Chapter 44: Yiseul's Unsolved Mysteries

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“Hanbin! Hey!”

Hanbin stops in the middle of his conversation, distracted by the call of his name and the sight of Mina rushing towards him from the other end of the building’s hallway. 

Mina smiles with uncertainty as she realizes the other person with Hanbin is Donghyuk. Strange. “I didn’t know you two hang out,” she comments, forgetting her reason for calling out to him in the first place.

“We are from the same dorm building. It isn’t that unlikely,” Hanbin responds with a chuckle. 

“I see,” she answers as her smile widens. “I was wondering if you two have seen Yiseul.”

“Why don’t you call her?” Hanbin suggests.

“I’ve tried and I’ve also tried to catch her before class.”

“Is it an emergency?”

“Kind of; I would really like to talk to her. Someone rudely confronted Minyoung yesterday outside the dorms while she was with Hana and I’m not sure what Yiseul said to make him do something like that–,”

“I haven’t known dorm head for a long time, but I know she isn’t someone like that,” Donghyuk calmly interrupts her. 

“What?” Mina directs her attention towards Donghyuk as a chuckle escapes her lips to overcome her speechlessness. “That’s not what I mean. I’m just wondering why he would act like that towards her when she hasn’t done anything to him.”

“How does Yiseul play into this?” Hanbin wonders.

“Minyoung recognized the girl he was with as a Touchstone resident.”

“There are three different wings there. I hardly think Yiseul had anything to do with it.”

“Well, the thing is– Minyoung knows the girl to be friends with Yiseul. We’ve met her outside of the bar that one time.”

Hanbin still appears unconvinced.

Mina gets ready to defend herself. “I understand how this all looks like it’s based on assumption, so I just want to ask Yiseul myself.”

“Aren’t you two good friends? Shouldn’t you know that much about Yiseul?”

Taken aback once more, Mina finds it difficult to keep answering Hanbin’s questions. He was unexpectedly giving her a hard time. “Of course, we’re good friends. But, I’m also good friends with Minyoung.” 

“So, you let your good friend Minyoung bully your good friend Yiseul?” 

Mina spins around at the sudden voice. 

“Hey, Jinhwan!” Hanbin cheerfully greets him. 

“Were you looking for me?” Jinhwan marches up to Mina. 

“No,” Mina retorts once she recognizes him from the other day. “I was looking for Yiseul.”

“But, I think your problem is with me.”

Mina steps back, creating distance between her and the intimidating boy. “Can you not stand so close?”

“Oh! There’s Yiseul,” Hanbin says as he looks around Jinhwan.

“Yiseul–,” When Mina tries to side step Jinhwan, he merely shifts to stand in her way. “I don’t have anything to say to you and I’ll make sure to tell Yiseul about this.”

“Well, we’ll keep Yiseul company while you two chat,” Hanbin interjects with a smile. He nudges Donghyuk and the two promptly leave. 

“Hanbin–,” Mina calls out to him.

“Jinhwan isn’t an unreasonable person,” Hanbin comments with no mind to stay.

With no other choice, Mina is left with the boy she figures is far from reasonable. From her spot, she could hear Hanbin’s voice in the distance.

“You let your hair down today,” he says. “It looks nice.”

“I didn’t have time this morning to put it up,” Yiseul answers. 

“How did you do on that exam?” 

Slowly, Mina could hear their voices get further and further away from her. 

“There’s no reason for you to bother me.”

“But, I’m the one that confronted your friend outside the dorms.”

Mina glares back at him. “Why are you doing this? What is your problem?” she snaps. 

“You and your friend, Minyoung,” he answers easily. “I’ve warned her yesterday and now I’m warning you. If you don’t want to deal with me anymore, don’t tick me off.”

***

“I’m going to get a drink; do you want something?”

Hanbin shakes his head. “I’ll go find us a table.”

There’s only two of them now that Donghyuk had gone to class. Yiseul goes to the front and Hanbin heads to the back of the cafeteria. Arriving at the water dispenser, she reaches for a cup at the same time someone else does. She pulls back first. “Sorry–,”

“It’s fine,” Jaewon laughs at her reaction. “I see you’re on a date.”

“Huh?”

Jaewon nods back towards the seating area as he fills his cup with ice and water. “I saw you come in with Hanbin. So, you changed your mind?”

“It’s not a date.”

“Don’t give him hope then, dorm head.”

At a loss for words, Yiseul merely watches him offer her the cup he just filled with a sweet smile.

“Thanks,” she says. “I’ll see you back at the dorms.”

She searches for Hanbin and when she does find him, she makes her way over to the table with just him. 

“What are your plans today?” he asks.

“I have one more class for the day and I’ll go to the library after.”

She glances up when she hears no follow up and catches him just looking at her. 

“Is there something?” she asks. 

“No, I’m just listening to you,” he answers.

“It’s not exciting.”

He shrugs.

She places her cup aside and scoots closer to the table. “Hey, Hanbin.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t this hard for you?”

“What is?”

“Being around someone who doesn’t like you the same way?” Yiseul would assume for it to be painful. Also, in Jaewon’s words, she didn’t want to give him hope.

He mimics her action and also moves his chair forward. “I’m not hanging out with you just because I like you. I hang out with you because you’re good company.” 

Slightly taken aback by the sensible answer, there is a delay in her response. “Thanks, Hanbin.”

He laughs at her, not understanding why she thanked him. “I’m sure the other residents feel the same w

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Sriracha31
Hi everyone! Just trying to get the message out as efficiently as possible- if you would like to connect outside of fanfics, follow me on instagram at staceface_art.

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Comments

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Wanderer_bj
#1
Chapter 62: Ohh how I miss reading something not so heavy like this. I just love this and the end was just perfect. 😍
peachyjoonie_
#2
God, I miss you. Thank you for writing.
WholesomeRain
#3
Chapter 62: I miss these characters so much I’m going to puke.
WholesomeRain
#4
Chapter 60: It makes me sick that they aren’t all real people 😔 (even tho they are, but you get what I mean haha)
WholesomeRain
#5
Chapter 35: Oh, I’m also referring to Jinhwan, of course✊💯
WholesomeRain
#6
Chapter 30: That post that says “girls don’t want real men, they want fictional men written by women’ but I’m solely referring to the versions of Hanbin that you write. (Rereading chapters, yet again)
Amsohappy
#7
Chapter 62: Wow! I finally get to finish reading this breath of fresh air. I love your style.
All through the earlier chapters, I was chanting girl stand up for yourself like a mantra. I knew it wasn't easy to just up and switch. It took time, but I'm glad she achieved it in the end. Thank you, for this refreshing read.
Amsohappy
#8
Chapter 52: Girl, that's the spirit.
I don't want to.
maysui
#9
Chapter 57: The way Hanbin gives Yiseul a space and choice for her to decide shows how much he respects her.

All this time, she can't say no and I can't blame her for that. I hope they can leave safely and live how they want to.
maysui
#10
Chapter 55: Manipulating? Brainwashed? seems to be talking about herself hahaha I'm so proud Yiseul is speaking up for herself!