Between Friends

Another morning like any other — my eyes opened early once again, just like yesterday.

Yawning, I checked the clock. It pointed to nine a.m.

Back when I lived however I pleased, weekdays and weekends alike, I usually didn't get up until well past noon. But thanks to a certain diligent someone, maybe proper living habits were starting to stick.

In the corner of the room, a neatly folded set of spare blankets sat waiting. Warm light spilled through the gap under the door, carrying with it a savory aroma that drifted gently into the room.

I'd thought I'd gotten up reasonably early, but apparently I was still last.

I was stretching, about to get out of bed, when the phone suddenly rang.

Tilting my head, I picked up my phone. The caller was the yellow-haired idiot I'd saved as Idiot No. 1.

For the record, No. 2 was the freeloader who'd barged in yesterday and slept over, and No. 3 was the iron-headed guy who always clung to me calling me Hyung-nim.

I briefly considered not answering, but the thought of the consequences was too frightening, so I had no choice but to hit the call button—

The sudden shriek slammed into my eardrums so hard I nearly flung the phone across the room. Clutching my ringing ear, I muttered, "I should never have answered…"

A noisy clamor of voices followed, and then the familiar voice of the idiot I knew came through.

"Scare me doesn't even begin to cover it. And since it's the kids, I can't even get mad… Ugh."

Even if I tried to defend it as a substitute for an alarm clock, the firepower was way too strong. Unable to find anything else to say, I just let out a pointed sigh — and all that came back was another round of "Sorry~"

"So. What do you want?"

"…It already reached your ears?"

Yesterday, Taeyang had been snapping photos of the dinner Seolhwa cooked like some kind of professional photographer. He'd probably been planning to send them to Eunha. I hadn't bothered asking what they were for out of sheer laziness — and now it had come back to bite me like this.

"Left you out? The kid just barged in on his own… Aren't you yelling at the wrong person here?"

"Technically that would be my dad. Want me to pass along his number?"

"Easy for you to say, but aren't you busy looking after the kids?"

"Well then…"

Before I could even finish saying do whatever you want, Eunha chirped, "That's permission!" in a voice brimming with glee and hung up.

"…That kid's initiative is way too good."

Whether that was something I should learn from or take as a cautionary example, I had no idea — but Seolhwa could stand to pick up a little of it.

…No. Looking at the things she'd been doing lately, maybe she'd already absorbed more than enough.

I was still turning that over in my head when Taeyang, who had apparently come in at some point, looked over at me with a bright grin and asked, "All done?" He'd clearly been watching from the start.

"You…"

I glared at him with a look full of resentment, but Taeyang didn't seem the least bit bothered. He just grinned and said, "Aw, it's fine."

"Seolhwa likes it better when things are lively, and you didn't really object either, right?"

He wasn't wrong, so I had nothing to fire back with. One more slippery character would make things a lot noisier, but Seolhwa would be happy — so I just had to put up with it.

"I somehow feel like I'm being played by you…"

Was this what they meant by being in the palm of the Buddha's hand? I tried that line on him, but Taeyang just laughed it off with "You're imagining things," and all I could do was sigh, same as always.

"Behold! I have arrived!"

Not even thirty minutes later, the doorbell rang, and a familiar face appeared on the intercom screen.

"Look who showed up spouting outdated catchphrases."

"Eunseong and Yujin have been totally hooked on that show lately, so I've been watching along~ And you recognized it too, Yuseong."

"I watched it a bit when I was a kid. More importantly, what's all that?"

When I opened the door, Eunha came in carrying a travel bag. In her other hand was a plastic bag stuffed full of something.

"Oh, this? Grandma sent a whole box of tangerines, so — it's not exactly rent, but take them!"

"Oh. This is better than what my boyfriend brought. I'll gladly take them."

I was fairly fond of fruit, so getting this many was a win all around. A certain freeloading Mr. Sung who'd shown up empty-handed could stand to learn a thing or two.

"Taeyang—!"

The moment Taeyang appeared from the living room, Eunha bolted straight into his arms.

"You two really never change."

"Hey, you and Seolhwa aren't exactly far behind these days, you know?"

I'd been hearing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that kind of comment a lot lately, but even so, I didn't have a face thick enough to put on a full public display of affection like that.

"Ah, Eunha. Welcome."

"Seolhwa! It's been so long~! A heartfelt hug!"

"It's only been two days."

Spring break had started exactly two days ago. Before that, they'd seen each other at school and hung out outside whenever they felt like it, so "so long" was a stretch by any measure.

I threw out a perfectly reasonable objection, but the idiot seemed to interpret it in a completely different direction. She made a thoughtful little "Hmm~?" sound, then declared, "Well, can't be helped!" and spread her arms wide.

"You're just jealous because I didn't give you one, right? Come here!"

"Have I lost my mind?"

Instead of a heartfelt hug, I delivered a righteous chop to the top of her head. She puffed out her cheeks. "You hit me! Even my own mother has never hit me!"

Maybe she'd never been hit — but with a personality this mischievous, I was pretty sure she'd been scolded plenty.

Saying that out loud would actually make her sulk for real, so I just said, "Just come inside," and led Eunha into the living room.

"Is this my first time at Yuseong's place since Christmas? Back then I was too busy chatting with everyone else to even look around properly! First stop, Yuseong's room—"

"I will throw you out along with your guardian."

I grabbed a fistful of Eunha's hair and yanked just as she was genuinely about to charge into my room. She'd come over with a ponytail, apparently as some kind of image change — and the way it felt exactly like a rein for restraining an angry bull was probably just my imagination, right?

On top of that, Eunha had apparently skipped breakfast and run all the way over the second the call ended, declaring, "I can't give up Seolhwa's cooking!" She had way too much energy for no good reason.

She plopped onto the sofa with a bright smile, announced, "I'll wait right here with high expectations~," and immediately started cooing at Taeyang. Being in the same room became unbearable, so I had no choice but to head toward the kitchen.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting? What's up?"

"Sitting out there isn't rest. Let me help."

I pointed toward the living room with a deliberate tilt of my chin, and Seolhwa understood immediately, letting out a soft laugh.

I still wasn't at the level of actually cooking… but other things, I could manage well enough. Measuring, prepping ingredients, fetching things — that sort of work.

Seolhwa was more capable than I'd expected, but having her do every single thing from start to finish pricked at my conscience. Sure, at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the beginning I'd freeloaded without a second thought, figuring that letting me stay was already more than enough — but I could never quite shake the uncomfortable feeling that came with it.

These days, I wasn't freeloading anymore. We were living together. So doing at least this much was only natural.

I rolled my shoulders to loosen up, then washed my hands under the tap.

"What should I start with? What's for breakfast?"

"Omurice, and Eunha brought some meat too. I was thinking of trying a stew…"

"Oh. My mouth's already watering."

"You always light up the second food comes up, Yuseong."

"Of course I do — it's delicious."

If anything, I wanted to ask why anyone wouldn't like it. Being able to eat food this good every single meal was something I genuinely considered a blessing.

I said as much while pulling out the salt and pepper shakers, and Seolhwa went blank ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠— apparently she hadn't expected a counterattack after bringing it up herself.

"I-I'm happy, but also embarrassed… Ugh."

"I'm planning to keep saying it forever, so you'd better get used to it."

I flicked her forehead with a crisp little thok, as if to snap her out of it. I fully intended to praise her enough that people would start asking if I was running an experiment on whether compliments could kill someone — so getting flustered this early was a problem.

Right then, a gleeful voice floated over from the living room — "Yo, newlyweds!" — and I briefly considered serving that idiot nothing but a glass of water for breakfast. I barely managed to restrain myself.

"Phew, that was amazing! It was so good!"

Only after polishing off three full bowls did Eunha rub her stomach, smiling with pure satisfaction.

Just looking at that blissful expression made it clear she wasn't being polite, and Seolhwa — happy herself — began clearing the dishes with a warm look. "I'm the one who should be thanking you for eating so well."

"I eat well because it's delicious. The fact that you taught yourself to cook at this level is just incredible."

"…I worked hard at it."

"Yeah. You did."

Helping clear the plates, I reached over and gently stroked Seolhwa's hair as her expression started to darken.

How many trials and errors had it taken to put a table like this together? I couldn't even begin to imagine.

"So go ahead and praise her until she dies of happiness. I give you permission."

"Wait, just a second…?!"

"Oh, that's permission?! Then Seolhwa's arms are under my exclusive lease for the day!"

With Seolhwa pinned down by Eunha's affection offensive and unable to finish cleaning up, Taeyang and I took over the rest of the dishes.

"Whoa, watching cute girls go all kyaa kyaa, ohoho with each other is a real feast for the eyes."

"That sounds like you're volunteering to eat lunch in a holding cell."

I said it, but they really did get along well. Most of the time Eunha was the one initiating, but even when Seolhwa got flustered or embarrassed, there wasn't the slightest hint that she disliked it.

I could never be that forward myself, so in that regard, I had no choice but to be honestly grateful Eunha existed.

"You should've gotten close with her from the start, back when she transferred in."

I said it while finishing the dishes and transferring the tangerines Eunha had brought into a basket. Before she and I became close, Seolhwa had been alone here too, for whatever reason. I couldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shake the thought that they should have become friends sooner.

"Mm, the Seolhwa back then was, how do I put it… she just looked so dark? We were in different classes, and even when we ran into each other sometimes, I couldn't quite work up the nerve to approach her. I didn't know her situation either… Looking back now, I do kind of regret it. I wish we'd gotten close sooner."

I couldn't find a single word to contradict her.

Seolhwa back then had looked so haggard people called her a doll. To be completely honest, even I had sometimes thought, on the days she actually showed up to school, what kind of person is that?

I was scratching my cheek when Seolhwa suddenly spoke up. "It's okay."

"Right now, everyone is here with me… I'm so happy that this is the best it could be. I know it's a little late to say it, but… thank you. All of you. Always."

"Ah! Yuseong's making a face like a girl who's fallen in love!"

"You're eating lunch at your own house."

"I'm sorry!"

Trading banter like some kind of comedy sketch, laughter bloomed through the living room.

Really… I was doing things the me from not long ago couldn't even have imagined. The thought drifted through my mind, unbidden.