Before I knew it, the cold winter had passed, and green trees were growing. It was a sign that summer was coming. I wasn't particularly happy about summer's arrival. I didn't even want to welcome it. In fact, I used to really love summer. I loved the feeling of the warm, sultry sunlight shining on my face. The whole world was dyed blue, and I was busy looking around wherever I went. I used to count the days until summer came, but now I've changed. Because of you.
"Hey, Choi Soo-bi~~!!""
It was Joo-rin who called Subin as she was going home after school. The two had been together for over 10 years, and their parents had become close while living in the same apartment.
-"What? You said you'd go first because you were cleaning today."
"Cut it in 3 minutes!"
Juan looked up at Subin with a proud expression, arms folded. They lived in the same apartment and walked to and from school together every day. When Jurin left a message telling Subin to go first, Subin looked sullen. Jurin seemed to notice and quickly ran over.
-"But aren't you hot? It's this hot even in summer clothes, so how can you wear spring and fall clothes... Ugh..."
Subin shuddered and looked at Jurin pitifully.
โI thought I was going to die from the heat.. Iโm going to wear summer clothes starting tomorrow.โ
โAre you happy? Itโs the start of summer~~โ
-"of course"
Joo-rin patted Soo-bin on the shoulder and said. Then, Soo-bin began to smile when she heard that summer had begun. However, Joo-rin did not understand Soo-bin's love for summer. She did not even try to understand.
"What's so good about summer? It's just hot and stuffy."
-"Look over there, how pretty it is."
-"Look here!! One, two"
Click
Subin suddenly turned on the camera in selfie mode. The camera's shutter sounded and the flash went off.
"Taking pictures again... Oh my..."
"It turned out well. All that's left are the photos. I need to take more often."
Subin said while checking the pictures she had just taken. Subin had recently become obsessed with pictures. Since she hadn't been like that until recently, Jurin was concerned and suspicious of Subin. She was also a little worried because Subin had always refused to take pictures even when Jurin asked her to. Jurin asked her questions, but the only answer she got was, "They're all memories. You'll regret it later if you don't take pictures, right?" So she decided to just leave them alone.
-"bye"
"Yeah, you too"
While chatting like that, they each arrived at their homes. Subin printed out the photos she had taken with her owner and stuck them on the wall. One corner of Subin's room was filled with photos she had taken with her owner. And on the shelf, cameras were displayed by type, such as film cameras, Polaroid cameras, and digital cameras.
"I wish this summer could last forever."
Subin has had a crush on Jurin for three years now. Jurin doesn't seem to know it because she's oblivious. Of course, Subin is trying her best not to show it. It's not that she hasn't thought about confessing. She's thought about it thousands of times, listing all the possible scenarios. Excluding the possibility of losing her, who is her only and most precious friend, the only thing left was to hide it.
An alarm went off on Soobin's phone. It was Joo-rin's call, asking if she wanted to have dinner with her parents who were going on a business trip.
Ding dong
"Subina~"
Joo-rin was walking to Subin's room with a big smile. Joo-rin naturally entered Subin's room and lay down with her head on Subin's legs as she sat on the bed. Joo-rin lay down and looked up at Subin's face.
"What should we eat?"
Subin bit her tongue and barely managed to suppress a smile at Joo-rin's characteristically round tone of voice. This wasn't the first or second time this had happened, so it wasn't difficult.
-"What do you want to eat?"
"Well, I'll do anything"
As soon as the owner finished answering, Subin, without hesitation, opened the delivery app and ordered food. After about 20 minutes,
Ding dong
The delivery food arrived.
โIโm hungry. What did you order?โ
Joo-rin ran toward the front door, her heart racing. She greeted him regularly, received the delivery, and opened the plastic bag to check the contents.
"Oh my gosh, you ordered Honey O Bo? You don't like that."
-"I just suddenly had a craving so I ordered it. Are you not going to eat it?"
"Hey, what are you talking about~~"
Subin, her gaze fixed on her phone, answered with a look of disinterest. Honey O was Jurin's favorite chicken. Of course, Subin didn't like it. Jurin was suspicious of Subin for ordering a dish she didn't like, but was touched that he had thought of her and ordered it for her.
So the two of them sat facing each other and ate chicken. Subin put it down after eating two pieces, as if it definitely wasn't to her taste.
-"I'm done eating"
"Why? If you don't eat more, should I make you some ramen?"
-"It's okay lol you eat more and I'll do my homework"
Soo-bin went into the room. Joo-rin seemed to be concerned about Soo-bin, so she quietly started boiling a bowl of ramen as soon as Soo-bin entered.
"Ugh... Just order something else..."
Subin sat on the bed, looking intently for something as if she was worried, then sighed repeatedly.
โOuchโฆ!โ
Then, Ju-rin's small scream was heard from outside. Subin headed straight to the kitchen.
-"What are you doing?"
โI was trying to boil ramen when I accidentally grabbed the handle with my bare hands..โ
-โWhy are you boiling ramen?โ
โI thought you might be hungry...โ
Joo-rin answered, covering the hand she had been holding with her other hand.
-โHa.. Yeoju-rin, please donโt bother me.โ
With those words, Subin sighed and headed outside. Jurin was stunned and bewildered by the sight and tone of Subin, seeing her for the first time. And then, he couldn't understand Subin's actions. If it were the usual Subin, he would have been worried, but seeing her suddenly changed, he couldn't say anything. It was even more incomprehensible, considering that Subin had just ordered chicken for him, something he hated. Jurin held the scalded spot under cold water and pondered it. But he hadn't expected it, and a tear rolled down Jurin's cheek.
โWhat did I do wrong..โ
Subin went outside and sat on the bench where she and Jurin often sat. As evening fell, the hot sunlight faded, and a cool breeze brushed Subin's face. Subin sighed and washed her face. She looked clearly worried.
-โIf this summer doesnโt last foreverโฆ what should I do?โ