2001

 

“Haraboji!” The girl with pink rosy cheeks yelled out as she dashed out from the parked car, the elder smiled and turned away from the rose bushes he was tending too.

“Oh, it’s my honored guests.” He said with a warm smile as the girl ran in full speed, well, in full speed for a six year old. The elder chuckled as her nanny and bodyguard scrambled after her.

“You shouldn’t run. You skinned your kneed the other week when you tripped on a rock.” Another voice added, a lanky little boy appeared from the other side of the car, the driver was smiling as he helped him down from the vehicle.

“It’s all healed now!” She hollered back at him before giving her grandfather a hug.

“Your brother didn’t come join you?” The elder asked, he waved the boy over with a smile.

“Juyeon has…a doctor’s appointment, something about..a flu shot. Scary.” She shuddered, the elder laughed.

“Good afternoon, haraboji.” The little boy said with a polite bow, the elder snorted and reached out to pat his cheek.

“Aigoo, this young master is always so formal. Come on you two,” He took them by their tiny little hands.

“Halmeoni prepared snacks for everyone.”

“Is it strawberry jam cookies? We had peanut butter ones last time.” The little boy spoke with a worried frown.

“That kid doesn’t really like peanut butter. And he’s very picky too.”

“You’re a lot pickier.” He replied.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not!”

“You are!”

Their voices echoed across the foyer, and it made the maids smile as they greeted the three.

“Okay, okay. And yes, we have strawberry jam ones, young master. Jaehee stop arguing with our guest.”

“Guest? He’s always here. He’s family now.”

“I am not your family. I am your neighbor.” He pointed out in his usual flat tone, the elder burst out in laughs.

“I’ll see you two at the gardens, be nice to each other.”

 

 

 

“Jaehee-ya!” The nanny ran towards the girl as she struggled to sit up, Jaehee was biting her lower lip, stopping herself from crying as the adult pulled her up.

“What happened? Oh no, your thumb.” She sighed at the toddler, Jaehee sniffed and shook her head.

“What did I tell you? Did you run again?” Her friend said as he walked up to her, Jaehee glared at him.

He sighed and moved closer to her, and then he saw the thin line of blood streaming down from her thumb.

“I didn’t.” She said to him.

“You did.” He replied, he took out his handkerchief and pressed it in the cut. The nanny smiled at him.

“You two, stay put. I’ll go inside and get the first aid kit.” She said, Jaehee pursed her lips and looked at the white cloth on her hand.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Not really. But my foot hurts.” She murmured as she tugged on her ponytail, peeved. He grinned at her before pulling her towards the nearest bench.

“Eomma spoke to me about transferring to the big school.” He stated as he helped her up the seat.

“Really? How big is this school?”

“Your parents did not talk to you about it?” He asked her, she shook her head.

“No, maybe they won’t let me go there. Our school is now nice. I like it.” She said as she let her feet dangle over the grass.

“That’s not right, you should transfer too.” He said to her, his forehead creasing.

“But I like our school now.” She argued back, he looked at her, a little annoyed.

“You should transfer too.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You have to.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You have to.”

“I don’t~”

“You two, I leave for two seconds and now you’re arguing again. At this rate, Jaehee you will end up becoming his bride.”

“No.” The boy vehemently shook his head.

“I will marry you, someday.”

“No. I don’t want to marry you.” He replied as the nanny cleaned the girl’s cut.

“But I want to.”

“Don’t.”

“I want to!”

“I said I don’t want you to!”

“I want~”

“This could go on all day, why don’t we bid our farewell to the elders, huh?” The nanny was chuckling as she lifted Jaehee in one arm and took the young boy’s hand.

 

 

 

20XX

 

“It’s official. I hate it here.” Jaehee announced as she stepped out of girls’ restroom, the tall male looked up from his phone.

“Me too. Why can’t you be like other girls?” He replied as he handed her backpack to her.

“What? Should I shorten my skirt too?” She said as she pulled her skirt up, the male sighed and walked ahead of her.

“Hey! You said~”

“I meant, that maybe you should ask other girls to accompany you to the restroom.” He sighed again, she grinned and hooked arms with him.

“But I feel uncomfortable with that.”

“Then, me? You think I should join you inside as well?”

“Hey, we used to bathe together!”

The male grimaced, he shushed her and looked around them.

“We were five, Jaehee. Five. And, don’t touch me. Your is brushing against my arm.” He shooed her away, she grinned at him, used to his somewhat strict personality.

“Eomma asked if you could join us for dinner tonight, Juyeon too.” He spoke as they went down the stairs, the girl paused, her forehead creasing.

“Is it your eyes? I thought you had them checked.” He stopped and turned to her, the girl was holding on to the railing.

“I did, they gave me new lenses, but I still get a little dizzy. Especially with steps going down.” She murmured, he nodded at her and extended his hand to the girl.

She smiled at him and held on to him as they went down.

“Tonight? We’ll be there, we are still parent less as of the moment.” She said as she ran her fingers through her hair with her free hand.

“Good, I’ll tell her later.”

She let go of him as they reached the last step, the two walked in silence to the cafeteria. He turned to her, she was browsing through her notes, or doodles.

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know what to get Juyeon for his birthday.” She mumbled as she continued walking, absorbed with her list, the male pushed the door open for them and she walked ahead of him.

“You mentioned about getting him a pair of shoes.”

“Right, running shoes. But he’s been growing way too fast lately, I doubt~” She noticed the long queue and sighed.

“I’ll be at the library, you’re free to hang out with your other friends.” She gave him a small wave, but the male and held onto the strap of her backpack.

“I~”

“And what? You’ll eat lunch later?”

“Yes, I can just get a sandwich later at class and~”

“No. We’re eating now. A proper meal.” He pointed out as he dragged her to an empty table.

“Wait here.” He stated before walking away from her.

 

 

 

“I know you get asked this every year, but, you and,” Jaehee followed her friend’s gaze, she sighed at her.

“No. Still a no. Actually, it’s a “never”.” She stated with a shrug, her friends chuckled and looked at the tall male from across campus lawns again. Jaehee fixed her skirt as they went up the bleachers, she leaned back.

“I mean, the only girl he ever hangs out is you. He has other friends, but they’re all guys.” One of her female classmates chimed, Jaehee shrugged at her.

“I’m one of the boys too.” She replied.

“So, you’re saying, you don’t count.”

“Yes.” Jaehee grinned at her, her brows rose.

“Why? You want to ask him out?”

Her friend nodded meekly, Jaehee shuddered.

“Why? What do you see in that brat? He’s a brat, you know.” She pointed out, her friend slapped her arm and she glared at him.

“What do we see?” Her other friend balked at her, and they huddled together, even Jaehee was pulled in with them.

“He’s tall, he’s smart, and he’s good-looking. He’s perfect. That’s what we see. But, really, your friend is our school’s treasure.”

“Huh.” Jaehee muttered back, unconvinced.

“Well, maybe because you two have been friends for so long, that’s natural for you to be repulsed by him.”

Jaehee shrugged again, and she took out the piece of gum from her pocket and ate it. She was watching the soccer team run around the field when she felt a gaze on her, she looked up.

“Not going home?” He mouthed at her, Jaehee pulled her backpack.

“My ride’s here, I’ll drop you off.”

“I can take the bus with the girls.” She said to him, she noticed how his lips thinned slightly and then he looked at the sky.

“It’s getting dark. Rain.” He mouthed back, Jaehee looked up, it did look like it was about to rain.

“See you at the gate.”

Jaehee gave him a thumbs up, and excused herself from her friends, she made her way across the field and spotted her friend walking alone.

“Bus? The bus does not even pass by our neighborhood.” He said to her, she blinked at him.

“It…doesn’t?”

He stopped walking and turned to her, he shook his head.

“Whoa, makes me wonder what would happen if I did leave and let you take the bus.” He stated, Jaehee laughed and hooked arms with him.

“The bus to nowhere.” She spoke, his lips curled up.

“Yes, and I’ll have auntie calling me late in the afternoon looking for you.”

“Can we get bread on our way home?” She asked him, he nodded back at her and saw their family car driving towards them.

“The one with red bean filling? The fish shaped bread?” He asked her, she hummed back and looked around them.

“How were your exams?” She spoke, she heard him let out a breath.

“Oh, that bad?”

“I’m not so sure about it. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Jaehee gave him a small nod before briefly bumping the side of her head against his shoulder.

“Then, stress over it by yourself. You’re paying for the fish bread, I’m out of cash.”She said as she opened the car’s door and slid inside.

“I don’t think that’s what it’s called.” He stated as he followed her into the vehicle.

 

 

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