Miracle Illusion

“Damn it, you asked again.”“…….”“I like you. I really like you. I think about you all the time. When I go home, I only think about you. You even appear in my dreams.”“…….”“I really like you.”“…….”“Damn….”Sungwoon covered his eyes with his palm. Hot breaths escaped his mouth. This time, not only his earlobes but also his neck turned bright red.“I’m not forcing you. So just pretend you didn’t hear it.”“…….”“You said you wanted to be friends. Let’s be friends. Let’s be friends.”Because that’s the only way he could stay close. Sungwoon swallowed the last words. His clenched fists dug his nails into his palms. Watching Sungwoon’s bowed head and trembling fists, Yeonwoo whispered.“Hey, Choi Sungwoon.”“…….”“Don’t let go for a moment.”“…….”“Just for a moment.”Yeonwoo pried open Sungwoon’s clenched fist and placed his hand over it, gripping tightly. Despite claiming it was a burn, Sungwoon’s hand was as cold as ice. Their eyes met.“I like you too.”“…What?”“I like you too.”Yeonwoo smiled beautifully, his eyes crinkling. Even though he tried to act nonchalant, his cheeks were already flushed, and his trembling lips curled up. A slow sigh escaped Sungwoon’s parted lips.“Let’s let go now.”“No.”“People are watching.”“Let them watch.”“No, let go now.”“Are you a celebrity? Why do you care so much about people’s eyes?”Sungwoon held Yeonwoo’s hand tightly, not loosening his grip. As they got closer to the school, students with backpacks started appearing. Yeonwoo, flustered, tried to pull his hand away.“Hey.”“Yeah?”“Am I smiling right now?”“…….”“I feel really good, but my face feels paralyzed.”Sungwoon said with a serious expression. He didn’t look like he was smiling; he looked like he was ready to bury someone. Yeonwoo shook his head.“You’re not smiling.”“I think I’m so shocked my face is paralyzed.”“What are you talking about….”“Can you slap me?”“…Really?”“Do you think I’m serious? If you don’t want to, just say it, Yeonwoo….”Despite his fierce expression, his high-pitched voice showed he was excited. Yeonwoo laughed out loud for him. Finally, Sungwoon smiled widely and laughed freely.“Did you have breakfast?”“Are you giving me a bun?”“Yeah.”“Let’s eat together at school.”“Okay.”Sungwoon, rummaging through his bag as if he were about to pull out the bread right then and there, quickly agreed and nodded. Yeonwoo deliberately took a step away, trying to keep his racing heart from being heard.“Come here.”“Huh?”“We’re dating starting today, right? Let’s walk closer together.”“…Huh?”“Isn’t that right?”“…….”Despite hiding behind the utility pole with a flushed face earlier, Sungwoon quickly regained his shameless expression and tone. Yeonwoo laughed, making a sound like the wind. Sungwoon draped his arm over Yeonwoo’s shoulder and poked the coat Yeonwoo was holding with his finger.“That thing is warm.”“This?”“Yeah.”“Yeah, it’s warm.”“Let’s go buy one this weekend.”“This?”“Yeah. For you.”“Why? No thanks.”Yeonwoo had no intention of accepting what was clearly an expensive coat from Sungwoon. He shook his head firmly. Sungwoon snorted incredulously.“My dream is to wear matching coats with my partner.”“What?”“Grant me this wish.”“…That’s your wish?”“Really. It’s been my wish since I was little. When I got a partner, I wanted to wear matching coats.”“……”There was no winning against him in words. Shaking his head, Yeonwoo quickened his pace. Sungwoon, not getting the answer he wanted, pouted and followed.“This movie is so boring.”“Yeah.”For high school seniors who had finished their college entrance exams, there was no need for more classes. Even the teachers didn’t come in. From nine in the morning, they watched movies all day. Students, dressed in a mix of casual clothes and uniforms, either slept, focused on the movie, or played games on their phones. While watching a movie about clones, Sungwoon whispered in Yeonwoo’s ear.“Want to go out?”“Where to?”“Anywhere.”“What if we get caught….”“Look at the movie. They survived because they went out. If they stayed inside, they would have died as clones without knowing anything.”“What does that mean….”“It means let’s go out, idiot.”Sungwoon stood up, dragging his chair. A boy sitting behind them craned his neck to see the TV, now blocked. Not wanting to bother anyone, Yeonwoo quickly followed Sungwoon out of the classroom.They headed to the music room. It was usually locked when not in use, but today, for some reason, the door was half open. With a mischievous smile, Sungwoon pulled Yeonwoo by the wrist. The room contained a grand piano with the lid closed, a teacher’s desk, and dozens of plastic student desks.“Let’s lock the door and play inside.”“What if a teacher comes in?”“You’re really scared, aren’t you?”Sungwoon casually closed the music room door and locked it. The thick door with soundproofing completely shut out the hallway noise. Sunlight filtered through the curtains. The thin fabric fluttered in the breeze, indicating an open window.“Do you know how to play the piano?”“Me?”“Yeah.”“No, I’ve never played it.”There was no piano in the hillside neighborhood. Yeonwoo had only ever watched teachers play and had never touched the keys himself. Sungwoon pulled out the piano bench and sat down.“Do you know how to play the piano?”“Just a little?”“Wow….”It was surprising enough that Sungwoon was an art major, but knowing how to play the piano too was even more impressive. Yeonwoo quickly sat next to him. The two boys in their school uniforms sat shoulder to shoulder on the long piano bench.“It doesn’t match the season, but this is my favorite piece.”Sungwoon’s long fingers hovered above the keys. He started playing with his left hand first. Yeonwoo watched in awe, mouth slightly open. Though Sungwoon said he could only play a little, to Yeonwoo’s untrained ears, it sounded as sweet as any pianist’s.“Isn’t this song nice?”“…Yeah. It’s really nice.”The performance ended quickly. Yeonwoo, looking slightly disappointed, licked his lips and clapped. Sungwoon smiled beautifully, his eyes crinkling.“It would be nice to listen to this while riding a bike on a windy day.”“…Your appreciation is so detailed. I’m kind of moved.”“If you go up a bit from my house, there’s an abandoned railway.”“Oh, Sason Station?”“Yeah. It’s been gone for over ten years.”“I think I’ve heard of it.”“There’s a trail next to it, and Grandma says the scenery is really pretty when you ride a bike there.”“Really?”“Yeah. It would be nice to listen to this while riding a bike there.”“Then let’s go.”“…What?”“Let’s go ride bikes. Today.”Sungwoon had a tendency to be spontaneous. Yeonwoo, who had been lost in thought, widened his eyes.“It’s too cold now. And I don’t even have a bike. I don’t know how to ride.”“We can rent a bike, and I can teach you.”“I meant summer. All the grass is withered now, and the trail isn’t pretty.”“You have good ears.”“Huh?”“Nothing. But let’s definitely go next summer.”“Sure.”Yeonwoo nodded energetically. Sungwoon chuckled and lightly flicked his forehead. The piece Sungwoon played was “Summer” by Joe Hisaishi. Sitting in front of the piano, Sungwoon wished that next summer, he could listen to this song while riding bikes with Yeonwoo.“Press this key.”“This one?”When Yeonwoo pressed the key Sungwoon pointed to, it made a “ding” sound. Sungwoon immediately pointed to the next key. Following his instructions, Yeonwoo pressed the keys one by one. Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding…“Oh? This is….”“It sounds familiar, right?”“Yeah, what is it?”“Chopsticks.”“That’s right, Chopsticks.”“Do you remember what I just taught you?”“Yeah.”“Play it just like that.”Following Sungwoon’s guidance, Yeonwoo played the familiar tune of “Chopsticks.” He only used five keys with his right hand. As Sungwoon counted, “one, two, three,” Yeonwoo pressed the ‘sol’ key he had just learned.“Wow….”When he pressed ‘Sol,’ it sounded like ‘Fa.’ Sungwoon’s left hand joined next to Yeonwoo’s right hand. Even though Yeonwoo only used his right hand, they managed to play a slightly slower version of “Chopsticks.” Yeonwoo’s mouth stretched wide in a grin. It felt like he had become a great pianist.“The piano is fun, right?”“Yeah. It’s so fascinating.”For Yeonwoo, who was playing the piano for the first time, it was a whole new world. The fact that each key produced a different sound and that he could create music just by pressing them was amazing. Yeonwoo, grinning from ear to ear, excitedly pressed the keys here and there. Sungwoon pressed the middle of the three pedals on the floor.“Huh?”“They can hear us upstairs.”The sound grew quieter. Realizing he had been too absorbed, Yeonwoo blushed and chuckled. Sungwoon, facing him, laughed brightly as well. So Hong Yeonwoo had always had this much laughter in him. His smiling face was truly beautiful.“It’s already time to go home.”“Yeah. It’s nice that the exams are over.”As soon as it struck twelve, their homeroom teacher came in to wrap up the day. Students who used to stay until six in the evening or even ten at night for self-study cheered as they left school, enjoying their newfound freedom. Sungwoon and Yeonwoo also shouldered their bags and walked side by side. Going home in broad daylight felt unfamiliar.“Hey, Hong Yeonwoo.”“Yeah.”“Have you ever done fireworks?”“No.”Hearing he hadn’t, Sungwoon’s face lit up. He could give Yeonwoo another new experience. Glancing around, Sungwoon sneakily took Yeonwoo’s hand.“Hey… let go.”“There’s no one around.”“…Still.”“Let’s do fireworks tonight.”“Where?”“In front of your house.”“My house?”“Yeah. I’ll come over in the evening.”“Evening? What time?”“Around seven?”“Isn’t that too late?”“Fireworks are better in the dark. If it’s okay with your grandma, I’ll come at seven.”“Grandma’s fine with everything. So come then.”While talking, they reached the first fork in the road. Realizing they had held hands all the way there, they blushed and let go as they said goodbye.“See you later.”“Bye.”They waved, walked three steps, and turned to wave again. After three more steps, they turned again to see Sungwoon looking back. They waved several times until they were out of each other’s sight.“Grandma, are we evacuating?”“No, I’m just making sure Yeonwoo and Sungwoon don’t get hungry.”Ten minutes to seven. Yeonwoo, who had been fussing over different outfits for an hour, finally chose a beige sweatshirt. His old, crumpled coat wasn’t stylish, but he had to wear it because of the cold. Ready to go, he walked into the living room and his eyes widened. Grandma was packing various items into a large purple basin.“What’s this?”“Some sliced apples.”“And this?”“Jerusalem artichoke tea.”“What tea?”“Jerusalem artichoke tea. I made it hot. Drinking this will keep you from catching a cold.”Even the refugees during the Korean War probably didn’t pack this much. The laundry basin was filled with various foods and blankets. Yeonwoo clicked his tongue in astonishment.“Grandma, I’m here.”Right on time, the gate opened. Sungwoon peeked his face through the half-open front door and burst into loud laughter upon seeing the rubber basin between the two of them. Feeling embarrassed, Yeonwoo’s face reddened slightly as he asked, noticing the things in Sungwoon’s hands.“Why do you have so much stuff?”“Right? I almost died carrying this uphill. It’s really steep.”Trying to be mindful of his words in front of Grandma, Sungwoon put down the heavy bag he was holding in his right hand. While Grandma tied the basin with a cloth, Yeonwoo rummaged through the bag Sungwoon had put down.“What’s all this?”“Fireworks materials.”Watching Yeonwoo’s expressions change every moment, Sungwoon then placed the shopping bag he was holding in his left hand on the floor. It was much larger than the bag with the fireworks materials.“What’s this?”“Open it and see.”Grandma stood up, balancing the basin tied with cloth on her head. Sungwoon quickly took it from her.“Grandma, let me do it. Balance is key here.”“Actually, my childhood dream was to be a ballerino.”“What’s that?”“It means I’m really good at balancing.”With a playful shrug, Sungwoon carried the basin out into the yard. Although he was mostly using his arm strength, the weight still made his head tingle a bit. While Grandma and Sungwoon chatted cheerfully in the yard, Yeonwoo, alone in the room, took out the two black padded jackets from the shopping bag.“…What is this?”They were both black, but different in style. One was long, reaching down to the calves like the one Sungwoon had covered him with yesterday. The other was smaller and much shorter, likely only reaching his waist.“…Hey, Choi Sungwoon.”“Yeah?”Yeonwoo called Sungwoon, pushing open the half-closed door to the yard. Sungwoon, who had been laughing at something, tilted his head to respond. Yeonwoo frowned, speaking stiffly.“What’s with these jackets?”Sungwoon’s care was appreciated, but Yeonwoo didn’t want to be pitied for his poverty. Now that he liked Sungwoon, it mattered how he felt about him. That’s why he disliked—no, he was upset by—the two jackets Sungwoon had bought.“Let’s wear these. Both you and Grandma.”“Why did you buy these….”“Okay, I’ll explain later. We don’t have time now, so let’s put them on quickly.”Noticing Yeonwoo’s serious expression, Sungwoon smiled and urged him gently.“Grandma, wear this.”“What is this?”“It’s a padded jacket. It’s just like mine. It’s really warm. You’ll think it’s summer this winter.”Whether he understood Yeonwoo’s burning feelings or not, Sungwoon grinned widely as he handed the short jacket to Grandma.“Grandma is fine. You don’t need to buy things like this.”Their expressions were identical, like family. Sungwoon’s lips curved into a slight smile.“Grandma.”“Yes.”“We’re all wearing matching jackets.”“Huh?”“We’re wearing matching jackets for the fireworks. I want us to match.”“What?”“And I didn’t just buy it randomly.”“Then?”“I’m going to eat a lot of meals at your place.”“Meals are just fine, dear.”“Not just a meal….”“…….”“Please make japchae. Grandma, I really want your japchae.”Yeonwoo’s ears perked up as he sat sullenly in the room. He had been upset just moments ago, but Sungwoon’s words quickly made his heart feel warm and fuzzy. His lips twitched into a smile, and he rubbed his nose awkwardly.‘They called the chicken a pigeon, said the cake tasted bad…. They didn’t even touch the japchae and seaweed soup.’‘My grandma is a great cook. The japchae was really delicious.’Sungwoon, whispering something in Grandma’s ear in the yard, peeked into the room and quickly smiled when he saw Yeonwoo.“It looks like we’re evacuating.”“Give it to me. I’ll carry it.”“No, I like playing this balance game.”Grandma said she had somewhere to go and told them to go ahead. The large basin was placed on Sungwoon’s head. Yeonwoo, standing next to him, anxiously held the bag of fireworks materials, repeatedly offering to carry it.“It’s heavy. Let’s take turns.”“No, the balance is perfect right now. If it falls, I’ll be really sad.”“…….”“It’s perfectly centered on the top of my head. Don’t touch it.”Sungwoon spoke seriously, even furrowing his brow. Despite feeling sorry, Yeonwoo couldn’t help but laugh, pressing his lips together. Sungwoon glanced at him and chuckled.“And I’ll do all the hard work.”“…Huh?”“I’m your boyfriend, right?”Sungwoon’s eyes narrowed, as if making a big decision. Yeonwoo pouted, incredulous.“Then I’m your boyfriend too.”“…….”“Same thing.”“Hey, wait a minute.”“What, is your arm tired? See, let me carry it.”Climbing the hill, Sungwoon suddenly stopped. Yeonwoo, who had been talking quietly, quickly grabbed the basin on his head. Sungwoon grimaced as if in pain.“My heart hurts right now, so I lost my balance. Ah, it’s off-center.”“…….”“Don’t say things like that carelessly. I almost fell.”Shamelessly, Sungwoon adjusted the basin and resumed walking. The longer they climbed the steep hill, the more their lungs felt like they would burst. White breaths puffed from their mouths.“We’re here.”“Good job.”The sound of someone’s heartbeat echoed in their ears. Finally reaching level ground, they smiled brightly at each other. At the top of the hillside neighborhood, where the abandoned train station was, they were closest to the stars.“Let’s slide down in this on the way back.”“What are you talking about?”Sungwoon pointed to the rubber basin, and Yeonwoo shook his head, scolding him. Their breaths scattered in the air as they spoke. Sungwoon pretended to look around while sneaking glances at Yeonwoo’s jacket. It seemed he had bought the perfect size.“Shall we start when Grandma arrives?”“Sure.”“What should we do until then?”“Let’s check out the train tracks.”“…There?”Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. While it wasn’t officially off-limits, the area had been abandoned for over a decade and was rarely visited. Without streetlights, it was said to be perfect for ghost sightings.“Doesn’t it sound fun?”“…….”“Are you scared?”Sungwoon draped his arm over Yeonwoo’s shoulder and smirked. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t scared at all, but the fear of going to an unfamiliar place was greater than the eerie atmosphere.“Don’t be scared.”“…….”“I’m here.”‘Don’t be scared. I’m really good at fighting.’Yeonwoo’s lips curled into a smile, remembering the Sungwoon from a few months ago who had said that with a mischievous grin. His stiff neck nodded on its own.“Let’s hold hands.”Receiving a positive response, Sungwoon subtly took Yeonwoo’s hand. Yeonwoo’s much smaller hand was enveloped in Sungwoon’s warmth.“Since the trains don’t run, grass has grown.”“Yeah. You can’t even see the tracks here.”The tracks, unused for over a decade, were overgrown with flowers and grass. As Sungwoon had said, it wasn’t scary at all up close. Yeonwoo squatted next to the long tracks, fiddling with the gravel between the metal rails.“Let’s definitely come here to ride bikes in the summer.”“Sure.”Sungwoon, squatting across from him, reached out and patted Yeonwoo’s hair. The late autumn wind blew between them.“Hong Yeonwoo.”“Yeah.”“Yeonwoo.”“…….”This time, the wind blew a little stronger. Hong Yeonwoo. Hey. It felt strange to hear Sungwoon call him differently than usual, so Yeonwoo slowly looked up.“I like you.”“…….”With the broken tracks between them, Sungwoon and Yeonwoo faced each other. Strangely, the sound of church bells from far away reached them. Yeonwoo, his bangs fluttering in the wind, stared blankly at Sungwoon.“I really like you.”“…….”“I like you.”Sungwoon confessed his feelings several times, seemingly unembarrassed. Yeonwoo, trying to calm his wildly beating heart, gripped the gravel tightly. After his third confession, Sungwoon smiled, his eyes crinkling.“I like you too.”Answering his confession, Yeonwoo’s heart raced so fast it scared him. His voice wavered as if the wind was blowing through his throat. Though he spoke in a small, trembling voice, Sungwoon seemed to understand and smiled brightly, creating a dark cave-like space in his mouth.“Shall we go now?”“…Yeah.”“Hey.”“Yeah?”“Can we hold hands?”Despite having held hands freely before, Sungwoon now asked for permission. Yeonwoo, his face bright red, slowly nodded a couple of times. Warmth immediately touched his palm. Though their bodies swayed on the unpaved path, they didn’t fall thanks to their joined hands.“Let’s do this first.”“What’s this?”“When you light it….”When Sungwoon lit the end of a long wire, sparks crackled instantly. Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. It was similar to the welding sparks he had seen at the hardware store.“Here.”Sungwoon handed the first sparkler to Yeonwoo. Yeonwoo, shoulders hunched, hesitated to reach out.“It’s not hot. Idi… fool.”Glancing at Grandma, Sungwoon quickly changed his words. Yeonwoo, scared, stood with his mouth open, watching the sparks fly in front of him. Sungwoon chuckled, shaking his shoulders.“Grandma, who does Hong Yeonwoo take after to be so scared?”“Well, it’s not me.”Grandma, watching the two of them, laughed heartily. The first sparkler had completely burned out. Sungwoon lit the second sparkler, which produced even bigger sparks than before.“Look at this.”Standing in front of Grandma and Yeonwoo, who were side by side, Sungwoon waved his arm enthusiastically. At first, it seemed like he was just waving randomly, but soon, the orange sparks formed a heart in the air.“Wow…!”Yeonwoo, who noticed the heart in the air first, gaped in awe. The second sparkler burned out.“Want to try?”“Yeah!”Yeonwoo nodded vigorously, as if he had never been scared. Grandma’s wrinkled eyes crinkled into a smooth smile as she watched.“Grandma first.”“No, I’m happy just watching you two.”“Grandma, you should try it too. It’s fun.”Ignoring Grandma’s protests, Sungwoon handed her the third lit sparkler. Caught off guard, Grandma grabbed the end of the wire and waved it wildly in the air.“Grandma, draw a heart, a heart!”Yeonwoo jumped around, giving instructions. Even though he didn’t know how to do it himself, his bossy attitude was amusing. Sungwoon threw his head back and laughed loudly.“This is like ‘jibulnori,’ isn’t it?”“Jibul… what?”“Jibulnori. We used to do this when we were kids.”Grandma laughed innocently, as if she had returned to her childhood, waving the sparkler in the dark night sky. Yeonwoo felt even happier watching his joyful grandmother. Sungwoon lit the fourth sparkler and handed it to Yeonwoo.“Isn’t it pretty?”“Yeah… it’s really pretty.”Yeonwoo’s cheeks turned red. Gripping the wire tightly, Yeonwoo waved the sparkler enthusiastically in the air. It didn’t quite form a heart, but it made a lopsided circle.“Good job.”“It’s fun!”“I’m glad.”Sungwoon had bought a hundred sparklers. He had asked for as many as they had. The smell of gunpowder filled the air. Laughter echoed at the edge of the hillside neighborhood.⟡˖ ࣪Bang! Bang!The sound of fireworks exploding from the ground filled the air, and bright bursts of light illuminated the dark night sky. With Grandma having gone back inside, Sungwoon and Yeonwoo sat on a mat, enjoying the fireworks to their hearts’ content.“Why did you buy so many fireworks?”“Just to have a lot of fun. A ton of fun.”Sungwoon spaced out five fireworks sticks and lit them. Fireworks exploded here and there. Some fizzled out without reaching the sky, while others soared like a festival. The two of them shared the warm tea Grandma had brought in plastic cups, sitting shoulder to shoulder to endure the cold weather. They didn’t want to go home.“Thank you, Choi Sungwoon.”“This is nothing.”“I’ve never seen Grandma so happy.”Yeonwoo laughed brightly, like a child. Sungwoon slowly blinked, watching the fireworks. At nineteen, Yeonwoo had matured too quickly, and Sungwoon felt sorry for him.“Hey.”“Yeah?”“Let’s do a ton of fun things from now on.”“Huh?”“Things we haven’t done, things we want to do, fun things—let’s do them all together.”“…….”“I’ll make sure we do them all.”“Life is a lot shorter than you think.”“…….”“So short that you’ll regret ever thinking about wanting to die, so short that you’ll wish you had more time….”“…….”“I’ll make you really happy.”It sounded like something you’d say at a wedding. Sungwoon spoke calmly, without a tremor in his voice, and put his arm around Yeonwoo’s shoulder before he could respond. Someone might laugh if they heard, but Sungwoon was completely sincere.“…Thank you.”But, I’m already so happy right now.Yeonwoo burst into laughter and tears at the same time. His shoulders, completely enveloped by Sungwoon’s arm, trembled slightly. The last firework blazed brilliantly in the highest part of the sky. Sungwoon slowly patted Yeonwoo’s shoulder.⟡˖ ࣪Late November. The school, just days away from winter break, was in complete disarray. Called by his homeroom teacher, Yeonwoo whispered to the sleeping Sungwoon, “I’ll be back,” and left the classroom.As soon as he stepped into the hallway, a chill hit him. The frost on the windows suggested that snow was imminent. Yeonwoo walked lightly, like a winter butterfly, gazing out the window.“Yeonwoo, are you really not going to college?”“No.”“Are you going to retake the exam?”“No.”“Alright…. I don’t need to worry about you, right?”“…No.”It was a perfunctory counseling session. The college entrance exam results hadn’t even come out yet, and Yeonwoo was sure to be at the bottom of the class, so there was no way he could go to college. He couldn’t expect anything from the bystanders who had ignored him being bullied for three years. Yeonwoo nodded slowly. The friend who went before him seemed to have a longer session, but his was only five minutes. Bowing, Yeonwoo left the teacher’s office.Hoo-He exhaled deeply in the hallway. His breath formed a white cloud in the air. There was no one around. Standing still, Yeonwoo stared down the long hallway. His classroom was at the very end.‘Side kick!’A foot came flying at him. Whenever something hit his thigh, he would inevitably end up sprawled on the floor. Jinwoo, wearing pointed sneakers, laughed maliciously above him. If he groaned and held the spot where he was hit, they would insincerely say, “Sorry,” and leave. No one ever helped Yeonwoo up as he lay groaning in the hallway.‘Ugh….’It was common for him to trip while walking. Caught by an invisible fishing line, Yeonwoo would fall to the ground, clutching his scraped knee. Dohyeong and Jaewook, holding the fishing line on either side of the hallway, laughed as they walked away.‘Borrowed it. We were short on mops.’Jaeyul always took it a step further. After searching for his missing gym clothes for a long time, Yeonwoo found them stuffed in the bathroom trash can. Scrubbing the spit and filth-covered clothes in the mop sink, Yeonwoo shed silent tears.‘Class president, gather those and give them to him. His grandma will be happy. This should be enough for dinner tonight.’Until the second year of high school, milk was a mandatory part of the school lunch program. Yeonwoo, a recipient of basic living support, was happy to get free milk, but that joy didn’t last long. A green plastic crate filled with empty milk cartons was placed next to Yeonwoo. Clasping his hands tightly under the desk, Yeonwoo bit his lip, vowing not to cry. Even if he cried, he wouldn’t cry at the words mocking his grandmother. He wouldn’t show weakness.‘Hey, a garbage truck must be passing by. Close the window.’Whenever Yeonwoo appeared at the back door, Jaeyul would always say the same line. Laughing, Dohyeong would add, “Close the back door, not the window.” Clutching his bag strap tightly, Yeonwoo would pass by them, tripping every other day. He had learned that falling harder and more painfully would make them stop. Yeonwoo would stretch out his hands and fall with a loud crash. His wrists and knees hurt, but it was worth it.“…….”Yeonwoo still stood at the end of the hallway. Memories of his days at this school flashed before his eyes. Why do I live like this? Why am I like this? Should I just die? What about Grandma? Should I die after Grandma passes away? His thoughts always followed the same path. He had never dreamed of hope here. Yeonwoo’s eyelids slowly rose and fell.“Hey!”“…….”Yeonwoo’s blurry vision suddenly cleared. The hallway, which had seemed dark even in broad daylight, became dazzlingly bright. Someone was approaching Yeonwoo from the end of the hallway.“What are you doing, not coming?”“…….”“I was worried you’d been eaten by something, so I came to get you.”Sungwoon, almost running, placed his hand on Yeonwoo’s head. The warmth from his hand made the fine hairs on Yeonwoo’s cheeks stand up. Yeonwoo’s lips lifted slightly.“What are you thinking about?”“Just….”“Are you having sad thoughts?”Sungwoon had an uncanny ability to notice things. Yeonwoo slowly shook his head. He couldn’t answer because he felt like he would cry if he spoke.“Why are you making that face when I’m right here? It makes me sad.”“…….”“Like this. Like this.”Sungwoon, smiling beautifully with his eyes, pressed Yeonwoo’s lips upward with his fingers, forcing a smile. Yeonwoo leaned back, waving his hands, and smiled faintly. Sungwoon’s face was full of laughter. Just moments ago, Yeonwoo had felt like crying, but seeing Sungwoon’s bright expression made his own lips curl up as if it were contagious.“Oh? It’s snowing!”“Huh?”“It’s snowing. Isn’t this the first snow?”“…Yeah.”Snowflakes were fluttering outside the window. Was there news about the first snow? The old TV at home had a distorted screen that hurt his eyes, so he hadn’t turned it on in a long time. He wished he had checked the weather forecast. As Sungwoon said, it was the first snow of the year. The two of them stood side by side, looking out the window as if on cue.“They say a lot of snow will fall today.”“Really?”“Yeah. They said a few millimeters, but I don’t remember exactly.”Pretending to look outside, Sungwoon subtly took Yeonwoo’s hand. Startled, Yeonwoo tried to pull his hand away, but Sungwoon didn’t budge. Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, Yeonwoo glared at Sungwoon.“What if someone sees?”“Let them see.”“What if rumors spread?”“It’ll be nice to get some attention.”“…….”“Hey, Hong Yeonwoo.”“Yeah.”“Don’t live worrying about what others think.”“…….”“People aren’t as interested in you as you think.”“…….”“Just focus on yourself. Doing what makes you happy is enough.”“…….”“No, you should focus on me too. Just us.”“…What about Grandma?”“Right, Grandma too. Wow… Hong Yeonwoo, you’re making me sound like a terrible person.”Sungwoon laughed mischievously and patted the back of Yeonwoo’s head. Yeonwoo’s stiff face gradually brightened. Being with Sungwoon left no time for worries.“Let’s go sledding after school.”“Sledding?”“Yeah, down the hill from the train station to your house.”“Okay.”“Should we invite Grandma too?”“Grandma’s back hurts, so she can’t.”“Then let’s go, just the two of us.”“Okay.”As soon as their conversation ended, the bell rang above their heads. Sungwoon grinned and squeezed Yeonwoo’s hand before letting go. Yeonwoo touched his flushed cheeks and sniffled for no reason. The increasingly heavy snowfall was breathtakingly beautiful.⟡˖ ࣪The snow was falling heavily, covering the world in a blanket of white. Thankfully, diligent public workers had already cleared the uphill path to Yeonwoo’s house. Otherwise, the steep slope could have been deadly.Hurrying home, the two of them had a small argument over the burlap sack and the purple rubber basin that Grandma had given them.“Rock-paper-scissors.”“Hey, Hong Yeonwoo. This isn’t fair.”“Rock-paper-scissors.”“You’re so unfair.”Sungwoon protested, furrowing his brows, but Yeonwoo’s determined expression didn’t change. Sungwoon patted his chest in frustration.“Hey, there’s a size difference between us. You should obviously take the basin!”“I’m taking the sack.”“This is driving me crazy.”Yeonwoo was unusually stubborn. Behind them, the abandoned train station was visible. The slope here was less steep than the one leading to their house, but it was still challenging. With hardly anyone around, it was perfect for sledding. The problem was their sledding tools.“Fine. Rock-paper-scissors.”“Okay.”In the end, Sungwoon gave in. With serious expressions, they played rock-paper-scissors as if it were an international competition.“…….”“You take the basin.”Yeonwoo, who had thrown rock, easily won against Sungwoon’s scissors and confidently took the burlap sack. Sungwoon stood in front of the purple basin with a defeated expression.“I can only fit my butt in here.”“Just wedge your butt in and slide.”“You’re so… annoying.”“…….”Yeonwoo shrugged and smiled mischievously. Sungwoon glared at him, then sat down with his butt wedged into the large rubber basin. It fit perfectly.“Is this funny…?”It looked like he was sitting in a tube at the beach with only his butt inside. With his limbs dangling outside the basin, Sungwoon flailed and glared at Yeonwoo. Yeonwoo was on the verge of passing out from laughter, lying on the ground and laughing loudly.“Fine…. As long as you’re having fun.”Sungwoon, who had been throwing snow at Yeonwoo, gave up and laughed, shaking his shoulders. After laughing for a long time, Yeonwoo wiped the tears from his eyes and sat in the burlap sack. It made a surprisingly good sled.“Let’s race to see who gets to the bottom first.”“Okay.”“We’ll start on three.”“Alright.”Yeonwoo, with a serious expression, crumpled the front of the burlap sack to make a handle and nodded. Sungwoon, in his ridiculous position with his butt in the basin, placed his hands on the snow-covered ground and looked ahead.One, two, three.As soon as Sungwoon finished counting, they both pushed off and slid down. The steep uphill they had climbed became a smooth downhill. Snow flew in all directions. Yeonwoo’s lips stretched into a wide grin.“Hey! I’m going too fast!”The burlap sack was a perfect sled. It slid smoothly in a straight line from the starting point. The problem was the rubber basin. Sungwoon quickly fell behind, zigzagging wildly.“Ahhh!”A scream echoed from afar. The rubber basin couldn’t even keep a straight direction. Sungwoon, sitting in the basin like an overturned beetle, zigzagged away. Yeonwoo couldn’t help but laugh, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He kicked the ground to speed up his sled.