A prequel of Watch Me From Afar.
In the city of Suwon, Gyeonggi 1976, when South Korea was a complete contrast of what it is today,
an unlikely friendship started from the least expected circumstances between 16-year-old Yoon Ji Oh, and 12-year-ol...
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August 1976
Summer break is not for everyone. Although both privileged and underprivileged kids do get their three months holiday where don't have to go to school, but carefree days under the sun, hanging out playing with friends till the sun goes down only applies to some. While some less privileged others spend the break to help their parents with housework.
Said demography suits the 12-years-old, 7th grader Park Hee Jin
She could only hear the voice of the kids in the neighborhood while scrubbing the kitchen sink. Her mother was out at work. She was an only child. Her father passed away four years ago. As an only child of a widowed mom in mid 1970s South Korea economy, having a roof over one's head is good enough. One shouldn't dare to ask for more.
The sudden sound of loud banging on the door got Hee Jin startled. She left the sink to check who could be outside.
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"Hee Jin-ah, let us in!!"
She recognized the voice, it was one of the neighbor kids, Yoon Sang-Yi. A 9th grader at her school, lived three alleys away from Hee Jin's house.
She opened the door and gasped, surprised to see scratch wound and bruise on Sang Yi's left elbow. Panting, he was leaning on a seemingly older boy that Hee Jin was not acquainted to.
"Sang Yi oppa, what happened?"
"You have to let us in, we're in danger!"
So she let the boys in, and locked the door. Sang Yi and the stranger boy sat on the floor, catching breath.
"We were playing football, and boastie here got the ball through Mr. Oh's window," Sang Yi said, giving the older boy a sting eye.
"You were supposed to defend the goal, you were the keeper!" said the older boy back.
"Oh, he's my cousin Yoon Ji Oh, by the way. He's here for the summer break. This is Park Hee Jin, my neighbor."
The two awkwardly introduced themselves. Hee Jin lowkey bowed her head, and Ji Oh nodded to be polite.
