To be honest, my hands were trembling just from seeing the woman I liked standing right in front of me. I knew this wasn't the time to waste. Before anyone else arrived, I had to tell Jia why I had come.
"I-I… actually—"
"Before you say anything, let me apologize first," Jia interrupted. "I heard from Remy that Minjae beat you up. It all happened because of me," she said, her face full of remorse.
The sadness in her eyes was unmistakable. Her wounded heart cut me deeply. It wasn't her fault, it was mine. I should have been stronger, better prepared to face Minjae, instead of collapsing weakly like a loser.
"You… like Minjae?"
"What?" Jia looked at me, surprised.
"Don't you want to know why I came to see you?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with my feelings toward Minjae?"
"Because I want to know how you feel about him," I replied, trying to remain calm even though my chest felt tight.
Jia fell silent. The moment was quiet until a knock at the door broke our focus. We exchanged glances, unwilling to stop a conversation that hadn't yet concluded. I needed her answer, whatever it was.
"Jia!"
Minjae's loud voice suddenly echoed, cutting off my words. Jia whipped her head toward the door, moving instinctively, standing before me as if to shield me.
Her shoulders trembled. Was she scared?
"Open the door, Jia! If you don't, I'll break it down!" Minjae's shouting grew louder.
Jia slowly stepped back, glancing at me again. The fear in her eyes was obvious. She had no courage left, only fear. How could she stand there to protect me in a state like this?
No, I couldn't let this happen. Even if I was weak, I wouldn't let the woman I liked stand in danger before me.
"Ho-how…?"
Jia's voice faltered, too scared even to speak. I knew that feeling—the paralyzing fear, as if something pressed against your throat, stopping your voice from coming out.
Without thinking, I grabbed Jia's hand and led her into one of the restroom stalls. Minjae's shouting was still audible, making our hearts pound even faster. If my plan to talk to her in the restroom failed, everything would end badly.
"You can tell Minjae your stomach is acting up," I whispered.
Before I could say more, Jia suddenly turned to face me. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The cheerful person I had always seen now appeared fragile, showing the tender side that sought protection.
"Jia…"
"I can't do it. Minjae will know we're hiding here," her voice sounded desperate.
Her tears fell heavily, breaking my heart. Today became one of my greatest regrets, I had dragged the woman I liked into danger. I, who should have protected her, had made her cry.
How could I think to protect her when I myself was still so weak?
I hugged Jia tightly, trying to soothe her. "You can do this."
The restroom door was suddenly kicked open, heightening our tension. Minjae's footsteps stopped right in front of the stall where we hid.
"Jia… you're in there, aren't you?"
I was startled when Jia hugged me back. She must have been terrified, and I felt overwhelmingly guilty for all my foolishness.
"Minjae? W-what brought you here?" Jia tried to stay calm, though I felt her hug tighten.
"The kids said you'd been in the restroom too long. I was worried you might need help, so I came to see you."
"I'm fine," Jia replied, her voice trembling.
"Then why not come out and talk to me?"
Jia tried to pull away, but I was selfish. I wanted to keep hugging her. After so long admiring her from afar, I wanted to savor this moment, even just once.
"Jia? Are you listening to me?"
"Ah, y-yes… just a moment. I just… need a little time. Wait outside, okay?"
"All right. But why so long?"
"My stomach hurts, maybe from something I ate. Don't ask again, just let me finish quickly."
Minjae chuckled. "All right, then I'll wait outside."
His footsteps slowly receded, and the sound of the door closing faded. Our hug ended, leaving Jia's surprised expression as she realized what had just happened.
"I-I can explain. I mean, the hug… it was just to calm you…"
"You like me?" Jia asked.
This time, the question was directed at me. How could I answer? Should I admit that from the first moment I saw her, my mind had only been on her?
With a racing heart, I clenched my fists and replied, "Yes, I like you, more than you could ever imagine."
Finally, I confessed my feelings. Who would have thought my confession would happen in a women's restroom, in the middle of a threat still looming over us?
But beneath it all, I realized—before fighting for someone, I had to know how they felt first. It was pointless if her heart belonged to someone else.
"I don't like Minjae," Jia said softly.
After saying that, Jia stepped out of the stall. I froze, left in silence.
Jia doesn't like Minjae? I still tried to convince myself that her words weren't a dream.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Remy had called repeatedly, warning me about Minjae. I had been too absorbed in my feelings to notice the messages.
I stared at the still-vibrating phone, then answered a call from Mina. On the other end, her voice was yelling.
"I'm getting tired of waiting for you!"