"yes...?"
"Please do it. I'm a senior in high school."
"Here, look at my name tag. We go to the same school." I said that because I wanted to be as friendly as possible to the puppy staring at me with that vacant, vacant look in his eyes...
""I'm Park Jimin, a first year high school student."
Out of nowhere, this guy introduces himself.
"uh···?"
"This... wasn't what you were talking about?"
I desperately wanted to say, "No, I didn't." But looking into her eyes... I couldn't say that. I absolutely couldn't. If I did, I'd make you cry.
"Ahaha... Right, then."
So, really... there was a really awkward atmosphere, and then I heard something falling from the stand ceiling. I looked around and saw that it was raining. Yeah, the dark clouds were thick.
"Oh... it's raining..."
The boy, who had been wiping tears with his sleeve, took a few deep breaths, pulled out an umbrella from his bag, and stood up. Then, without saying a word, he stared at me...
What do I do?
"Are you going to get rained on?"
Oh, that's what I was going to ask-? Oh yeah~ You were going to put me in it, right? You pretty kid.
"Can you put it on me?"
"Yes, come this way."
Jimin, who had pulled me closer, opened his black three-tiered umbrella and walked across the playground without saying a word. It was quiet, but thankfully there was at least the sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella.
"Where are you going now?"
"···Home."
Why did your expression darken when you mentioned home? Ah... This isn't it. Haejoo, feeling compelled to quickly change the subject, asked a new question with a determined tone.
"Why were you crying earlier?"
"··· ···."
Wow, this isn't it either. Please. Did you just pick out the uncomfortable questions? Okay, then this time, I'll go with the question that seems to be the correct one.
·
·
·
"Do you want to come play with me instead of going home?"
It wasn't something I should have said since we were just meeting today. But still, I couldn't let this crybaby puppy go alone. I had to feed him something, see him smile, and then let him go.
·
·
·
Now that I'm out of school, I need to get this puppy something to eat, so I go into the snack bar right in front of the school. Sure enough, there's no one there. I can feel the rent.
"Okay, sit down."
"Uh... Is your senior living there?"
"Yeah. I'll buy it."
I've never been the first to spend money on anyone. I'm spending it on you, you crybaby. You should know it's an honor.
Before long, two servings of tteokbokki, one serving of sundae, and a row of kimbap filled the table. Your eyes sparkling brightly at the food... were a little cute. I guess this is what it feels like to have a younger brother. When I placed them in front of the spoon and chopsticks,I'll eat wellYou answer with a bright smile. Eat a lot, you eat it all.
I only ate a piece of kimbap and a piece of tteokbokki rice cake, but watching you eat makes me feel full. You're eating well.
"Senior, you don't eat...?"
You, who was holding your cheeks like a squirrel, must have been quite concerned about me, who was only looking at you.
"I'm not very hungry."
"But..."
"Senior, don't you do palm trees?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"why?"
"Because I want to go home quickly."
Oh... You looked at me as if you were seeing me for the first time, let out a small exclamation, and stuffed a piece of sundae into your mouth.
·
·
·
After filling the crybaby puppy's stomach, I walked for a while under the umbrella the puppy was holding, and then I saw a claw machine.
"Wow, let's do this!"
"Are you good at this?"
"Ugh- didn't you hear? I'm the famous doll grabber at our school."
"Just wait."
The claw machine outside was soaking wet from the rain. Meanwhile, the heroine, oblivious to the rain, was already poised, opening her wallet and inserting coins. She pressed the buttons, her hands slightly relaxed, and then her gaze shifted.
Jimin, who had been watching Yeoju from the side, tilted his umbrella toward her. He didn't even realize that his shoulder was getting wet...
·
·
·
Twice... like that? Did you try? The female protagonist, who had won a puppy doll twice the size of her palm, rubbed it with satisfaction before handing it to Jimin.
"This looks like you."
"yes···?"
"You take it. It's a gift."
"This...?"
Jimin, who suddenly received a doll and a meal from a stranger he met today. At that age, Jimin, who was simply innocent, thought he was a lucky child. He snuggled the doll the woman gave him into his arms, and when she took the lead, he followed behind, holding an umbrella for her. He was quite busy.
·
·
·
Jimin, who had been dragged around here and there solely by the female protagonist's subjective opinion, finally said something due to his exhausted energy.
"Senior, how about we take a break now?"
·
·
·
The place where the female protagonist brought Jimin was,My own apartment playground.It seems like he was quite selfish from the very beginning when he chose the location... but Jimin, who doesn't know anything, follows the female protagonist and rides on the swing, holding a Melona and a doll in both hands that the female protagonist bought him.
The sun had already set, and a thick darkness had settled over the sky. The rain had stopped, but the rain that had been falling all evening had made the sand at the playground slick with every step. My feet sank in.
The two people sitting side by side on the swing each put their school bags down in different places and started to ride the swing, pushing off the ground with their feet just long enough to feel the cold wind.Of course, please do so.
Jimin had been keeping his mouth shut and looking at the female protagonist as if he had something to say to her, but the female protagonist didn't notice because he was trying to be mindful of our feelings.
"Hey... please... senior."
The female protagonist, who was enjoying riding the swing with her arms stretched out to the side without thinking, immediately puts her feet on the ground, asking if she had anything to say when Jimin calls her.
"···Thank you for today."
As expected, I heard a wet voice again and turned my head to the side, thinking it was no way... and as expected, it was a crybaby with tears hanging from his eyes.
"···No, why are you crying again..."
Now that I'm talking, it seems like she's crying even more. This girl is really about to cry. Stop crying, you little puppy...
"I thought I had no one to turn to..."
"I sincerely thank you for being with me today."
"What, you talk like you're leaving?"
"yes...?"
"That's right, why do you keep using past tense?"
"···That's not it,"
·
·
"I won't be able to see you anymore, senior..."
"Why can't you see me?"
"There's no way my senior will come see me."
This guy... he's pretty good at beating around the bush when he asks you to come see him.
"Why do you think so? I might go see you."
"Lies... Are you a senior?"
Why would a senior like me...Jimin, who was rubbing his eyes hard with his sleeve and trailing off, took a bite of the Melona he was holding, slurping it down as it melted in his mouth, and then blankly avoided my gaze and stared somewhere else.
“···You must have a lot of nicknames.”
Jimin turned his head towards me only after I spoke, as if it wasn't the reaction he had expected.
"Crybaby... puppy... and one more."
"fool."
"··· ···."
"Hey, you can just come see me."
Why are you making such a big deal out of it? If you come to me, I can come to you. Ugh... I'm already worried, worried, just thinking about how such a gentle, innocent little thing will survive in this harsh world.
"Senior, will you meet me?"
Now, you're finally starting to smile. I'm relieved too. Yes, I'll meet you a hundred times. I'll meet you just to avoid seeing you cry.
·
·
·
...a memory came to mind. No, wait. Is that you? The crybaby puppy I'm thinking of, no. The one I remember... at least, doesn't look like the man in front of me right now.
Even if I try to recall a little more memories... I guess I can't help it because of my age.I don't remember anything after that.
First of all, judging by what this guy said... I don't think our relationship was that deep. It's more like he just had a one-sided crush on me...
"You don't remember... right?"
Because he had so quickly confirmed my memory, I couldn't say anything else. Let's just go with the concept of not remembering anything. That's how it turned out.
"···ah..."
"I spoke out of turn. Should I get up now?"
"I wonder..."
He smiled bitterly, got up from his seat, and seemed to walk towards the counter. I, who remained in my seat, just stared at the cocktail glass placed in front of him.
Clearly... I remember this man. I think it's the same person... But the person who cried back then was a man... Why did he cry? Did I ask him why he cried then? Did I even get an answer? If I didn't ask why, should I ask now?
"···What am I thinking right now."
Okay, okay. We're only talking today, so why are you thinking so much? Come to your senses. I almost drifted off into other thoughts, but barely managed to stop myself. I stood up and hurried out of the bar.
[Manggaemanggae Saddam]
Yeoju, not dementia, be careful※ My memories from 10 years ago are vague, like mathematical formulas, religious laws, and the providence of the universe(?)※※※※