Translator: Ranka

Editor/TLC: Miri

Picked Up In Winter <3>

"Let's go back now."

Jun Hyung spoke.

In the piercing cold weather, I was hunching my shoulders and holding the cooled down canned coffee in my hands.

As for the coffee that had become a subst.i.tute for a hand warmer, I did not have any thoughts of wanting to drink it.

"What, already? Didn't we plan on going to karaoke?"

"He's right. It's not often you get the chance go there at dawn. If we go now, they’ll give us time until morning."

His friends said with disappointed tone but he did not respond. He just gestured to one of the guys who was holding my luggage.

"Happy is cold."

He replied while taking my luggage.

Jun Hyung ignored his friends who were once again staring at him with aghast expressions and took one of my shoulders.

I did not really ask to be held…… I awkwardly turned in the direction he pulled towards. Jun Hyung at last told them.

"I'll leave first, you play without me. See you tomorrow."

Then, without reluctance, he turned his back on them and walked away.

"Hey! You shameless jerk! You don't think we're cold, too?!!"

"Right!! All buses stopped running and he's the only one who is betraying!!! You’re just bragging that your house is close!! You selfish b.a.s.t.a.r.d!"

"All right, you kidnapper!! I hope you get caught by the police!!!"

From behind our backs, a stream of criticism filled with rage could be heard. Probably because they were upset, some were a bit harsh but Jun Hyung did not seem to be paying them any attention.

So I also stopped being interested and followed after him.

The wind was still chilly and the streets dark. Every time I breathed out, I could see the steam coming out of my mouth.

It felt as if I was dreaming.

Walking on the desolate streets with this guy who I met today, I felt like we were walking through some fantasy streets that briefly separated me from reality.

In fact, it was nothing like a fantasy world and it was reality for other people, but nonetheless, it felt that way to the me of that time.

For a moment I felt as if I was leaving this world.

The guy who was walking without a word finally came to a halt at some place. I exhaled and looked around.

It was a dark alleyway with one streetlamp. It was crammed with houses and the streets were quiet.

He opened the front door of a house with a green roof.

Did he live apart from his family…?

I vaguely guessed and followed the guy. If he lived with family, I doubted he would have even dared to think of picking me up.

His friends may understand, however family was different. They are the people who share the same s.p.a.ce together. They would not allow a stranger into their house.

But contrary to my expectations, the guy was about to open the door and step into the house with the largest and fanciest door in this place. It seemed somewhat excessive for him to live alone.

I stood a little behind the guy who was opening the door while tilting my head to one side. With a rattle, the door opened and he entered the house.

Soon, the orange light turned on in the dark entrance and I was surprised to find more shoes that I had thought.

An adult's shoes, shoes belonging to someone our age, and even a kid's shoes.

This seemed like a lot, even for a normal household.

That's it. Won't I be kicked out soon?

I grew anxious after seeing the shoes.

This guy, acting all dependable by himself……He might in fact have been a person who recklessly did things as he pleased without thinking about the consequences.

I got the thought that it would be fortunate if I could stay just one night.

Everyone inside was asleep, so it was quiet.

Thinking I should not make any loud noises, I tiptoed inside.

With every step I took, I felt like an intruder and it made me uncomfortable. I did not like the idea of a house with a big family.

The guy opened the door next to the kitchen entrance and stepped inside. Soon, the dark room was illuminated by fluorescent lights and the image of a surprisingly ordinary high school student’s room revealed itself.

There was a desk jam-packed with books and a single bed that seemed somewhat small for him to use.

A simply designed wardrobe and in a corner, a fan piled with dust that had never been turned on since the hot summer pa.s.sed.

Apparently, an unusual guy’s room did not have to be unusual as well.

When I stepped into the living s.p.a.ce of another person for the first time, my whole body tensed up and I could only stiffly look around.

"I'll bring you hot tea. It may still be a little unfamiliar but rest comfortably, Happy."

…… No, there is actually no need for you to always add that name at the end of your sentence.

Seeing him calling me with that unfamiliar name, I nodded awkwardly.

He left the room shortly after and I leisurely took off my coat while looking at the desk before me.

Ah… That is common mathematics.

When I discovered a familiar book in the unfamiliar room, I got a somewhat familiar feeling and examined the books on the bookshelf.

Common English, General Science, Social Studies…… Oh? But why are there only basic textbooks? 1 Korean language volume one…… what about two? Where is the second volume? Huh…?

The moment I was about to realize something, my eyes caught a workbook with the letters “first grade” written on top.

What the. This guy… is younger than me??

Somehow everything had been in vain. I also felt a little disgraceful. The school uniform hanging on the wall was the same as mine . All right, so it turned out he was a junior. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who dared to call me a kid……

…… Forget it.

Did I not come here to forget about reality? So after stepping into this dreamlike place, there was no need to think about my position in reality.

In this place it did not matter how old I was, which school I attended, none of that was important.

I made up my mind to simply stay at this place for a while as the Happy who the guy doted on.

Even if I immediately got kicked out tomorrow. I only wanted to forget about my existence for a moment while being here.

With such thoughts in my head, into my sight came a small picture in a brown frame on the desk.

Inside the frame, there was a picture of Jun Hyung as a kid holding a white puppy in his arms.

It seemed like he liked animals. The image of him brightly smiling was no different from now.

However, there was a hint of sad longing surrounding the picture. I do not know why I felt that way, but I did. My heart ached.

Right then, a somewhat high-pitched bark resounded from outside the room, "Woof, woof.". In this quiet house, it was literally a fatal blow.

I was startled and looked outside but the door was about halfway closed, so I could not figure out what happened. Soon afterwards, the sound of a cup breaking could be heard.

"Oh my! Patrasche, quiet. Don't step on the gla.s.s!"

Patrasche…….

The shock came close to when I first heard “Happy”. No, it was certainly as bad, if not even worse.

However, the reason I was shocked by “Happy” was precisely because it was the name he chose for me, a human. The reason my shock was so big right now came from the fact that he could call such an embarra.s.sing name in such a confident voice, it was because of the guy’s shamelessness.

Absurdness mixed with anxiety and sure enough, as expected. I heard a stranger’s voice.

"You came home, Jun Hyung?"

It was a female voice. Although it was impossible to tell one's age by only listening, her voice did not have a middle-aged woman’s particular maturity. I a.s.sumed she was a younger lady.

"Yeah."

There came the guy's reply, so short that it seemed somewhat futile.

"Why aren't you sleeping? Came to get something?"

"Yup. Wanted to drink tea."

"But why do you have two? A friend came over?"

"No, it isn't a friend……"

It was then.

The dog I thought was outside stuck its head in the door. It was a white, small dog.

I instantly felt that the dog resembled the one in the picture and at the same time, being overwhelmed with anxiety, I got a shock.

The dog quickly came near my feet while wagging its tail and showed its stomach. It looked like it liked strangers.

I was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

"Patrasche?"

When the embarra.s.sing name was called, the woman and Jun Hyung entered my field of vision.

Late at night, she was a little surprised by the unexpected appearance of a stranger, meanwhile Jun Hyung indifferently introduced.

"This is Happy, nuna." 2

Her eyes opened wide.

TN:

1 – In Korean, all the named subjects start with 공통(=common), so he asks why there are only textbooks starting with 공통. Doesn’t make any sense when translated to English, so we went with a more liberal translation.

2 – older sister