THE 17-year-old Woori's heart broke a little while watching the 17-year-old Park Seoham erase the chalk doodle that she drew on the pavement using a wet mop.
To be honest, those weren't just silly doodles.
There was a 'hidden' message in there: 'I LIKE YOU, PARK SEOHAM.'
Oh.
Well, maybe I didn't hide it well.
After all, she heard the kids tease Park Seoham earlier.
"Do you need more water, Seohamie?"
Park Seoham raised his head, his face void of emotions.
"Here," Woori said, offering her huge water tumbler. "You can use this."
"I don't want to be blamed if the school idol gets dehydrated, so keep it," Park Seoham said coldly, and then he avoided her gaze while mopping the doodle harder. "What kind of chalk did you use on these stupid doodles?"
Ouch.
He called my doodles 'stupid.'
"Seohamie, I'm pretty dumb."
"I know— you only excel in arts."
Woori pouted, but he couldn't deny it.
I mean, I could have gone to a more prestigious private school. But my brain can't handle it. Fortunately, Songhwa High School is known for producing excellent art students.
She wouldn't deny that, but…
"It's not like you're the top student here, Seohamie."
"Only because I can't focus on studying. I help my mother at the market after class. But I'm still doing great because I maintain the grades that I need to stay a scholar…" Park Seoham trailed off, and then he lifted his head to glare at Woori. "Joo Woori, you know that the kids are already picking on me for being poor— for being a student in a scholarship program. You're making it worse by confessing your feelings to me."
"What's wrong with confessing my feelings for you? Everyone already knows I like you anyway."
"Liking me and dating me are two different things. If we become official, your admirers will kill me— and more than half of the student population has a crush on you."
"You're exaggerating."
"You talk as if you don't wake up with that ridiculously pretty face every single morning."
"I can't tell if you're praising or scolding me, Seohamie."
"Just go home, Joo Woori— don't make your driver wait for you."
"Are you turning me down only because you're afraid of my admirers?"
"I'm poor, Joo Woori."
"I know that."
"How can I date a rich girl like you?" Park Seoham asked, frustrated. He couldn't even look at Woori this time. "I can't even afford the expensive matcha you drink every morning. Plus, I barely get an allowance. I won't be able to bring you to famous date spots, or feed you delicious foods. All I can afford is tteokbokki."
"I didn't tell you to spend money on me," Woori argued. "I don't mind if I'm the one who spends money on our dates."
"Don't hurt my pride, Joo Woori— this is the only thing I have."
"That's not true."
Park Seoham smirked bitterly, and then he raised his head to look at Woori.
But he couldn't say anything after their eyes met.
In fact, his bitter smile also disappeared.
He probably realized I'm being serious.
"Park Seoham, I'll support you while we're in high school. Once you become an adult, you can have part-time jobs that pay decently. By then, we can split the bill," Woori said as gently as possible, careful not to hurt Park Seoham's pride. "We will split the bill until you can provide for me. Once you're successful enough to afford a comfortable life for the two of us, then you can retire me and make me a housewife and a stay-at-home mom. I just want to paint at home while taking care of our kids."
Park Seoham blinked slowly as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You already see a future with me? Even though I'm just a poor scholar?"
"You work hard for your family, Seohamie. I know I can rely on you. That's why I want to support you until you succeed," Woori said, and then she added jokingly: "Let's just say I'm investing in you for my early retirement. So, please work hard and make me a rich housewife, Seohamie. I can't actually picture myself working— I just want to be treated like a queen without doing anything."
"Yah. Don't trust me too much. What if I fail?"
"You won't fail because you like me too much— I just know you'll do anything to feed me delicious foods and make me happy."
Park Seoham's face turned red. "When did I say I like you?"
"I heard you when you confessed to me on our last field trip."
"Huh?"
"We sat together on the bus. You thought I was asleep. Then you whispered that you liked me so much."
Park Seoham looked confused at first, and then he gasped. "But that happened when we were in our third year of middle school…"
Yes, Woori and Park Seoham had been classmates since the first year of middle school.
And now that we're in our second year of high school, we're still in the same class.
"Park Seoham, do you know what my favorite color is?"
"Blue."
"The exact shade."
"Denim blue."
Woori smiled, happy that Park Seoham knew that much about her.
Let's test him some more.
"Do you know why I like denim blue?"
Park Seoham shook his head. "I don't think you've ever mentioned why you like that color."
"Right. This is the first time I'm saying this out loud," Woori said, hiding her nervousness by smiling. "I like denim blue because you wore a denim blue jacket with a pair of denim pants on our last field trip as middle schoolers. Nobody teased you because you pulled it off, and not everyone can pull off denim on denim. That was when I started paying attention to you."
"My terrible fashion sense impressed you?"
"I was impressed by how your visuals helped you pull that off."
"Hah. You're just after my face, then."
Woori laughed because she could tell that Park Seoham was only joking.
It's true that I like his face, though.
"Last year, when we were freshmen, you dyed your hair blue. You got scolded by the teachers because dyed hair isn't allowed here, unless you're an idol trainee or a rookie actor."
Once again, Park Seoham blushed as if he were embarrassed. "I only dyed it because the hairstylist noona in our neighborhood paid me generously to be her salon's model. My older sister needed pocket money for her field trip, so…"
"I know— I heard you when you explained to the teachers. That was actually when I fell in love with you."
"You fell in love with my delinquent look?"
"No, silly. Dyeing your hair doesn't make you look like a delinquent," Woori said, smiling while shaking her head. "I fell in love with you then because I realized that you were the type of man who would do everything and anything for his family. So, even if you are financially struggling right now, I still see a bright future ahead of you. And hopefully, I'll become a part of that future someday."
Park Seoham didn't say anything for quite a while— he just stood there with a blank look on his face.
Woori was starting to get nervous, wondering if she had said too much.
However, she was surprised when Park Seoham suddenly burst into tears.
"Am I the reason you're crying?" Woori asked worriedly. "I'm sorry, Seohamie. I said something dumb, didn't I?"
"I like you, Woori-ya," Park Seoham said between sobs. "I like you a lot."
***
"YOU got home late again, Woori-ya."
Oh.
Woori was a bit startled when she saw her elegant mother waiting for her in the fancy living room of their mansion. "Sorry, Eomma. The academy let us out a little later than usual—"
"You went on a date with your boyfriend again, didn't you?"
Oops.
Woori and Park Seoham had been dating for a year now.
Ever since they became high school seniors, Park Seoham was able to get tutoring jobs that paid well. And tutoring middle school kids actually helped him study better.
So, Seohamie is the top student at school now.
But that didn't mean Park Seoham had been neglecting Woori.
In fact, he's taking care of me really well— he often brings me to cute cafés, too.
"Woori-ya, you're spacing out again."
"I'm sorry, Eomma. I'll try not to get home late again."
Her mother just waved her hand dismissively. "I heard your boyfriend's father is in a coma. Apparently, beams collapsed on the construction workers— including your boyfriend's father."
Woori suddenly felt defensive. "Eomma, why are you digging up—"
"Then your boyfriend's mother probably needs a lot of money to pay for her husband's accumulating hospital bills."
"Eomma, what are you talking about?"
"Introduce me to your boyfriend's mother— I'll help her earn money the fastest way," her mother said, giving Woori the kind of smile that her mother would often give her clients. "That woman is going to be your mother-in-law someday. So, it won't hurt if I help her improve their life, right?"
Woori got so excited when her mother called Park Seoham's mother her future mother-in-law that she didn't find her mother's request strange back then.
And, so, introducing her mother to Park Seoham's mother became her biggest mistake.
A mistake that I will forever regret.
***
A BAD DREAM.
Remembering the past was nothing but a nightmare to Woori.
And when she opened her eyes…
"You're finally awake."
Woori was greeted by the 29-year-old Park Seoham, hovering above her face with a cold look in his eyes.
She ignored that scary look while her eyes wandered around.
It seemed like they were in a hospital.
I'm tired— I wanna go home.
"Seoham-ssi, don't worry," Woori said in a weak voice when she finally gathered the courage to look at Park Seoham again. "I'll disappear from your life—"
"You don't get to decide that, Joo Woori," Park Seoham said sternly, shooting Joo Woori a look full of anger. "My manager just quit, so take responsibility."
And how is that my fault, Park Seoham-ssi?
***
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