Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: School for Just the Two of Us
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Passing through third and fourth grade, we reached fifth grade, but my relationship with Seol-i remained unchanged from before.
We'd been in the same class from first through fifth grade, so there was never any chance of us being separated.
But in cases like ours, where we stuck together for so long, didn't teachers usually try to split kids up on purpose?
The fact that they didn't was probably the author's doing somehow.
If that was the case... well... thanks, author. Thanks to you, Seol-i and I got along great.
But that's not the point. The important thing is this parental notice sitting right in front of me.
What's this parental notice, you ask?
"Training camp..."
It's the training camp.
This time, we're heading to the classic destination, Gyeongju, but I've never actually been to one.
Training camps just end up wasting money, wearing you out, and you can't even enjoy the fun stuff properly. Some camps even have this boot-camp military vibe.
That's my take—no way I want to shell out my own cash for that.
...Yeah, that's all excuses. Truth is, I just didn't have the money.
Of course, even with the above reasons, I still wouldn't want to go if I had the cash.
"Haneul."
The moment break time hit, Seol-i came right over to me as usual.
"Yeah, Seol-i."
Seol-i had changed a lot.
Her short bob haircut was the same, but her cute features were maturing more and more.
The biggest change, though...
"You two are together again today?"
"It's those two again~"
"Ah, Seung-ah~ Ye-eun~"
...was that she'd made way more friends than I expected.
Up until second grade, her only friends were me and Seung-ah, but now she was starting to make more and more.
Truth be told, Seol-i couldn't help but make friends.
She was just too cute and sweet. Even kids her age could see that.
Put another way, lots of kids were starting to like her—boys and girls alike.
Surprisingly, though, no boys were approaching her.
I had a rough idea why. At this age, kids tend to shun anyone who hangs out with the opposite sex, right?
They're probably scared of that.
"So, what were you two talking about?"
"We haven't even started yet."
"Oops, did we interrupt? Sorry."
I had no idea what was so hilarious about Ye-eun's giggling.
Then, out of nowhere, Seol-i scooted closer to me and hugged me tight.
...What's with her today?
Ignoring that, Seol-i went ahead and asked what was on her mind.
"...Haneul."
"Yeah."
"Are you going to the training camp?"
"Training camp?"
She nodded so cutely that I almost reached out to pat her head without thinking, but I couldn't do that anymore.
Up until third or fourth grade, it was fine—no big deal. But lately, it felt... kinda wrong, like I was committing a sin or something.
She was starting to become aware of her looks.
Anyway, after mulling it over, I shook my head.
"Nah."
"Why?"
"Just sounds like a hassle."
Seol-i stared at me, then gave the exact answer I'd predicted.
"Then I won't go either."
Ever since she was little, Seol-i had always tried to copy whatever I did.
That's why I'd seen this coming. If I skipped the camp, she'd skip it too.
I opened my mouth to convince her otherwise, but unfortunately, I got interrupted.
"Hey~ Haneul~ You playing basketball today?"
"Huh? Basketball?"
"We're matching up against the sixth graders today~"
Just like Seol-i had gotten close with the girls, I'd made tons of guy friends my age. If we're just counting numbers, I probably had way more than her.
Guys are all like that, right? Get together for a game of sports, and boom—you're friends.
"Okay, I'm in~"
"Sweet! Hey! Haneul's playing!"
The guy lit up the second I said I'd join.
Back to the matter at hand—I tried to convince Seol-i again, but...
"Haneul, you're going to basketball soon?"
"Probably at lunch, yeah?"
"Then..."
Seol-i trailed off a bit, then made her adorable request.
"...Can I come watch too?"
"Basketball?"
"Yeah."
It wasn't the first time she'd asked something like this, so I nodded right away.
"Sure, but you know it's dangerous, right?"
"I know!"
I gazed at her vigorous nod, planning to circle back to the topic twice derailed already.
I didn't mind skipping, but Seol-i really should go— that's what I wanted to say.
But unfortunately, it never happened.
*Ding-dong-dang~*
Class started right then.
"Darn."
Seol-i had already waved and headed back to her seat. I figured I'd talk to her next break.
Ah, but of course, that didn't happen either.
Incredibly, right up until dismissal, I never got a single moment alone with Seol-i to bring it up.
Truly unbelievable.
At dismissal, the moment we were finally alone, I jumped right in with Seol-i.
"Seol-i."
"Yeah?"
"You're really not going to the camp?"
*Nod nod*
Her cute head bobbed up and down.
She was dead serious about skipping.
"...Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why not? Got a reason?"
As if answering that very question, she pointed straight at me.
"'Cause you're not going, Haneul."
"That's your reason?"
"Yep."
She said it so boldly, leaving me speechless.
"It won't be fun without you there."
"Without me?"
"Yeah."
...Should I go then?
Even if I did, though, things probably wouldn't turn out how she hoped.
I'd never been, but it'd be all group activities, so Seol-i and I wouldn't have much time alone together.
"Whether we go together or not, we won't have much time just the two of us anyway, right? Might as well go."
Seol-i shook her head firmly.
"Still don't wanna."
"Why?"
"'Cause you won't be there."
...She was being way too stubborn.
I pondered what to do as I walked her home first.
After dropping her off at her place down the street and heading back to ours, Mom greeted me like always.
"Haneul~ Welcome home?"
"Yeah, I'm back. Oh, Mom."
I immediately asked for her advice on the matter.
She seemed ready to hear me out right away.
"I'll make you some cocoa~"
After that, munching on the cocoa and cookies Mom brought, I laid out the whole story.
I didn't want to go to camp, but Seol-i was following my lead and skipping too.
I had no idea how to convince her otherwise.
Mom listened, then hit me with a question first.
"Why don't you want to go to camp, Haneul?"
"...Doesn't seem like it'd be fun."
"Why? You've got friends."
Friends would definitely make it enjoyable. Super fun, even.
But there was a problem.
"Even with friends, that boot-camp atmosphere and half-assed trip where you can't really enjoy it? Not my thing. For me, travel's about discovering new places and feeling something new, but camps don't offer any of that."
Mom nodded immediately.
"If that's how you feel, Mom won't make you go. But..."
She trailed off, then pointed out something I'd overlooked.
"Won't our boy get lonely all by himself? Wouldn't one Seol-i be okay?"
"......Huh?"
It was something I'd never even considered.
I'd only been thinking about how to convince Seol-i to go, not about myself at all.
"Mom thinks that without you, Seol-i won't have any fun at camp. She's followed you around since she was little, right? Do you really think camp would be fun for her without you?"
"It might be...?"
"Maybe, but right now, she doesn't think so. School with you or camp without? She picked the former. And for you, wouldn't having at least Seol-i around at school be nice?"
The moment she said that, I felt more convinced than ever.
By the time I snapped out of it, Mom had turned the tables, and I'd agreed to stay at school with Seol-i.
The result? Way more satisfying than I'd imagined.
Seol-i studied beside me, chattered away happily, and grinned ear to ear, soaking in every moment.
Bonus: Our supervising teacher brought board games, so the three of us played together. She even sent us home two hours early on a whim, saying "Just felt like it!"
Sounds weird to say, but having Seol-i stay at school was great for me too.
On another note, Seung-ah and Ye-eun even brought us souvenirs from Gyeongju—snacks that were delicious.
Guess I've made some good friends.