~Kim Na Ri~
What happened today was simply too much to bear. How could Chae Soo, someone I once trusted, ever think of hurting me? The thought alone sends a sharp pain through my chest. I know things have been strained between us lately—his constant arguments, the cold silences, the bitterness. But I never imagined it would go this far, that he would actually try to hurt me physically.
I was lucky, though. Lee Yul was there. Even though we had just met, he stepped in and saved me. It stings even more when I think about it—Chae Soo, who has known me for years, tried to hurt me, while Lee Yul, a stranger, was the one to protect me. I don't know how to feel anymore. I thought, even with all the distance between us, there might still be a small glimmer of hope for us to find our way back to what we once had. But now? Now, I know for certain that's never going to happen.
I'm done. I'm done thinking about Chae Soo, about what we were, about any possibility of reconciliation. It's best to forget it. I was barely holding myself together when I walked through the door, the weight of the day heavy on my shoulders. But when I stepped into the living room, I froze. There, sitting with my mom, was Chae Soo's mother, Kwon Jae Rim. She and my mom looked up at me, their faces brightening with smiles as if nothing was wrong.
I quickly blinked away the threatening tears, mustering every ounce of strength to maintain my composure. With a wave, I greeted them both. "Hello, Aunt Jae Rim, it's good to see you here," I said, forcing a smile as I turned to Chae Soo's mother.
"Hello, dear, it's good to see you too," Aunt Jae Rim responded warmly, before continuing, "So, you're back home. Did you come alone, or is Chae Soo with you?"
The moment she mentioned Chae Soo, a sharp mix of hurt and anger surged within me. Anger, for what he had done to me today, and pain, because Aunt Jae Rim seemed completely unaware of the rift between her son and me. It was as if nothing had changed, as if everything was still fine between us.
But then again, Chae Soo and I had both agreed, silently and without words, that we would protect our parents from the reality of our fractured relationship. So, despite the turmoil churning inside me, I forced a smile and answered, "Oh, well, he had some football practice, so he's still at school."
"God, our Chae Soo is so athletic! I'm so proud of him," my mom exclaimed with enthusiasm, her voice brimming with admiration.
"Come on, what's so special about that? Look at Na Ri—she's so responsible, so smart, and the Class President. I'm really proud of her," Aunt Jae Rim countered with a proud smile, her tone equally warm.
It was always like this. My parents would gush about Chae Soo's talents, and his parents would sing my praises. As kids, it used to make us both uncomfortable—this constant comparison, this endless praise. But now, we were used to it. It had become a strange kind of norm. I couldn't help but appreciate how, even though our families were so different, this small tradition of mutual admiration kept us connected.
"Alright, let's stop the competition for now, shall we?" I said, cutting through their sweet bickering. "I'll go get changed."
"Sorry, honey, you just got home, and instead of talking to you, here we are, bickering like children," my mom said, her face softening with a look of apology. Aunt Jae Rim mirrored the sentiment, glancing at me with a kind, expectant smile. "Anyway, how was your day at school?"
I paused, trying to sift through the events of the day, pushing aside every thought that involved Chae Soo. The only thing that stood out, strangely enough, was the new guy—Lee Yul. A flicker of curiosity sparked within me, and I felt an urge to steer the conversation in a different direction, away from the tension between our families.
"Well," I began, clearing my throat, "Mom, Aunt Jae Rim, I have a question for you. May I ask?"
"Question? What question?" they both asked, their voices perfectly in sync, a hint of intrigue in their tone.
I cleared my throat, gathering my thoughts before asking, "Well, you guys know about my friend Yu Mi, right?" Both of them nodded, so I continued, "So, it's about her. Uhm... this might feel a bit strange, but this is a true incident, okay?"
"Come on! Don't create suspense—just say what it is already!" my mom urged, her tone playful but curious.
"Yes, yes. So here's the thing," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Yu Mi recently saw a guy in her dream, someone she's pretty sure she's never met before. But then, out of nowhere, she saw the same guy in real life. What do you think that means?" I asked carefully, making sure not to give away anything that might make them suspicious it had anything to do with me.
"What? Is that even possible?" my mom asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Why not? There's nothing impossible in this world," Aunt Jae Rim replied, her voice calm and thoughtful. "Na Ri, though it might seem a bit strange, that doesn't mean it's impossible."
"You think that?" I asked, my voice filled with a mix of curiosity and hope, eager for a deeper explanation. "Then what do you think could be the reason why this happened?"
"Hmm... let me think," Aunt Jae Rim murmured, her brow furrowing as she stood up from the sofa. She began to pace around the room, her steps deliberate and thoughtful. My mom and I watched her closely, both of us silently waiting for her to arrive at an answer.
Aunt Jae Rim stopped in her tracks, her face lighting up as if she had just uncovered a hidden truth. "Oh yes! I got it!" she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.
"What is it?" my mom asked, her curiosity piqued.
Aunt Jae Rim turned toward us, her eyes sparkling with certainty. "I think I know the answer to this question," she said dramatically, pausing for effect. "The reason your friend saw the guy from her dream in reality is because..." She took another dramatic pause, making sure the moment felt significant. "...they are FATED."
Mom suppressed a laugh, clearly finding the conversation amusing. "What nonsense, Jae Rim? Do you really believe in all that stuff?" she asked, her voice light with amusement as she tried to stifle her laughter.
"Of course I do! And not just me—you do too," Aunt Jae Rim replied confidently, as if she had just revealed some undeniable truth.
"What do I do? Why do you think that?" Mom asked, still chuckling at the idea.
Aunt Jae Rim raised an eyebrow, her smile growing. "Seems like you don't remember, but just a few days ago, you said, 'I think my Na Ri and your Chae Soo are destined to be together. They are so perfect together; they must be fated."
My heart skipped a beat. What was all this? Did my mom really say that? I tried to process her words, but I couldn't shake the disbelief. The truth was, it wasn't her fault. Everyone in our neighborhood—our families, our friends, even the teachers—had always believed that Chae Soo and I were meant to be. We'd been inseparable since childhood. We always helped each other, shared the same school, the same vacations, the same classes. Whatever we did, we always did it together. We were, in everyone's eyes, the perfect pair, even if the reality between us had become so much more complicated.
I chose to ignore what Aunt Jae Rim had said about their recent conversation. Both Mom and Aunt Jae Rim wore expressions that were a mix of embarrassment and regret, their faces flushed with the realization of what they had just revealed. I took that as my cue to exit the room.
"You guys always argue. I can't take it anymore," I said, my voice calm but distant. "I'm tired, so I'll just go and freshen up."
"Yes, sure, honey. You must be tired," Mom replied, offering an awkward smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
I gave them a nod and turned, leaving the tension in the air behind me. As I made my way to my room, the familiar weight of everything that had happened today pressed down on me, but I kept my pace steady, my thoughts drifting to a place where I could finally breathe.
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After dinner, I retreated back to my room, the familiar comfort of my bed waiting for me. But as I lay there, trying to unwind, one thought kept lingering in my mind—when Aunt Jae Rim mentioned fate, could it really be true? Could there be something deeper to this? I couldn't make sense of it. It felt like a riddle I just couldn't solve. Everything about the situation was so confusing.
A thought struck me suddenly. Maybe I should talk to Yu Mi about this. I quickly grabbed my phone and called her, hoping to find some clarity in her response. After a quick exchange of pleasantries, I explained everything Aunt Jae Rim had said about the dream guy situation.
"So what do you think?" I asked, trying to sound casual, like I wasn't completely thrown off. "Do you agree with her? Or do you think she's been watching too many dramas lately?"
Yu Mi paused for a moment before answering, her voice filled with a surprising level of enthusiasm. "I think she could be right," she said, as if the idea made perfect sense. "I mean, you should at least consider what she's saying. Maybe you guys really are fated," she added with a hint of excitement in her tone.
Her words hung in the air, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to them. Could it be? Or was this just another strange coincidence?
"And why do you think that we're fated? How does that even make sense?" I asked, trying to sound skeptical, though a part of me was already questioning it.
"Come on, just think about it. These things don't just happen easily," Yu Mi replied, her voice filled with conviction. "So, yes, I think Chae Soo's mom is right. You and Lee Yul, you both might be fated, or maybe... reincarnated?" I could almost hear her grinning as she said it, her voice bright with amusement.
"What? Reincarnated?" I couldn't help but laugh, though the thought still nagged at me. "You've got to be kidding me. Seems like you're the one who's been watching too many dramas lately."
"Okay, okay, maybe it's true you're fated, or maybe it's not," Yu Mi conceded, her tone softer now, more thoughtful. "But it won't hurt to try, right? And you did mention earlier that Lee Yul saved you today, so this might not be a bad idea?"
I paused. She was right. Lee Yul had saved me today, and I really was thankful. Whether fate was involved or not, wasn't it time to move on from all the negativity with Chae Soo and let something new, maybe even good, come into my life?
But who was I kidding? No matter how much I wanted to move forward, the fact that the person who used to be my best friend now hated me, and I had no idea why, would always linger. No matter how much I tried to push it away, it was impossible to forget. Chae Soo was always there—at school, at home, in our store. Everywhere.
"Hey, are you there?" Yu Mi's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah, I was just considering what you said," I replied, feeling a mix of gratitude and confusion. "And thank you, Yu Mi, for always listening and helping me."
"Come on, no need to thank me," she said cheerfully. "By the way, didn't your mom and aunt ask who the guy you saw in your dreams was?"
I hadn't told her that I used her name, and I wasn't about to. So, I brushed it off, changing the subject quickly. "Oh, it's getting late. We've been talking for a while now. It's Sunday tomorrow, so let's just go to bed and sleep in. Good night!" I said with as much cheer as I could muster, ending the call before she could ask more.
As I lay back in bed, I couldn't help but feel grateful for a friend like Yu Mi. What she had said made sense, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to dive into something new, especially not with everything going on with Chae Soo.
For now, I think I'd just go with the flow, see where life took me.