Sooah woke and lay in bed, thinking.
To the right of the school’s main gate stood a low retaining wall. Male students always sat there in a long row, openly staring at the legs of girls crossing the campus in miniskirts. Just imagining those eyes fastening themselves onto her bare legs again today made her feel heavy.
Should I skip school today?
But she might fall short on credits.
She forced herself out of bed and opened the refrigerator. There was one can of beer left. After gulping down the cold beer, she felt a little more alive. She pulled on a miniskirt and a pair of high heels.
“You’re already short. Wearing heels that high only makes you look shorter.”
Her father’s nagging voice came to mind, but the courage the hangover beer gave her easily pushed it aside.
The bus Sooah was riding stopped at Samgakji.
Hidden behind the other passengers, she spotted a young man slowly approaching the crowded bus. He went to the same school as her — the boy who sang beautifully.
I saw your performance. Your singing was amazing.
She wanted to walk up and say it to him, but held herself back.
Sooah got off the bus slowly and followed behind him. He wore faded jeans, a pale pink T-shirt, and a beige canvas bag slung over one shoulder. He looked as clean and fresh as freshly laundered clothes drying in sunlight. She imagined he might smell faintly of apples if she got close enough.
Without realizing it, Soo-ah sniffed softly.
She watched him disappear toward the left side of campus for a moment before turning toward the right.
Even during class, Sooah sat absentmindedly holding her brush and staring out the window. The gray late-autumn sky deepened her loneliness.
“What are you doing just sitting there blankly? Aren’t you even going to work?”
The professor’s voice flew at her from behind.
“Did you come to college just to marry well? Pull yourself together.”
After class, Soo-ah wandered around campus for a long while. It felt like the kind of day when she wanted to go on a date with the boy she had seen that morning.
To the right of the school gate was a café he often visited. Soo-ah pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The place was dark. As her eyes slowly adjusted, she spotted him sitting at a corner table. Nora sat across from him. Wearing a bright, easy smile, he listened closely to whatever she was saying.
They looked good together.
Soo-ah stared at them for a while before sinking weakly into a nearby table.
“Whiskey and a soft-boiled egg.”
She tossed back the whiskey in one gulp. The harsh liquor burned down her throat, warming her body as it went. Then she swallowed the soft-boiled egg whole.
Her eyes remained fixed on them, but the two seemed utterly unaware of their surroundings. She leaned forward slightly, wanting to overhear their conversation, but the music pounded louder and louder.
“Oh? What a surprise.”
A tall man suddenly approached and sat down across from her. His head looked unusually large, and the hair at the front had already begun thinning.
“How’ve you been? Sneaking around these days? I thought you were avoiding me.”
Instead of answering, Sooah only toyed with her glass.
“I wanted to give this to you in person.”
He pulled out a thick letter and placed it on the table.
“Read it when you get home.”
Sooah didn’t even touch it. The letter sat awkwardly in the middle of the table, as if abandoned by its owner.
The man remained glued to his seat, absentmindedly playing with his long hair. He wore a wrinkled striped shirt and sagging bell-bottom pants. She imagined he might smell sour up close.
Soo-ah glanced back toward Nora.
“Want to grab something to eat?” he asked.
“I’m not hungry. Unless we’re drinking.”
His face brightened immediately.
“Sure. I know a place with a great atmosphere.”
“I can’t walk far in these heels. Let’s just go to that hangover soup place by the railroad tracks and drink soju.”
After one last glance at Nora, Sooah followed the tall man out of the café.
Sooah woke and lay in bed, thinking.
To the right of the school’s main gate stood a low retaining wall. Male students always sat there in a long row, openly staring at the legs of girls crossing the campus in miniskirts. Just imagining those eyes fastening themselves onto her bare legs again today made her feel heavy.
Should I skip school today?
But she might fall short on credits.
She forced herself out of bed and opened the refrigerator. There was one can of beer left. After gulping down the cold beer, she felt a little more alive. She pulled on a miniskirt and a pair of high heels.
“You’re already short. Wearing heels that high only makes you look shorter.”
Her father’s nagging voice came to mind, but the courage the hangover beer gave her easily pushed it aside.
The bus Sooah was riding stopped at Samgakji.
Hidden behind the other passengers, she spotted a young man slowly approaching the crowded bus. He went to the same school as her — the boy who sang beautifully.
I saw your performance. Your singing was amazing.
She wanted to walk up and say it to him, but held herself back.
Sooah got off the bus slowly and followed behind him. He wore faded jeans, a pale pink T-shirt, and a beige canvas bag slung over one shoulder. He looked as clean and fresh as freshly laundered clothes drying in sunlight. She imagined he might smell faintly of apples if she got close enough.
Without realizing it, Soo-ah sniffed softly.
She watched him disappear toward the left side of campus for a moment before turning toward the right.
Even during class, Sooah sat absentmindedly holding her brush and staring out the window. The gray late-autumn sky deepened her loneliness.
“What are you doing just sitting there blankly? Aren’t you even going to work?”
The professor’s voice flew at her from behind.
“Did you come to college just to marry well? Pull yourself together.”
After class, Soo-ah wandered around campus for a long while. It felt like the kind of day when she wanted to go on a date with the boy she had seen that morning.
To the right of the school gate was a café he often visited. Soo-ah pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The place was dark. As her eyes slowly adjusted, she spotted him sitting at a corner table. Nora sat across from him. Wearing a bright, easy smile, he listened closely to whatever she was saying.
They looked good together.
Soo-ah stared at them for a while before sinking weakly into a nearby table.
“Whiskey and a soft-boiled egg.”
She tossed back the whiskey in one gulp. The harsh liquor burned down her throat, warming her body as it went. Then she swallowed the soft-boiled egg whole.
Her eyes remained fixed on them, but the two seemed utterly unaware of their surroundings. She leaned forward slightly, wanting to overhear their conversation, but the music pounded louder and louder.
“Oh? What a surprise.”
A tall man suddenly approached and sat down across from her. His head looked unusually large, and the hair at the front had already begun thinning.
“How’ve you been? Sneaking around these days? I thought you were avoiding me.”
Instead of answering, Sooah only toyed with her glass.
“I wanted to give this to you in person.”
He pulled out a thick letter and placed it on the table.
“Read it when you get home.”
Sooah didn’t even touch it. The letter sat awkwardly in the middle of the table, as if abandoned by its owner.
The man remained glued to his seat, absentmindedly playing with his long hair. He wore a wrinkled striped shirt and sagging bell-bottom pants. She imagined he might smell sour up close.
Soo-ah glanced back toward Nora.
“Want to grab something to eat?” he asked.
“I’m not hungry. Unless we’re drinking.”
His face brightened immediately.
“Sure. I know a place with a great atmosphere.”
“I can’t walk far in these heels. Let’s just go to that hangover soup place by the railroad tracks and drink soju.”
After one last glance at Nora, Sooah followed the tall man out of the café.
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