episode_0288

***

Sunday night.

Seeing Kim Seong-ah, who had just finished dinner and returned to his room, he was spending time sitting at the table drinking orange juice.

“…Still not talking.”

A Friday drinking party that ended awkwardly. The following Saturday and Sunday passed without much incident.

Seongah Kim studied alone in her room except when she was eating. Of course, whether she really studied will depend on her conscience.

Kang In-ho spent his holiday cleaning up his yard, pulling out overgrown weeds and pruning away tangled tree branches.

Wearing an old hat that was rolling around and pulling grass in the yard, he occasionally felt eyes on him, but he didn’t really care.

He was gradually becoming accustomed to understanding people’s moods, as if he were reciting good luck every three years of Seodanggae.

He was not oblivious to the fact that Kim Seong-ah’s attitude had subtly changed in response to his ex-girlfriend.

“I should have pretended like nothing happened.”

I should have hidden my true feelings and acted calm. It was a fact he knew well.

Like an awl in my pocket, wrapped in a bad wrapping paper called painful memories, the awl pierced my heart, so I couldn’t control my facial expression.

“Wow, it’s sour.”

As the sour taste, beyond the sweet, filled his mouth, he frowned and looked at the outside of the orange juice.

The phrase ‘100% juice’ is visible.

He thought about having another drink, but put the juice in the refrigerator.

Then he casts his gaze to the location where she is likely to be. What you see is the ceiling.

“It will come when the time comes.”

You must be confused. he thought.

There was no action more dangerous than going over and talking to her for no reason, only to have her become aware of her feelings.

He decided to just stay quiet. Hoping she would realize it a little later.

“The weekend goes by so quickly. I need to do some training.”

Even for unemployed people, the weekend goes by quickly and is a sad day.

He walked into the living room to observe his inner strength.

While he was meditating in the lotus position, Seongah Kim on the second floor was lying on the bed and watching YouTube.

With a dry face, I browse the comedy channels that have been selected by the algorithm.

The one-minute video containing the essence of comedians who were freed from the limitations of broadcast deliberation was objectively fun and novel.

But laughter doesn’t come out readily.

“I’m annoyed.”

I’ve been feeling uncomfortable lately. My mood changes rapidly, and the extent of the change is unpredictable.

“Not even when I’m on my period.”

She mutters while looking at the calendar.

“Why do I get involved with you…”

I think I know the cause. But I don’t know why.

What is the relationship between me and you?

“Enemy?”

Spit out a single syllable. And then he shakes his head.

It was like that at first. Since the Persona took human form, it was brought in for surveillance.

“Do you live together?”

After living together for a few days, he became a housemate.

“Guardian?”

When asked to be his guardian, he nodded. Although there were strange conditions attached…

“Uncle…”

I trace my dry lips with my fingers and think of him.

My heart is pounding slightly. It’s a different feeling from when I was drinking, when my heart was tightening.

“Ha….”

I exhale with frustration.

I put the cell phone I was holding in front of my face on the nightstand and looked at the ceiling of the dark room.

And then I think about tomorrow.

“I have to go to school.”

Get out of bed, eat breakfast, take a shower, put on your school uniform and go to school.

Enter the classroom, sit down, solve the never-ending workbook, and listen to the class.

During break time, I talk to the kids around me.

When I think about that, I suddenly feel frustrated.

“…I don’t want to go.”

These were words that were different from her usual complaining and expressed her true feelings.

Those were words that only she could hear.

***

On Monday, Seongah Kim went to school. His expression was dark the whole time he left, perhaps because he was suffering from Monday sickness like an office worker.

On Tuesday, Seongah Kim went to school. I left home with a brighter face than on Monday.

On Wednesday, Seongah Kim went to school. Maybe I had a hard time at school that day, but when I came home, my face was full of fatigue.

On Thursday, Seongah Kim went to school.

After seeing her off, he decided to prepare a special meal to cheer her up for her hard work.

Kang In-ho went to the supermarket and bought ingredients for bulgogi (with her own money, of course).

As he returned home with the big envelope, his cell phone rang.

“Yes, hello.”

Seeing the caller’s name, he quickly answered the phone.

A familiar voice came from the other side, and as the conversation progressed, the face gradually hardened.

“Ah… I see. All right. I will speak well.”

The call hung up, and he lowered the phone to his ear.

The traffic light turned green and blinked, urging him on, but he did not move.

“Ha….”

He let out a sigh filled with anger and regret.

The day before yesterday, Kim Seong-ah did not go to school.

The day before yesterday, Kim Seong-ah did not go to school.

Yesterday, Seongah Kim did not go to school.

Today, Seongah Kim did not go to school.

“He said it was somehow easy.”

Clicking his tongue, he scratched his head.