episode_0512

The early 20s are sloppy in many ways.

Although we are now at an age where we can be called adults, we have just taken our first steps.

This is because most of those who have become adults are still unable to stand alone.

Economic independence has not been achieved, and neither has mental independence.

Being a 20-year-old adult is not a stage where you can do everything on your own, but a stage where you step away from your parents’ embrace to do so.

So it’s sloppy and clumsy.

Because I have to do with my own hands the things that my parents took for granted.

Since it is the first time, it is naturally crude and full of loopholes.

What can a chick that has just escaped its mother’s embrace and is about to become a chicken do?

Twenty-one years old.

The same was true for the confession plan of Yoon Si-hoo, who was no different at age 20.

‘Uh, what should I do?!’

I suddenly had courage that I didn’t have before and asked to meet with him with the intention of confessing to him, but I wasn’t prepared for anything.

Even money is not that much.

The down payment I received as a guild trainee has long since been used up to purchase equipment.

Regret comes rushing in like a flood.

‘Why on earth did you talk so recklessly! ‘Aaaah!’

For a moment, I let out a silent scream and cursed my past self.

‘This is not the time.’

It is impossible to refill water that has already been spilled.

There is no time for regrets.

All we have to do now is show the best we can.

‘okay. You always say this, right? ‘You can’t fill up after the first drink.’

It was one of the words that Kim Do-jin lived by while teaching Yoon Si-hoo and Jin Ha-rin.

Unlike Jin Ha-rin, who can do it perfectly after doing it once or twice, he used it to criticize himself whenever he got impatient because he was unreliable and had to do it hundreds of times before he mastered it.

‘Confession is only the first step.’

A step that will lead to another relationship for the rest of my life with the woman I have been with for almost my entire life.

Because there will be plenty of time to show her my affectionate feelings in a flashy way.

‘Rather than overdoing it, let’s focus on conveying our feelings.’

He barely managed to control his mind, which was racing in all directions, and left the lodging where he stayed for three days and two nights and arrived at the entrance of the association.

While he was worrying and suffering, Jin Ha-rin, who had quickly packed his bags, was standing there waiting.

My face gets hot as I look at her standing quietly in the crowd of people.

‘really pretty.’

I realize her beauty once again.

A truly violent beauty that forcibly fixates the gaze of the men around it.

It’s pretty no matter what angle you look at it, and its charm changes depending on what kind of expression you make.

Yoon Si-hoo raised his voice more than necessary without realizing it.

“Harin!”

Her gaze returns to herself.

And the gazes of the men around me who follow me sting my whole body.

A feeling of superiority that I have never felt before seeps into my heart.

I suppress the urge to shout, “This woman is my woman,” and approach her.

“Sorry, did you wait long?”

“No.”

Jin Ha-rin shakes her head.

With a clear look of discomfort, her eyes turn to her surroundings.

“… Let’s go somewhere first. It’s a bit burdensome here.”

“Okay, then.”

Yoon Si-hoo takes a step ahead to break through the crowded crowd.

Even though I was worried, my next steps are filled with strength.

Because while walking here, a pretty good idea occurred to me.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Is there anything else you would like to eat… ?”

Yoon Si-hoo asks carefully.

Looking at his expression, she read his thoughts and shook her head.

“Nothing in particular. Anything is okay.”

“Really? then… , I have a place in mind, let’s go there.”

“Good.”

Just then, I call a taxi approaching from afar and head to my house.

After getting off the taxi and walking a bit, we arrived at an old, shabby snack bar.

Jin Ha-rin arrives there and scans the wall filled with graffiti.

“This is… .”

“You remember? We came here often in the past.”

“… That’s right.”

When I was in elementary school, it was a snack bar that I often visited after school.

Yoon Si-hoo used to occasionally buy it with the pocket money he saved.

I remember ordering a portion of Jjajang Tteokbokki and eating it deliciously with my mouth turning black.

The taste was special though.

‘It’s not a very good memory.’

It wasn’t a memory I really wanted to recall.

“I suddenly remembered the tteokbokki here, so I came here… , no big deal?”

Yoon Si-hoo asks carefully only after everyone has already arrived.

After much deliberation, he decided on today’s theme: reminiscence.

“It’s okay. I thought about it sometimes too.”

He immediately laughs at her words.

“Madam! Two servings of our Jjajang Tteokbokki and assorted fried foods!”

Dip the steaming hot Jjajang Tteokbokki with your fork and put it in your mouth.

The unique taste of jjajang that comes up every time you chew the rice cake.

Yoon Si-hoo is impressed.

“Wow… , the taste is the same as before.”

Jin Ha-rin asks back with a shocked expression.

“… okay? I think it’s a little different.”

“Uh, no. It tastes exactly the same as before, right? It’s amazing!”

Jin Ha-rin realized when she saw Yoon Si-hoo answering in a confident tone.

What changed was not the taste of tteokbokki, but myself.

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I recall memories buried deep in my heart, starting with the snack bar I frequented when I was in elementary school.

After that, I moved from place to place, following the remnants of memories that permeated throughout the neighborhood.

A karaoke room where I sometimes go to relieve stress.

A playground where I often played with my friends.

Finally, to the park at night.

“Do you remember this place? The park you used to come to whenever something upset happened.”

“I can’t not fly.”

When something upset happened, she went to this park.

There is no particular reason.

I wanted to be alone to let go of my emotions, but this was the only place I could do that.

When he was about to let go of his anger and go home, Yoon Si-hoo came as if he had been waiting for him.

-“Are you all relieved? Let’s go home now.”

When that time comes, I return home.

What was so urgent? I held onto his hand, which was covered in sweat from running all the way here.

“You felt anxious at that time?”

“… What?”

“I’m afraid you’re not here. So I ran every time. I felt safe only after confirming that you were here.”

“That’s right.”

It was my first time hearing it.

I never thought the reason I ran so hard was because of anxiety.

Sitting on a park bench, where he always expressed his anger, he looked up at the sky and expressed his sincerity.

“Actually, I didn’t like you coming here.”

“Why?”

“If something bad happened, I wanted you to tell me and look forward to it.”

A shy confession.

“Harin, every time I saw you sitting here alone from afar, I felt my weakness.”

He was angry at himself, not at her for not being able to lean on him.

“Because I’m not trustworthy, I’m not a strong person, so I thought you couldn’t rely on me.”

“That’s… , no.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just that my heart was like that.”

So, I made up my mind every time I held out my hand and smiled with a sweaty face.

Let’s become stronger.

Let’s become a more trustworthy person.

“After meeting the minimum qualifications… , let me confess to you.”

“… … !”

Jin Ha-rin opens her eyes wide.

Yoon Si-hoo got up from the bench, walked towards her, and knelt down on one knee.

Then, she takes out the ring she had painstakingly chosen in a short period of time from the gold and silver room that she entered without knowing.

A plain gold ring with no special patterns.

“Harin.”

Honestly, I don’t know.

I wonder if the person I am now can be her strong support or not.

Isn’t she still stronger, and he just keeps chasing after her?

But it was a limitation.

The relationship of childhood friends can no longer contain the love that grows every year.

You just have to try harder.

Didn’t Kim Do-jin say that?

He said he could become stronger.

I’m excited about my future.

To believe in him and in myself.

I squeezed out the feelings I had kept for over 10 years and let them out.

“Let’s go out with me. From now on, I will be your support for the rest of your life.”

no.

I want to be “.”

The end of a long unrequited love.

“Sorry. I don’t think I can accept your heart.”

The end was rejection.

* * *

I realize that the world has become very comfortable.

“Senior placement.”

The junior told me to come out after seeing the senior.

And that too late, close to midnight.

“I got a car today!”

Even drinking alcohol.

If this isn’t a good world, what is?

Back then, I couldn’t even imagine something like this.

Anyway, the main point is as above.

“Ugh… , yes, it must have hurt your heart.”

I confessed my sincerity to my childhood friend, but he was harshly criticized.

No.

In fact, isn’t it a bit absurd to say that it was a car?

“That… , cheer up. They said it wasn’t a complete rejection.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Think carefully, Sihu.”

“What… .”

“Why did Harin refuse?”

“I have no intention of dating right now… .”

“Yes, that’s it.”

The core of the rejection message is ‘I have no intention of dating right now.’

What does that mean?

“In other words, I don’t hate your confession, but I can’t accept it given the current circumstances, right? ”

“Uh… , How dare it happen again?”

“That’s right, man.”

The guy who was crying with a bright red face asked in a hopeful tone.

“Then I… , Are you afraid that there is still hope, senior?!”

I smile at that guy and nod my head.

“Of course, man.”

I asked Harin to give me that small hope.