GBAS 61

After much thought, Hyunwoo settled his thoughts and placed his hands on the keyboard.

Clack, clack, the sound of typing echoed inside the small wooden cubicle.

Anonymous

Mister Counselor, is it okay if I start from the very beginning?

Counseling Center

You’re the last person for today, so take as much time as you need!

Anonymous

Thank you!

So, what happened was…

Hyunwoo began his story, starting from the time he first met Jooin two years ago, briefly explaining how things had been.

Their first meeting was when he joined a guild introduced by a friend. Worried because Jooin was so quiet, Hyunwoo had ardently pursued him, but after their first offline meeting, he had avoided Jooin for a while. Hearing this, the Counseling Center asked.

Counseling Center

May I ask why you started avoiding him?!

Anonymous

He was very different from what I’d imagined

Counseling Center

Are you saying his appearance was different?

Anonymous

Ah, that’s not wrong, but it’s just a bit…

Hyunwoo’s hands, which had been typing out the answer, faltered at every word.

‘Why did I do that back then?’

He couldn’t remember what he had been thinking when he started avoiding Jooin. It had been so long ago that the memory was fuzzy. And now, it wasn’t even important.

After glossing over that part of the story, Hyunwoo continued with the next.

The second offline meeting, held well over a year and a half later, and the conversation they had at the beach the day after. The days that followed, when he had consciously avoided Jooin. How he stubbornly denied his feelings out of pride until he finally had to admit them.

After finishing his story, Hyunwoo scrolled up, slowly reading through the words he had laid out.

“…”

That shameless bastard! 

The more he mulled over what had happened, the more unfair it felt.

His emotions yo-yoed up and down. Unable to calm his agitation, Hyunwoo furiously pounded on the keyboard with rough hands.

Anonymous

I mean, Mister, don’t you agree???

If he did something like that with a complete stranger, shouldn’t he at least consider marriage, or you know, something similar? How can a person be so freaking

Oh, I’m sorry;;

Counseling Center

It’s okay

Anonymous

Anyway, Mister, I think this was an accident

A heinous hit-and-run, at that!

Honestly, I could have not liked him

He hit a person who was just walking along perfectly fine

How can someone be so shameless?

Finally, the highlight of the story. Just as he was taking a moment to catch his breath before talking about what had happened a few days ago, the messenger screen vibrated and a chat from the Counseling Center popped up.

Counseling Center

You must have been going through a lot emotionally

So what happened?

“…”

His eyes fixed on one spot on the messenger screen, Hyunwoo choked back a sob that threatened to burst out, hic.

‘You must have been going through a lot emotionally.’

It was nothing more than a simple comforting phrase, but to him, at this very moment, it was a panacea. It felt like someone was finally acknowledging, even if just a little, his lonely struggle of not being able to say a word to anyone until now. The tip of his nose tingled.

However, this tale of hardship was not yet over.

The teary eyes once again filled with venom.

Wiping under his nose, Hyunwoo recalled the words Jooin had kept mulling over.

‘I can sleep with you sometimes. Kisses too, if you want. Everything else will be like usual. But nothing more than that. You don’t need to be concerned about every little thing like you’re my boyfriend, and don’t even think about interfering with how I get along with others.’

‘Instead, if you don’t like it, you end it.’

It was so shocking that he could remember it without a single syllable being out of place. Baek Jooin’s cynical expression and tone as he said it, the way he casually took a drag from his cigarette as if it were no big deal—all of it!

‘Is that something a human being should say?’

It even appeared in his dreams. The Baek Jooin in his dreams would chase him relentlessly no matter how much he ran, repeating the same words. If you don’t like it, you end it. If you don’t like it, you end it. If you don’t like it, you end it!

Chewing on his lip, Hyunwoo began typing furiously.

After copying and pasting what Jooin had said into the messenger window, Hyunwoo continued.

Anonymous

When I asked why, he said he doesn’t like people worrying about him

I really don’t get it

He couldn’t develop a deeper relationship because he didn’t like people worrying about him. To someone who had already fallen for him, those words were cruelly selfish.

It was something he had only just realized himself, but when you truly like someone, you think about them all the time, and you worry. How could you stop something that just happens automatically without even being conscious of it? It wasn’t like his heart had an on-off switch.

He should have pressed him for an answer right then and there. But he regretted not being able to say a word, faced with a gaze that seemed like it would cut him off without a shred of lingering attachment if he showed even the slightest hint of dislike. His anger boiled over.

The Counseling Center, who seemed to be thinking for a moment in silence, began to reply. The sound of typing could be heard from outside the wooden cubicle.

Counseling Center

Hmm

Still, the situation isn’t all that bad, is it?

“What?!”

Hyunwoo, who had let out the sound unconsciously, clamped his mouth shut.

Counseling Center

Haha

It means he does intend to keep seeing you, right?

“…Ah.”

In an instant, his mind was at ease. It felt as if a blockage, tightly sealed with resentment, had been cleared.

The Counseling Center continued.

Counseling Center

I think the problem is what you do from now on

Have you ever directly told him that you like him?

He might have implicitly shown his feelings, but he had never outright confessed. Hyunwoo shook his head and replied.

Anonymous

No…?

Counseling Center

Then it would be better not to in the future either

This is just my opinion, but

I don’t think the result will be good unless the timing is right

Anonymous

The right time?

Quickly correcting his posture, Hyunwoo fixed his gaze on the screen.

Counseling Center

Yes!

For now, let’s start like this

The subsequent long lecture from the Counseling Center on ‘A to Z, The Secret to Resolving a One-Sided Crush’ made Hyunwoo’s eyes, with his one month of one-sided crush experience, gradually fill with a fiery fighting spirit.

With a notepad open on one side of the screen to jot down the secret methods, Hyunwoo swallowed hard and asked.

Anonymous

Mister…

Can I really succeed if I do that?

Counseling Center

Of course!

If you’re sincere, it will always get through eventually

I’m sure it’ll work out for you 🙂

“Mister…!”

Pressing himself against the cubicle wall in the direction of the Counseling Center, Hyunwoo made a crying sound.

Not only did he listen to his story for free, but he even provided a plausible solution. It’s because of people like this that the world keeps turning. It was a moment of deep emotion, found in a place he had come to without much expectation.

Just as he was wondering if there was anything he could do to repay him, the messenger screen vibrated.

Counseling Center

I think I should start wrapping things up soon

I have to go to my academy

There’s no end to learning, they say. As expected, wise people were on a whole different level.

Now kneeling on the stool, Hyunwoo nodded his head and tapped on the keyboard.

Anonymous

Mister, if it’s not too much to ask, may I have your messenger ID?

Counseling Center

Why do you ask?

Anonymous

As thanks for listening to my story

I wanted to send you a coffee gift coupon when you go to study ㅠ

Counseling Center

Ah, I don’t drink coffee

‘Wow.’

He doesn’t drink coffee.

Coffee was an essential nutrient and a stamina potion for the busy modern person. For Hyunwoo, who lived with coffee practically hooked up to him like a caffeine IV drip whenever he had to focus on something, whether it was class or an assignment, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

‘Ah, then a different drink instead of coffee-.’

Just as the impressed Hyunwoo was typing to find an alternative…

Bzzzz-

At the vibration, Hyunwoo lifted his head to check the screen and froze.

Counseling Center

My mom said I have to be older to drink coffee hehe

It’s okay

Anonymous

Pardon?

Mom? Older?

His lips, slightly parted under a somber gaze, moved wordlessly, having lost what to say.

No way. Considering everything we’ve talked about. At worst, he’s probably a mama’s boy or something.

“…”

After some thought, Hyunwoo made a big decision and typed a message.

Anonymous

Mister, I’m really sorry but

May I ask how old you are…

After painfully hitting enter, Hyunwoo clasped his trembling hands together and rested his forehead on them. The phone vibrated, indicating the Counseling Center had replied quickly.

Hyunwoo’s face, as he peeked at the screen through squinted eyes, contorted in despair.