" hello "
" hello!! "
That's how I ended up learning boxing with that kid. I decided to dedicate myself to learning as much as I could, even if it meant taking time off from my part-time job. Fortunately, the manager said he wouldn't take payment.
"Are you the heroine?"
"Ah.. yes"
"That's a pretty name. Who gave it to you?"
"..Father"
“Tch.. Director, you didn’t tell me my name was pretty!”
“Hey, Choi Beom-gyu, won’t you be quiet?”
" .. tooth "
“Anyway, let’s get started.”
" yes. "
" yes~ "
So, I started by jumping rope and building my basic stamina. Since I don't exercise much, I was a little out of breath just jumping rope.
Looking at the kid next to me, it seemed like he was doing it easier than I thought. I thought he must be good at sports too.
at that time,
bang,
"Uncle! I'm home~"
"Is Taehyun here?"
"Gang-Tae!"
” … “
A boy came in, presumably the manager's nephew and the younger sibling he'd mentioned. His name was Kang Tae-hyun, and he was a year younger than me.
He was a child with very big and bright eyes.
"The older sister who said she would come with Beomgyu hyung at that time came..ㅇ"
” ..? “
"Uh..uh"
“What, Kang Tae-hyun, why are you suddenly frozen?”
"Huh..? Oh.. that"
” ..? “
Suddenly, the child looked at me, froze, and couldn't speak properly. At that moment, I wondered if it was because I was uncomfortable.
I never imagined it would be the complete opposite
"I...don't know!"
"What's wrong with him?"
" .. well "
The kid stormed into the locker room and I ignored him and continued jumping rope.
I left the gym an hour after the promised time.
"Good job!"
" .. okay "
"I'm sorry about that part-time job."
"What are you sorry for again? It's okay, I made the decision."
" still.. "
"Then I don't have to come here?"
"Huh? No! That won't do!"
“Why on earth do you stick around with me like that?”
From the day I first saw you until now, I've never understood. Even I hate myself, so why do you keep clinging to me?
"That's... of course"
” ..? “
"Because I like you!"
" what? "
“It’s a shame that I’m the only one who knows that you’re a really good person.”
“ ..!! ”
“I know so many good things about you that they don’t even dream of, that’s why I like you.”
“ … ”
“More than anything...”
“ ..? ”
“You saved me back then.”
” … “
“I knew for sure that day.”
“ ..? ”
Hug,
“ ..!! ”
“You are the one who can save me”
“ … ”
at that time,
Swish,
“Wow.. look over there”
“ … ”
Just then, the clouds cleared in the sky and a bright, round moon rose. The moon was shining like a spotlight on me and the child.
The child's eyes sparkling in the moonlightIt was more attractive than usual.
Thinking back, that was the first time I'd ever stepped forward and intervened in someone else's business. I was always busy taking care of myself, busy protecting myself. I felt like I'd collapse at any moment if I didn't protect myself.
But ever since you reached out to me first, strangely enough, I've become more actively involved in your affairs.
“ … “
“..really pretty”
For the first time, the moon looked beautiful. When it was hiding in the darkness, desperate to hide me, I hated the moon that kept shining on me.
That dayShe looked so innocently pretty.
The next day,
“Hello, Yeoju.”
" .. okay "
“Wow!! You just answered my greeting..?”
“ … ”
"I'm really touched~"
" .. her "
She approached me with a bright smile from the morning. The light was warmer than I expected, and I felt somewhat drowsy and relaxed.
The feeling wasn't all bad
at that time,
puck,
"Hey, are you fucking kidding me? You're not even coming anymore?"
” … “
The leader of the group came to me and hit me on the head, and I was surprised by the bigger impact than I expected.
He grabbed my shoulder and lifted me out of the chair, looking down at me as if he was about to strike me.
“Hey, look at this guy with his eyes wide open? Are you crazy?”
“ … ”
“This is real!!”
The child's fist slammed into my right face. Suddenly, I remembered the evasion technique I'd learned yesterday, and I ducked down reflexively to avoid the blow.
“Huh… Are you learning sports these days? Are we trying to get revenge?”
“ … ”
“This is crazy, really.”
At that moment, another fist came from my right. But this time, I couldn't bend down, so I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my teeth.
at that time,
widely,
"What the XX, you"
“ ..!! ”
“I’m the class president here.”
The kid caught the fist coming towards me and glared at him with a face I had never seen before.
It was a face I had never seen before. It wasn't the same face I had seen at dawn.
“You won’t let this go? Are you crazy too?”
“It was kind of crazy.”
" her.. "
"Stop bothering him"
“ … “
“Who are you? Are you a boyfriend or something?”
“Does it have to be my boyfriend who can protect me?”
" what? "
“Then I should get a boyfriend.”
“ ..!! ”
" however Unfortunately, he doesn't like me.
“ … ”
“Anyway, stop bothering him.”
“ … ”
It was a face I'd never seen before. It was the first time I'd seen that child's face without a smile since that day. I was taken aback by the new emotion.
The boy's reaction made him leave the class, calling him crazy.
“Did I do well?”
As he left, the kid smiled at me again with a face I knew, and for some reason, I said something that was not on my mind.
“..well done, I avoided it well”
“Wow!! I saved this!”
“..I don’t know. Get out.”
“Ah, let’s go together~!”
"Mr. Lee...! Don't follow me!"
I was a little surprised by the child's new appearance, but the moon was still the moon, and its soft light was still beautiful. The warmth of that light was still there.
It felt like my frozen heart had melted a little in that warmth.