Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Old Thing

The weather in October is still hot, the night brings a bit of chill in the air. Yet it couldn't cover a low spirit. When Minji is sure that it is indeed Hanni, she suddenly notices the lady's cigarette box in her other hand. She looks at Hanni and sways the box. "Who taught you to smoke?"

Two years of not meeting each other, and this little girl clearly grows taller. Last time they met, Hanni was just around Minji's shoulder. This time, she has grown taller until her head reaches Minji's chin. There's not much change to her face. She is more lady-like now. She is wearing a pink top and light blue shorts. It shows her great legs and body. Her hair is styled in a small bun. There is no telling what a girl will look like when she grows up.

Hanni isn't responding, she just watches Minji. After a while, she says, "It's not mine."

"Unnie personally sees it," Minji says lazily. "Little Hanni isn't learning a good thing?"

Hanni feels that there is seemingly a generation apart between them. She says quickly, "That is not mine, that is my roommate's."

Minji looks at Hanni and suddenly notices something. She raises her last syllable. "Little friend, let's not talk about this. How could you not call me after such a long time not meeting unnie?"

Hanni purses her lips and says stiffly, "Unnie."

"You come here to play?"

"Yeah?"

"When did your military training end?"

Hanni feels like she is reporting to her parents; she touches her head and says honestly, "Last month, in the middle of the month. Our military training lasted for half a month."

"Then during the seven-day holiday for National Day," Minji smiles. "Why didn't you come to find unnie to play?"

At first, Hanni thought that after not seeing each other for so long, the communication between people would turn awkward. But in reality, it is not. Only she alone feels awkward. She looks at Minji and says, "I had another thing to do."

"What was it?"

"I attended the class."

"You attended class during the holiday?"

Hanni immediately feels something is wrong, so she changes. "Part-time job."

"En, in the past, unnie also needed to do part-time jobs," Minji notices that Hanni is stalling. She becomes sloppy and smiles. "But I also made time to help you meet your teacher, look at your homework, and send you home."

There's a silence for a while. Minji then stands up and passes the lady's cigarette box to Hanni and says, "It's quite good."

Hanni doesn't dare to take it.

"Little lady has no bit of conscience," Minji smiles gently. "It's quite good."

Hanni is a bit angry when Minji says those words. She forces herself and says, "That time you were in your second or third year of college, now I'm just in my first year."

"Now you are attacking me about age," Minji says lightly. "Little kid, think about it for a while. When did unnie treat you badly?"

"...I don't say it that way," Hanni says. "Moreover, I am a grown-up now. Why do you keep calling me little kid? Don't you think it's uncomfortable?"

"How old are you? Aren't you still a little kid?"

Hanni swallows her anger, takes the lady's cigarette box, and says, "Then unnie, these years of not meeting each other, you indeed got older a lot."