“Hey!”

I turn my head and look up at Youngjae and Jaebum sunbae who are standing beside Inyoung and my table when break time. I see Inyoung smiles widely then moves a bit to the right. Immediately, Jaebum sunbae smiles and sits near her. “Thank you” he says. I do the same to Youngjae sunbae. He smiles and sits beside me.

“So, I hear you two went to Youngjae’s house yesterday…” Jaebum sunbae says while glancing at Inyoung then at me. Inyoung nods and tells him everything.

“Your uncle often did that? Drunk and fell asleep in the park?”

Youngjae sunbae nods. “It’s not a surprise to me. The park is the second home for him apparently…”

We all bursted out laughing hearing it from him especially seeing his poker face.

“Oh, I see you went out from Mr. Jung’s office before the class started. Is there something wrong?” Jaebum sunbae says while eating the bread. Youngjae sunbae freeze for a while, he seems surprised Jaebum sunbae asking about it.

“It’s nothing. Just some stuffs about the competition” he says giving a small smile.

Jaebum sunbae just nods his head without saying anything again. I glance at him and see his face frowns and then he sighs while continue eating the lunch. I feel strange at his expression knowing that Mr. Jung is our principal and moreover he’s Eunji unnie’s father.

“I have a practice after class over, do you want to come?” Youngjae sunbae says after drinking his milk.

“Huh?” I barely realize at his question.

He chuckles. “You know, the time when I can be a model and you are the photographer…”

I smile shyly. “O-okay…” then I realize something. “I’ve printed the previous photos. I will bring it later”

He smiles while turning his head. “Sure”

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

 I am now taking Youngjae sunbae’s photos for the second time. I have got some of his photos that I think are good but for some reasons not satisfied me yet so I hope for this time I can get one. After seeing the coach dismisses their running practice, I take the Pocari and wave it to Youngjae sunbae. He sees me and smiles widely, then he jogs to me.

“Thank you” he says while sitting down and stretching his legs. He looks tired but happy. I smile. He is drinking it while I take the printed photos from my bag. “Here” I say.

He puts the bottle down then takes the photos from my hand. “What do you think?” I ask while examining his face. I see him smiles and chuckles as he sees them one by one. But then his smile disappears as he sees the last photo. I frown then quickly drift my eyes at it. He’s staring at his photo with Eunji unnie that I took a few day ago. Eunji unnie did the v pose while hugging his waist and he smiled to the camera. They looked happy.

“Is there anything wrong, sunbae?”

He turns his head at me then gives me a small smile. “No… they all look good. You’re surely have the talent, Boram”

I smile while taking back the photos but his answer doesn’t give me any comfort as I see his sad face. He sighs and looks straight. When I want to ask more, I see his surprised face. I drift my eyes then see Eunji unnie comes towards us. I bow slightly at her. She smiles but then her face falls when looking at Youngjae sunbae.

“Hey” she greets him. “Are you okay?”

He’s just silent while turning his head away. She seems like trying to composure herself by fiddling her fingers with her sliding bag. Then she turns her head at me while pointing at my photos. “What are those, Boram?”

I give them to her and I see her face looks happy. “Those are my first take photos, unnie. What do you think?”

She smiles and then gives them back to me. “You do have the talent for taking photos, Boram. They look very good”

I smile then thank her for her compliment. Suddenly, Youngjae sunbae stands up then takes his bag, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Boram”

Eunji unnie and I look confused at his act. Eunji unnie quickly grabs his arm, “Can we talk?”

He gives her a fierce look. “No” he says while trying to get out of her grasp.

She keeps her grip at his arm. “Why don’t you go to the hospital to check up your legs yesterday? And why your number is always not active?”

He scoffs as if the questions are the most ridiculous things that he’s heard. “I’m tired, I want to go home”

She tugs him closer to her. “Let me take you. My driver can-“

He cuts her words off. “What am I to you? Am I such a burden?”

Eunji unnie looks surprised then lets go of his arm. I feel like they need to talk about whatever happen between them but I get the feeling that it’s not just an easy one. I excuse myself to them and jog to the school’s gate.

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

The next day, Youngjae sunbae is absent again. Jaebum sunbae says it’s weird that for a couple of days he keeps continuing to be absent without any reason. Youngjae sunbae is not someone like that, he says. Even more, the final exam will come soon and don’t forget about the competition. The worst is he can’t be contacted unless we go to his house.

“I think something happens…” Jaebum sunbae says. “Actually, with me too, he doesn’t like to be honest with what happened to him” he sighs, “That kid… anyway, don’t worry, I know he must have a reason for doing what he’s doing right now” he smiles and pats my shoulder.

When I want to go back to my class, I’m stopped by Mr. Lee, Youngjae sunbae’s running coach. I bow and ask him if there’s anything I can help him with.

“Do you know why Youngjae’s absent again today?”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry, I don’t know Sir”

He sighs. “That kid... I’ve told him that if he miss the practice again, I won’t let him to take a part in the competition. Do you know where is his house?”

I nod. Then before he goes to his office, he asks me to come to Youngjae’s sunbae’s house to ask him, if he’s serious wants to join the competition or not. If he’ll be absent again tomorrow, he’ll miss to take a part in the competition.

I huff letting out my breath. What’s wrong with him actually?