W Le Shell
July. A child shining brighter than the blinding sun was right before my eyes.
Cars raced fiercely along the road, adorned with azaleas, while trees grew at regular intervals along the sidewalk. Their leaves swayed gently in the breeze, and through them, bright sunlight peeked at us.
The warm, soft, slippery texture sent shivers down my spine. Creepy? No, it wasn't. It felt more like a tingling sensation, a stabbing pain deep inside. My heart pounded relentlessly, causing me to ache.
My fingers were persistently raking over the red lumps that would appear every time they fell, and my head started to spin.
Why did it end up like this? It was just a melted ice cream. Far from being sticky, it was wet with saliva.
"That, that's enough."
"‧‧‧Did you dislike it?"
"‧‧‧It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it tickles‧‧‧."
"Sorry. The ice cream melted."
I instinctively lowered my head as the corners of my lips rose in a gentle curve. Whenever I smiled like that, I was always speechless. And this child seemed to know that very well. Clearly.
"It's hot, isn't it? Should I buy some more?"
He bent his knees slightly, brought himself up to eye level, and smoothed my sweat-soaked bangs. I accepted his touch obediently. I loved moments like this. The clear eyes that captured only me, the slightly rough yet sincere touch.
"Why buy it again?" he asked, shaking his head slightly. "I'm sweating like this myself."
"Ice cream is enough. Shall we go home?"
"Okay. I'll take you there."
"‧‧‧. Can I stop by for a moment?"
Jungkook, who had been walking with me, suddenly stopped. He stared blankly at me for a moment, then his expression grew increasingly strange.
"Hyun-ah."
"‧‧‧‧‧‧."
"This Hyun."
"huh."
"What are the three most dangerous things in the world?"
"...cigarettes and drugs."
"I think I forgot one thing."
"Is that so?"
"The one thing I wanted was missing. Why does it seem so intentional?"
The last one was Jeon Jungkook. It was me. Men are dangerous, but if even my boyfriend says he's dangerous, what can I do? A slight grudge tightened his grip on my hand. He furrowed his eyebrows, looking at me, my mouth tightly shut, frozen. This man. We've been together for five years, and he hasn't even touched me, other than holding hands, hugging, and kissing. It's unbelievable. I thought this was going beyond just being protective, and I needed to start worrying about the other person. And this was from a full-fledged twenty-three-year-old adult.
"‧‧‧. Chi. No, you were just sucking my finger on the street earlier."
"Shhh. It's annoying, really."
"So. Aren't you going?"
"Yeah. Don't go. Absolutely not. Don't even dream about it, kid."
"Mr. Lee, don't come. Just follow me! I'll go alone!"
"What should I do? That won't work either."
Ahh ...
/
I think it was around July last year.
I've once again set foot on the path I walked with him. I still live there, but since we broke up, I've found a different path. So, it's been a long time since I've seen this path.
I'd expected it, but it all felt unfamiliar. I doubted if this was the same place I remembered. Everything had changed. Winter had come, not the sweltering summer, and the trees that once stood in long rows were now nothing more than stumps. The biggest change was that I was now walking alone. Even if it wasn't this path, every path I walked was now alone.
The reason for the breakup? Honestly, I have no idea. Our relationship ended after five years and three months. Still, we were a pretty good couple, weren't we? Was it just my imagination? Of course, several months had passed, so it didn't really matter anymore.
Still, the reason my nose sometimes tingles is probably because I haven't heard even the slightest bit about him. He's someone I knew throughout my school years and into my early twenties. That can't be completely okay.
Let's not cry. It was an unwanted breakup, but it didn't end badly, and Jungkook probably doesn't want me to cry either.
I hurried my pace. Why did I come this way to reminisce?
/
Bbaeng-
"It's 5,800 won. Do you need an envelope?"
"No, thank you."
Making a living is so hard. The dreams I had as a child, without much thought, have become difficult to dream again after facing reality. Yes, people need to have a conscience.
After giving up dancing, a career I'd dedicated myself to for so long, I wandered around looking for work and finally settled on a part-time job. I'm currently a part-timer at a convenience store near my house. It's not a complete settling-in, but it's difficult to remain without income until I find another job, so this is the best option.
Daughter-
"Welcome."
The work wasn't difficult. The only problem was that it was quite awkward when I happened to meet someone I knew as a guest.
And that's the ex-boyfriend who's been on my mind all morning.
"Excuse me‧‧‧? Could you please calculate the bill for me?"
jungkook jeon.
And what if it's Jeon Jungkook who lost his memory?