"I'm sorry, son.
We didn't expect this either."
"It's fine, I'm not a kid.
But does Yeojoo know? That I'm leaving."
"Maybe Yumi already told her. I don't know.
By the way, you're lucky, son. You get to see Yeojoo again."
"Yeojoo will probably hate me.
It'd be a miracle if she doesn't tell me to8 get lost the moment she sees me."
"Huh? Why would Yeojoo hate you?"
"She's always hated me. I was the only one who liked her.
Anyway, don't worry about me. Have a good trip."
I was left alone in Korea because my parents got an unexpected overseas transfer. I was torn between renting a small room near my school or staying with relatives when Aunt Yumi generously offered to let me stay in her rooftop room. Since the school I had to transfer to was about an hour away, I didn't have much to think about. I was going to take the regular entrance exam anyway, so I didn’t need to worry about the early admissions. Plus, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see Kim Yeojoo again after five years.
"I missed you."
As soon as I saw Kim Yeojoo, those words came out. The chubby and cute little Yeojoo I once knew was gone, replaced by someone completely different. As soon as she saw me, Yeojoo frowned. Guess she still hates me, even after five years. How bitter.
"What’s this?"
"What do you mean, it’s me."
"What’s with the luggage? Why are you here?"
"Didn’t Aunt Yumi tell you? I’m living here from today, in the rooftop room above yours."
"Why?"
"Since it’s our first meeting in five years, you sure have a lot of questions. You’ll find out in time, but I’m tired from the long trip, so I’ll take a rest."
Yeojoo looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. That face… she still looks the same as she did five years ago. It’s the face she makes when she’s completely stunned. And every time I see that face, it makes me want to tease her. It’s like how a little raccoon would puff out its cheeks.
"Whoa, am I finally going to see Kim Taehyung, the one I’ve only heard about?"
"I don’t know… And what’s this about hearing so much about Kim Taehyung?"
"Come on, you've talked about him so much, I feel like I know him now. Are you still not over him, not dating anyone?"
"What are you saying? That’s not true!"
"If you live in the rooftop room, do you eat together every day?"
"Yeah, I just sleep in that room, though."
"Why didn’t Mom ask me about this important matter…!"
"Come on, you’re just trying to mess with me. You still like Kim Taehyung, don’t you?"
"I don’t! I’ve completely forgotten about him."
Kim Taehyung is just a memory now. Even though I was so young, the feelings I had for him were so vivid that it’s the first time I ever liked someone. So, I shared those memories with my friends a little, and Taehyung’s looks were exceptional, so I talked about him a few times over the past five years when I thought of him. But Kim Taehyung is not love; he’s just a memory I want to cherish. I’m not crazy enough to still like him after five years of being apart.
"Mom, where’s my school uniform?"
"Good morning?"
"… Because of you, it's more like a bad morning."
"Well, I had a good morning because of you."
"What’s with the uniform?"
"This? Why?"
"Why are you wearing our school uniform?"
"I transferred here. This was the closest school to here."
"What nonsense are you talking? It’s a 30-minute subway ride. There’s a school right next door, why would you—"
"It’s my choice. Got a problem?"
"… Let’s not talk about it."
"By the way, you’ve grown a lot. You used to be tiny, now you’re almost the same height as me."
"You must’ve shrunk, little dwarf."
"I’m not short. But you’re not happy to see me?"
"… Not really."
"Seriously, I’m dying to see you and transferred here just for that."
"…"
This is how it always was. Even back then, Kim Taehyung would casually say things like that. I knew he didn’t mean it, but thinking about how much I used to get excited and expectant over words like that made me reflect on my past self. And now, even though I know it’s not sincere, my heart still races five years later. It’s so frustrating.
"What are you being so serious for?"
"You’ve always been so easy for me. Nothing’s changed."
"Yeah, that’s true. It’s you, Kim Yeojoo, so nothing’s hard for you."
"… You really are a bad person."
I’ve never been comfortable around you since that childhood crush. But to you, I was always an easy target. Even now, I was still just an easy existence for you.
"Hey, but isn’t it a bit much to express it like that? Does Kim Taehyung like you?"
"That jerk’s just a fox, he knows everything. He knew from the start, and he still acts like he thinks I’m in love with him. So he says things like that on purpose."
"Is he stringing you along?"
"… I don’t know. But he’s doing this on purpose. It just pisses me off that I still get excited even though I know all of that."