Vol. 3 Chapter 67 – Side Story 1: Not cherry blossoms Part 4  

Translated by Springlila

There were a lot of people as it was a cherry blossom festival, which only happens a few days a year. It was difficult to take one step as a group of friends, lovers, or family, and there were quite a few people who came alone. A romantic love song was played over the speakers that were strategically placed throughout the area. There were other people’s mumbling voices throughout the song.

Lim Dae-han’s heart sprung into bloom, whether because of the song or the setting. It was like a hot air balloon slowly rising. In the past, it seemed that he disliked spring because he hated these squandered feelings. But not right now.

Lim Dae-han bought three long chicken skewers and approached the place where Ki Young-hyun and Jung Ji-pil were standing together. Jung Ji-pil was taking pictures of the cherry blossoms with a camera that has a huge lens mounted to it in the shape of a cannon snout. When he saw what Lim Dae-han had brought and who had approached them, he quickly adjusted the position.

Lim Dae-han gave Ki Young-hyun a skewer with tissue paper rolled in it and handed the stick with the sauce to Jung Ji-pil. But Jung Ji-pil didn’t even care. He had sauce all over his fingers and chatted while eating.

“They said this was pigeon meat.”

Jung Ji-pil was just talking nonsense. Lim Dae-han responded while eating sweet and spicy chicken skewers.

“Don’t be ridiculous, just eat.”

Ki Young-hyun barely raised the corners of his mouth and smiled. He realized while looking at the cherry blossoms, that Jung Ji-pil didn’t need to come. He was too busy taking pictures by himself, so Lim Dae-han and Ki Young-hyun had to go alone. In comparison to the people who were chattering, the two just strolled without saying anything. Ki Young-hyun occasionally awkwardly asked to take a picture with him, and he had to awkwardly take a picture on one screen.

Lim Dae-han wanted to hold hands

.

It was a pity that it was a crowded place.

Lim Dae-han always bought Ki Young-hyun something to eat and pretended to pass it over while touching his hand. As a result, Ki Young-hyun’s mouth never runs out of food. After eating all the chicken skewers, Ki Young-hyun said that he felt thirsty, so Lim Dae-han bought a slushie with a rich purple artificial dye. When his tongue had turned purple, they walked to a secluded corner and Lim Dae-han sucked his lips excitedly. He bought cotton candy and fed it to him after he completed the slush. It was a big piece of pink cotton candy.

“Oh, I’m tired…”

They had just run into Jung Ji-pil, who had been walking around for a while. Jung Ji-pil naturally snatched the cotton candy Ki Young-hyun was carrying and put it into his mouth. “Did Lim Dae-han buy it?” he asked. Ki Young-hyun nodded and said, “It’s delicious.” Then he ate it once more.

Ki Young-hyun secretly glanced into Lim Dae-han eyes. He felt that gaze, but Lim Dae-han looked at Jung Ji Pil with pathetic eyes and looked away. “Hey, Jung Ji-pil.”

Jung Ji-pil, who was reaching for the cotton candy again, stopped as Lim Dae-han called him. “What.” He stared up at Lim Dae-han with a tense face.

“Take our picture.”

Lim Dae-han pointed his chin at the camera in his hand. He expected Jung Ji-pil to say anything, but instead, he said he understood. He thought it was a good idea to get him something to eat. Jung Ji-pil personally put Lim Dae-han and Ki Young-hyun in a good place for the picture. Lim Dae-han clenched and then opened his fist behind Ki Young-hyun’s back. He had to fight the urge to put his hand on Ki Young-hyun’s shoulder.

Ki Young-hyun stared at Jung Ji-pil while clutching the cotton candy that was much larger than his face in one hand.

“I’ll take the picture now!”

Jung Ji-pil’s high-pitched voice was blasted even more sharply. “One, two, three…!” He shouted the time like a timer. “One more time!”, “One more time!”, “Lim Dae-han, stop looking at Ki Young-hyun and look at the camera!”

After taking the pictures, Jung Ji-pil approached him with the camera.

“Take a picture of me too.”

When Lim Dae-han asked what he was saying, Jung Ji-pil asked him to photograph him holding cherry blossoms. Lim Dae-han seized the phone with a hostile hand and snapped a quick picture. Click, click, click… The sound was also loud. His insincere hand movements continued. Until Ki Young-hyun approached him and said he was he was going to take a picture.

***

“It was fun…”

Ki Young-hyun murmured to himself as he got out of the taxi and entered the apartment complex. Lim Dae-han smiled slightly because Ki Young-hyun was so cute, then turned his head to the other side. When they arrived at the front of the apartment building, Ki Young-hyun climbed the steps twice and stood facing Lim Dae-han. Lim Dae-han looked up to meet Ki Young-hyun’s gaze.

“Lim Dae-han, you know.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been curious about something ever since.”

“Say it.”

Lim Dae-han responded quietly. Ki Young-hyun turned his head left and right for a moment before standing up straight. The words came out without hesitation, in contrast to the hesitant lips.

“Am I pretty?”

It was Lim Dae-han who was embarrassed by this question. It was unexpected, so he didn’t know how to respond.

He probably asked because he thought he knew he was pretty. People did not like or dislike Ki Young-hyun because, with the exception that he looks perfect in Lim Dae-han’s eyes, he has a nice attitude and a neat and pretty appearance. Nonetheless, he would definitely dislike it if he said he was pretty when he was in the same situation as before. Lim Dae-han paused for a moment. He tried to understand Ki Young-hyun’s heart, but he couldn’t. Lim Dae-han barely tilted his head when he glanced at the black eyes.

Lim Dae-han slowly looked him in the eyes.

There was also a cherry blossom tree right next to Ki Young-hyun’s apartment building. He seemed to understand why people liked cherry blossoms so much now. It was beautiful during the day, and when it got dark at night, it seemed like only this place was brightly lit. “… Pretty.”

He was really pretty. He was the same when he was 17 that winter. Lim Dae-han was dying in front of a convenience store every day to see the boy whose age or name he didn’t know. He remembered the day he first found Ki Young-hyun’s name. He wondered how the name would fit so well. The nice name fit the nice Ki Young-hyun perfectly. As a result, he couldn’t get any closer.

Oh. Ki Young-hyun exclaimed softly, then continued.

“There is a day when you threw a ball at me and hit me.”

“Yeah.”

“So, did you fall in love with me the first time you saw me?”

Lim Dae-han’s blinked more slowly than usual. The truth was that it happened a long time ago, but Ki Young-hyun didn’t know it. Even before he started high school, he was curious about the boy he met in the neighborhood he had visited by chance. His thoughts wandered back in time.

However, Lim Dae-han did not say it. On a cold winter day, he fell in love with Ki Young-hyun, who looked at him while blowing ramen noodles outside the convenience store and memorizing English words. He couldn’t even say he was always waiting for him in front of that convenience store, and he couldn’t say it because he was afraid of looking stupid. So for Ki Young-hyun, the day Lim Dae-han fell in love with him must have been the summer of their freshman year, the day he hit Ki Young-hyun with a soccer ball.

He didn’t think he’d ever be able to tell him. Lim Dae-han decided to bury Ki Young-hyun on that winter day only in his heart. Maybe in the distant future, but not right now. It would be complicated right now. In fact, Lim Dae-han had known Ki Young-hyun for a long time.

Lim Dae-han nodded slowly.

“That’s right.”

“…”

“But you got better when we were together.”

He liked Ki Young-hyun, who was kind to his friends and didn’t talk too much. He really liked Ki Young-hyun, who studies hard and makes eye contact with those with whom he converses, as well as Ki Young-hyun, who did not run around the classroom but instead smiled silently at his friends’ jokes and bent his eyes. Ki Young-hyun, whom he had seen in the hallways and throughout the school, was always like this. Of course, things had to get better.

Ki Young-hyun bent down and grabbed Lim Dae-han’s hand.

“I’ve gotten to like you more as I got to know you better.”

“Ah.”

He was bewildered as to how someone could be so nice.

Ki Young-hyun, who didn’t know Lim Dae-han’s mind, continued.

“You’re studying so hard these days, and I like it because you’re sincere. We have less than a year left, so let’s hang in there until then. I will study hard, too.”

Ki Young-hyun was speaking to Lim Dae-han as if he were speaking to himself. It seemed like a firm resolution. Lim Dae-han stimulated even more with those words. He had to work hard. Even more.

Lim Dae-han slowly nodded. Then a refreshing breeze blew. With the sound of touching the branches, light pink cherry blossoms flew like snow. Lim Dae-han raised his head and looked up at the petals fluttering in the sky as if a flower had been scattered. Ki Young-hyun also raised his head following Lim Dae-han’s gaze.

If it was this good, it was fine.

Lim Dae-han thought quietly.

***