Miracle Illusion

“Then….”Yeonwoo, putting the elephant headband back in its place, scanned the display with sparkling eyes. He spotted something suitable. Smiling brightly, he reached out.“Sent away the elephant, and now comes a monkey.”“Unsoongi.”“Huh…?”“Unsoongi.”He didn’t expect him to like it this much. Yeonwoo, unaware of how unfunny his joke was, just smiled brightly. His lips curled up high. Standing on tiptoe, Yeonwoo put the brown monkey headband on Sungwoon.“It suits you. Unsoongi.”Sungwoon, who had stiffened for no reason, quietly observed Yeonwoo, who winked at him. It was a habit Yeonwoo had when he was genuinely happy, winking and smiling.“Unsoongi is hungry.”Sungwoon placed his large palm on Yeonwoo’s head. His small, black head was completely covered. The sound of air escaping through Sungwoon’s teeth came out repeatedly.Starting with the flume ride, they rode the Viking and the bungee drop in succession. He thought he could ride amusement park rides all day, but as soon as the safety bar of the bungee drop went up, his head started spinning, and his stomach turned.“Wow… it’s really high.”The last ride they chose before gathering at the main gate was the Ferris wheel. The creaky red Ferris wheel slowly ascended towards the sky, which had seemed endlessly high. Yeonwoo sat close to the window, admiring the sparkling scenery. The countless people looked like swarms of ants.“Hey. When you ride the Ferris wheel, you have to sit in the middle.”“Why?”“To balance it. Otherwise, it’ll fall.”Sungwoon said seriously when they reached the top. Yeonwoo, who had been watching the Viking tilt at a right angle in the distance, rolled his eyes.“That’s nonsense.”“It’s true. This is originally for four people. Since it’s just the two of us, we have to balance it well.”Sungwoon, who said that, was really sitting in the middle of the long seat. Yeonwoo, who had been sitting close to the right to look out the window, glanced at the floor and then left and right. The old Ferris wheel did seem to tilt slightly to the right, just as he said.“Stop teasing me.”He wasn’t foolish enough to believe such nonsense. It was just that the Ferris wheel was quite old, which made him nervous. Yeonwoo pouted and scolded Sungwoon for teasing him. Yet, he subtly moved his hips, inching towards the middle of the seat. Sungwoon chuckled and turned his head. The amusement park didn’t impress him much, but the view outside was quite spectacular.“…….”“…….”For a while, there was no conversation. The two silently admired the view, each lost in their thoughts. The clanking of metal occasionally broke the silence. It wasn’t even seven o’clock yet, but it was already getting dark. As the Ferris wheel they were on lit up, lights twinkled all over the vast amusement park. Yeonwoo, mouth agape, admired the night view, made even more beautiful by the lights. From a distance, it looked like a cluster of fireflies.“Hey. Look here.”It was when the Ferris wheel, which had started at the six o’clock position, reached the two o’clock position. Sungwoon, holding his phone horizontally, tapped Yeonwoo’s knee. The camera captured both of them.“Kimchi.”“…….”“Don’t flip the bird again.”Sungwoon’s lips curled up. As Yeonwoo spread his index and middle fingers, the camera clicked.“Your face is so white that I look like a black bean.”“It came out well.”“It kind of looks like people will only look at your face. Can you also look at me next to you?”Turning his body, Sungwoon showed the photo to Yeonwoo, grumbling that he looked weird. Yeonwoo, finding his face in the photo unfamiliar, averted his gaze and fidgeted.“Choi Sungwoon.”“Yeah.”Yeonwoo, rubbing his knee with his palm, suddenly called out to Sungwoon. Sungwoon, who had been zooming in on his face in the photo, muttered, “Looks like I’m going to pick coffee beans,” and answered. Now at the four o’clock position.They had to prepare to get off. After hesitating for a while, Yeonwoo decided to muster up the courage. It was now or never.“…Thank you.”“Huh?”“Thank you.”“For what?”“For being my friend.”It had been a month since he met Sungwoon. Just one month in his nineteen-year life, but the changes Sungwoon brought to Yeonwoo were far from trivial. Sungwoon, holding his phone, quietly looked at Yeonwoo. The screen still showed a large, zoomed-in image of Sungwoon’s face.“Actually, I don’t have any friends. You’re my first.”“…….”“You’re the first person to eat with me. The first to come to an outing like this with me….”“…….”“I used to hate going to school so much that I wished it could be night forever, but since you transferred, I sleep well at night. No one bullies me….”“…….”“And I have a f-f-friend….”He spoke well without stuttering, but at the most crucial moment, he stuttered twice. Yeonwoo bit his lip, his face turning bright red. Sungwoon still said nothing, just staring at Yeonwoo. The phone screen, which had been flashing, had long since gone dark. It was almost time to get off. A safety officer waving nearby was visible. Yeonwoo swallowed hard.“Actually, at first, I was a bit sad when you said you became my friend out of pity.”“…….”“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought that way, but my apology is too late. I’m sorry.”Apologizing repeatedly for thoughts he had alone, Yeonwoo mumbled several times. Sungwoon’s eyes narrowed.“But now it’s okay. Whatever the reason.”“…….”“If you ever don’t want to be friends with me, uh….”Yeonwoo’s eyes, which had been speaking calmly, began to waver. The Ferris wheel door opened automatically. A voice instructed them to get off in line with the long mark on the floor. As the Ferris wheel stood perfectly upright, Yeonwoo spoke in a trembling voice.“Just see me as a bit more pitiful.”Then he hurriedly got off as if running away.“Please get off.”Thanks to that, a stunned Sungwoon followed a step behind. It hadn’t been like this when they got on, but now the Ferris wheel was surrounded by colorful lights. Sungwoon, seeing Yeonwoo standing awkwardly at the exit, laughed softly. As he approached, he saw Yeonwoo’s reddened earlobes.“Hey.”“Time’s up. Let’s go quickly.”“Hey.”“We’ll get in trouble with the teacher if we’re late….”The last words he had tried so hard to say to Sungwoon while lying in bed last night were gone. It was a complete impulse, making him regret it even more. His neck felt hot as if it had been burned. Sungwoon, with the monkey-eared headband on his arm, grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist as he walked ahead.“Hey.”“…….”He felt the pulse in the prominent blue vein on his wrist. Sungwoon raised one corner of his mouth and looked at Yeonwoo. With his head down, Yeonwoo fidgeted nervously.“Hong Yeonwoo.”“…Yeah.”“How do you only hear what you want to hear?”“Huh?”Yeonwoo quickly looked up. His temples were slightly red from wearing the deer headband for so long. Sungwoon took the headband off him and put it on his arm. The deer sat atop the monkey.“You don’t remember what I said after that?”“…After?”‘Why did you become friends with me? Is it because you felt sorry for me being bullied?’‘Well… partly.’He couldn’t remember what else Sungwoon had said. Maybe there was more. Yeonwoo rolled his eyes to the left, thinking hard. Sungwoon, observing his ever-changing expressions, lightly flicked Yeonwoo’s forehead.“You’re not pitiful at all. And…”“…….”“I’ll still be your friend.”“…….”“Hurry up. We’re late.”This time, Sungwoon took the lead. Yeonwoo stood there, watching his figure slowly recede. The streetlight cast a glow over Sungwoon. For some reason, Yeonwoo’s nose tingled.⟡˖ ࣪“Are you okay?”“No. I’m in pain.”“They say there’s over thirty minutes left. Should I tell the teacher?”“No need.”On the bus back to school. Sungwoon’s expression had looked off, and now his face had gone pale. It seemed the hamburger he had for lunch didn’t sit well. The bus was speeding so fast that every time the brakes were applied, it upset his stomach more. Sungwoon rested his head against the window and closed his eyes.“Let me press here for you.”Trying to get some rest, he felt someone gently pulling his hand. Sungwoon half-opened his eyes. Yeonwoo, filled with concern, was holding his palm with both hands. He pressed firmly with his thumb in various spots. Sungwoon let out a helpless laugh.“My palm doesn’t hurt.”“No, pressing here when you’re indigested helps.”“You seem very convinced.”“It’s true. Your hands are really cold.”Yeonwoo’s expression was more serious than ever. Sungwoon tilted his head slightly, observing him.“There’s a song about how grandma’s hands are healing.”“Oh, come on….”Sungwoon covered his mouth with the hand Yeonwoo hadn’t grabbed. He couldn’t stop himself from laughing. He’s not a kid, so… regardless of Sungwoon’s reaction, Yeonwoo did his best, his round head shaking as he massaged the palm. Sungwoon chuckled, his shoulders shaking. Warm air was trapped behind the hand covering his mouth.“Hey, wasn’t it grandma’s hands that are healing?”“…….”“Maybe not. My mom never did this, so I don’t know.”Yeonwoo’s hands stopped moving. Sungwoon, thinking he was tired, pulled his hand away, saying, “That’s enough.” Yeonwoo grabbed his hand back, pulling it towards himself.“You’re right. I was mistaken. It was grandma’s hands that were healing.”“…….”It didn’t matter whether it was grandma’s or mom’s hands. Sungwoon’s raised lips slowly lowered. Yeonwoo’s eyelashes trembled.“Grandma’s hands are healing.”Yeonwoo forced a smile. Pressing down on Sungwoon’s fingertips, he even sang, “Grandma’s hands are healing.” He pretended to be okay, but his voice shook slightly. This time, Sungwoon didn’t laugh. The crescent-shaped eyes of Yeonwoo looked somehow sad. The moon shone brightly in the dark night sky. Yeonwoo lowered his head and forced his lips into a smile. Grandma’s hands are healing. Grandma’s hands are healing. Grandma’s hands are healing.“When you go all the way up on the Ferris wheel, you can see the entire amusement park.”“Really?”“Yeah. And there’s a boat ride that drops almost vertically into the water. The splash is huge.”A soft blanket covered the floor of the small room, just enough for two people to lie down. It had some patches, but it was a precious blanket that kept them warm through the cool autumn. Yeonwoo, sitting with the blanket up to his thighs, mimicked a right-angle fall with his arms. Grandma, lying on her side, laughed out loud.“We even had hamburgers, and they were really delicious. They were different from the ones sold in front of the school.”“Grandma wants to try it too.”“Yeah. Grandma, let’s go to the amusement park together next time.”“Grandma’s too bent over to ride the rides.”“No, but you can ride the Ferris wheel.”Yeonwoo’s eyes sparkled in the darkness. He was so excited that his speech grew faster. Grandma, resting her head on his arm, listened intently to her happy grandson’s words.“Oh, right.”Yeonwoo, groping the floor in the dark, grabbed something and smiled brightly. Grandma’s gaze followed his hand upward.“Try this on, Grandma.”“What is it?”“A deer.”A brown headband with deer antlers was placed on Grandma’s white hair. Still lying down, Grandma slowly sat up with the headband on.“Grandma, you look cute.”Yeonwoo showed his teeth and smiled brightly. It was dark because the lights were off, but they could see each other clearly thanks to the moonlight streaming in through the window. Grandma, her face full of wrinkles, wore the deer headband her nineteen-year-old grandson had brought from the amusement park and laughed. Her rough, chapped palm stroked Yeonwoo’s cheek for a long time.“Our Yeonwoo, you enjoyed the amusement park, didn’t you?”“Yes, it was fun. The street lamps were decorated so beautifully. When it got dark, they even lit up….”“Yes.”“Grandma, do you remember the churros we had a long time ago?”“Churros?”Grandma nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation, but she couldn’t remember. Yeonwoo, frustrated, pounded his chest lightly with his fist.“You know, the ones I brought from the amusement park when I was little.”“You’re still little.”“No…! When I was even younger. A baby.”To Grandma, he was still a baby. Her wrinkled mouth curved upward. She nodded vaguely and said, “Oh, I remember. Churros.” Yeonwoo’s eyes sparkled.“They taste really good when you eat them right away. Back then, they only tasted like oil. But when you eat them fresh, they’re crispy and delicious.”“Really?”“Yes. Let’s go to the amusement park together and have them.”“Yes, let’s eat them together.”Grandma lightly pinched Yeonwoo’s cheek. Yeonwoo blushed and smiled shyly. Taking off the headband and placing it on the desk, Grandma lay down first and patted the spot beside her. Yeonwoo quickly lay down next to her.“Grandma, are you asleep?”Outside, the sound of a motorcycle passing by could be heard. It was an unwelcome guest in the slum that often disturbed their sleep. Yeonwoo stared at the ceiling for a long time with wide-open eyes and then softly called Grandma. There was no answer. The sound of low breathing indicated she had already fallen asleep. Yeonwoo turned his head to look at Grandma’s profile and softly spoke.“Grandma, I made a friend.”I really made a friend. We eat together, play together… a really good friend. Today, I played with that friend too. We had hamburgers together and ate churros. Oh, we rode all the rides together too.“Umm….”Grandma turned over. Sensing the movement, Yeonwoo closed his mouth. Grandma, who had been lying facing Yeonwoo, turned her body the other way. Yeonwoo pressed his cheek against the pillow and stared at the back of Grandma’s head. There wasn’t a single black hair.“You know the star charm on my bag? My friend gave me that….”The black star attached to the worn-out bag with torn fabric. Sungwoon, who had put the charm on someone else’s bag without permission, hadn’t said anything about it, and neither had Yeonwoo. The star had been dangling from the same spot, following Yeonwoo’s movements for over a month.“It’s nice having a friend.”Grandma’s rounded shoulders rose and fell with each breath. Yeonwoo continued his monologue.“When I was coming home, my friend was sick… so I was a bit upset.”So I did the “Grandma’s hands are healing” thing. Grandma’s hands are healing. Grandma, you said Grandma’s hands are healing.Yeonwoo, who had been muttering in a small voice, slowly moved. He pressed his cheek against Grandma’s back and reached out to hug her.“But, Grandma….”The musty smell that Jaewook’s gang hated so much stung his nose. Yeonwoo shed tears on Grandma’s worn-out clothes. At that moment, her rough hand tightly gripped Yeonwoo’s. He rubbed his cheek against Grandma’s back and laughed like a child.Grandma, but… they say a mother’s hands are healing. You said Grandma’s hands are healing. Grandma, you’re a liar.He didn’t say the last words out loud but swallowed them inside. Feeling the warmth of his grandmother’s hand holding his, Yeonwoo pressed his cheek against her back and cried until he fell asleep.⟡˖ ࣪“Here. Breakfast.”“…….”“You should say thank you.”As soon as he arrived at school, Sungwoon rummaged through his bag and pulled out the round-shaped bread. He even placed one on his desk and one on Yeonwoo’s desk. Yeonwoo, looking down at the sugar-dusted bread bag, asked cautiously.“Do you by any chance have a father who runs a bakery?”“Huh?”“I mean… you bring bread every day….”It was a reasonable guess, but Sungwoon made a weird face, lowering the corners of his mouth. Yeonwoo’s cheeks turned red.“Let’s share one.”“Hey. Who’s going to notice? It’s originally one bread per person.”“…….”“In case you didn’t understand, it means don’t crave mine.”Sungwoon opened his bread bag, glaring playfully. The sweet smell of sugar wafted through the air. He wasn’t hungry and didn’t plan to eat, but the smell made his stomach growl. Still, he wasn’t confident he could eat the whole bag. Yeonwoo’s eyes kept darting to the bread bag in Sungwoon’s hand.“Uh…. Your gaze is making me uncomfortable.”“I can’t eat it all, so let’s share.”“Let’s not be petty, us men.”Sungwoon was firm. Yeonwoo looked gloomily at the large bread bag on his desk. He wished it was smaller. The bag, filled with nitrogen, contained more than twenty round pieces of bread about the size of a circle made by joining the thumb and index finger. He wasn’t confident he could eat it all.“Since you did ‘Grandma’s hands are healing’ for me yesterday, I’ll share it today.”For some reason, Sungwoon easily agreed. Yeonwoo smiled with his eyes and transferred a few pieces of the round bread from Sungwoon’s hand to his palm. Sungwoon, his lips twitching into a smile, patted Yeonwoo’s head a couple of times with his clean hand that had no sugar on it.“Good boy.”“What are you doing?”“You eat well, our Yeonwoo.”The hand that patted his head now playfully ruffled his hair. Yeonwoo frowned and shook his head to straighten his hair. Sungwoon put down his bread bag and rested his chin on the back of his hand. As Yeonwoo’s cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s with the relatively small bread, Sungwoon turned his head and chuckled.“It’s good.”“You eat it all.”Instead of answering, Yeonwoo smiled with his eyes. Sungwoon lightly swung his crossed legs and watched Yeonwoo eat.The third-year classroom, right before the college entrance exam, was no different. The home economics teacher, who had disappeared to the office after giving them self-study time, probably didn’t expect the classroom to be in such chaos. Less than five students were studying, most had earphones in, watching movies, or were dozing off on their desks.“Let’s play Bingo.”“Bingo?”“Yeah. Do you know how?”“No.”“I’ll teach you.”Yeonwoo, who had been sitting with wide-open eyes, followed Sungwoon’s suggestion and took out a blank notebook. He used a ruler to cut the paper neatly. Four by four. Sixteen squares in total. The game was simple. Set a theme and write words. The first to make three lines of Bingo wins.“What theme should we choose?”“Um….”“Movies?”“…No.”He didn’t know much about movies since he hadn’t seen many.“Food?”“Animals.”Both spoke at the same time. Before Yeonwoo could say anything, Sungwoon nodded, saying, “Animals, sure.” The first bingo game’s theme was animals.“Just write whatever comes to mind.”“Okay.”“Write down all the animals you can think of.”“Got it.”Yeonwoo filled in the squares with a serious expression, turning his body and raising his elbow to prevent Sungwoon from peeking. Sungwoon, finding it amusing, picked up his pen.“Monkey.”Having won rock-paper-scissors, Sungwoon said the first word. Yeonwoo’s pen didn’t move, indicating he hadn’t thought of monkeys. Sungwoon chuckled and marked an ‘X’ in the box labeled ‘Monkey.’“Your turn.”“…….”It was Yeonwoo’s turn, but he kept his mouth shut, frozen. Concerned, Sungwoon tapped his shoulder.“Are you feeling unwell?”“Can we change the theme?”“Why?”“I didn’t understand the game well….”For some reason, Yeonwoo’s face turned as red as a carrot. Tilting his head, Sungwoon reached for his paper, saying, “What did you write?” Startled, Yeonwoo quickly folded the paper and hid it in his palm.“What did you write?”“…Let’s start over.”“Show me.”“No.”“Come on.”Eventually, Sungwoon gave up. Yeonwoo crumpled the paper in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket, declaring the next game. The second theme was fruits, and the third was numbers. 3X3. Nine squares of bingo. Yeonwoo, who claimed he didn’t understand the game, won both rounds and smiled proudly. Watching him gloat as if he had conquered the world, Sungwoon laughed softly.“I’m going to the bathroom.”“Okay.”Yeonwoo, still flushed with victory, got up to go to the bathroom. Sungwoon casually responded, then added,“Use the one in the hallway, not the one downstairs.”“…Okay.”Hearing Yeonwoo’s reply, Sungwoon slumped over his desk. He was a bit tired from getting too into the bingo game, like a child. Tapping the wooden desk, which had knife marks here and there, with the back of his hand, Sungwoon noticed a white paper on the floor.“Oh….”It was the paper that had fallen from Yeonwoo’s pocket. The first bingo game. Sungwoon glanced at the back door Yeonwoo had left through, smiled, and picked up the paper.“Ha….”A small sigh escaped Sungwoon’s lips as he looked down at the crumpled paper. His laughter grew louder. Finally, he stuffed the paper with sixteen squares into his pocket and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. Even with his head bowed, his shoulders shook.⟡˖ ࣪“Sorry, I’m late.”“It’s not that late.”Sungwoon, carrying a black bag slung over his shoulder, shook his head nonchalantly. Yeonwoo hurriedly followed him. It was the first time they met wearing casual clothes instead of school uniforms. It was Sunday.‘Grandma, how about this?’‘That looks nice too.’‘Then how about this?’‘That looks nice too.’‘Ah! You can’t say everything looks nice! You have to tell me which one is better.’‘Our Yeonwoo looks good in anything he wears.’‘Doesn’t this look a bit childish?’Yeonwoo asked seriously, holding up a black and white striped T-shirt. Grandma, who was mending torn pants, smiled broadly.‘Are you meeting a girlfriend?’‘Huh? No, just a friend…’‘Why are you so concerned about meeting a friend?’‘Well… I can’t just wear anything…’Yeonwoo’s earlobes turned red as he ran to the bathroom to stand in front of the full-length mirror. He finally settled on a plain black hoodie and jeans. After spinning around once in place to check his outfit, he rushed to the front door.‘Grandma, I’m going. Make sure to eat.’‘Okay. Have a good time, dear.’Maybe he should have worn the striped T-shirt Grandma picked out. Walking through the bustling street lined with tall buildings, Yeonwoo glanced at his reflection in the shop windows multiple times and secretly peeked at Sungwoon. Wearing a navy blue sweater and jeans, Sungwoon looked like a celebrity, thanks to his handsome face and good physique.“What are you looking at?”“Just…”Standing next to him, Yeonwoo felt like a hedgehog, all puffed up with quills. He pouted and walked with heavy steps. Sungwoon silently shrugged his shoulders.“This movie is supposed to be scary.”“Really?”“Yeah. They say someone even had a heart attack from it abroad.”“Really?”Yeonwoo didn’t flinch at the baseless rumor. He had never watched a movie outside of the ones shown in school during class. Naturally, it was his first time in a movie theater. Sungwoon quietly observed Yeonwoo, who was looking around the theater with sparkling eyes.“Do you like horror movies?”“Huh? Uh… yeah.”It was a lie. He had never watched a horror movie. School always showed movies with moral or philosophical plots. Clones or robots cleaning the Earth…. But he couldn’t let on that it was his first time in a movie theater, so Yeonwoo silently nodded.“Do you want popcorn?”“Yeah.”This time he answered without hesitation. Sungwoon, with his arm around Yeonwoo’s shoulder, gently pushed him towards the concession stand. The staff in red uniforms greeted them with friendly smiles. Corn popping in the machine filled the air with a sweet smell.“What flavor?”“Whatever you like.”Pretending to answer casually, Yeonwoo quickly turned his eyes to the menu. Thankfully, the different popcorn flavors were listed prominently on the electronic board.<Butter>, <Onion>, <Garlic>, <Cheese>.“What do you like?”“Butter.”“Regular?”“No, butter flavor.”Scanning the menu quickly, Yeonwoo replied with a more confident voice and reached into his back pocket to pull out neatly folded bills. Sungwoon, watching him, smoothly placed the order with a smile.“Butter flavor, please.”“And for drinks?”“Hey, cola or soda?”“Cola.”“Two colas, please.”“That’ll be 9,500 won.”“Here!”Yeonwoo, having waited for this moment, urgently shouted and handed over a ten-thousand-won bill he had tightly gripped. Sungwoon usually paid, but this time Yeonwoo really wanted to buy.“Please use this!”“I’m sorry, sir. Our theater is cashless. Can you pay by card?”“What?”“We don’t accept cash.”The employee, wearing a name tag that read ‘Allie,’ looked apologetic. Yeonwoo’s outstretched hand, holding the crumpled green bill, fell limply. Without a wallet, he had no card.“Use this.”Sungwoon, who had been watching, handed over a card with his left hand while lowering Yeonwoo’s wrist with his right. Yeonwoo, head bowed, stared helplessly at the crumpled bill in his hand. His neck tingled as if struck by lightning. He felt so ashamed and sorry that he was on the verge of tears.“Enjoy your snacks.”“Thank you.”The payment was easily handled with a card smaller than a palm. Yeonwoo, who had fallen silent, took the two cups of cola Sungwoon handed him. One had a red straw, the other a black one. Holding a large popcorn tub, Sungwoon said nothing more and headed for the escalator, saying, “It’s time. Let’s go up.” A deflated Yeonwoo followed him with heavy steps.“Row O, seats 3 and 4.”“How do we find our seats in the dark?”“They’re labeled at the bottom.”Holding the colas in both hands, Yeonwoo carefully descended the dark theater stairs. As Sungwoon said, the letters at the end of the stairs glowed. After two steps, they found Row O.“Here.”“You go inside.”“Okay.”The middle seats were long enough for over twenty people, but the two seats by the wall were just four. Wondering what the difference was, Yeonwoo sat in seat 4, right next to the wall.“It’s starting.”“Eat the popcorn.”“I’ll hold it.”“It’s fine. I’ll hold it, so you just eat.”With Sungwoon’s words, the screen showing advertisements went dark. The movie, which had topped the horror genre at American award shows for weeks, began with a thunderous sound.“Hey… stop spilling the popcorn.”“Whoa, damn….”Yeonwoo, frowning, took the popcorn tub from Sungwoon and held it. They hadn’t eaten much, but Sungwoon had spilled half of it. Screams erupted from all around. Ghosts appeared right from the start. The sound effects were so loud that Yeonwoo’s ears felt like they were tearing. He found the noise from the speakers scarier than the eyeless ghost filling the screen.“Whoa, damn!”As soon as the protagonist lit a lighter in the dark room, a ghost with a pale face appeared. No one paid attention to Sungwoon’s swearing. His scream was drowned out by the simultaneous screams from all around. Yeonwoo found Sungwoon’s scream scarier than the ghost. Startled, Yeonwoo slapped Sungwoon’s shoulder with his palm.“Ah!”“Ah…!”Immersed in the movie, Sungwoon screamed at Yeonwoo’s touch. Startled, Yeonwoo screamed too. Unfortunately, this time, everyone else was quiet. A couple sitting a few rows ahead turned around irritably. Yeonwoo, wide-eyed, covered his mouth with his hand.“You scared me. Why did you hit me?”“Your scream is scarier.”Yeonwoo, clutching the popcorn, frowned and whispered scoldingly. In the dark, Sungwoon, pouting, suddenly brought his mouth close to Yeonwoo’s ear.“Then I’ll keep my eyes closed. Tell me when the ghost is gone.”“…….”“Okay?”“Okay.”As soon as Yeonwoo answered, Sungwoon tightly closed his eyes. Instead of watching the movie, Yeonwoo turned to look at his face. Why pay to watch a movie if you’re going to do this? He didn’t understand, but seeing Sungwoon with his eyes tightly shut made him smile.“Ah. That was boring.”“…….”“It wasn’t very fun, right?”Sungwoon’s cola remained untouched until the movie ended. Yeonwoo, who had finished the popcorn alone, looked at him in disbelief. He had seen Sungwoon watching the movie with squinted eyes, so what was he talking about? Despite Yeonwoo’s thoughts, Sungwoon shamelessly complained about the movie being “so boring.” Eventually, Yeonwoo nodded and laughed first.“Do you like plain milk?”“Yeah.”“I really hate plain milk.”“Why?”“It’s too bland. So in elementary school, I always bought Jetti to mix with it.”In front of the movie theater was a beautifully landscaped park. The two sat on a bench in the middle of the neatly maintained greenery, each with a drink they had bought from a convenience store, chatting quietly.“Next time, let’s watch a fun movie.”“Sure.”“Not something super scary.”“You said it was boring.”“Yeah. It was really boring.”Sungwoon laughed helplessly, as if even he found it ridiculous. His voice was hoarse from all the screaming. Yeonwoo’s cheeks puffed up as he sipped his milk through a straw.“Oh, right. I’m not going to school tomorrow.”“…Huh?”“I’m skipping school tomorrow.”“……Why?”It was like a bolt from the blue. Yeonwoo, almost dropping his milk, widened his eyes and asked. Sungwoon, downing a vitamin drink, replied nonchalantly.“I have to go draw.”“Draw?”“Yeah. I’m majoring in art, remember?”“What?”This time, Yeonwoo’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. It was the first time he had heard this. Sungwoon, holding an empty bottle, shook his head.“Um… could you pay a little more attention to me?”“What kind of art…?”“I have an art school entrance exam tomorrow.”“Oh…….”“Why? Does it not suit me?”Sungwoon chuckled. Yeonwoo shook his head vigorously in denial, but he had actually thought it didn’t suit him at all. Maybe sports, but art? Yeonwoo blinked his wide eyes, unable to say anything. Sungwoon playfully flicked Yeonwoo’s forehead.“Even if you’re bored, just endure it for a day.”“…….”“Even if you miss me, endure it.”“…What….”Yeonwoo’s head drooped like a falling arc. His heart raced wildly. Sungwoon’s expression, smiling at Yeonwoo, slowly hardened.“Are you worried they’ll bully you?”“…….”“Guess I was right.”He should have said no, but his lips wouldn’t open. Yeonwoo fidgeted with the half-empty milk carton, biting his lips. Leaning his elbows on the bench, Sungwoon snorted.“I thought you were upset because you’d miss me.”“Oh….”“Don’t worry. They won’t bully you. I’m not gone forever, and unless they’re goldfish-brained, they won’t do anything stupid.”“…….”“If they do bully you, write their names on the blackboard. I’ll come on Tuesday and beat them up.”Sungwoon playfully flicked Yeonwoo’s hair, which fluttered in the wind, with his fingers, smiling mischievously. Feeling guilty for no reason, Yeonwoo kept his gaze fixed on the ground, moving it around without any other movement.“Shall we go?”“…Yeah.”In the end, he couldn’t say thank you or sorry. As Yeonwoo stood up to follow Sungwoon, his back looked somehow deflated. The narrow alleyway relied on the streetlight’s glow. At the first fork, they took the right path, and at the second fork, they parted ways with a “See you the day after tomorrow.”⟡˖ ࣪Today, he really didn’t want to go to school, wishing he were sick enough to stay home. Wandering the hallway until just before the bell rang for the zero period self-study, Yeonwoo clutched his trembling heart and opened the back door. He felt the stares of Jaeyul’s gang at the back but ignored them and headed to his seat. He worried they might grab his neck or trip him, but fortunately, no one bothered him.<Absentees: Choi Sungwoon (entrance exam)>The class president, wearing round glasses, wrote Sungwoon’s name in the corner of the green chalkboard. Yeonwoo sighed quietly, looking back and forth between the empty seat next to him and the name on the board. It had only been a little over a month since Sungwoon transferred, but his absence already felt significant.As Sungwoon had said, Jaeyul’s gang didn’t bother Yeonwoo, not even talking to him. By the second period, Yeonwoo, who had been trembling with fear, felt relieved by the ordinary routine and disgusted by their weakness towards the strong.“The teachers are so lazy. Another self-study.”A girl sitting in the front row complained. The English teacher wrote “Self-study” in large letters on the board and left the classroom. If it were truly self-study time, there would be no complaints, but the moment the teacher left, the classroom turned into a noisy market. Yeonwoo rolled up small pieces of tissue and stuffed them in his ears. He didn’t want to hear Jaewook and Jinwoo’s loud laughter from behind.‘Let’s play Bingo.’He remembered the Bingo game Sungwoon had taught him. Glancing at the empty seat, he reached into his drawer and took out a notebook. Just like before, he used a ruler to cut a clean sheet. Then, using a three-color pen, he drew sixteen squares on the paper. He remembered the disastrous first game. Even though no one was watching, his face felt hot.Determined to make up for his past mistake, Yeonwoo quickly wrote down the names of animals. He filled twelve squares but couldn’t think of any more animals for the remaining four. Resting his chin on his hand, he thought for a long time before putting down his pen. Bingo was a game that couldn’t be played alone.I wish he’d come back soon.Throughout class and break time, he kept glancing at Sungwoon’s empty seat. He had slept poorly the night before but didn’t feel tired. It was just one day, but it felt so dull. In just a month, he had grown so accustomed to Sungwoon that his absence felt enormous.He was sure lunchtime wouldn’t pass without incident, but surprisingly, Jaeyul’s gang, as usual, gathered noisily among themselves, paying no attention to Yeonwoo. He felt oddly pleased, thinking they had lost interest in him over the past month. Yeonwoo finished his lunch and returned from brushing his teeth with a light heart. The problem started then.“Ouch….”“Oh! Sorry, Yeonwoo!”Just like in the morning, he lowered his gaze as he entered through the back door. Walking past Jaeyul’s gang, he kept his eyes on the floor, pretending not to see anything. Nothing had happened in the morning, but this time, someone tripped him. Losing his balance, Yeonwoo fell to the floor. His wrist hurt from catching himself.“Ugh….”“Does it hurt? I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional.”The culprit was Dohyeong. He knelt down, smirking annoyingly. Yeonwoo’s knee stung from hitting the wooden floor. Without checking his injured knee, Yeonwoo stood up immediately.“Yeonwoo, I borrowed your bag.”“…….”“I had nowhere to put my milk.”This time, it was Jaeyul’s voice. Yeonwoo stopped in his tracks. The bag in Jaeyul’s hand looked all too familiar. Next to his thick hand, the black star charm Sungwoon had given him dangled.“Give me my bag.”Yeonwoo reached out to Jaeyul. Jaeyul shrugged and twirled the bag’s strap around his finger. It was clear he had emptied the bag and stashed its contents somewhere. Sighing inwardly, Yeonwoo spoke firmly again.“Give me my bag.”“Sure. Take it.”Jaeyul, smirking, threw the worn bag at Yeonwoo’s chest. As soon as he hugged the old fabric bag, a foul smell hit his nose. At the same time, his uniform shirt became damp.