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Chapter 4
Hyun-ho found himself staring down at Yeoreum, who was looking up at him with puzzled eyes.
He hadn’t meant to approach the group of girls at all. Sure, he knew them, but it wasn’t like he had any reason to go over. If it weren’t for Jung-woo rushing forward like an overexcited puppy shouting “Haein! Hey, Choi Haein!”, he wouldn’t be standing here.
As he trailed after his friend, a familiar back came into view. It was Yeoreum.
He hadn’t planned on saying anything, but before he knew it, the words slipped out: What are you doing here?
Now, Yeoreum just stared at him, her face unreadable.
Should I at least ask his name?
She hesitated. Normally, she would’ve said something by now, but with Hyun-ho… the moment their eyes met, her mind scrambled. Maybe he just wasn’t good at talking to girls? If that was the case, she thought, maybe she shouldn’t make it harder for him. So she shifted her gaze back to her friends.
But then, his low voice reached her again.
“Hey….”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you remember me?”
Their eyes met. There was a hint of anticipation in his, but Yeoreum only tilted her head, utterly lost.
She had no idea what he meant. Was he some well-known kid around here? A troublemaker? A delinquent? Her mind jumped to all kinds of conclusions, but she still couldn’t figure it out.
Maybe if she just said his name? Her gaze dropped to the nametag on his uniform.
“Um… Choi… Hyun-ho…?”
“Not my name.”
Her blank look was answer enough. His faint hope slipped away, and his face twisted with mild disbelief.
“You seriously don’t remember me?”
Yeoreum’s wide eyes only blinked back at him. No recognition at all. Hyun-ho gave a crooked smirk, mischief flashing in his eyes.
“You’re kinda ditzy, huh.”
“What? No, I’m not!”
“Sure looks like it. Or maybe your memory’s just terrible?”
“What? Choi Hyun-ho. I’ll remember that name.”
“Yeah. At least remember my name.”
Something about her made him want to tease endlessly. But his phone buzzed, interrupting. He flipped open the deep navy device, glanced at the text, and then called over to Jung-woo.
“Hey, Lee Jung-woo. The seniors want us now.”
Jung-woo groaned, clearly reluctant to part from Haein, but shuffled away anyway. The others began scattering too. Just before he left, Hyun-ho turned back toward Yeoreum.
“You gonna be able to find your way home?”
“Huh?”
“You look kinda ditzy.”
“I’m not ditzy!”
“Then don’t get lost. Get home safe.”
Yeoreum pouted, shooting him a what are you even saying? glare. He only smiled faintly before disappearing with Jung-woo.
“What a weird guy….”
She had thought he might be shy around girls, but it turned out he had a mischievous streak. With a shrug, she brushed it off.
That evening, the courtyard in front of Yeoreum’s new home buzzed with noise. Her sister Ga-eul’s friends had gathered around the large wooden platform between the villas, grilling meat and laughing.
Yeoreum had heard about these gatherings, but tonight she was invited to join in.
Ga-eul introduced her to everyone, and the college kids cooed at how young she was.
“She’s adorable.”
“Such a baby.”
They treated her like the youngest of the bunch, grilling meat for her, handing her drinks, and chatting about scholarships and grades like it was the most natural thing in the world. To Yeoreum, they seemed so grown-up. Even the way they dropped last names and spoke casually in standard Seoul accents sounded warm.
“Here, eat this too.”
One of the guys—Sang-hoon, right?—was especially attentive, piling food and drinks in front of her.
It didn’t take a genius to notice he liked her sister. And since Ga-eul didn’t seem opposed, Yeoreum secretly wondered if she’d be hearing dating news soon.
At first, she’d worried she’d made the wrong choice—should she have gone to Canada, or stayed in Busan with Boram? But moments like this reassured her. She liked it here. The independence from her parents’ nagging was refreshing—even if Ga-eul had taken over that role—and watching her sister’s love life unfold promised its own entertainment.
Her mind drifted.
I wonder how Boram’s doing. Guess I’ll have to hop on Messenger later and hang out online like we promised.
The party grew livelier as the drinks flowed. Sang-hoon refilled Yeoreum and Ga-eul’s cups with Sprite.
“So, did you get lost finding the place? That guy over there with the bottle—first time he came, he got so turned around he had to call us a dozen times, swearing all the streets looked the same.”
“Oh, yeah. It is confusing. Actually… I did get lost at first. I had to ask some kids for directions.”
“What? Han Yeoreum! You said you found it just fine!”
“Oh-ho, Han Ga-eul! Your accent came out right away when you’re with your sister.”
Yeoreum’s eyes darted nervously. Ga-eul only clicked her tongue, clearly unimpressed.
“I told you to call if you got lost.”
“That was my last shred of pride.”
“Ha! She’s so cute, your sister.”
Sang-hoon reassured her that locals all knew “Geumbit Apartments.” He explained how the place felt like a college dorm, with the schools right behind it.
At that moment, Dong-wook—half-drunk—stumbled over and leaned on Sang-hoon’s back, slurring.
“Aw, she’s just a baby, getting lost. How cute.”
“Choi Dong-wook, shut up and go dance.”
“Whoa, Han Ga-eul! That dialect’s scary. Guys, she’s terrifying!”
Ga-eul rolled her eyes and pointed out a bright yellow chick-shaped sign in the distance.
“See that? The chicken shop. From there, you can spot the apartments no problem.”
Yeoreum’s gaze followed. With few tall buildings around, the neon chick glowed unmistakably. She puffed her cheeks and muttered, half sulking.
“Fine. I won’t get lost again.”
And suddenly—
Oh! That’s it!
A memory clicked into place.
The next morning, Yeoreum entered the classroom with determination. She set her bag down on her desk, then marched straight to the boy sitting beside her—Hyun-ho.
“Hey, Choi Hyun-ho.”
Her face lit up when he looked up at her.
“I remembered you.”
“What?”
“Thanks to you, I found my way home. So… thanks.”
She beamed at him, her smile brighter than the morning sun streaming through the window.
Hyun-ho thought so too—though what slipped from his lips was something else entirely.
“…Stop smiling like that. I’ll get attached.”
“What are you even saying?”
“You’re so ditzy.”
“What are you saying.”
“Sand.”
He grabbed a handful of dirt from the potted plant nearby, let it trickle through his fingers, and deadpanned.
Yeoreum’s jaw dropped.
“Ugh. A dad joke? Seriously?”
Hyun-ho shrugged, dusted his hands, and wandered back to his group of guy friends.
She blinked after him, baffled. So that’s his sense of humor? Totally not what I expected.
Before she could think more, the girls sitting nearby rushed over.
They whispered excitedly that it had been ages since Hyun-ho had smiled at a girl like that.
“He doesn’t usually talk to girls first. Doesn’t even say hi. The only one he’s close to is Haein. Must be because you’re the new transfer.”
Yeoreum tilted her head. It’s been a while?
“Well, maybe he’s just different now that we’re in high school. Actually, if you think about it, it’s all because of th—”
“Teacher’s coming!”
The chatter cut off as everyone scrambled back to their seats.
Yeoreum sat there, half listening to the lesson, her thoughts elsewhere. The girls’ words replayed in her mind, sparking a new curiosity.
She wanted to know more about Choi Hyun-ho.
