I met the national team representative at the alumni reunion.
Just turned twenty. This year, I'm finally experiencing the thrill of escaping my teenage years. The feeling of liberation, of the first digit changing to a 2... is indescribable! Perhaps it's thanks to all the hard work I put into my studies throughout my three years of high school. I even got into a decent college, in the department I wanted.
"Ah, good-!"
One day, it was like that. The weather was absolutely crazy good. And by crazy good... I mean, it was absolutely crazy good. It was just so clear. It was so clear. So I just happened to lie down on the lawn on campus. I had to endure the stares of people passing by, but it felt good.
On a positive note, you have a romantic and original personality. You don't get stressed easily, and you never lose hope in anything. However, on a more negative note, sometimes your energy can be so overwhelming that others might perceive you as... well, just a crazy idiot.
I can't help it. Even this is just my innate personality, born from the moment I was born. Starting in elementary school, middle school... and high school... Perhaps it's because of my unique personality, but I also liked to take the initiative, so I was class president for about half of my school years.
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And today! My first reunion as an adult. I made plans with my high school friends. Me at my reunion... Oh, I'm so proud. You've all grown up, Kim Yeo-ju.
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Dear 87th graduating class of Hanyul High School.
No, our class 7, grade 1!
For those of you who have time, this Friday at 9pm.
Let's meet at Manggaegogi Restaurant.
I miss you. Please come too, class president.
I hope other friends will come too.-Class Vice President Jeong Gu-gi
1 yes
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ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ
Oh, are you the female protagonist? The class president in the first year?
Yeah, that's right. Are you Suhyun?
How crazy is this
Wow... How have you been?
What about you?
Me too ㅠㅠㅠ Then shall we meet on Friday? ㅠㅠ
Yeah yeah☺️ Are you coming??
of course
I'm so excited to see our class president~
Oh but,
What's the name of that?
You know that
Will he come???
Him? Who?
He's here
I transferred schools after finishing my first year!!
Soccer club!!
Not a transfer, but a scout
Oh, Park Jimin?
How could he come lol
but.
It's not realistic
You must be busy playing games right now
Let's just run together.
Hahaha yeah
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Friends I'd lost touch with gradually began to reconnect... and the long-awaited reunion arrived. As always, I attended classes, worked part-time in my spare time, and spent the day as usual. Because...I was so excited.I felt like I wouldn't be able to finish what I had to do if I kept going like this, so I worked hard to keep my eyes open and not have any distracting thoughts.
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"This is it,"
And finally, I arrived at the appointed time... and before I could even consider whether I was at the right destination, my name was called from behind.
"Class President Kim Yeo-ju—"
It was a familiar voice, so I turned around and saw Jeon Jungkook. He looked taller.
"Wow! Jeon Jungkook-?"
"Long time no see."
"therefore!"
Before even entering the bar, we briefly checked in on each other's well-being and where we lived. We spent a while chatting like that, losing track of time. Gradually, we began to see familiar faces, and only then, with a passionate hug, did we enter.
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The tables were pushed together like that, and everyone took their seats. I'm not the type to lead the conversation at these drinking parties, so I chose the seat closest to the window. Jungkook stood up and started counting the number of people. There were several of us.
"Twenty-eight...? Around that age."
"Twenty-nine."
"Wasn't there twenty-seven??"
"No, you just need to know the last number."
"Do you think the kids will remember..."
"That's right."
Who would have thought we weren't in the same class? It's been years since we last met, but it feels like we're in our first year of high school. Just as I'm starting to feel a strange sensation... that's when Jungkook opens his mouth.
"I think we're all almost there?"
Except one.Then, one by one, friends start asking about that one person. When the friend next to you tells you... all kinds of exclamations mixed with slightly vulgar language are bound to come out. He was in our class?!! Crazy. He's playing overseas right now. I can't believe I was in the same class as that kid... I'm so honored.
"But, did you contact Park Jimin too?"
"I did contact you."
But, well, the number might have changed. He must have been too busy to check. Jungkook, not caring, gives up hope and says, "Let's just have fun together," and starts pouring himself a bottle of soju.
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"Ahhh... Shit......"
"I like you guys the best... Do you know how I feel, friends?"
"The most... happy time is when I'm with you guys..."
Just an hour after we met, we had a casualty from our drinking binge. A large, distracted man slumped over the table, speaking in a slurred voice... One by one, his friends took out their phones and began filming.
"Is life hard, Yunho!!"
"Uhhh... It's not like adults are always so easy..."
"Naaaaaaa... I want to go backeeeeeek!"
"ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I think he's crazy. Shouldn't he be sent back?"
"Uuuuuuuuu... I'm not going... I'm not going... I'm not going...!!!!!"
"Let's drink and die today!!!!!!"
Suddenly, Yunho raises his glass again, and everyone else is busy cheering and saying, "Yeah, yeah."
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When everyone gets a little tipsy and their faces turn red... I wonder if they really plan on drinking all night long without getting tired.
As I began to taste them one by one, I looked away... and saw someone loitering outside. He had his hat pulled down low, and he seemed to be fidgeting.
"We won't be accepting any guests today..."
I thought he was just a passerby, so I was about to go back to eating meat when he came in. The owner came out of the kitchen and said he wasn't accepting any customers today... Well, what did he say?
"We're in a group."
"······!"
As soon as he said that, our eyes met, and I froze. Literally, literally, like ice. The glass I was about to drink from stopped in mid-air. Someone I never expected to see was here... While I was flustered, he smiled faintly when he saw me.
Yeah, I fell for that laugh once.
Before I could even shake off my panic and pat my friend on the shoulder, these guys were already causing a ruckus. It's Park Jimin!!!!! He got up while shouting, but his steps got messed up and he fell... It was a total ruckus. Seriously.
"······Ugh. Who is this...!!!!!!!!"
"Hey, Kim Yunho. Kim Yunho!!!! Your favorite player is here!!!!!"
"···Wow, as expected. Friendship never changes."
Jimin, who had been receiving a warm hug from a group of guys who reeked of alcohol from the entrance, praising loyalty. He walked over to the table, asking if he'd already had that much to drink, and sat down in the empty seat across from me. "There are so many guys interested in you, shouldn't you be sitting over there?" I asked, and he glanced at them before saying,
"If I get stuck there, I'll be forced to retire."
I didn't understand what he meant, but then suddenly, "Oh, right... Players can't drink." I nodded slowly. It felt a bit awkward for the two of us alone, so I immediately asked. "But weren't you abroad?"
"Yeah. I came yesterday."
He was pouring water nonchalantly, and when were we leaving? I asked, and he said the day after tomorrow. I asked if adjusting to the time difference was too much for his physical strength, and he said it would be okay if we came to see each other once in a while. Then, an uninvited guest showed up. (?)
"Jwimin Choon... I know you're happy to see the class president... but please come here..."
Yunho suddenly appeared from somewhere and spoke pitifully with tearful eyes. Jimin, who seemed quite flustered, looked back and forth between Yunho and me. Uh... Since he couldn't say anything, I told him to go first.
Park Jimin, unintentionally led by the boys to a table far away, felt a strange shyness that made me swallow a laugh. Was he pouring soju into an empty glass like that?
"What, what?? What are you two doing??!!"
"I saw it all. You guys bickering."
A con...? It seems Su-hyeon really took a shot of soju and kimchi stew. She was sitting diagonally across from me, whispering with a smug expression... It was so ridiculous I could almost laugh.
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It's past 1 a.m. Friends who ran as fast as they could. Some rushed to the bathroom, others clutched at cooked meat and cried, asking if they were burned, others simply collapsed and passed out, and others survived until the very end with a strong drinking capacity... They were all different types. The only sane person was Jimin, who abstained from alcohol.
Yeoju was actually pretty normal. So, she called taxis for all her abnormal friends, even paying for a few of them.I desperately wished you would stop doing something so outrageous here and just go back quickly.
Yunho, Jungkook, Yeoju, and Jimin were left in front of the meat restaurant.
"......Ugh. Today was an honor, player Aak!!!!"
"Please continue to play hard in the future!!!!!!!!!..."
"I... a citizen of the Republic of Korea... Kim Yun-ho will be cheering you on."
"ㅋㅋㅋㅋ What are you talking about... I don't think I need your support."
"Oh my... Shut up!!!
"Huh... Player... Player, please use kind words and correct words..."
"I... I!!! It's become a habit..."
"Hey. Hey. Kim Yun-ho."
Jungkook barely managed to catch Yunho, who was about to collapse on the floor, and put his arm around his shoulder. Ahhh... the smell of alcohol... I almost lost my balance and fell, but Jimin, who was watching, grabbed my shoulder and I was safe.
"Uh uh. Park Jimin, you go in safely, and Yeoju, you too. Go in safely-"
See you next time. Jungkook, who had hastily finished his greetings, was too busy supporting Yunho to even hear their greetings before he left... And so, Yeoju and Jimin were left alone. Yeoju had been feeling unwell since drinking too much for the first time in a while, so she was thinking of buying some digestive medicine at the convenience store, but Jimin didn't go, so she was a little flustered.
"Huh? Aren't you going?"
"you?"
"Oh, I was just going to stop by the convenience store for a bit."
Not a single car passed, not a single light around. The only sound was the rustling of fallen leaves in the chilly night breeze. After hearing Yeoju's answer, Jimin, who had been silent for a while, cautiously spoke.
"I'm going to the convenience store too. Let's go together."
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So we came together anyway. At a convenience store right next to the river, I bought a digestive aid, and Jimin bought a stick of xylitol gum. We sat down at a table outside, side by side, looking out at the river.
"Can you just wander around like this?"
"No way."
"however···"
"I don't really listen to coaches."
A brief silence, followed by an explosion of laughter. "What if the coach doesn't let you play?" he says confidently.Coach, you can't abandon me because there's no one as good as me.
Those confident words always sounded like Park Jimin, so I laughed again. I opened the cap of the digestive medicine I was holding and poured it into my mouth. Park Jimin must have seen me like that, because he's laughing all the time. When I asked him why he was laughing, he said he just laughs when he sees me.
He pretended to be in pain when I tapped his shoulder, asking, "What do you mean?" Then, suddenly, a thought occurred to me...
"······right."
My wallet. Suddenly remembering what I'd left in it, I immediately put down the empty bottle of antacid and rummaged through my bag, searching for my wallet. Then, I saw a crumpled, fluorescent pink Post-it note. I pulled it out and handed it to Park Jimin with a smile.
"Remember this?"
"What is this..."
ah.Jimin, who checked the writing on the post-it note, immediately tilted his head back and started laughing.You still have this?
"You said to keep it...lol"
"It was signed by a future soccer player."
I felt grateful, knowing it might be difficult to receive later. Jimin burst into laughter when I added a final remark. He said it was a little touching.
Jimin kept his eyes fixed on the post-it note for a while.
"···That's right. I gave it only to you."
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epilogue
It was a class like any other. It was science class, too.
Next week, there will be an experiment performance evaluation... an inquiry performance evaluation, etc. The teacher's important
While I was giving instructions, my classmate suddenly started doodling in my textbook.
My classmate wrote a concise sentence, 'I'm sleepyᴗ˳ᴗ' and then looked at me and laid down on the desk.
The identity of the child who is showing such a lazy attitude even though it is class time is,jimin park.
I thought I should just give a vague answer and leave it at that, so I wrote 'So?'
I thought it would be quiet, but he was taking a post-it note from my pencil case.
It was incredibly funny to see him mobilize every muscle in his body to tear the paper without me noticing while he was looking at the blackboard. I ended up laughing, but then got scolded by the teacher.
Not long after, it was Park Jimin thrusting a Post-it note into my field of vision. At first, I thought it was just some scribble... but the words written underneath were even funnier. Along with the unidentifiable black pen lines,Soccer player Park Jimin's autograph. Keep it. It'll be expensive later.The world written crookedly.
I was so dumbfounded that I just stared at the post-it note... Then, a thought suddenly occurred to me, wanting to play along with his prank.It's meaningless if he changes his signature later.So now, instead of talking to the textbook, I whispered softly so that only Park Jimin could hear. Are you going to change your signature on purpose?
And... Park Jimin laughed after hearing what I said. A real, real laugh. You know what I mean? It's not a hollow laugh... but... a little, um. Just like that. He nodded, pushing his bangs that were piercing my eyes aside.At that time, honestly, my heart felt... soft. (?)I fell in love.
While I was half-asleep, Park Jimin took advantage of the moment to lift his head from the desk and whispered in my ear.
"I won't change it. Not ever."
You are the first.Adding a word, I looked at Park Jimin with a sly smile and thought to myself, "If I'm the first person to get an autograph from you, you'll be my first unrequited love."
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[Manggaemanggae Saddam]
In fact, there is a huge secret hidden in this short story.
You're curious, aren't you? There's a really great secret inside.
I think it will be a calm atmosphere