CH 34

“Peter!”

As soon as the door opened, Peter hurriedly closed the notebook. Jenny came into the room sweating and narrowed her eyes.

“What were you writing?”

“Ah, task.”

“What kind of assignments are there?”

Peter laughed silently. Jenny narrowed her eyes and asked, “What is it?”

“It’s not really a task… just writing.”

“You say you’re writing, even though it’s not a task? You are really awesome I think I’m going to lose my head just from the writing homework that teacher Sherina gives me. But what are you writing?”

“Just this and that.”

Peter laughed and smirked. It was considered humbling to write with one’s own mouth what he called writing, rather than a diary or simple scribbles.

“Poem? Novel?”

“Both. Just… It doesn’t matter.”

“It’s not nothing. Show me too.”

As Jenny reached out, Peter panicked and hid the notebook behind him.

“No, I can’t show you.”

“Why? After all, if it’s a poem or a novel, it’s written for other people to see. What’s wrong with me seeing it first?”

Jenny’s words always had a strange attraction. Peter put his ears up, wondering if it was because he hid the notebook behind him.

“It’s like a diary. Even if it’s not something that other people see. What you’re writing now is different, right?”

“Well… ”

“I’ll tell you if it’s really okay after I see it. Instead, if it’s strange, I’ll just quietly leave the note in your mailbox and go.”

“… ”

Jenny was right.

If it was a novel or a poem, it was written to be shown to others. If he ends up jotting down notes alone, he won’t make any progress.

“If it’s weird, you’ll just put it in the mailbox?”

“That’s right. Of course.”

Peter meekly handed the note to her. After taking the notebook, Jenny said with her eyes shining.

“I have something to show you too.”

“What?”

“I, I, wrote a letter.”

“What letter?”

“A love letter to the prince.”

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and held it out. ”Wow,” Peter exclaimed.

“Why? Is it too romantic?”

“I need to decipher what you wrote.”

Jenny laughed out loud and sat down on the bed. Peter tried to concentrate and eagerly read down the letters on the paper.

“… … Are you really going to send it like this?”

“Why?”

“It’s too obvious. Ugh, I felt it was fate as soon as we met.”

“Isn’t that true? I mean, I really felt it was fate. Obviously, the prince and I must have been lovers in a previous life.”

“Why would you write that in your first letter?”

As Peter read the letter, the expression on his face grew more and more somber.

“…Why the hell does it end by adding that it’s good to have a few children?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to discuss that in advance?”

“No. This is really not the case.”

Peter shook his head.

“You can’t write a love letter like this.”

Jenny pursed her lips.

“You talk like someone who has written a lot.”

Peter pointed to the books piled up on the bookshelf. There were a few romance novels in it.

“Okay. Great. So what should I write?”

“Don’t tell him you love him all the time, what’s more, um… Wouldn’t it be better to start plainly?”

“What?”

“Just. Uhm, hello? Something like this.”

“Isn’t that boring? Um, well, okay. Just write it like that.”

Peter picked up the pen and started writing a new letter in Jenny’s practice book.

“You want to talk about the day you first met?”

“Okay! That day, the prince picked up the pen that Aunt Spencer bought for me! I was so thankful. Make sure you use that. It was a very special case for me. I’m sure the prince remembers.”

“What if he doesn’t remember?”

“There is no way he won’t remember! It was so intense! How could the prince forget something so important?”

Picking up another student’s pen didn’t seem like an intense experience, Peter tried to tell. But Jenny’s eyes were so bright that he couldn’t do it.

“Just… wouldn’t it be better to arouse a little more curiosity? Do you remember the moment we first met? Like that. He’ll be wondering when that was.”

“Oh! Good! Peter! You are a genius! All right, then, next.”

The two sat side by side and completed the co-authorship of the love letter.. While they put their heads together and pondered for a while, Peter’s mother opened the door and handed them lemonade.

“What are you working so hard on?”

“It’s a writing assignment.”

Peter laughed and smiled.

“Really? When you finish your writing homework, can you run an errand for your mom?”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Go to the supermarket and buy some oranges. I think ten will be enough. I need to make marmalade jam, but I don’t have any oranges.”

“Wow! Really? Can I buy it right now?”

Peter, who loved his mother’s orange marmalade so much, asked excitedly.

“You have a guest over.”

“Oh, I’m fine. I can come back later. I wrote almost everything.”

Jenny got up. Peter looked at her with an apologetic face.

“No. You can go in a little while.”

“It’s fine. Anyway, it was time for me to go home. Actually, I have math homework too… Real homework.”

She muttered with a sad face. ”Cheer up,” Peter said and patted her on the shoulder. As they went down the stairs, the two discussed the love letter they were working on together.

“How long will it take to translate that into Korean?”

“I don’t know. I pick words, but, uh, it doesn’t take much time. I’ll do it quickly.”

“Then, will everything be finished tonight?”

“That’s right. If I finish it, will you buy me something delicious?”

“Of course. Of course.”

After Peter received money from his mother to buy the oranges, the two waved goodbye at the front door.

“Would you like to go with me?”

“No. Go alone.”

“Okay then, go ahead. See you next time.”

“Yeah. Bye.”

It was a relationship where they could see each other at any time even if they seperated without making an appointment to see each other. Peter put the money in his pocket and started walking towards the supermarket near his house. Because of the sweltering weather, he was sweating profusely even though he only took a few steps. He thought it was good that he came alone. If he had brought Jenny in this kind of weather, it would have been an act of torture for her.

After walking two blocks, Peter changed his mind.

No matter how good marmalade was, it was too much for him to come out at this time. Still, the mart was a little further away.

On his way to the mart, he walked  harder, comforting himself that he could enjoy the cold air of the air conditioner to his heart’s content.

Peter didn’t like sports. Because of his congenitally weak heart, he couldn’t do vigorous exercise, so he didn’t even have a chance to develop his motor nerves. His introverted personality also played a part, so he didn’t want to be seen acting clumsily in front of others.

However, it was a fact that, not only the doctor but Peter and his family knew, he needed regular exercise. In the end, his mother asked her son for walks like this, often disguised as errands.

Usually, he was fooled by it, but today, Peter couldn’t help but resent himself for falling for it.

“Ha…”

The moment he opened the door of the supermarket with sweaty hands and entered, he took a long breath. The air was mechanically chilled, but it felt good. While carefully and slowly choosing ten oranges, Peter seriously pondered whether he should kill time at the mart until the sun went down.

Peter, who had been standing by the door for a while with oranges in a brown envelope, could not stand the stinging glance of the clerk, opened the door and went out.

Really What was wrong with this heat? If he could come this far, he might as well go back home.

Peter grabbed the brown envelope in his arms and moved forward vigorously. But he could only walk less than a block and sat down, blaming his recklessness. Sitting under the shade, Peter waited for the sun to go down a bit.

“… whoever sees me will think that I am a vampire.”

Peter looked down at his thin, white arms with blue veins on them. He felt a weakness that could not be compared with other male students of the same age.

He wanted to be healthy. He wanted to run around the playground as much as he wanted, he wanted to travel, and he wanted to run errands without any problems.

Peter put the brown envelope aside and looked at the boys playing basketball on the court across the street. Seeing them sweating and moving even under the scorching sunlight made him feel even worse.

They ran around like wild animals on the grass. How could they move while panting like that?

Sitting on the bench, Peter watched the boys playing basketball incessantly. Then, suddenly, a boy who looked particularly familiar among them caught his eye.

“Uh…”

Peter got up from his seat. He didn’t even notice that an orange fell to his feet. Peter stared blankly across the street into the basketball court. 

It was the boy. The moment he recognized him, the other people around him disappeared in the background. Not because of his tall height, which was one more head than other students his age, but the boy had a recognizable presence.

Versatile in all sports, Phillip flew among the other boys, as if to prove the rumor that the entire school athletics department salivated when he entered the school. Even if he went to the basketball club instead of football, it was a skill that would not be inferior.

Peter crossed the road as if possessed by something. The desire to see him up close drove him back under the sun.

Standing in front of the basketball court and the wire mesh blocking the sidewalk, Peter watched the boy playing basketball.

Peter had forgotten what he was doing until a bang shook the wire. Surprised by the sudden loud noise in front of his face, Peter shouted, “Ahh,” and sat down on his seat. The basketball hit the wire mesh and rolled into the court.

“What’s up with him?”

“Do you know him?”

The boys playing basketball on the court turned their eyes to Philip, pointing to the little Asian boy who was looking at them.

Peter shook his shoulders in amazement like a man on fire. If he spoke to him, what would he say? If he asked him why he was looking at him, what should he say? Ah, maybe it was a good thing. His head went blank and he couldn’t think of anything.

If there was even a rumor that he was a strange stalker, he would never be able to set foot in the Korean Association again…

“Acquaintance?”

When someone asked that again, Peter, who was wiping his face with a towel, shrugged his shoulders.

Just that short gesture. With that, Peter realized that he did not belong to his world. He also realized how stupid he was, fidgeting for fear that he would recognize him.

“Are you okay?”

Philip asked, lightly tapping the basketball on the floor.. Peter replied that he was fine and started picking up the oranges that he dropped on the floor when he fell. Every time he picked up an orange and put it in the envelope, tears welled up. He bit his lip and endured it, knowing that even death would not forgive him if he shed tears here.

Peter looked around when he realized that there were only nine oranges that he picked up from the ground.

There was an orange across the street. Peter stood at the end of the sidewalk to cross the road. All he had to do was pick it up and get out of there. As he took his steps to cross the road, someone grabbed his arm from behind.

“――!”

BEEEP.

The sound of a rippling horn barely passed in front of Peter. He was covered in cold sweat. If he was even a little late, he might not be in this world right now.

“Are you okay?”

A friendly voice came from behind.

“Ah …uh…”

“Did you fall because of the ball? I’m sorry.”

Without answering, Philip crossed the road and returned the orange that had been left behind. He smiled and put the orange he had picked up into the envelope.

It was over. He turned around and ran back into the basketball court as if he didn’t want to hear a thank you.

“H, Hey”

It was the first time in his life that he had such courage. Peter was surprised to see how red his face had turned when he returned home later. But back then, that kind of thing was pretty good.

Philip looked back. With the wire mesh between them, their eyes met. His heart was beating like it was going to explode. Thinking it had to be now, Peter held out his hand.

“Ea, eat this.”

“What?”

“You… You saved me.”

“Thank you,” Peter bit his tongue in his mouth as the words didn’t come out properly.

“No. It’s okay.”

The moment he saw Philip smiling brightly after answering, Peter seemed to understand why Jenny called him a prince.

Peter silently held out the orange he was holding. Laughter was heard over the wire fence. Philip reached out and touched the orange.

“Can I accept it from here?”

“… Ah.”

He held out the orange in between the wire mesh . It was safe to say that the other party saw him as a trembling child.

As Peter bowed his head and said nothing, Philip whistled over the wire fence. He pointed his finger over the pierced wire mesh.

Peter threw the orange up. The orange, which flew and crossed over to the other side of the wire mesh, landed safely in Philip’s hand.

“I will eat well.”

With those words, he went back into the world he belonged to. Peter grabbed the bag of oranges and started walking hurriedly.

Sweat dripped down his forehead and his heart ached like it was going to break. The sound of an exhausted breath leaked out of his throat. But he couldn’t stop walking.

As soon as he got home, his mother was shocked to see her son drenched in sweat and shouted what was going on, but Peter silently handed the envelope of oranges to his mother.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

His mother asked again and again, worried looking at her son’s unusual appearance. Peter just shook his head.

“Are you sick? Shall we go to the hospital?”

“I’m okay.”

“Are you really okay? You aren’t sick?”

Peter silently shook his head.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes. I’m okay. I’ll just go upstairs and rest.”

“Okay.”

His mother, who was taking the oranges out of the envelope, mumbled to herself, saying, “There’s one missing.” Peter, who was going up the stairs, heard the words and began to climb the stairs two at a time like someone being chased.

After entering the room, he closed the door, and laid on the bed, and he gasped for breath for a long time, but his pounding heart did not calm down.

Peter covered his face with both hands.

His thoughts ran back to the missing orange, and the incomprehensible feeling in his mind forced him to lie awake in bed for a long time.