Even now, but especially when he was little, Hakyoung was a truly angel-like cute child. Smooth white cheeks, plump and pretty pink lips, thick eyelashes like the ribs of a fan…
The one most satisfied with Hakyoung’s appearance was his mother more than anyone else. She would let his hair grow, and sometimes tie it up prettily, enjoying the feeling of raising both a daughter and a son. Perhaps because of his long hair, Hakyoung was often mistaken for a girl from a young age. Even when it was revealed that he was a boy, people would praise him, saying he was born with all the pretty features. Especially his round, prominently protruding forehead and melancholy eyebrows made him an atmospheric beauty from childhood.
The teacher spoke to Hakyoung, who had his cherry-like lips pressed tightly together.
“You shouldn’t say such mean things to your friend. If Yumyeong found out about this, imagine how hurt he would be. If you’re upset about something, you shouldn’t criticize like this but explain it well. Here, the teacher will give you some letter paper, so shall we write what you want to say to Yumyeong? I was upset because of this, but I don’t hate you. Let’s stay friends… Let’s write it like that and send it.”
The teacher patted Hakyoung’s shoulder and sent him back.
Returning to his room and sitting at his desk, Hakyoung sighed while thinking. Of course, there were many things he wanted to say to Yumyeong. However, he was afraid that just like how his diary was checked every day, the teacher might see the letter too.
Then he just needed to secretly give it to Yumyeong before anyone else could see it.
Having reached a conclusion, Hakyoung picked up his pencil again.
[To Yumyeong.
Yumyeong, hi?
It was fun today too. We ran a lot and didn’t see the cat.
The college noonas bought us milk too but
You shouldn’t drink milk that someone else bought!
You shouldn’t carelessly eat things strangers give you.
They said it can be dangerous but I was worried but Yumyeong got mad at me.
Stoopid Yumyeong doesn’t know anything.]
The letter he wrote following his stream of consciousness became more and more filled with anger as he wrote. Before he knew it, Hakyoung threw down his pen and slumped over. He bit his lip hard, buried his head on the desk, and felt aggrieved.
Then and now, Hakyoung was very emotional when it came to love.
***
11 years ago.
Shin Yumyeong and Ryu Hakyoung, seven years old.
It was a day when the sweltering summer had reached its peak.
That day too, Yumyeong grabbed Hakyoung’s hand and led him outside the mansion. Holding tightly onto Hakyoung’s hand as he hesitated to go outside without permission, Yumyeong tempted him, saying he had seen a cat outside yesterday.
“Really, I saw two of them. Have you ever seen a cat?”
No.
“Do you want to see one?”
Hakyoung nodded slightly. Then Yumyeong grabbed Hakyoung’s hand tightly.
“We have to sneak out. If they find out, they’ll make a fuss… It’s just right up ahead anyway. Now’s our chance! Let’s hurry and go out.”
Then Yumyeong pulled Hakyoung’s hand strongly.
The two children ran out of the house like that and dashed through the alleyways. Perhaps thinking they had successfully escaped, high-pitched laughter flowed from Yumyeong. It was laughter that made Hakyoung, who was running along, laugh too.
“It was around here. I saw them here yesterday. Here kitty~”
Yumyeong continued to hold Hakyoung’s hand while wandering around every corner calling for the cat. Hakyoung followed behind him, diligently calling for the cat in his mind.
“Huh? There it is!”
It was just a moment when he lost his hand. Yumyeong suddenly shot out like an arrow and disappeared into a gap between buildings. While Hakyoung, left alone, was wondering whether to follow or not, Yumyeong vanished without a trace.
Hakyoung wandered around the area not knowing what to do, then after a while gathered his courage and went into the gap between the buildings. However, dirty brush was piled up so he couldn’t go in any deeper, and even going as far as he could, there was no sign of Yumyeong.
What should I do? I’ve lost Yumyeong too, should I go back home alone…
But he couldn’t bring himself to say that they went out together and he lost Yumyeong. It felt like Yumyeong’s disappearance was his fault, and he was suddenly scared that he might never find him.
Hakyoung circled around the area not knowing what to do.
If I knew this would happen, I shouldn’t have come out.
It would have been fine even if I didn’t see the cat…
Like that, Hakyoung wandered for nearly 30 minutes. Though it was 30 minutes, for young Hakyoung it was an eternity.
It was then.
“Are you perhaps looking for your friend?”
A tall college student who suddenly appeared spoke to Hakyoung. While being wary, Hakyoung nodded at the word ‘friend.’
“I see, there’s a kid about your size over there, and he’s looking for his friend too. Just in case.”
Where is he?
Hakyoung asked. Instead of answering, the college student turned around. And she navigated through the complicated alleyways.
They had to climb stairs, go down slopes, and turn through narrow alleyways several times. The path from home had long since become completely lost.
When Hakyoung was getting scared and wanted to cry, the college student waved her hand toward somewhere.
“Hey guys! I think I found him. Over here!”
Standing far away was none other than Yumyeong. In his joy, tears almost burst from Hakyoung’s eyes.
Yumyeong was somehow all dirty and was holding a milk carton he hadn’t seen before. Perhaps having scraped his knee somewhere, there was dried blood running long down his calf. Likewise, Yumyeong’s eyes widened when he spotted Hakyoung from afar. Yumyeong bounced up and down on the spot and waved at Hakyoung. Hakyoung ran over quickly, snatched the milk from Yumyeong’s hand, and threw it on the ground.
“What! The noona bought that for me.”
Yumyeong shouted seeing the milk carton miserably fallen on the ground. Hakyoung fumed and said in his mind.
Mom said never to eat things that strangers give you!
“What a waste, there was still a lot left!”
When Yumyeong tried to pick up what had fallen on the ground, the college student standing next to him stopped him.
“Kid! Don’t eat things that fell. I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Really?”
Yumyeong’s eyes sparkled as he tried to follow the college student noona. Hakyoung was frustrated and angry, and the grief of having finally found Yumyeong after wandering welled up, so he unknowingly charged into Yumyeong with all his strength.
“Ow! Hey! I almost fell over.”
Why are you yelling at me?
“I’m mad because I lost the cat because of you!”
“Kids, don’t fight.”
The college student noonas tried to stop them, but Hakyoung’s emotions kept rising more and more. He only resented Yumyeong for getting angry at him without knowing how worried he had been.
Upset, Hakyoung turned around and started running aimlessly. It was a habit that was the same then and now.
“Yeong-ah! Let’s go together!”
After a while, Hakyoung realized that someone was continuously following behind him.
“Huff, huff… Why is he so fast. Why are you running?”
Before long, the exhausted Hakyoung was grabbed by the scruff of his neck by Yumyeong.
Let go!
He tried to shake off that hand but he was out of breath and couldn’t put strength in his hands. The more stubbornly Hakyoung tried to push him away, the more Yumyeong clung to him. It seemed he thought Hakyoung would run away again the moment he let go.
Then at some moment, Yumyeong tightly embraced Hakyoung.
Sweaty arms wrapped around his nape. A bright red flushed cheek was right before his eyes.
“Don’t go, I’m sorry. Yeong-ah, I was wrong.”
Yumyeong whispered while hanging onto Hakyoung’s neck. Having just run, their touching hearts were pounding as if they would burst. From the tips of his sweaty hair came a shampoo scent he had smelled before. When Hakyoung staggered from faint dizziness, Yumyeong embraced him tightly again as if to support him.
“Don’t cry.”
Only then did Hakyoung realize his cheeks had become wet.
“I hate it when you cry…”
Yumyeong muttered while wiping his sweaty palms on his clothes. Hakyoung closed his eyes tightly and rubbed his wet eyes on Yumyeong’s shoulder.
*Smooch.*
It was then. Warm, soft lips touched his forehead. At the unexpectedly lovely sensation, Hakyoung blinked and lifted his head. Before his eyes, Yumyeong was looking at Hakyoung with a somehow anxious face.
Hakyoung asked with his eyes.
Why did you kiss me?
“Don’t cry.”
Yumyeong carefully stroked Hakyoung’s hair and tucked it behind his ear while diligently comforting him. But despite his efforts, tears poured out again from Hakyoung’s clear eyes. Yumyeong became extremely nervous and made an expression that said ‘this is a big problem.’
“Why are you crying? Is it because I kissed you?”
No.
“Because the noonas only bought milk for me?”
No, you idiot.
Yumyeong stomped his feet not knowing what to do. The more he did so, the harder it became to hold back tears, so Hakyoung cried even more. Every time he closed his eyes tightly, tears fell drop by drop, and even Yumyeong started to sob. In the end, the two children held hands and came back to the mansion crying loudly.
Because the children had suddenly disappeared from the house, the household was turned upside down. It was fortunate that they returned just before the police were called.
After eating snacks, the two collapsed exhaustedly in Yumyeong’s room and napped lying side by side until Hakyoung’s mother came to pick him up.
The one who woke up first was Hakyoung. Hakyoung, who slowly opened his eyes, looked down at Yumyeong who was lying beside him sleeping soundly. His long eyelashes cast shadows on his round cheeks. He wanted to touch those eyelashes and reached out his hand, but he was afraid he might wake him so he didn’t touch him in the end.
Instead, Hakyoung lowered his head and brought his nose to Yumyeong’s hair. He still couldn’t tell, so he picked up a little bit of hair and sniffed it. However, perhaps because they had sweated and run around so much, the shampoo scent was too faint to smell.
Still, somewhere at the tip of his nose, a sweet fruit scent lingered. Hakyoung’s face, which had been gradually moving his head, stopped above Yumyeong’s plump cheek.
An apple scent emanated from above his white and soft cheek.
Why does this smell come from his face?
While tickling the top of his cheek, where fine downy hair was neatly sprouting, with the tip of his nose, Hakyoung wondered about the identity of this scent. Now that he thought about it, earlier when Yumyeong had kissed his forehead, there had been a faint scent like this too.
