cigarette
"Hey, let's go have a smoke."
" there is? "
"Yeah, my older brother bought it for me."
"Okay. The alley behind the school?"
"Yeah, yeah."
I came to the alley behind the school with a friend to cut up some palm trees and smoke a cigarette. Since teachers rarely visited the alley, it was the perfect place to smoke.
When I came down the back alley with my friend, some kids were already there. As soon as I entered the alley, I snatched the cigarette my friend was holding and lit it.
'Haven't you smoked for a while?'
"Yeah. Because that bastard Jeon Won-woo didn't give me a cigarette."
"That's why I brought you here."
" no? "
"No, that's why I love you."
"Yeah, get out."
'Why don't you guys date?'
'You two look great together.'
"Jeon Won-woo and I? Ugh."
When my friend said that Jeon Won-woo and I looked good together, I pretended to vomit. Then Jeon Won-woo made a hurt face. Seriously, ugh.
After a while, I was laughing and chatting with my friends, cigarettes between my lips, when I heard the sound of a bag falling from the alleyway entrance. We, who were secretly smoking, looked in the direction of the sound like meerkats.
The person who heard that voice was Kim Min-gyu, the second-year student who had asked me to be his friend three days earlier. He had a look of shock on his face. He was staring straight at me, not at the others.
Kim Min-gyu trudged toward me, properly strapping on his dropped bag. We, who were smoking cigarettes, continued smoking, oblivious to his actions. Kim Min-gyu walked toward me.
Kim Min-gyu, who had come up to me, snatched the cigarette butt from my hand, threw it on the ground, and crushed it. It had been a while since I'd smoked a cigarette, and I was about to yell at him, angry at his behavior. But he grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the alley. My friends were dumbfounded.
***
"Do you smoke?"
"Why are you smoking?"
"Aren't those seniors bullies?"
"Why were you with the senior bullies?? "
" under,... "
Senior Yunseul ignored my question and took something out of her bag. It was a peach-scented perfume. She sprayed it on, closed the cap, and put it back in her bag. Zipped up the bag, she turned around and seemed ready to head back down the alley.
***
After using perfume to neutralize the cigarette smell as best as I could, I was about to head back to the alley when Kim Min-gyu grabbed my wrist again. "Why is he holding me?" I asked angrily, and when I nervously shook him off, Kim Min-gyu looked like a wounded puppy.
" why. "
"Why did you drag me here?"
"Why do you smoke?"
"Because it's good."
"Okay? I'm going."
"Can't I not smoke?"
I was speechless. Who the hell was he to tell me to smoke? He glared at me once, then turned around to leave, only to be caught again. Kim Min-gyu grabbed his wrist. This was already the third time.
"Who are you to tell me to smoke?"
"Would you like to be my boyfriend?"
"Or do you like me or something?"
At my words, Kim Min-gyu's cheeks flushed. His ears, too. He couldn't even make eye contact. His reaction was absurd. It's only been a few days since we met, and we still don't know much about each other, yet he likes me. I was truly dumbfounded. He must be an idiot.
"Then don't smoke anymore."
"Why should I do that?"
"Of course, smoking is bad for your health, and you don't want to die early."
" under,... "
"Okay, so can you let go of my hand?"
"I want to go home."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"But you're really not going to smoke, are you?"
"I said I don't smoke."
"Really? Really? You promised me!"
"Goodbye!!"
When I told him I didn't smoke, Kim Min-gyu's expression changed in an instant. "I don't want to see you tomorrow," he said, waving his hand with a dog-like grin. I ran home, determined to keep waving until I was out of sight.
***
Senior Yunseul ran away. He stopped waving his arms and put them down. At first, the image of Senior Yunseul smoking a cigarette didn't quite match the Yoonseul I knew. The first senior I fell in love with in high school was a bully.
I hate bullies. Especially the ones who smoke and bully others. But when I saw Yoonseul smoking, my heart raced. I thought I'd lose interest, but I wasn't. I didn't mind seeing Yoonseul smoking.
***
"Hey, what did Kim Min-gyu say when he dragged you away yesterday?"
"Oh, I don't know. I told you not to smoke."
"Why? Does he like you?"
"I asked you if you liked it?"
"Instead of answering, he blushed."
" Phew lol"
"Then you're a total idiot. Yunseul, are you finally escaping from Mosol?"
"I don't like it."
"He's not my type."
I don't really like people who resemble dogs like Kim Min-gyu. Seriously, my ideal type is someone who resembles a cat. But I'm single. I've received a few confessions, but they were all puppy-like. That's why I rejected them.
***
From that day on, Kim Min-gyu came to our class every day. During recess, lunch, and even after school. So, I didn't have to smoke. I just felt self-conscious.
It was math class. I was lying down in the classroom, then I brought Jeon Won-woo up to the rooftop. Class was about to start, and since the rooftop wasn't a place students often went, there was no chance of me running into Kim Min-gyu. Why should I care about him? I accepted a cigarette from Jeon Won-woo, lit it, and put it in my mouth.
"Didn't you break up with me?"
"How can I break up with him? It's because of that guy Kim Min-gyu."
"Do you care about Kim Min-gyu?"
"No. I just get annoyed when I see him smoking."
During math class, I played ding-dong on the rooftop with Jeon Won-woo. After I finished smoking, I didn't have time to throw away my cigarette, so I threw it in a corner of the rooftop and stepped on it.
The bell rang, and Jeon Won-woo went downstairs first. Then I started to go down to the classroom, too. Before Kim Min-gyu opened the rooftop door and came in.
Sunday...is my day off...
Sorry I'm late😢😢😢