.  That winter morning, when it was still dark outside, the three of us–Eun Jiho, Ban Yeo Ryung, and I–bantered and giggled in front of our apartment complex. So did we in the almost empty subway.

  I stretched out my legs and put them on the table relaxedly. Once those things reminded me of the good old days, the time that ran slow seemed to melt hard and drip away.

  Then I got myself together and found the phone I put aside on the couch vibrating like crazy. Checking the time, I moaned, ‘Yikes, oh my, it’s already seven-thirty!’


  I quickly picked up the phone. “Uh…… hello……?”


  “Donnie, I’m in front of your house.”


  “Ah, yeah! I’ll be there right away.”


  As soon as I wore my backpack hurriedly over my shoulders and opened the door, two people came into my sight, standing in the hallway. One was Ban Yeo Ryung, and the other was Yeo Dan oppa. Being a senior in high school, oppa had a self-studying session even on Saturdays, so he was in his school uniform.

  Blinking swiftly, I blurted out, “Oppa?”


  He threw a glance at his watch, then uttered, “I’ll walk you guys out.”


  “You have enough time? Won’t you be late for school?”


  Throwing those questions, I tried to put my arm around his waist, as usual, but I soon took it off with a flinch. Ban Yeo Ryung was looking at us suspiciously.

  Oppa and I decided to keep our relationship secret until Ban Yeo Ryung gets her memories back since we weren’t sure whether she could keep it to herself or not.

  However, it was me who made more mistakes than oppa, so honestly, I couldn’t guarantee how long I could hide our relationship from her.

  While Yeo Ryung gave us a long, doubtful look, oppa and I walked, almost staying six feet apart from each other.

  As we kept distance between us, treading on both sides of the passage, we finally came outside the apartment complex. And there stood Eun Jiho, waiting for us.

  “Hey! Over here,” he shouted cheerfully, but as soon as he found Yeo Dan oppa walking beside us, Eun Jiho’s face darkened with bewilderment. He slightly nodded, feeling more difficult to face Yeo Dan oppa ever since oppa and I started dating.

  “Hey, how are you……” said Eun Jiho timidly.

  Being such a character who didn’t get surprised even in front of the school principal, Yeo Dan oppa replied, “Yeah, good, you?” way more comfortably than Eun Jiho. He then lowered his voice and said, “Please take care of Donnie and Yeo Ryung.”


  “Sure, of course.”


  “Thanks.”


  Leaving that one word, Yeo Dan oppa turned around. Before he left the spot, he fixed Yeo Ryung’s hair like he used to do and swept my disheveled hair back as well.

  Though it was a natural gesture, the places he touched felt warm somehow. I closed my eyes for a second, then opened them back to watch the view of his back receding away.

  When I turned my head to look behind, Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Jiho were, for some reason, staring at me with piercing eyes. Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my nape and asked them, “Why?”


  “Weird……”


  I slightly tottered as soon as that word escaped from Yeo Ryung’s mouth. She hit the nail on the head, but thankfully, what came after was her question, ‘Isn’t Yeo Dan oppa actually your brother?’


  Phew, I sighed in relief.

  Eun Jiho, giving me a penetrating gaze until that moment, murmured, “You can even wear that look.” And before I got to respond, he gave me a sharp sidelong glance with a look of surprise, then walked way ahead of me.

  That was when I realized that it was my first time to see both Eun Jiho and Yeo Dan oppa together at the same spot.

  ‘Hmm, was it too obvious?’ I wondered, rubbing my blushing cheeks, then I quickly bent my steps.

  Jooin, sitting on the subway bench, found us and waved his hand. Beside him, there was also Eun Hyung perching on the long wooden seat. He also just waved his hand at us. Only Yoo Chun Young was missing today since he was on the set, shooting the TV drama.

  My eyes then widened as soon as I saw Eun Hyung wearing a dark-gray cardigan.

  “Wow!”


  The corner of Eun Hyung’s lips slightly trembled. Showing a bewildered smile, he asked, “Huh?”


  “Wow, Eun Hyung, do a half turn like a model.”


  Eun Hyung turned around stiffly at my unexpected request. As if it was a funny sight, Jooin laughed beside him.

  “Mama, what are you doing?” he asked.

  I replied seriously, “Don’t you think Eun Hyung looks like a college student today?”


  “Oh…… yeah, he does.”


  As if Jooin also wanted to behave mischievously, he responded that way and began to look inside Eun Hyung’s outfit here and there. He flipped Eun Hyung’s cardigan and the folded edge at the hem of his pants, which made Eun Hyung become perplexed and stop Jooin from doing so.

  Taking another step back, I was in awe of Eun Hyung’s look today. In every aspect, his outfit–a white t-shirt, dark-gray cardigan, and cuffed denim jeans–made him look mature like a handsome college student.

  Maybe because Jooin, standing beside Eun Hyung, was wearing a deep-blue windbreaker jacket with some orange logo on, Eun Hyung emitted a much more sophisticated vibe today.

  As if became befuddled by our attention, Eun Hyung blushed and scratched his nape.

  “I forgot that we’re going on a trip today and did laundry, so I’m wearing on Chun Young’s clothes……”


  I responded in surprise, “Oh, really? That’s why you look different today.”


  “We aren’t that different in size, but I still had to cuff the jeans a little.”


  “No, I think these pants should be worn with a fold, isn’t it?”


  Eun Jiho and Jooin began a debate on behalf of me who didn’t know about men’s clothing. Watching the sight, I found the subway just having arrived at the station, so I quickly got in with the kids.

  The spring sunlight was incomparably hot and intense than that of winter. As soon as I took a seat, I asked the kids, sitting on both sides, to wear some sunscreen.

  “You want some?”


  “I wondered why you’re carrying that big backpack. Is that what you brought?” asked Eun Jiho with a somewhat sarcastic look.

  Being a little prickly, I replied, “I brought other things too!”


  “Well, let’s see then.”


  I handed my backpack over to him without complaining. Looking inside my bag, he soon started to laugh as if he felt absurd.

  “Dude, why did you bring a deck of cards? Also, Halli Galli and Jenga? Come on, we’re gonna be back on the same day.”


  I replied, lowering my voice, “But who knows? We can play cards on the train.”


  “Don’t you remember last time? None of us did it and just all slept.”


  After scowling at the floor for a moment, I said, “Give it back,” and snatched my bag from Eun Jiho.

  Would he know that the things inside this bag were the same as those I brought to our trip in the winter before last? Well, of course, he doesn’t, or else, he wouldn’t behave this way.

  I looked around again. Jooin and Eun Jiho were sitting on both sides of me. Across us, there sat Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Hyung, dozing off. They seemed to share some conversations from time to time but didn’t reach my ears.

  Ban Yeo Ryung, talking to Eun Hyung in the pouring sunlight, looked the most peaceful I’d ever seen since she suffered memory loss. Resting my chin on my palm, I stared at her for quite a while, then sat back with my eyes closed.

  Even though we’re going on a trip for Ban Yeo Ryung, who’d be still very confused, it was, in fact, me who became more and more befuddled, comparing the trips in the past and now.

  “The beach……”


  That was what Ban Yeo Ryung said first as soon as she saw the ocean after the twenty-minute shaky bus ride.

  Her voice that suddenly echoed around my ears sounded so nonchalant that my heart almost sunk.

  Could a memory loss change a person’s taste too? Hold on…… I think I’ve seen a similar case from the journals I read on the web, a few days ago pulling an all-nighter……

  But when I turned my head back to look at Ban Yeo Ryung’s face, I felt relieved to have found her eyes twinkling with delight as before.

  Even though it’s spring, the trash kept flowing into the ocean as it did in winter. Thus, the beach was yet cold and dirty. However, Yeo Ryung flaunted a dazzling smile and walked close to the shore with short and quick steps.