Childhood Friends: Turning the Tables - Chapter 7.1
“Mom, should I go to an academy too?”
Eun-sae approached her mother, who was folding laundry, and carefully brought it up. Her mother looked at her with wide eyes and asked,
“What kind of academy all of a sudden?”
“There are so many. Math academies, English academies, writing academies… All the other kids go.”
“You don’t want to study. You just want me to let you go so you can hang out with your friends, right?”
“No! Why do you always think I just play around all day?”
“Then am I wrong?”
Hmm. Eun-sae sank into the sofa and sighed in dissatisfaction.
Now that she thought about it, she had never actually sat down at her desk to study after school. She would visit the taekwondo gym where Yoon Tae-seung trained, hang out with other friends, or go to Tae-seung’s house. She was always too busy going out to spend any time at home.
“I’m a middle schooler now. I should study.”
When Eun-sae declared this with determination, her mother looked puzzled.
“Did something happen? Are your friends teasing you for not studying? Or did your teacher say something?”
“No, it’s none of that. I just think I should study a bit on my own.”
Even though she explained firmly, her mother’s suspicious gaze did not waver. Eun-sae looked away, staring blankly into space, but under her mother’s persistent stare, she eventually confessed.
“You know Yoon Tae-seung? He quit taekwondo and started something else.”
“I heard. He’s going to a mixed martial arts gym now.”
“You knew?”
“Of course. I went to check out the gym with Tae-seung’s mom.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her mother stacked the towels neatly and chuckled.
“When would I tell you? You’re hardly ever home.”
“Still…”
“So, Tae-seung’s moving on to something else, and that made you think you should do something too? Feeling a sudden sense of crisis?”
Exactly right. Eun-sae nodded vigorously. She felt deeply betrayed that Yoon Tae-seung, who had grades similar to hers, had already started paving his own path.
In middle school, everyone’s attention seemed to revolve around studying and grades. Some were already preparing for specialized or autonomous private high school entrance exams.
She no longer had lofty dreams like becoming a doctor or being successful, the way she used to as an elementary student. But she also didn’t dream of marrying a good husband and starting a family.
‘What do I even want to be?’
A fundamental question began to take root in her heart. Yoon Tae-seung, who had grown up alongside her, had already chosen his path, while she was still wandering.
“You don’t need to go to an academy yet. When you find something you really want to do, we’ll look into it then.”
Her mother spoke lightly, as if it was nothing serious, but Eun-sae felt differently.
“No, I want to go… I’m bad at math, so I’ll start with a math academy.”
“Math?”
Her mother didn’t seem too pleased, but Eun-sae felt she had to start doing something right away.
***
Kim Si-hyun naturally joined Eun-sae and Yoon Tae-seung on their daily walk to and from school. The uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed between the two still lingered.
She wondered if Tae-seung would ask about Kim Si-hyun, but as expected, he said nothing. She couldn’t tell whether it was because they no longer had time alone, or because he genuinely didn’t care.
“Tae-seung, did you listen to that song I recommended the other day?”
Eun-sae always walked in the middle. Kim Si-hyun usually brought up topics that Eun-sae knew nothing about, as if she and Tae-seung had been talking separately.
If that’s the case, why not just walk side by side? Why keep me in the middle…
Tae-seung quietly shook his head.
Of course not. Tae-seung listening to songs? He probably didn’t even know where to find music.
“That’s too bad… The singer’s voice sounds so much like yours. I feel like if you sang, you’d sound just like him. Do you guys sing well?”
Although Kim Si-hyun said “you guys,” Eun-sae knew she wasn’t part of that question. Kim Si-hyun clearly wasn’t interested in her. She was only curious about whether Tae-seung could sing, how he would sound, what kind of songs he liked, and maybe if there was a chance to go to karaoke together.
Once again, Tae-seung just shook his head. He wasn’t mute, yet he barely spoke, which made Eun-sae feel irritated and frustrated today. She shot him a sideways glance.
“……”
“……”
Their eyes met. Tae-seung raised his eyebrow, seemingly asking, ‘What? Got a problem? What did I do?’
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