Eighteen’s Bed

The long rain continued. According to the news, the typhoon that had recently arrived was nothing compared to the one that was approaching—it was said to be a mere child’s play. With the flight schedule canceled, my father, who had been staying at home longer than expected, was growing increasingly anxious.

“Strange, there are so many typhoons. Usually, this doesn’t happen in Korea. Maybe coming to Korea was a mistake. With the schedule being delayed so often, each day feels like wasted time.”

I overheard these words and was immediately engulfed with guilt. The typhoon, advancing northward, didn't lose strength even as it crossed the ocean and was now creeping dangerously close to the continent. At this speed, the meteorologist said the storm would strike the capital tonight. It was a valid excuse to cancel school, but in this hellish Korea, that wouldn't happen.

A disaster stronger than the approaching typhoon was sweeping over me. I was not in my right mind last night. I couldn't even remember how I had fallen asleep or woken up. A throbbing headache pulsed in my head, but there was no fever. It felt as if the fuse in my brain had blown out.

And on this particular day, as I closed the gate and walked down the street, a massive figure suddenly appeared from a narrow alley near Go Yohan’s house. There was no warning, no sign at all.

“Wah!”

For a moment, I almost collapsed. What was even more embarrassing was that I stood frozen and hiccupped.

“Sorry, I guess I scared you. S-sorry.”

The sight of that mischievous face, showing no hint of genuine apology, sent chills down my spine. Instead of anger, I felt a shiver. Heh. Then, trying not to look foolish, I pressed my lips tightly together, but my hiccups slipped out.

“Wh-why are you here... suddenly...”

“Me?”

Go Yohan, with one hand in his pocket and the other pointing toward the alley he had come from, spoke nonchalantly. His lips, curled upward, revealed his sharp fangs.

“Why indeed? Why did I come from there?”

“...You didn’t wait for me, did you?”

“Of course not. You’re just being overly self-conscious.”

The hand that had been pointing to the alley now returned to its place, and his long fingers dug deeply into his pants pockets. The Go Yohan before me was exactly the same as always—his signature arrogant posture intact. Slightly bowing toward me, he spoke.

“I saw you coming, so I thought I’d surprise you.”@@novelbin@@

“Such a pointless thing to do...”

“Pointless, you say?”