My Ex-Girlfriend Regrets Dumping Me

2 – Disappointing Farewell (2)

While I was crying, too disoriented due to the injury.

Hayeon called her mother on her cellphone, which hung around her neck with a pink string.

“Um, Mom…”

[Yes, Hayeon. What’s the matter?]

“Geonyul… Geonyul…got hurt…there’s blood…sob!”

“Geonyul? Why are you suddenly saying that? Hayeon, where are you now? Should I come there?”

Of course, it was inevitable that she had called her own mother.

With sobs, Hayeon explained our location to her mother, and given that her mother quickly drove to where we were.

In the back seat of the car, on the way to the hospital.

Hayeon’s mother, who was driving, muttered to herself.

“We almost had a big problem. Thankfully, today’s work ended early… or else… sigh.”

I found out later that Hayeon’s mother had left work early that day and was on her way home near our location.

If not, we would have had to wait there for a long time.

As my startled mind settled down, I stopped crying.

Then, Hayeon’s mother spoke to me as if trying to reassure me on our way

“Are you feeling a bit better now?”

“Yes… I’m still hurting though.”

“You’re so brave. Even though you’re hurting, you’re not crying anymore.”

Ha-yeon’s mother praised me like that, and even though she was a stranger to me, I didn’t feel bad.

Maybe it was because she was Ha-yeon’s mother.

“So you’re Geon-yul? The guy Ha-yeon always talks about at home these days.”

“…Yes?”

Was Ha-yeon talking about me a lot at home?

Come to think of it, I’ve talked about Ha-yeon to my parents quite a bit too.

“Oh, Mom…!”

“What? I’m telling the truth. You always come home and talk about Geon-yul to me.”

“What are you talking about! When did I…!”

Ha-yeon, who was holding my hand tightly, blushed and spoke beside me.

It was quite cute to see her trying not to let go of my hand while denying her mother’s words.

“So, how did Geon-yul get hurt?”

First, when her mother saw me injured, she said we had to go to the hospital, so we put me in the car and went. Checking the situation came later.

Ha-yeon began to explain instead of me.

“A big, black dog appeared. And Geon-yul protected me…and then the dog bit him and ran away.”

“A black dog? Without an owner?”

“Yeah…we just bumped into it on the street.”

“I see…I understand now.”

Her mother nodded with a small sigh, as if she were beginning to understand the situation to some extent.

Then she asked Ha-yeon.

“Geon-yul protected you from that big dog?”

“Yeah…he did it like this, with his arms spread out in front of me.”

“Wow, really? That’s cool.”

As if bragging about my heroic tale to her mother, Ha-yeon repeated my actions and told her about it.

Then her mother asked Ha-yeon a question.

“Then, Ha-yeon. Did you thank Geonyul for helping you?”

“… Huh? Oh, no.”

“If a friend helps you, you should say thank you. Right?”

“… Yeah.”

Ha-yeon looked at me while holding my hand tighter.

Her face had tear stains and she looked pathetic, but her sparkling eyes and red cheeks made me stare at her in awe.

“T, Thank you. For helping me. You were… like a prince from a fairy tale, cool.”

“Uh, yeah.”

I felt my face heating up at Ha-yeon’s sincere thanks.

Receiving gratitude was so embarrassing that I felt it for the first time.

My mother laughed and smiled as she watched this scene, then added one more thing, looking at my face in the rearview mirror.

“Geonyul. Thank you for helping Ha-yeon~. Be good friends with her from now on, too.”

It wasn’t even midsummer, but the air in the car seemed oddly oppressive.

I nodded deeply and answered my mother.

“…Yes. I will.”

I said so because that’s what a mecha hero should do.

I tried to comfort my embarrassed heart.

*

So time went by, and before we knew it, Ha-yeon and I were approaching the end of elementary school.

Since that day, our relationship had become closer.

As my mother and Ha-yeon’s mother became friends at the hospital, Ha-yeon and I started playing together more often.

Starting with amusement parks, camping, public parks, and zoos, we built up our childhood memories together.

Of course, we naturally went to the same school since we lived in the same apartment complex.

Perhaps it was inevitable that we would grow closer.

“Wow, Ha-yeon. You look so pretty.”

“Where did you get that dress? And that hairpin?”

And Ha-yeon gradually grew into a beautiful young woman.

Whenever she entered the classroom, she became the center of attention among the girls and caught the eye of boys.

The old-fashioned glasses were replaced with more sophisticated and round glasses.

Her messy hair was neatly arranged and grew long, all the way down to her waist.

The stammering tone that received the most teasing gradually disappeared as I grew up.

Even in my young eyes, Hayeon looked like a princess.

The timid and cowardly Seoha-yeon, who always hid behind me, was now gone.

If there was anything left of her, perhaps she still didn’t speak much like when we were young.

Or maybe she was just hiding her feelings.

Hayeon was not one to speak much unless she was in front of me.

I was also quite popular among the boys in my own way.

It wasn’t as much as in kindergarten, but I still had a big build.

I wasn’t bad at soccer, basketball, or any other games either.

Unlike my childhood years when I played with both boys and girls, I naturally spent less time playing with Hayeon.

“Hey. Yura.”

“Yeah?”

“…Why don’t you play with me as much these days?”

That day was no different from our usual way home.

Although it might be different at school, going home together had become a habit by now.

It felt more awkward on the days we didn’t go home together.

Hayeon’s way of speaking changed after entering elementary school.

I turned around at Hayeon calling me by my nickname, Yul.

“We do play. We hang out together on weekends too.”

“No~ You only play with the boys at school and during afterschool.”

Hayeon seemed somewhat disappointed, but I couldn’t understand her feelings well.

I was just sharing my honest feelings with her.

“Well, you’re not into soccer or games much. You don’t even go to PC rooms.”

Perhaps it was only natural.

The way boys and girls play together tends to change as they grow older.

Just like how Hayeon likes decorating and going shopping.

I was naturally drawn to what boys liked.

“Well, if I join you, will you play with me?”

Hayeon asked with a hint of hope, and I had only one answer to give.

“Well… I guess not, right? Other boys wouldn’t join us anyway.”

Her athleticism was lacking, and she had no interest in the first place, so forcing Hayeon to join wouldn’t make much difference.

In fact, I think there are more guys who believe that playing doesn’t make it any less fun.

“…But we can still play games together, right?”

“Well, that’s true… but don’t you find hanging out with girls more enjoyable?”

It wasn’t that Hayeon disliked hanging out with girls.

I couldn’t find a reason why she had to join the group of guys and play.

After all, it’s not like we don’t see each other anyway, we always hang out together on weekends.

Most of the time, it involved going on trips with our parents though.

“Ugh… it’s not that…”

Hayeon suddenly stopped in her tracks as we walked.

Then, she lowered her head for a moment, as if making a decision, before quickly lifting it up with a determined look.

“…You and I are the closest friends, right?”

Lips lightly trembling beneath her slightly reddened cheeks.

Even her wandering gaze seemed uncertain.

It seemed like she was feeling embarrassed about saying this.

“I don’t like it when you get too close with other guys. I’m your closest friend.”

“Pfft. What’s that supposed to mean?”

I burst into laughter at Hayeon’s words, playfully twirling a strand of her hair around my finger.

It reminded me of how sensitive she can get when someone doesn’t compliment her at our relatives’ house.

“Hey, don’t laugh. I’m serious, you know? Then would you be okay if I became closer to someone else than you?”

“Hmm. That… wouldn’t be great. No.”

Hearing that, I could understand Hayeon’s feelings.

I also felt a bit envious when Hayeon became popular in elementary school.

It was only then that I realized what she wanted to hear from me.

“Don’t worry, silly. Even if we have less time to play, you’re still my closest friend.”

“Okay.”

As I smiled and said that, Hayeon giggled and ran up to my side, squeezing tightly.

She firmly held the hand that hadn’t been easily held since elementary school.

We had to avoid getting too close because people would tease us.

But I couldn’t deny that I didn’t mind her warmth either.

She never let go of her hand until they arrived home.

*

Ha-yeon’s father passed away when she was young.

I heard he had an accident while working as a supervisor at a construction site, and fell to his death.

So, Ha-yeon’s mother, who worked for a company that frequently went on business trips, always had a hard time.

Not only on weekdays but sometimes even on weekends, she would go on business trips.

Because of that, there were often times when she entrusted young Ha-yeon to our house.

Our house was next door, and Ha-yeon liked me too.

That day was also the day Ha-yeon’s mother entrusted Ha-yeon to our house and went on a business trip.

“Ha-yeon! Ha-yeon!!”

Our mother came rushing into the room, calling urgently for Ha-yeon.

“Yes?”

Seeing Ha-yeon with a clueless look on her face, I sat her down in that spot and hugged her, making her burst into tears.

“Huh…sniff…sob…Ha-yeon…”

“…Why, why are you like this? Ajumma?”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, ajumma…”

Until the moment when she expressed remorse without any reason.

…Until that moment, I never thought I would never see Ha-yeon’s mother again.