My Ex-Boyfriend is Sold Out

Chapter 11: A Dispute Between the Childhood Friend and the Ex-Girlfriend

—

Ever since the popcorn incident in the theater, Yerin had sensed that she was being followed.

Though she wasn’t sure who was tailing her, she could guess easily enough based on their behavior.

Lim Chae-yeon and Yoon So-hee. Anticipating that the two of them would come after her, Yerin stepped out to reveal herself.

“Why don’t you just stop following me already?”

As soon as she looked straight ahead, she spotted a female silhouette under the streetlight. Black hair as dark as the night sky and a well-proportioned figure. The person standing there with her hair in disarray was Chae-yeon.

‘So-hee isn’t here.’

Had she gone home first? Or had she taken a different route to try and track Yerin? Slightly puzzled by the unexpected development, Yerin tilted her head.

‘Well, this is actually perfect. I needed to have a private talk with Lim Chae-yeon, anyway.’

As Yerin approached, she hugged the teddy bear closer and spoke.

“Since Si-hyun won’t listen to reason, you’re here to settle things with me yourself this time?”

Without answering, Chae-yeon stared intently at the teddy bear in Yerin’s arms.

She had received all sorts of accessories and cosmetics from Si-hyun in the past, but for some reason, she felt a pang of envy at that teddy bear.

Having watched what Yerin and Si-hyun did together at the arcade, Chae-yeon frowned slightly, brushing her hair aside. She came right out and asked the question that had been bothering her.

“Yerin, do you have feelings for Si-hyun?”

“What?”

A sudden question—but one that cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Yerin snorted, then replied with a smile.

“And what if I do? Are you planning to warn me to back off?”

“That’s right. That’s why I’m here.”

Chae-yeon’s unhesitant answer made Yerin’s eyes narrow.

“Why should I listen to you? As far as I’m concerned, you and Si-hyun aren’t even anything to each other anymore.”

Yerin continued, with a mocking smile.

“For someone who’s just an ex-girlfriend, why do you keep meddling?”

The scorn in Yerin’s voice, coupled with her pointed remark about being an “ex,” made Chae-yeon clench her fists so hard that her palms stung.

After biting her lip and remaining silent for a moment, Chae-yeon finally steadied herself and spoke.

“I don’t intend to let things end between Si-hyun and me. I’m going to reconcile with him and get back together soon, so I’d appreciate it if you’d back off and quit acting so clingy.”

Her tone grew sharper and more direct.

Far from being intimidated, Yerin felt an even stronger disgust toward Chae-yeon’s attempts to rekindle her relationship with Si-hyun.

“This is unbelievable… You’re the one who ended things with him, and now you’re trying to hold on? What kind of twisted logic is that?”

“Whatever my logic is, you, as a third party, don’t need to know.”

“Fine, I don’t need to know. Whatever your reasons for trying to get back with him, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.”

Yerin had seen Si-hyun struggle with his relationship up close.

She’d watched him wrestle with how to make up for his mistakes.

She’d seen him agonize over how to make Chae-yeon happy.

And whenever he made the smallest mistake on a date, she knew how he’d be downhearted the entire day.

Yerin didn’t want to see him suffer like that ever again.

“Rather than letting someone like you have Si-hyun, it would be better if I dated him. Unlike you, I’d express my feelings openly, and I wouldn’t make him miserable.”

Yerin’s declaration to claim Si-hyun for herself.

Chae-yeon’s mind flashed back to all the sweet moments she’d seen that day.

How the two had almost kissed at the theater.

The warm, playful vibe she’d sensed between them at the arcade.

And the teddy bear he’d gifted her in the end.

Seeing these two acting like a couple, Chae-yeon felt her chest tighten painfully.

‘I can’t just let this go…’

If things continued this way, she really might lose Si-hyun, just as So-hee had warned.

Finally feeling a sense of crisis, Chae-yeon forced a fake smile, trying to look unbothered.

“Just give it up. Someone like you? Si-hyun wouldn’t even spare a glance.”

“Of course he wouldn’t. He only sees me as a plain female friend.”

Yerin gave a wry smile.

“But it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t look now. I’ll just make him start noticing me from now on.”

“You really think that’s possible?”

“Of course. With someone as unstable as you around, there’s no way I’ll fail.”

Yerin gently stroked the teddy bear as she spoke.

“If only you’d treated him well from the start. Then there wouldn’t have been a breakup, and I wouldn’t have had to come between you two.”

Si-hyun’s love for Chae-yeon had been genuine.

For someone who would have given anything for her, if only she’d shown him even a little affection in return—then there would have been no reason for them to split in such a way.

Chae-yeon knew this, too, but…

“No. Whether it’s Si-hyun or any other guy, the moment I start treating them well, they’ll take it for granted and want more. And in the end, they’ll dump me, claiming they’re tired of it all…”

Chae-yeon’s words were filled with a bitter conviction.

The look on her face was anything but joking. She seemed to accept what she was saying as an undeniable truth.

‘What…is with her…?’

Yerin realized that Chae-yeon’s beliefs seemed warped.

Whatever had happened in her past, this was clearly a sensitive topic for her.

Yerin was about to press further on the matter.

But with a shallow sigh, Chae-yeon shook her head.

“…Forget it. There’s no point in discussing this with you since you wouldn’t understand without experiencing it yourself.”

Yerin found it irritating that Chae-yeon had chosen to end the conversation on her own terms after saying her piece.

Watching her with an annoyed look, Yerin scoffed as Chae-yeon crossed her arms and spoke.

“Go ahead and try your best. But if you keep acting this way, Si-hyun will come back to me, no matter what you do.”

“Oh, give me a break.”

Deciding there was no more point in talking, Yerin turned and left Chae-yeon standing there as she strode away.

Chae-yeon, arms still crossed, watched her retreating back with a cold glare.

—

When I got home, I placed the teddy bear Si-hyun had given me on my bed.

‘It looks nice…’

My room, which usually felt dull, had a whole new atmosphere with just that one stuffed animal.

I felt something warm and fulfilling in my chest.

Just looking at it brought a smile to my face.

Poke. Poke.

I tapped the bear’s nose a couple of times before heading to take a bath.

As I sank into the tub, letting the water cover me to my lips, bubbles floated up as I exhaled.

The smug things Chae-yeon had said earlier drifted through my mind.

‘Just give it up. Someone like you? Si-hyun wouldn’t even spare a glance.’

It was irritating to hear, but I couldn’t deny it.

Hearing someone else say what I’d been feeling deep down myself only made it sting more.

“Ugh, who does she think she is…”

Sure, she might have had Si-hyun’s love all to herself in the past, but now she was just a bitter ex.

We were both equally unlikely to have any chance with him now, so she had no right to look down on me.

‘She really is an infuriating girl.’

I’d disliked Chae-yeon from the start.

She’d received Si-hyun’s love so easily, without lifting a finger, while I…

‘What does Lim Chae-yeon have that I don’t?’

Objectively speaking, I didn’t lose to her in looks or figure. I’d even tried mimicking her hairstyle and fashion out of curiosity, which barely piqued Si-hyun’s interest but never truly won his heart.

‘Kim Si-hyun, you fool…’

If he’d just dated me from the start, he wouldn’t have suffered like he has, so why was he acting like a pushover to a girl like that?

But soon, I shook my head.

‘No, stop blaming others. I never confessed, so how would Si-hyun know how I feel?’

I’d been secretly in love with Si-hyun for almost ten years now.

‘I knew we’d never end up together, anyway.’

When I was younger and more naive, I had tried my best in countless ways to gain his attention.

But after two, then three years passed, I came to a painful realization.

Sure, Si-hyun liked me—but only in the way you like a friend you’ve known for a long time, not in any romantic sense.

‘Once I understood that, I focused on staying friends.’

I was afraid that confessing and being rejected would create a distance between us.

So, rather than gambling on a romantic relationship, I settled into the comfortable familiarity of being his best friend. I reassured myself that, one day, Si-hyun would realize how I felt.

But then…

“Yerin! I finally did it! Chae-yeon said she’d date me!”

Hearing those words over the phone from Si-hyun left me frozen, sinking to the floor.

After five persistent attempts, Si-hyun had finally succeeded. He’d been rejected four times but had kept trying, and now he’d won her over.

It was the opposite of what I’d done.

While I’d simply settled in place, he’d taken risks and had earned the right to be with the woman he loved.

At least…someone like me, who hadn’t even confessed, had no right to stand in his way.

…So, I quietly let him go. I told myself that if he was happy, I could be happy, too. I forced myself to believe that.

I figured that, with time, I could let these feelings go.

But after Si-hyun and Chae-yeon started dating, the aftermath was worse than I could have imagined.

During every lecture where he’d once sat beside me, Si-hyun now sat next to Chae-yeon.

At her request, Si-hyun minimized contact with other girls, including me.

And whenever I tried calling him, he was almost always on another call with her. Little by little, I felt myself losing my place beside him, and I hated myself for it.

‘If only I’d had the courage back then. If only I’d braced myself for rejection and confessed, maybe I’d be the one dating him right now!’

I found myself replaying that same regret over and over, every single day.

Staring at his photos late into the night, feeling down whenever I saw pictures of them together on social media.

The stress drove me to binge eat, ordering delivery until I was full to bursting, only to feel sick and throw it all up.

“Haa…”

Was it because I’d been reminiscing about the past? Or maybe I’d been soaking in the bath for too long.

A heavy feeling tightened in my chest, and a wave of dizziness washed over me. I dried myself off and headed straight to my room.

‘I want to hear Si-hyun’s voice…’

I impulsively reached for my phone. I knew better than to expect anything, but part of me worried he might be on another call.

[Hello?]

“Hey, Si-hyun. I was just wondering if you got home safely.”

Thankfully, he answered. Letting out a sigh of relief, I hugged the teddy bear he’d won for me and listened closely.

[Oh, I was actually just about to call you.]

“Really?”

It was such a trivial coincidence, yet knowing we’d both thought of each other made me strangely happy.

We hadn’t spoken at night in a while, and my heart was thumping just from that.

[Ah. I just remembered I forgot to send you the money. Hang on a sec.]

“Oh, you don’t have to. You got me a prize today—think of it as even.”

[No way. That’s a separate thing. You paid for the popcorn and arcade games, so I’d feel bad if I didn’t pay you back.]

That was classic Si-hyun. He’d always hated owing anyone.

‘Such a responsible guy.’

I smiled quietly so he wouldn’t hear and then made a cautious suggestion.

“Fine, then. Instead of paying me back, just treat me to a meal sometime.”

[What? That might be a bit…]

“What? Why are you reacting like that?”

[I was just thinking it’d cost at least a hundred dollars if I’m treating you.]

“Geez… Weren’t you the one who said you liked it when I had a healthy appetite?”

Should I start eating less?

What if he stopped wanting to hang out because of how much I ate?

As I silently worried, his gentle voice came through the line again.

[I’m just kidding. How about we go to an all-you-can-eat BBQ place? Sound good?]

“Of course!”

I’d successfully arranged to see him again.

‘This means we’ll meet again soon…’

Grinning, I hugged my pillow tight.

Then, as I rolled around on my bed, Si-hyun’s deep voice filled my ears.

[I had a lot of fun today. It’s been a while since we hung out, and it was nice.]

His voice sounded even warmer over the phone than it did in person.

“Yeah. I really enjoyed it too…”

Well, except for my little run-in with Chae-yeon on the way home.

That woman who had ruined my otherwise perfect day.

Thinking about her brought to mind something she’d said earlier.

‘Whether it’s Si-hyun or any other guy, the moment I start treating them well, they’re bound to leave me.’

It was something I couldn’t begin to understand. Did she really think that if she started showing affection, Si-hyun would abandon her? Was that why she acted so cold?

I wondered if a guy like Si-hyun would understand what she’d said. Curious, I decided to ask indirectly.

“Hey, Si-hyun… Was it really Chae-yeon’s pushy attitude that made you break up?”

[Hmm? Well, yeah, if you put it that way.]

“So then, if Chae-yeon had shown more affection and treated you kindly, you would never have broken up, right?”

[Of course… But why do you ask?]

“…It’s nothing. Just curious, that’s all.”

I couldn’t bring myself to mention what had happened today.

If Chae-yeon’s cold personality really was because of that warped belief of hers… if there were reasons behind it?

Knowing Si-hyun’s caring nature, he’d want to understand her reasons and try to help.

Thanks to their breakup, I finally had a chance, and I had no intention of giving them any reason to get back together.

‘Guess I really am a petty person…’

While I sat there feeling disgusted with myself, Si-hyun continued, blissfully unaware.

[By the way, did you see the group chat? They set the date for our class trip.]

“Really?”

[Yeah. It’s in two weeks, somewhere along the East Sea. Are you planning to go?]

“Hmm… If you go, I’ll go. If you don’t, I won’t.”

[Why should it depend on me? You should go regardless of what I do.]

“I don’t know. If you’re not going, then I’m not going.”

[…Fine, I’ll go. It’ll be a little awkward with Chae-yeon and So-hee there, but I don’t want to skip the trip because of that.]

“Really…?”

We were going to the beach together… I’d look up some cute swimsuits as soon as the call ended.

After that, I spent time scheming how I’d win Si-hyun over on this trip, and before I knew it, we’d been talking for an hour.

As our conversation, which had felt like it would last forever, began to wind down, I gathered my courage one last time.

“Um, Si-hyun… I haven’t been sleeping well lately, so… would it be okay if I called you at night sometimes?”

[You don’t need my permission. Call me anytime you want to.]

“Really?”

Just like that, I’d reclaimed one of the routines that Chae-yeon had taken from me.

If I could be as bold with a confession as I’d just been with this, could I finally become Si-hyun’s girlfriend?

I was so tired of being just friends. I wanted to tell him how I felt, as soon as possible… even if I had to use the class trip to do it.

More than anyone else in this world, I loved him.