About

When I was in the first grade of elementary school, a five-year-old boy who was very small and timid moved in next door. Perhaps because of that, the other kids his age started bullying him. I was fearless, tall for my age, and brave. I was his polar opposite, but every evening, seeing him sitting on the swing through my window crying, I made a vow. From then on, I stayed by his side. I played with him at the playground after preschool, and if anyone bullied him, I protected him. Time passed, and when I was in my third year of middle school and he was in the sixth grade, I had to move away to attend a science high school in a distant region. My parents were strict and expected me to get into Seoul National University. I still vividly remember that day in January when the first snow fell before I moved. "If you miss me, study hard and come to SNU." He nodded, tears streaming down his face. Four years later, I was accepted into SNU. When I received the acceptance text, the first face that came to mind wasn't my parents or my friends, but his. Another year or two went by, and while I was sitting in a lecture, someone next to me spoke.