Won’t You…?

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“Ugghhh….”

In the peaceful morning. As if it couldn’t care less, the alarm sound resonating throughout the room barely woke my mind from sleep.

…It feels like I just closed my eyes. This isn’t a lie, is it?

Unable to believe it was already 6:00, I opened one eye slightly to look at my phone screen, and the sky mercilessly displayed the numbers [6:00].

Though I wanted to activate the “just 5 more minutes” function, I knew if I did, I wouldn’t be able to escape from the warm blanket.

After wriggling out of the blanket, I opened the curtains to help me wake up.

“Ugh, my eyes.”

The sunlight poured into the room as if saying, “Kid, took you long enough.”

Once I was somewhat awake, I casually stretched to loosen up my body, put on a matching tracksuit, casually plugged in my earphones, casually drank a glass of water, and left the house.

I couldn’t do anything properly. Because I wasn’t completely used to it yet.

“Hoo….”

Almost two months had passed since Ye-rin left Korea.

When she first left, the empty space where Ye-rin used to be, always calling me “oppa…” by my side, made each day feel unbearably long.

But after two months, I lied to myself that if this was manageable, waiting three years wouldn’t be that hard. Couldn’t I just think of it as going to the military twice? Ah shit, that means I’d be going three times?

While grumbling to myself, I slowly started jogging.

Jogging was one of the small hobbies I picked up after Ye-rin left Korea.

Right after Ye-rin left, it was the height of summer, so the heat made it difficult.

Maybe because of the climate change they keep talking about on the news.

Even though it was almost October, the weather was somewhere between cool and chilly, making it perfect for exercise.

Since I had only done home workouts before, when I first started jogging, I was so out of breath that it was just hard and overwhelming.

But after maintaining this pattern for nearly two months, I gradually had the leisure to look around my surroundings, and quickly became hooked.

Ah, this is where I first met Ye-rin. Ah, that’s where I bought ice cream with Ye-rin. Ah, right. This place too…

To the point where I felt we had gone around together so much in that year. Wherever I went in the neighborhood, an “ah” moment of memories with Ye-rin would come to mind.

It was just, nice.

Thinking, I should come here again, maybe we’ll visit there next time.

Even if I missed her now, it made me imagine a future with you that would someday come true.

Because what you left me wasn’t regret, but anticipation.

While thinking about changing my route a bit tomorrow, my phone in my pocket rang with a zing-.

Is it that time already?

As my phone rang at the familiar time, I habitually tapped my earphones twice, and the call connected.

“Hello?”

“Mmm, oppa… are you exercising…?”

Ye-rin seemed to be lying in bed, her voice not her usual clear one, but a languid voice mixed with sleepiness.

It was still a secret from Ye-rin, but I really liked her voice at this time. After our first call, I even upgraded to more expensive earphones.

“Yeah, they said Earth Online service was ending, and it seems true. The weather isn’t cold, it’s just right.”

“Don’t dress too lightly just because of that… You’ll catch a cold…”

“Hoo, I’ll be careful.”

“Yes, don’t get sick…”

The reason I started jogging was simple.

The time difference.

Due to the time difference with the far-away land of America, when I slept, Ye-rin was active, and when Ye-rin slept, I had to be active.

We had to set a specific time to keep in touch.

And that’s how jogging started after some consideration.

It was good for me because I got to exercise, and good for Ye-rin because she could talk to me after her day was over.

When I excitedly told her it was a win-win, Ye-rin said with an apologetic expression,

“But that’s too hard for you, oppa… Especially since you like to sleep in…”

…How did she know that? I was a bit taken aback, but I still pushed for that plan.

True to her stubborn nature, at first Ye-rin wouldn’t call even when I was jogging, saying she felt too sorry.

All the more, as if to say not a chance, I would call her instead and scold her. It was so typical of Ye-rin that she would answer even before the first ring when I called.

After scolding her a few times like that, Ye-rin finally stopped being considerate and began calling me at my jogging time, after finishing her daily schedule.

And then, with an aegyo-filled voice in a half-asleep state after waking up.

“Mmm, oppa… I just woke up…”

Having video calls where she looked for me with a disheveled appearance right after opening her eyes.

Starting my day with Ye-rin’s voice before she fell asleep.

Ending my day watching Ye-rin who had just woken up.

Our own routine was established.

**

“Oh right. Oppa, did you receive the birthday present well…?”

“Ah, that’s right. Weren’t the dog pajamas you gave me before my birthday present? Why did you send another one? I was surprised.”

I didn’t say things like “this is too expensive, it’s burdensome.” Because that’s not what Ye-rin wanted to hear.

But.

ㅡ Whoa.

The wristwatch that came wrapped in cute wrapping paper had a price that wasn’t cute at all, so I couldn’t help but say something.

“The pajamas were just something I wanted to give you… How’s the watch? Does it fit well? Do you like it…?”

But Ye-rin barely listened to my nagging, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her words urging me to just give her a review as if that’s all that mattered.

“It fits well, and I really like it. Thanks again, I’ll use it well.”

“Heeh, I’m glad… You have to think of me whenever you look at it…?”

“That’s why I wear it all day. Like now, or while sleeping, or showering.”

“Ah, don’t wear it in the shower… No, wear it. Umm, I need to keep an eye on you…”

“Pfft. What’s that supposed to mean? It’s not like there’s a camera in the watch.”

“………….”

“…Why are you silent?”

“…Is there anything else you want, oppa?”

“…Why are you changing the subject?”

I kept pressing, thinking “surely not,” but Ye-rin awkwardly changed the subject.

…It can’t be, right? I trust our Ye-rin.

“Still, next time you can send something a bit cheaper. It’s more expensive to send from overseas.”

“…I’m using my own money to do what I want…”

Maybe because she’d heard this nagging more than once or twice, Ye-rin quietly grumbled with a hint of disappointment.

Sigh.

Old man, I tried not to use this…

Against Ye-rin who was being so stubborn, I had no choice but to use the ultimate move I had discovered previously.

However, although it was extremely effective on Ye-rin, it also caused damage to me, so I couldn’t use it often. That’s why it was an ultimate move.

“…It’s not just your money.”

“…?”

“It’s, precisely, our money… isn’t it…”

“…Ah……”

“So, well, I have something like a right to intervene…”

“…Yes, that’s right, yes yes. I’ll be more careful from now on, oppa…”

Though she was now responding as if enchanted with joy, it wasn’t hard to predict that when the day came for me to receive another gift, Ye-rin would choose an expensive present again.

“…You promised to be careful?”

“Yes…”

Even without seeing her, I could imagine Ye-rin with her face flushed, her pink eyes twinkling.

Just imagining how cute she would look, I decided to let it slide.

 

The reason I ended up saying such cringeworthy things wasn’t because we had been a couple for 3 months (time apart: 2 months).

After I took over the marriage account Ye-rin had given me, my already tight allowance had shrunk to the size of an ant’s rear end, giving me an unexpected experience of poverty.

But it was okay.

Because I had a stronger desire to show it to Ye-rin proudly with a “ta-da” when she returned.

However, I was honestly curious about how she came up with the idea for such a thoughtful account.

So one day while having a video call with Ye-rin, I casually asked, and—

“Won’t you…?”

“…Huh?”

“…?”

“…Of course I will. Yes. Absolutely, yes. Haha, what a pointless question I asked…”

With her head tilted as if wondering what on earth I was talking about.

With those unwavering pink eyes and nonchalant voice that seemed to be asking something extremely obvious.

I was the one left stunned and at a loss for words.

Strange, aren’t we supposed to date and then get married…?

I didn’t have the courage to ask where the dating process had gone.

Anyway, though I was shocked at the time, I decided to think of it positively later. To the extent that we could joke like this occasionally.

…Though I’m not sure if Ye-rin thinks it’s a joke.

 

As we talked like that and I was about to arrive home, Ye-rin’s voice gradually grew quieter, and her pronunciation, to put it nicely, became cuter, or to put it less nicely, became a bit harder to understand.

She must be sleepy.

It seemed like she was nodding off, lying in bed.

As I ran quietly to help her fall asleep, Ye-rin must have fallen completely asleep, as a long silence followed.

She must have fallen asleep ㅡ just as I was about to end the call.

“Oppa, I miss you….”

So quietly that it would be inaudible if I didn’t listen carefully.

A sleep-talking voice, wet and sniffling, came through.

Quietly.

I carefully ended the call so as not to wake Ye-rin.

“…Me too.”

I thought the weather was cool, but maybe I was mistaken.

My nose felt a bit cold.Retry