episode_0008

“That’s… I got off the wrong bus, and it suddenly started raining heavily… .”

[Are you okay? Are you wet? Should I ask Seo-hoo’s dad to pick you up?]

“Oh, no. It’s just a shower, so it’ll stop soon! And now that… .”

I glanced at Hanna Yeon sitting at the counter. How should I introduce Hanna Yeon?

In fact, I’m already sick of worrying about this. Even if I cut my hair, I’m still me. But I can’t help but hesitate. I don’t think Han Na-yeon hates me because I said we’re friends, right?

I secretly watched Hanna Yeon’s expression and said the word ‘friend’.

“Chi, I’m with a friend… .”

[Oh, really? Hehe, one day with a friend…]

“I, I want to have at least one friend… !”

I got angry and my voice came out a little louder. That drew Hanna Yeon’s gaze towards me, but she still had a blank expression on her face, as if she didn’t care at all.

[Don’t worry about the future and come slowly. Since it’s a rare opportunity.]

“Yes, thank you… .”

After finishing my conversation with the lady, I headed to the counter. I peeked inside and saw an empty plastic chair.

I don’t know when the rain will stop, and the seat doesn’t seem to be occupied, so shouldn’t I sit down?

“Can I come in? My legs hurt a little… .”

When I asked cautiously, Hanna Yeon silently lifted the counter table up. It was clearly a sign for me to come in.

I walked towards Hannah Yeon with hesitant steps. Fortunately, the desk didn’t close again as I passed by.

When will the rain stop… .

When I actually sat down next to her, I felt a bit nervous. Even though I was watching the raindrops falling heavily, all my attention was focused on Hanna Yeon.

“Uh… That… Rumor… .”

Maybe that’s why the curiosity I had kept in my heart suddenly burst out of my mouth.

“Original dating?”

Even though you heard it exactly, why did you answer right away?

“What, oh, huh? I, I don’t know, such a weird thing! Whoa, what is original dating? Is it a new workbook? Something like that… Ahaha… .”

I tried to come up with excuses that didn’t even sound like excuses, but even I thought they were too flimsy.

The atmosphere wasn’t good to begin with, but now it’s completely chilled. My face feels prickly from the gazes flying in from right next to me.

“… Of course not. Sorry for talking nonsense.”

Finally, he nodded and admitted it.

You told Minji and Seohyun not to believe the rumors too much, but I was the one who was most interested in it.

A bitter smile spread across my lips. I felt ashamed of myself for pretending to be an adult just because I had lived a little longer than high school students.

“If that’s right?”

“What, what?”

“First date. I made a promise after my part-time job was over.”

I quickly turned my head and saw Hanna Yeon with her usual blunt expression.

Is this a joke of Hannah Yeon’s own? If it is really a joke, Hannah Yeon is either one of the best actors in the world or one of the worst at telling jokes.

“Ah, no! Mom, you have to take care of your body. You’ll definitely regret it later! And… I also feel bad about wasting my pretty face… !”

I waved both hands in the air and tried to stop Hanna Yeon.

I couldn’t convince him logically because I didn’t have any words to back it up. It was just a stereotypical line that everyone would have heard at least once. I felt pathetic that I could only say this.

“Then will you pay for them? Can you pay for their living expenses?”

“That’s… ….”

As expected, it wasn’t conveyed. Of course, you’ve probably heard it several times while watching movies or dramas, so it probably didn’t feel special just because I said it.

Even a student of the same age said this. Talking like he knows everything while not being able to do anything. It must have just made him feel bad.

“Hey, hey… !”

After living in a woman’s body for a long time, I think my tear ducts have become loose.

No, it’s because I’ve only had such comfortable and warm times. Because I’ve been living a happy life with good people without any hurt or conflict.

I have no tolerance. I cry even if I feel a little angry or a little heartbroken.

“Leeharu.”

“Black… .”

Honestly, I didn’t know that I would shed tears in front of my friends because I was frustrated.

There was something I clearly wanted to say, but it just wouldn’t come out. As my thoughts grew deeper, tears began to fall instead of words. I was so frustrated that I thought I was going crazy.

“Just kidding… Just kidding… .”

“Ugh… Huh…? Hehe… .”

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I tilted my head while forcefully inhaling the thin snot that kept flowing out. Then, Hanna Yeon, who had been staring at me from the front, averted her gaze.

“Don’t do it.”

“What… .”

“I don’t do first aid.”

My eyes widened. Are you really joking? I couldn’t believe it.

“Really…?”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Ah, no! Why are you saying that… . Hehehe… .”

I couldn’t help but let out a stupid laugh. I guess I shouldn’t do that. It’s fortunate that Hanna Yeon didn’t go down the wrong path.

“Don’t joke around. It’s really not funny, it’s really not funny.”

He rubbed his eyes with his palm and uttered a single word. A joke is only a joke if the person receiving it feels like a joke. This is almost at the level of bullying.

I dabbed the tears off my cheeks with the tissue that Hanna Yeon handed me, and calmed my swollen heart.

“Why didn’t you tell the kids? You know the rumors are spreading.”

“Because it’s annoying.”

“Deflecting everything by saying it’s annoying. Do you know that’s a really bad habit?”

Hanna Yeon, who had been looking at the distant mountains with her chin resting on the counter, turned her head towards me. When I smiled back at her, Hanna Yeon moved her lips and let out a sound that sounded like a sigh.

“… Even if I say it, nothing will change.”

“You should try that… … .”

No. This is not it. The theory of perseverance is too old. It is foolish to collide and break even when you know it will not work. No matter how much you talk, the rumor will grow bigger. The more you make excuses, the more credible it will become.

Even I didn’t explain anything about the rumors that I had a child. Of course, it wasn’t a rumor on my part.

“Anyway, that’s not true. It’s fortunate that I know that too.”

“What’s fortunate?”

“I’m glad I found out. Isn’t it reassuring?”

Han Na-yeon let out a laugh as if she was dumbfounded by my confident rebuttal.

“Not really… .”

Ding, ding~.

“Wow, it’s really raining a lot. Hanna Yeon, it must have been great without any guests, right?”

As Hanna Yeon was showing a rare smile, a woman in a shabby tracksuit came in along with a refreshing bell sound.

I looked at my watch. It was 8:50. Three hours had already passed. It seemed like the woman wearing glasses was Hanna Yeon’s replacement.

“But…who is next to you?”

“Ah, hello. I go to the same high school as Hanna Yeon… A friend? Same thing… .”

“If they’re friends, they’re friends. What’s a friend? Is this person funny? Well, it’s not normal to be friends with Hanna Yeon. Right, Hanna Yeon?”

A woman came into the counter with a big smile. She had rotten fish eyes, but she was full of energy.

“Stop talking nonsense and just get the timing right.”

“눼눼~ You must want to get off work quickly~ Some people ran through the heavy rain because they were worried that their younger siblings would have a hard time~”

The woman continued to provoke Hanna Yeon, seemingly unfazed. She then skillfully opened the POS machine and began counting money, and her experience was evident from the way she flipped through the bills.

“Did you cry? Your eyes are really swollen. Isn’t Hannayeon really annoying you? She keeps tearing at your hair and stuff?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it… .”

The woman closed the POS machine and approached me. The distance was getting closer. The checkout counter was so narrow that there was no place to step back.

Why can’t women get close to each other? Just talk from a distance…

“Go.”

“Huh, huh? Let’s go together!”

In the meantime, Hanna Yeon went out of the counter, so I hurriedly ran after her to avoid her.

“Hanna Yeon, take your umbrella!”

At the same time, the woman pointed to an umbrella placed at the entrance.

“Sister.”

“It’ll probably stop tomorrow. You won’t be here all night, right?”

A woman shrugs and sits down on a chair. Hanna Yeon picks up her umbrella without even thinking about it.

“Then take it. I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

“Ah, thank you! Hey, ha, Hannahyeon, you should say hello too!”

“Tsk… .”

What on earth is it that you don’t like? Hanna Yeon clicked her tongue slightly, nodded her head, and went out. The woman’s eyes were fixed on the laptop she had taken out, and she just waved her hands around.

phut!

Thank goodness it was a long umbrella. I’m on the small side, and Hannahyeon is not very tall, so it wasn’t uncomfortable at all for us to use it together.

“Who are you? Sister?”

“People I know.”

“I see… .”

I stick to Hanna Yeon and follow her around nervously. But where am I going now?

“Ah, ah! I’m going to the bus stop… .”

“was going.”

“I see… .”

The short answer, like a knife, pierces my bones. Even when I glance up, Hanna Yeon’s eyes are only focused forward. I am starting to run out of things to say and reaching my limit.

In the end, I chose silence. Although the silence was uncomfortable, it was better than trying to squeeze out words and making mistakes like I did earlier.

“Huh, huh? Hannah Yeon, wait a minute.”

As I was wandering around in that awkward atmosphere, I found an old lady carrying luggage without an umbrella.

“Can you lend me an umbrella? Wait here for a moment.”

The parm that had been well-fried was drenched in rainwater and hung limply, and the wrinkled hands holding the watermelon and plastic bag were trembling pitifully.

“… … .”

Hanna Yeon, who was standing in the parking lot under the villa, held out her umbrella. As soon as I took the umbrella, I ran to the grandmother and snatched the watermelon first.

“Grandma, I’ll carry it! Hey, Grandma, hold the umbrella for me!”

“That, really? Oh my, it’s heavy… .”

He gave me the umbrella in a somewhat forceful manner and even snatched the plastic bag from me.

“Wow… Oh, it’s okay!”

My grandmother was surprisingly strong.

The watermelon was heavy, of course, and the plastic bag full of side dishes was just as heavy. And even though I had an umbrella, it was useless. Every time the wind blew, rainwater poured down and soaked my whole body.

My bangs are sticky and cumbersome. My clothes soaked in rainwater make me feel heavy, so my steps are slow, and the load in my hands feels heavier and heavier.

“Oh, Grandma. Where do I have to go?”

“This is in front of you… .”

By the way, this uphill road was so steep that it looked like it had been cut at a 90-degree angle. I wondered how my grandmother had come and gone from here. My vision was dark.

“Give me.”

“… Huh?”

As I stood there for a moment to catch my breath, one of my hands suddenly felt light. I turned my head in surprise and saw Hanna Yeon, completely soaking wet.

Hanna Yeon, who stole the watermelon from me, silently climbed the hill. She didn’t even use an umbrella and just walked forward honestly.

“There, there is fine. Oh my, I’m sorry. What should I do? The kids, go in for a bit. Grandma will give you an umbrella.”

Luckily, Grandma’s house was halfway up the hill. It was one of those single-family houses that were tightly packed together. We put our luggage down on the porch and turned around.

“Oh, no. It’s okay! We like getting rained on. Right?”

“It’s not too far from home.”

Hanna Yeon reluctantly answers when he pokes her side with his elbow.

“Oh my, thank you, thank you so much… . How can there be such kind women… . She would be perfect for our son’s wife… .”

“Ah, well, then let’s go! Stay healthy!”

The kind old lady’s eyes became a little scary for some reason, so I ran away from the house and ran down the hill.

Clink, clink.

Since I was soaking wet even inside my socks, I didn’t have to worry about the water splashing out.

“Why did you come out? I could have carried it by myself.”

As soon as the downhill slope ended, I turned around and met Hanna Yeon leisurely walking down. Maybe it was because her proportions were so good. The sight of her walking in the rain looked like a scene from a pictorial.

“I’m afraid the watermelon will break.”

Of course, the words coming out of his mouth weren’t that nice.

“If you say you wanted to help even with empty words, what good will it do… .”

I muttered in a small voice, afraid that someone might hear.

The heart that had been warmed by the good deed had cooled down due to Hanna Yeon’s blunt answer, and slowly began to get cold, making my body tremble.

“Echu… !”

And then there’s the sneezing. My body is in the perfect condition to catch a cold. I was worried whether I could even get on the bus. It would be a nuisance to ride in this condition…

As I was feeling depressed over such worries, Hanna Yeon came up to me and said as she passed by.

“I heard it.”

“… Huh?”

“I said it was nearby.”

I ended up heading to Hanna Yeon’s house.