Author's Notes: Ep. 3 is here! Enjoy and don't forget to hit vote. Thank you very much✨
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Y/N's Pov
When Mrs. Yoo first suggested hatching eggs as my science project...I was less than excited. That is, until I saw my first sign of life.
Y/N: Is that it?
Mr. Park: That's the embryo. Heh.
Mrs. Park: Wow.
Y/N: It looks like a bean.
Mr. Park: It does.
Y/N: Let's try the other ones.
Suddenly it felt real. All the eggs were alive. There were, like, little bean babies inside every one. On the day of the fair, all six chicks hatched.
Mrs. Yoo: What are the odds? This year's top prize goes to Y/N Park...for their wonderful project: "A Chicken is Born."
I won first place. And that was cool, but all I really cared about were my chicks.
Y/N: There you go. There you go, guys.
My mom wasn't crazy about us raising chickens. But I begged and pleaded. I told her I would take care of everything. And I did. Then one day, I found out that one of my precious chickens was a hen.
Y/N: Where's Clyde? Clyde? Hey, Clyde. What's the matter? Are you okay? Aren't you hungry? Come on. Come here. What's wrong, baby? Come here. Hey, you're not Clyde. You're Clydette. Mom!
As it turned out, my hens laid more eggs than we could eat. At first we tried to keep up...but after a month of boiling, frying and deviling...like that movie The Blob, we were being overtaken by eggs.
Then opportunity in the form of our neighbor, Mrs. Lee, knocked.
Mrs. Lee: Hello, dear. If you ever have any extra, I'd be happy to buy them from you.
Y/N: Really?
Mrs. Lee: Certainly. And I happen to know that Mrs. Gong would be interested as well.
Y/N: That's really great!
Mrs. Lee: Nothing like fresh eggs.
Y/N: Thanks, Mrs. Lee.
Mrs. Lee: You bet, dear. Bye.
Between Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gong, my egg overflow problem was solved. Then I realized that Mrs. Kim deserved eggs too. But I didn't think it would be right to charge her. She had been such a good neighbor, lending us supplies when we ran out, and giving my mother a ride when our car wouldn't start. It was the least I could do.
Besides, if I happened to run into Jennie, that wouldn't be the end of the world.
Y/N: Hi, Jennie.
By the third time I brought eggs over to the Kims...I realized Jennie was waiting for me. Waiting to pull open the door and say, "Thanks, Y/N. See you at school."
And in return, I got a few moments alone... with the world's most dazzling eyes.
Jennie: Thanks, Y/N. See you at school.
It was a bargain. Until the day it wasn't. It was two weeks after the sycamore tree was cut down and I was just starting to feel normal again.
Jennie: Hey, Y/N. Right on schedule.
Y/N: Yeah, well, neither rain nor sleet.
Jennie: Huh?
Y/N: You know, the mailman thing?
Jennie: Oh. Right. So, um, will you start riding the bus again?
Y/N: I don't know. I haven't been up there since...
Jennie: It doesn't look so bad anymore. It's all cleared away. Well, um, I better get ready for school. Guess I'll see you there.
Y/N: See you.
Maybe Jennie was right. Maybe it was time I started riding the bus again. After all, didn't she just tell me she wanted me to? Could it be that Jennie Kim actually misses me?
The front door opened once again and Jennie came out carrying something.
Jennie: Y/N? What are you still doing here?
Y/N: I was just thinking.
Jennie: It's pickup day. The cans are in front.
Y/N: I know. You need some help?
Jennie: No. Maybe I'll do it later.
She was holding a paper bag, and sticking out of it, looks like...
Y/N: Are those my eggs?
Jennie: Yeah. Yeah, I dropped them.
Y/N: They're not broken. Why are you throwing them away? Don't you want them?
Jennie: It wasn't me. My dad didn't think it was worth the risk.
Y/N: Risk? What risk?
Jennie: Salmonella.
Y/N: What? He's afraid of being poisoned?
Jennie: Well, Y/N, I mean, look at your back yard. It's a complete mess. It's, like, covered in turds.
Y/N: That's not true. I clean up after my girls every day.
Jennie: We just didn't wanna hurt your feelings.
Y/N: Have you always thrown them away?
Jennie didn't reply.
Y/N: You know, Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gong pay me for my eggs.
Jennie: They do?
Y/N: They pay me 60 cents a dozen.
Jennie: I didn't know.
Y/N: How could you?
Jennie: I'm sorry.
Y/N: No, you're not.
-x-
JENNIE's POV
It didn't take me long to realize that I'd traded in my old problems with Y/N Park for a whole set of new ones. It was actually worse having Y/N mad at me than having them annoy me. The way Y/N ignored me was a constant reminder that I'd been a jerk.
Then one day I was coming home after doing a project with Irene and things got weird.
Jennie's Grandfather: Don't be so timid. Come on, you won't hurt them.
Y/N: Like this?
Jennie's Grandfather: Yeah, that's it.
My grandfather. All I ever saw him wear was slippers. Now, where did he get those work boots? I couldn't stop looking over there. And the more I looked, the madder I got. My grandfather had already said more to Y/N in one hour than he'd said to me in the whole time he'd been living with us. I was pretty sure I'd never seen him laugh. And what was his deal with Y/N Park?
Night came and my grandfather came to my room.
Jennie: Hi, Grandpa.
Jennie's Grandfather: Y/N told me about the eggs. You know, Jennie...one's character is set at an early age. I'd hate to see you swim out so far you can't swim back.
Jennie: Sir?
Jennie's Grandfather: It's about honesty, sweetie. Sometimes a little discomfort in the beginning can save a whole lot of pain down the road.
After saying those words, he left me alone.
When it came to holding a grudge, Y/N Park was truly impressive. All week I tried to approach them at school.
Y/N would always find some way to duck me. And whenever Y/N was in their yard, Grandpa was always there with them.
Finally, one Saturday I saw my opening. My grandfather had gone into town to buy some Bengay. I guess the yard work was starting to get to him.
Jennie: It's looking real good.
Y/N: Thanks. Your grandfather did most of it.
Jennie: I'm sorry for what I did.
Y/N: I just don't get it, Jennie. Why didn't you just tell me?
Jennie: I don't know. It was dumb. And I shouldn't have said anything about your yard, either. It wasn't right.
Y/N: Maybe it's all for the best. I mean, look, I learned so much from your grandfather, it's amazing. You're lucky. I don't even have grandparents anymore.
Jennie: Oh.
Y/N: I feel sorry for him. He misses your grandma. Can you believe it? He says I remind him of her.
Jennie: What?
Y/N: I know. That's what I said. But he meant it in a nice way. Something about her spirit.
Jennie: Yeah. Well...Good luck with the grass. I'm sure it'll come up great.
Y/N: Thanks.
Jennie: I guess I'll see you around.
Y/N: I guess so.
While Y/N's acceptance of my apology was not all that I'd hoped for at least the eggs thing was finally behind me. The first time in months I could truly feel at ease.
Mr. Kim: Where you going and why you dressed like that?
Jisoo: Seulgi's. Rosé and Lisa are bringing over recording stuff and they're gonna make a demo.
Mr. Kim: Demo? Like they know how to make a demo.
Jisoo: You don't even know them.
Mr. Kim: I don't have to. I know the type.
Jisoo: You don't know anything.
Mr. Kim: Don't talk to me like that.
Jisoo: I'm late.
Mr. Kim: Be back by 11.
Yep. Everything was back to normal. Or not.
Mr. Kim: Is that kid working you too hard?
Jennie's Grandfather: That child's name is Y/N. And, no, they aren't working me too hard.
Mr. Kim: You've developed quite a soft spot for the kid, huh?
Mrs. Kim: Honey.
Mr. Kim: No, honey. Just wanna find out why your father has the energy to befriend a complete stranger when he won't even spend some time with his own granddaughter.
Jennie: It's okay, Dad.
Mr. Kim: No, it's not okay.
Jennie: Y/N reminds him of Grandma.
Mr. Kim: Of Hye Seong? Heh. That's ridiculous.
Jennie's Grandfather: You know why the Parks haven't fixed their yard?
Mr. Kim: Yeah, because he's too busy with his paint-by-numbers kit.
Jennie's Grandfather: If you had a brother with a severe handicap, what would you do?
Mr. Kim: What the hell does that have to do with anything?
Jennie's Grandfather: Y/N's father has a retarded brother.
Mr. Kim: So what? He's not the gardener, is he? Heh.
Mrs. Kim: Honey.
Mr. Kim: Ha-ha-ha. It was a joke. You know, other people have family troubles and they manage to mow their own lawns. I don't know where their pride in ownership is.
Jennie's Grandfather: They don't own that house. The landlord's supposed to maintain it. Mr. Park puts every extra penny he has into caring for his brother.
Mrs. Kim: Don't they have government facilities for that sort of thing?
Jennie's Grandfather: Maybe they thought that a private facility would be better for him.
Mr. Kim: Either way, it's not our fault that their family has some chromosomal abnormality.
Jennie's Grandfather: It has nothing to do with chromosomes. When Y/N's uncle was born, he had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. If he'd had enough oxygen, he would've been a perfect little baby, just like your daughter.
My mother began to shed some tears and she immediately stormed out of the room, with my father following her right after.
Mr. Kim: Goddamn it Hyunsuk. Honey? Honey?
Mrs. Kim: Leave me alone!
And I was left alone with my grandfather.
Jennie's Grandfather: Sorry about that.
Jennie: Why is Mom so upset?
Jennie's Grandfather: Because...but for the grace of God...your mother could be standing in Mr. Park's shoes.
Jennie: Did her brother have the cord wrapped around his neck too?
Jennie's Grandfather: You did. Luckily, the doctor who delivered you was on the ball and got it untangled...but it easily could've gone the other way. Wanna go for a walk?
Jennie: Huh?
Jennie's Grandfather: I find it helps clear the mind.
Grandfather and I, after grabbing our coats, went outside for a so-called night walk.
Jennie: What would they have done with me?
Jennie's Grandfather: You can't dwell on something that might've been, Jennie.
Jennie: The way my Dad was talking, sounds like he would've thrown me in a nuthouse.
Jennie's Grandfather: No, no. Now, that's not fair. You can't condemn him for something he hasn't done.
I was so preoccupied with my thoughts of what could have happened, and I didn't even realize that my grandpa stopped walking. Not until he pointed out...
Jennie's Grandfather: This is where that tree was, wasn't it?
Jennie: Huh? Yeah.
Jennie's Grandfather: Must've been a spectacular view. Y/N's quite a kid. Some of us get dipped in flat...some in satin...some in gloss. But every once in a while...you find someone who's iridescent.And when you do...nothing will ever compare.
Flat, glossy, iridescent? What the hell did that mean?
Y/N Park had always just seemed plain to me.
Until now.
And the way Y/N talked about what it felt like to be up in that tree...to be held above the earth, brushed by the wind. Who in junior high talks like that?
This weird feeling started taking over in the pit of my stomach...and I didn't like it. I was slipping, man. And it was time to get a grip.