under the sycamore tree // s. yoon ✔

6 : Tree of Yesterday

Hwang Y/n's POV

"Jayoon..."

"Did you know that Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Lee pay me 1000 won per dozen?" She took the tray on the bag. "I'm sorry, I didn't knew..."

"Ofcourse you don't, Y/n. I guess you're just like your father" she sneered and walked away. I frown on her disappearing figure, I know she will ignore me for the rest of my life now.

I felt guilty...

Yah, why would I? She's just the annoying Jayoon I've known!

But deep inside me, I really messed up. Jayoon has been kind, well, pretty annoying too but still kind to me. Eventhough I show her my bad sides, she ignored it all and continued to be nice at me. What have I done?

--

As expected, the next days in schools whenever I approach her, she always moves away. Yeeun also transferred to Seoul leaving her all alone here.

In the cafeteria, I tried to sit on her table but she moves away. I even tried to wait outside her last subject's class but she always finds a way to stay away from me. I forgot classrooms has 2 doors...

The thing she never ignored was my grandfather. Her lawn keeps on getting cleaner day by day.  Grass started growing and their house was well painted. All thanks to her and grandpa.

"Well well, would you look at that. Shim's house is newly painted but still dirty looking" my dad looked outside the Shim's house. I saw Jayoon still painting outside.

"Don't say that, it looks beautiful. Jayoon is so talented" my mom praised. "What do you mean? Y/n has more talents than her. What kind of student would bring eggs as a science project?"

"Would you stop talking damn about them, Ki Nam?" My grandfather screamed at him. "Oh, so you're fighting back old man... what are you to them, anyway? Instead of playing chess with your granddaughter, you spend more time helping the poor neighbors!"

"Jayoon's sister died 7 years ago before you came back here. She was the one who cleans their lawn and Mr. Shim never touched that lawn after the sister died. Stop calling it ugly"

"So what's your problem if their other daughter died? They aren't related to you" my father carelessly replied. I bit my lip to suppress my anger towards him. I didn't knew Jayoon's sister died. If I only knew about it, i could've befriended her since the beginning.

"So when Y/n almost died before, would you still be happy?"

What...

"Be thankful Jayoon's dad was the one who brought your daughter to the hospital that time" I looked at my grandfather and he's flaming in anger.

I almost died before? And I lived here before?

"How dare you bring that topic up again!"

"How dare YOU insult your daughter's saviors lawn?"

"DAMN IT ROWOON!" My dad stood up and was about to punch my grandpa when my begged for him not to. I swear, I want to reborn again on a peaceful family.

"STOP IT KI NAM!" my mom cried and then walked out of the scene. My grandfather stood up and was about to follow mom when dad pushed him and followed mom instead.

"Aish, I know I shouldn't have let him marry Mi Rae" he sat beside me. "Grandpa, I almost died before?" He looked at me and smiled while patting my head.

"You almost... when you were 5, you and the family lived here. Jayoon also mentioned she knew you before"

"Jayoon knew me before? Why u couldn't remember?"

"You were still young and... you bumped your head hard" I looked at him confused. "You fell down from that Sycamore Tree, that's what Jayoon said. Gladly Shownu was there to take you to the hospital so he basically saved your life"

"What about Jayoon's sister?"

"Ryujin? Well, she fell from that tree too. But no one saw it so she was helpless. After that, Jayoon never came back to the tree. But she told me that the tree was very special to her"

I nodded and looked outside the window. Jayoon was still there, drawing a small tree on the corner of the wall. I smiled at the drawing after I saw her paint three figures on a branch there.

"I should thank her, and Mr. Shim..."

"Why not invite them for dinner?

"But... dad..."

"Don't mind him, I can take care of it once he bad mouth the family" I nodded. "I know the two of you aren't in good terms so I'll invite them instead"

"Thanks gramps" he smiled at me before leaving the living room.

I watched Jayoon enter their house and as soon as Mr. Shim noticed the drawing on the wall, he sat infront of it and I saw him... smile.

I owe them alot,

I should apologize to Jayoon real soon.