A New Daily Life (2)
Next morning.
When I opened the front door, a familiar face came into view.
"......"
Han Yuna was standing in front of my house again today.
Unlike yesterday, she hadn't come out too early, as her cheeks weren't red from the cold.
But it was clear she had been waiting for me to come out.
Yuna looked up at the sound of the door opening.
"Jun-ah."
"......"
I stared at Yuna for a moment before closing the door as it was.
—Click.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Yuna immediately followed right next to me.
It was a start just like yesterday morning.
The only difference was that today she didn't even tell me to go separately.
After all, it was obvious she would follow anyway.
I started walking without waiting for Yuna.
"......"
Yuna followed silently behind me.
Unlike until yesterday, where she would try to talk to me somehow, today she was quite quiet.
"Jun-ah."
As soon as I thought that, Yuna spoke up.
"Why."
"You're still mad?"
"......"
I stopped walking and turned to Yuna.
"You still don't get the situation?"
"......What?"
"Do I look like I'm angry?"
Yuna's expression hardened a bit.
"No, I don't think so at all......"
"Hah......"
I let out a sigh unconsciously.
"I've been saying that since yesterday."
"What did I say?"
Yuna didn't answer and just moved her lips slightly.
'Looks like I have to explain from the beginning again.'
I opened my mouth for a moment but stopped.
'After all, even if I explain, she probably won't understand. Why bother?'
"......No."
"......"
"Let's just go to school."
I didn't say anything more and started walking again, and Yuna didn't ask anymore and followed behind.
"Hey."
When I entered the classroom, Junho, who had already arrived, raised his hand.
"Yeah."
I set my bag down and sat in my seat, and a little later Yuna came into the classroom as well.
"......"
There was a fleeting glance in my direction, but I didn't lift my head.
I took out my textbook from the desk drawer and prepared for first period as usual.
Before long, the warning bell rang, and after that the morning classes flowed by without any issues.
First period.
Second period.
During breaks, Junho and Minseok would chat about pointless things.
Occasionally our eyes would meet with Yuna's, but neither of us would speak first.
Before we knew it, it was lunchtime.
—Ding dong.
The lunch bell rang, and before I could even react, Minseok shot up from his seat.
"Hey, let's hurry."
Junho stuffed his phone into his pocket and stood up right after.
"Today's line is gonna be super long."
"So let's hurry."
"Jun, we'll go ahead."
"Yeah."
"If you're late, there won't be any seats left."
"I know, so go."
Before my answer was even finished, the two of them had already vanished out of the classroom.
"They're in such a hurry."
I was slowly tidying up my desk and about to stand up when
"Jun."
The classroom door opened, and a familiar voice rang out.
Choi Seoa was standing in front of the door.
"You're here again."
At my words, Seoa narrowed her eyes.
"Why? Can't I come?"
Seoa walked into the classroom without hesitation.
"Where are your friends?"
"They said they'd go to the convenience store by themselves today too."
"You're always getting ditched these days."
"Want me to die?"
Seoa lightly tapped my arm.
"Ah, why are you hitting?"
"Because you're saying something that deserves to be hit."
"So what did you come for?"
"I didn't come for anything in particular."
Seoa glanced around the classroom once more and said,
"Let's go eat."
"Okay."
As I was about to leave the classroom with Seoa,
"I'll go with you too."
When I turned my head, Yuna had stood up from her seat and was approaching.
"Let's go together."
"......"
"Do as you like."
With that, the three of us left the classroom together.
"Whoa, so many people."
Seoa muttered while looking around.
"Jun!"
From a distance, Junho waved his hand.
When I turned, Junho and Minseok were already sitting at a table.
The problem was....
"There's no seat?"
The table the guys were sitting at already had other students crammed in, leaving no empty seats.
Junho shrugged his shoulders apologetically.
"We tried to grab it, but other kids sat first."
"It's fine."
"There's an empty table over there."
Junho pointed to a table a little further away.
Three seats in a row were empty.
"Then let's sit there."
Seoa headed that way first.
I followed without thinking and set my tray down in the middle seat.
Then—
—Thud.
At the same time, trays were placed on both sides.
"......"
On my right was Yuna.
On my left was Seoa.
'...This seems like I grabbed the wrong seat.'
I felt belated regret, but since moving again would be awkward, I just pulled out the chair and sat down.
Seoa held her spoon without a care in the world, and Yuna quietly arranged her tray.
For a moment, an awkward silence passed.
"......"
"What?"
The first to speak was Seoa.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"We're eating. What do I say?"
"Yesterday you were chatting away."
"You were the one who spoke first."
"Then I guess I have to talk today."
Seoa scooped up a spoonful of rice and looked at me.
"So."
"What?"
"Did you look for what you wanted to do yesterday?"
"What did I say yesterday?"
"Did you find something you want to do?"
—Pause.
On my right, the spoon stopped for just a moment.
Yuna didn't say anything, but her gaze briefly turned this way.
'What?'
I was a little puzzled for a moment but didn't dwell on it and picked up my side dish while answering.
"I did look."
"Really?"
Seoa's eyes widened a little.
"What?"
"I'm going to try working part-time at the movie theater."
"Movie theater?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, that's great."
Seoa nodded as if it was a good thing.
"Part-time work isn't bad."
"I think the same."
"When do you have the interview?"
"Interview...?"
"No interview?"
"There was no mention of that. It just said to come by six o'clock today."
"Right away today?"
"Yeah."
Seoa thought for a moment and nodded.
"Ah, is it an urgent recruitment?"
"Urgent recruitment?"
"Yeah."
"What does that mean?"
"It means they're urgently looking for people to fill in for a shift."
Seoa explained as if it was nothing.
"Like when one part-timer suddenly can't come or there's a shortage of people, they look for someone to come right away."
"Ah."
"Those are often short-term part-time jobs that last just a day. They basically just fill the urgent day."
"So am I only working today?"
"What did it say on the posting?"
"I don't know. It just asked if I could come today."
"......Did you read the posting properly?"
"Kind of?"
Seoa laughed as if she found it unbelievable.
"Let me see the posting."
"Why?"
"So I can check if it's correct."
I took my phone out of my pocket and pulled up the posting I had applied for yesterday.
"Here."
Seoa took the phone, scrolled down a few times, and nodded immediately.
"It is."
Seoa pointed to one side of the screen with her finger.
"It says they're looking for someone who can start work right away today."
"So that's what it meant...?"
Seoa laughed as if she found it unbelievable and handed the phone back to me.
"Well, anyway, do your best."
"Yeah."
"It's your first part-time job, so don't get too nervous if you make a mistake."
"Thanks."
Seoa smiled lightly and picked up her spoon again.
As I was about to eat my rice again,
"Jun."
This time, Yuna spoke quietly from my right.
"Why."
"Did you talk to Seoa about this yesterday?"
"Yeah."
"When?"
"After school."
Yuna's chopsticks paused for a moment.
"You went together?"
"Yeah."
"......Where exactly?"
I looked at Yuna while picking up my side dish.
"Why are you asking that?"
"No, just......"
Yuna avoided my gaze for a moment.
"I didn't know."
Yuna's voice became a little quieter.
I stared at Yuna for a moment before lowering my gaze back to my tray.
"There's no need to tell you about that."
"Yeah, but......"
Yuna poked at her rice grains with her chopsticks for no reason.
"But when you were with me, you didn't talk about that?"
"What?"
"Like finding something you want to do or whatever."
"......"
"You should have told me too."
Yuna added after a moment of hesitation.
"I could have helped you look."
I stared at Yuna for a moment.
Thinking back, over the past few years I had shared a lot with Yuna,
but I had no memory of talking about what I wanted to do in the future
or what I wanted to try.
Thinking about it, I knew quite a bit about Yuna.
Her favorite foods.
Things she disliked.
The university she wanted to go to.
What she wanted to do in the future.
I had asked because I was curious and remembered everything she told me.
But the reverse was true....
"You never asked me."
"......"
Yuna's expression hardened again.
I lowered my gaze back to my tray.
Now that I thought about it, it was a little funny.
After all, it was a relationship that could never continue, so why had I been so earnest?
"......"
A moment of silence passed, and Yuna didn't ask anymore and lowered her gaze back to her tray.
I started eating my rice without saying anything, and the conversation that had continued until a moment ago faded into nothing.
* * *
When all afternoon classes were over, it was almost five o'clock.
Right after the final bell, I grabbed my bag and stood up from my seat.
"Jun."
As I was about to leave the classroom, Seoa called out to me from the door.
"Why."
"You're going to the part-time job now?"
"Yeah."
"Was it from six o'clock?"
"Yeah."
Seoa waved her hand lightly.
"Do well."
"Why so much like that?"
"It's your first part-time job. I'm cheering for you."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Don't get too nervous if you make a mistake."
"I know."
"Tell me how it went after it's over."
"If I remember."
"Don't get too excited."
Seoa smiled faintly.
"Anyway, go and come back well."
"Yeah."
I left the school as is.
'It was until six o'clock.'
Thinking about the time it would take to get to the movie theater, it wasn't particularly leisurely.
After taking the bus for a few stops,
when I arrived in front of the building with the movie theater, it was a little past five thirty.
"It's bigger than I thought."
I had been to the place a few times to watch movies, but coming here to work made it look strangely different.
I checked the message I had received yesterday once more and entered the building.
And just as I was about to take the escalator,
"......?"
A familiar back view appeared a little ahead.
Black hair that reached down to the shoulders.
Same school uniform.
'Yoon Seohee?'
Seohui didn't notice me and continued up the escalator.
'Did she come to watch a movie.'
Without thinking, I followed behind her as well.
"......"
Second floor.
Third floor.
Even after arriving at the floor with the movie theater, Seohui continued walking in the direction I needed to go.
'What?'
I checked the guide on my phone again.
The employee entrance is located inside the convenience store's side corridor.
When I looked up, Seohui was entering exactly that way.
"......"
'Why is she going there?'
My steps slowed without me realizing.
—Click.
Someone called out to me from beside.
When I turned, a middle-aged man wearing an employee badge around his neck was approaching.
"Ah, yes."
"Are you the person who was supposed to start at six o'clock today?"
"Yes, that's right."
"You came earlier than expected. I'm the manager here."
"Ah, hello."
I quickly bowed my head.
"Come inside for now. Since one person suddenly couldn't come today, I had to recruit someone urgently, so there are a few things to explain."
"Yes."
As I was about to follow the manager inside,
Seohui, who had been walking ahead, turned around upon hearing the voice.
Our eyes met, and Seohui's steps froze.
"...Jun?"
Now that I thought about it, something had been strange since earlier.
Why had she been going in the same direction?
'No way.'
I alternated my gaze between Seohui and the employee corridor.
"You're working here?"
Seohui scanned me up and down and asked.
"That's what I should be asking."