Chapter 202

<Part 6>

Choi Mi-kyung is a fascinating creature.

As a toddler just learning to walk, little Mi-kyung would toddle over to Jin-hyeok every day. In her tiny hand, she always carried a plastic bag filled with snacks like rice crackers or senbei. Unless the weather was absolutely terrible, she never missed a day to visit her friend.

Until Jin-hyeok disappeared, they held hands every day, going to kindergarten and school together.

Even when Mi-kyung grew up and became an adult, even when she got married and they occasionally met, she would laugh joyfully while reminiscing about their childhood. But her eyes always carried a deep sadness, perhaps because she missed her childhood friend who had suddenly vanished.

At first glance, she seems stubborn and meticulous, but once she warms up to someone, she opens her heart easily. And once she gives her heart, she pours endless affection into that person.

“That’s probably why she couldn’t leave that guy and ended up marrying him. Too soft-hearted to even get a divorce.”

With Mi-kyung, Jin-hyeok would pick wild greens in spring, pluck wild roses to eat, and go cherry and raspberry picking in summer. In autumn, they’d pick figs and search for hazelnuts in the mountains. In winter, they’d build snowmen, sled, and when their cheeks turned red from the cold, they’d huddle together by the fireplace to roast potatoes.

Before starting kindergarten, mischievous little Mi-kyung loved running around in just her underwear, with a cloth draped like a cape. Whenever Jin-hyeok, who was following her, fell, she’d run back to help him up and spit on his scraped knee to “heal” it.

Even as they grew older and life changed, the bond between these country friends remained the same. Jin-hyeok played with Mi-kyung in the dirt until the day before he started school. Even though Jin-hyeok was confused by emotions that didn’t match his body, he tried his best to get along with Mi-kyung, perhaps as a way to repay her for being such a good friend.

Jin-hyeok watched them with a strange, bittersweet feeling.

The sight of his two most precious friends walking side by side.

“Wow, you guys put all sorts of stuff in your ramen? My brother doesn’t even crack an egg in mine. Ah, my brother used to cook ramen for me a lot.”

Yeah, whenever Choi Tae-yang came home, that punk would wander around with puffy eyes.

Jin-hyeok would tease him, calling him “melon belly,” and then run away.

Mi-kyung was a better training partner than Chicken Johnson, so she was more useful.

“Really? Ah, can you get me your brother’s autograph?”

Now, Lee Seung-hoon, his face turning red, mumbled something.

That guy, he doesn’t care about the autograph, but he’s just trying to make conversation and find an excuse to hang out, isn’t he?

Typical Lee Seung-hoon. Being a wrestler, he’s got his ways.

Mi-kyung raised her arm and lightly tapped Seung-hoon’s shoulder.

“Hey, you punk. That’s not even a big deal. Want me to get you a pair of my brother’s wrestling shorts?”

“Eh? Really?”

“Hey, just say the word. What color do you like?”

“I like, uh, blue.”

Blue, the color symbolizing Tae-yang, was dominant in the athletes’ uniforms from their coastal hometown.

“Hey! I’ll get you all the colors of the rainbow!”

No matter how you look at it, it’s an awkward scene.

‘They went to the same high school back then.’

In the past, Seung-hoon claimed he didn’t know Mi-kyung. He didn’t even know she was Tae-yang’s younger sister. Both Mi-kyung and Seung-hoon were quiet and well-behaved in high school, so it’s possible. And considering the five-year age gap and the fact that Tae-yang wasn’t very famous back then, it’s not hard to believe.

‘They became friends because of me.’

As a bystander, nothing could make me prouder.

Seeing Shin Woo-sung laughing after being scolded by Mi-kyung, it seems he’s not too hurt, which is a relief.

“What’s your specialty?”

“I’m a pear picker.”

“Hey, men should be wrestlers! Have you seen my brother wrestle? He was born for it! Last year during the Chuseok match, he took down that chubby guy in one move!”

“Whoa!”

Mi-kyung clumsily mimicked wrestling moves, stumbling, and Seung-hoon caught her before she fell. For a moment, their eyes met like something out of a cheesy romance, and the way their lips curled into smiles was annoyingly cute.

Only Shin Woo-sung, who was rubbing his belly at the mention of “chubby,” looked bitter.

“The scene is so damn good,” Jin-hyeok muttered quietly.

Hey, by the way, I taught Tae-yang how to wrestle.

Even Shin Woo-sung, who’s as clueless as Son Jin-hyeok, seemed to sense something and whispered to Jin-hyeok.

‘President, I think they’ve got a thing for each other.’

He caught on quick.

Shin Woo-sung might be the only person slower than Son Jin-hyeok when it comes to picking up on things.

Jin-hyeok nodded silently in agreement.

Shin Woo-sung must have grown a brain after all. Even if he’s slow, his insight is spot-on.

Hee-hee.

Hoo-hoo.

Good times.

‘Ugh, so noisy.’

Looks like I’ll have to eat lunch with just Woo-sung.

Hee-hee-hee!

Hoo-hoo-hoo!

Mi-kyung and Seung-hoon walked ahead, giggling about something.

The way they walked together was like…

Eh, never mind.

***

Son Yoo-jin, with her arms crossed, held her chin with one hand.

Her eyes, unusually sharp, glared at the desk as if there were a bug on it, but the target of her gaze was just a single sheet of paper.

「Introducing My Family」

The first monumental assignment as a student.

What a touching moment.

“Ask your mom or grandma at home for help. The teacher said, ‘Do this homework,’ okay?”

“Yeaaah-.”

Even though the first-grade kids shouted enthusiastically, Yoo-jin didn’t respond. She just kept glaring at the homework with narrowed eyes.

Hmm. Can’t I just do it myself?

Unable to contain her curiosity, she raised her hand.

“Teacher!”

“Yes? Yoo-jin, what is it?”

“Do I *have* to get help?”

The teacher, momentarily puzzled, quickly smiled.

It’s only been two weeks since the semester started.

The students’ abilities vary widely. Some can fluently read the ethics textbook, while others can’t read at all yet. Writing skills are even more varied.

“Those who can do it themselves can do it themselves.”

The homeroom teacher’s response, as if she understood Yoo-jin’s feelings, made Yoo-jin grin.

Then she scrunched one cheek, making her dimple pop.

‘Ow. Why do my teeth hurt?’

She moved her jaw and poked around with her tongue, but the pain from earlier didn’t return. She needed to figure out where it hurt to decide whether to treat it or not.

But she didn’t have the luxury to take her time.

Because.

“Enjoy your lunch, and see you tomorrow. Class president!”

The class president had to stand at attention and salute.

“Atten-tion! Salute to the teacher!”

And there was something even more important.

“Class president, today’s high-rice.”

Time to go eat.

“Hey, Lee Dong-ho. Why is it called high-rice?”

“I don’t know either.”

Kim Ho-jin and Lee Dong-ho, being young, probably didn’t know.

A highlight is a collection of interesting moments.

High-rice is a collection of delicious food.

Yoo-jin, being a smart class president, knew that.

– “No matter how delicious, if you mix everything together, it’s dog food. These days, city folks go to buffets, right? Try putting everything on one plate and see how it looks. Dog food. Dog food.”

It must be my imagination that I hear Uncle Jjong’s voice from somewhere.

I think I’ve been hanging out with that uncle too much.

I need to keep my distance.

Before leaving the classroom, Yoo-jin opened the cleaning supplies cabinet first.

“Jin Do-jun is the cleaning team leader, right?”

“Yeah. We’ll clean up and then go.”

First graders, who only have four classes in the morning, go home after lunch, just like kindergarteners. They can stay for after-school programs, but Yoo-jin hasn’t found one she likes yet. She wanted to learn piano, but they don’t offer that.

As Yoo-jin walked confidently toward the cafeteria, her deskmate Lee Dong-ho followed.

Dong-ho, with his short legs, struggled to keep up and asked,

“Class president, are you going straight home today too?”

“Yeah. Dong-ho, come to my house.”

At home, there’s mom and lots of uncles, so there’s no need to stay in after-school care.

Rather than staying at school with nothing to do, it’s more fun to swim with the uncles at the gym, play with Hong-shi and Geon-ma.

“Dong-ho, you should learn to swim too.”

“Should I? Will mom buy me a swimsuit?”

“What’s wrong with swimming naked as a kid?”

“Is that so…?”

To Dong-ho, Yoo-jin’s words sounded reasonable.

After moving to the countryside, the kids he met ran around in just their underwear. Even the girls.

“I want to learn too. I saw the class president swimming at the Gomjimi Gym, and it’s different from splashing around in the sea. It looked really cool.”

Unlike Dong-ho, Kim Ho-jin, who sees Yoo-jin as a rival, joined in.

“Let’s eat lunch and take the yellow bus together.”

“Sure. I like it. When we go to the class president’s house, there are lots of dogs, and when we go home, an uncle takes us.”

“Geez. Why do you need such a long explanation? Men should be tight-lipped. Like Yoo-jin’s brother.”

What’s he talking about? I talk a lot too.

Yoo-jin, looking annoyed, glanced at Ho-jin and stretched out her arm to stop her friends. She prevented them from entering the cafeteria.

“Why?”

“Let the kindergarteners go in first.”

“Ah, right. Rich and poor, we’re all friends.”

Kim Ho-jin, who must have learned some fancy words from Cheon Gil-ryong, nodded vigorously.

No one commented because it was too difficult to understand.

***

Just being in high school made the days feel shorter.

Classes were 5 minutes longer than in middle school, and there were more regular classes. Once April came and night self-study started, Jin-hyeok would hardly have any time to play with his siblings.

“Hmm. Did Yoo-jin do this homework herself?”

“Yes!”

Behind Yoo-jin, who answered confidently, her mom, who was cooking in the kitchen, smiled proudly. As an eyewitness and a mother, she must be very proud of her daughter.

“She just showed me the homework when I asked to see it, but she insisted on writing it herself. She might become even more of a perfectionist than her brother.”

Oh, mom, that’s harsh.

Even if you’re my direct ancestor, that’s too much.

Jin-hyeok, twitching his nose, examined the homework Yoo-jin handed him.

「Introducing My Family」

– Introduce your family and write what they’re good at.

Perhaps wanting to show off the English she learned from Min Yong-rak, she had neatly written an English word at the top.

「PARTNER」

‘Not FAMILY?’

Since Yoo-jin’s eyes were shining, Jin-hyeok kept his question to himself.

The first line, which Yoo-jin wrote herself, was anything but ordinary.

Jin-hyeok pressed his lips together to keep from laughing, his dimples deepening.

Her handwriting, which used to look like worms crawling, had improved somewhat, but…

「Dad: Son Kwang-yeon, good at farting.

Mom: Han Yu-young, her hands are spicy. Dad is scared of her.」

The names of Moon Seok-il, Yang Gang-wook, Jang Jin-nam, Min Yong-rak, Jeong Sang-tae, Kang Heon-chang, and Kim In-rang were also listed. Moon Seok-il’s talent was “good at wearing sunglasses.” Yang Gang-wook was “good at helping dad.” Even Joo Shin-young and Kim Sang-ho, who weren’t often seen, were listed as uncles.

「Brother: Son Jin-hyeok, good at explaining things.」

What?

I guess it means I explain things carefully.

But still, isn’t that too short for your brother? Kind of disappointing.

「Sibling: Son Jeong-won, good at smiling.

Sibling: Jang Gun-i, drools a lot.」

Well, Yoo-jin considers Gun-i a sibling, but I think Gun-i has other ideas.

Hong-shi, Cheon-ma, and Gwang-ma were proudly listed as siblings too.

「Sibling: Hong-shi, follows only me.

Sibling: Cheon-ma, good at catching fish.

Sibling: Gwang-ma, scared of everything.

Sibling: Geon-ma, cute.」

After all that fuss, she even added someone else’s dog, Geon-ma, to the family tree.

“Hmm.”

Is it okay to submit this as a family introduction?

Well, it’s not a big deal, but the teacher might find it strange.

“There’s more on the back.”

“More?”

Rustle.

Yoo-jin flipped the paper. It seemed she ran out of space because she wrote so big.

「Brother: Choi Tae-yang, good at reading storybooks. Good at piggyback rides.」

What the?

Not only someone else’s dog, but she even brought in their precious son.