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“Want to sit for a bit? If you go downstairs now, Kim Hyun-seo might hassle you again. Let’s wait a little before you leave.”
Han, who had been fiddling with the baseball in his small hands, nodded quietly. Smiling, Hyun-soo pulled out her desk chair and gestured for him to sit.
“I haven’t heard much about you from your brother. Nice to meet you like this.”
“...”
“What school do you go to?”
“Moa Elementary School...”
“Made a lot of friends?”
“Just...”
Hunched over, Hyun-soo began picking up the larger shards of glass scattered around the room. Even if the adults would eventually help clean up, it was better to tidy up as much as possible to avoid unnecessary complaints.
Ting, clang. The faint sound of large glass pieces clinking together caught Han’s attention. Unable to stay still any longer, he shuffled over and plopped down beside her, rolling up his sleeves to help. However, his intentions were quickly thwarted by Hyun-soo.
“It’s fine. Your hands are so tiny—what if you get hurt?”
As she smiled warmly at him, Han stared blankly at her face for a moment.
“Go sit back down.”
“...”
“Huh? That’s how you’re helping.”
“Yes.”
Pushed gently by her hand, Han reluctantly got up and returned to the chair. Sitting there, he alternated between answering Hyun-soo’s occasional questions and glancing around the room curiously.
“So, you prefer sports over studying? You’re different from your brother, huh?”
“Yes...”
Having finished tidying up roughly, Hyun-soo turned to look at Han. His slow, repetitive “yes” responses had grown even slower, and it seemed his attention was elsewhere. Specifically, on the snow globe sitting on her desk.
The crude Santa Claus figurine inside the Christmas-themed snow globe had been a gift from her father after one of his overseas business trips. At the time, her sister Hyun-seo had received a dress and a pretty curly-haired doll.
Shaking off her hands lightly, Hyun-soo picked up the snow globe and shook it gently. The glittering silver flakes swirled around the chipped Santa figure. She handed it to Han.
“You can touch it if you want. Here, take it.”
Only after hearing her words did Han reach out and take the snow globe. His unusually large, clear eyes fixed intently on the swirling glitter storm inside.
“Do you want to keep it?”
“Huh? No, I couldn’t.”
“Why not? I never use it anyway—it just sits around collecting dust. Wouldn’t it be better off with someone who’ll appreciate it more?”
“But... I’ll get scolded...”
“Huh?”
“If I accept things carelessly, my older brother scolds me.”
So he did want it after all. Smiling softly, Hyun-soo placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Your brother and I are friends, so I’ll explain everything to him. It’s okay to take it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Woo!” Han’s eyes sparkled with childlike joy. Was this what people meant when they said giving made you happier than receiving? For the first time, Hyun-soo felt an unfamiliar yet pleasant warmth swelling in her chest—a sense of pride and fulfillment. Feeling happy herself, she reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately.
“Oh, by the way, your hands...”
“My hands?”
“Yeah. They’re all torn up. What happened?”
“I was just playing around, and they ended up like this. It’s fine, really.”
“Fine? No way.”
She examined the boy’s hands resting on hers. They were covered in small cuts and scrapes—not the hands of a laborer, but of a child far too young for such injuries.
Rummaging through her drawer, Hyun-soo managed to find only two bandages. Though there was disinfectant and ointment in the first-aid kit downstairs, she couldn’t risk going down with Hyun-seo still lurking around. All she could do was hastily apply the bandages.
“I’m sorry. If I had proper medicine, I’d treat it properly.”
“It’s really okay.”
“No, it’s not. Just slapping on bandages without disinfecting feels so inadequate.”
“I’m telling you, it’s really, really fine.”
Embarrassed by her own guilt-tripping, Han awkwardly scratched his head.
“Now that I think about it, your brother hurt his hand too. Both of you got injured—what a coincidence.”
“My brother?”
“Yeah. You both need to disinfect and apply medicine properly. Maybe you can help each other out.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
“Don’t bother the housekeeper—make sure you take care of your brother’s wound, okay?”
“Yes.”
“And ask him to treat yours too. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“You’re such a good kid. You listen so well. You’re completely different from Yoon Guk...”
...who’s kind of cold-blooded. Hyun-soo caught herself just in time before voicing her thoughts aloud. On second thought, maybe he wasn’t as cold-hearted as she initially thought—after all, hadn’t he helped her during gym class?
Shaking her head to clear her mind of thoughts about Guk, Hyun-soo checked on the situation downstairs. It seemed like Hyun-seo, that mischievous troublemaker, was still in her room or planning to go out, which would take some more time. She couldn’t possibly send young Han back down to the chaotic first floor, so she decided to stay with him until it was safe.
Not long after, Hyun-soo rummaged through her school bag, suddenly remembering something. As expected, a small pack of jelly snacks emerged from the front pocket.
“Let’s eat this. Come here.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“What does being fine have to do with eating? Come on, let’s share.”
Reluctantly, Han shuffled closer, his movements hesitant. When Hyun-soo grabbed his hand and pulled him down, his small frame collapsed onto the floor beside her.
“How is it? Tasty, right?”
“Yes.”
“It’s my favorite snack.”
Giggling, Hyun-soo playfully nudged him. Han looked at her as if she were some fascinating creature. He had never met anyone who showed him kindness without expecting anything in return—it left him a little bewildered. But soon, that bewilderment turned into warmth, and he found himself wishing this feeling would last forever.
“Why are you staring at me like that? Do you want more jelly?”
Misinterpreting his curious gaze as a desire for more snacks, Hyun-soo handed him the entire bag of jelly. Then she smiled again.
Han felt certain that this day would stay etched in his memory for a long time. In one hand, he held the bag of jelly; in the other, the snow globe. Both hands were full—not just with objects, but with heartfelt emotions.
---
That same evening, dew settled on the grass as Guk stood in the garden, accompanied by his younger brother Han.
“... “
Placing a hand on Han’s shoulder, Guk quietly looked up. His gaze landed on a second-floor window of the mansion—Hyun-soo’s room. The glass pane was missing, replaced by drawn curtains, and a faint light seeped through.
“Ugh, these damn mosquitoes!”
At that moment, Hyun-soo appeared at the window, perfectly timed. Trying to place mosquito repellent incense near the window, she flailed her arms and accidentally locked eyes with the brothers standing below. Her face flushed slightly at her awkward movements, but she pretended not to notice and boldly called out.
“What are you doing there?”
“Kim Hyun-soo.”
“Hmm?”
“Come down for a moment.”
“Why?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“...Alright. Just a moment.”
After briefly glancing down at them with curiosity, Hyun-soo didn’t hesitate long and agreed. The yellow curtain fluttered as she disappeared, and not long after, she emerged from the front door in her pajamas.
The brothers were standing to the left side of the garden, not far from a tea table. The chirping of summer night insects filled the air, adding a serene charm to the scene.
“Hi. Hello, Han.”
Late at night, summoned secretly by the brothers, Hyun-soo greeted them with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. However—
“Hello...”
“... “
Under the glow of the garden lights, Guk and Han’s faces appeared stiff and tense. In Han’s hand was the snow globe she had given him earlier that day. A sinking feeling began to creep over her.
Summoning her courage, Hyun-soo asked, “What’s going on?”
“... “
“What’s wrong?”
She repeated her question. Their expressions remained unreadable as they exchanged glances.
“Yoon Han. Apologize.”
It was then that Guk finally spoke.
“What? Why are you doing this all of a sudden!”
In the meantime, Han obediently bowed his head and apologized as instructed. Hyun-soo, still confused, jumped in surprise.
“Your room window—it was Han who broke it, right?”
So that was the reason. The tense atmosphere and the apology suddenly made sense. Relieved that it wasn’t some grave or terrifying issue, Hyun-soo let out a nervous laugh. The tension in her body melted away.
“Ahh, that? It was just an accident. No big deal.”
Shrugging casually, she acted as if it were nothing. Part of it was to spare Han and Guk any embarrassment, but more than that, she genuinely didn’t think it was a serious matter.
However, it seemed the other party didn’t share her perspective. Guk, silently observing her reaction, didn’t look any less burdened. After exhaling briefly, he pulled something from his pocket and held it out to her—a white envelope.
“What’s this?”
“It’s for the cost of replacing your window. I wasn’t sure how much it would be, so I just put in an estimate. If it’s not enough, let me know.”
“The cost of the window...” Hyun-soo repeated under her breath, lowering her gaze to the envelope. So there was money inside.
But Hyun-soo didn’t move to take it.
“No, I don’t need it. Take it back.”
“Take it.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t feel like accepting it.”
“Why not?”
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Hyun-soo’s quick response caused Guk to furrow his brow slightly.
“What did you say?”
“I’m not going to nitpick over something a friend’s younger sibling accidentally did. I don’t want your money.”
As Hyun-soo calmly met his eyes and spoke, Guk let out a dry chuckle.
“Just take it. You’ll feel better once you do.”
Even after she’d firmly stated she had no intention of accepting it, he persisted. Though they had never been particularly close, his insistence somehow made him feel even more distant. A pang of disappointment welled up in her chest.
After glaring at him for a moment, Hyun-soo snatched the envelope from his hand and immediately thrust it back toward him. Watching this exchange, one of Guk’s eyebrows twitched upward in irritation.
“You’re not taking it?”
“What are you trying to do?”
“I’m giving it to you. Just take it.”
“Why should I?”
“Tutoring fees.”
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