“Sometimes you don’t notice your world changing until you compare it to who you used to be.”
The bus ride home was quieter than usual.
Not because anyone was tired of talking.
Because they were tired from laughing.
Heosok leaned back in his seat.
“…I still think that roller coaster was trying to kill me.”
Jisoo looked out the window.
“It almost succeeded.”
“You have no sympathy.”
“I have plenty.”
“…Just not for you.”
Jiwoo couldn’t stop laughing.
“You two are impossible.”
“We’ve been told.”
Heosok replied proudly.
A few seats behind them…
Yongi looked out the window.
Zaizai quietly sat beside him.
Neither of them spoke.
After a while…
Zaizai looked outside too.
“…Today was nice.”
Yongi nodded.
“…It was.”
A few seconds passed.
Then he quietly added,
“…I’m glad I didn’t read my book.”
Zaizai looked at him.
A small smile appeared on her face.
“So am I.”
Nothing more was said.
They didn’t need to say anything else.
When the bus stopped…
Everyone climbed off together.
The evening sky had turned orange.
The streets looked peaceful.hey walked together in silence.
Nobody knew what to say.
Heosok suddenly stopped.
“…I have a question.”
Jisoo looked at him.
“What?”
“Why does everyone keep saying I’m emotionally unstable?”
Jisoo answered immediately.
“Because you are.”
“I’m not.”
“You argued with a vending machine yesterday.”
“It stole my money.”
“You put your hand inside it.”
“I was negotiating.”
Yongi looked up from his book.
“…That was technically attempted theft.”
Heosok stared at him.
“Whose side are you on?”
“The vending machine’s.”
Jiwoo suddenly burst out laughing.
Zaizai covered her mouth.
Even Jeheon couldn’t hold it anymore.
Heosok looked around at them.
“…I hate all of you.”
Jisoo smiled.
“No, you don’t.”
He sighed.
“…Unfortunately.”
Heosok stretched.
“So…”
“Same time tomorrow?”
Jisoo stared at him.
“…School.”
He blinked.
“Oh.”
“…Right.”
Jiwoo laughed.
“I forgot too.”
“You forgot because you’re Jiwoo.”
Jisoo replied.
“Fair.”
The group slowly separated at each street.
“See you tomorrow!”
“Don’t be late.”
“I won’t.”
“He’s lying.”
“I heard that.”
“You were supposed to.”
One by one…
They disappeared toward their homes.
Until only Jeheon remained.
Dong was watering the small plants outside the house.
He looked up.
“You’re back.”
Jeheon nodded.
“…Yeah.”
Dong smiled.
“So…”
“How was it?”
Jeheon stood quietly for a moment.
He looked down at the ticket still in his hand.
Then…
A small smile appeared.
“…I had fun.”
Dong laughed softly.
“I can tell.”
Jeheon looked confused.
“How?”
Dong pointed toward him.
“…You’ve been smiling since you walked through the gate.”
Without realizing it…
Jeheon touched his own face.
The smile was still there.
“…Oh.”
He hadn’t even noticed.
That night…
Jeheon sat by his bedroom window.
The room was quiet.
On the desk…
Lay the amusement park ticket.
He picked it up.
Turned it over in his fingers.
Then carefully placed it inside one of his notebooks.
Not because it was valuable.
Because he wanted to remember today.
He looked out at the night sky.
Only a few weeks ago…
He used to eat dinner alone.
Walk home alone.
Laugh alone.
Now…
Someone always saved him a seat.
Someone always waited for him after class.
Someone always said,
“See you tomorrow.”
He smiled.
Very quietly.
“…Goodnight.”
There was no one in the room to hear him.
But somehow…
The silence didn’t feel lonely anymore.
Across town…
A black car stood beneath a streetlight.
Inside…
The same man watched a photograph.
Not of the seven friends.
Not of Hanyoung High School.
But of two small boys.
Standing side by side.
Identical.
The edges of the photograph were worn with age.
The man folded it carefully.
Then made another phone call.
A calm voice answered.
“Report.”
The man looked toward the night sky.
“…The boy is smiling more Now.”
A pause.
Then the voice replied,
“…Keep watching until he…”
The call ended.
The car drove away.