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"But it seems like this is your first time seeing me?"
"You're not from this neighborhood, are you?"
That kid asked me
"Yeah... I stopped by my grandmother's house for a bit because it was vacation."
I thought his complexion was darkening.
Handle the gaze low.
For a moment, but definitely, those black eyes
It felt like I had confirmed that I was becoming empty
"Then I'll be there soon."
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That word keeps coming back to me.
After a brief meeting with that kid
Come back to grandma's house
The scent of old trees spreads gently
I buried my face in the bed.
And then buried in the bed sheets
I quietly recall what happened earlier.
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"Yeah.. right? I guess after the vacation is over
"I have to go to school"
"So you live here?"
She's in the place where she released the eggs earlier
Wash your dirty hands and shake them off
"..huh"
Light blue loose pants with a white shirt
Slightly wet black hair
Lips that are cute like a duck without answering
The one I have
I roughly shook off the water still on my hands.
He stood there, staring at me with his big, round eyes.
"..there are no kids my age here"
"So, do you want to play with me often from now on?"
Come to think of it, it's already been three days since I came here.
I've never seen a kid my age.
Except for the guy in front of my eyes.
So, have you been alone all this time?
Thinking about it like that, the person who had been looking at me since earlier
Both eyes looked sad somewhere.
"okay.!"
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Yeah, I was bored too
I had nothing to do, right?
Turn your prone body
In accordance with the movement of the string of lights hanging from the ceiling
Roll your eyes.
But still, that child's eyes
What is it that keeps coming to mind?
..Oh, now that I think about it, I don't even know his name
I'll have to ask him next time we meet.
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As time passes, the sky turns red
The grandmother who had gone to work in the fields also came back.
I turned on the old fan that made a pleasant noise.
You saw me eating a sweet orange bar
A brown basket full of wild vegetables
He gestures and says, "Look."
It will be a colorful feast for dinner tonight too.
When you hear the sound of warm barley rice being cooked
Fill the rice bowl and pile it up high.
Even though I told you several times that I can't eat that much.
"Grandma, aren't there many kids my age in this neighborhood?"
I took a big spoonful of the rice that was piled up
Hidden among the green herbs
I flick my chopsticks a few times at the bright yellow fried egg.
"..This place is a paradise for old people
"All the lumps of blood like you have gone to Seoul."
"Why are you bored when you don't have any friends?"
Compared to my piled up rice
Looking at my grandmother's rice bowl that wasn't even half full
Answered the question.
"..No, it's okay now!"
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bored.
I have a cell phone that doesn't have a signal
It wasn't easy to last 3 days...
But now, more than before
I don't think it will get boring.
Will I be able to see you there tomorrow?
"But Grandma, please eat more... I have too much."
Please add some more vegetables to my rice bowl.
"Young people should eat more."
I want to stop eating vegetables now...
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It's quite different from Seoul at night
A pitch-black village without a single speck of light
With pure white stars embroidered on it,
To the sound of crickets chirping outside the window
I listened to the music and fell asleep, looking forward to tomorrow.
23 days of vacation left