They reached Sungjong’s house, which turned out to be a large farmhouse with chicken, goats and sheep running around all over the place. Sungjong introduced Myungsoo to his parents and took him up to his room. When he excused himself to change Myungsoo realized he had left his bag on the train. He told this to Sungjong, who had returned with sandwiches and milk on a tray.

“But you can’t go back for it now. The cyclone’s due any moment,” he said, handing him the glass of milk.

“Really?” Myungsoo asked him, raising an eyebrow.

“Why not? This is very pure. Our own farm’s cow’s milk,” he said proudly.

“B-but I’m 20.”

“You’re never too grown up to drink milk,” said Sungjong and sipped milk from his own glass, giving himself a white moustache. Myungsoo laughed out loud. When Sungjong looked at him enquiringly, he said, “I want to check your I.D. I can’t take your age seriously.”

Sungjong pretended to be offended but fell back to telling Myungsoo all about himself. He had left school that year. Their village provided no further education. He wanted to go to college in Seoul but since he was an only child, his parents didn’t want to let him go. He was also hesitating because he didn’t want to leave behind Dingdong, who was his best friend. They had enough money so he could easily spend the rest of his life doing nothing. He had few friends apart from Dingdong, the main reason being he was never good in sports. He always got picked last for any game and was substituted frequently. When he was done babbling all about himself he looked at Myungsoo and said, “So what about you?”

“What?” Myungsoo questioned back.

“I just told you all about myself. Your turn.”

“I’m just a normal person.”

“And?”

“That’s it. Oh and I hate cows.”

“Why?”

“Cows are evil. They take chance of the innocence of little boys and cast them under spells so that they can destroy their lives in old farmhouses,” Myungsoo said mockingly.

“Really?” Myungsoo looked Sungjong in the eyes. He had actually believed him.

This boy is too innocent for his own good. He needs constant taking care of.

“Sungjongie, do you really not want to go to Seoul?”

“I want to but Dingdong will be so lonely. And I’ll miss my parents.”

“But you can visit them during vacations.”

“Yes but Dingdong can’t even stay a day without me.”

“That stupid cow doesn’t matter!” Myungsoo got irritated and unknowingly raised his voice.

“T-that s-stupid c-cow!” Sungjong looked appalled and without warning, tears started running down his cheeks. “He’s m-my b-best friend. My o-only friend.”

“I’m sorry Sungjong, I didn’t mean it,” said Myungsoo, trying to stop him from crying. But the tears didn’t stop and Myungsoo—thinking of the one thing his mother does to console someone—hugged him. His arms wrapped around Sungjong’s thin body and he pulled his face into his chest. He gently patted Sungjong’s hair and said, “Sshh, don’t cry baby.” Mentally, he vituperated himself for calling Sungjong a baby but Sungjong didn’t protest. Myungsoo could feel Sungjong slowly calming down in his grasp. Before long, the sound of crying subsided and Sungjong hiccupped. Myungsoo let him go and handed him the glass of milk.

“There you go,” he said with a small smile, wiping off the lingering tears from his eyes. Sungjong drank all the milk in one go and then sat silently, looking at the floor. Myungsoo resisted the urge to brush off Sungjong’s milk moustache.

But at that instant, he decided.