사랑시 (Twinkling Watermelon ff)

11. Pretty you

Yeon Yi-joo

"He's still asleep?"

Yi-chan nodded at my words as he came out of the room he was sharing with Eungyeol. Last night Eungyeol drank soju, mistaking it as water, and passed out. No wonder he was still in a deep slumber.

“Grandma called you for breakfast," I informed Yi-chan.

“What about you?”

“I'll wake him up for the last time”, with that, I walked inside the room.

Eungyeol was sleeping so peacefully that it almost made me feel guilty to waking him up. I silently took a seat beside him and glanced at his face. He looked so happy last night while looking at Yi-chan being silly. My eyes fell on the sweat forming over his forehead. I extended my hand to wipe it out, but his bangs were on the way, so I softly pushed them away from his forehead. I gently wiped off the sweat with the oversized hoodie Yi-chan let me borrow.

Were his eyelashes always this long?

“It's pretty”

“I know right?”

My eyes widened when I heard Eungyeol's voice, did I think out loud? I lost my balance and crashed straight onto him.

Get yourself together Yeon Yi-joo!!

I stood up at the speed of light and ran out of the room, totally embarrassed. I shut the door as I clutched my heart, breathing heavily.

Clam down, it was just an accident.

But why was my heart beating faster than Usain Bolt?

Because it was sudden.

After gaslighting myself that it was nothing, I ate breakfast, avoiding Ha Eungyeol, grandma asked me to tag along with her. She took me to a clothes shop. Even after telling her not to spend so much money on my clothes, she played dress up with me. I tried almost twenty outfits, and she bought almost half of them. When I asked her why she was doing this for me, she replied, “It's for my satisfaction, I always wanted a daughter”

We both walked out of the shop as she leads the way, which was the opposite of the guesthouse.

“Where are we going?” I asked her.

“School, to get you enrolled. Aren't you the same age as Yi-chan?”

“Grandma, I'm thankful for everything, but this is too much”

“It's an art school. It's perfect for you”, she totally ignored my words.

“But I don't have any identification," I confessed.

“The vice principal is my relative. It won't matter”

“But how can you trust me, grandma? What if I'm a North Korean spy?” I stomped my foot.

She literally smacked my back, “You? Spy? When you're old enough, you can see these things. And you're not the type of person who'll hurt people”

She knew me inside out. I was impressed by her observation. I ended up giving going against her, “Only on one condition. I'll take care of the fees”

Thankfully, she agreed. I mentally made a note to ask Yi-chan to find me a part-time job. Grandma took me to Seowon Arts School. That name felt awfully familiar.

As my eyes fell on the students of the school, realization hit me.

It's mom's school.

I remembered the photo from my mother's graduation at my grandparent's house, mom was wearing the same uniform.

“Students, we have a new friend”, the homeroom teacher announced as everyone's eyes fell on me.

Thanks to grandma, I was able to join the school easily. And now that I knew that mom studies in this school, it was a win-win situation for me. Finding her was a matter of time.

“Annyeong haseyo. I'm Yeon Yi-joo, nice to meet you all”, I flashed a smile as I walked towards the direction of the only empty bench near the window at the back. I took a seat and turned around to face the girl sitting behind me.

I smiled at her, extending my hand, but she looked alarmed. I was confused at her reaction, “Sorry, did I scare you?”

She never replied.

“Your nam-”

Yoon Chungha, was carved on her name tag.

And it was the eighteen years old Aunt Chungha in front of my eyes.