Rules for Dating Trash is a slow-burn romance webtoon that incorporates emotional healing, complex pasts, and the grey area of fake dating. It is a story of Ihyeon, a reserved college student, who is in a fake relationship with her attractive and unpredictable senior, Chanu. A fake act to preserve face before others. This turns quickly into a love affair that is a messy emotional mess. Among exes who refuse to let go, girlfriends and secrets that neither of them is willing to reveal, the fake romance turns serious. With well-drawn emotional tension and realistic portrayals of love and regret, Rules for Dating Trash explores what it means to take control of your own story. Let’s see what happens in Chanu and Ihyeon’s lives in Rules for Dating Trash Chapter 26.
Rules for Dating Trash Chapter 26: The Lines We Pretend Not to Cross
Rules for Dating Trash Chapter 26 opens with Ihyeon sitting in her classroom, but her thoughts are not on the lecture. Her thoughts are heavy, being haunted by one presence, Yura. She is not hallucinating it either. Since the training trip, Ihyeon has been feeling like Yura is stalking her like a hawk. It is also not any better outside the classroom. She does not acknowledge Ihyeon in the open area of the cafe, as well, showing no greeting and making no eye contact. There is nothing but cold silence. The passive-aggression is so thick, you could spread it on toast!
Later in the day, Chanu sees Ihyeon running away again and is balancing her cafe time like a boss. He observes her departure, something clearly on her mind. At this moment, who again starts their casual flirting? That’s right—Yura. She pins Chanu down and asks him to come with her. However, today Chanu is not playing nicely. He says NO in a firm tone and throws her a verbal curveball to understand what a NO means.
In clear offense, Yura asks him why he has not been picking up her calls. Smirking like an anti-hero of a rom-com, Chanu finishes it with, “I blocked you”. He follows that with a very nonchalant, matter-of-fact, “So get a grip”, and walks off like a K-drama lead, in slow motion, leaving Yura speechless.
Unfollowed Hearts
Later that night, Chanu scrolls through Instagram and sees something unexpected—Ihyeon has followed him. He stares at her profile in shock as though it is a ghost. She had not said anything about it, and he felt a little off-kilter. Nevertheless, he follows her back, and now he is more confused. Why is she acting cold? Why does she not mention Yura?
In the meantime, Chanu is asked out to dinner by one of his friends. However, our man is already in his emotional haze. He turns it down and strides away with one purpose: to question Ihyeon himself about the Yura situation. His oblivious friend simply wonders, “What the heck just happened?”
On the other hand, Ihyeon is spending a surprisingly peaceful and content night in the apartment. Dinner–at the expense of Chanu–has left her not only satisfied but full. This domestic bliss does not last long as Chanu finally brings up the thing they’ve both been avoiding. He looks at her and tenderly inquires, “Jung Yura keeps sticking to you, doesn’t that bother you?”
Ihyeon is taken by surprise, and she offers a wistful little smile and acknowledges that it does indeed bother her. But then she is soon back to logic mode. She tells him that they are in a fake relationship and they drew a line from the beginning. That is why she does not want to begin thinking about something that does not make sense or is not part of the deal.
Blocked Calls
This is not the response Chanu had anticipated. This is the first time he is seeing a different side of Ihyeon, not merely composed but detached. She is opting for emotional distance from herself, and it is messing him up. He is left there sitting and asking himself, “Did I draw the line?” The thought that the rules of the contract may no longer suffice starts to settle in his head.
Rules for Dating Trash Chapter 26 ends with emotional wires tangled, unspoken feelings hovering in the air, and Chanu beginning to question whether the boundaries they once agreed on are really what either of them wants anymore.
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What’s Next in Rules for Dating Trash?
In the next episode of Rules for Dating Trash, boundaries of emotions will be pushed as Ihyeon and Chanu fight to keep their fake relationship on track before it turns into a real one. With Yura still lurking and Taehyeok not ready to take a step back, tension is rising in all directions. Once Chanu starts doubting the boundaries they drew, Ihyeon has to choose between keeping her heart safe and betraying her feelings.
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