Minseok's sincerity - Mandu is our cat

점원

The food is here

김여주

Wow

박수영

looks delicious...!

박수영

Wow, I have to take a picture of this

We arrived at the restaurant, ordered, and waited a few minutes for the food to arrive, so we were able to eat right away.

박수영

Oh, hey, we decided to go to a cat cafe last time, right?

Suyeong, who had been taking pictures for a long time, spoke while holding up her spoon as if she had finished taking pictures.

김여주

Oh right, that's right. Why?

박수영

I don't think I need to go there

김여주

Oh really? Why?

박수영

I really wanted to go back then, but now I don't think I need to go.

김여주

Then why don't you go somewhere else and play?

박수영

Yeah... different...

As we talked, Suyeong trailed off and her expression became serious, as if she was lost in thought. So, I wondered if she didn't want to go out and play.

Before I knew it, the ramen bowl was empty and I was heading home when it was almost 9 o'clock.

Suyeong walked me home, and I was worried about Suyeong having to go alone.

박수영

They're all here

김여주

Do you have to go alone?

박수영

Yeah, of course I'm going alone

김여주

If you take me there, you'll be scared. It's dark and dangerous.

박수영

Hey, what's okay with this much? It's okay. I'm not scared at all. You go in quickly.

김여주

Okay, take care. I'll contact you and see you at school.

박수영

Okay, I'll contact you. See you tomorrow or the day after.

Beep

김여주

I'm back...

As I entered the house, I thought of Minseok, who wasn't feeling too well, so I cautiously entered, keeping an eye out for him. But I couldn't hear a single sound from inside the house.

김여주

Oppa...?

민석

...

김여주

What are you doing?

김여주

Aren't you hungry?

Actually, when I think about what my brother said earlier and what he used to say, I feel bad and annoyed, but I am the owner and I feel like I haven't done anything for him, so I keep worrying and can't say anything to him.

김여주

Oppa, aren't you eating?

I sat quietly next to Minseok, who was sleeping soundly on the sofa, and asked in a quiet voice.

민석

...

I said something just in case, but as expected, my brother didn't answer.

김여주

Hey, you don't answer at times like this.

As I was getting up from my bed to wash up after seeing my brother still sleeping, his hand grabbed my wrist.

김여주

What the heck, surprise

민석

don't go...

민석

Don't go, Ji-eun...

김여주

What the heck, are you grabbing my wrist and saying someone else's name?

I was so dumbfounded by him grabbing my wrist and saying someone else's name that I slapped his hand away and went into the bathroom to wash up.

06:50 AM

김여주

Haaaaaam...

I guess because I go to bed early at night, I wake up early in the morning too.

I got out of bed and grabbed the doorknob to go outside.

But then, outside the door, I heard a woman's voice talking to Minseok.

민석

So what do you want me to do?

.?

Asking even though you know

민석

What do you know, if you don't have anything to say, get out, this is not the place for you.

.?

I came here to tell you something important... but if that's what you're saying, I guess I'll just have to go.

민석

...

.?

you,

.?

I'm doing this partly because I'm afraid it'll be like that time.

민석

Be quiet...

.?

The guy you're with now is the one you're afraid of becoming like back then.

민석

I told you to be quiet...

.?

If you hit and bounce, oh, I have one more thing to tell you.

.?

I'm close with him. Think carefully about this. It could end up ruined by your emotions like that time, or it could end with you keeping your emotions to yourself. You're the one who knows best, right?

민석

Shut up, if you open your mouth one more time I won't leave you alone

.?

You're a bit of a temper breaker, aren't you? But you... if you're being a bit harsh toward that kid because you're scared, you should stop right now.

.?

He's human too, he gets hurt because of your feelings that have nothing to do with him.

민석

When you say nice things, turn it off X...

.?

Phew... I'm going to go and say something, it's going to be a mess. See you next time.

Something about that woman's voice sounds so familiar...

What the heck is going on...?

The woman who had been talking to Minseok seemed to have left soon after, and when I heard footsteps walking towards my room, I quickly lay back down on the bed and pretended to be asleep.

민석

under...

Minseok let out a deep sigh, and I almost flinched along with him.

민석

Kim Yeo-ju...

민석

sorry

My brother sat down next to me on the bed and apologized. Probably for being so harsh to me.

민석

I don't want to do this either, I'm just too scared. I wonder what the point of saying this to a sleeping child would be, but I don't think I'll be able to say it if you're awake.