“Haru” means spring in Japanese. The short title itself seemed to convey the weight and longing of the time he waited for me.
Then, I heard footsteps behind me. I hastily wiped my eyes, the rough gesture making my already reddened eyelids sting even more.
Before the footsteps got closer, I quickly checked the location of Jun’s movie DVD. Luckily, as a donated work to the school, it was labeled ‘Not for Loan/Available for In-Library Use.’ I could view it within the library.
I left quickly, trying not to show my flushed face to others.
Arriving at the audiovisual room, I found Jun’s movie “Waiting for Spring.” Removing the DVD with a label around it, Jun’s back, dressed in a uniform, was on the cover.
It was Jun.
I gently caressed the image of Jun on the cover, as if trying to feel his warmth in any way I could.
Waiting for Spring…
I murmured the title of the movie he must have carefully chosen alone. For a brief moment, the sweet scent of spring seemed to fill my mouth.
It took a considerable amount of time to muster the courage to insert the DVD and press play.
The courage to accept the memories of first love as just that – memories. The courage not to be swayed by the bright and shining image of twenty-year-old Jun.
The courage to face my own shortcomings for never once coming to revisit our beautiful memories of youth.
Even as the DVD player recognized the CD, I repeatedly paused and unpaused, trying to calm my wildly shaking heart. Finally, the first scene appeared.
And then, I had to cover my mouth with both hands to prevent my sobs from escaping.
On the screen, Jun, wearing a uniform missing its second button, was gripping a button tightly as he looked into the distance.
“Kim Jun, come out quickly. Are you on your way?”
After last night’s rain, the wooden house, thoroughly dampened, was emitting a strong scent of fallen leaves under the scorching sun. I stood in Jun’s yard, soaking up the sunlight.
Growing a bit bored while waiting for Jun, I closed my eyes and lifted my head to the sun.
“I’m coming.”
Jun’s voice, breaking through the outdoor air, made me quickly lower my head. The afterimage of the light made me squint.
Misinterpreting my expression, Jun grumbled.
“I stayed up until 3 am working on an assignment. And now, when I’m trying to accompany a Japanese-illiterate person, I get attitude.”
Jun descended the steps, one hand in his pocket, the other fluttering his shirt collar, feeling the warmth that differed greatly from inside the house.
“It wasn’t attitude. It was because of the afterimage. The sunlight was dazzling.”
“What were you doing?”
“……Looking at the sunlight?”
“Let’s go. The supermarket is to the left.”
Jun, with an expression of not understanding the conversation, cut it short, pointing his chin to the left and started walking. A blunt remark followed.
“You really plan to walk all the way there?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.”
“You know, since I always used to take you on my bike, you might not realize how far it actually is from our house to there. You do know it’s really far, right?”
Jun, still tired from yesterday, brushed his hair back and spoke in a languid voice.
“That’s why I said I’ll go alone.”
“But it doesn’t make me any less worried.”
Despite his grumbling, he’d end up coming along anyway.
It seemed like he would feel uneasy whether at home or following me. But he probably thought it better to come along.
I secretly smiled and then walked beside Jun, who was a few steps ahead.
As we walked, a row of plane trees stretched endlessly along the road. Their dense leaves greedily absorbed the sunlight before it could reach the ground.
Greedy trees hogging all the sunlight.
I walked ahead of Jun, who was adjusting his pace to mine, with quick, small steps. Walking under the dappled sunlight filtering through the green leaves felt like following stars in broad daylight.
Step by step, following the midday stars.
Then, stopping abruptly at Jun’s call, I saw him running towards me. As I looked up to match his height, he bent down towards me. My gaze followed downward.
“Your sandal strap is undone again. That’s what happens when you wear sandals too big for your tiny feet.”
Despite his grumbling, Jun’s hands were gentle as he fixed my sandal straps, bathed in the greenish sunlight.
“If I wear children’s sandals, they’re not pretty. Most nice sandals start from size 230.”
Jun didn’t respond but diligently fixed the other loose strap.
“Fine, fine. I’ll just watch your feet as you walk. Nothing difficult about that.”
His words, implying he wanted to take care of even the things I overlooked, felt like he was saying it’s natural for him to feel this way. To him, I was that precious.
My heart fluttered because of his immense affection.
I watched Jun’s head as he focused on my sandals. Straightening up, he commented.
“You have baby feet, though you’re not that short.”
“I’m not a baby.”
I shifted my feet a bit, feeling the snugness of the newly tightened straps.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
