Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 29: Crippling Inferiority Complex

Life doesn’t always go the way you plan.

For Ha Giyeon, that statement was only accurate without the words “always” or “sometimes.” Before the regression, he hadn't even had plans—so maybe that could be excused. But after the regression, nothing had gone smoothly.

His brothers, who had begun behaving differently and showing interest as if they were determined to mess up his school life. His mother, who overturned his entire room after one misstep. Nam Taekyung, more blatantly pretending to be close to him than in the past, all just to get closer to his brothers.

Ha Giyeon hadn’t expected it. That Nam Taekyung would suddenly raise his hand and shamelessly declare them as a pair for the same club his brothers were in. Without even asking him first.

His bold declaration had the whole classroom buzzing.

“If {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} it’s with Giyeon... then yeah, it’s worth joining.”

“Only two spots, huh. Damn.”

Only two people could join the Debate Club.

It was the club everyone wanted to join to get close to Giyeon’s brothers. But they had to think carefully—joining didn’t automatically make them friends.

If they joined and pretended to be close, only to annoy them, they’d be finished. As long as the brothers were in the school, bullying would be guaranteed—if not by them, then by their circle.

That’s why Nam Taekyung’s confident move had drawn all eyes.

Sure, he was riding the coattails of Ha Dohoon’s little brother, but some had already picked up on the fact that he and Giyeon weren’t all that close. While Nam Taekyung made an excessive show of friendliness, Giyeon remained coldly indifferent. Because he quietly avoided him, the others assumed Giyeon just wasn’t interested.

Which only made them more curious—what gave Nam Taekyung that kind of confidence?

‘Why... why is he suddenly dragging me into this?’

Giyeon was just as confused.

If he wanted to join, he could’ve done it alone. Why drag Giyeon in?

Back then, when they were in different classes, Nam Taekyung had ignored him and just signed up for the Debate Club himself. Without putting Giyeon on display like this.

At the time, Giyeon hadn’t had anywhere else to go, so even if it meant his brother would yell at him, he joined the Debate Club anyway. Nam Taekyung had only acknowledged him during club time, or when he needed something. Back then, Giyeon had been grateful for even that.

He hadn’t known any better.

But now he did. Just like Son Suhyeon had said—people only show interest when they want something. Nam Taekyung wanted to look like a perfect guy. That’s all it was.

Kindness and attention with an agenda.

Right now, Giyeon had his hands full just dealing with his brothers. He didn’t want to feel even more suffocated. He definitely didn’t want to be tangled up with Nam Taekyung in a club with his brothers.

“Just two spots left, huh? So it’s Taekyung and Giyeon?”

The teacher was about to write Ha Giyeon’s name under the Debate Club list on the board when—

Giyeon shot his hand into the air.

“Excuse me, teacher. Please put me in the Reading Club instead.”

“Hm? Not joining the Debate Club with Taekyung?”

“No, I was planning to join the Reading Club from the beginning, but the timing wasn’t right, so I didn’t speak up.”

The teacher agreed without hesitation and wrote Giyeon’s name under the Reading Club list. Nam Taekyung’s name was left under the Debate Club alone. Seeing the result, Giyeon glanced at him.

“...!”

For a second, Taekyung looked completely stunned—and then quickly turned his head.

His expression had hardened so sharply, he looked like a completely different person. Nam Taekyung, who always smiled like Kwon Jongseok, now had a face Giyeon had never seen before.

“Wait, weren’t Giyeon and Taekyung joining together?”

“Why didn’t he join the club with his brother?”

“Didn’t think anyone would go for the Reading Club... that’s unexpected.”

Taekyung felt the eyes of his classmates and quickly rearranged his face, raising the corners of his mouth into a smile again.

The way his expression shifted in an instant sent chills down Giyeon’s spine. Something about it felt deeply unpleasant.

“All right, quiet down! So Giyeon’s the only one in the Reading Club?”

The Reading Club allowed up to five people, but, as expected, no one else raised their hand. Just as Giyeon had hoped.

Unlike clubs where students could hang out and watch movies, the Reading Club involved sitting in the library reading quietly. And the advisor was known for being strict—if you didn’t read or study properly, they’d have you clean or run errands. You even had to submit book reports.

So now that Ha Dohoon’s little brother had joined that kind of club, it meant anyone who wanted to get close to the brothers would have to go through him first.

But not even that was worth throwing away a whole year of club activities.

“Oh? Then I’ll join Taekyung’s club!”

“No, I’m going in! Move!”

“Rock-paper-scissors for it!”

A fight broke out over the last Debate Club spot. Giyeon watched the chaos unfold like someone watching a fire from across the river. But then he noticed Nam Taekyung staring at him—intently.

‘What’s with that look?’

He hadn’t said he wanted to join the same club as his brothers. He’d never agreed to join with Taekyung either. They hadn’t even talked about it. So why was Taekyung looking at him like he’d been betrayed?

“All right, clubs are finalized! Starting next week, you’ll have club activities. Just do classroom cleaning and homeroom on Thursday and Friday lunch periods.”

As soon as the break bell rang and the teacher left, someone stomped toward Giyeon’s desk. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

“Mind if I sit here a sec?”

Of course—it was Nam Taekyung.

He sat at the desk in front of Giyeon, turned sideways, and faced him head-on. The classroom, which was usually noisy during breaks, fell strangely quiet. Everyone was clearly listening in on their conversation.

But Giyeon didn’t flinch, even with all those eyes on him. Unlike in the hallway, he didn’t tremble.

Because there was no reason to.

He calmly held his pen above his workbook and looked at Taekyung.

“Giyeon, why didn’t you join the same club as me? I thought we were going to join together.”

“I just—”

“I’m honestly really disappointed... Even Jongseok sunbae told me to bring you. You don’t eat lunch with me, you always run off by yourself... Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Before he could finish, Giyeon tried to respond—but stopped himself. He’d almost apologized on reflex.

He took a breath, slowed down, and thought.

First, the part about Jongseok telling him to bring Giyeon. When, and why, did he say that? The thought only lingered for a second before Giyeon understood. Taekyung had gotten close to the brothers through that club anyway. So it’s not like he needed Giyeon in order to get close.

Whatever his reason for dragging him in, it didn’t really matter.

What mattered now was this—

Taekyung was twisting the story to make himself look like the victim. If Giyeon gave in here, he’d end up trapped for the rest of the year, always being pulled around by him.

He had to be firm. Like dealing with customers at the café.

He looked up at Taekyung’s frowning face and spoke.

“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I was planning to join the Reading Club from the start. If you’d asked me first, I would’ve said something... And I never heard anything from Jongseok sunbae either.”

He made sure to speak clearly, careful not to stumble over his words. Taekyung’s eyes widened—like he hadn’t expected Giyeon to speak that much.

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

“Giyeon... I was just trying to—”

“Come on, you misunderstood.”

“You should’ve asked him first if you wanted to join together.”

Taekyung’s words were drowned out by the friends who had now gathered around, breaking into the conversation.

Unable to say more, he pressed his lips together and gave a forced smile.

“But honestly, I thought for sure Giyeon would go with Dohoon sunbae. Why didn’t you?”

“Well... I see him at home, so there’s no need to in a club too.”

Giyeon answered as naturally as he could. It was vague enough to not sound either close or distant.

But clearly, the others interpreted it differently.

“Guess being a chaebol doesn’t mean they actually like each other.”

“Honestly, yeah.”

Laughter broke out, and the classroom buzzed again. As Taekyung passed Giyeon’s desk, he muttered under his breath.

"You can still change until tomorrow. Let me know if you change your mind."

The tone had a subtle edge to it. Giyeon avoided eye contact. Taekyung had already recruited another friend—did that mean he was planning to push them out if Giyeon said yes?

He put in his earphones and blocked everything out.

*

“You fucking piece of shit!”

Crash! Plastic bins tumbled off the metal shelf, their contents spilling loudly across the floor. Nam Taekyung stomped on one of the plastic batons, venting his rage.

“You fucker! You... ignored me!? Ignored me?!”

Only once the baton had been crushed in half did he stop kicking. He dropped to the green mat, breathing heavily, rage simmering beneath his skin.

Grinding his teeth, he replayed the day’s events. Ha Giyeon—who had been invited to join the club by Kwon Jongseok himself—had turned it down. For what? A dumbass Reading Club. Then, he humiliated him in front of everyone.

“Fucking loser piece of shit...”

He should’ve just followed him and joined the club. What the hell was all that talk about “misunderstandings”?

Because of him, those fucking morons were mocking him all day.

‘Honestly, it looks like Nam Taekyung is the one chasing after Ha Giyeon.’

‘I thought the same. He started acting all chummy right after finding out he was Dohoon’s brother.’

‘I mean, I don’t really have room to judge since I did the same thing, but still... It’s like Giyeon doesn’t even care, and Taekyung’s the one getting clingy.’

He’d heard it in the bathroom. They hadn’t even bothered to check if anyone else was there. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles bled.

Only after they left did he storm off to the equipment room to blow off steam.

“Just a fucking rich kid with lucky parents...”

Nam Taekyung was going insane from how much Ha Giyeon got under his skin.