.
Listening to those words, I was about to suffocate. It seemed like someone had put a heavy rock right beside my heart.
Standing still wordlessly for a second, I soon opened my arms wide again and pulled Yeo Ryung into my chest more tightly than she did to me. This time, Yeo Ryung coughed out loud as she was almost choking on my desperate hug. Slightly releasing my arms, I buried my face onto her shoulder instead of getting off her right away.
‘Welcome to where you belong… I waited for you so much…’
I was so thankful that it was none other than Ban Yeo Ryung who uttered those words to me.
Ban Yeo Ryung accepted my long embrace unresistingly. Holding her in my arms for quite a while and finally letting her out of me, I got to realize that someone had been standing beside her.
Since Ban Yeo Ryung looked similar to her on March 2nd in our middle school freshman year, my eyes were all on her for the whole time. A person, who had the same aura just as her, was standing right in front of me.
I hesitated for a second.
“Yeo Dan oppa,” I called his name. Considering our relationship, I should jump into his arms and hug him tightly too. However, I paused to do so since I was still unable to get out of the nightmare I had last night.
What if there was something different from the things I knew about this place? And therefore, Yeo Dan oppa and I weren’t having a relationship?
Those thoughts turned out to be meaningless within a few seconds. Stepping close to me immediately, Yeo Dan oppa pulled me into his arms so tightly. I opened my eyes wide for a second then slightly smiled and patted his back.
Yeo Dan oppa flung a question with a husky voice.
“Where were you? Where have you been?”
I became startled. It wasn’t Ban Yeo Ryung or other kids, but Yeo Dan oppa was remembering my absence, which was surprising and thankful at the same time. I also felt a little sorry since the unilateral promise he made to me entered my head. The selfish mind I had, hoping that he would keep his promise, also embarrassed me.
Burying my face onto his shoulder, I tilted my head to attach my cheek closer to him, then I asked, “How are you?”
“It was awful,” he replied. His voice that embodied a heavy rage like a rock resonated around my ears. Instead of a response, I just nodded and hugged him more tightly.
He kept his promise in the end. Although I felt pathetic about myself feeling glad that he was the equal of his words, I couldn’t help but laugh at the moment.
Showing a slight grin while embracing him, I was surprised when Yeo Ryung suddenly snatched my wrist. She began to run toward the elevator while pulling my arm. Yeo Dan oppa also pushed my back while running beside her. It was something that would happen only when I was running late or so. Thus, I asked them in bewilderment, “Is today March 2nd, not March 1st?”
Was the flow of time also distorted? Yeo Ryung, however, shook her head determinedly at my question. She then pressed the elevator button. Pushing me through the opened doors first, Ban Yeo Ryung also stepped inside the elevator after me.
Watching her press the first-floor button, I wasn’t able to hide my anxious feelings. ‘Then, what’s going on? I usually got out of my house between eight and nine in the morning to go to cram school, so there weren’t many things to do in the morning. But why is she hurrying right now?’
At that moment, the door opened again with a ringing sound. Looking at the familiar apartment lobby that came into view, Yeo Ryung urged me, “Come on, let’s go, Donnie! Hurry up!”
“Uh, where on earth are we going…?” I asked her and pushed the glass door open while quickly walking after Yeo Ryung. Then all of a sudden, I was at a loss for words.
There were familiar black vehicles right in front of my eyes. As if they came here not so long ago, the tire tracks were clearly in the snow. And outside of those cars, there stood the boys.
I looked back and forth between the dazzling hair colors under the sunlight. They were platinum blond, red as wine, blue-black like the night sky, and soft brown like melted sugar.
No one moved an inch as if the time had stopped for a moment. The boys then soon bent their steps without hindrance and stopped in front of me.
Eun Jiho was the first to broke the ice.
“You must say, I’m back home,” he scolded me so naturally.
Avoiding his hand that was trying to press my head, I replied, “I didn’t want to leave home. It wasn’t my will you know.”
Eun Hyung, who was quietly staring at me while standing beside Eun Jiho, slowly opened his mouth. He spoke with his usual, warm and soft grin.
“Donnie, welcome back.”
“Ah, yeah,” I replied.
As if he quickly read the concerned look on my face, Eun Hyung continued speaking with a slightly cheerful voice.
“We’ve been doing well.”
I smiled again at his response. Eun Hyung’s remark didn’t mean that he was fine without me; it was about his father and Eunmi. Things that made them struggle were resolved just a few days ago, so Eun Hyung actually looked way better than the time I had last seen him.
“That sounds good,” I replied with the bottom of my heart.
As I turned my head, Yoo Chun Young and I had eye contact. Looking at his blue eyes that were on me, I somehow became nervous. Suddenly, the thing that happened during the courage test flashed through my mind.
At that time, Yoo Chun Young uttered,
‘You…’
‘What?’
‘It was you.’
The words he threw out of context…
‘It was snowing, but I just stood there and wondered why I was standing here…’
‘No matter how much I’ve thought, I couldn’t remember anything, so I’ve kept wondering who on earth am I waiting for and why…’
And suddenly, his brows met in the middle.
‘It was you.’
‘Did you wait for me in the snow? But I wasn’t there? When? Where?’
Thinking to that extent, I quietly looked up at Yoo Chun Young. Maybe this would be the time that I could find the answer since I happened to disappear in winter, and the traces of snowfall were still everywhere.
However, Yoo Chun Young just stared at me then suddenly blurted out something with downcast eyes.
“Don’t go anymore.”
His words sounded like I wouldn’t go if I didn’t want to leave. Despite his remark, I just looked up at him and soon pulled the corners of my lips upward.
“Okay,” I uttered as if I was making a promise to him.
Lastly, I turned my head to look at Jooin. At that moment, he suddenly pulled me into his arms, so I switched my gaze to Yeo Dan oppa in bewilderment.
“Hold on… wait… my boyfriend…”
“We already exchanged eye contact,” replied Jooin cheerfully.
I diverted my gaze back onto Yeo Dan oppa in confusion. He, however, didn’t show any signs of bewilderment and was just staring in this direction, so what Jooin just said seemed to be true.
That was when I could eventually pat Jooin’s hair with a relaxed mind. It also felt like this kind of thing took place after a long time.
Raising my head back, I looked around and fell into thought.
‘The most surreal things I know have returned to my real life. I AM BACK.’
Article 34. The Time She Isn’t Aware Of
On February 23rd, Woo Jooin opened his eyes.
Lying down on the bed for quite some time, he looked up at the ceiling and just blinked swiftly. It had been a long time since he woke up this way as if someone had pulled his hair to drag him out of the dream. However, Jooin had no idea what the reason was.
While he had every nerve bristled up for quite a long time, a sound of breath finally reached his ears. Jooin glanced across the bed.
His house was relatively spacious. Many of his cousins often slept over at his place, so Jooin prepared something like a sofa bed for them.
Indeed, there was someone crouching on the long couch across Jooin’s bed. Looking at the person sleeping with gentle gasps, Woo Jooin finally recalled what had happened last night.
