The Boy We Loved Back Then

An Unshakable First Love

ep.00 _ The Transfer Student

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A season when freshness seeps into every street, and the sound of cicadas rings out grandly. Summer has finally arrived, bringing school break and holidays so we can go on vacation even while fighting the heat with all our might.

Our village was a tiny rural place deep in the mountains, with nothing around it but a river and a dam. Maybe because of that, during summer vacation it was always crowded with outsiders coming up to escape the heat and relax.

The village adults liked it, saying it helped promote the area, but my friends and I weren’t too fond of the noisy people who spent their nights shouting and setting off fireworks.

One day left until summer vacation of our first year of high school.

I was so excited that, as usual, I got to the classroom first.

" Ah... it's so hot. "

After I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sat down, one by one, my classmates started coming into the classroom. When are they ever going to fix this damn air conditioner...? The air conditioner blowing out a barely-cool breeze and the outdoor unit rattling away with a terrible noise buzzed and hummed.

" Hey guys, hi~ Ah, what, Yoon Yeoju's first again? "

" Try getting here earlier, Jeong Haeju. "

" You're the one who's way too early. Even cicadas aren't awake at this hour. "

The person who had been closest to me since birth, Haeju, soon came to school too. Unlike me, she was bright and very good at getting along with adults. And she was so well-connected that there wasn't a rumor or person in this town Haeju didn't know.

That was how sensitive Haeju was to trends and other people's opinions.

" What's that on your forehead now? You look like an alien. "

" Oh my~ Why are you being so old-fashioned? This is a brand-new hairpin I just got, and all the Seoul girls wear them. "

" New my ass. "

Rattle-

" Okay, everyone quiet. We have a new friend today. He came all the way from Seoul, so take good care of him, all right? "

" ..... "

" Now, introduce yourself. "

" ... My name is Jeon Jungkook. Nice to meet you. "

" ...... "

" Wow, what do we do? Looks like he's really shy. "

Huh. Breaking the silence, Haeju spoke so loudly that even pretending to talk to herself, her words were all too easy to hear, and I was the only one breaking out in a cold sweat. Grimacing, I nudged Hwiwon with my elbow, but Haeju just shrugged her shoulders, asking what was wrong.

' Is he nervous...?'

The transfer student, whether he was nervous or just naturally quiet, hadn't said a word beyond his own name, but either way it was obvious that coming to this rural school where there were only about ten students in the entire school wouldn't be easy to adjust to.

I also had a hard time with people this quiet. If they weren't as friendly as Haeju, anyway. Just from the first impression, I didn't really want to get close to him. Not knowing what might come my way later.

" Well, anyway, school starts vacation tomorrow, so Jungkook can sit anywhere, and it looks like Yeoju lives next door to Jungkook. Go home together! Okay? "

" Huh? Me? "

" Yes, you. Now hurry up and get ready for the next class. End of homeroom. "

Damn it. I got stuck. No wonder Mr. Park at the real estate office had been grinning from ear to ear when he showed us the place next door a week ago. So the rich young master moving in was him.

" Hey, Yoon Yeoju. Have you said hi to Jeon Jungkook yet? "

" I don't know. I haven't talked to him even once. "

" Why~? He's a young master, a young master~ A Seoul boy, too~ "

According to the rumors, his family is insanely wealthy. Haeju kept pestering me every break, telling me to go say hello to Jeon Jungkook. Why does she love Seoul so much?

I was annoyed by Haeju, who kept staring at me with wide eyes and urging me on, and when I turned my head away, I ended up making eye contact with Jeon Jungkook. He'll know they're talking about him... Ugh, embarrassing. And anyway, Jungkook was the first person whose expression I couldn't read. That strange atmosphere lingering around him, along with those moist eyes that somehow felt sad.

He's really unusual.

Ding-dong-dong~

As the bell rang to signal the end of homeroom, the kids poured out in a rush. Since it was the closing ceremony, I guess it was lucky we only had morning classes... But I couldn't help it because the teacher ordered me to, and in the end I had to play bodyguard and walk Jeongguk home, which was so upsetting it was enough to kill me.

Whether he knew it or not, Haeju grinned beside me and tugged on my hand, telling me to wait with her for Jeon Jungkook, who had gone into the teachers' office.