Stranger

***

My time with Yeon Woojeong had always been so precious, but it felt even more so now that we were about to be separated for a short time. Still, I knew that after a brief period apart, we would be together forever. As a result, the anxiety that had been building up gradually dissipated, and my hopes for the future grew stronger.

Walking down to the parking lot, I could feel the lukewarm air. Yeon Woojeong was concerned that I was enlisting in the summer, but I thought it was better to be hot than cold. A few cars pulled into place, and soon I saw a familiar car pull in. As I walked up to the parked car, Yeon Woojeong opened the door and paused as he stepped out. His eyes widened as he spotted me. 

I stroked my still-awkward hair. It was the first time I had ever worn it so short, so it felt unfamiliar against my palm. Yeon Woojeong didn’t approach me, just blinked. Is it weird? After stroking my hair, I walked over to him.

“Is it weird?”

“No.”

He looked at my head in amazement and put his hand there. The soft stroking of his hand felt unfamiliar.

“You still look pretty even with your hair like this.”

“… Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. How about we take a short walk before going in?”

“Okay.”

I grabbed Yeon Woojeong’s wrist and we walked out of the parking lot and down the walkway. There were quite a few people outside, probably because the tropical night hadn’t arrived yet. A few sounds here and there didn’t feel like background noise. Even the sound of grasshoppers following my every step made the soles of my feet tingle. 

It was as if the leaves swaying in the wind were inside my chest. It was a strange feeling. I wasn’t sad or upset, but I didn’t know what to say. I just rubbed my fingertips over Yeon Woojeong’s wrist.

“What should we eat tomorrow?”

“Meat.”

“It’s nice that you have it specific.”

As the time for us to be apart approached, we talked more, tasted different things, and tried new things. Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t too sad to leave. After all, there were plenty of things to do with Yeon Woojeong when I got back. 

I shook his wrist back and forth in a big swing, and he laughed. I smiled in response to his laughter. I wanted to show Yeon Woojeong a lot of my smiling face.

“Mr. Yeon, you know what?”

“What?”

“In the past, my only redeeming quality was that I was healthy.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I would get better in no time even if I fell and got hurt, and I rarely caught cold.”

I wasn’t telling Yeon Woojeong this to comfort him, but I was really healthy. To be honest, as long as I didn’t get hit, I wouldn’t feel pain. Yeon Woojeong tilted his head, searching my face. As we stopped walking for a moment, his hand touched my cheek.

“That’s right. Don’t think about anything else. Just think about you.”

“Yeah.”

I grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. Yeon Woojeong walked again after caressing my cheek. I looked at his back and then quickly chased after him.

“Jiho.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Silly.”

Yeon Woojeong laughed at my comment and hit my stomach with the back of his hand. I caught that hand, tickled it, and then spoke.

“Mr. Yeon.”

“Mhm.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Silly.”

It was nice to hear the same punchline. I would be leaving tomorrow, but it wasn’t a particularly different day. In a way, it was good. It was like a confirmation that nothing would change. I will come back healthy, and Yeon Woojeong will be here waiting for me. Years from now, we’ll still be doing this, right? That thought calmed me down. I took Yeon Woojeong’s hand and the lukewarm air seemed to feel cool.