LETTER I

Do Kyungsoo to Kim Jongdae

Dear Jongdae – isn’t that how I should start? ‘Dear Jongdae, thank you so much for your letter’ – that would be an appropriate introduction. However, I am quite mad at you right now, so instead, I’ll say Kim Jongdae, you bastard! About time you wrote, I’ve been so worried. It has been almost two years, and you haven’t even sent one letter. I obviously couldn’t write to you because you never gave me your new address – what’s your excuse? You’re probably laughing right now, I know you are. Everyone else has been wondering about you too. Of course we are happy for your scholarship, but we thought you would still keep in touch. Send us an update once in a while; let us know that you’re alive. I hope you haven’t become all high and mighty because of your new university life in the big city? Then I would have to punch you!

Well, we both know I won’t. Luhan might, though.

… Or rather, he might make Minseok punch you. You know how he is.

That aside, I am happy for receiving your letter. I actually missed a couple of customers and burned a batch of bread while reading it. But I didn’t get scolded for it, and you know why? Because I finally took over the bakery! Mr. Lee retired last spring, so I’m running the business alone now. It’s kind of busy, but I like it that way. The guys stop by sometimes to help or chat, so it’s not like I’m lonely.

But yes, you want to know how everyone is doing? I should just refuse to tell you, and make you send each of them individual letters to apologize. But if I do, you might just stop corresponding again, am I right? I doubt you have changed at all, you sly bastard.

Well, Kris and Yixing are still in the military. Yixing receives medical training, and Kris has attained some rank by now – I’m not quite sure exactly what, but it’s probably something good. We don’t see them very often any longer, but Yixing writes occasionally. When he remembers to, anyway. Baekhyun suspects he only does it when Kris reminds him to, but we’ll probably never know.

Speaking of Baekhyun, he’s still aspiring to become a milliner someday, but for now, he and Chanyeol just mess around like they’ve always done. You didn’t miss anything there. They try to steal buns of me every time they’re here, but nothing will trick me. I grew up with you, after all, and they’re pretty tame in comparison.

Luhan has taken up work as a clerk, but he still spends most of his time at Minseok’s farm. Minseok keeps complaining that he’s only there to distract him from field work, which Luhan denies, of course, but it’s pretty safe to assume that Minseok is right. He doesn’t come into town as often anymore, after his father became ill, but he keeps smiling. If the farm was in trouble, I’m sure he would let us know.

And then there’s Jongin – he still has too much free time on his hands, most of which he spends in my bakery. I’m not letting him touch my stoves or pans, but he keeps me company at least. I’m grateful for that, though I wish he would take his job more seriously. You know how he was pestering the blacksmith about taking him in as an apprentice? And how he was always refused? Well, he caved in at last. You should have seen Jongin the first few days; he was ecstatic and jumping around like a little kid. He’s still really happy about the work, but spends a lot of time complaining about it too. Good-natured, of course, but if the blacksmith heard him… Well, your creativity is better than mine when it comes to corporeal punishment.

That is pretty much how our situation is; not much has changed, but looking back, I guess you could say we have all matured a bit? It’s only natural as time goes by, but I know it can be difficult to imagine with many of our friends. It really is different without you around, so like I said earlier, I’m really happy you finally decided to write back. I know you felt like you didn’t have anything tying to down here after your parents died, but you would always have us. I can’t guarantee that we will always be here – and besides, what would the use of that be?

I do hope you will come and visit sometime, though, because I’m not the only one who misses you. If nothing else, I hope we can continue writing letters, like we used to when we were little. Do you remember? When we were neighbors and would sneak out at night to slip envelopes with clumsy handwriting underneath the door frame so the other could read during breakfast. I know Kris always mocked us for it, but I think it was fun.

Can we have an adult version of that, you think?

I know you will think of this as silly, but let a guy have some fun. Right? Come on, you .

If you need an excuse to write then tell me about your life in the city, and about the school – you were painfully brief in the first letter. I’m really curious about what you do, and how it differs from the humble background from out here. I hope you’re not being mocked for that, by the way? Why am I even concerned, Kim Jongdae wouldn’t be put out by something like that.

Do let me know anyway, okay?