02 Summer Accident
Summer disappearance
Summer realized as soon as she finished speaking.
Oh, I'm screwed now.
The air in the classroom became strangely still. Myung Jae-hyun gaped, glancing between Yeoreum and Kim Woon-hak, while several children suppressed laughter. Some muttered, "What?" while others turned their heads, seemingly disinterested. Yeoreum couldn't hear a thing. Only the chirping of cicadas echoed in her ears.
Clang, creaking—.
Oh, please stop crying.
“Oh, no, that’s…!”
Summer tried to add a hasty comment, but her mind was blank, and the next sentence wouldn't come out. It wasn't interest, it wasn't that, it was just—
I was just going to say that I was curious about your face.
It's already too late.
Kim Woon-hak paused for a moment. He looked startled, but Yeoreum couldn't tell what it meant. Was it confusion, discomfort, or simply bewilderment?
"ah…."
Kim Un-hak made a short sound and nodded.
“I… thank you.”
...Thank you?
Summer was even more frozen at those words.
No, this isn't something to be thankful for. This is... This is an accident. A major accident.
“Uh, uh… I, I’m sorry—”
Before Yeoreum could even finish speaking, Myung Jae-hyun grabbed Yeoreum's arm and pulled her away.
“Hey hey hey, come out for a second.”
“Huh? Hey, I’m still—”
“If I say any more now, I’ll really die.”
Myung Jae-hyun practically dragged Yeoreum out into the hallway. As soon as the door closed, Yeoreum slumped against the wall, leaning against it.
"ah……."
I clutched my head. Seriously, truly, it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.
"hey."
Myung Jae-hyun looked down at Yeoreum with his arms crossed.
“Are you crazy?”
"…huh."
“Why ‘interested’ of all things?”
“I don’t know either….”
Summer muttered with a face that looked like it was about to cry.
“I just… didn’t mean to say that.”
Myung Jae-hyun sighed deeply and crouched down next to me.
"however."
“…….”
“Kim Un-hak, isn’t it better than I thought?”
Summer has raised its head.
"…uh?"
“I’m not really into kids. I speak a bit slowly.”
It's slow.
At those words, Yeoreum briefly thought back to the classroom.
Kim Woon-hak stood a step apart from the children. When someone spoke to him, he didn't respond immediately, but instead raised his head a beat later. He kept clutching the strap of his school bag.
"…I don't know."
Summer spoke softly.
“I just… came to see your face.”
It wasn't a lie. But strangely, Kim Un-hak's "Thank you" lingered in my ears. Usually, I'd laugh, be embarrassed, or even openly dislike it.
Thank you.
“Hey, still.”
Myung Jae-hyun said.
“I will definitely remember the name now.”
Summer lowered its head.
“…That’s more of a problem.”
That lunch, Yeoreum barely ate. She kept picking up and putting down her chopsticks, eventually ending up with just a few spoonfuls of soup. Baek Ah-reun watched her reaction and then cautiously asked.
“Summer… Are you okay?”
"…huh."
It wasn't okay. The same scene kept repeating in my head.
Kim Un-hak's surprised eyes, a brief silence, and those words. Thank you.
Summer looked out the window. Children in gym uniforms were running around the playground. Summer sunlight sparkled, falling on the ground.
Summer thought.
Why in the summer?
Why today of all days?
Why did it have to be Kim Un-hak?
After school that day, Summer deliberately avoided the first-grade hallway.
I didn't want to face him. No, actually, I didn't have the courage to face him.
Yet, strangely enough, only one thought lingered in Yeoreum's mind the entire way home. How had Kim Unhak taken those words from her earlier?
Choi Yeoreum was so depressed that she went to school listening to music. She only had one earphone in. So that the teachers wouldn't find out...
It's all like-
Your appearance in the affectionate photo
They're all the same-
I said it would be different this time
Damn it. The song is depressing too. Okay.. Then what should I listen to? - ,
" excuse me.. "
Knock knock - .
" evil! "
Choi Yeoreum screamed briefly and ran to the side. She was so shocked that she banged her shoulder against the wall, which hurt a little.
"Uh, uh... Are you okay..?"
"Oh..yes..?"
This is Kim Un-hak.
Oh really..!
"Uh, uh.. it's okay haha"
"Hey... that..."
Kim Un-hak's face gradually turned red.
silence.
"Uh.. um.. "
"Ah..yes.. "
" I, - " " I, !"
....
"M, you speak first," "You go first.. "
....
"ㅋㅋㅋㅋ" "Haaahhhhhhh"
"You're funny."
"Me too, sister haha"
As the laughter died down, silence fell between them again. It was a bit different from the awkwardness from before, like the blank space left after laughing together just now.
Kim Un-hak coughed once and said.
“Ah… earlier, that…”
"ah."
Summer spoke first.
“You don’t have to talk about that.”
Kim Un-hak blinked.
"…yes?"
"me too."
Summer paused for a moment, then added:
“I think it’ll get weirder if I do it again now.”
Kim Un-hak thought for a moment, then nodded.
"…yes."
I found that answer oddly appealing. It wasn't that he didn't ask, nor did he force a smile. I heard someone talking at the end of the hallway. Perhaps because it was after school, the school was much quieter than during the day.
"I…"
Kim Un-hak opened his mouth again.
“Just now… earphones.”
"…huh?"
“Only one side is worn.”
ah.
Summer touched my ears again.
“Uh… If I get caught, I’ll get in trouble.”
"ah…."
Kim Un-hak smiled faintly.
“Me too…sometimes.”
"okay?"
“Yes. As soon as you feel the teacher’s gaze, take it off.”
“…It’s the same.”
As Summer spoke in a muttered tone, Kim Un-hak looked slightly surprised.
"…ah."
He hesitated for a moment and then said.
"then…."
Summer naturally saw Kim Un-hak.
“What song are you listening to?”
Summer hesitated for a moment. Honestly, the lyrics of the song I was listening to were a bit off.
“…depressing.”
Kim Un-hak swallowed his laughter.
“Ah… I thought so.”
"why?"
"just…."
Kim Un-hak trailed off and then added honestly.
“It’s the expression.”
Summer made me laugh for a moment.
“You speak better than I thought.”
“Ah… no.”
Kim Woon-hak's ears turned red again. The two walked side by side toward the stairs. Their footsteps echoed faintly on the stairs. Suddenly, Yeoreum realized that this scene was more natural than she'd expected.
“That thing earlier.”
Summer said.
“In the classroom.”
Kim Un-hak stopped.
"…yes."
“That word.”
Summer took a deep breath.
“Really… I didn’t plan it.”
Kim Un-hak nodded.
"i know."
"…uh?"
“I feel like….”
Kim Un-hak thought for a moment and then said.
“It seemed like a mistake.”
Summer chuckled.
“ Haha.. right “
Kim Un-hak also laughed along.
"still."
He hesitated for a moment and then added.
“I didn’t feel bad.”
Yeoreum was speechless upon hearing that. She simply nodded. When they arrived at the school gate, Kim Unhak stopped first.
“I… I’ll go first then.”
"huh."
"ah."
Kim Un-hak took a step forward and then turned back.
"that…."
"…huh?"
"next time…."
The ending of the speech became blurred.
Summer waited.
"Can I at least say hello..?"
Summer thought for a moment and then said.
"…okay."
Only then did Kim Un-hak smile, as if relieved.
“Then… see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Tomorrow.”
Kim Woon-hak waved his hand gently and turned away. Yeoreum watched his back for a moment, then put her earphones back in. The song was still melancholic.
But strangely, it wasn't as bad as before. Summer thought. I thought today was a bust, but now that I look at it,
At least not all of them, I think.