MIN-SEOK
Friendship really is a strange thing, isn't it? For Ji-Hoon and me, it began before we could even speak in full sentences. Our fathers were friends since their college days, so naturally, their children were expected to get along too. And we did.
As a kid, Ji-Hoon was a lively one – mischievous but never mean-spirited. He adored his mother like she hung the moon for him.
As kids, we didn't think much about adult relationships, but I remember Ji-Hoon's parents seeming happy. At least, that's how it looked to my young eyes. Everything changed when we were in fifth grade. One day, Ji-Hoon just stopped coming to school.
From my parents, I learned that his mother had passed away and that Ji-Hoon was in the hospital because of the 'pain'. I didn't understand what that meant at the time. They told me doctors would fix him and he'd come back. But it wasn't until six months later, near the end of the school year, that he returned.
But it wasn't him.
Gone was the bubbly, mischievous Ji-Hoon I knew. In his place was a quiet child, withdrawn, and angry at everything. His silence was so absolute that the others kids stopped approaching him entirely. But what stayed with me the most were his eyes – cold, lifeless, and distant. They looked like they'd seen something terrible, something that stole the child he used to be.
I remember crying to my mother, begging for my Ji-Hoon back, until I made my little self sick. She held me and said, "If you let go of Ji-Hoon's hand now, you'll lose him forever."
So, I didn't let go.
It took all sixth grade and part of seventh before Ji-Hoon spoke to me again. And when he finally did, all he said was, "Thank you, Min-Seok."
That night, I cried again. This time it wasn't for me. It was for him. Because by then, I understood – at least a little – what he must have gone through. I couldn't imagine losing my mom like that. It must've been terrifying for him.
After that, Ji-Hoon started talking to me more, but not to others. He didn't even try to hide how much he despised his father, and honestly, I couldn't blame him.
We met Eun-ji in eighth grade, a transfer student who latched onto Ji-Hoon the moment she laid eyes on him. She was relentless, and though Ji-Hoon ignored her at first, she never gave up. By tenth grade, she was still at it. I joked that she had the persistence of a cockroach, but honestly, I respected her determination.
By twelfth grade, she finally wore him down. They started dating, and while I had my doubts, I kept them to myself. Eun-ji wouldn't listen anyway. Contrary to Ji-Hoon lukewarm reaction, she, on the other hand, was all in – planning their lives together like they'd already been married for decades. They lasted for a year before breaking up. She went abroad, Ji-Hoon and I went to Hanseo University, and life moved on.
We enlisted for mandatory service after our second year, and when we returned, Ji-Hoon seemed…restless. He hated being a civilian again and toyed with the idea of going back. Thankfully, he didn't.
But then came her. The 'Park Girl', as I called her. Ji-Hoon met her once, maybe twice, and it was like she casted some kind of spell on him. I told him not to get so worked up over someone he barely knew, but I should've known better. Ji-Hoon never let anyone in, yet here he was, pining after a stranger. He ran from his feelings at first, but when he finally decided to embrace them, she was gone.
I thought lovelorn Ji-Hoon would be easier to deal with than his usual gloomy, cranky self. I was wrong. This version of him was exhausting. He even joined the town festival, hoping she'd see him and come back.
And wouldn't you know? Life threw us a curveball.
Not only was his 'Park Girl' a Hanseo student, but she was also the artist behind the exhibition I had to drag him to. And now here we are: me, Ji-Hoon, and Sana – his Sana.
I'm supposed to be interviewing her about her artwork, just the two of us and a camera, but Ji-Hoon refuses to stay more than a meter away. His gaze is fixed on her, drilling into her like he thinks he's being subtle. Spoiler alert: he is not.
Poor girl. If she keeps blushing like that, she might faint.
When it's my turn to speak, I can't help myself. "Sana," I start, a knowing smirk on my face. "Or should I call you 'Park Girl'?"
She blinks, clearly surprised. "Park Girl?"
"Yeah," I say, grinning at Ji-Hoon's panicked expression. "You are all he's been talking about since the day he met you at the park."
Ji-Hoon glares at me, his ears turning red. "Min-Seok."
"What?" I shrug innocently. "She deserves to know how whipped you are."
Sana's blush deepens, and Ji-Hoon mutters something under his breath. I can't hear it, but I'm sure it's a threat.
Love-struck Ji-Hoon might be exhausting, but honestly? I think I like this version of him best.