Kim Woon-hak at 11 o'clock at night
6
After that day, we often met at the library.
I tried to focus on studying because it was exam time, but conversations with Unhak had become another part of my daily life.
The time spent exchanging small notes, sharing a cup of coffee, and sharing a few laughs piled up.
I was used to it.
His voice, his way of smiling, his round, neat handwriting on the notepad.
So suddenly this thought occurred to me.
‘Can I say it now?’
It was the same that day.
I sat next to Unhak and was solving a problem when I looked up for a moment, and Unhak handed me a note in a familiar manner.
김운학
"The DJ's voice sounded calmer today."
I paused for a moment.
“DJ?” I asked absentmindedly, but Unhak just smiled playfully.
김운학
“It’s just… something I heard on the radio yesterday. I’ve been listening to it every day these days.”
His gaze seemed to linger somewhere.
I just laughed it off, but inside, a cautious anticipation was welling up.
Does Unhak know by any chance? Does he already know?
That night, in the live broadcast, I was about to post a notice, but then I got lost in thought for a moment.
If you post this picture, he'll love it—a water bottle with a bear sticker on it.
And at that moment, the ID ‘bearwith_u’ came to mind.
bearwith_u
‘I wish I could hear the sound of rain falling on my umbrella today.’
bearwith_u
‘On a rainy day, listening to DJ’s voice makes me feel better.’
A teddy bear profile picture, a cautious tone of voice. Such familiar and warm comments.
That ID that listened to my broadcast without fail.
When he came to mind… Unhak’s face kept flashing through my mind.
A few days later, we ran into each other again at the library.
Unhak was holding a tumbler as usual, but his expression was not bright today.
I asked cautiously.
“What’s wrong?”
김운학
“No, it’s just… I can’t concentrate well today.”
Unhak swirled the straw in his drink as he spoke. His tone was awkward, though he couldn't quite place it.
I looked at him for a moment and then asked cautiously.
"Unhak-ah. You said you listened to the radio often before. Aren't you curious about who the DJ is?"
Unhak turned his head for a moment, then nodded slowly without avoiding my eyes.
김운학
“…Actually, I’ve been wondering sometimes.
김운학
It makes me feel better when I listen to it quietly at night. Just…
김운학
But if I knew who that person was, I wonder if I would be able to listen to him as comfortably as I do now.”
I was happy to hear that, but I also felt uneasy.
I don't know why, but Unhak seemed like someone waiting for me to speak.
But in reality, I just laughed.
With a perhaps selfish composure, thinking, 'I'll be able to tell you soon.'
When we left the library, we walked together.
But even on that street where we walked side by side like before, there was a subtle air in the air.
Unhak kept swallowing his words, and I felt like my heart was being shaken.
Moments when you can give meaning to every word and every look.
The closer we got, the more cautious we became.
That night, as I turned on the radio, I spoke cautiously.
“There are times when you think you've known someone for a long time, but then you start to see them differently.
And sometimes I get confused as to whether it's familiarity or liking."
But today, bearwith_u's comment was absent from the comment section.
As if the night had become quiet before something happened.