top of page

Fugly Casanova

21

Chapter 21

“Get home safe, Noeul. You too, Hansol,” Joonki called out, giving Noeul a look that seemed to say, Thanks for the invite.

Noeul gave him a slight nod. “Yeah, take care.”

Hansol also waved goodbye to Joonki, who flashed a confident smile before turning to leave.

He really is something, Noeul thought, watching Joonki’s well-built figure disappear into the distance. He imagined himself attempting that same smooth exit and felt a wave of nausea. If he tried it, people would probably think he was just trying to be funny. As much as he tried to pretend otherwise, Noeul always envied people like Joonki.

That’s what being cool looks like, he mused bitterly. Girls love that. Nothing like me.

Once Joonki was out of earshot, Hansol turned to Noeul. “Why’d you invite him?”

The question pleased Noeul. It implied Joonki’s presence needed justification, that he wasn’t a core part of their group. It gave Noeul a sense of belonging he clung to, even though he knew he should let it go.

“We were texting earlier,” Noeul explained. “When I mentioned dinner with you two, he asked to join.”

He hoped Hansol would admit to finding Joonki’s presence awkward but knew it was unlikely. How could someone that handsome make anyone uncomfortable?

“Hmm,” Hansol nodded, falling silent for a moment. Then she spoke up again. “Did you notice, though?”

“Notice what?”

“That Jiwoo seemed uncomfortable around him.”

Noeul felt a rush of excitement. He had his suspicions. Joonki’s interest in Jiwoo was obvious, but she acted oblivious. Even if Jiwoo wasn’t the most perceptive person, there was no way she could miss something so blatant. Someone as pretty as her had probably dealt with that kind of attention countless times before.

As they walked, Noeul mulled over Hansol’s observation. He had noticed Jiwoo’s muted reactions to Joonki’s attention—her polite but fleeting smiles, the way she’d quickly change the subject. With anyone else, he’d assume she was trying to create distance.

But this was Joonki. Surely someone like Jiwoo wouldn’t be put off by his advances? Then again, maybe he didn’t quite meet her standards. Maybe she didn’t just want a guy with looks but also a great personality, a sense of humor, and generally successful in all areas.

But there was no way she could truly dislike him. When someone likes you, your value automatically increases. If an “8” shows interest, it means you’re worthy of attention from that caliber of person. When Noeul liked someone, it might make them uncomfortable; if they saw themselves as at least a “6,” interest from a “0” would seem absurd.

Joonki, though, was already an 8 based on looks alone. Factor in a decent personality and some charm, and he was nearly perfect. That’s why Noeul had initially interpreted Jiwoo’s behavior as some form of high-level flirting he couldn’t quite grasp.

But Hansol’s comment made him reconsider. Maybe Jiwoo’s reaction wasn’t as unusual as he’d thought. Perhaps she really was uncomfortable around Joonki. The possibility filled Noeul with an unexpected thrill of excitement.

“Hmm,” Noeul responded vaguely, not wanting to reveal too much. “I did get that feeling, but I wasn’t sure. Thought maybe I was just misreading things.”

Curiosity got the better of him.

“Did Jiwoo actually say she was uncomfortable?” he added.

“Not exactly,” Hansol admitted. “But it’s pretty obvious. Jiwoo’s not into him, but he keeps pushing.”

So it was just Hansol’s guess. Disappointment flickered through Noeul, but he pushed it aside.

Hansol continued, “It’s not that Joonki did anything wrong. Just… maybe check with Jiwoo before inviting him next time, given their dynamic.”

“Yeah…” Noeul said, hesitating. “But Joonki’s cool.”

Noeul hoped Hansol would disagree, that she’d argue against inviting Joonki, and maybe even admit she didn’t like him that much and explain why.

Hansol paused, choosing her words carefully. “He is, but… even I think he’s a bit too forward. You might not see it, being his friend and not a girl. From my perspective, it feels like he’s relying on his looks and being pushy. I hate saying this about your friend, but that’s how it comes across.”

Noeul kept his expression neutral, not wanting to seem eager for any badmouthing of Joonki. “It’s not that he relies on his looks,” he said, aiming for a supportive tone. “He’s just… genuine. He doesn’t have any ulterior motives.”

Hansol shook her head. “You think that because you’re his friend.”

Noeul gave her a look that seemed to say, Beats me.

***

“Can we study for the quiz together? I’m completely lost,” Jiwoo groaned, her face scrunched in frustration.

Hansol chimed in, “Let’s do it. Noeul can be our tutor extraordinaire.”

“Then shouldn’t I be getting paid?” Noeul quipped, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“I’ll buy you dinner!” Jiwoo pleaded, her eyes wide with hope.

Noeul paused, then asked casually, “Mind if I invite Joonki?”

At the mention of his name, Jiwoo and Hansol’s expressions tightened ever so slightly. Noeul felt a small thrill at their reaction, though he tried to ignore it.

He felt compelled to keep bringing up Joonki, praising him in front of Jiwoo and Hansol. He told himself it was to help Jiwoo see Joonki in a better light so that if they ended up together, he wouldn’t misinterpret Jiwoo’s kindness as something more.

But deep down, Noeul craved to see Jiwoo and Hansol’s dislike for Joonki. He hoped they’d voice criticisms he couldn’t, allowing him to maintain his image as a loyal friend.

As he subtly steered the conversation toward Joonki, pretending indifference while secretly savoring their reactions, Noeul questioned his motives. Was this right? Joonki hadn’t wronged him. Wasn’t it petty to take pleasure in this?

He tried to rationalize his actions. He wasn’t spreading rumors or deliberately tarnishing Joonki’s image. It was Joonki’s own behavior creating the negative impression. Noeul was merely acknowledging what he saw.

With these thoughts, he attempted to quiet his conscience.

“Aren’t you being too obvious?” Noeul remarked.

“Ha ha, we didn’t say anything,” Hansol replied, her tone deliberately awkward.

Noeul pressed on, “Seriously, Joonki’s a good guy. You just don’t know him well enough. He’s known for his loyalty. It’s not easy for a good-looking guy to be popular with other guys, but Joonki manages because of his great personality.”

Hansol retorted, “Then maybe he should stick to hanging out with the guys.”

“Wow, I didn’t realize you two were so picky about friends,” Noeul teased.

“It’s not that we don’t like Joonki,” Hansol sighed. “It’s just… things have gotten a bit awkward.”

“You’re judging him too quickly,” Noeul argued, even as he questioned his own motives. “Give him another chance.”

Hansol fixed him with a knowing look. “I get that you want us all to get along, but you know as well as I do that these things can’t be forced. You’re too smart to pretend otherwise.”

Noeul hesitated, feeling suddenly exposed. “Well, I guess so…”

Jiwoo, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. “Hey, are you trying to set me up with Joonki?”

Caught off guard, Noeul fumbled for a response. Part of him saw an opportunity in Jiwoo’s assumption—it could divert attention from his own complicated feelings. He nodded slightly, as if confirming her guess.

A tense silence fell over the group. No one mentioned Joonki’s genuine interest in Jiwoo, perhaps fearing it might sway her opinion of him.

For a moment, Noeul felt conflicted. Jiwoo and Joonki should end up together, but Noeul didn’t want Jiwoo to genuinely like him. So what was he supposed to do? If she didn’t truly like the guy, they wouldn’t be happy together.

Finally, Jiwoo broke the silence. “But honestly… I just don’t feel that way about Joonki.”

Her words washed over Noeul like a wave of relief, followed quickly by a pang of guilt. He realized he had never truly wanted them together.

There I go again, he thought, resigned to his own contradictory feelings.

Jiwoo looked at him curiously. “Did you promise Joonki you’d help him get closer to me?”

“Not exactly,” Noeul replied, aiming for a casual tone. “I just said I’d invite him if we met up.”

Jiwoo nodded, seeming to accept his explanation.

***

Noeul entered the student lounge to find Joonki sprawled across the couch, looking uncharacteristically glum.

“Hey, Noeul,” Joonki greeted, his voice low.

“Are you the only one here?” Noeul asked, setting down his bag.

“Yeah, just me,” Joonki replied, his usual energy absent.

Sensing something was off, Noeul hesitated. “You feeling okay?”

“Uh… yeah, I guess,” Joonki mumbled, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

After a moment of heavy silence, Joonki spoke again. “I don’t think Jiwoo likes me very much.”

Noeul felt a flicker of satisfaction, quickly followed by guilt. “Why would you say that?”

“Just a feeling, you know? Same with Hansol… Did I do something wrong?”

Noeul swallowed hard. “I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong.”

“Right? I can’t think of anything… I didn’t mess up when we were all together, did I?”

“…No, you didn’t.”

“Maybe I came on too strong?”

Noeul paused, unable to offer his usual reassurances. It felt too insincere. “I don’t know. It didn’t seem that way to me.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t like me,” Joonki said, his voice tinged with defeat.

For the first time, Noeul realized the depth of Joonki’s feelings for Jiwoo. Deep down, he had always thought someone as attractive as Joonki couldn’t possibly fall in love with such sincerity. Noeul assumed that only people like himself, without the luxury of good looks, could experience real love and heartbreak.

Now he felt as though he had made a grave mistake, that he had wronged Joonki in some significant way. But he kept reminding himself that he had done nothing wrong as Joonki continued to speak in a subdued voice.

“You really tried to help us out, and I’m sorry I couldn’t make it work. Guess I’m just not good enough.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Noeul mumbled, guilt making it hard to speak.

“I owe you a drink for all your efforts. How about tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow’s good.”

Joonki stretched and stood up, flashing a smile. “You know I really appreciate you, right?”

Noeul managed a small smile in return.

With a wave, Joonki left the lounge.

As the door closed behind him, the smile faded from Noeul’s face.

Previous Chapter
Vote button
Next Chapter

An error occurred. Please log in again.

Comments

Small Title

No comment yet. Add the first one!

New Stories You May Like

Hexed Intention

None of them know just how wicked that woman really is. Even if I tell them, who would believe me? Die, Ju Hae-in. I said die!

0

Fugly Casanova

If you’re born with an ugly face, you need to know when to step in and when to step back, and be able to tell what’s within your reach and what isn’t. Noeul was thankful that, at least, he had the sense to know his place.

0

bottom of page