By Zephyria “Hae-gyeong, let’s go together!”
“Call me ‘hyung’!”
Hwang Hae-gyeong, who cried when he saw Lee Yun-san in the newborn room right after he was born, is now 8 years old. And Lee Yun-san, who was born and could not get rid of his redness and surprised Hwang Hae-gyeong with his wrinkled and bloated appearance, is now 7 years old.
From the moment they took their first steps, they were taken by their parents to spend time at the campsite every vacation, and they didn’t like that reality.
“Ah, Hwang Hae-gyeong~!”
First of all, 7-year-old Lee Yun-san hated Hwang Hae-gyeong, who was one year older than him. He didn’t like that he kept telling him to call him ‘hyung’ even though he didn’t look like a ‘hyung’ at all, and he hated that he made friends other than him at the campsite.
In fact, camping wasn’t fun either. There were many bugs in the summer and it was cold in the winter. However, the passive Lee Yun-san was forcibly brought to the campsite by his parents every time, but he never cried or threw a tantrum. He was afraid of being scolded by his mothers, and above all, he knew that his mothers liked camping.
Lee Yun-san didn’t want to make his mothers sad. He loves the peaceful harmony among his family. And the mothers wanted Lee Yun-san to get along with Hwang Hae-gyeong. But no matter how much Lee Yun-san loves his mothers, that’s just their wish.
Hwang Hae-gyeong ran around with his pale and thin arms and legs, making friends at the campsite. He went around catching insects and throwing fishing nets with a face like a princess, more beautiful than most pretty kids, attracting the attention of the children at the campsite. Up to that point, Lee Yun-san could accept it. His mothers had already told him that just because he was shy and unfamiliar with other friends, it didn’t mean that Hwang Hae-gyeong had to be like that.
But even aside from those things, Lee Yun-san hated Hwang Hae-gyeong.
“Ah, let me go with you too!”
Hwang Hae-gyeong always made friends who were as active as him and ostracized him.
Lee Yun-san moved his chubby arms and legs diligently and ran after Hwang Hae-gyeong, who was climbing a low hill far away. He fell several times and scraped his knees, and when he fell, he made eye contact with a huge praying mantis and was terrified.
Every time that happened, Hwang Hae-gyeong would only pretend to look back, and the friends who played with Hwang Hae-gyeong complained to Hwang Hae-gyeong as if to say, “Your brother is annoying.” Then Hwang Hae-gyeong would get angry, saying he wasn’t his brother, and Lee Yun-san would feel sad again.
“You’re so mean…”
The greatest anger of his 7-year-old life boiled over at Hwang Hae-gyeong’s hateful behavior, which he couldn’t even see anymore. Lee Yun-san checked that there was no one left around him and teared up in fear. He wanted to pour out all the bad words he could think of to Hwang Hae-gyeong, who had disappeared, but unfortunately, the vocabulary of a 7-year-old could not keep up with his feelings. So, tears of resentment flowed from Lee Yun-san’s eyes.
This time, to celebrate Lee Yun-san’s kindergarten vacation and Hwang Hae-gyeong’s elementary school vacation, the two couples visited a wild camping site in Yangpyeong. It was a place with few people and only a small number of reservations were possible, so it was chosen to enjoy the vacation by inviting only a few families that the two couples knew. And the children of the families who met at that gathering were coincidentally almost the age of elementary school students. Just like Hwang Hae-gyeong.
From the adults’ point of view, there was no big difference between 7 and 8 years old, but it wasn’t the same for 7-year-old kindergartener Lee Yun-san. Just because they were only 1 year older and the education courses were divided into kindergarten and elementary school, the children treated Lee Yun-san as an annoying younger brother. They pretended to greet him in front of the adults, but not outside the adults’ eyes, who were busy sharing information about camping equipment.
They only showed interest in Hwang Hae-gyeong, who was all elementary school students, and didn’t even give Lee Yun-san a glance. Everyone was an only child, so there was no habit of taking care of younger siblings, and to make matters worse, there was nothing special about Lee Yun-san that would attract the attention of children of the same age.
If Hwang Hae-gyeong had a princess-like face on a skinny body, Lee Yun-san was different. Lee Yun-san, who made 1-year-old Hwang Hae-gyeong cry as soon as he was born, still had a chubby physique, dark skin, and droopy eyes.
His already unfairly droopy eyes looked like slits due to his chubby cheeks. It’s good to say he’s chubby, but Lee Yun-san, who has long been diagnosed with childhood obesity, had a round belly that couldn’t be hidden even with loose clothes. Thanks to that, Lee Yun-san has never been popular or received much attention even in kindergarten.
Of course, Lee Yun-san’s parents adored their son like a prince, and Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents adored Lee Yun-san even more than Lee Yun-san’s parents, but their affection did not give much comfort to the young heart of a 7-year-old.
In conclusion, Lee Yun-san could not escape being an outsider even at the campsite he visited every summer and winter vacation from a very young age. Hwang Hae-gyeong would sometimes pretend to pay attention to Lee Yun-san, but that was just a pretense that he reluctantly gave when he couldn’t resist his parents’ nagging.
So Lee Yun-san hated Hwang Hae-gyeong. He hated that he kept telling him to call him ‘hyung’ without acting like a ‘hyung’, that he didn’t take care of him, that he immediately abandoned him and went to play when he made new friends, and that he seemed embarrassed to keep saying that he wasn’t his brother.
“Auntie, Hae-gyeong left me behind…”
So Lee Yun-san used his ultimate move. Lee Yun-san knew the most sure way to get revenge on Hwang Hae-gyeong. That was to tell Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents.
Lee Yun-san showed the knee wound he got from falling while running after Hwang Hae-gyeong’s group to Hwang Hae-gyeong’s mother, limped, hugged her, and cried. Hwang Hae-gyeong’s father and mother loved Lee Yun-san, who was younger than their son, so much that it was a more effective method than telling his own parents.
As expected, when Lee Yun-san, who had run towards the low hill, returned with blood flowing from his knee and burst into tears, Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents’ faces hardened terribly. They immediately sat Lee Yun-san on their laps, who was crying loudly and even gasping for breath, and began to soothe him. They put all their effort and affection into it, even abandoning the barbecue they were preparing.
Rather, Lee Yun-san’s parents shook their heads as they watched. Lee Yun-san’s parents already knew that Lee Yun-san showed much more affection and cuteness to Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents.
“That Hwang Hae-gyeong, you little rascal!”
“Did our baby get very surprised? Uncle will scold Hae-gyeong hyung when he comes. Is baby hungry? Does it hurt here? Uncle will put medicine on it. Shall we put medicine on it and eat gogi, gogi?”
“Huuueong… Yes… Gogi…”
“Our baby potato is so cute, really…”
With Lee Yun-san sitting there, his eyes sparkling at the word ‘gogi’ even while crying, the show of soothing by the two adults was in full swing. Hwang Hae-gyeong’s father was busy rummaging through the medicine to apply to Lee Yun-san’s chubby knee, but in the meantime, he kept making eye contact and wiping away the tear marks on his chubby cheeks, and Hwang Hae-gyeong’s mother was furious at her son’s heinous act (?) but had a blissful expression on her face at Lee Yun-san’s snot bubble.
And the expressions of the other adults watching the scene were all different. To be exact, they were divided into those who thought Lee Yun-san, who was bursting snot bubbles and acting cute as if he was sad, was cute and the parents who were dumbfounded by their son’s dirty potato-like appearance.
“Auntie will scold hyung when he comes later. What kind of hyung is he to leave our baby behind and not take care of him, right?”
“Hae-gyeong’s mom, Hae-gyeong is already 8 years old. He might want to run around and play, why are you like that?”
Lee Yun-san’s mother intervened as if she was dumbfounded at Hwang Hae-gyeong’s mother, who was grinding her teeth and promising to take revenge on her son. But it seemed that Hwang Hae-gyeong’s mother couldn’t hear those words anymore.
“Still, the child should take care of his younger brother! No, where did you leave Yun-san and wander around until now? What if you lost the child?”
“It’s okay if Yun-san found his way back. Don’t scold Hae-gyeong, just leave him alone. Don’t ruin the child’s mood by coming to play.”
A conversation that made you wonder whose son was whose passed by for a while.
It had been quite a while since the strange phenomenon of Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents taking care of Lee Yun-san and Lee Yun-san’s parents taking care of Hwang Hae-gyeong had occurred. That is, from when Hwang Hae-gyeong started talking and said ‘piggy!’ to Lee Yun-san. From that time on, Hwang Hae-gyeong’s parents poured out all kinds of affection, starting with feeling sorry for Lee Yun-san.
On the other hand, Lee Yun-san’s mothers just laughed as if they were amused by Hwang Hae-gyeong’s words. They said that children are more honest about their appearance, and Lee Yun-san was born as a large baby and had never not been chubby, so it wasn’t wrong.
Of course, the word ‘pig’ was an excessive personal attack, but they also took the position that the child didn’t know what he was saying and that he just needed to correct what was wrong. —Until that conclusion was reached, Hwang Hae-gyeong’s pretty appearance and sociability were also a big appeal to Lee Yun-san’s parents.—
“Our baby, uncle will grill gogi for you. Our baby has a small mouth, so I’ll cut it into small pieces like this?”
“I like it!”
“Who does our Yun-san take after to be so cute…?”
Anyway, the parents of both families loved each other’s sons too much. The pretty elementary school student Hwang Hae-gyeong and the potato-like kindergartener Lee Yun-san each had clearly different fan bases. The same was true of their personalities. Therefore, Lee Yun-san and Hwang Hae-gyeong could not become close even at the long-term camping trips that continued every vacation.
Hwang Hae-gyeong, who is popular with his peers and acts as the leader, and Lee Yun-san, who is introverted and only loved by adults.
Hwang Hae-gyeong, a skinny boy with a pretty and princess-like face, and Lee Yun-san, who is chubby, dark-skinned, and has droopy slit eyes.
Elementary school student Hwang Hae-gyeong and kindergartener Lee Yun-san.
There was no reason for them to become close.
“Hae-gyeong, where were you without taking care of your younger brother?”
Around the time the barbecue meat was almost cooked, Hwang Hae-gyeong’s group returned to the campsite with the evening glow. Hwang Hae-gyeong had been wandering around, with grass seeds stuck to his clothes, a flushed face, and disheveled hair.
The first thing that was poured out on Hwang Hae-gyeong was his father’s stern voice. He might have been a little wary if it were normal, but Hwang Hae-gyeong passed by the friends he was playing with, hid behind Lee Yun-san’s parents, glared at his father, and stuck out his tongue.
“That rascal, that’s him!”
“I don’t have a younger brother!”
“You, you, can’t you see that Yun-san’s knee is broken? What did Dad say? He said you’re a good hyung if you take good care of your younger brother when you come camping, right?”
“Why are you scolding me when he fell!”
Hwang Hae-gyeong, with Lee Yun-san’s parents in front of him, argued with his father as if he had nothing to fear. People laughed at the spirit of the eight-year-old, and the other children naturally scattered to find their parents.
Lee Yun-san was in Hwang Hae-gyeong’s father’s arms, and his cheeks, which were full of gogi, were about to burst. Hwang Hae-gyeong briefly glared at Lee Yun-san and hid his head behind Lee Yun-san’s parents.
“Stop it, Hae-gyeong’s dad. Don’t give the child unnecessary stress as the eldest son.”
“If Dad were you, Hae-gyeong, he would carry Yun-san around because he’s so cute, carry him around!”
“Pigs are heavy? Carry Dad around!”
“That’s real!”
“Hae-gyeong called me a pig… Huuu…”
“Hyung was just kidding, Yun-san. Don’t cry, son. Let’s stop.”
The sounds of each person comforting and siding with the other’s son were loud. Lee Yun-san’s mother lowered her posture in front of Hwang Hae-gyeong, who was hiding behind her, blew on the well-grilled beef, fed him a bite, and smiled. And she said in a very friendly voice, as if for Lee Yun-san to hear.
Hyung was just kidding with Yun-san, right? But if Yun-san doesn’t know it’s a joke and cries, it’s embarrassing, right?
Then Hwang Hae-gyeong, who had chewed and swallowed the gogi, nodded and stretched out his arms to be hugged too. Lee Yun-san’s Alpha mother willingly picked up Hwang Hae-gyeong and took him to the table. And Lee Yun-san, who was watching the scene with sad eyes, turned his head away, saying he hated his mom. It was an annual event that was held twice a year.
The meals also took place with each couple taking care of the other’s son. Lee Yoon-san’s parents, claiming Hwang Hae-kyung was too skinny, piled meat and rice in front of him, while Hwang Hae-kyung’s parents picked out the tenderest pieces of meat that Lee Yoon-san liked and held them right up to his mouth. The two boys would glare at each other while nibbling on the food given to them by the adults.
After the chaotic meal, the adults lit a bonfire and started cracking open cans of beer. The children went into their respective tents and played, watching videos on their phones or tablets. Lee Yoon-san was also lying on his stomach in the tent, completely absorbed in the Wink Pong video his mothers had put on for him.
Then, he suddenly heard a tapping sound on the side of the tent, and Lee Yoon-san looked up.
“Hey, open this.”
The voice belonged to Hwang Hae-kyung. Lee Yoon-san paused the video he was watching and tilted his head. The voice coming from outside the tent was definitely Hwang Hae-kyung’s, but it wasn’t his usual grumpy voice. Lee Yoon-san opened the tent flap with a puzzled expression. Hae-kyung was visible through the opening.
“Hae-kyung?”
“Call me Hyung, you pig.”
“I’m going to close it…”
“No, hey! Wait a minute!”
Hwang Hae-kyung, who was standing right in front of him, spoke in his usual grumpy voice to Lee Yoon-san, who was reacting suspiciously with the tent flap slightly open. Lee Yoon-san, startled, teared up and tried to close the zipper again, but Hwang Hae-kyung, flustered, knocked on the tent again. Eventually, Lee Yoon-san opened the tent flap a little wider.
“Why did you come?”
“I’ll give you a present?”
“A present…?”
“Yeah, a present.”
Hwang Hae-kyung, whose nose was already starting to peel from running around so much during the day, said with a mischievous grin. Lee Yoon-san’s expression filled with curiosity, as he hadn’t seen him smile like that often. So, without knowing what kind of present Hwang Hae-kyung was going to give him, Lee Yoon-san reached his hand out of the tent flap.
“Give it.”
“Close your eyes.”
“Okay.”
Hwang Hae-kyung stared silently at Lee Yoon-san’s chubby arm and palm that had been offered to receive the gift. Then, he placed something on that plump palm, where even the joints were not easily distinguishable. It was something he had been clutching tightly in his fist the whole way here.
“Ta-da!”
“Aaaaaah!!!”
It was a grasshopper. And a huge, thick one, as big as Lee Yoon-san’s palm. As soon as Lee Yoon-san’s eyes met the giant grasshopper on his hand, he screamed and shook his hand wildly. Hwang Hae-kyung, seeing the ridiculous sight, laughed uproariously and clutched his stomach.
The grasshopper jumped into the tent with Lee Yoon-san’s flailing, and then an even louder wail came from inside the tent. It seemed the grasshopper had landed on Lee Yoon-san’s clothes.
Hwang Hae-kyung ran away as fast as he could, laughing loudly as he fled. Lee Yoon-san’s potato-like face, twisted in a comical expression, was so satisfying and funny.
He would be scolded. He knew he would be severely scolded by his parents. So, going back to the tent now would be asking for trouble.
So, Hwang Hae-kyung ran to the group of friends he had made at the campsite. They were the kids who had come out to watch Hwang Hae-kyung tease Lee Yoon-san, even from a distance.
The little kid who had been so surprised and flustered by the giant grasshopper he had caught during the day and put in the insect collecting container, as if it were some kind of huge monster, was still funny.
Well, who told you to tattle so annoyingly? Hwang Hae-kyung thought as he told his friends about scaring Lee Yoon-san like it was a heroic tale.
“Hwang Hae-kyung, you little rascal!”
Of course, he was soon severely scolded by his parents for making Lee Yoon-san cry. Hwang Hae-kyung resented his parents for always taking Lee Yoon-san’s side in situations like this.
But it was bearable because Lee Yoon-san’s parents would always rush over to stop his parents and take Hwang Hae-kyung’s side when he was being scolded. He was an only child with no siblings, but he didn’t know why his mom and dad acted so strange whenever Lee Yoon-san was around.
That’s why Hwang Hae-kyung hated Lee Yoon-san. He hated his ugly face, his fat, pig-like body, his slow movements, and the fact that he kept calling him by his name instead of Hyung.
Most of all, he hated the constant pressure from his parents to take care of and protect Lee Yoon-san at the campsite.
I just want to play with my friends. Hwang Hae-kyung had said those words countless times, but they didn’t have much effect. It was because Lee Yoon-san was also a friend. To Hwang Hae-kyung, Lee Yoon-san was just a one-year-younger kid, not a friend.
The adults said he was cute, but he couldn’t see what was cute about Lee Yoon-san at all. He was ugly. The expression he always gave him, glaring at him, was ugly, fat, and slow.
Hwang Hae-kyung made those rebuttals in his mind whenever his parents took Lee Yoon-san’s side.
Anyway, 8-year-old Hwang Hae-kyung hated 7-year-old Lee Yoon-san.
Just as 7-year-old Lee Yoon-san hated 8-year-old Hwang Hae-kyung.