Sunshine Shower

“I don’t think I need to go to the hospital.”There seemed to be a faint cough mixed with the small voice. Woo Yeonjae stared at the slender fingers rubbing a throat. His eyes narrowed on their own.“You almost died just now.”“But I spat it out. I think I’ll be fine if I just sit and rest for a bit. And who goes to the hospital for something like this? It’s embarrassing.”Moon Seoyoon, who was gasping for breath, looked up with a cautious, hesitant glance.“Can I just stay by your side?”Tears welled up, and her eyes turned red. Woo Yeonjae only moved his lips. Not knowing what to say, he just stared down at her when the door suddenly opened.“What happened? Is Seoyoon sick?”“No. I’m fine, uncle.”“…I’m sorry, but could you please bring a glass of water? She says she’ll feel better if she just sits for a bit.”The man who had been carefully examining Moon Seoyoon’s face seemed to decide she was okay and nodded.“Alright. I’ll bring you some warm water, so just wait a bit. But if anything happens, you’re going straight to the hospital. Got it?”“Yes.”Woo Yeonjae glanced at the man’s retreating figure as he disappeared downstairs, then looked back at Moon Seoyoon. It was only after a while that he felt his heart pounding wildly. It was a situation that could have turned serious if he hadn’t learned first aid at school.How does she even choke on jelly? Maybe it’s because she’s smaller than me, but this must be what it feels like to have a younger sibling.Getting choked on just one piece of jelly and all, Moon Seoyoon was sometimes overly nonchalant. Well, I should’ve known since the time she used to get dragged around by kids she wasn’t even close with.“Seoyoon, here’s your water.”The man, who had dashed upstairs, handed her a cup of water.“Thank you.”Moon Seoyoon started drinking the water, smiling awkwardly. The faint sound of her gulping every time her white throat moved was still like a little child.As I thought, I have to take responsibility for Moon Seoyoon.Woo Yeonjae thought as he sat in front of his friend who had nearly died.Every piece of jelly in the house was thrown into the trash.* * *“It’s been a while, Yeonjae.”“My mom asked me to say hello.”Woo Yeonjae gracefully lifted the corners of his mouth and placed a fruit basket on the table in the middle of the hospital room. His smiling face became more natural as time passed.“You didn’t have to bring something like this.”“You like fruit, don’t you?”“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it. How’s your mother doing?”“She’s doing well. She said she’d drop by sometime next week.”The VIP room didn’t have the typical cold atmosphere of a hospital. Only the woman sitting gently on the large bed, smiling faintly, showed signs of illness. Moon Seoyoon must have cried again. Instead of awkwardly lingering around, Woo Yeonjae sat down on the chair near the bed.As his smile became more natural, so did blending in with people.“Really? It’ll be nice to see her after so long. By the way, Yeonjae, I haven’t seen you in your middle school uniform yet.”“I’ll come after school next time.”“Are you planning to come again?”Moon Seoyoon’s mother asked playfully as if joking. Woo Yeonjae deliberately made a face as if he was upset, lowering his eyebrows.“It hurts my feelings when you say that. We’re practically family, aren’t we?”“Oh my, thank you for saying that. I worry a lot because of Seoyoon, so it’s really fortunate that you’re around, Yeonjae.”“It’s nothing.”“He’s too gentle for a boy… They say kids are rough these days. There’s nothing going on at school, right?”Woo Yeonjae chuckled.“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.”Middle school is a time when hierarchies are formed. Having attended a private elementary school and then entering a private middle school, the household levels might seem similar, but even within that, clear differences existed. Of course, the hierarchy wasn’t always determined by household status. The criteria for hierarchy varied widely.As the children grew more cunning, so did Woo Yeonjae. The temperament that had sent him to the hospital when he was younger seemed to become more pronounced with age.There was nothing particularly problematic about it. It wasn’t a personality disorder that manifested in violence. It was just that he had become more adept at using his intelligence to manipulate people in a sly way, bending them to his will. It had also become easier as he learned to craft a variety of expressions, unlike his usual sullen demeanor as a child.“That’s kind of you. I worry because his interests, like playing the piano, are a bit different from what you’d expect from a typical boy… He wasn’t like this when he was younger, but after I got sick, he became more quiet… It’s a sensitive time, so I’m worried.”“There are a lot of kids who like Moon Seoyoon. You don’t have to worry.”“Is he getting along with other kids?”“Yes.”It wasn’t because of Woo Yeonjae himself. Moon Seoyoon was popular with friends. Although his calm demeanor wasn’t something that would make him stand out among middle school boys, many wanted to be friends with him because of it. The same was true for the girls.Because of that, strange things sometimes got entangled. It wasn’t a level that was particularly concerning since he could handle it, but it was still somewhat irritating.“There are so many kids who are close to him that I’m always jealous.”It was sincere, but Woo Yeonjae pretended to joke as he pouted his lips. The woman faintly smiled, perhaps sensing the playful tone in his voice. A hint of relief briefly crossed her face.“That reassures me. Even though you won’t be able to go to high school together… please take care of him until then.”“Yes.”Woo Yeonjae would only attend the same school as Moon Seoyoon until middle school. His move to the U.S. had been decided a long time ago.“But don’t many people go abroad to study piano as well?”“My husband knows more about that than I do, so I’m not sure what will happen. Since I’m not well, I don’t think he’ll send him during high school… Maybe after he enters college.”Woo Yeonjae mentally listed a few schools famous for piano. The possibility of going to the U.S. seemed low, but he thought that if he settled down there first, he could help out in various ways.‘Should I persuade him to come to the U.S.?’The decision was up to Professor Moon, but if he asked his father, it wouldn’t be difficult to at least hint at it. Woo Yeonjae suppressed the sudden urge by biting his tongue. Although it would be fun to live together in the U.S., it would seem like he was interfering too much in Moon Seoyoon’s life.“Oh, Yeonjae.”He heard the door open behind him and a voice calling his name. When he slowly turned his head, he saw Moon Seoyoon entering with Professor Moon.“You’re here, Yeonjae.”“Hello, Professor.”Woo Yeonjae stood up and bowed slightly with a polite expression.“Did you go somewhere?”“To a nearby bakery. Mom said she wanted some cake, so I went with Dad to buy one.”“Why don’t you join us, Yeonjae?”“Oh, I just had a meal, so I’m fine. I’ll just take a walk with Seoyoon and be back.”“Is that so?”As they stepped outside the hospital room, Moon Seoyoon followed along. Woo Yeonjae glanced down at his friend standing next to him. He’s lost more weight. It was understandable since his mother was hospitalized.“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? If you had, I would have bought something for you too. Do you want to drink this?”“What is it?”“Probably tea.”In her slender, white hand was a takeaway cup.“Let’s see.”Woo Yeonjae opened the lid to check inside. It seemed to be rooibos tea. Even with a cup holder on, the bottom was still hot to the touch.“Didn’t you pick it?”“My dad ordered it…”“Professor doesn’t even know his son’s taste?”“Of course not. I never go to cafes with Dad.”As they got off the elevator, a convenience store appeared. Woo Yeonjae gestured in that direction.“What do you want to drink?”“Something cold.”He quickly grabbed an ice cup and a packet of coffee nearby, then finished paying before leading Moon Seoyoon to a makeshift table outside the building.“I told you I’d buy it.”“Then buy me a meal next time.”He opened the lid of the takeaway cup and poured some of the ice from the ice cup into it, raising the level of the tea to just below the brim. His friend’s face, watching blankly as if unsure of what he was doing, was amusing.“Moon Seoyoon has a cat’s tongue.”“Oh… Thanks. Why didn’t I think of that?”Woo Yeonjae chuckled and poured the convenience store coffee into the remaining ice cup. The Americano tasted bitter.“Isn’t it bitter?”“It is.”“Then why are you drinking it?”“Everything else is too sweet.”As he stirred the cup with a straw, the ice clinked and melted away. Woo Yeonjae openly observed his friend sipping tea, repeating the meaningless stirring motion. Even though it must have been lukewarm from all the ice, he looked quite serious.“How’s your mother doing?”“About the same.”“Make sure you’re eating well. She’s worried about you.”“I’m eating fine.”“You’ve lost weight.”“…Have I?”Moon Seoyoon looked at his wrists, turning them this way and that, as if he had no idea. He genuinely seemed clueless. There were times when he was astonishingly oblivious, and this was one of them.‘Is this how most people are?’As someone who didn’t fit into the category of “most people,” it was a question Woo Yeonjae couldn’t answer."고양이 혀" (cat's tongue) is used to describe someone who is sensitive to hot food or drinks. It's a playful way of saying that the person can't handle hot temperatures well, similar to how a cat would be cautious around hot things.