The Kiss I Never Should Have Asked For - Chapter 27 – The Promise We Forgot

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Saturday arrived.

For the first time in weeks...

There was no school.

No homework to exchange.

No teachers calling our names.

I thought I would finally spend the day with Narin.

It had been a long time since we had gone anywhere together.

Early that morning, I sent him a message.

Are you free today?

A few minutes later, my phone vibrated.

I have something to do this afternoon. Maybe next time?

I stared at the screen.

Something to do.

Again.

Then I remembered.

Last month...

Narin had promised we would visit the small market together after our exams.

We had even planned what we wanted to eat.

Somehow...

He had forgotten.

Or maybe...

He simply didn't remember anymore.

I placed my phone on the table and sighed.

My older brother walked past my room.

"You look disappointed."

"Just a little."

"What happened?"

"Narin's busy again."

He smiled gently.

"People get busy."

"I know."

"But..."

"He wasn't like this before."

My brother patted my shoulder.

"If something's bothering you..."

"Talk to him."

"Don't keep everything inside."

"I'll try."

That afternoon, I decided to go to the bookstore alone.

I needed a new English dictionary anyway.

The streets were crowded with families and students enjoying the weekend.

After buying the dictionary, I stopped at a small café for a cold drink.

As I looked out the window...

I saw a familiar figure walking across the street.

Narin.

He wasn't carrying any books.

He didn't look like someone who was helping with homework.

He was laughing.

Beside him...

Was the same boy I had seen a few days earlier.

The one whose name I now knew.

Rin.

They walked side by side, talking happily.

At one point...

Rin lightly bumped Narin's shoulder.

Narin laughed and bumped him back.

It was such a small gesture.

But it reminded me of us.

Of how we used to joke like that.

Before I could think any further...

They disappeared into the crowd.

I didn't follow them.

I didn't call Narin's name.

Maybe...

There was still a reasonable explanation.

Maybe they had simply met by chance.

I wanted to believe that.

I truly did.

On Monday, everything seemed normal again.

Narin greeted me with a smile.

"Morning."

"How was your weekend?"

"It was okay."

"You?"

"Busy."

The answer came so naturally...

That I didn't ask what he had been busy doing.

After classes ended, I met Korn beneath our tree.

He immediately noticed something.

"You didn't smile much today."

"Was I that obvious?"

He nodded.

I laughed softly.

"I'm becoming easy to read."

"Only to people who know you."

Korn replied.

He handed me my notebook.

As I reached for it...

Our hands touched for a brief second.

Neither of us pulled away immediately.

We simply looked at each other.

Then...

Almost at the same time...

We both let go.

Korn cleared his throat.

"I'm... sorry."

"It's okay."

I smiled awkwardly.

"It was an accident."

He nodded.

"Yeah."

An accident.

That's what we both called it.

But for the rest of the afternoon...

Neither of us could stop thinking about that brief touch.

And neither of us realized...

That sometimes...

The smallest moments are the ones that quietly change everything.7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvGUQR39BV

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