High School Freshman Spring: The School Year Changed
High school freshman. Spring. The school year had changed. With the seasons shifting, so did the clothes I wore, and though I was still a student, the word slapped on in front had changed too. On top of that, I'd grown a little taller—thank goodness. Most of the baby fat had melted away too. ...Even my cousin squealed on Lunar New Year's that I'd matured so much.
And then there was Oppa. He'd changed too. So much it made me wonder if he'd eaten something weird.
'Gyeo-ul, want ice cream? Heading to the convenience store.'
'Gyeo-ul, coffee?'
'Gyeo-ul, put on a jacket. Mom's late. Let's eat out.'
'Gyeo-ul, here. A gift.'
That damn Gyeo-ul, Gyeo-ul, Gyeo-ul. I was sick of hearing it. Things had gotten a bit better since he started dorm life, but every Friday he'd come home and spend the whole weekend calling my name, fussing over this and that. Was he taking care of me or just tormenting me? Hard to tell.
Why the sudden change? Was he trying to play the big brother role now, after all this time? But even then, we didn't talk much. He'd buy me food—just the food—and toss some random gift at me like tic before vanishing. ...Not that I hated it, but honestly, it was a little overwhelming.
At least it didn't stress me out. If Oppa got all gloomy, the whole house felt heavy. Better this way. And thanks to it, I scored a bunch of free stuff... yeah. Kinda fun, in its own way. If he hadn't, I probably wouldn't have stepped foot outside before school started.
"...Gyeo-ul."
"..."
"Hey, Kim Gyeo-ul. Ignoring your friends?"
"...Huh? Oh, yeah. What."
"What're you thinking so hard about? Boyfriend?"
"I don't have a boyfriend. No crush either."
Mid-April. Full-on spring already. High school, which I'd approached with so much tension, turned out way more livable than middle school. Facilities and cafeteria food were secondary. In the end, it's the people that make a school, right? Maybe because they grouped us by similar levels, there were more friends I could actually talk to than expected. Not that I planned to get super close or anything. ...Well, somewhat.
"Then what had you grinning like an idiot?"
"...Me?"
"Yeah."
"Don't lie. I wouldn't do that."
"Whoa, turning your friend into a weirdo. Nara, shoulda snapped a pic earlier. Right?"
"Totally. Feels like the first time I've seen Gyeo-ul smile."
"...Did I really smile?"
"Yeah, chin in hand. Staring at the sky all cool, but your lips twitched up."
Me? Smiling? I'd just been deep in thought, puzzling over how weird Oppa had gotten.
"What, thinking about someone you like so much you smirked without realizing?"
"Look at our Gyeo-ul, total girly girl."
"No, absolutely not."
"C'mon, spill for your friends. Who is it? Hmm... tutor? Oh wait, you don't do tutoring. Or maybe..."
"...No, drop it."
"...Whoa. Gyeo-ul gets scary when she goes stone-faced. Nara, lend me a handkerchief. My hands are sweaty."
"Use yours. Why mine?"
"F-ri-end, le-nd me one~"
I growled back in annoyance, and they froze for a sec before chattering on like usual. ...Sigh. I suck at taking jokes for what they are. Even that weird Oppa seemed like he was trying to change, just in the wrong direction. Guess I need to fix my personality too.
"Gyeo-ul, Nara won't lend me hers. Can you?"
"...Here."
"Tha-nk you~. See, Nara? That's what friends do."
"She only tossed it 'cause you're annoying. Eat and scram."
"Nuh-uh. Look how cute this handkerchief is. Gyeo-ul wouldn't be mean."
"...Wasn't mine anyway."
A fluffy, soft-looking gray character on the handkerchief. Why buy stuff like this? Couldn't just toss it. ...Not that I hated it.
No matter how much I puzzled over it, I couldn't figure out what Oppa was thinking. How close did he want to get? Was he that lonely?
"Ooh, a gift? From who?"
"...Oppa. Real brother."
"Oh, you have an oppa? Age gap?"
"Three years."
"Three... so college this year. Smart? Hot?"
"Hey, Na-el. Why so into Gyeo-ul's oppa?"
"Just curious. Gyeo-ul's super pretty. Bet her oppa is too."
"Yeah, makes sense. Gyeo's gorgeous."
"Totally."
"Yup yup."
...Sigh. Feeling pretty myself versus others hyping me up felt totally different. Was I bad at taking compliments? Felt too awkward, so I decided to sell out Oppa instead. Sorry, Oppa. But you started acting all buddy-buddy.
"...Sinchon. Not sure if hot. Just... neat guy. Stoic."
"Sinchon? Must be smart. Tall?"
"Uh... over 180cm?"
At least a head taller than me. Hard to even look up at him. I'd caught up a lot, though.
"Whoa, what. Gotta have a girlfriend then."
"He doesn't."
"...Why snap suddenly?"
I didn't snap. It was ridiculous. Oppa? A girlfriend? That stoic guy? We'd lived together forever, and I was only just warming up to him. Imagining him dating... ...Ugh, goosebumps. Picturing my real brother being affectionate made my skin crawl. Way worse than him going Gyeo-ul, Gyeo-ul all year. If he dated, he'd be all... ugh, stop. Gross.
"He's not the girlfriend type."
"Why? Bad personality?"
"Not really... loves staying home. Doesn't go out much."
"Gyeo-ul, you must be out of touch."
"...What?"
"Guys like that are hot now. Stoic and cold usually, sweet only to their girl. Smart, tall? Hot? Instant winner."
"Never said hot."
"You're his sister—can't be objective. If you call him neat, he's hot. Genes don't lie."
"Never thought Oppa was hot. Scary, maybe."
"Why? Mean-looking?"
"Nah... broad shoulders, sharp eyes..."
"...Nara."
"Yeah."
"I'm not weird, right?"
"Yeah. Gyeo-ul's the weird one."
"...Me?"
Why? You guys debating someone else's brother are weirder! ...Even if I sold him out. You started it.
"Mystery solved. Why our Gyeo-ul's such a stoic iron wall."
"Yeah, wondered why she's so cynical."
"Obvious—oppa's so hot, other guys look like squid. That's why she buries in books."
"...Enough."
"Hahaha, not scary anymore."
"..."
"Aw, sulking? C'mon, it's fine to have high standards. No—low ones won't do. Who's your friend? Right?"
"Yup. Makeup-free Gyeo-ul still gets a truck of numbers. Rejects 'em with one 'no' too."
"Seriously, quit it!"
"Run~ Gyeo-ul's mad~"
Their constant needling snapped my patience. Sigh... exhausting. Tired from nonsense without doing anything. What bullshit. Oppa hot? Sure, above average maybe, but not celeb-level. Never seen him, why yap about my brother? Unbelievable. ...Didn't get the handkerchief back either.
In the end, I got the handkerchief back and a half-assed apology before heading home. Didn't feel sincere. I'd gotten some payback at least. ...Barely held back from hitting harder. Can't get a record.
"...I'm home."
I greeted the house after opening the door, then stepped into the living room. Friday as always—Oppa was back, lounging on the sofa.
"Hey, welcome. Hi."
"..."
"...Why stare. What, make coffee?"
"Nah. I'll make mine."
Why's a college guy glued here every weekend? No friends? Dorm life's a thing. Stay there. Or go out.
"Make you some too, Oppa?"
"...Sure, if you do."
I headed to the kitchen without changing, brewing two instants. ...Still caffeine. Tastes fine. Sweet's good enough. No idea why he likes bitter.
"Here."
"Thanks."
"...Hey, Oppa."
"What."
"Why come home every weekend?"
"...You'll get it in the dorm."
"That bad?"
"Can't live with crowds. Home's comfy."
Ah, not single rooms. Makes sense—I'd bolt in a week with Na-el or Nara.
But still. Not an excuse to hole up weekends. ...Definitely no friends. Explains bugging me. How lonely is he?
"Roommates annoying?"
"Nah. Home's got you and Mom. Family's chill."
"..."
"Plus, army next year anyway. Staying here till then."
"...Oppa, army?"
Oh... right. He's a guy. Of course. Lived together forever, he still came home from dorm—never crossed my mind. Couldn't picture home without him.
"Gotta go sometime."
I stared at his nonchalant face declaring he'd vanish in a year. ...No clue. Didn't look that hot. Hot or not, he's just Oppa to me. If gone? Kinda lonely, yeah.