Episode 66: The Twelfth Month, 25th
– Splash. – Splash.
I move my weary feet.
I wonder if I’m just dreaming.
I thought that when I go to school tomorrow, Minseong would greet me cheerfully.
I, Han Shiwoo, have actually experienced this kind of farewell before.
‘Even when my parents left me…’
No, now I can’t even remember their faces.
I didn’t feel a particular attachment.
“… I can’t really call that a farewell.”
People perceive things differently, but to me, it doesn’t feel like a farewell at all.
The true farewell in my life is now.
My closest friend, the friend I shared the same air with.
That bond vanished overnight.
I continued walking toward home, denying the reality in my heart.
As the weather warmed up, the snow around me melted, making each step feel as if I were trudging through a swamp.
My reflection in the convenience store glass showed that I was hunched over, clearly looking downcast.
‘Oh? Is that…?’
While I was looking at my reflection, I saw Yena beyond the glass.
Did she see me too? She suddenly jumped out of the convenience store, startled.
Wrapped in the blanket she had on at school, she ran toward me.
“Siwoo, you! You should’ve woken me up to go together!”
“… I’m sorry, but… aren’t you cold? You’ll catch a cold like that with just a blanket…”
I was wearing a long padded coat, so I was definitely warm.
But Yena had tucked her school uniform shirt into her winter skirt and was just draped in the blanket.
“Th-That’s why you were inside the convenience store, right? You’re really clueless…”
She gently grabbed my long padded coat with her fingers.
Then, with her other hand covering her mouth, she looked up at me.
“Hey, I’m cold… hug me.”
“Uh? Okay…”
While I was taken aback by Yena’s sudden action, I quickly opened my arms.
She jumped right into my embrace.
I reflexively hugged Yena tightly.
I could feel her cold skin against my warm body.
Her figure, steadily taking my warmth away, made me smile involuntarily.
This reminded me of something the teacher once said.
First loves don’t come true, and the pain of farewells is covered by another love.
Experiencing it firsthand, I understood it well.
“Ah… it’s warm.”
Every time Yena spoke, a pleasant shiver ran through me.
I hugged her even tighter.
Now, I could feel all of Yena’s body.
Where it should be curvy, there were curves, and where it should be flat, it was flat.
Because she tucked her school uniform shirt into her skirt, her S-line figure was highlighted, making her curves even more pronounced.
Her ordinary black hair somehow intensified her charm.
“… You pervert, where are you touching?”
“I’m not touching. And could you say that a bit quieter? Other people are staring at me like they want to kill me…”
“Tch, I wouldn’t mind if my boyfriend were a little perverted. I actually prefer someone a bit more proactive…”
Yena sparkled her eyes and kept meeting my gaze.
She seemed determined not to miss even a single moment of my expression, which made me look back at her with a serious heart.
Under the setting sun, we were both enchanted, oblivious to the world around us.
I knew that acts of love or passionate displays of affection in public places were considered intrusive.
‘But just for now…’
I desperately needed healing in my heart.
I acted nonchalant in front of Yena, but I still hadn’t let go of the best friend I lost.
“Yena.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
I gently grasped her chin.
Yena naturally accepted my touch.
We looked at each other.
Smiling from the sight of her, I spoke.
Her smile was adorable.
“Every moment I’ve spent with you is truly special and precious… those moments have great meaning for me.”
A smile spread across Yena’s lips at my sincere words.
“I feel the same. Let’s… continue to understand and support each other… and dream of the future together.”
‘Yes… I don’t think I could bear any more farewells.’
I answered in my heart.
Minseong told me to keep it a secret.
He even dropped out of school to avoid letting anyone know.
So I shouldn’t betray that expectation.
“Yena, I always dream of a future with you and feel gratitude for it.”
“Yeah, I want to cherish the future I imagine with you… I’m happy to be able to love you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I ended our eye contact with Yena and leaned in for a kiss.
Her adorably fluffy lips wrapped around mine.
Together, we shared a promise about our future.
We vowed to protect each other.
Even in this moment of kissing, I could feel her affection transferring from my lips to hers.
I loved her, and she loved me.
We deeply reaffirmed our affection and trust for each other.
We promised a future.
This beautiful moment will never be forgotten in my memory.
Because… it was true.
I was told that farewells are covered with love.
A lot of time passed since then.
The snow melted, cherry blossoms bloomed and fell, enduring the intense sunlight and sticky rain, and it became a season where pure white snow fell again.
The absence of Minseong was felt as high school graduation was approaching.
As I reminisced about the memories of childhood with him, I counted the months.
The twelfth month, 25th.
The day before Christmas, December 25th.
People call that day Christmas Eve.
We were diligently at school even on that Christmas Eve.
In the second semester of our third year, Yena still sat next to me.
In front, Junseok sat alone.
“Ah, I just hit Platinum, but where did that guy go? Did he transfer? Did he run away, scared of our promise to duel one-on-one?”
“He dropped out. I told you that before, didn’t I?”
“Is that so? I wonder what that guy Minseong is doing right now. I’m curious.”
‘… I wonder if he went to a good place by now.’
So much time has passed.
Is he buried in a sunny spot?
Or maybe in a crematorium, in an ossuary.
If only I knew the cemetery’s location, I would have visited.
Minseong’s last consideration made it so that even if I wanted to care about him, I couldn’t.
‘At least it would have been nice if I could have gone to the funeral…’
“Maybe he dropped out and went abroad for school?”
“Could be.”
“Hey, what kind of answer is that? You’ve changed a lot since you got a girlfriend. What a pity.”
“I haven’t changed at all.”
“No, you’ve changed a lot.”
I had only watched Junseok and Minseong bickering daily from afar.
Now, I was taking Minseong’s place.
“Hey, Siwoo and you. Keep it down.”
Yena looked at us with an annoyed expression, urging us to be quiet.
Junseok leaned closer to me, whispering.
“Your girlfriend’s pretty sensitive today. Is she on her period—”
“Shut up, that’s not the type of comment you should be making. She’s probably sensitive because she’s searching for information about the Awakening Assessment. We also have to take the Awakening Assessment on January 1st.”
Junseok backed off a bit, following up on my words.
“Is that so? I don’t have to worry much since I’ll inherit my dad’s business, but ugh~ I just want to finish high school already.”
“Damn bourgeois brat, get lost.”
Junseok returned to his seat, smirking at me.
“Ah, this part is hard…”
Yena kept glancing at me as she muttered.
“I wonder if someone could help a little…”
“… With what?”
“No, this part has become a problem.”
“… Spouse?”
“Yeah, it’s one of the pieces of information I have to fill out to register on this association’s site. Should I put ‘none’? Since, you know… we’re in an engagement-like relationship, right?”
Yena smiled faintly, handing me her smartphone.
But I pushed the smartphone away and replied.
“Just write ‘none’ for now.”
“Uh? Why…”
Yena’s expression gradually hardened.
Before she could misunderstand, I quickly followed up with my next words.
“… I’ll give you a proper proposal later.”
“Ah… okay, I’ll wait.”
“It might take a while though.”
“Pft, what’s that? If you hadn’t said that, I would have been touched. Can you really let such an opportunity slip by?”
I ruffled Yena’s hair playfully.
I felt that her mentioning that was subtly expressing the anxiety she was feeling.
“Ah, my hair is getting messed up… you fool.”
My petting was also meant to reassure her.
“I’ll always be by your side, so don’t worry too much.”
“Hah, who said I was worried? I’ve always trusted you. I still trust you now.”
I took Yena’s delicate hand.
“Whew~ I’m sorry for the nice atmosphere, but I’d like you to be aware that I’m here too. Are you two really crazy? Just make a romance already.”
We hurriedly withdrew our hands as Junseok interrupted us.
Despite our seemingly ordinary but extraordinary lives as high school students nearing their end, we still spent our time joyfully.
Thus, we awaited the New Year, passing Christmas.
Yena and I were currently looking forward to the day we would both turn adults rather than Christmas, so we promised to meet together in the New Year after passing Christmas.
At nineteen, we couldn’t do it on Christmas.
But in the New Year, when our ages changed.
To experience such adult play.
