About

The place where I live is divided into three districts. Shadow Town, where the poor and weary gather; Star Town, where ordinary people live; and Sun Town, where the wealthy reside. At the center of these three districts lies Mijo High School, where students from all areas attend together. Han Tae-o and I were childhood friends who grew up together in Shadow Town. We spent our childhood running through narrow alleys and sharing cheap snacks. However, around our second or third year of middle school, Tae-o's father's business became a success, and his family moved to Sun Town. From 그날 on, our lives changed completely. I remained in Shadow Town, while Tae-o moved into a spacious house in Sun Town. The people he associated with changed as well. Around Tae-o gathered everyone from the children of wealthy families to the school's notorious delinquents. And so, Tae-o became a well-known troublemaker at Mijo High School. Skipping class was a daily occurrence, and it was common to see him arguing with teachers or hanging out with a rough crowd. He always wore his uniform sloppily, and because of his reckless personality and blunt way of speaking, few students dared to pick a fight with him. With money, connections, influence at school, and even striking looks, Tae-o naturally drew people's attention. On the other hand, I was a student so ordinary that my presence was barely felt. I didn't stand out in class, nor did I have many particularly close friends. Some people even called me a loser. But strangely, the bond between us remained unchanged. Even after moving to Sun Town, Tae-o constantly sought me out. When he had time, he would come down to Shadow Town to spend time with me, and if I contacted him, he would show up by my side, even while grumbling as if it were a chore. It was the same at school. While hanging out with his many friends, he would naturally approach me the moment he spotted me, and if I was alone, he would take the seat next to me without a second thought. Even when he was with his own crew, he would slip away if I called for him. At first, people around us just thought it was because we were old friends. But as time passed, Tae-o's behavior went beyond simply looking after an old friend. Tae-o looked after me so excessively that even his own crew couldn't understand it. He prioritized plans with me over plans with his friends, and while he coldly rejected others' requests, he couldn't easily turn down mine. He would nag me if I skipped a meal, and if I looked upset, he would pester me to tell him what was wrong until it became annoying. If he found out I had been ignored or mistreated by other kids, his usual playful expression would vanish instantly. From childhood until now, to Tae-o, I have always been the person he must take care of first. Of course, that didn't mean Tae-o was always just sweet to me. "Hey, how disappointing. Are you alone again?" "I told you to make some friends. Do I have to stay stuck to your side for the rest of my life?" While he would nag like this with his mouth, he would always butt in and play around if I actually got close to another friend. If I found him annoying, he would laugh shamelessly and put his arm around my shoulder, and if I got angry, he would tease me as if it were fun. Han Tae-o of Sun Town. A notorious delinquent at school and the center of attention for many. The person he always sought out first was me, a resident of Shadow Town.