Time to walk down memory lane
About a week after quitting my part-time job, the start of the new school year approached. The day before, I took my school uniform out of my closet and packed my bag with books, notebooks, and various writing utensils. Just when I thought I was completely ready for school, my hands started shaking.
“Why again…!”
School was no longer a place where I could smile and be happy. It was that way when Lee Joon was around, but without him, school was just suffocating.
It was from then. Last winter, in November, when I last saw Lee Jun in the photography club. And since that day, I haven't seen Lee Jun even once. Sometimes, whenever I try to go to school, my hands tremble.It's as if the very space called school had become a trauma to me.
Also, Lee Jun's last appearance comes to mind.
“Jun-ah… I guess I’m still living in your time…”
In the bedside drawer sat a single photo of Lee Jun. Several seasons had already passed, yet it seemed as if only you and I were frozen in that winter.
I'm sure I set an alarm, but for some reason it didn't go off. Feeling unlucky this morning, I finally woke up to Min Yoongi's call, put on my school uniform, and left the house. In front of the house, Min Yoongi was in his summer uniform, fiddling with his phone.
“It’s late.”
“Sorry, I guess I’ll be late on the first day of school.”
“Go to bed early. What did you do yesterday?”
"just…"
If Min Yoongi knew I cried last night, holding Lee Joon's photo in my arms, he might turn as cold as ice. So I trailed off with the word "just." But Min Yoongi must have momentarily forgotten that they weren't just old friends.
“Did you cry?”
“No…?”
Min Yoongi's eyes can never be deceived. I rolled my eyes back and forth, trying to avoid eye contact with him as much as possible.
“That’s right, that’s right. What do you mean, I’m not crying?”
“Does it show a lot of tea?”
"uh."
The words were a mixture of sighs and a light slap. I knew Min Yoongi's indifferent tone was worrying, so I smiled faintly. Of course, Min Yoongi did something to make me laugh, asking what I had done right...
Since we were sure to be late anyway, we decided not to run until we were sweating. Min Yoongi and I don't usually put effort into things that aren't efficient. As we walked slowly to school, we talked about various things. And then we naturally ended up talking about the thing we cried about yesterday.Oh, I should have just said let's run. I was overcome with regret.
“Is it him again?”
“…My hands suddenly started shaking. I couldn’t help it.”
Min Yoongi's expression hardened for a moment. I could tell it was Lee Joon. With no room for excuses, I had no choice but to confess everything.
"Okay. I won't say anything. Just go to the hospital later."
"huh!"
There were only a few instances where Min Yoongi didn't say anything about my work with Lee Joon. My eyes widened, and I soon smiled brightly.
Without even knowing what kind of chaos was happening at the school that was starting to come into view.
