As summer faded, the leisurely days drifted away, leaving us in the tail end of autumn.
From August to October, after the vacation, my days mirrored those right before it. I spent about two days a week studying independently at school, and the other days were dedicated to practice exams with Heena’s help.
Of course, I made sure to have plenty of dates with Heena. What’s more, we started hanging out with my friends, not just the two of us.
Actually, it was more like Heena would unexpectedly join when I was meeting my friends, a somewhat unplanned occurrence.
“Did you know? There was a math teacher who did their teaching practice when Han Yeon-hoo was in middle school, and he had a huge crush on her.”
“Crazy?! Hey! Shut your mouth…”
“Really? That’s very interesting. Tell me more!”
“Heena, that’s all nonsense. You believe me, right?”
“I do. So? What was she like?”
However, with all the trash-like slander attempting to defame me, I realized that letting these guys meet Heena was definitely not a good idea.
The math teacher wasn’t someone I liked romantically. As class president, I simply had more opportunities to talk to her compared to the other guys, and we became a little closer. Honestly, I barely remember her name or face now.
Anyway, gatherings with friends usually felt like that. We weren’t close enough for trips, just casual chats before parting ways.
Besides that, I ended up meeting Yoon-jung noona [older sister or female friend] quite often.
Noona liked Heena, and Heena liked noona quite a bit, so they were always eager to meet up. The three of us would hang out, sometimes even with my hyung [older brother or male friend], making it four of us.
“Jeong-hoo oppa [term used by females to address older brothers or male friends], Yeon-hoo’s eyesight seems to be getting worse, so if you see him playing games past 2 AM, could you please let me know?”
“If I see him, I will.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t do that… I’m sleepy then.”
“Oh? Yeon-hoo, didn’t we raid together last week…”
“Ah, noona!! Shh! That was, that was just that one time!”
“Yeon-hoo?”
“I’m sorry…”
Heena doesn’t mind me playing games, but she started limiting my late-night sessions because she’s worried about my eyesight. She even talks to my hyung about it.
Honestly, I sometimes play until late on weekends though.
Haa, Jeong-hoo hyung will tell her everything without hesitation the moment he sees it.
And if I get caught again, she doesn’t just scold me saying, ‘I told you not to!!’ but becomes dejected, saying, ‘If you wanted to do it that much… I can’t help it…’ and seeing that makes me writhe with guilt all day.
In the end, I tearfully gave up playing games in the early morning.
There’s no knowing how far she’s planted spies.
Unless I set my status message to ‘Logged Out’ and enjoy PC games alone, if it’s an online game, someone around me will definitely be logged in, so I’m bound to get caught.
Jeong-hoo hyung, Yoon-jung noona, and Heeseong hyung will definitely tell her the moment they see it, and Yoon-sung and Soo-hwang also seemed a bit suspicious. They also received Heena’s contact information, so.
Still, there’s nothing I can do since it’s because they’re worried about me.
Anyway, with such meetings happening often, day after day passed, and it was already November.
I had some brains for studying, and thanks to the steady effort I’ve put in, my grades were trending upwards.
At this rate, even if I can’t get into the same university as Heena, I thought I could aim for a university in the Seoul area. Not that it’s the case right now, but if this improvement continues until my third year.
Still, while drawing up a blueprint for the future and working hard, I started to worry about the upcoming Pepero Day [a Korean holiday on November 11th where people exchange Pepero, a chocolate-covered pretzel stick snack].
“Heena doesn’t really like these kinds of snacks… but it would be good to get her something, right?”
Late in the evening, I asked Yoon-jung noona, who was visiting my house as usual, about what to do tomorrow.
“I should ask Heeseong hyung.”
“He’ll just tell you to get her something. Those kinds of guys take care of anniversaries better than you think.”
“No. Surprisingly, this hyung judges Heena objectively well.”
“Really? I thought he was a bit of a siscon [brother obsessed with his sister], so I didn’t think so…”
“That’s totally 인정 [Agreed/ 인정 is a Korean slang term]”
While gossiping, not really gossiping, I sent a message to Heeseong hyung.
[Han Yeon-hoo: Hyung, hyung, it’s Pepero Day tomorrow, would it be good to get Heena Pepero?]
It felt a bit like a rhetorical question. Even as I asked this, I was looking for a suitable Pepero for a gift that I could buy right away nearby.
He must have been on his phone because I got a reply quickly.
[Heeseong hyung: No, don’t buy it]
Heeseong hyung’s answer was unexpected. I thought he would say to buy something appropriate.
[Han Yeon-hoo: Because Heena doesn’t eat snacks well? But it’s an anniversary, so I should get her something…]
Even if we don’t celebrate things like 100 days, I can’t just pass by these events that all couples enjoy together.
Originally, I wanted to count and celebrate even 100 days, but Heena said that every day is like an anniversary anyway, so let’s not be too hung up on dates. If we have to, let’s worry about the 2nd anniversary.
When I asked why skip the 1st anniversary, she said let’s pass it because it’s our senior year of high school. However, I don’t think that’s the real reason. I should say she just seems to value the 2nd year more. Is it because we’ll be adults then?
[Heeseong hyung: There’s no need for you to buy any. There’s already a shit ton of Pepero]
[Han Yeon-hoo: Oh? Heena bought it?]
[Heeseong hyung: Yeah. She’d like it if you bought some too, but this is my sincere advice. Don’t buy it.]
[Han Yeon-hoo: Ah, why!!!]
[Heeseong hyung: Ugh… If I tell you not to, then don’t, you punk! Have some digestive medicine ready]
[Han Yeon-hoo: ???]
Even if it’s Pepero Day, it’s just about sharing and eating some, and that’s it. Even if there’s a lot, how much could there be?
Besides, I was actually thinking of going to the amusement park together since it’s the weekend. There’s about a month left until the finals, so I thought it would be good to relieve some stress at this timing and work hard until the winter vacation.
I stopped the chat with Heeseong hyung, who I couldn’t understand, and contacted Heena to ask about her schedule. She’ll probably say yes.
[Han Yeon-hoo: Knock knock]
[Heena: What’s up?]
Even after dating for several months, I still couldn’t get used to Heena’s lightning-fast replies. It’s like she’s always looking at her phone unless she’s with me.
[Han Yeon-hoo: Wanna go to the amusement park this weekend?]
[Heena: I wanna go!! Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?]
[Han Yeon-hoo: I don’t mind any time. Whenever is convenient for you.]
[Heena: Then let’s go the day after tomorrow! Will you come to my house tomorrow?]
[Han Yeon-hoo: Ok. And I heard from Heeseong hyung, did you buy a lot of Pepero?]
[Heena: It’s Pepero Day tomorrow♡ If you bought some, bring it! It’s okay if you don’t~]
[Han Yeon-hoo: I was actually thinking about buying some today.]
[Heena: Then just comeㅎㅎ We have a lot at my house]
[Han Yeon-hoo: Ok ok. Then I’ll go around the usual time. A little after lunch]
[Heena: Okay♡ Good night, I love you♡♡♡♡♡]
[Han Yeon-hoo: I love you too♡]
Looking at Heena’s message, which was no different from usual, I couldn’t figure out what Heeseong hyung was warning me about.
Even if I sent him another message to ask, he wouldn’t give me a clear answer.
I also showed Yoon-jung noona the messages between Heeseong hyung and Heena and asked her.
“Amusement park… can’t I come too…?”
“Go with hyung.”
Instead of advice, she was talking nonsense.
Trying to interfere with a date. Even in the neighborhood, she’s always looking for a chance to barge in when I meet Heena.
“That guy!! He doesn’t take me to places like that these days!! And where did he go again!!”
“Yeah, where did hyung go?”
Leaving noona, who was bursting with frustration next to me, I looked around and saw my older hyung walking out of the main room.
Hyung’s eyes were directed at noona, who was rolling on the floor next to me.
“What’s she doing.”
“This person is trying to come on the date again, so please handle it.”
“I don’t know!! I want to go to the amusement park too!!”
“Amusement park? Aren’t you going to Jeju Island?”
“What?!”
Yoon-jung noona, who was screaming while hitting the floor, suddenly stood up at hyung’s words.
“You said you wanted to go last time. We don’t have part-time jobs, so it would be good to go now.”
“Han Jeong-hoo…!!”
“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if I could get tickets, but I got them because cancellation tickets came up, so go back and pack your clothes. We’re leaving early tomorrow.”
“Okay!! I’ll go right now!! Yeon-hoo! Say hi to Heena for me!!”
“Okay, noona, have fun from tomorrow.”
After briefly watching noona, who showed an attitude that was 180 degrees different from 10 seconds ago, leave the house in a hurry, I took my eyes off her and looked at my savior.
“The timing was amazing.”
“You’re going to the amusement park?”
“Yeah. I should play once before the exam and then concentrate again.”
“Hmm.”
He made a face as if he was thinking for a moment at my words, then took something out of his wallet and gave it to me.
“What is it?”
“My card.”
“Why suddenly hyung’s card?”
“If you pay for the free pass with this, you get a lot of discounts, so use it.”
“Really?”
Is this the card discount I’ve only heard about?!?
“The money? Should I put it in hyung’s account?”
“It’s okay. It’s only 30,000 or 40,000 won [Korean currency] even if you do two tickets with that. Go have fun with your girlfriend.”
“Crazy… Thank you, overwhelming thanks…”
“I’m going out tomorrow and coming back on Monday, so good luck.”
“Thank you! Have fun with noona!”
Then, hyung’s back as he returned to his room had a coolness that was no less than Iron Man.
As expected, hyung is the only one! He got rid of the nagging noona and lent me his card!
Since Heena said she bought Pepero, it would be perfect if I bought the food with my own money, even if the free pass is with hyung’s card.
I also made some money because I helped out at Yoon-sung’s snack bar for two days a few days ago.
For Sunday, I should recharge my energy by eating snacks with Heena tomorrow.
That was what I thought at the time.
The next day.
Saturday, November 11th, Pepero Day.
Waking up late and preparing leisurely, I arrived at Heena’s house in the afternoon.
As I entered her house, which I now enter as comfortably as my own, and went into her room, I doubted my eyes.
“….There really is a lot.”
Even though Heeseong hyung told me yesterday that there was a lot, I came with a light heart, thinking, ‘Even if Heena buys a lot of Pepero, how much could she have bought?’
I felt like I was going to lose my mind at the various Pepero piled up on the desk.
Heena left me standing blankly at the door and was sitting on the floor, tearing open a box with a beaming face. Then, she took out a Pepero and held it in one hand.
“Shall we play the Pepero game?”
Looking at her appearance as she put it in her mouth, I could realize why Heeseong hyung said that yesterday.
Surely we’re not going to do it until we eat all of that, right?