Chapter 3

That morning, I still hoped that Changmin would show up. I hoped he changed his mind and would go with me to our hometown and then open our capsule time together. I sighed heavily and dragged my feet to the train station. I checked the clock, it’s already 11 o’clock. He might not come.

 

My mind was full of thought about what was written in his paper, and why did he insist that he didn’t want to come with me and kept saying to our time capsule to disappear? I really couldn’t find the answers. But when I thought about it again, what’s the use of me coming and opening our time capsule, when Changmin even wanted to forget it? It meant that my wish to go to a dance party with him would never come true.

 

“How stupid,” I cursed under my breath. I considered going back to Seoul as the train stopped at a station. But then, I would forever be curious about what exactly Changmin had written in his paper. So I sat back and closed my eyes. I hoped I would just doze so that I wouldn’t overanalyze about it.

 

As the train arrived, the first thing I wanted to do was going to my house and hugged my mom. It’s been 2 months since I didn’t go back home. School was so hectic that I even hadn’t had much time to call home. My parents prepared my favorite food and asked me so many questions. I told them that I liked Seoul and I didn’t regret my decision. They were happy to hear that. After some time of rest, I took my bike and cycled to my old school.

 

The school hadn’t changed a bit. The building was still the same. Only the atmosphere was different. Since it was lesson time, it’s so quiet. I recalled my elementary years and laughed. It was so fun and interesting for me. Moreover, there’s the old Changmin that always made me smile.

 

I enjoyed every step I made to my destination. I could smell the scent of wet ground mixed with lavender. It seemed the school gardener had just watered the garden. Was he also still the same?

 

I peeked on his window. The fan was on, but I saw nobody there. A moment later, I heard a noise from the kitchen. He had to be there. I walked slowly hoping that I wouldn’t surprise him. I could see his back was facing me.

 

“Uhm…excuse me?” I said.

 

He paused from his activity and turned his back from me. He looked the same. Only there were more wrinkles on his feature. He was confused as he saw me.

 

“Who are you, Agassi?”

 

“I am…actually, I’m alumna from this school.”

 

He came closer to me as he fixed his glasses position. “What can I do for you?”

 

“I wonder if you remember me, Ajeossi. When I was in third grade, my friend and I were digging the back yard to bury a time capsule.” I looked at him. I hoped he remembered our time capsule, even if he didn’t remember me.

 

A moment later, he smiled. “Ah, ye ye, Agassi. I remember. Where’s your friend?”

 

“He can’t come with me. But I would like to open it. That’s why I need your permission, Ajeossi.”

 

He laughed. “Haha~, you even didn’t ask my permission when you buried it back then.”

 

I smiled in embarrassment. The gardener lent me his tool to dig the ground. I went to Changmin’s and my spot where we buried our time capsule and started digging. I dig and dig. I didn’t know that we buried it deeply in the ground. Or was it because as time passed the ground layer thickened? I didn’t know. But then, my shovel touched something hard. It was our time capsule. It still looked the same as when we buried it. I took it with palpitated heart. Why did I feel so nervous when all I had to do was opened this bottle, and then read the paper inside? Quickly, I looked for a safe spot to open Changmin’s paper. My heartbeats kept increasing. I put my palm onto my chest, hoping it would be calmer. I took a deep breath before started to open the bottle.

 

“Aish, why are my hands shaking?” I mumbled. As I opened the bottle, I imagined what Changmin had actually written for me. Finally, the paper had been out of the bottle. It’s about time I would tear it open. Slowly and carefully I opened it. I read the words one after another. As I finished the last word, I couldn’t help but widened my eyes. My heartbeats increased again. This time, it’s not because I was nervous. Instead, it was because I was mad and embarrassed at the same time.

 

“That jerk!!! SHIM CHANGMIN!!!”

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Honestly, I was really in rage right now. I threw the crumpled-paper onto my desk. Right after I read it, I really wanted to tear, crumple, and then throw it to Changmin’s face. I blew a long breath.

 

“Shim Changmin, you’re really a stupid! Babo! Babo! Such a kid! Aish!!!” I rumpled my hair in frustration. “NO! You’re the real babo, Lee Yoora! How can you trust that jerk! What should I do now?”

 

I took the paper once again, and reread it. “I want LEE YOORA to be my slave for a week!”

 

It’s indeed his handwriting back then. I didn’t know how to face Changmin later. What should I say if he asked me whether I’d opened the time capsule or not. If I said I had opened it, then surely I would be his slave for a week since then. But, could I say that I hadn’t opened it? Should I say that he was right that the time capsule had disappeared? Yes, I’ll use the latter option.

 

I took late train to go back to Seoul. Although actually my parents didn’t let me to go back at night, but after I insisted that I have important class tomorrow they finally gave up. I kept thinking on how I should act so that Changmin would believe my lie. Also, I couldn’t tell him about my wish. It would be real humiliation for me.

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The next day, as I was going to campus, I saw his figure standing by the gate with his arms crossed in front of his chest. What is he doing there? I was being really careful right now. Changmin had his head facing the ground, so he didn’t see me getting closer. Is he waiting for someone else, or me? I kept wondering.

 

I intended to just walk past him, but he called me. “I thought you stay overnight at your parents’ house.” I looked at him awkwardly as he walked to me. “Aren’t you tired going back and forth from there to here in one day?”

 

“No, not really,” I answered. “What are you doing here?”

 

He smirked. What was that for? “I was waiting for you. Have you opened the time capsule?”

 

Here we go my first lie to him. “Uh, it’s not there anymore. Such a waste! I’ve gone back and forth to there in a day, and I haven’t got anything.” I pretended to be disappointed.

 

“Jinjja? I thought that Gardener Ajeossi promised us to take care of it. It’s weird,” he said. Acknowledging from his tone, I thought he could tell I was lying.

 

“Really. I am also curious. What were you writing actually?” I kept on lying. There’s no turning back, Lee Yoora! “Besides, didn’t you say you don’t care about it anymore?”

 

He nodded in agreement. “But, since you said you’ll open it… I think the one who insisted to open it have to face the consequence.”

 

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

 

“I’ll go there tomorrow and asked the Gardener Ajeossi whether he keeps our time capsule or not. I just want to make sure you are not lying to me. I’ve told you that you must not go there and open it, but you insisted. I know well what I wrote on the paper. That’s why. I just wanted to save you.”

 

“ANDWAE!” I shouted. All eyes were on me, and I quickly covered my mouth with my palm. “I mean, yeah okay! Fine! I admit it! I have opened and read your paper, satisfied?”

 

Changmin laughed in satisfaction. He really laughed hard.

 

“What’s so funny, Shim Changmin?” I asked getting annoyed.

 

He managed his breathing after laughing so hard. “You really don’t know how to lie, do you? Your expression, it tells all your lies. Hahaha!”

 

I pouted. It’s not that I couldn’t lie. It’s just that you are someone who cannot be fooled.

 

Changmin ruffled my hair and put his arm on my shoulder. I froze at his touch. For a moment, I knew that my old Changmin was back. And then we went to class together. “You know your duty, right Lee Yoora?”

 

“What duty are you talking about?” I was still sulking.

 

“A maid’s duty of course.” Then he laughed again.

 

“Yah!” I shouted.

 

“Don’t yell to your master!” he said.

 

“Aish… It hasn’t started!”

 

“Then when will we start?”

 

“….”

 

“Tomorrow, alright?”

 

“Whatever, Shim Changmin!”

 

“Hahaha!”

 

Then again, this strange feeling emerged. I felt butterflies dancing in my stomach. Maybe, this childish thing we did in our childhood wasn’t bad at all. At least, we didn’t feel awkward to each other like our first conversation after 5 years. Also, I thought Changmin didn’t change after all. Being this close to him again after 5 years was a miracle for me. I couldn’t help but laughed along with him.

[End of flashback]

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It was the second day. The first day of being his slave was the most tiring day I’ve ever had. I hated this slavery, and I’d make sure to make him pay one day. Today, he told me to wait for him by the university gate. So I just did as I was told. From a far, I could see he was waving to me. I waved back as he came closer to me. He looked glowing walking among the other students in my eyes.

 

“Have you waited long?” he asked. I shook my head. “Ddarawa!”

 

Like an obedient puppy, I followed him. “Do you have morning class?” he asked.

 

“Nope,” I said simply. I could see many pairs of eyes starring me. It must be strange for them to see me walking with Changmin. Some of them even mumbled something to their friends’ ears. It felt so different. Back then, it was a normal thing if I walked or even joking around with him. It’s even strange when everybody in school didn’t see me to be with Changmin for one day. That was my middle school life, not everything changed. I was nobody and Changmin was someone.

 

“Great. Then you can join my class.”

 

“What?!” I looked up at him.

 

“I dislike this class, because you have to note down everything the lecturer said. So today’s task is, write all important thing my lecturer said in place of me. Get it?”

 

This devil! I really wanted to choke him right here right now. “Yes, Master.” Instead I said that mockingly. He smiled in satisfaction.

 

“That’s my obedient maid,” he said and squeezed my head lightly. I felt my face heated up. I was sure everybody could see I was blushing. Luckily, Changmin didn’t see it. I quickly hid my face by turning toward the other direction.

 

This was insane! No wonder Changmin said that he dislike this class so much. It’s History Class, and all I could do the whole class was writing and writing. He kept telling me that all part of his lecturer’s saying were important. He didn’t give me a break. The lecturer was the dull type one. He wore thick glasses and his appearance was very neat. Even his hair seemed like they’re being glued. No strain of hair seemed out of its way. God, where did that lecturer come from? Exo Planet? I shook my head.

 

My hand hurt. I’d written for him around 14 pages. I couldn’t think I could write anymore. My hand needed a rest.

 

“You’re really amazing, Lee Yoora! Woah, I couldn’t imagine I would do that.”

 

“Shim Changmin, you’re really out of your mind! It’s not I’m helping you, but you are bullying me!” I snorted. I massaged my wrist.

 

“Mianhae. I can’t stand that class. If only it weren’t an important class, I would just skip it.”

 

I ignored him.

 

“Yah, yah Lee Yoora! I’ll take you somewhere to repay you, okay?”

 

I wasn’t interested and walked away, still messaging my wrist. Changmin ran after me, and pulled my hand. “Trust me, you won’t regret it!” he said and we went out of the campus.

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