Miracle Illusion

“Ugh….”Taking off his clothes was a struggle. Raising his arms made his ribs hurt so much that a groan escaped. Yeonwoo bent his upper body forward and barely managed to take off his school uniform. After a long struggle, he finally removed his T-shirt, revealing his bruised upper body. He checked again to make sure the bathroom door was locked and stood in front of the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. It was a mirror with a Daruma doll that Grandma had picked up from a junkyard. Some might say it was haunted and tell him to throw it away, but to Yeonwoo, it was quite useful.“Why do I live like this….”The words slipped out by themselves. Even if he tried to paint it, he couldn’t produce these colors. There wasn’t a spot without a bruise from his solar plexus to his navel. Purple was the least of it; some places were pitch black. Yeonwoo stared blankly at his bruised abdomen reflected in the mirror and gently stroked it with his palm.“Does it taste good?”At the same time, Sungwoon’s face popped up in his mind. Even though he was terrified, seeing Jaeyul’s gang getting beaten up felt so gratifying that it was exhilarating. Throughout his life, he had learned that he should never expect anything, but foolishly, hope blossomed again. Maybe Sungwoon would help him again if he went to school on Monday. Since he said they would eat together, maybe he wouldn’t get beaten anymore. Once hope started, it grew endlessly.He had a dream for the first time in a while, and Jaeyul’s figure lying on the floor replayed dozens of times.“What are you looking for?”The department store clothing store employee snapped in a cold voice. It was clear to anyone that the two customers who entered the store couldn’t afford to buy clothes. The man in the stretched-out T-shirt looked like a high school student at best, and the grandmother standing next to him was wearing a torn and stretched-out unknown material. The closer they got, the more musty the smell.“Clothes for my grandma.”Without even glancing at the multitude of clothes on the hangers, Yeonwoo could feel his grandmother fidgeting beside him. He decided to be confident. They had come to buy things with their own money, so there was no need to be intimidated. As he spoke loudly on purpose, the employee frowned openly.“So what kind of clothes are you looking for?”“Clothes for my grandma.”“No… I mean.”The employee’s voice was sharp. He tried not to be intimidated, but his gaze gradually fell to the floor.“Her clothes are torn.”His voice shrank to almost a whisper. Fortunately, the employee seemed to understand and glanced at his grandmother. It was a flimsy material top, the origin of which was unknown.“We don’t have clothes like that in our store.”“……”“You’ll probably find them at the market.”“Not the market… We came to buy here.”The employee acted as if they were about to throw them out at any moment. Yeonwoo hurriedly pulled the crumpled bills out of his pocket. The money, bundled without a wallet, slipped from his palm. Both Yeonwoo and his grandmother squatted down almost simultaneously to pick up the bills that had fallen to the floor. One hundred thousand won. It was the money Yeonwoo had saved without going to the snack shop even once.“Yeonwoo, shall we go to the market?”“No. We’re buying here.”“There are more clothes at the market.”“I said no!”His pride, which had fallen along with the bills, bounced in a strange direction. His grandmother nodded without saying another word to her very upset grandson. Yeonwoo desperately held back his tears. He hated how he snapped at his innocent grandmother while he couldn’t even properly speak to the employee who was looking down on them.“I think this size should do.”The employee subtly dropped the honorifics. It was understandable with Yeonwoo, but even with his grandmother, who was much older than him. It was an expression of disregard. The employee, who had been rummaging through the clothes carelessly, handed a white garment still on the hanger to his grandmother, who was standing in front of the mirror.“Isn’t it nice? It’s popular.”His grandmother looked at the price tag before the design. 99,000 won. It was a garment that matched exactly the amount of money Yeonwoo had brought.“Can she try it on?”“Excuse me?”“The size… it might not fit….”He felt intimidated for no reason. Yeonwoo pointed to the space marked ‘Fitting Room’ and asked, and the employee rolled her eyes as if flustered and then sighed deeply.“Due to our store’s policy, trying on clothes is not allowed.”“Then why… have a fitting room….”“We’re using it as storage now.”It was an obvious lie. Even if Grandma and Yeonwoo weren’t highly educated, they weren’t stupid enough not to realize that. Probably… because we smell. Because we’re dirty, because we’re dirty.“Grandma, just buy this.”“Yeonwoo.”“Please pack this. We’ll buy it.”He thought saying they’d buy it would change her attitude a bit, but it didn’t. The employee took the clothes Yeonwoo handed over as if snatching them and put them in a shopping bag.“Ninety-nine thousand won.”He brought a hundred thousand won, and now he had a thousand won left. His pride was taken, his excitement about buying clothes for Grandma was taken, and what was left was a thousand won.“Should I buy you a meal?”“No.”“Since Yeonwoo bought me clothes, I’ll treat you to something delicious.”Grandma, noticing that Yeonwoo hadn’t said a word since they left the department store, tried to cheer him up with a bright voice. Though he knew better than anyone that he shouldn’t show his feelings to Grandma, the bad mood didn’t improve easily. Yeonwoo shook his head.“I’m not hungry.”“Should we get some tteokbokki that Yeonwoo likes?”“…No.”“Then Grandma wants tteokbokki. Will Yeonwoo have it with me?”Grandma smiled brightly like a fool. Yeonwoo gripped the shopping bag tightly. The corner was a bit crumpled.Grandma headed to a street food restaurant near their home. The friendly owner waved at the two who hadn’t been there in a while, and Yeonwoo nodded awkwardly. It wasn’t long before bright red tteokbokki was poured over the green bowls wrapped in plastic.“This is on the house.”They only ordered two servings of tteokbokki, but they were given a lot, including fish cakes and blood sausage. It was the owner’s consideration, knowing Yeonwoo’s family’s financial situation. As a child, he was only happy about it, but as he grew older, he felt embarrassed. Yeonwoo nodded again, silently expressing his gratitude.“Grandma, what did she say?”The chatty lady, sitting next to Grandma and talking about the neighborhood folks, widened her eyes when she saw the shopping bag at the corner of the table. Grandma smiled with wrinkled eyes as if she had hoped someone would notice, while Yeonwoo, feeling awkward, shoved more tteokbokki into his mouth.“Our Yeonwoo saved up his allowance to buy me clothes.”“Oh my, did Yeonwoo?”“Our boy is so wonderful.”Grandma’s toothpick remained clean. Tteokbokki was Yeonwoo’s favorite food. He kept stuffing the rice cakes into his mouth without choking. Must be nice to have such a good grandson. Of course, I’m happy. As their conversation continued, he kept shoving more tteokbokki into his mouth, not knowing what it tasted like.“But why did you buy white?”“Huh?”“White gets dirty easily.”“So what?”“Should’ve bought darker colors.”“Does color matter?”Grandma seemed in a good mood. Yeonwoo gulped down the fish cake soup and glanced at the top Grandma was wearing.Indeed…. Collecting waste paper and doing housework, white would get dirty quickly. I should have bought a different color.‘No refunds.’The stern-faced employee came to mind. There was no point in regretting it now.⟡˖ ࣪The Monday he had dreaded so much came quickly. Just seeing the tall iron gate made his stomach churn. Yeonwoo clutched his aching stomach and sighed briefly. There wasn’t much time left until graduation, but every day was like hell.Yeonwoo, who was heading towards the main gate, quickly changed his route to the back gate. He had spotted Jaeyul’s gang gathered near the main gate. Nothing had happened yet, but he felt suffocated. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of his throat. Yeonwoo quickened his pace towards the back gate.“Hey, where are you going?”A voice called from behind. The sound of his pounding heart was so loud that Yeonwoo couldn’t tell who it was, but he stopped in his tracks. If it was Jaeyul and he ignored him, he would surely get beaten up first thing in the morning.“Going alone to get beaten up somewhere again?”A long arm draped over his shoulder. Yeonwoo, who had stopped breathing, slowly turned his head.“Let’s go together.”“…….”“Did you have breakfast?”“…….”It was Sungwoon. He spoke as if they were close friends. Yeonwoo, wide-eyed, still didn’t move from his spot and looked up at him. Sungwoon rummaged through his bag slung over his shoulder.“I asked if you had breakfast.”His voice was kind, but to Yeonwoo, who had been beaten all his life, it sounded more like, ‘Answer or die.’ Yeonwoo flinched and hurriedly spoke.“No.”“I figured.”“…….”“That’s why you’re so weak and skinny, you idiot.”Sungwoon, who seemed frustrated that he couldn’t find what he wanted, suddenly pulled something out and thrust it in front of Yeonwoo. Still dazed from his pounding heart, Yeonwoo looked down at the crinkling bag in front of him. It was the sugar bread balls Sungwoon had eaten last Friday.“I’m fine….”“I already had a bag.”“…….”“So you eat it all.”Sungwoon pushed Yeonwoo forward with the arm draped over his shoulder. Forced to walk, Yeonwoo swallowed nervously. The sound was so loud that Sungwoon heard it.“Are you very hungry?”He asked with a serious expression. Yeonwoo’s earlobes turned bright red. He couldn’t honestly say it was because he was scared, not hungry, so he just nodded.“Hey.”“What?”“Let’s be friends.”“…….”At the unexpected words, Yeonwoo stopped walking again. Sungwoon smiled prettily at him. The corners of his eyes curved smoothly.“I’m a transfer student. I don’t have any friends.”This time, Sungwoon deliberately pulled down the corners of his mouth. His expression looked like he was about to cry, and Yeonwoo couldn’t hide his confusion. Friends? Was he playing a joke on him? Maybe Jaeyul had put him up to it. Yeonwoo fidgeted with his clasped hands and constantly watched Sungwoon’s reactions.“Don’t you want to be friends with me?”Sungwoon stopped walking and turned to face Yeonwoo, lowering himself to look him in the eye. Yeonwoo quickly lowered his gaze. His heart was pounding so fast he couldn’t hear anything.“Let’s be friends.”“…….”“You’re more difficult than I thought.”It wasn’t that he didn’t want to answer, but Sungwoon, with a serious expression, seemed to be contemplating something. Cold sweat trickled down Yeonwoo’s forehead.“I’ll beat up anyone who bullies you.”“…What?”It was a sudden proposal. Yeonwoo’s eyes widened, and he quickly looked up. His heart skipped a beat when he met Sungwoon’s bright smile. Sungwoon tilted his head to the side and continued.“So, let’s be friends.”“…….”“Deal?”Even when he was being beaten up by Jaeyul’s gang, he could hold back his tears, but now they burst out uncontrollably. Tears streamed down Yeonwoo’s cheeks as he looked at Sungwoon with furrowed brows. Sungwoon shrugged as if he had expected it and looked down at the ground, pretending not to notice.Yeonwoo wiped his tears with the back of his hand and thought. It’s because he feels sorry for me, because he saw me crawling between a friend’s legs on the first day, because he saw me getting beaten up like a dog on a hot day, because he saw me being bullied and not being able to eat lunch properly. Sungwoon is a compassionate person, and I evoked his sympathy.“Yeah….”He wanted to respond cheerfully like Sungwoon, but he couldn’t. Yeonwoo nodded vigorously, tears streaming down his face. He had made a friend. Whatever the intention, even if it was just pity, it didn’t matter. The fact that he had a friend made his heart swell.“Have you ever eaten a choco pie soaked in tears?”“…Huh?”Yeonwoo, who was sniffling with a blocked nose, stopped crying at the sweet taste in his mouth. Sungwoon, who had pushed the round bread into Yeonwoo’s mouth, burst into loud laughter.“They say bread soaked in tears tastes so good.”“…….”“Give me some of your tears. I want to try it too.”Sungwoon picked up the round bread with his thumb and forefinger and brought it to Yeonwoo’s tear-streaked cheek. Yeonwoo, flustered, gasped and fumbled. Sungwoon laughed even harder at the sight.“This bread is definitely the best.”“You eat it all….”“Do I look like a pig?”His voice was hoarse from crying so much in the morning. Sungwoon kept taking bread from the bag in Yeonwoo’s hand and alternately putting one in Yeonwoo’s mouth and one in his own. Yeonwoo, who had no appetite, ended up eating seven pieces of bread and pounded his chest with his fist.“Did you get indigestion?”“No. My throat is blocked.”“Want to go drink some milk?”“…….”“Let’s go to the snack shop.”Yeonwoo, who had become slow and dull due to prolonged bullying, was grateful that Sungwoon didn’t mind his silence. Sungwoon grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist and walked briskly. It was only the second time Yeonwoo had been to the snack shop since entering high school, both times with Sungwoon.“Banana. Chocolate. Strawberry. White milk.”“I want white milk.”“…Huh?”“White milk….”“Huh…?”Sungwoon furrowed his brows as if he had misheard and leaned his ear towards Yeonwoo. Embarrassed, Yeonwoo blushed and answered again in a small voice, “The white one….”“Wow… you have such unique taste.”I really hate white milk, though.Muttering, Sungwoon paid for one white milk and one banana milk. Yeonwoo didn’t want to accept it as if it were natural, but he had no choice since he only had a thousand won.“Here.”“Thanks.”“Sure.”“I’ll buy it next time.”As he inserted the straw into the milk, he repeated twice that he would definitely buy it next time. It wasn’t about pride, but he didn’t want to upset Sungwoon. Sungwoon, seemingly unconcerned, just nodded casually without answering.“Hey.”“Yeah.”Sungwoon, who had finished his banana milk in two gulps, crumpled the milk carton and called out to Yeonwoo. Yeonwoo, who had just taken a sip, nodded and answered simultaneously. Sungwoon, looking around, found a trash can and tossed the milk carton, then casually asked,“Are you okay from the beating?”“…….”“It didn’t seem like you got hit just once or twice.”“Yeah. I’m fine.”He felt embarrassed. They had just become friends today, and he didn’t want to show his weaknesses to his friend. Yeonwoo rubbed his reddened earlobes hard with his palm and nodded. The pain in his stomach that had been throbbing until the morning was barely noticeable now. It was the strength that a new friend gave him. Sungwoon nodded slowly and clicked his tongue. Yeonwoo flinched at the sound.“What’s the reason?”“…….”“Why do those losers bully you?”“…….”“I need to know the reason to help you.”It seemed like pity. The reason Sungwoon became his friend. Yeonwoo fiddled with the milk carton, which still had a lot left, and remained silent. He didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t have the courage to answer honestly either. Because our house smells, because we have no money, because there are bugs at home. It was childish, but it was enough reason to dislike someone. Sungwoon glanced at Yeonwoo, who had his head down without answering, and shook his head.“Fine. Don’t say it if you don’t want to.”“…Sorry.”“Why are you apologizing to me?”“…….”“Anyway. If they bully you again, tell me. I’ll beat them up.”Sungwoon spoke as if those guys were nothing. Seeing him treat Jaeyul’s gang, who had tormented him for years, so lightly made Yeonwoo feel a strange sense of satisfaction. Maybe that’s why the stairs to the second floor, leading to the classroom, didn’t seem so daunting today.“Oh! Yeonwoo, you’re late today….”As soon as the back door opened, Doyoung, who had been approaching while calling out to Yeonwoo, shut his mouth. He had made eye contact with Sungwoon, who was closely following Yeonwoo. Doyoung, flustered, awkwardly returned to his seat as if he hadn’t called out. Jaeyul, who was playing a game on his phone in the back seat, glared at the two fiercely.“What was that loser’s name again?”Sungwoon brought his mouth close to Yeonwoo’s ear and spoke. He pretended to whisper, but his voice was so loud that it echoed through the classroom. Doyoung, who had been glancing at Sungwoon, furrowed his brows as if he couldn’t believe his ears.“Huh?”“The loser who just called your name. What’s his name?”“…….”Yeonwoo was even more surprised. Loser? It seemed Sungwoon had designated Jaeyul’s gang as Loser One, Two, Three, and Four to distinguish them. Flustered, Yeonwoo slightly opened his mouth and pretended not to hear, moving to his seat. Oblivious, Sungwoon persistently followed him.“Huh? What’s his name?”“I-I don’t know.”No matter how much Sungwoon wanted to be his friend, he couldn’t stay by his side forever. On days when he wasn’t with Sungwoon or when Sungwoon didn’t come to school, he would surely become their prey again. He also worried, ‘What if Sungwoon gets beaten up badly and gives in?’ or ‘What if Sungwoon joins their side?’ Because of these fears, he couldn’t comfortably turn his back on them, even with Sungwoon. Yeonwoo wiped the cold sweat from his neck and shook his head quickly.“Really? You don’t know?”Sungwoon, who had been urging for an answer, raised his voice in surprise. Thinking Sungwoon was angry, Yeonwoo swallowed dryly and made a distressed face. He still didn’t know whose tune to follow.“Then what’s your name?”“…Huh?”“Your name.”“…….”“I’m Choi Sungwoon.”“…Hong Yeonwoo.”“Right. Yeonwoo.”Sungwoon repeated Yeonwoo’s name several times as if to remember it. Meanwhile, Yeonwoo sat frozen, staring straight ahead, feeling the intense gaze of Jaeyul’s gang from behind.“……?”It was then. A breeze blew through his bangs, and a sweet scent wafted in. It was the familiar smell of sugar. Yeonwoo slowly rolled his eyes.“Don’t be scared.”Sungwoon, who had blown the air, smiled at Yeonwoo with his smoothly curved eyes. His clear gaze seemed to reassure Yeonwoo as it swept over his face. Yeonwoo bit his lip to calm his wildly beating heart.“I’m really good at fighting.”When the low voice, tinged with a playful smile, reached his ears, Yeonwoo let out a long breath he had been holding.Even when the first period started, Sungwoon didn’t return to his seat. Thanks to that, the bespectacled boy who had been eyeing Yeonwoo’s seat eagerly took the opportunity to switch. The misdirected phlegm often ended up on the bespectacled boy. The first period was Korean class.“We’re not supposed to change seats at will.”“It’s fine. The teachers don’t care.”“We’ll get in trouble if we’re caught.”“It’s fine. I like getting in trouble. I’m a masochist.”Yeonwoo was at a loss for words at such a ridiculous answer and just rolled his eyes. Sungwoon rummaged through the desk drawer as if it had always been his seat. Then he glanced at the bespectacled boy who had moved to the back seat.“Hey. That guy took his book with him. How petty.”“…….”Of course, he’d take his own book…. The words got stuck in his throat. He was still scared of Sungwoon. Just then, the front door opened, and the burly Korean teacher entered. Sungwoon leaned close to Yeonwoo’s ear and whispered.“Let’s share the book.”“…Okay.”The Korean teacher’s nickname was “Devil.” He was known for his scolding and his stick. Yeonwoo rummaged through the drawer and pulled out the thickest Korean textbook.“What’s wrong with this book?”It seemed Sungwoon didn’t know how to whisper. He probably thought covering his mouth with his hand would make it inaudible, but it was a complete misconception. The Korean teacher banged the wooden podium with his long stick.“Turn off the local broadcast.”It was the teacher’s usual line.“Do teachers learn these lines together somewhere?”Sungwoon chuckled quietly and opened Yeonwoo’s unusually thick textbook.“Did they do this too?”Sungwoon’s eyes were curved, and his lips were raised, but there was a hint of menace in him. Yeonwoo nodded, trying to hide his trembling eyelids. The first fifty pages of the textbook were full of knife marks, and a little further back, there were traces of chewing gum. The ink stains were from when it had fallen into the toilet and been dried with a hairdryer. Sungwoon covered his eyes with his palm and let out a sigh.“Seriously….”“…….”“So childish….”Yeonwoo, who had been beaten to death by those childish pranks, blushed with shame. It was the first time he had shown his shabby textbook to someone else.Cut a willow branch from the mountain and send it to my belovedPlant it outside the window where they sleep and watch it growWhen new leaves sprout in the night rain, remember it as meA three-line classical poem was written on the blackboard. Sungwoon propped his chin on the back of his hand and read from the first line.Cut a willow branch from the mountain and send it to my beloved Plant it outside the window where they sleep and watch it grow When new leaves sprout in the night rain, remember it as meSungwoon’s stiff lips curved into a smile. As the teacher’s monotonous explanation droned on like a radio, Sungwoon turned to look at Yeonwoo.“…….”Yeonwoo was sound asleep. He was holding a thick three-color pen and sitting upright, diligently dozing off. There were a few scribbles in his clean notebook. I thought he was a good student. Sungwoon couldn’t help but laugh quietly to himself as he watched.“Hey.”The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the Korean teacher left the room with a warning about not doing homework, but Yeonwoo didn’t wake up. He was sleeping so still in that upright position that from behind, it looked like he was diligently listening to the lesson. The pen, still in his fingers, hadn’t fallen. Sungwoon alternated between watching Yeonwoo’s face, turning away to suppress his laughter, and then looking again. His slightly flushed cheeks just added to the humor.“Yeonwoo.”This time he whispered in his ear. The beautifully settled eyelashes trembled, and then the round eyes suddenly opened wide.“Class ended a while ago.”Though not much time had passed, Sungwoon felt a mischievous urge to tease him, shrugging his shoulders. Yeonwoo, blinking his big eyes, gasped and quickly touched the back of his head.“Having a private moment of praise?”Sungwoon folded his arms, raising one corner of his mouth in a smirk. Yeonwoo, who had been feeling the back of his head for a while, sighed deeply with a shoulder shrug. Oddly enough, his head wasn’t sticky or anything. Sungwoon’s presence next to him must have made a big difference. Usually, during class, he would focus all his nerves on the phlegm being thrown at his head, but without it today, he had fallen asleep without realizing.“If you’re done sleeping, get up. Let’s go to the music room.”Only then did Yeonwoo check the timetable next to the blackboard. Second period was music. It was also Yeonwoo’s least favorite subject.“Don’t sleep during music class.”“…Okay.”Sungwoon, locking the back door, smiled brightly. Come to think of it, it was just the two of them left in the classroom. Yeonwoo, touching his flushed earlobes, sprang up from his seat. The bright morning sun without anyone hitting him felt strangely awkward.“Isn’t it fun when you try?”The music teacher, just having taken his hands off the piano, smiled at the students filling the music room. The song they learned today was none other than a yodeling song. Though it seemed more suited to the fields of Switzerland than a cramped high school music room in South Korea, it was better than lullabies.“Who wants to sing in front?”Yodelay hee hoo- The students, who had been teasing with goat-like voices, fell silent. It’s fun among themselves, but singing a yodeling song in front of others was no easy task. The music teacher, sitting on the long piano bench, added a condition.“Whoever sings now gets full marks for the performance assessment.”Apparently, the music teacher mistakenly believed that full marks for the performance assessment were a big deal. In a well-performing school, maybe, but in a rural high school with few students, it wasn’t a particularly enticing offer.“Huh? Are you going to act like this?”The teacher tapped his palm with the black conductor’s baton, waiting for volunteers, but no one raised their hand.“Then I’ll just pick anyone.”The music room buzzed with murmurs. It was a mix of sympathy for the unfortunate soul who would be forced to sing and anxiety about whether it would be them.“What day is it today?”“The seventeenth!”“Number seventeen.”Ha…. Yeonwoo sighed quietly to himself. Just the thought made him dizzy, but he was relieved that his number wasn’t called.“The one sitting in front of number seventeen. Stand up.”It was a thunderbolt. There was a sigh of relief from right behind him. A long sigh mixed with relief. There was also a mean laugh, probably from Doyoung.“Who is it?”“Hong Yeonwoo!”Jinwoo, sitting at the back, stood up and pointed to Yeonwoo, who was sitting in the middle. The music teacher tapped the piano with the baton and urged him to come forward.His vision turned white. He couldn’t see or hear anything. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. It wasn’t just the pure embarrassment of a nineteen-year-old having to sing in front of friends. It was the thought of having to sing a ridiculous yodeling song in front of Jaeyul’s gang, who had dragged him down for years. Despair engulfed Yeonwoo.“I’ll sing.”It was Sungwoon who stood up, sitting diagonally in front of student number seventeen. He raised his hand high and confidently walked to the front, standing beside the piano. The music teacher clapped.“This is the kind of confidence you need. You’re the transfer student, right?”“Yes.”“I’ll give you full marks for the performance assessment.”“Thank you.”Sungwoon, showing an expression that wasn’t thankful at all, cleared his throat. He had a relaxed attitude with no sign of nervousness. Yeonwoo watched him in a daze, not even breathing.The accompaniment began. The mischievous music teacher transformed completely when he placed his hands on the piano. His upper body swayed smoothly, producing a clear melody. As the introduction of the song approached, Sungwoon and Yeonwoo’s eyes met.“…….”Sungwoon’s eyes curved gently. It was a smile Yeonwoo had seen many times, but it oddly made his heart skip a beat. Yeonwoo swallowed hard.Oh↗ho↘oh↗ho↘oh↗ho↘oh↗ho↘oh↗ho↘ E↗hee↘E↗hee↘E↗hee↘E↗hee↘ E↗heeE↘heeha↗ho↘Laughter erupted from all around. Even the music teacher couldn’t hold back and stopped the accompaniment to lean back and laugh. With a smooth smile, Sungwoon finished the strange yodeling song without his face turning red.“Hey, you’re fun.”“I did my best since I was born.”The teacher, wiping away tears, patted Sungwoon’s shoulder a couple of times. Sungwoon quickly erased his smile and bowed his head with a serious expression. The students’ laughter and applause burst out simultaneously. The teacher joined in, clapping loudly. Sungwoon, satisfied, raised one corner of his mouth in a smile and made his way back through the desks to his seat.“…Hey.”The only one who couldn’t get swept up in the atmosphere was Yeonwoo. He raised his head, having been clapping quietly with his head down, when a breeze blew by his ear. Sungwoon, who had returned to his seat at some point, raised his neatly shaped eyebrows and asked,“I did well, right?”“…….”It had been a while since they ate the bread, and he had even brushed his teeth, but the sweet scent of sugar still lingered around him. Yeonwoo rubbed his flushed cheeks with the back of his hand and nodded. Watching him, Sungwoon slowly raised the corners of his mouth.“You can smile too, huh.”His heart was beating so fast he thought he might throw up. Yeonwoo hurriedly turned his head to look straight ahead. He couldn’t hear what the music teacher was saying.“Do you like gamjatang (pork back-bone stew)?”“No.”“Why? Don’t you like potatoes?”Yeonwoo shook his head silently. He couldn’t even remember what gamjatang tasted like. He had never eaten it with his grandmother, and the school meals were always mixed with phlegm, pencil leads, eraser crumbs, and such, so he couldn’t eat those either. He might have eaten it a few years ago, but not remembering it meant it probably wasn’t that impressive.“Ah. What’s up with mushroom sweet and sour pork?”“…….”“Mushroom sweet and sour pork, braised pollack… I hate these scammers the most.”Standing behind Yeonwoo, holding his tray, Sungwoon kept grumbling. Despite no response, he kept talking, showing his persistent nature.Jaeyul’s gang acted as if they weren’t in the same classroom, not coming near Yeonwoo. It was a good thing, but it also left him feeling incredulous. Realizing how weak they were to strong opponents made him painfully aware of how low his position had been.“Eat mine too.”It had been a long time since he had eaten a clean lunch without anything mixed in. Yeonwoo hesitated, staring at the neatly placed tray on the square desk without picking up his spoon. Sungwoon moved all the mushroom sweet and sour pork piled on his tray to Yeonwoo’s tray.“You eat it. It’s fine.”A flustered Yeonwoo picked up his chopsticks to move the side dishes back to Sungwoon’s tray. Their chopsticks clashed in midair with a clinking sound.“Oh… are you challenging me?”Sungwoon took Yeonwoo’s chopsticks and tapped them like a sword fight. Yeonwoo, dumbfounded, looked up at him blankly until his chopsticks fell to the desk. Sungwoon smiled victoriously, raising the corners of his mouth.“I won!”“…….”He clenched his fist and shook it in the air, genuinely delighted. The sound of a sigh escaped from between Yeonwoo’s lips.“Since I won, grant me a wish.”“…….”“Don’t leave any food and eat everything. You finish the sweet and sour pork too.”Seeing Yeonwoo’s smile, Sungwoon raised one corner of his mouth and followed with a sudden wish. Yeonwoo, as if entranced, looked at him and slowly nodded. His nose tingled. Holding the spoon, Yeonwoo scooped up a large portion of rice and pushed it into his mouth. The freshly cooked warm rice was truly delicious. The mushroom sweet and sour pork, which Sungwoon had said he didn’t like, was so crispy and amazing that it was indistinguishable from regular sweet and sour pork. The gamjatang (pork back-bone stew) was… delicious too.“You’re a real crybaby.”Sungwoon didn’t seem to have much of an appetite. Having already put down his spoon, he rested his chin on the back of his hand and openly watched Yeonwoo eat. Yeonwoo, sniffing, ate diligently. He shoved steaming potatoes into his mouth and burned his tongue, but it was still delicious. That made him happy.⟡˖ ࣪“They’re not bothering you today.”“It’s because you’re here.”“Me?”“Yeah.”On the way home. It was a day so uneventful that it felt awkward, too clean to be ordinary. Sungwoon slung his black bag over his shoulder and stayed close to Yeonwoo.“Well, I’m a really scary person.”“…….”Though his voice was filled with playfulness, Yeonwoo didn’t respond. Because it was true. Maybe they were waiting for Sungwoon to leave his side. How annoyed they must be. As his body felt more at ease, a sense of unease began to grow in a corner of his heart.“What’s with the face?”“…Huh?”“Why do you look like you’re about to cry again?”“I’m not.”Noticing the hidden anxiety in his heart, Sungwoon leaned his right arm on Yeonwoo’s shoulder and asked. Yeonwoo, whose left shoulder drooped, shook his head in denial.“Hey.”“Yeah.”“Just stay by my side. That’s it.”“…….”“Then they won’t be able to hit you.”“…….”Can that really happen? Yeonwoo kept the words he couldn’t utter in his mouth and chewed them thoroughly. Unknowing, Sungwoon lightly patted Yeonwoo’s back with a comforting gesture.“Which way is your house?”The path they were walking on split into two. It seemed Sungwoon needed to go to the right. Yeonwoo, staring at the black asphalt, swallowed hard. Then he pointed in the direction Sungwoon was standing.“This way.”“Me too.”Sungwoon seemed happy that he could walk a bit more with Yeonwoo. Smiling prettily with his curved eyes, he led Yeonwoo down the right path. Yeonwoo moved his heavy steps. They were moving further away from the way home.“I go this way. What about you?”During the ten-minute walk, Sungwoon continued with trivial chatter. Mostly he talked, and Yeonwoo nodded or occasionally answered with a “Yeah.” They reached the second fork in the road. This time, Sungwoon pointed to the left path first, and Yeonwoo pointed to the right as if he had been waiting.“Goodbye. See you tomorrow.”Sungwoon waved. Yeonwoo nodded and then followed by waving his hand. It really felt like having a friend. Sungwoon turned his back first and walked away quickly. Yeonwoo watched his retreating figure until he was smaller than a finger before hurrying his steps.Retracing the way they had come felt somewhat pitiful, but he pressed his feet into the ground, trying to erase the feeling. Going left at the first fork led to what they called a slum. A place where some parts were demolished, with red graffiti on the walls, trash rolling on the ground, and occasional heinous crimes happening.“Yeonwoo, are you back?”The home of Grandma and Yeonwoo.Entering through the almost collapsing iron gate, there’s a space that can barely be called a yard. Grandma, with her bent back, was crouched on the ground, hand-washing clothes in a green basin, and she greeted her grandson with a bright smile. The washing machine in the bathroom had been broken for over five years. Looking at the soapy water covering the ground, Yeonwoo made a mental note. When I earn money, the first thing I’ll buy for Grandma is a washing machine.“Grandma, I’m back.”“My dear, you must be tired. Did you eat?”“No, I didn’t. Let’s eat together, Grandma.”“Alright. Grandma will set the table quickly.”“I want ramen.”“Ramen? Not rice?”“Yes. I want to eat ramen today.”“Alright. Grandma will cook it for you.”On the small purple table, with one broken leg wrapped in blue tape, sat a blackened aluminum pot. The steaming ramen smelled delicious. Grandma picked up Yeonwoo’s plate and transferred all the ramen into it.“If you give it all to me, what will you eat, Grandma?”Yeonwoo flipped the plate and poured the ramen back into the pot. Grandma waved her hands and filled Yeonwoo’s plate with the ramen again.“Grandma had a big lunch, so I’m full.”A lie. She probably just had rice soaked in water with a piece of kimchi. Yeonwoo looked down at the greasy ramen piled high on his plate and spoke.“Grandma.”“Yes?”“Do you like gamjatang (pork back-bone stew)?”“Huh? Gamjatang?”“…Yes. Do you like gamjatang?”Feeling like he might cry, Yeonwoo gulped down cold water. Grandma, who was transferring the remaining few strands of ramen into her plate, smiled with her wrinkled eyes.“Does our Yeonwoo want to eat gamjatang?”Even then, she was only thinking of her grandson. Yeonwoo shook his head vigorously.“No. Grandma. Do you like it?”“Grandma doesn’t like it.”Holding the spoon, Grandma’s hand trembled slightly, making it hard to scoop the soup. Grandma has gotten so old. His stomach churned, and he couldn’t eat the ramen.“Let’s go eat gamjatang together next time.”“Yeonwoo wants to eat gamjatang.”“Yes. I want to eat it.”“Alright. Let’s go. Shall we go this weekend?”Just a moment ago, she said she didn’t like gamjatang, but now she had changed her mind as if ready to go out immediately. Yeonwoo’s throat caved in. Overwhelmed by emotion, he found it hard to endure. Yeonwoo nodded while stuffing ramen into his mouth.Grandma, gamjatang is delicious. It’s not just potatoes; there’s meat too. You don’t know what gamjatang is, do you? Let’s go eat it together. The broth is rich and really tasty. You’ll like it once you try it.Grandma, I’m sorry. I’m just… just sorry.“Yeonwoo, were you very hungry?”Grandma transferred the remaining few strands of ramen from her plate to Yeonwoo’s. Forcing noodles into his churning stomach made him feel blocked and pained.Grandma, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I took the right path today. The house you worked so hard to raise me in, I’m sorry for being ashamed of it. I’m sorry….Grandma placed her hands on her knees and gazed at her grandson, as if she knew everything.And so, another day ended in the slum where people lived.⟡˖ ࣪Just five more minutes. Just five more. Just five more….So, waiting for five more minutes, twenty minutes passed. It would be best to meet by chance like yesterday, but Sungwoon was nowhere to be seen today. Maybe he went to school first. Should I just go in first? Clutching his bag strap tightly, Yeonwoo stood alone, far from the school gate.“Yeonwoo, what are you doing here?”