded Eun-kyung with a serious expression. "I heard that Eun-woo ended his relationship with his girlfriend this morning. She posted about it on her social media status a few hours ago."

"Wait, Eun-woo was dating?" Eun-kyung questioned, but then a recollection dawned upon her, and she sprang to her feet with a smile. "Choi Mun-hee, you're a genius," she exclaimed as she playfully pinched the girl's cheeks, then swiftly dashed away, leaving Mun-hee staring after her in astonishment.

Eun-kyung hurriedly made her way to the gymnasium where the boys played basketball, only to be met by the immediate presence of U-jin as soon as she entered. Concern etched across his face, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm here for your buddy," she responded, scanning the area for Eun-woo.

"Oh, Eun-woo!" U-jin called out, causing Eun-woo, who was about to throw the basketball into the net, to become distracted. This allowed the opposing team to seize the opportunity, snatching the ball and making their way to the other end of the court to score.

"What the hell, U-jin?" exclaimed Eun-woo, walking towards them.

"Eun-kyung wants to see you," U-jin informed him, glancing in her direction.

"Is there a problem?" Eun-woo inquired, looking at her.

"Come with me," she said, taking Eun-woo's hand. However, as U-jin tried to follow them, Eun-kyung gently pushed him back and instructed him to stay put.

Eun-kyung led Eun-woo out of the building, asking, "Are you alright?"

"What is this about?" he queried.

"Your girlfriend, dimwit. Are you alright?" she clarified.

"Yes, thank you," Eun-woo responded.

"Why did you break up?" she asked, and Eun-woo gazed at her with a strange expression before answering, "She changed. She isn't the girl I fell in love with anymore."

Eun-kyung sighed, rubbing his shoulders soothingly before cupping his cheeks in her hands.

"A time shall come when you will realise that these events transpired for a reason," she assured him.

Removing her hands, she directed her gaze skyward and remarked, "The weather is quite delightful today." However, when she glanced back at Eun-woo, she saw that his gaze was fixed on her, with an expression she couldn't quite decipher.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but he simply took her hand and pulled her towards the school park, instructing her to wait. After a few minutes, he returned running, with U-jin close behind, shouting Eun-woo's name.

Before Eun-kyung had an opportunity to inquire about the unfolding events, Eun-woo firmly grasped her hand and swiftly led her towards U-jin's prestigious Lamborghini. With deft precision, Eun-woo skillfully unlocked the vehicle, allowing them to enter in synchrony. In a resolute manner, Eun-woo ignited the engine, ready to embark on their escape. However, U-jin planted himself in front of the car, hindering any progress.

U-jin's commanding voice boomed as he vehemently ordered, "Leave this vehicle immediately!" Nevertheless, Eun-woo remained steadfast, persistently honking the horn while cautiously inching the vehicle forward.

U-jin's piercing gaze penetrated Eun-kyung through the windshield, seething with intense anger. "You must alight from this car," he demanded with fervor in his tone.

Overwhelmed by a surge of fear, Eun-kyung desperately attempted to unlock the door, only to be gently prevented by Eun-woo. Not realising that she hadn't complied, U-jin stepped away from his initial position and moved towards the side where Eun-kyung sat. In that opportune moment, Eun-woo took swift action, accelerating the car and speeding away.

Eun-woo advised, his voice filled with urgency, "Pretend to be unwell."

Puzzled, Eun-kyung questioned him, "What do you mean?"

"Trust me," he reassured her, his confidence palpable. Eun-kyung disheveled her hair hastily and began clutching her stomach, expertly feigning illness.

Approaching the school's entrance gate, Eun-woo was brought to a halt by the vigilant security guards. Acting swiftly, he informed them of Eun-kyung's dire need for emergency medical attention. Moved by his persuasive words and Eun-kyung appearance, the guards acquiesced, granting them passage without further delay.

"Now, could you please enlighten me about what is truly transpiring?" Eun-kyung smoothed down her hair, seeking clarity.

Eun-woo replied with a mischievous smile, "All will be revealed within the next twenty minutes."

"What?" she exclaimed, only to receive a playful chuckle in response.

After eighteen suspenseful minutes, Eun-woo brought the car to a halt and requested that Eun-kyung exit the vehicle. She complied, utterly captivated by the breathtaking sight that unfolded before her.

Eun-woo moved closer, speaking from behind her, "Don't you find this view mesmerizing?"

With awe in her eyes, Eun-kyung nodded in agreement.