“What to do now?”
A low, tempting whisper flowed into Si Hyun’s ear.

“…I’ve become interested now.”
Si Hyun clenched her teeth. Instead of getting off at the first floor, she closed the elevator door and pressed the button to go to the rooftop.

“Watch me for a moment.”
Si Hyun took Tae Ha straight to the rooftop. For whatever reason, Tae Ha obediently followed.

Once sure no one was around, Si Hyun spoke.

“You can’t do this to me.”
“What can’t I do?”
“I told you, we’re not like that!”
Si Hyun tried desperately to explain.

“I understand you don’t remember now, but when you recall how you were to me, you’ll probably want to die. So, let’s stop here, don’t regret it later.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about from the beginning.”
Tae Ha sighed.

“Exactly what are we to each other?”
Si Hyun hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.

“…Back then, you were in second grade, I was in high school.”
The old memories started to resurface as if it were yesterday’s events.

((()))

Si Hyun, who started school a year early because her birthday was early, was sixteen and had just started high school.

It was the beginning of the semester, and there were more than one or two places to spend money. Now as a high school student, she had to go to a study room, and the number of books and workbooks to buy had increased from middle school.

Si Hyun, who had lost her parents at an early age, was living off her uncle’s family.

[How do you ask for money so naturally?] Every time Si Hyun needed money, her aunt would blatantly berate her. She had just received her study room fee yesterday, and was already worried about asking for money for the workbooks today.

‘What should I say…….’
As she was walking down the street pondering, something suddenly flew by and whizzed past her eyes. Startled, she looked and saw a young boy curled up, a robotdecorated indoor shoe bag had hit the boy’s back and was rolling on the ground.

A few kids were pointing fingers at the curled up boy, singing.

“He’s a dummy, he’s a dummy. He’s a fool who can’t even write in Korean.”
“Hey, foreigner! Go live in your own country!”

The children teasing him looked about 2nd or 3rd graders in elementary school, and the one getting picked on was much younger than them. If he hadn’t been carrying a backpack as big as his own body, he might have been mistaken for a kindergartner.

Si Hyun shot a glaring look at the children.

“What are you kids doing? Want to get in trouble?”
The kids scattered and ran away when the high school sister approached with wide, angry eyes.

Even as she chased off the bullies and approached, the boy remained huddled. Si Hyun helped him up, brushing off the dirt from his clothes.

“Are you alright?”
She was taken aback when he looked up. Pale skin, brown eyes. The boy was mixed race.

“It’s time for dinner, you should get home. Your mother must be looking for you.”
Only then did the boy mumble a response.

“I don’t have a mom.”
Si Hyun was taken aback.

“Then, isn’t your dad looking for you?”
“I don’t have a dad either.”
At that, Si Hyun was at a loss for words. Just as she was wondering how to handle the situation, there was a loud noise from somewhere. A growl.

“Are you hungry, by any chance?”
The boy nodded his head.

Having heard that there was nothing to eat at his home, Si Hyun bought some ramen from a nearby mart and followed the boy.

He was living in a shabby semibasement not far from Si Hyun’s home.

Upon opening the refrigerator, there was nothing but some rotting side dishes and old kimchi. There was a bit of rice left in the rice bin, but it was infested with rice weevils and certainly not edible.

Si Hyun hastily boiled the ramen in an old aluminium pot. The boy ate the ramen, without even a single egg added, as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.

Si Hyun watched him eating, resting her chin in her hand. His hair, soft and thin like cotton threads, and his big brown eyes. He was a beautiful child, as if he had stepped right out of a picture book she’d read as a child.

According to what he said in between bites, the boy’s name was Yoon Tae Ha. He was nine years old that year and a 2nd grader in elementary school. Despite looking no older than seven because of his small stature, he was in fact in the same class as those kids from before.

Tae Ha said he was living with his grandmother because his parents weren’t around.

“Then, where’s your grandmother?”
As she scooped more ramen into Tae Ha’s bowl, Si Hyun asked.

“She doesn’t come home much.”
“When was the last time she left?”
“Three nights ago.”
“Did she say when she would come back?”
Tae Ha shook his head.

“Then how have you been eating all this while? How did you manage?”
“I had school meals.”
“What about breakfast and dinner?”
This time, he slowly shook his head.

That meant the young boy had been surviving on just a single meal a day. And he probably couldn’t even have that on weekends…