Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Button Pop
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As we entered our third year of middle school, it was as if we were proving we were in the final throes of puberty—our bodies underwent all sorts of changes too.
For example—
"Yerim."
"Yees...?"
"...Don't you think it's about time to switch out those pajamas?"
—This was abuse.
Abuse to the pajamas, but a reward for me.
I was truly grateful that she kept wearing the ones I'd gifted her, so I'd held off on saying anything for as long as I could.
A year ago, when I'd first given them to her, that... area had already felt a bit snug. Now, it was bursting at the seams, barely functioning as pajamas anymore.
Especially when she propped up her phone like this and lay on her side—it really stood out.
...Wasn't it uncomfortable? Even watching made me nervous; the fabric was straining so hard.
It was really time to replace them.
"My pajamas...?"
"Yeah. They must be getting uncomfortable now."
"..."
...Did I make it too obvious?
I hadn't pointed out exactly what looked uncomfortable, but Yerim must have caught where my eyes were drifting—she glanced downward.
"But I really like them... And they're the first gift you ever gave me, Oppa..."
...I should've given her gifts more often.
I felt a twinge of regret, wondering how stingy Han Woojin had been with presents to make her cling to this one.
"Your birthday's coming up soon. I'll send you new ones. Oh, and I've already picked out something else besides pajamas, so look forward to it."
"Wouldn't that be too much for you, Oppa...?"
—I'm already surviving on water alone.
I couldn't exactly confess that I was already pinching pennies with the wedding fund and birthday gift combo.
"Too much? Come on, it's for you."
Still, there are times when a guy has to flex, even knowing it's idiotic.
This was one of those moments for me.
...Even though my body was screaming for something greasy besides water and cafeteria slop, I ignored it.
My all-out bravado must have worked—Yerim broke into a beaming smile.
"Hee, then I'll wear whatever you pick..."
That very instant.
There was a pop—and the Yerim on my screen flipped out of view.
"...Huh?"
"What?! What happened, Yerim? You okay?!"
"O-Oppa. Calm down, just a sec..."
"How can I calm down? I heard a pop! Did you get hurt? Turn the camera back...!"
"Hyah...!"
What on earth had happened?
The longer she stayed out of sight, the more worried I got, so I kept prodding until Yerim mumbled in a tiny, embarrassed voice.
"Oppa, you can't tease me if I show you... okay?"
"Tease you about wha—...?"
The screen was back to the same angle as before.
Except now, those pajamas that had looked so constricting...
Didn't anymore.
"Wh-where'd the button go...?"
"...Here..."
She opened her tightly clenched hand, revealing the button inside.
...No way.
The pop, the flipped phone.
The reason she couldn't tell me right away.
That single button explained it all, but I still couldn't believe my eyes.
"...Must've sneezed 'cause it was hard to breathe."
"...I said no teasing..."
"...Sorry."
I wasn't teasing—it was sincere.
But seeing her cover her flushed face with both hands, all I could do was apologize.
...Actually, shouldn't she be covering somewhere else?
I'd been too shocked by the missing button to notice before, but now that I'd snapped out of it...
Soft, pale skin peeking through the gap in her pink pajamas.
The white fabric hugging it just right.
So many things came into view that I didn't know where to look, my eyes darting everywhere.
"...Guess you really do need new ones, huh?"
"...Yeah, I think so..."
We couldn't meet each other's eyes, but at least we agreed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The day after the Button Murder Incident.
I video-called Yerim every day and we swapped photos often, but seeing her in person was different—and I had no clue about that stuff anyway—so I was agonizing over pajama sizes again.
Then, as if keeping her promise from the last gift, a message from Yerim popped up.
It had her height—she'd just measured—and the info I'd been dying to know but couldn't ask for.
...Great.
The word slipped out before I knew it.
This time, it wasn't about not knowing her size; it was that finding the right one might be tricky.
But I was happy.
Why? No space to explain.
Anyway, happy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
If you asked what I regretted most right after Yerim left for America, I could rattle off a list without pause.
But the top one? No hesitation.
— ...No photos.
Neither of us cared much about taking pictures.
The biggest reason?
We met almost daily—or video-called if not—so why bother with photos? If I missed her, I'd just meet up.
We never felt the need.
So, photos of us—or her—were scarce. Practically nonexistent.
That careless mindset boomeranged back at me soon after she left.
— ...Should've taken them when I could.
I didn't know.
How agonizing it is to want to see her and not be able.
And.
I'd thought photos just showed a person and a place.
Stupidly, it only hit me after you'd stepped away from my side for a bit.
A photo captures that moment with you. The feelings we shared then.
It's magic that lets you relive that fleeting instant, no matter how much time passes.
I didn't know back then. Really.
But now, knowing Yerim hated photos, asking her to send some wasn't easy. So I suffered in silence one day.
Then, as usual, I woke up, checked my phone—and there were a flood of photo messages from her.
Worried something was up, I opened them frantically, only for my lips to curl into a grin.
From the moment I'd ended our video call and gone to sleep.
[Photo]
- Morning here. Bacon's good, but I miss rice... (sad cat emoticon)
I'd crave kimchi too if I ate that for days straight.
[Photo]
- This is what I'm wearing to school... (shy cat emoticon)
Hm. Long sleeves, long pants. Zero skin showing. Pass.
[Photo]
- Oops, saw a heart-shaped cloud on the way to school, so I snapped it. ...Or not. (zapped cat emoticon)
...Doesn't look like a heart to me. If you say so, though.
A few more school pics too.
Clearly not used to photography—most were blurry, angles that failed to capture even half her beauty, screaming "no idea about selfies."
But they were shot so densely, like she was determined not to let me miss her.
Each one radiated effort just for me.
- Yerim.
- Ah, Oppa. You up...?
- Yeah. Just decided what to deposit in the wedding fund next.
- Suddenly...? What is it...?
- A camera. A good one.
- ...A camera?
- Yeah.
I didn't know much about cameras, but to capture her perfectly? Worth any price.
- So let's take tons later. Wherever we go, whatever we do. To remember those times.
- Gotta take a lot then...?
- Yeah. And someday, print them into albums or frames... Sound good?
- ......Yeah, love it. Even silly ones. Let's take lots, us.
From then on, Yerim started practicing photography, sending daily snaps of her routine.
Of course,
"Why don't you send photos, Oppa...?"
"Huh?"
"......"
"I'm just not used to taking them..."
"I'm not either..."
"......Sorry."
"I wanna see your pics too..."
"Sending now."
I got scolded once for making her feel neglected.
But swapping newbie pics daily improved our skills bit by bit.
At this rate, we'll take great ones together someday. Exciting.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Photo]
- Oppa, ta-da. (shy cat emoticon)
- Pajamas arrived safe? Cute. How's the fit?
- Yeah, comfy. Thanks, Oppa...
The emergency order post-Button Pop had arrived; Yerim sent a wearing-it pic.
Where was that shy girl from before? Now she even struck a one-handed kitty pose.
So adorable my ransacked wallet didn't even cross my mind. Happy.
Definitely roomier—looks comfy. Shame(?).
My phone gallery, once full of goofy memes swapped with friends...
Now over 1,000 pics deep after a year+ of sharing with Yerim.
Another precious one added today.