22 – Didn’t you hear anything from Ara?
A little over a month has passed since that day.
I am currently on the phone with Yoo Ah-hyun, who has returned to the United States.
– So today was the start of school, right?
“Oh, I already did. The school opening ceremony ended earlier, and now the 4th period is over, so it’s lunch time, sister.”
Ahyeon Yoo calls me once or twice a week.
Originally, the two of us weren’t particularly awkward, but we weren’t in contact as often as we are lately.
It seems that she wants to fill the empty seat of Han Seung-ah in her own way.
Yoo Ji-tae also increased the frequency of contacting me and Ara after that day, but not as much as Yoo Hyun-hyun.
– Ah, is it that time already? Well, if you think about the time difference between here and Korea… That’s right.
“Uh, it will be late now on your sister’s side too, so sleep now. What time do you usually sleep, sister? You’re not hanging out with strange people until late at night, are you?”
– What did he say? Something small… No, it’s not small anymore. Anyway, just because he’s tall, is he 5 years younger talking like my dad?
“It’s because I’m worried. American kids say that high school students just do drugs? No matter how curious you are, no drugs or alcohol, okay? Make good friends.”
– Really… If you’re a good friend of that guy, go out with him. I heard you only made 3 friends in 6 years of elementary school? And those two are Ara and Minah.
“… Say three, not just three. Having three good friends in life is enough.”
After that, Yoo Ah-hyun ended the phone call by saying that he wished Ara well along with a good word to finish the rest of her school life well.
… Baby
Ara became strange after that day.
Of course she lost her biological mother at such a young age, so it’s true that she can’t be all right… It’s a different feeling than being disappointed.
“Hey Hansol Lee, aren’t you going to eat?”
“I was on the phone for a while.”
After I was in the hallway thinking about Ara, Minseop Gu put his hand on my shoulder and started talking to her.
Usually, the two of us would go to Ara’s class like this and take Mina to eat together, but today is different.
“But who did you call? You have no friends but me.”
“This bastard… Why don’t I have any more friends? … Ara called her sister. Ah-hyun is my older sister.”
“Look at that. Not a friend … But is that sister pretty?”
“If you are pretty, what will you do? 5 Years older than us. I am in America now. Don’t drink nonsense, come, dude.”
“No, you don’t know about people again… but where are you going? Aren’t you going to Yuara’s class?”
“Yooara, they say they eat with other kids today. Park Min-ah will be there too. Let’s go together today.”
“… Why all of a sudden Did you guys really fight?”
Before the 4th period started, I got a text message from Ara.
After hearing the story of Han Seung-ah, she was comforted by her classmates, so she said she would eat with them.
I thought it was possible, but I felt something out of place.
I took my anger out on Minseop Gu for no reason.
“Ah, you can eat separately for a day, what are you fighting for, son of a b*tch! Stop talking nonsense and come quickly!”
“You might be curious after being around for a hundred days and a thousand days. Lee Han-sol crazy man… Uhh, I hate having to eat with a bastard like this just the two of us… “
“Does anyone know how good it is to be together with you? … Tomorrow, we will be eating again anyway, so please just come.”
I assured Min-seob Goo, who grumbled, that.
But neither the next day nor the day after that, I never ate with Arawa at school.
She was the first few times she gave reasons for this or that, but from one day she naturally started to eat separately.
I thought that would be a natural separation that occurs as we enter puberty.
At least Ara when we were alone was unchanged for me.
———-
“Minah Park, how is Yooara at school these days? Do you look okay? How are the kids you go out with these days? Are they good kids?”
“… Hansol says you’re talking to me after a long time, so you’re asking about Ara first?”
“I saw your face and said hello while passing by yesterday. What a long time ago.”
“It’s just the two of us meeting and talking. Ha… It’s okay, Hansol and Ara are the most important to you anyway.”
Instead of answering my question, Mina grumbled and said that.
Recently, I couldn’t get along with Ara at her school at all, so I called her, Ara’s best friend, to hear her story.
“Hey, really close friends don’t see each other for years, and even if they don’t talk, they’re comfortable with each other. Fake friends are those who don’t see each other for even a day and become distant because they haven’t contacted each other.”
“… At the same time, do you want to see Arrang even if you are only away from school? Even if you live in the same house? Are you a really sad lover?”
Maybe she didn’t like my excuses, so Minah kept shooting at me.
This is… What do you not like that makes you so annoyed?
Anyway, he’s an angel dog in front of other kids, but he’s a f*cking dog in front of me.
I went out with a low profile because I was in a position to ask for a favor, but if I do this, I feel a little bad.
“What are you so dissatisfied with? Suddenly… Do you like me? Are you just jealous?”
“Are you out of your mind!? I always said it would never happen! … Do you never say that in front of Ara?”
“No. I’m saying this because I don’t answer your questions and just lose my temper.”
“Haa… These days, the kids we hang out with are good kids. Ara is just the same as before.”
Only then did Minah answer my first question.
Mina fanned with her hands, as if the fever had risen because her little face was red.
I also took out my textbook and waved it up and down to help fans.
“Ah, don’t do this? I’ll take care of it… So anyway, I’m more anxious. Because Ara is so calm. I’m worried if I’m too depressed, but I’m worried if I’m too bright. She’s the one who doesn’t show off her original face… “
“It’s too bright… “
“… Yes, but that’s not all. Ara was originally a girl who was good to the other kids… Should it have gotten worse these days? How did you know the other day, a girl’s brother had a birthday, and they said all her parents were at her workplace, so they went all the way to her house to congratulate her?”
“What is that… Why does Ji go so far… ?”
Less than a week after Han Seung-ah’s funeral, she has increased her schedule, including English, Chinese and violin.
I didn’t do anything bad to congratulate my friend’s younger brother on his birthday, but why are you doing that when you’ve been cutting down on your sleeping time lately…
Does she mean to try to be a better person now that her mother is dead?
… I don’t know. I can’t understand Ara.
Minah asked me in a slightly heavy atmosphere.
“… Are you? Hansol, are you okay these days? That… Aren’t you lonely because you didn’t go out with us?”
“I’m not the kind of person who feels that way. And why am I alone Minseob Gu is there.”
“Hee hee, that’s right. I don’t remember much about Minseop… “
“Before, the four of us ate together every day… Don’t you say that to him? He secretly cares about you.”
“I never really thought of him that way… “
Though he pretends not to be in front of me, Min-seob Goo secretly has a crush on the small and pretty Min-ah.
I didn’t mean to help with that, though… Now that I see it, Mina doesn’t seem to be interested in him either.
But it’s a bit pitiful.
“Are you interested in a child? Talk to me quietly, boys.”
“Fool, not a little, but a lot? Pretending to know when you don’t know more than me … I don’t have a kid like that. Probably won’t be there for a long time.”
“Why?”
“… There is something like that You don’t have to know Han Sol for the rest of your life.”
Minah’s voice was a bit sad when she said that.
She asked me as if to change her awkward mood.
“By the way, where are you going to go to middle school? Gu Min-seop, are you going to the same place as him?”
“What… ? No… It would be nice to go to the same place as Gu Min-seop, but for me, the place you go is the priority.”
“… Uh?”
“Why? Where are you going?”
“No, it’s not like that… Didn’t you hear anything from Ara?”
“What?”
“Ara and I… “
“Sol! What are you doing there?”
Minah’s words did not continue.
Ara’s call was heard from behind us.
She came up to us and asked.
“You were with Minah? … What did you two talk about?”
“… I just didn’t say much. I ran into him by chance and asked him how he was doing for a while.”
“Hmm~ Really? Come on, Sol. We have to go quickly.”
Ara laughed at Mina’s answer and reached out her hand to me.
Are you going to hold hands?
As I got older, Ara didn’t ask me to hold her hand… I couldn’t refuse, so I grabbed his hand.
“Aya Min, Sol and I have to go see her grandfather today, right? Shall we go separately today?”
“Yes, yes… see you tomorrow then… “
Minah smiled bitterly and waved at us.
I heard her low voice as I passed her.
“Listen to Ara about middle school.”
“…… ?”
I could only understand the meaning of her words when I went to dinner with King Yoo Cheol.
———-
“… Ara, what did you just say?”
“Yes, Grandpa. I’m thinking of going on to middle school for girls.”
Hearing the answer, King Yoocheol’s eyes widened.
I could feel his gaze examining my expression, but I couldn’t hide my agitation.
Regret tag is on the way