Four years ago, in March, the day the new semester began. It was a particularly warm spring day.
"Hey... hello? My name is Choi Yeo-ju. But since we're partners, I think you should know my name."
"...taehyoung kim"
The reason I responded to this question, which I would normally ignore, was purely out of an inexplicable pull. I couldn't tell where it came from.
"Your name is pretty. Hello, Taehyung?"
"Okay. Bye."
This was our first meeting.
***
Even when I was just sitting still, I couldn't help but find myself looking at things, and I became curious about trivial things that were so insignificant to me. It really wasn't like me.
"What do you like?"
"Um... I guess so. I've never thought about it. What about you?"
"I find it funny."
"What? What should I do if it's so ambiguous?"
Oh... I laughed.
Just that one fact made me feel like a cherry blossom had landed on my heart. What the hell... are you?
"Oh shit, I'm going crazy."
"uh?"
"No. Just talking to myself."
Eventually, I realized that I wanted to have Choi Yeo-ju. Thinking about it that way, all these abnormal attractions made sense. Yes, I just wanted to have her. So, there was only one way to stop this abnormal attraction.
I have to have you, Choi Yeo-ju.
***
After that, Choi Yeo-ju wasn't seen again. She wasn't the type of girl to skip school. It was clear that something was wrong. But there was no way to know.
"Haa. What's going on again?"
How could I be this worried after only seeing you for a few days? It was so funny to see myself worrying.
It was that night that I was able to find the cause. It was when I was passing by the school.
Sob sob sob
It was a sob I would have ignored. But then I realized that the voice in that sob really resembled someone.
And this crying sound was clearly coming from the rooftop railing.
Could it be... An uneasy thought, one I didn't even want to imagine, began to take over. Could it be...
Open your mouth and let me kiss you.
Short story/author. Samsami