Mid-February brought the kindergarten graduation ceremony.
The kindergarten only had a week-long break, so I'd been able to keep seeing Seol, but even that might end today.
After today's graduation, Seol and I would become elementary schoolers.
And once we started elementary school, we might end up in different classes.
Kindergarten didn't have that many kids, so all the ones our age could fit in one class, but school was different.
Seol's voice snapped me out of my wandering thoughts.
"Haneul."
"Yeah, Seol?"
"Am I okay?"
Seol was wearing a graduation cap and robe, looking adorably doll-like.
"Yeah, you're cute."
"...Phew."
Guess she was a girl through and through. Worrying about her looks proved it.
A funny idea popped into my head, and I felt like teasing her a bit, so I threw the same question back at her.
"How do I look?"
I figured Seol would give me an honest answer, and then I could pretend to be hurt and fake some tears.
But Seol was far kinder and more socially adept than I'd given her credit for.
"...Cool."
"Huh? Cool?"
"Yeah..."
She was even willing to say something she didn't mean.
"...Thanks."
Seol nodded at my reply, totally casual about it.
I'd clearly underestimated my little Seol.
With skills like that, she could probably thrive in society—top tier, even. She'd do just fine in elementary school, too.
Come to think of it, the novel described Seol as having friends before transferring to the protagonist's middle school.
Maybe I'd been too overprotective. That thought made me a little anxious.
But that anxiety vanished into thin air.
Why, you ask?
Because something happened right then that I needed to worry about instead.
"Sonny~"
That innocent voice made me turn around.
There stood Mom and Dad, beaming brightly.
"Haneul...?"
"It's Mom and Dad."
It was embarrassing how over-the-top affectionate they were, but it made me happy, too.
Having parents who adored me like this.
Still, those feelings couldn't drown out my worry.
Mom and Dad knew about Seol from the teddy bear story.
And today was the first time they were meeting her.
If they hit Seol—max-level shy—with their signature parent gushiness, she might cry or run away.
For Seol's sake, I tried to separate her from my parents.
"Seol, wanna go hang out with your parents if they're okay with it? Or somewhere else?"
"Why?"
Seol asks me "why" a lot.
I usually came up with some plausible excuse, but today, nothing came to mind.
I fumbled and couldn't answer...
So Seol took the initiative and approached Mom and Dad first.
And then, something utterly unbelievable happened.
"...Hello."
Seol had greeted my stranger parents first.
Yes, that Seol.
The ultra-wary squirrel Seol.
Unlike my fears, Mom responded to Seol with a warm smile and a gentle question.
"Oh~ Hello~ Are you Seol?"
"Yes..."
"Thanks for being such good friends with our Haneul~ Take care of him from now on, too, okay?"
"Yes...!"
Mom grinned even wider at Seol's nod and turned to Dad.
"Honey, should we have a daughter? Seeing Seol makes me want one."
"I'd love a daughter, too... Son, you cool with a little sister?"
Mom, Dad—what kind of talk is that in front of kids?
If I were actually innocent, maybe, but inside, I'm a 23-year-old army vet.
Please don't say stuff like that around me.
"Seol, where are your parents?"
"They haven't come yet..."
"I see. Wanna hang with us until they get here?"
"Yes...!"
Seol nodded vigorously and trotted over to Mom and Dad like it was natural.
No choice—I hurried after her.
*
Seol and Mom chatted away like mother and daughter.
Seol was stuttering a bit but talking without her usual shyness to our mom, who was being incredibly kind and gentle in return.
It was some next-level communication skill.
Watching them, Dad spoke up in his sly voice.
"Son, you didn't tell Mom and Dad about such a pretty girlfriend?"
"She's not my girlfriend. Just a friend."
"Seol seems to like you, though?"
I glanced at Seol.
She was too busy chatting with Mom to even look my way.
"No way."
"No way, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Doesn't look that way to me~"
Watching Dad tease me, I could see exactly how he landed Mom.
Their vibes matched perfectly.
"That teddy bear you asked for to give her?"
"Yeah."
"Guys usually give those to girlfriends."
"Really?"
"Obviously~ Who gives teddies to girls they don't like?"
"Did you give one to a girl, Dad?"
Dad thought for a sec, then nodded.
"Obviously."
"Mom, he says so himself."
Mom looked at Dad with a sly smile.
There was a glint of murder in her eyes.
"Honey, wait."
"Who was the girl who got that teddy~?"
"Honey, it's you! Honey...! That was for you...!"
Dad started backpedaling, and Mom unleashed 90% teasing fury on him.
"What girl could it be~? Hmm~?"
"You, honeyyy! That teddy's still at home...!"
Mom burst into laughter at Dad's panic, while Seol, looking awkward, whispered to me.
"Haneul."
"Yeah."
"I... I won't get mad like that...!"
"Huh? Uh... yeah, good for you."
Seol beamed at my response.
Her smile really was dozens of times cuter than normal.
Just seeing it made me grin.
Then a voice called out.
"Seol~"
Seol looked around at the sound, hopped down from her chair, and ran toward it.
"Mommmmy!"
Seol dashed to her parents, and out of politeness, I stood and walked over.
"Hello."
"You must be Haneul?"
"Yes."
"I've heard so much about you from Seol. Thanks for looking after her."
Unlike my mom, she had a soft, gentle vibe.
Not bubbly, but plenty warm.
Then our parents exchanged greetings.
"Hello~ I'm Haneul's mom~"
"I'm Seol's mom~ Nice to meet you~"
Watching them shake hands firmly, I couldn't shake the feeling of adult pleasantries laced with formality.
"Let's grab a meal sometime~"
"Sounds great~"
The classic K-promise. Perfect.
One thing I overlooked: adults and parents might say the same words but mean different things.
After the ceremony, both sets of parents decided we families should all have lunch together.
*
"Sis, is Seol an only child, too?"
"Yeah. Haneul is, too~"
"We had him right at twenty..."
"Nice~ Having them young is the way to go~"
"You're still young yourself, sis~"
My mom and Seol's mom were already calling each other sis, besties in no time...
"Wooju, you into sports?"
"I like soccer."
"Oh, me too. Got a favorite team?"
"Manchester Reds."
"Red Devils fan here! Wanna do a dads' outing sometime?"
"Hyung~ Count me in~"
My dad and Seol's dad were bonding over soccer, calling each other bro already.
Seol just stuck close to my side amid it all.
Then the pork cutlets arrived—mine and Seol's.
Seol's eyes sparkled at hers, so I grabbed a fork and knife and started cutting it up for her.
My arms weren't weak; it sliced slowly but surely.
"Haneul?"
"Hold on... There! All cut. Eat up."
"...Thanks."
I handed back the utensils and started on mine.
By the time I looked up, both sets of parents were staring at me.
"Haneul takes such good care of Seol~"
"Our boy~ So thoughtful~"
"That's why Seol's always talking about Haneul at home~"
"Son, already pampering your future wife?"
I shook my head furiously, protesting, but they took it as shy denial.
No, really—not what I meant.
Not at all.