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The Monday after Kim's dinner party, Momo tracked me down at school and forced Kim Taehyung back into my brain. βKookie! Whoa, boy, wait up! How have you been?β
βI'm fine, Momo, how are you?β
βNo, seriously,β she whispered. βAre you doing okay?β She shifted her backpack and looked over each shoulder. βI got to thinking, you know, that Taehyung was just so cold. Especially since you've got that soft spot for him.β
βWho told you that?β
βLike I haven't got eyes? Come on, boy. It's a given. Which is why I got to worry about you. Are you seriously all right?β
βYes, I am. But thanks for thinking about me.β I eyed her and said, βAnd Momo? It's not a given anymore.β
She laughed. βHow long is this diet gonna last?β
βIt's not a diet. I've just, uh, lost my taste for him.β
She looked at me skeptically. βUh-huh.β
βWell, I have. But thanks for, you know, caring.β
All through the first period I was still feeling strong and right and certain, but then Mrs. Se-mi ended the lesson a full fifteen minutes early and said, βClear your desks of everything but a pen or pencil.β
βWhat?β Everyone cried, and believe meβI was right along with them. I was not prepared for a quiz!
βEverything!β she said. βCome on, you're wasting valuable time.β
The room filled with grumbles and the sound of shuffling binders, and when we'd all pretty much complied with her request, she picked a stack of bright yellow papers off her desk, fanned them with an evil grin, and said, βIt's time to vote for basket boys!β
A wave of relief swept across the room. βBasket boys? You mean it's not a quiz?β
She ticked through the stack, counting ballots as she spoke. βIt is like a quiz in that I don't want you conferring with one another. It's also like a quiz in that you have a limited amount of time.β She slapped a set of ballots down on the first desk of row one, then went on to the second row. βI will collect them from you individually when the bell rings, and I will inspect to see that you have complied with the following instructions.β She scooted over to row three. βChoose five, and only five, of the boys on the list. Do not put your name on it, and do not discuss your choices with your neighbours.β She was on to row four now, talking faster and faster. βWhen you've made your selections, simply turn your sheet over.β She slapped the remainder down on the last desk. βDo not, I repeat, do not fold your ballot!β
Nam gyu raised his hand and blurted out, βWhy do guys have to vote? It's lame to have guys vote.β
βNam gyu β¦,β Mrs. Se-mi warned.
βSeriously! What are we supposed to do? Vote for our friends or our enemies?β
A lot of people snickered, and Mrs. Se-mi scowled, but he had a point. Twenty of the school's eighth-grade boys would be made to pack a picnic lunch for two and be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
βBeing a basket boy is an honourββ Mrs. Se-mi began, but she was interrupted by Nam gyu.
βIt's a joke!β he said. βIt's embarrassing! Who wants to be a basket boy?β
All the guys around him muttered, βNot me,β but Mrs. Se-mi cleared her throat and said, βYou should want to be one! It's a tradition that has helped support the school since it was founded. There have been generation after generation of basket boys helping make this campus what it is today. It's why we have flower beds. It's why we have shade trees and a grove of apple trees. Visit another junior high sometime and you'll begin to realise what a little oasis our campus really is.β
βAll this from the sweat and blood of basket boys,β Nam gyu grumbled.
Mrs. Se-mi sighed. βNam gyu, someday when your children go to school here, you'll understand. For now, please just vote for whoever you think will earn a high bid. And class,β she added, βwe're down to nine minutes.β
The room fell quiet. And as I read down the list of over one hundred and fifty eighth-grade boys, I realised that to me, there had only ever been one boy. To me, there had only been Tae-Hyung.
I didn't let myself get sentimental. I had liked him for all the wrong reasons, and I certainly wasn't going to vote for him now. But I didn't know who else to vote for. I looked at Mrs. Se-mi, who was eagle-eyeing the class between glances at the clock. What if I didn't choose anybody? What if I just turned it blank?
She'd give me detention, that's what. So with two minutes left to go, I put dots next to the boys I knew who weren't jerks or clowns, but were just nice.
When I was through, there were all ten names with dots, and of those I circled five: , Soobin, Cha Eun Woo, Jeong Jaehyun, and Kim Yugyeom. They wouldn't make basket boy, but then I wouldn't be bidding, so it didn't really matter. At the bell, I handed over my ballot and forgot all about the auction.
Until lunchtime the next day, that is. Momo cut me off on my way to the library and dragged me over to her table instead. βHave you seen the list?β she asked.
βWhat list?β
βThe list of basket boys!β She shoved a scrawled copy of twenty names in front of me and looked around. βYour main dish is on it!β
Five from the top, there it wasβKim Taehyung.
I should have expected it, but still, this awful surge of possessiveness shot through me. Who had voted for him? Out of one hundred fifty names, he must have gotten a lot of votes!
Suddenly I was picturing a swarm of girls waving stacks of cash in the Booster ladies' faces as they begged to have lunch with him.
I threw the list back at Momo and said, βHe's not my main dish! As a matter of fact, I didn't even vote for him.β
βOooo, boy! You are stickin' to your diet!β
βIt's not a diet, Momo. I'mβ¦I'm over him, okay?β
βI'm glad to hear it, 'cause rumour is, that bimbette Olivia is already staking' her claim on him.β
βOlivia? Olivia Rodrigo?β I could feel my cheeks flush.
βThat's right.β Momo waved her list in the air, calling, βTerry! Yeji! Over here! I've got the list!β
Momo's friends fell all over themselves getting to her, then pored over the paper like it was a treasure map. Hong Yeji cried, βPark Ji hoon on it! He is so cute. I'd go ten bucks on him, easy!β
βAnd Mike's on it, too!β Liz squealed. βThat boy isββ she shivered and giggledββfi-yi-yine!β
Yeji's top lip curled a little and she said, βKim Yugyeom? K.I.M. YU.GY.EO.MMM? How did he get on this list?β
For a moment I couldn't believe my ears. I snatched the paper out of Yeji's hand. βAre you sure?β
βRight there,β she said, pointing to his name. βWho do you suppose voted for him?β
βThe quiet girls, I guess,β Momo said. βMe, I'm more interested in Ni-Ki. Have I got any competition?β
Yeji laughed, βIf you're in, I'm out!β
βMe too,β said Terry.
βHow about you, Kookie?β Momo asked me. βBringin' spare change on Friday?β
βNo!β
βYou get to miss the second half of schoolβ¦.β
βNo! I'm not bidding. Not on anyone!β
She laughed. βGood for you.β
That afternoon I rode home from school brooding about Hyung and the whole basket boy auction. I could feel myself backsliding about Hyung. But why should I care if Olivia liked him? I shouldn't even be thinking about him!
When I wasn't thinking about Hyung, I was worrying about poor Kim Yugyeom. He was quiet, and I felt sorry for him, having to clutch a basket and be auctioned off in front of the whole student body. What had I done to him?
But as I bounced up our drive, basket boys bounced right out of my mind.Β
Was that green I saw poking out of the dirt? Yes! Yes, it was! I dropped the bike and got down on my hands and knees.
They were so thin, so small, so far apart! They barely made a difference in the vastness of the black dirt, and yet there they were. Pushing their way through to the afternoon sun.
I ran in the house, calling, βPapa! Papa, there's grass!β
βReally?β He emerged from the bathroom with his cleaning gloves and a pail. βI was wondering if it was ever going to spring up.β
βWell, it has! Come! Come and see!β
He wasn't too impressed at first. But after I made him get down on his hands and knees and really look, he smiled and said, βThey're so delicateβ¦.β
βThey look like they're yawning, don't they?β
He cocked his head a bit and looked a little closer. βYawning?β
βWell, more stretching, I guess. Like they're sitting up in their little bed of dirt with their arms stretched way high, saying, Good morning, world!β
He laughed and said, βYes, they do!β
I got up and uncoiled the hose. βI think they need a wakeup shower, don't you?β
My Papa agreed and left me to my singing and sprinkling. And I was completely lost in the joy of my little green blades of new life when I heard the school bus rumble to a stop on Samcheong-dong street.
Tae-Hyung. His name shot through my brain, and with it came a panic I didn't seem able to control. Before I could stop myself, I dropped the hose and dashed inside.
I locked myself in my room and tried to do my homework. Where was my peace? Where was my resolve? Where was my sanity? Had they left me because Olivia Rodrigo was after him? Was it just some old rivalry making me feel this way? I had to get past Hyung and Olivia. They deserved each otherβlet them have each other!
But in my heart, I knew that just like the new grass, I wasn't strong enough yet to be walked on. And until I was, there was only one solution: I had to stay away from him. I needed to rope him out of my life.
So I closed my ears to the news of basket boys and steered clear of Hyung at school. And when I did happen to run into him, I simply said hello like he was someone I barely even knew.
It was working, too! I was growing stronger by the day. Who cared about auctions and basket boys? I didn't!
Friday morning I got up early, collected what few eggs there were in the coop, watered the front yard, which was by now definitely green, ate breakfast, and got ready for school.
But as I was running a brush through my hair, I couldn't help thinking about Olivia Rodrigo. It was auction day. She'd probably been up since five, making her hair into some impossibly pouffy do.
So what? I told myself. So what? But as I was throwing on my windbreaker, I eyed my money tin and hesitated. What if β¦
No! No-no-no!
I ran to the garage, got my bike, and pushed out of the driveway. And I was in the street and on my way when Mrs. Manoban flew right in my path. βJungkook,β she called, waving her hand through the air. βHere, dear. Take this. I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get it to you. I keep missing you in the mornings.β
I didn't even know how much she owed me. At that moment I didn't care. All I knew was the top bill in her hand was a ten, and it was striking terror in my heart. βMrs. Manoban, please. I β¦I don't want that. You don't have to pay me.β
βNonsense, child! Of course, I'm going to pay you. Here!β she said, and waved it out for me to take.
βNo, really. I β¦I don't want it.β
She wedged it in the pocket of my jeans and said, βWhat utter nonsense. Now go! Go buy yourself a rooster!β Then hurried back up her walkway.
βMrs. Manobanβ¦ Mrs. Manoban?β I called after her. βI don't want a roosterβ¦ !β But she was gone.
All the way to school Mrs. Manoban's money was burning a hole in my pocket and another in my brain. How much was it?
When I got to school, I parked my bike, then broke down and looked. Ten, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. I folded the bills together and slid them back into my pocket. Was it more than Olivia had?
All through the first period I was furious with myself for even thinking about it. All through the second period, I kept my eyes off of Hyung, but oh! It was so hard! I'd never seen him in a tie and cufflinks before!
Then at break, I was at my locker when Olivia Rodrigo appeared out of nowhere. She got right next to me and said, βI hear you're planning to bid on him.β
βWhat?β I took a step back. βWho told you that? I am not!β
βSomeone said they saw you with a whole wad of cash this morning. How much do you have?β
βIt's β¦ it's none of your business. And I'm not bidding, okay? I β¦I don't even like him anymore.β
She laughed, βOh, that'll be the day!β
βIt's true.β I slammed my locker closed. βGo ahead and waste your money on him. I don't care.β
I left her there with her mouth open, which felt even better than getting her in a headlock.
That feeling carried me clear through to eleven o'clock, when the entire student body assembled in the gymnasium. I was not going to bid on Kim Taehyung. No way!
Then the basket boys came out on the stage. Hyung looked so adorable holding a picnic basket with red-and-white-checked napkins peeking out from either side, and the thought of Olivia Rodrigo flipping one of those napkins into her lap nearly made the bills in my pocket burst into flames.
Momo came up behind me and whispered, βRumour is you've got a wad of cash. Is that true?β
βWhat? No! I mean, yes, but I β¦ I'm not bidding.β
βOooo, boy, look at you. You feelin' alright?β
I wasn't. I felt sick to my stomach and shaky in my knees. βI'm fine,β I told her. βFine.β
She looked from me to the stage and back to me. βYou got nothin' to lose but your self-respect.β
βStop it!β I whispered to her fiercely. It felt like I was having a panic attack. I couldn't breathe. I felt light-headed and wobblyβlike I wasn't in control of my own body.
Momo said, βMaybe you should sit down.β
βI'm fine, Momo, I'm fine.β
She frowned at me. βI think I'll stick around to make sure.β
The Booster Club president, Mrs. Tzuyu, had been fluttering around the basket boys, fixing ties and giving them last-minute instructions, but now suddenly she was slamming her gavel on the podium, calling into the microphone, βIf you'll all settle down, we're ready to begin.β
I'd never seen six hundred kids quiet down so fast. I guess Mrs. Tzuyu hadn't either, because she smiled and said, βWhy, thank you. Thank you very much.β Then she said, βAnd welcome to the fifty-second annual Basket Boy Auction! I know that your teachers have gone over the procedures with you in the homeroom, but I've been asked to remind you of a few things: This is a civilised proceeding. No whistling, catcalls, or other degrading behaviour will be tolerated. If you wish to place a bid, you must raise your hand high. Bidding without raising your hand is prohibited, and should you decide to be a funny guy, you will be caught and detained or suspended. Are we all clear on that? Good.β She looked from one side of the gym to the other. βTeachers, I see that you are in a position.β
Six hundred heads turned slowly from side to side, looking at the blockade of teachers on either side of the gym.
βMan,β Momo whispered, βthey're not leaving much room for fun, are they?β
Mrs. Tzuyu continued, βMinimum bid is ten dollars, and of course, the sky's the limit, but we don't accept IOUs.β She pointed to her right. βWinning bidders should go directly to the table at the north door when I declare the basket to be sold. And as you're aware, winners and their basket boys have the rest of the school day off and are exempt from tonight's homework in all classes.β She smiled out at the blockade. βTeachers, we appreciate your support on this.β
βAll right, then!β She put on her reading glasses and looked at a three-by-five card. βOur first basket has been brought by Fort Thitipong.β She looked over her glasses at him and said, βCome on up, Fort. Don't be shy!β He inched forward as she continued. βFort has brought a scrumptious lunch consisting of chicken salad sandwiches, oriental noodles, baby grapes, iced tea, and fortune cookies.β She smiled at him over her glasses. βSounds delicious, and sounds like fun! Which,β she said, looking back at the crowd, βFort is! He enjoys skateboarding, skiing, and swimming, but ladies, he also enjoys a day in the park and watching Humphrey Bogart movies.β She turned to him and grinned. βThey are a kick, aren't they?β
Poor Fort tried to smile, but you could tellβhe wanted to die.
βAll right, then,β said Mrs. Tzuyu as she whipped off her glasses. βDo I hear ten?β
Not only did she hear ten, she heard twelve, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five, too! βGoing β¦ going β¦ gone!β cried Mrs. Tzuyu. βTo the young Boy in the purple outfit!β
βWho is that?β I asked Momo.
βI think his name's Peat,β she said. βHe's a seventh grader.β
βReally? Wow. I would never have bid last year! And I β¦I don't remember bids going up that high, either.β
Momo eyed me. βWhich tells me that maybe you would bid this year? How much did you get?β
I looked at her and almost dissolved right on the spot. βMomo, I didn't bring money on purpose! My neighbour made me take it on the way to school because she owed it to me for eggs andββ
βFor eggs? Oh, like Tae-hyung was talking about in the library?β
βExactly, andββ I looked at her looking at me and stopped cold.
βHow can you even think about bidding on that boy?β
βI don't want to! But I've liked him for so long. Momo, I've liked him since I was seven. And even though I know he's a coward and a sneak and I should never speak to him again, I'm having trouble focusing on that. Especially since Olivia Rodrigo is after him. And now I've got this money burning a hole in my pocket!β
βWell, I can understand the bit about Olivia Stalls, but if you know that boy's just a big piece of fluffy cheesecake that you're gonna regret eating, I can help you with your diet.β She put out her hand. βGive me the money. I'll hold it for you.β
βNo!β
βNo?β
βI meanβ¦I can handle this. I've got to handle it.β
She shook her head. βOh, boy. I'm hurting for you here.β
I looked back at the stage. The auction was happening so fast! They'd be at Hyung in no time. As the bidding continued, the battle in my head got louder and fiercer. What was I going to do?
Then suddenly the gym fell quiet. You could have heard a pin drop. And standing next to Mrs. Tzuyu looking completely mortified was Kim Yugyeom. Mrs. Tzuyu was scouring the crowd with her eyes, looking very uncomfortable, too.
βWhat happened?β I whispered to Momo.
βNo one's bidding,β she whispered back.
βDo I hear ten?β called Mrs. Tzuyu. βCome on, out there! This lunch is delicious. Strawberry tarts, roast beef and Muenster cheese sandwiches β¦β
βOh, no!β I whispered to Momo. βI can't believe I did this to him!β
βYou? What did you do?β
βI voted for him!β
βWell, you couldn't have been the only oneβ¦.β
βBut why isn't anyone bidding on him? He's β¦ he's so nice.β
Momo nodded. βExactly.β
That's when I realised what I had to do. My hand shot into the air and I called, βTen!β
βTen?β warbled Mrs. Tzuyu. βDid I hear ten?β
I put my hand up higher and said to Momo, βSay twelve.β
βWhat?β
βSay twelve, I'll outbid you.β
βNo way!β
βMomo! He can't go for ten, c'mon!β
βTwelve!β Momo called, but her hand didn't go up very high.
βFifteen!β I cried.
βSixteen!β called Momo, and eyed me with a laugh.
I whispered, βMomo! I've only got fifteen.β
Her eyes got enormous.
I laughed and called, βEighteen!β then held her arm down and said, βBut that really is all I've got.β
There was a moment of silence and then, βEighteen going once! Eighteen going twice β¦ Sold! for eighteen dollars.β
Momo laughed and said, βWhoa, Boy! What a rush!β
I nodded. βYes, it was!β
βWell, no dessert for you. Looks like you got cleaned out by something a little more β¦uhβ¦ nutritious.β She nodded toward the stage. βYou gonna go up to the table like you're supposed to? Or you gonna stick around and see the carnage?β
I almost didn't have a choice. Before Mrs. Tzuyu could say two words about Hyung or his basket, Olivia called, βTen!β Then from the middle of the gym came βTwenty!β It was Jang Wonyoung, with her hand way up in the air. They went back and forth, back and forth, higher and higher, until Olivia called, βSixty-two!β
βI can't believe it,β I whispered to Momo. βSixty-two dollars! C'mon, Wonyoung, come on.β
βI think she's out. Olivia's got it.β
βSixty-two dollars going at once!β cried Mrs. Tzuyu, but before she could say, Going twice! A voice from the back of the gym called, βA hundred!β
Everyone gasped and turned around to see who had called the bid. Momo whispered, βIt's Billie.β
βEilish?β I asked.
Momo pointed. βRight over there.β
She was easy to spot, standing tall above the others in the number-seven basketball jersey she almost always wore. βWow,β I whispered, βI had no idea.β
βMaybe she'll slam-dunk him for you,β Momo said with a grin.
βWho cares?β I giggled. βShe slam-dunked Olivia!β
Mrs. Tzuyu was gushing into the microphone about the record-breaking bid when a big commotion broke out over Wonyoung. I spotted Olivia's hair, and my first thought was that there was going to be a fight. But instead, Olivia and Wonyoung turned to face Mrs. Tzuyu and shouts, βOne-twenty-two fifty!β
I choked down a cry. βWhat?β
βThey're teaming up,β Momo whispered.
βOh, no-no-no!β I looked over Billie's way. βCome on, Billie!β
Momo shook her head and said, βShe's through,β and she was. Taehyung went to Olivia and Wonyoung for one hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents.
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It was a little strange, meeting up with Yugyeom and walking over to the multi-purpose room for lunch. But he was just so nice, and I think grateful that I'd bid, that by the time we got situated at our table, I wasn't feeling so awkward or silly. It was just lunch.
Things would have been easier if they hadn't seated me in direct view of Hyung and his little harem, but I did my best to ignore them. Yugy told me all about this radio-controlled aeroplane that he and his dad were building from scratch, and how he'd been working on it for nearly three months, and that over the weekend they were finally going to get to try it out. He told me a funny story about soldering the wires wrong and practically starting a fire in their basement, and I asked him about how a radio-controlled airplane works because I didn't really understand it.
So I'd relaxed a lot and was actually having a good time eating lunch with Yugy. And I was so relieved that I hadn't bid on Hyung. What a fool I would have made of myself! Watching Olivia and Wonyoung fawning all over him didn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would. Really, they looked ridiculous.
Yugy asked about my family, so I was telling him about my brothers and their band when a huge commotion broke out at Hyung's table. Suddenly Olivia and Wonyoung were rolling on the floor like an enormous furball, smearing each other with food.
Out of nowhere, Hyung appeared at our table. He grabbed my hand, pulled me a few feet away, and whispered, βDo you like him?β
I was stunned.
He held my other hand and asked again, βDo you like him?β
βYou mean Yugy?β
βYes!β
I can't remember what I said. He was looking into my eyes, holding my hands tight, and then he began pulling me toward him. My heart was racing and his eyes were closing and his face was coming toward mineβ¦. Right there, in front of all the other basket boys and their dates and the adults, he was going to kiss me.
To kiss me.
I panicked. I'd been waiting all my life for that kiss, and now?
I yanked free and ran back to my table, and when I sat down Yugy whispered, βDid he just try to kiss you?β
I turned my chair away from Hyung and whispered, βCan we please talk about something else? Anything else?β
People were whispering and looking my way, and when Olivia came back from cleaning up in the washroom, everyone fell quiet. Her hair looked awful. It was sort of oiled to her scalp and still had little chunks of food in it. She glared at me so hard it looked like she was trying to get laser beams to shoot from her eyes.
A couple of adults steered her back to her seat, and then everyone started whispering double-speed. And Hyung didn't even seem to care! He kept trying to come over and talk to me, but either he'd get intercepted by a teacher or I'd dash away from him before he had a chance to say anything.
When the dismissal bell finally rang, I said a quick goodbye to Yugy and bolted out the door. I couldn't reach my bike fast enough! I was the first one off campus, and I pedalled home so hard it felt as though my lungs would burst.
Mrs. Manoban was out front watering her flower bed and she tried to say something to me, but I just dropped my bike in the driveway and escaped into the house. I certainly didn't want to talk about roosters!
My Papa heard me slamming doors and came to check on me in my room. βJungkook! What's wrong?β
I flipped over on my bed to face him and wailed, βI am so confused! I don't know what to think or feel or doβ¦!β
He sat down beside me on the bed and stroked my hair. βTell me what happened, sweetheart.β
I hesitated, then threw my hands up in the air. βHe tried to kiss me!β
My Papa struggled not to let it show, but underneath his composed expression was a growing smile. He leaned in a little and asked, βWho did?β
βTaehyung!β
He hesitated. βBut you've always liked himβ¦.β
The doorbell rang. And rang again. My Papa started to get up, but I grabbed his arm and said, βDon't get that!β The bell rang again, and almost right after that, there was a loud knocking at the door. βPaa, please! Don't get it. That's probably him!β
βBut sweetheartβ¦β
βI was over him! Completely over him!β
βSince when?β
βSince last Friday. After dinner. If he had vanished from the face of the earth after our dinner at the Kims', I wouldn't have cared!β
βWhy? Did something happen at the dinner that I don't know about?β
I threw myself back onto my pillow and said, βIt's too complicated, Paa! I β¦I just can't talk about it.β
βMy,β he said after a moment. βDon't you sound like a teenager?β
βI'm sorry,β I whimpered, because I knew I was hurting his feelings. I sat up and said, βPa, all those years I liked him? I never really knew him. All I knew was that he had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen and that his smile melts my heart like the sun melts butter. But now I know that inside he's a coward and a sneak, so I've got to get over what he's like on the outside!β
My Papa leaned back and crossed his arms. βWell,β he said. βIsn't this something?β
βWhat do you mean?β
He chewed the side of one cheek, then moved over to chew the other. At last, he said, βI shouldn't really discuss it.β
βWhy not?β
βBecause β¦I just shouldn't. Besides, I can tell there are things you don't feel comfortable discussing with meβ¦.β
We stared at each other for a moment, neither of us saying a word. Finally, I looked down and whispered, βWhen Hobi and I were fixing up the yard, I told him how we didn't own the house and about Uncle Woozi. He must have told the rest of the family, because the day before the Kims' dinner party I overheard Hyung and his friend making cracks about Uncle Woozi at school. I was furious, but I didn't want you to know because you'd think they were only inviting us over because they felt sorry for us.β I looked at him and said, βYou just seemed so happy about being invited for dinner.β Then I realised something. βAnd you know, you've seemed happier ever since.β
He held my hand and smiled. βI have a lot to be happy about.β Then he sighed and said, βAnd I already knew they knew about Uncle Woozi. It was fine that you talked about him. He's not a secret or anything.β
I sat up a little. βWait β¦ how did you know?β
βJin-Hyung told me.β
I blinked at him. βHe did? Before dinner?β
βNo, no. After.β He hesitated, then said, βJin-Hyung's been over several times this week. he'sβ¦he's going through a very rough time.β
βHow come?β
Papa let out a deep breath and said, βI think you're mature enough to keep this inside these four walls, and I'm only telling you because β¦ because I think it's relevant.β
I held my breath and waited.
βJin and Joon Hyung have been having ferocious fights lately.β
βMr. and Mr. Kim? What about?β
Papa sighed. βAbout everything, it seems.β
βI don't understand.β
Very quietly my Papa said, βFor the first time in his life, Jin-Hyung is seeing his husband for what he is. It's twenty years and two children late, but that's what he's (Jin) doing.β He gave me a sad smile. βJin-Hyung seems to be going through the same thing you are.β
The phone rang and Papa said, βLet me get that, okay? Your Appa said he'd call if he was working overtime, and that's probably him.β
While he was gone, I remembered what Hobi had said about someone he knew who had never learned to look beneath the surface. Had he been talking about his own Son? And how could this happen to him (Jin) after twenty years of marriage?
When my Papa came back, I absently asked, βIs Appa working late?β
βThat wasn't Appa, sweetheart. It was Taehyung.β
I sat straight up. βNow he's calling? I have lived across the street from him for six years and he's never once called me! Is he doing this because he's jealous?β
βJealous? Of whom?β
So I gave him the blow-by-blow, beginning with Mrs. Manoban, going clear through Momo, the auction, the furball fight, and ending with Tae-Hyung trying to kiss me in front of everybody.
He clapped his hands and positively giggled.
βPaa, it's not funny!β
He tried to straighten up. βI know, sweetheart, I know.β
βI don't want to wind up like Uncle Jin!β
βYou don't have to marry the boy, Koo Koo-ah. Why don't you just listen to what he has to say? He sounded desperate to talk to you.β
βWhat could he possibly have to say? He's already tried to blame Wooshik Hyung for what he said about Uncle Woozi, and I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. He's lied to me, he hasn't stood up for me β¦ he's β¦ he's nobody that I want to like. I just need some time to get over all those years of having liked him.β
Papa sat there for the longest time, biting his cheek. Then he said, βPeople do change, you know. Maybe he's had some revelations lately, too. And frankly, any boy who tries to kiss a boy in front of a room full of other kids does not sound like a coward to me.β He stroked my hair and whispered, βMaybe there's more to Kim Taehyung than you know.β
Then he left me alone with my thoughts.
β’
π³ππ³
β’
My Papa knew I needed time to think, but Hyung wouldn't leave me alone. He kept calling on the phone and knocking on the door. He even snuck around the house and tapped on my window! Every time I turned around, there he was, pestering me.
I wanted to be able to water the yard in peace. I didn't have to avoid him at school or have Momo run block for me. Why didn't he understand that I wasn't interested in what he had to say? What could he possibly have to say?
Was it so much to ask just to be left alone?
Then this afternoon I was reading a book in the front room with the curtains drawn, hiding from him as I had all week, when I heard a noise in the yard. I peeked outside and there was Hyung, walking across my grass. Stomping all over my grass! And he was carrying a spade! What was he planning to do with that?
I flew off the couch and yanked open the door and ran right into my Appa. βStop him!β I cried.
βCalm down, Jungkookie,β he said, and eased me back inside. βI gave him permission.β
βPermission! Permission to do what?β I flew back to the window. βHe's digging a hole.β
βThat's right. I told him he could.β
βBut why?β
βI think the boy has a very good idea, that's why.β
βButββ
βIt's not going to kill your grass, kookie. Just let him do what he's come to do.β
βBut what is it? What's he doing?β
βWatch. You'll figure it out.β
It was torture seeing him dig up my grass. The hole he was making was enormous! How could my Appa let him do this to my yard?
Hyung knew I was there, too, because he looked at me once and nodded. No smile, no wave, just a nod.
He dragged over some potting soil, pierced the bag with the spade, and shovelled dirt into the hole. Then he disappeared. And when he came back, he wrestled a big burlapped root ball across the lawn, the branches of a plant rustling back and forth as he moved.
My Appa joined me on the couch and peeked out the window, too.
βA tree?β I whispered. βHe's planting a tree?β
βI'd help him, but he says he has to do this himself.β
βIs it aβ¦β The words stuck in my throat.
I didn't really need to ask, though, and he knew he didn't need to answer. I could tell from the shape of the leaves, from the texture of the trunk. This was a sycamore tree.
I flipped around on the couch and just sat.
π ππ²πππ¦π¨π«π ππ«ππ!
Hyung finished planting the tree, watered it, cleaned everything up, and then went home. And I just sat there, not knowing what to do.
I've been sitting here for hours now, just staring out the window at the tree. It may be little now, but it'll grow, day by day. And a hundred years from now it'll reach clear over the rooftops. It'll be miles in the air! Already I can tellβit's going to be an amazing, magnificent tree.
And I can't help wondering, a hundred years from now will a kid climb it the way I climbed the one up on Samcheong-dong Street? Will they see the things I did? Will they feel the way I did?
Will it change their life the way it changed mine?
I also can't stop wondering about Tae-Hyung. What has he been trying to tell me? What's he thinking about?
I know he's home because he looks out his window from time to time. A little while ago he put his hand up and waved. And I couldn't help itβI gave a little wave back.
So maybe I should go over there and thank him for the tree. Maybe we could sit on the porch and talk. It just occurred to me that in all the years we've known each other, we've never done that. Never really talked.
Maybe my Papa's right. Maybe there is more to Kim Taehyung than I know.
Maybe it's time to meet him in the proper light.