Seventeen, and Patience (2)
“Seojin, you seem to be in a really good mood lately?”
At Jisu’s words, a question mark seemed to float above my head.
“Huh?”
I tilted my head to look at her, but I didn't quite understand what she meant.
It was only after I felt my face with my hands that I realized.
Just as Jisu said, the corners of my mouth were curled upward.
It was true that I’d been in a good mood lately, but I hadn't realized it was showing on my face.
“Isn’t it because of the novel you borrowed earlier? She’s been really into romance fantasy lately.”
Eunju, a classmate, stopped on her way back to her seat and turned around.
Sure enough, the novel I’d just borrowed was peeking out from the opening of my bag.
A perfect excuse had just presented itself.
I laughed sheepishly and shrugged my shoulders.
“I guess so.”
It wasn't 100% the truth, but it wasn't entirely wrong either.
This one was a romance fantasy, too.
At first, I’d just picked it up because I needed something to talk about, but once I started reading, it was surprisingly fun.
Now, I was even paying to read them on web novel sites, keeping up with them on my phone. I’d even reread the ones I’d borrowed from friends several times.
The more things you have to talk about, the better.
At the mention of romance fantasy, a few kids gathered around my desk just like before.
Including me, there were six of us in total.
Eunju, who was always hanging around, was there, and so was Hyeji.
Eunju had been a fan of the genre from the start, so she could rattle off the author's name just by looking at the book cover. On the other hand, Hyeji, who had gotten into it around the same time as me, was completely obsessed with a novel nicknamed The Unwed Mother.
Whenever we gathered, that was always the first topic.
“Seriously, when is that trashy husband going to die?!”
As Hyeji gritted her teeth, someone chimed in from the side.
“Why are you like this? The god mentioned that he died in the past.”
“That was before the regression!”
At that, everyone nodded in agreement.
I was the same.
I’d seen all sorts of trashy husband characters while reading romance fantasy, but the husband from The Unwed Mother was definitely in the top three.
Starting with that, the conversation naturally caught fire. We shared our thoughts on currently trending works, lamented the ones that were good but didn't get popular, and recommended our personal favorites.
Spoilers were no longer an issue. We’d all read pretty much everything worth reading.
“So, if the author pushes their favorite character too much, the readers end up revolting. Oh, but—”
Eunju finished her thought and leaned in toward me.
“What about you, Seojin? Out of everything you’ve read so far, what was the most fun?”
For a moment, everyone’s gaze was fixed on me.
“I thought I Am Favored by the Villainess was the most fun.”
I heard clapping from right beside me.
“Oh, that one is fun!”
Most of them nodded, but Hyeji tilted her head.
“I’ve never heard of that novel. What’s it about?”
Since she’d started around the same time as me, she wasn't as well-versed in other works yet. I’d only learned about The Unwed Mother recently, so we were even.
Anyway, I explained it roughly, trying my best to avoid spoilers.
The plot was about a protagonist who possesses the body of a noble lady who becomes 'Henchman #1' to the villainess in a novel her younger sister wrote, and she struggles to prevent the villainess's ruin.
The problem was that she kept charming all the ladies, including the villainess, with her oblivious 'prince-like' moves.
Because of that, it was obvious that the villainess’s obsession would shift from her fiancé to the protagonist, but it was just as interesting as it was predictable.
Eunju smiled slyly and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Our Bunny, it seems you have a hidden taste for yuri?”
“Y-yuri taste, what are you talking about….”
I laughed awkwardly and avoided answering any further.
'Even if I look like this on the outside, I’m a man on the inside… so, I guess it’s only natural.'
Besides, the illustration of the villainess with the ringlet curls was strangely my type. Honestly, it was to the point where I wanted to try pulling on them. I was jealous of the protagonist in the novel who actually got to pull them.
Just then, my phone vibrated briefly. The screen I’d left on my desk flashed.
It was my older sister.
'Why is she texting?'
Our family didn't use text messages often. We usually only used them to exchange information like phone numbers, and otherwise, we just talked on the phone. Or, like before, just sending a reply?
I thought maybe she sent it because she knew I was still at school. It wasn't strange at all.
Anyway, I opened the message. The content was just her calling my name in a drawn-out way, but just looking at it felt noisy. It felt like I could hear her shouting right next to me.
Curious about what was going on, I sent a reply.
Soon, the three dots at the end of the speech bubble flickered and stopped.
My fingertips tingled at that reply. The corners of my mouth rose on their own.
I turned my phone face down and shrugged my shoulders, as if catching my breath for no reason.
“Why are you grinning like that again?”
When Eunju asked from the side, the kids around us also looked curious.
“Just…”
I tried to brush it off, but thinking there was nothing to hide, I rested my chin on my hand and looked out the window.
“I was just thinking that spring is coming for my sister, too.”
Then, just like before, I felt a warmth spreading in my chest. The warmth that had been growing stronger since the day exams ended felt exceptionally vivid today.
It seemed like today was the day.
My heart pounded with anticipation. Perhaps because of that, I felt giddy all day long. Even when Kim Yuha was being annoying as usual, strangely, I was able to let it all slide with generosity.
“Uh… Bunny, what’s up with you today?”
The kids also glanced at me with strange expressions.
“She’s like that sometimes.”
“Oh, that’s right. She’s done that a few times.”
But starting with someone’s comment, everyone nodded in agreement and brushed it off as nothing.
'Have I done this often before?'
Come to think of it, on days like this, I had been in an overly good mood. Moreover, the fact that another good thing had happened probably made me even more excited. However, if it was showing on the outside, I needed to exercise some restraint. I should be more careful in the future.
***
When I opened the front door and walked in, my sister was just getting ready to head out. The sound of her heels clicked briefly on the floor.
“Oh, you’re home? I’m going to be a bit late today. I’m having dinner with a friend… no, with that Han Yeonho person.”
My sister said as she slung her bag strap over her shoulder.
“Oh, so it’s really going well?”
When I smiled with sparkling eyes, my sister shrugged as if to scoff.
“It’s probably not what you’re thinking~”
My sister left behind something cryptic and closed the front door. I tilted my head for a moment, but it didn't really bother me. What does it matter? If it works out well, that’s even better. Besides, if Ajusshi gets along well with my sister, won't he be showing his face at our house more often?
I hope to see him again. It was quite fun when I was with him. In fact, it was even more comfortable than being with other kids or my sister.
I looked around the house and finished the chores I could get my hands on. Afterward, I sat on the sofa and took out the romance fantasy novel I’d borrowed to read. I was so immersed that I only realized it was time for Mom and Dad to get home when I heard the sound of the door lock.
“Welcome home.”
As Mom and Dad entered, I took their bags. After they finished washing up, the three of us sat around the dining table and ate dinner. That was when the conversation naturally began. We exchanged various stories, like what happened today or what happened at work, without anyone needing to start first.
I’d seen somewhere that talking while eating was bad manners, but our house was different. When would we have such long conversations if not during meal times? That’s why our family never stopped talking during meals. I really loved that.
“Come to think of it, the midterm results came out. As expected, everything is grade 2 or higher!”
At those words, the two of them smiled, and Dad patted my head. Mom worried a little, telling me not to overdo it. Listening to their praise, I thought I should keep working hard in the future. To remain the kind and diligent Yoon Seojin forever.
As predicted, my sister didn't return even as night fell. It was 10:00 PM now. Still, I felt relieved, thinking that as long as she was with Ajusshi, she would be fine. I decided to go to bed earlier than usual today.
I entered my room and stood in front of the bed, placing my hand on my chest again. It was hot. A smile spread on its own at the warmth transmitted to my palm. Before falling asleep, I changed into my school uniform instead of pajamas. It wasn't the pajamas I always wore, nor was it the light clothing I wore in the summer. The weather had warmed up enough that using the blanket just to cover my stomach was sufficient.
I lay down on the bed, pulled the blanket up slightly, and slowly closed my eyes. The pounding of my heart echoed subtly in my ears. Feeling the resonance of that rhythm, I slowly drifted into sleep.
…
…
…
The warmth that had only lingered in my chest slowly spread to my arms, legs, and the tips of my hair. The moment that warmth spread as if embracing my whole body, I opened my eyes again.
It was pure white. The ceiling, the floor, and the walls that had no end were all as clear as snow. There was no sound of wind, no sound of footsteps. It was silent.
I slowly turned my head to look around. The moment I thought there was nothing, I felt a small presence behind my back. When I turned to look, a bedding set was spread out in the middle of the pure white space. On top of it, a child was sleeping quietly.
I carefully walked over and sat down on the edge of the bedding, near the feet. For the first time in a long while, I sat cross-legged without worrying about anyone else. The sensation of my thighs and calves touching the floor was familiar and strangely welcome. And I looked down at the child and spoke quietly.
“Seojin. Yoon Seojin?”
As I called her name, the child’s eyelashes trembled slightly. Her small shoulders twitched, and she tossed and turned in the blanket, eventually raising her upper body to sit up. As if the sleepiness hadn't fully faded, she rubbed her eyes with both hands, and soon, her wide, round eyes reflected me.
“Did you sleep well?”
A face that looked exactly like mine. I smiled at the child and said that. A smile spread across the child’s lips as well. And she said in a bright, clear voice:
“Brother!”