96.
After that incident, Chae Yoo-jeong stopped going around the school looking for Yoo Ji-han.
During class, he sat like a doll, and when it was time for recess, he immediately plopped down on his desk. He spent most of the lunch hour hungry, but even when he did eat, he was always alone.
Time passed by without meaning to him as if it were colorless. Chae Yoo-jeong, who was lying face down on his desk and staring blankly at the sky outside his window, naturally realized something. That his mental state was not normal.
There wasn’t a single happy thing. When he finally met Yoo Ji-han, the lofty expectations had disappeared like a balloon pricked by a needle, so the blow was even worse.
If Yoo Ji-han finds out, he will definitely curse in outrage. He will be shocked because of what he saw back then from his perspective. Of course, he must be.
On the night of the snowfall, he clearly remembered the triangle kimbap he had received when he first met Yoo Ji-han. The warm energy he felt in his palm and the odor that covered his body... This was the first favor he received in his life.
‘I’m so dirty.⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯.’
The meaning of ‘dirty’ that the woman spoke of may also include this aspect. No, it will definitely be included.
It was obvious that thinking about Yoo Ji-han any longer would only cause trouble. So he wanted to stop. Yoo Ji-han would have already forgotten him anyway. He was a person who shined like the sun and had many good people around him, so there was no way he would remember a guy like him.
Time passes and flows by. When light green buds were sprouting on the dry tree branches visible in the window, the woman notified Chae Yoo-jeong.
“Pack your bags in advance. We have to move.”
“…….”
It’s said that she decided to remarry some man. Chae Yoo-jeong had to transfer schools after less than two months due to his mother’s remarriage.
It doesn’t matter whether he has to live in the house of a stranger whom he has never seen the face of or whether he has to abruptly transfer schools.
‘Then never again...’
Can he meet Yoo Ji-han one last time? Of course, he hadn’t seen his face in over a month, but not seeing him for the rest of his life was a different matter.
When Chae Yoo-jeong couldn’t answer, the woman also got up from her seat without saying anything. Chae Yoo-jeong lowered his head as he watched the back of the woman who left him alone during the day on the weekend along with her handbag.
Okay. His answer didn’t matter in this situation. Once the woman has made a decision, he has no choice but to follow it. Maybe it’s an opportunity. Because it was abnormal to keep remembering someone you only met three times.
... He certainly thought so, but during the week that remained until he moved, Chae Yoo-jeong kept wandering around the hallways or going out in front of his house several times at night. He didn’t understand why he’s like this.
But despite his efforts, Chae Yoo-jeong did not meet Yoo Ji-han until the day before he moved. Chae Yoo-jeong stuffed all his belongings into a delivery box, looked around the house, which was cluttered with boxed items, and walked in front of the window.
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was sitting by the window with a clear view of the rusty iron gate and alley in front of the house and looking outside with his chin resting on his hand, noticed someone, and jumped up from his seat.
The person walking from the other side of the alley was clearly Yoo Ji-han. Unlike before school started, Yoo Ji-han walked to the front of the house wearing his school uniform and looked around as if he was looking for something. When Chae Yoo-jeong saw that, he couldn’t bear it any longer and ran out of the house.
He opened the iron door in a huff, wearing only his sneakers without even a coat on, and the back of Yoo Ji-han, who was leaving the alley, caught his eye. He could no longer hide the words that were up to his chin and spit them out.
“Yoo Ji-han!”
Yoo Ji-han, who heard the shout calling for him, turned around in surprise. When he saw that face, he felt sad.
“Wh-why are you ignoring me?”
“What?”
His confidence, which had been soaring for some reason, suddenly collapsed with one question from Yoo Ji-han. In an instant, Chae Yoo-jeong, who was completely discouraged, looked at Yoo Ji-han and timidly protested.
“Y-you ignored me...”
“I did?”
Yoo Ji-han, who had both his hands in his pants pocket and raised one eyebrow, didn’t really seem to know what Chae Yoo-jeong was talking about.
“At school.......”
“School?”
Yoo Ji-han, who was slowly rolling his eyes, nodded his head as if he had finally realized.
“Ah, right. You said you go to the same school as me, right?”
“Did you meet me at school?”
“We met. I tried to say hello, but you ignored me.”
“……”
“What ignoring? You’re making me feel like crap. I guess I just didn’t notice you and passed by. You’re kind of short.”
The word short struck his heart. At the same time, he was extremely happy to know that he hadn’t been ignored on purpose.
“Next time, I won’t miss you and will see you, so be sure to say hello.”
“......I can’t.”
“Why can’t you do it? What class are you in? I’ll come visit you next week.”
“No. I... I’m moving.”
Chae Yoo-jeong, who was biting his lip, finally confessed honestly. An enormous amount of regret washed over him like an ebbing tide.
Yoo Ji-han even promised that he would come to him first, but he was incredibly sad that he had already completed the school transfer process and was ready to move. If he had known this would happen, he would have mustered up the courage to meet him one more time.
Yoo Ji-han also reacted with surprise, as if he had not known that he would be moving.
“Where are you going?”
“I... I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’m not lying, I really don’t know. Mom made her own decision, so I am forced to go.”
Although he was worried that it might sound too grumpy, Yoo Ji-han’s expression didn’t change much.
“Hmm... okay. It’s a shame.”
This was the end of the answer. Yoo Ji-han’s feelings of regret were also different in depth from Chae Yoo-jeong.
Chae Yoo-jeong once again realized the difference between Yoo Ji-han and himself. Maybe, even though he’s faced with someone he’ll never meet again in his life, he’ll only feel regret for a moment, and from tomorrow onwards, he’ll go on with his daily life and quickly forget what happened to Chaw Yoo-jeong.
When he realized that, he suddenly felt anxious. He wanted to somehow make Yoo Ji-han remember him. He wanted to meet at least once more in the future. He wanted to show a much different side of himself than his present unsightly self and become his friend like others effortlessly did.
“M-my name.”
“……?”
“It’s Chae Yoo-jeong.”
Heat spread all over his face even though he was barely giving his name.
“Make sure to remember.”
His large hands, compared to his size, held Yoo Ji-han’s arms tightly. He was so nervous, but he couldn’t help but say it because he thought he wouldn’t be able to tell it if it wasn’t now.
“I hope we meet again someday.”
“……”
“So remember my name.”
Yoo Ji-han, who was standing still with his arm held by Chae Yu-jeong, slowly blinked his eyes at the words that followed. Eventually, the corners of his mouth gently turned up.
“Unn, I’ll remember.”
Chae Yoo-jeong’s neck and ears were now red at the sound of his sweet voice. Yoo Ji-han smiled as if Chae Yoo-jeong was cute and raised his hand.
“I have to go now.”
“Unn.”
He stroked Chae Yoo-jeong’s head a couple of times as if he was petting a puppy and added playfully just before turning his back.
“Next time you see me, please be polite. Call me oppa.”
“......What?”
“Take care wherever you go.”
While Chae Yoo-jeong froze at the appearance of an unexpected word, Yoo Ji-han leisurely left the alley. Whoosh, the still chilly early spring wind blew.
‘Call me oppa...?’
Did he ever think of him as a woman? Did he go away before he could resolve the problem?
No matter how short he is, was he so short that one would mistake him for a woman? He also wore a men’s school uniform... Ah. Yoo Ji-han said he didn’t see him, so he didn’t know.
’I guess he knew me as a real woman.’
His shock was so great that he could not move his body. Chae Yoo-jeong covered his mouth with his hand. His face was now red in a different way than before.
He was so embarrassed. And it was humiliating. In the end, all Yoo Ji-han knew was his own name. It was clear that he didn’t notice any of his feelings of wanting to somehow meet again and become close friends. He didn’t even know his gender, so there was no way he could know about what Chae Yoo-jeong was feeling.
“Haa.......”
Chae Yoo-jeong, covering his face with both hands, lowered his head and let out a deep sigh. He was truly annoyed that he was shorter than others.
Chae Yoo-jeong lowered his hand that was covering his face and gritted his teeth. His exposed eyes were also burning with an ardent desire unlike before.
Just wait and see. He will change so much by the time they meet again someday.
If he only remembers his name… They can start from there. Chae Yoo-jeong will proudly say that the short kid he met when he was young was him.
Dreaming of a future where he would one day meet Yoo Ji-han again, Chae Yoo-jeong looked at the alley where Yoo Ji-han had left for a long time afterwards.
---
Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor: Meimei
Support on Kofi:
HM: I’m surprised that he is explaining this to him now….. wow…
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So at the end, jihan forgot about yoo chae? Jihan my boy 😭😭😭😭 and on top of that he thought yoo chae is a girl 😭😭😭😭😭