A Changed Everyday (1)

I woke Yeonhee from her half-dreaming daze, and we got off the subway to walk home.

The evening chill swept past us, raising shivers across our skin. Yeonhee, who'd come out in especially thin clothes, walked hunched into herself as far as she could go. The wind had startled her out of a long doze, and a small whimper escaped her beside me.

"It's so cold..."

Even I, who'd layered a cardigan over everything, was starting to feel it. How much worse must it be for Yeonhee, in nothing but a long-sleeved shirt?

"That's why you shouldn't have dressed so lightly."

"Hmph. What would you know about a girl's heart?"

I'm not a girl, so of course I wouldn't...

Ever since I'd laid out my family situation today, something in Yeonhee seemed to have shifted. The way she treated me had changed. Still, this was far better than when she couldn't meet my eyes and tripped over her own words.

It's a lot easier to talk now, at least.

Even so, watching her shiver this whole time was too pitiful to ignore. I shrugged off the cardigan I was wearing and held it out.

"......?"

Yeonhee glanced at the cardigan I'd offered, then looked at me with an expression that asked what this was supposed to mean.

"Wear it for now and give it back later."

At that, she drawled her words ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with a teasing smirk.

"Whaat? Are you worrrying about me?"

"......"

Even when someone worries about her, she just has to be snarky about it.

"Don't wear it if you don't want to."

"Ah, no! I'll wear it!"

The moment I moved to take it back, she snatched the cardigan and hurriedly pulled it on. But once she had it on, the look of it...

"It's a bit big..."

The difference in our frames made it look enormous on her. Her hands vanished completely into the sleeves, and the hem hung down past her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠waist.

"Can't be helped... we've got different builds."

"But is it okay to lend this to me?"

Is there some reason it wouldn't be? Or is acting like the real thing when we're fake overstepping?

"What do you mean?"

"I was worried you might catch a cold like last time."

Ah... so that's what she meant...

Come to think of it, I did have a prior record...

"And here I thought you wanted me to nurse you again, like last time."

Thinking back, I'd done some pretty embarrassing things then. But weren't you even more embarrassed than I was?

"That won't happen this time, so don't worry."

I'd just been in bad shape that time. I don't usually get sick that often.

"Heeh... then what would you have done if I'd caught a cold and couldn't go to school?"

"......I'd have gone to visit you, I guess."

That wouldn't happen, but if Yeonhee did catch a cold, I'd received care from her too, so I'd go visit — but,

"I'd bring Kang Hanbyeol and Kim Naeun along too."

There's no way I could go alone.

"So that's still where we are, huh..."

"What?"

"Mm. It's nothing."

I hadn't quite caught the mutter beside me, so I asked again, but she just brushed it off. She'd been pressing the sleeve to her nose and sniffing for a while now, though. Did the clothes smell or something...?

While I was worrying about that, the familiar fork in the road appeared before us.

"I guess I should go now. Here — thanks for the cardigan."

Yeonhee took off the cardigan she'd been wearing and handed it back to me.

"See you at school tomorrow~"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Yeonhee turned and walked away, giving a small wave of her arm. I watched her for a moment, then started down the opposite path.

On the way back, I sniffed the cardigan just in case.

I don't think it smells like anything...?

If anything, it wasn't the scent of my fabric softener — it seemed like Yeonhee's scent had rubbed off on it. A fabric softener fragrance different from mine. And a warmth filling my hands, as if proving she'd been wearing it just moments ago.

Because of that, the thought of putting it back on made my chest feel strangely ticklish. I couldn't wear it, and had no choice but to carry it all the way home.

"......It's cold."

I came home, kicked off my shoes, and quickly went into my room to collapse onto the bed.

"Haa... that was exhausting."

How on earth had my hikikomori-like life turned into that of a Super Insider with plans every weekend? Life really was something you could never quite figure out.

Still, it was fun.

There'd been a bit of an incident at the end, but setting that aside, we'd had a really good time. Dragged around from place to place — fast, high, spinning, going up and coming down.

It was... fun... right?

I was lying on the bed, reminiscing about the day, when my phone buzzed. I didn't even need to look to know who it was. Besides, other than one person, nobody sent me messages anyway.

I checked the notification, and sure enough, it was from Yeonhee. We'd just been together. What could she possibly have to say? I checked, and—

It wasn't text — it was a photo. My hand froze for a moment as memories of the cold incident flashed through my mind, but I opened it right away.

The photo that appeared was of me, taken this morning, wearing the Puppy Ear Headband.

"......"

Was this even worse than that photo of Kang Hanbyeol's face filling the entire frame?

If some insanely handsome guy had taken it, I might've looked at it and felt pleased. But seeing my own face wearing that headband just put me in a foul mood.

Cute? Where, exactly? As far as I could see, it was an assault on the eyes, nothing more and nothing less.

I had to deal with that horrific photo somehow before it ever reached Kang Hanbyeol's or Kim Naeun's eyes. That said, the only thing I could actually do was move my fingers.

I tried asking as politely as I possibly could. Apparently that wasn't going to cut it.

The morning call that announced a Monday nobody would welcome jolted me awake, and I shut it off.

Ah, dammit... I really need to change this ringtone...

I took my frustration out on something that didn't deserve it, got up, washed, ate breakfast, and got ready to leave. Then I put on my shoes and looked back.

I stood there staring blankly for a moment, then slowly opened my mouth.

"......I'm heading out."

Had something changed? I said words I would never have spoken under ordinary circumstances. For the first time, I spoke those words to an empty house, then walked out the front door.

I took the elevator down to the first floor and stepped outside.

"Wah!"

"......?"

"What. Why aren't you surprised?"

I was surprised. Just... in a different way.

"Why are you here?"

"What, you came all the way to my house and waited, but I can't come here?"

It's not that she can't... it's just weird, isn't it?

"That's not it, but is there a reason for you to come?"

"There is!"

Even if I chalked my own visits up to the stalker, I was curious what reason she had for coming. But she didn't look like she'd answer even if I asked.

Well, if she says there is, then there is, I guess.

Maybe it was because we'd been hanging out so much lately, but unlike before, I found myself thinking this wasn't so bad.

"That so. Shall we go, then?"

"Yeah!"

Yeonhee naturally took my hand and led me along. She'd always pulled this kind of teasing, but ever since yesterday, it felt different. I felt like something had changed in me too, but Yeonhee — in less than a day — seemed to have undergone some kind of emotional shift. The hesitation was gone, I guess? Anyway, that's how it felt.

First a prankster, then a shy girl, and now a prankster again. As far as I was concerned, it was just amazing how often a person could change in such a short time.

I'd long since lost the will to resist. Walking side by side with Yeonhee, her hand in mine, I could feel the eyes of people around us gathering. The gazes of passersby — the adults just looked at us fondly, but the other guys nearby...

So that pounding in my chest this whole time was from sensing killing intent...

The stares of guys blinded by jealousy were enough to stab a person to death with their eyes alone. It was genuinely creepy, more than I could handle. So, conscious of other people's stares, and somewhat embarrassed by the warmth I felt in my hand, I tried to get out of this situation.

"Uh... could we maybe walk a little farther apart?"

"Why? You don't like it?"

Yeonhee immediately shut me down. If I said I didn't like it here, she'd probably let go... but for some reason, when I tried to say it, my lips wouldn't move.

"......No."

"Right?"

She seemed pleased with my answer — I felt her grip my hand even tighter. Getting these scorching stares first thing in the morning, I already didn't want to go to school, and we hadn't even arrived yet.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

"Just... I don't want to go to school."

"What, that's all it was?"

"Then what did you think it was?"

"I thought maybe you were thinking about me."

I kind of was, though... You'd have to be as good-looking as Yeonhee to say something like that so casually.

"There's no way I would."

"Tch."

She's clicking her tongue at that...?

"But what's so bad about school? It's fun hanging out with your friends."

"I don't have any friends."

That's the kind of thing that only works on Super Insiders, isn't it?

"You do, though. Friends."

"Who?"

I had friends? That's news to me.

"Hanbyeol."

Ah... Kang Hanbyeol... if he counts as a friend, then yeah, I guess he is. A Super Insider and a loner combo. Plus-minus zero. It's a decent combination, actually. But hanging out with Kang Hanbyeol just means getting hassled until I'm even more exhausted. Isn't that actually a net negative?

"I'm even more tired when I'm with him."

"That's... true."

Even Yeonhee couldn't bring herself to argue that one.

"But he's not a bad guy, right? His personality's just a little irri— that's all."

She was about to say "irritating" just now, wasn't she... For those words to come out of Yeonhee's mouth, the karma he's accumulated must be staggering. Truly impressive.

Unintentionally, the conversation had turned into talking behind Kang Hanbyeol's back, but it was a good topic for keeping our conversation going — so good that it didn't wrap up until we arrived at school.

But isn't most of that his own doing?

Still, thanks to that, things never got awkward along the way.

Kang Hanbyeol, thank you. So you are useful, at least at times like this.