The Slightly Eccentric First Meeting
About ten years ago, back when I was a curious six-year-old, I pestered my parents—both diplomats—into taking me to the Embassy of Japan in Korea, which happened to be near our house. The reason was simple curiosity. I had stumbled across a history book that mentioned how often our two countries had clashed, and when I learned that Japanese people could actually be found at the embassy, I wanted to see for myself. Looking back, it was a ridiculous notion, but what does a six-year-old really understand? I had no idea what my parents’ jobs truly entailed, why Japanese nationals would be at that particular building, or that bringing their child there might even be a diplomatic faux pas. I simply tagged along, brimming with innocent excitement.
And that was where I met another child my age. Her name was Aki Fujiwara. She had light pink hair I had never seen before and bright blue eyes that sparkled like gemstones. Drawn by the kind of curiosity only a child possesses, I walked right up to her without a hint of hesitation.
“Hey, hello.”
Setting aside my brief worry that she might not understand Korean, I approached the pretty girl and spoke with all the confidence a six-year-old could muster.
“I’m Korean. Are you Japanese?”
She was the most mysterious, exotic-looking girl I had ever met. Her cute bob cut suited her perfectly. When she looked at me and opened her mouth for the very first time, what came out was:
“Did you come from North Korea or South Korea?”
“……Huh?”
……It was a rather eccentric question.