I’m surprised to see Boram come to my house at this hour. She’s wearing a casual outfit, a white shirt and black jeans. She smiles when seeing me. “Boram, what are you doing  here?”

My uncle suddenly smacks my head. “Ya! Is that your way to greet a girl?”

I rub my head as I give my uncle a scoff. “Says the one who can’t say anything to his ex wife”

I get a smack again. “Samchon. It hurts”

My uncle fold his arms, “At least you know it hurts.” I roll my eyes at him. I see Boram chuckle at us. My uncle drifts his eyes at her, “If he’d do something inappropriate to you, just call me, okay?”

I take one of the cushion from the sofa and ready to throw it to my uncle but he quickly runs to his room and locks it. How can I get an uncle like him?

I suddenly feel awkward. I think she feels it too. I clear my throat and ask her to sit. Before I say anything, she suddenly says something, “I just come to tell you something sunbae.” I frown, don’t understand what she’s saying. She motions me to come closer and whispers in my ear, “Mr. Lee asked you to come to school tomorrow, if not, you won’t get the part in the competition”

I straighten my body and realize what he’s implying to. I sigh and take a sit back.

“Are you okay, sunbae?” I can see her worry face. I give him a small smile, “It’s okay… and thank you Boram”

After a few minutes, Boram asks to leave as it’s already late. When she’s already in the doorway, my uncle suddenly appears, “Youngjae, take her home. Her house’s just a few blocks from us”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, I guess the girl that my uncle met earlier today was you, right?”

Boram turns her head at me and nods. “Yes, I met him when my mother and I had shopping”

I nod then say, “Thank you for not telling him about my absence…” she nods then I continue, “ … and thank you for delivering the message too”

I see her takes a glance at me and grins, “Yep, it’s a success. If I don’t know your house then the message is failed”

I chuckle and nod.

“Can I ask you something, sunbae?”

I smile, “Go ahead”

“What happened to you actually?”

I pause for a moment. I give her a small smile, “It’s complicated Boram”

She frowns and sighs, “It just means you don’t believe me enough, right?”

I don’t say anything just looking straight. The way to her house seems so long. Actually, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe her to keep what I will say to her but I just don’t want her to pity me of what happened to me. Even after what happened, with my parents, my condition or my school, I don’t want to hear people, especially the ones who close to me like my friends, pity me. I just hate that feeling, being pitied.

“You know, that’s my first time someone told me how fun running is, the first time someone agrees to be my model and the first time someone takes me home… like now”

I stun as I turn my head at her. She just smiles shyly and turns her head away.

“So, it means I’m your first model?”

She shakes her head while putting her hands at her pocket’s jeans. “It’s not entirely wrong. I usually take photo of natural views; like sky, streets, flowers… something like that. You’re the first ‘human’ model for me” she says this while smiling.

I smile widely this time. I don’t know but I found her smile is contagious. “Great to know it”

She chuckles and I just realize that she must feel cold, walking like this in this hour. I take my jacket off then offer it to her. She rejects first but I insist it to her. She says thanks and put it on. We arrive at her house around 9PM. Boram introduces her mother to me but apparently her father hasn’t gone home from work. I want to leave soon as it’s already late but then her mother stops me while going to the kitchen. A few minutes later she comes and gives me two bags of kimchi. “You just have to put them in the fridge”

I take them and bow at her. “Thank you, ahjumma”

She pats my shoulder, “It’s nothing. Thank you for taking her home and helping my daughter in school. If you need more just come here, okay?”

Boram nudges her mom, “Omma, you’ll make him uncomfortable”

I smile, “Don’t worry, ahjumma. I’ll make sure if I want more I’ll come here again”

Boram’s mother smiles and nods her head, “Look, he knows how to answer properly”

I give both of them a smile.

“So, tomorrow will you go to school?”

I nod. “Sorry, for bothering you. I guess I really messed up, don’t I?”

Boram shakes her head, “No, I know you must have your own reason and I’m sure you knew what you do, Sunbae. Just please, if you think this will be your last running, you have to do it the best, right? So, you won’t be disappointed later on”

Once again, I look at her amazed.

She looks confused then shakes her hand, “It’s not like I want to order you or what, I just… I’m sorry Sunbae if I offend you”

I chuckle seeing her reaction. “Don’t be sorry, you’re right.” Then I lift the bags of kimchi “And thank you for this”

She grins and nods. “Anytime”

I say goodbye and walk out from her house. Just a few steps, I hear Boram calls out my name. I stop then turn my body. She approaches me and put my jacket back to me. I’m flustered for a while when she’s so close to me as I can smell her perfume. But she seems unaware.

“There. Be careful sunbae”