Netkama Punch!!!

"Are you out of your mind, noona?"
This car was the very first thing I bought after saving up a lump sum of money. Everyone told me I should buy a house first, but whenever I got behind the wheel of this car, it felt like all the hardship I'd gone through had been worth it. It made me happy. That’s why I always checked every inch of it after driving, and I only ever washed it with my own hands.
That’s how much I cherished this car.
And now he’d kicked it.
It didn’t feel like he was kicking the car. It felt like he was kicking me.

Bang—!
But the real shock came next.
When I glared at him, eyes wide with disbelief, Kim Seyoung actually scoffed—then kicked it again.
‘He’s really lost it. He’s insane!’

I was horrified, stepping in front of him.
If I left him like this, he looked ready to beat the car into a wreck.
I was about to ask him, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” when—
“This is…”

“Pissed you off?”
He beat me to it, giving me this stupidly smug look, like he didn’t even know what he’d done.
His bloodshot eyes were gleaming with pure provocation.
‘You… fucking—!’

I wanted to smack him.
And honestly, this place was deserted enough for it. With our size difference, one kick from me and he'd be down for the count.
But I couldn’t even curse at him, let alone hit him.
And I’m not the type to avoid a fight.
But if I did hit him…

If I followed my instincts, this would really be the end.
Even if I just shoved him, with that damn pride of his… that fucking ego, he’d never forgive me.
‘What even is he, seriously?’
Where did this self-centered, explosive temper even come from?

I was so mad I thought I’d cry.
I’d never tried so hard to hold it in before—it was exhausting.
Seyoung probably didn’t even realize what he was doing. That’s why he could just glare at me like that, all defiant and clueless.
‘He thinks I’m just easy, huh?’
But…
What really enraged me wasn’t Seyoung throwing a tantrum.
It was me—crossing my arms, holding myself back, scared I might even accidentally push this idiot.

That’s what I couldn’t stand.
And that’s when I realized.
‘Fuck…’

…I really liked Kim Seyoung.
Honestly, thinking about it now, the timing of the realization was laughable.
I just wanted to mess with him. To hug him out of nowhere.
I got anxious when he wasn’t around.
I kept wanting to do things for him.

How the hell was any of this revenge?
Even right now, I was more upset about the possibility of hurting him than about the car—my precious, beloved car—that he kicked.
‘If this is fucking love… then Kim Seyoung, you're gonna love me back. No matter what. I’ll make you suffer just like I did.’

I cursed him silently and stared him down.
“Haa…”
Then, when I’d finally cooled off just a little, I shut my eyes tight, opened them again, and turned around.

I opened the passenger door.
And when I turned back around, Seyoung flinched.
That startled little twitch pissed me off even more.
‘So you were scared.’

I could tell he’d picked a fight fully expecting to get hit.
‘Like I’d fucking hit you… If I was going to, I would’ve back when we first met.’
You really don’t know me at all, do you?

Clicking my tongue, I pulled out the scarf I’d brought.
And with all the heat of my frustration, I wrapped it around his neck.
“Wh—Mmmph!”

His wide, startled eyes reflected the image of me—looking exactly like the world’s most pathetic idiot.
Even Seyoung looked like he couldn’t believe I was this much of a pushover.
“God, you piss me off so much!”

I yelled it to the air, grinding my teeth.
Then I turned to Seyoung, now visibly shaken, and growled:
“At the very least, take your phone with you when you storm out! You think I wanted to come out here looking for you with this thing?”
“……”

“Shit, you make someone worry, then what? ‘Get lost’? Then maybe don’t run out in the freezing cold dressed like that, huh?!”
My voice echoed as Seyoung’s expression turned conflicted.
And honestly, the more I talked, the more drained I felt.
Sure, my words were harsh—but none of it was meant as a threat.
If anything, I was begging.

I was the pathetic mutt, tail between my legs.
I’d just proved it with my own words: if Seyoung ran off, I wouldn’t do anything—I’d just follow like a lost dog.
“……”

Seyoung, too, stared at me, suddenly unsure. There was a new kind of caution in his eyes.
But I didn’t have it in me to push back anymore.
I didn’t even want to.
I laughed bitterly to myself.

‘God, I really am like a dog that’s lost its owner.’
I was mad, and being mad just made me feel worse.
There wasn’t even fire in the anger—just this dull, inevitable ache. Like something that was always bound to happen had finally arrived.
Had I ever felt this helpless, even in a real relationship?

‘…Wait. This isn’t a relationship.’
That’s why it felt like this.
I looked at his soft, dumb face.

I finally understood why my chest always hurt when he looked at me with those stupid wide eyes.
Even now, my heart was pounding.
That cold, indifferent face that didn’t like me at all… made it ache anyway.
‘God, this is annoying…’

Why don’t you know anything?
You’re not even pretending not to know.
You actually don’t get it.
That I like you.
That I’ve been showing it all along.
You’re even older than me, for fuck’s sake…

I kept thinking all that, and in the end, I couldn’t stop myself from snapping.
“And you think I’m the only one who messes with you? You’re a fucking nightmare too, Kim Seyoung.”
“……”

“You’re the one who started this—who toyed with me first.”
Seyoung blinked, confused now.
But that innocent expression only made it worse.
You feel sorry for me, but you won’t like me?

You hate me, but when I stick around, you don’t push me away either?
You act like maybe—maybe—you could be mine, and that just keeps making me a bigger idiot.
“……”

That’s when Seyoung’s eyes met mine.
The fury in his gaze crumbled. He looked caught off guard.
‘It’s always like this…’

Push him and he pushes back harder.
Soften up, and he breaks.
He only ever turns to me when I’m at my lowest.
Isn’t that completely fucked up?
Of course, I could try clinging to him and playing the pity card. Seyoung’s soft-hearted enough that it might work.

But begging for sympathy?
I’d rather die.
I want to be respected. Admired. I want to look cool in front of him.
Never weak.
But I already know—if I act like that, Seyoung’s pride will flare up and he’ll shove me away again.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache.
‘We really don’t work. You and I…’
Any other time, I would’ve ended things right here.

But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t turn away.
I looked at him, this person I still couldn’t let go of.
His shoulders hunched from the cold, his cheeks flushed red, and those wide, dazed eyes staring up at me.
‘It’s those damn eyes.’

Once again, I reached for him first.
And the funny thing was, this time Seyoung didn’t push me away.
“H-Hey, wait…!”

He flinched a little, but compared to the earlier tantrum—slapping my hand, kicking the car—it was nothing.
I coaxed him into the passenger seat and closed the door.
When I returned to the driver’s side, he was sitting there like a frozen little thing, quietly sneaking glances.
“Seatbelt.”

“….”
He hesitated, then buckled up without a word.
I started the car and began driving.

There was an intersection where I could’ve turned left to go straight home. But I didn’t.
I took a detour toward the outskirts instead.
Seyoung, who clearly didn’t know the roads, just sat there at first.
But then he glanced around, worried, and looked at me.

“…Are you sure this is the way home?”
“I took the wrong turn.”
“……”

I wasn’t planning to kidnap him or anything.
I just didn’t want to go back yet. I needed time to breathe.
After ten minutes of quiet driving, I felt calmer.

Seyoung had been alert at first, eyes flicking from me to the passing scenery.
But eventually, he leaned his head against the window and just stayed still.
And for some reason, he kept fidgeting with the scarf I’d wrapped around him.
‘See, this is what I mean. He keeps leaving openings like this.’

I didn’t know who I was complaining to in my head, but I sighed.
And then… we went home.
* * *

A lot happened after that.
Even without acting all pitiful, Kim Seyoung slowly started opening up to me.
Victory is mine.

The day he ran off after just a little kiss—I was practically dancing when I got home.
‘And this coming from the guy who chased me all the way to that bar with Yuna…’
Like, really? Denying something so obvious?

Then again, I guess I used to deny it too.
So I gave him some breathing room, but I kept pushing, little by little.
And finally, today, Kim Seyoung asked me:
“…Why the hell do you like me? When did you even start thinking that way?”

He clearly had no idea what his face looked like right now.
If he did, there’s no way he’d ask that question.
I barely managed to hold in my laughter and asked back:
“Then when did you start liking me, noona?”

As soon as I said that, his face drained of color like he’d just watched someone die in front ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) of him.
He stammered, backing away.
“W-Who said I—I like you or anything?!”
That flustered face used to irritate me.

Now… it just made me smile.
“……!”
I didn’t argue.
I just pulled him into my arms.

Seyoung froze.
I could feel his heart hammering against my chest.
He must’ve felt it too, because his face slowly turned red.
Trying to hold back my amusement, I spoke gently.

“…Then why’d you treat me so well?
I was doing fine before you came along.”
“What?”
“But now, I can’t stand being without you.”

His brows knit in frustration.
He tried to push me away.
I ignored it and pulled him closer, wrapping my arms tight around his waist.
Seyoung glared at me, face completely flushed.
“A-Are you gonna let go or what?!”

“……”
I didn’t answer right away.
Just watched him.
He had to know he was trembling.
His hands, his voice, even the way he was trying to push me away—everything was shaking.

As expected, after a few tries, he gave up and closed his eyes tight.
He looked like he’d cry if I so much as touched him.
“……”

“……”
I gently cupped his face in both hands and slowly lowered my head.
He flinched, screwing his eyes shut like my shadow alone stung him.

Right before our lips touched, I paused.
And I looked.
His face—tense and braced for impact—was so stupidly serious, I couldn’t help but smile.
Seyoung froze for about ten seconds.
Maybe he realized I wasn’t going to kiss him, because he suddenly opened his eyes wide and—

“Y-You fuc—!”
But the second our eyes met again, heat rushed up his face like an explosion.
His whole skin was red—pink wasn’t even in the picture anymore.
Even his collarbones were flushed.

I blinked, surprised, and he started backing away, avoiding eye contact.
“D-Don’t look at me.”
“Why?”

“J-Just… stop looking at me like that!”
Cornered against the door, Seyoung squeezed his eyes shut and trembled again.