บท 10: Regrets
Ulsan was full of bad memories and regrets. But there were good things. More like ONE good thing, Ari. Leaving without knowing and not being able to meet her before leaving was truly regretful. After moving to Seoul, I was completely alone. If not for that one guy.
It was Ethan. Ethan was the first friend I made after coming to Seoul. I was still very shy and most of the time really scared. I used to eat my lunch with teachers in the teachers room due to bad memories of lunch time bullying at my previous school. I felt safe with adults around. The teachers didn't mind at all either.
My homeroom teacher Ms. Mina was always so caring. It was because of her that me and Ethan became friends.
"Ah...Daehyun? You're here. Come in, I was waiting for you."
I looked at her and then beside her. Seeing a boy my age I clenched my lunch box hard. I've never seen any student coming to the teachers office during lunch time. I felt really unsafe at that moment.
The boy looked at me and gave a me a bright smile. "Hiiiiiiiiiii!!!!"
He sure have a loud voice. But somehow because of his actions I felt a bit better and went in.
"Come, meet him. This is Ethan. My nephew. He's also your classmate."
"H-Hello. I-I am Cho-Choi Daehyun." I was trembling and stuttering.
"Daehyun? It's ok. He won't harm you. He's a really nice boy. I hope you two could be friends."
"Hi, Daehyun, I'm Hwang Ethan. Let's be friends. I'll save you from those awful kids."
After that day Ethan tried his best on making me feel comfortable. He followed me everywhere. He even started to eat lunch with me in the teachers office. Eventually I started to trust him and became a lot comfortable with him. Our friendship was going all good until...............
One day we were going back home together after school was over. We were laughing and talking.
"Dae, look."
"What?"
"A convenience store."
"Is there something special about it?"
"No. I just wanna have a popsicle. Let's go."
We got our popsicles. We were happily eating while Ethan bumped into an older boy and his red popsicle stained that guys white shirt.
"What the fuck? Damn it. Don't you morons have eyes?", He shouted so loudly that I got really scared. Ethan noticed it and held my hand tightly.
"I'm so sorry seonbaenim. I will pay for the cleaning."
"Sure go ahead. Pay me."
Ethan took out some cash and gave him. "Here I hope it's enough."
"Only this much? Hey you idiot, do you know my shirt is made out of fine fabric? I special detergent is needed to clean it. You have to pay for it too."
"But this is all I have."
"What about your friend? Hey little boy. Do you have any cash to spare?"
"It was my fault why should he pay?"
"Don't you dare talk back. Can't you guess what kind of situation you fuckers are in? Make sure to bring more money tomorrow. Me and my boys need some daily allowance. Got it?"
That day Ethan also got scared. This went on for days. They'll stop us on our way home, take us to an ally, search our bags take the money leave. One day Ethan told his parents and they complained to the school about it. Which eventually lead to the three senior boys and they were questioned at their school but they denied everything. In the end I was asked about these incidents. But I totally betrayed my only friend.
The senior boys threatened me that they'll make my life hell if I say anything. I was afraid I'll be bullied again. I lied and said that Ethan was lying. Which broke Ethan completely. The boys continued harassing us. By then Ethan had stopped talking to me. He avoided me completely. I tried apologizing a many times. But he was unmoved.
It was until Ethan started going home with his aunt they stopped bothering him. And for me because of eomma's work we had to move from that neighborhood and also move to a different school. That was where I met Jun and Hajin.
Recently I talked it out with Ethan. It turns out he didn't knew a single thing about my days in Ulsan. I told him the whole thing, about me being bullied back in Ulsan and I was afraid that will happen again.
So what happened was....................
Now that we are officially teammates, we have each others contact numbers. Although Ethan was reluctant at first, but eventually he gave in.
I called Ethan to set another date, because he cancelled it the last time.
"Hi! It's me."
"Who?"
"Daehyun?"
"What do you want?", Ethan said in a very cold tone. It almost gives me goosebumps.
"You do remember saying you'll give me a chance to explain things?"
"Oh that?"
"I'm not gonna leave you alone until you let me explain things."
"Ok come down to the café near the company building."
"I'm on my way."
I can say it's a big progress, right? Since he agreed on meeting then he'll also hear me out.
"Hey? Did I make you wait?", I said as I took the seat across from him.
"Yes. I was about to leave."
"Oh........I'm really sorry."
"Please make it fast I have school tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow is Sunday. It's a day off."
"Ok whatever. I have practice tomorrow morning."
"Me too."
"Now tell me your excuses."
"Do you know why I did that?"
"Cuz you are a backstabber."
"They threatened me. They said they'll hit me every time they see me if I said anything against them to the teachers."
"You could've told the adults about it.'
"I was scared. You only know that I used to live in Ulsan and then moved to Seoul. But do you know why I moved?"
"..........................."
"When my parents divorced. I had no idea why eomma left my appa. I was left in the dark for so long until I found out he is a control freak. Back in Ulsan the kids used to mock me and bully for not having a father. It was a everyday thing. If not for that one person I can't even imagine how much more cruel they could've been. Not until they hit me severely that eomma found out about everything and we moved. I was just a little kid back then. I was afraid those horrible things will happen again. I'm really sorry Ethan. I never meant to hurt you. "
"Wait, so everything you are saying now is true? You want me to believe it? Which movie this story is from?"
"I'm not making up stories."
"I don't know about what happened between you two, but whatever he said about happened in Ulsan is all true." I looked at the speakers direction and there she was in my defense, Arin.
"And who are you?"
"Lee Arin. If I'm not wrong we attend the same school."
"So you are the famous girl everyone keeps talking about? And you are saying that he isn't lying?"
"Of course he isn't lying. You should apologize for being so rude to him."
Ethan said a quick sorry and left hastily that day. I talked with Arin a bit more after that. She introduced her younger brother to me. Siwoo is a really sweet guy.
After that day Ethan completely ignored me for some some days. And then one day he came to me and apologized for his behavior and we sorted things out.
Although we are back to being friends now I still regret what I did back then. But I learnt from my mistakes. And I'll continue to make myself a better person.
TO BE CONTINUED ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
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