As soon as the one-month promise began, Flea immediately set up a ‘plan’.
Clues that could bring back childhood memories. That was the only key that could shake Ha-min's solid wall even a little.
During lunchtime, Flea deliberately pushed aside the scrambled eggs that were served as lunch and spoke.
“Hamin, you really liked omelets when you were little. Remember?”
Ha Min stopped eating with his spoon and blinked slightly.
“…Omelette?”
“Yeah! Even back then, your face would brighten up just by looking at this. That’s why I purposely brought you more….”
Flee smiled and picked up his spoon.
Ha Min paused for a moment, then lowered his gaze to his plate.
“…I don’t know. I remember that.”
“It’s okay. I’ll keep talking.”
After school, Ha-min headed to the gym as usual. Flea didn't miss it. Opening the gym door slightly, Ha-min was in his dobok, adjusting his belt.
Ha-min, out of habit, reached for a mirror, but upon realizing there were none in the gym, he found himself looking around aimlessly. For a moment, that image perfectly mirrored Flea's memory.
“Ha Min-ah.”
Flea approached and smiled faintly.
“You’ve been checking in the mirror every time you put on your belt since you were little. Is that why you look around twice?”
“…How did you…?”
“I remember everything. How seriously you adjusted the angle of the belt back then. Haha. You were so cute back then...”
Ha Min avoided eye contact and fiddled with his dobok belt again. A strange sense of foreboding kept rising in his mind.
‘… Was there really a time when I met him before… .’
"It's okay if you don't remember. I'll keep telling you. What kind of person you were."
Hamin let out a short breath and tightened his belt again.
“...”
“Okay… Practice! I’ll sit here until you’re done. Let’s go home together.”
That day, on the way home from school, Flea walked with Hamin. They walked side by side in silence, as usual, but Flea cherished this moment.
As they arrived in front of Ha-min's house, Flee smiled faintly.
“Thank you… for listening to me and being so considerate of me all day.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I was just… responding to what you said.”
“I know. But it was meaningful to me today.”
Ha Min nodded silently, then turned around coldly and stood in front of the front door.
“Well then… that’s it.”
Flee watched Hamin's back for a long time as he opened the door and entered. His back was as straight as it had been when he was a child. A small wish came to mind: to hug that shoulder tightly.
Flea muttered softly.
"Hamin... It's okay if you don't remember yet. I'll keep telling you. Every day, one piece at a time."
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