Button Pop

As we became third-year middle school students, as if to prove we were in the final stage of our growth period, we also experienced many physical changes.

For example ㅡ

“Ye-rin.”

“Yes…?”

“…Don’t you think it’s time to change your pajamas?”

ㅡ This is abuse.

Abuse for the pajamas, a reward for me.

I was truly grateful that she kept wearing the pajamas I gave her, so I tried my best not to mention it.

The pajamas that were already a bit tight in… that area when I first gave them a year ago, were now so bulging they seemed about to burst, barely serving their purpose as pajamas.

Especially when Ye-rin was lying on her side with her phone propped up, like now, it was even more noticeable.

…Isn’t it uncomfortable? The pajamas looked like they were straining so much that even I felt anxious watching.

It was really time for a change.

“The pajamas…?”

“Yeah. They seem like they might be uncomfortable now.”

“…”

…Was it that obvious?

Though I deliberately didn’t specify which part looked uncomfortable, Ye-rin seemed to notice my gaze and briefly glanced down.

“But I really like them… and they’re also the first gift you gave me…”

…I should have given gifts more often.

I felt a bit regretful, thinking how rarely this Han Woo-jin must have given gifts for her to be like this.

“Your birthday is coming up soon. I’ll send you another. Ah, of course I’ve already picked out other things too, so look forward to it.”

“Won’t that be too burdensome for you…?”

ㅡ I’m already just drinking water.

I couldn’t reveal the truth that I was already doing that due to the marriage account & birthday gift combo.

“What burden? It’s not like I’m giving it to someone else, it’s for you.”

But there are times when a man needs to show off, even knowing it’s foolish.

For me, this was that moment.

…Although my body was desperately screaming for some oil instead of just water and school lunches, I pretended not to notice.

My full-effort showing off seemed to work, as Ye-rin smiled widely with joy.

“Hee, then I’ll take whatever you choose…”

At that moment.

With a “pop-” sound, Ye-rin’s phone screen flipped over.

“…Eh?”

“What?! What happened, Ye-rin? Are you okay?!”

“O-oppa. Calm down for a momeno…”

“No, how can I calm down when I heard a popping sound!! Did you get hurt somewhere? Turn the screen back…”

“Hyat…”

What on earth happened to make her act like this?

As I urged her, increasingly worried because I couldn’t see what was happening, Ye-rin spoke in a shrinking voice as if embarrassed.

“Oppa, you promise not to tease me about this…?”

“What would I tease you abou……huh?”

The returned phone screen showed the same view as before.

But different from before. The pajamas that had looked suffocating just moments ago.

Now they didn’t look that way.

“W-where did the button go…?”

“……Here….”

When Ye-rin opened her tightly closed hand, a button appeared.

…I had a feeling.

The popping sound and the phone flipping over.

The reason Ye-rin couldn’t speak to me right away.

All was explained by that one button, but I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“…Must have been hard to breathe, did you sneeze or something?”

“……I told you not to tease me….”

“…Sorry.”

I wasn’t teasing, I was serious.

But seeing Ye-rin covering her bright red face with both hands in embarrassment, all I could do was apologize.

…Actually, she should be covering another area instead of her face.

Earlier I was too shocked by the missing button to notice, but now that I’d collected myself.

The glimpse of soft, fair skin peeking through the pink pajamas.

And as if to complement it, the white fabric surrounding that area.

As various things started to become visible, I didn’t know where to look and my gaze wandered.

“…Should we change it?”

“……Yes, I think we should….”

We couldn’t meet each other’s eyes, but we successfully reached an agreement.

**

The day after the button murder incident.

Though I have video calls with Ye-rin every day and we frequently exchange photos.

There’s clearly a difference from seeing in person, and since I don’t know much about that (?) area, I was still worrying about pajama sizes this time too.

As if determined to keep her word from when I gave her the previous gift, a message arrived from Ye-rin.

It contained her height, which she said she had just measured, along with information I was very curious about but couldn’t bring myself to ask.

…Great.

The word escaped my lips as soon as I saw it.

This time, the difficulty wouldn’t be not knowing the size, but finding one that would fit properly.

But I was happy.

I can’t write why due to lack of space.

Anyway, I was happy.

 

If you asked me what I found regrettable right after Ye-rin left for America, I could talk non-stop.

But if you asked me to pick one representative thing, I could answer without hesitation.

ㅡ …No photos.

Neither Ye-rin nor I had much interest in taking photos.

The biggest reason was.

When we met almost every day or had video calls when we couldn’t meet, why bother with photos? Why? If you want to see each other, just meet up?

That feeling was strong, so we didn’t feel the need for photos.

Therefore, we had few photos of us, or Ye-rin. Well, actually, we had almost none.

Such a naive thought returned to me like a steel boomerang not long after Ye-rin left.

ㅡ …We should have taken photos when we could.

I didn’t know.

What it meant to not be able to see someone when I wanted to.

And.

I thought photos simply showed a person and a place.

Foolishly, only after you temporarily left my side did I realize.

Photos are like magic that allows you to recall that moment with you. The emotions shared with you at that time.

They let you remember that fleeting moment even as time passes.

I really didn’t know that back then.

But now, knowing full well that Ye-rin wasn’t good at taking photos, asking her to send me some was really difficult, so I was just suffering silently. Then one day.

As usual, I woke up and checked my phone to find a flood of photo messages from Ye-rin.

Wondering if something had happened, I urgently opened my phone, and soon found myself smiling without realizing it.

From the moment I finished the video call with Ye-rin and fell asleep.

[Photo]

 

This is my breakfast today, the bacon is tasty but I miss rice…. (sad cat emoticon)

I think I would miss kimchi too if I ate like that for several days in a row.

[Photo]

I’m going to wear this to school today…. (shy cat emoticon)

Hmm. Long sleeves and long pants. Zero exposure. Approved.

[Photo]

Ah, I took this on the way to school because the cloud looked like a heart shape. …Or not. (cat giving side-eye emoticon)

…It doesn’t look like a heart shape to anyone, but if you say so, then it must be, sure.

There were several more photos that seemed to have been taken at school.

Anyone could tell she wasn’t used to taking photos, as most were blurry.

The angles also said “I don’t know what a good angle is,” capturing not even half of Ye-rin’s actual beauty.

But as if determined not to give me time to miss her.

Each of those densely taken photos so vividly conveyed that she had worked hard to take them for me.

Ye-rin.

Ah, oppa. Did you wake up…?

Yeah. I just decided what item I’ll deposit money for next in the marriage account.

Suddenly…? What is it…?

A camera. I’m going to buy an expensive one.

…A camera?

Yes.

Though I didn’t know much about cameras, if it was to capture Ye-rin properly, I didn’t care how much it cost.

So let’s take lots of photos later. Wherever we go, whatever we do. So we can remember those times.

Then we’ll need to take tons of photos…?

That’s right. And someday we’ll print the photos and make albums or frames… what do you think?

……Yes, I’d love that. Even the small things. Let’s take lots of photos.

From that day on, Ye-rin said she would practice taking photos from now on and sent me pictures of her daily activities every day.

Of course,

“Why don’t you send me photos…?”

“Huh?”

“……”

“I’m not used to taking photos…”

“I’m not used to it either….”

“……Sorry.”

“I want to see oppa’s photos too….”

“I’ll send some right away.”

There was a brief incident where I made Ye-rin feel neglected and got scolded.

But as we, two photo novices, exchanged photos every day.

Soon we could see each other’s skills gradually improving.

At this rate, when we take photos together in the future, we might be able to take good ones. I looked forward to it.

 

[Photo]

 

Oppa, ta-da. (shy cat emoticon)

Looks like the pajamas arrived safely. Cute. How’s the size?

Yes, it’s comfortable. Thank you, oppa….

Ye-rin sent a photo wearing the pajamas I had urgently ordered first due to the button pop incident.

The shy person who used to be hesitant was nowhere to be found; now she even posed with one hand making a “meow” gesture.

It made me happy because it was so cute that I didn’t even think about my completely emptied wallet.

The size certainly looks comfortably loose. That’s a shame(?).

My phone album, which used to contain only joke memes exchanged with friends.

Now, after exchanging photos with Ye-rin for over a year, it had well over 1,000 photos.

And today, another precious one was added.