“It’s already August. Are you having a good vacation?”
“Yeah, you’ve been having a good time too, right, Hee-ae?”
“Of course I’ve been having a good time.”
Vacation passed by quickly, and today was already the day of our appointment. Hee-ae, who had grown noticeably taller during vacation, led the way and pointed at a store.
“I even did research, you know? Let’s go there first.”
“You even did research?”
Hee-ae smiled and walked while holding my arm. Hee-ae seemed so happy that each step felt light.
“What did you do during vacation?”
Right, what did I do during vacation? Surprisingly, I did nothing. When I came to my senses, it was August and the appointment date had arrived.
“It passed by so quickly that I’m not really sure. What did you do during vacation, Hee-ae?”
“I didn’t really do much either. Oh, I went to the library.”
The library, how diligent unlike me. I made an impressed expression. Hee-ae seemed embarrassed and shook his head while covering his face.
“I didn’t do anything else. Let’s hurry inside.”
“What kind of place is it?”
“Just a restaurant.”
As expected, he starts by feeding me first, that’s so like Hee-ae. Hee-ae confidently opened the store door and went in.
***
While we were going around playing here and there, the sky gradually began to cloud over. Just when I had an ominous feeling, water droplets fell from the sky.
“I think it’s going to rain. Is it a shower?”
Hee-ae wiped his face that had been splashed with droplets. Not long after, it began to rain. It was a heavy shower. I looked at the sky and said.
“It really seems like a shower is coming down.”
“Let’s run.”
Hee-ae grabbed my wrist and ran. We headed toward a pavilion at a nearby playground. The rain poured down heavily, blocking our view.
After entering the pavilion, we caught our breath. Hee-ae let go of my wrist and complained.
“Why did a shower have to come today of all days?”
Hee-ae made a tearful face. I sat down in the pavilion and reached my hand out to the falling raindrops. The cold stream of rain hit my hand.
“I know, right?”
At my answer, Hee-ae made a disappointed expression. I withdrew my hand that I had stretched outside. And feeling the raindrops flowing down, I said.
“We really ran fast just now. We probably ran at the fastest speed so far.”
I finished speaking and laughed. I’m still out of breath from how much we ran. I wiped the water flowing down my face. Hee-ae stared at me blankly, then belatedly laughed along and turned his gaze elsewhere.
“Even though we ran fast, we got all wet. Your clothes got wet too, Shi-dan.”
“They’ll dry soon.”
I answered while shaking off my clothes. It was a mistake to wear thin clothes because it was hot. Hee-ae also shook off his wet clothes and hair. He looked at the pouring shower and said.
“It rained before too and we ran together to the cafeteria.”
“Right, I remember that time.”
When I chimed in, Hee-ae laughed. He’s been smiling a lot more. Hee-ae was also wet from the rain, with water droplets falling from his hair.
“Of course, now we’re wetter than then and the rain is heavier too.”
Hee-ae agreed with my words. Raindrops that splashed into the pavilion touched my bare arms. Cold and chilly. I sat close to Hee-ae in the cool air.
“I think it’ll pass soon. Let’s just stay like this for a bit.”
Hee-ae said while sitting comfortably in the pavilion. I watched the falling rain. The sound of rain is always nice to hear.
“Staying like this isn’t bad either, right?”
“Right.”
I nodded. The thick raindrops gradually became thinner. The heat subsided considerably with the cold raindrops.
I’m cold from getting caught in the rain out of nowhere. It’s funny to be cold in summer. It would have been better if the weather was muggy, but suddenly it got cool and it’s chaotic. I’m going to catch a cold in midsummer. When I trembled slightly, Hee-ae stopped watching the rain and turned around.
“Are you cold? What if you catch a cold?”
Hee-ae grabbed my arm worriedly. After touching my arm for a moment, he said.
“Your arm is cold. You’re really going to catch a cold.”
Hee-ae stepped out of the pavilion while getting hit by the thinning rain. He shouted while blocking the falling rain with his hand.
“I’ll be back quickly.”
“It’s raining, where are you going? You’ll catch a cold too.”
Smiling and shaking his head gently, Hee-ae ran into the rain. I tried to grab and stop Hee-ae, but he was too fast so I couldn’t even catch him.
“Where are you going?”
I ended up even shouting. Hee-ae looked back for a moment and said loudly.
“Just wait for a bit.”
Then he ran away again and disappeared. I let down my hand that I had been about to grab Hee-ae with, feeling deflated. What if I’m fine but Hee-ae catches a cold instead from doing that? I was worried.
How much time had passed since then? The stream of rain had clearly thinned. I thought it would stop soon. When on earth will Hee-ae come? I’m at a loss.
“Shi-dan!”
A little later, Hee-ae came running from afar, waving his hand. I urgently ran over and checked on Hee-ae. Hee-ae made an awkward expression at my worried face.
“I’m fine. I thought you’d feel better if you ate something warm, so I bought it.”
“Hee-ae, what were you going to do if you caught a cold?”
“Shi-dan, you’re already on the verge of catching one.”
I was at a loss for words. Hee-ae led me and sat down in the pavilion again. He handed me job’s tears tea that had been warmed up. Did he buy it from a convenience store? But since when did convenience stores sell job’s tears tea? I received the job’s tears tea and thanked him.
“Thank you.”
Hee-ae smiled at my thanks. I shook off Hee-ae’s wet hair. With reddened ears, Hee-ae drank his job’s tears tea.
“I’m worried, so next time don’t just run into the rain, okay?”
I’m worried—Hee-ae muttered along. He fidgeted with his hands.
“You were worried. Still, I had no choice.”
Quite stubborn. The job’s tears tea in my hand was warm. Feeling that warmth, I took a sip of the job’s tears tea.
“Still, really, thank you.”
I said once more while looking at the ground where rainwater was starting to pool. The rain gradually stopped.
“The rain stopped now.”
As soon as the rain stopped, I went outside the pavilion. The weather became muggy again and the wet clothes gradually dried. I turned my head while covering my mouth as a sneeze came out.
“Achoo.”
“You’re sneezing.”
Hee-ae said this won’t do and gently grabbed my wrist, heading somewhere.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ll take you home. Let’s stop playing today. Go home quickly and rest well.”
Hee-ae seemed to have prepared a lot, so it would be disappointing if I went home first. I grabbed Hee-ae’s shoulder and tried to persuade him.
“You were really looking forward to this appointment too, Hee-ae.”
“That’s true, but you don’t look well. We can meet later, so go home first today.”
I tried to refute but consecutive sneezes interfered. Hee-ae said “See?” and walked faster.
“Go quickly and rest well. You must.”
Hee-ae urged me as he walked me home. I must have had signs of a cold, because as soon as I got home, I slept deeply.
***
“Hello?”
I answered the phone and coughed lightly. I got caught in the rain for just a bit and I’m coughing, it’s ridiculous. Cho-yeon must have heard the cough because he asked.
[Did you catch a cold? In this midsummer?]
“I got caught in a shower.”
[Why are you going around getting rained on? And catching a cold.]
Even though he talks like that, it’s a worried tone. I answered while lying on the blanket.
“It’s not severe.”
[That’s something to brag about. Hang up and rest.]
“Okay. Thanks.”
As soon as I hung up, a text came from Hee-ae. I checked Hee-ae’s message.
[Hee-ae][3:21 PM] Is your body okay? I heard citron tea is good for colds, should I bring some?
I was about to answer that I was fine, but another text came from Hee-ae.
[Hee-ae][3:22 PM] I’ll leave it in front of the gate.
As soon as I checked the message, I came out of the room as quickly as possible. I urgently got up and opened the gate. I made eye contact with Hee-ae who was just about to put down a paper bag containing something.
“Hi, Shi-dan.”
Hee-ae greeted me casually and handed me the paper bag. It’s a paper bag containing citron tea. I received it inadvertently and tried to protest, but Hee-ae stopped me.
“I’m just giving it, so don’t feel burdened. Sorry for coming suddenly.”
“I’m grateful that you came because you were worried about me. You didn’t catch a cold?”
“I’m fine. Are you oka—”
Before Hee-ae could finish speaking, I coughed. Hee-ae said he could tell and looked at me pitifully. Embarrassed, I avoided Hee-ae’s eyes.
“Make sure to brew it and drink it.”
Hee-ae urged me earnestly, then turned around and left. I shouted thank you several times to Hee-ae’s back. Hee-ae with red ears walked quickly and disappeared.
Later, I also got a call from In-sae. I answered the phone while brewing citron tea.
“Hello?”
“Shi-dan.”
In-sae answered the phone in a more subdued voice than usual. I put the citron tea on the desk and sat in the chair.
“I heard you caught a cold.”
“Did Hee-ae tell you?”
“Yeah.”
The rumors will spread throughout the neighborhood. That’s right, I’m the protagonist of that summer cold. I feel sorry for no reason because my friends are worried. I relaxed and leaned on the chair.
“I’m almost completely better now. It wasn’t severe to begin with and I only had a slight cough.”
In-sae didn’t say anything for a moment. He spoke in a dry tone.
“Don’t get sick.”
“Okay, you don’t get sick either.”
The call ended soon. In-sae even says things like that, it’s really just a light cold so I wonder what the fuss is about. I sat at the desk while drinking hot citron tea. It’s hot to eat something hot in summer, but it’s delicious.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
