The Best of Tomorrow-Chapter 2.8

□ ■ □

It was Sunday. I had been staring holes into the pocket watch at home when a message popped up from Baek In-hyeok. It was an invitation to Ryu Seon-jae’s birthday party. The message said they were throwing a surprise party at Seon-jae’s family restaurant and told me to come secretly. Maybe it was top secret or something—he even added five exclamation marks.

As I stared at the message, I turned my gaze to a delivery box sitting on my desk. It was a Blu-ray movie I had ordered online as a birthday gift for Seon-jae. I thought it had gotten lost in the shipping process, traveling across the country. But no—it had been shoved into a corner of the living room. My mom had opened it and, shocked that I had bought so many Blu-rays instead of studying for senior year, had hidden it from me.

After thinking about Seon-jae’s expression yesterday, it felt like maybe I shouldn’t go. But then again, what if today really is the last chance? Maybe he’ll end up watching the Blu-ray whenever he can’t sleep, and it’ll help him doze off.

I gave a big nod and went to find a gift bag. It was a present, after all—it should at least be wrapped.

Once I finished getting ready, I left the house, not forgetting Seon-jae’s birthday gift. I’d just gotten off the bus and was trying to figure out the way when my phone rang. It was Baek In-hyeok.

“Hello?”

— Get Seon-jae and run. Where are you?

“I just got off the bus. I think I’ll be there soon.”

— Hey, grab a party hat on the way.

“A party hat? Like Seon-jae would ever wear that.”

— If I say wear it, he wears it! Just buy it! No excuses!

“Okay, fine. I’ll get one.”

— Good. We’re all waiting, so hurry up.

“We”? Who’s “we”? The call ended before I could ask.

The only “we” I knew were Baek In-hyeok and Ryu Seon-jae. Who else was he talking about? Tilting my head, I slid the phone back into my pocket.

I looked around for somewhere that might sell party hats. Across the street was a bakery. I waited at the crosswalk, then headed over.

Whenever Seon-jae wore anything cute on his head—headbands, hats, whatever—his body would freeze like he’d caught some kind of stiffening disease. The same went for party hats.

I bought one at the bakery and walked out, swinging my gift bag in one hand and the party hat in the other. For some reason, my steps felt light.

I was twirling the hat when I bumped into someone. Three or four guys were standing around the corner, smoking like they were trying to burn through the whole pack. One girl standing at the front of the group looked at me and waved.

Me? Was she waving at me? Clutching the gift bag, I looked around.

“You. Yeah, you.”

As soon as the girl pointed directly at me, all their gazes shifted my way. Um, what? Do I know her? I didn’t think I’d ever been friends with someone like that.

Just as I blinked in confusion, I saw her eyelashes up close. Then it hit me—it was Kim Ok-sun, the girl I had seen outside Jagam High School. My stupid memory is sharp at the worst times. I let out an involuntary “Ah!” and gave a look of recognition.

“Aren’t you Baek In-hyeok’s girlfriend?”

One of the guys said it. I’d seen him at the school festival.

“No, I’m not.”

I rolled my eyes. The guy gave a nonchalant “Oh, okay,” like he didn’t actually care. If you don’t care, why do you keep asking if I’m Baek In-hyeok’s girlfriend every time you see me? If I had the guts, I’d sock him in the mouth.

Kim Ok-sun looked at the gift bag and party hat in my hands, then casually slung an arm around my shoulder.

“You going to Seon-jae’s birthday party too?”

How did she know? I clamped my mouth shut and stared down at the arm she’d thrown over my shoulder. Were we even close enough for this?

“Let’s go.”

She started pulling me along. I took a few steps before stopping. Were these the “friends” Baek In-hyeok mentioned? I didn’t think so.

As I reached into my pocket to grab my phone, Kim Ok-sun suddenly snatched the gift bag out of my other hand.

“What the—give it back.”

“Seon-jae might be on his way. It’s a surprise party, right? Let’s not ruin it with a phone call.”

Smirking, Kim Ok-sun walked into a store on the corner with my gift. The guys, flicking their finished cigarettes onto the ground, followed her in.

What the hell? Why are they taking someone else’s gift? I chased after them and stood in front of the store.

The sign above read: Skewer Pub.

“A bar? Seriously?”

No way Seon-jae was coming here. Kim Ok-sun had to be lying.

I pulled out my phone and checked my recent calls. I called Baek In-hyeok, but it rang for a long time before going to voicemail.

“Ugh...”

I was going to lose it. I couldn’t call Seon-jae, either. I snapped a photo of the sign and sent it to In-hyeok. Just in case.

[Don’t tell me you told Seon-jae to come here?]

Rubbing my forehead, I stuffed the phone back into my pocket. I gripped the door handle, heart pounding.

They’d probably be inside, drinking like delinquents. I just had to get the bag and leave. That’s all.

I flung the door open.

“You said if I drink this, you’ll give it back.”

So much for just grabbing the gift bag and leaving.

As soon as I stepped in, the kids, like they had expected me, cleared a seat and dragged me over. They mixed half soju, half beer into a glass and shoved it at me.

“You came all this way—don’t be rude! Drink this and you can have it!”

The color was so clear it looked bitter. I hadn’t drunk anything this strong since my college freshman welcome party.

Screw it. I wasn’t a lightweight. I downed the whole thing in one gulp.

When I put the glass down with a grimace, what I got wasn’t the gift bag but a round of applause.

“Damn, she’s good,” Kim Ok-sun said and poured me another.

I wasn’t trying to earn applause.

I glared at the beer glass in front of me. Kim Ok-sun finally plopped the gift bag on the table.

“Here. I’ll give it to you. But seriously, why should I just give it to you? This pisses me off.”

I pouted at her. Like I’m not pissed off too? A guy popped a corn puff into his mouth and tapped his glass.

“Yo, your drink’s getting warm.”

...

We were technically the same age, but considering our lives, they were kids.

So why did they feel so intimidating? I guess fear doesn’t care about age. I stared at the clearer second round of soju-beer mix.

“If I drink this, you’ll really give it back?”

“It’s right there. Take it.”

...

I bit my lip, exhaled, and the stench of alcohol filled the air.

I shouldn’t be drunk from this much. This wasn’t even close to my limit.

But my face burned and my head was spinning.

I picked up the glass.

The others were chattering among themselves, paying me no attention—except for Kim Ok-sun, who glared at me. The guy who told me the drink was getting warm kept glancing her way. What is this, a love triangle?

I shut my eyes and gulped the drink.

So bitter.

I set the glass down and reached for the bag—but caught Kim Ok-sun’s hand instead. She grabbed it first.

“Why the hell are you always hovering around Seon-jae?”

Her annoyed face looked oddly pitiful, probably just the booze talking.

“I called dibs since orientation. I told you not to touch him. But now you’re buying him gifts, blowing money on him like crazy?”

“Give it.”

“Ha? Shit.”

“You said you’d give it back.”

I didn’t dare yank it. I didn’t want it to tear.

I waited for her hand to let go.

Her face contorted like she was about to cuss me out. Then she looked up.

“You’re seriously pissing me off.”

When I got off the bus and talked to Baek In-hyeok, even when I bought that dumb party hat—I’d been happy. So happy my steps felt light.

But now I was getting cursed out for no reason. My nose started to sting.

It sucked. Then and now, I couldn’t speak up to girls like her.

I hated how scared I was of people like this.

I bit my lip and reached again—only for someone else’s hand to grab the gift bag first.

Everything I’d been holding in burst out in the wrong place.

Why the hell does everyone keep taking my stuff?

Tears welled up in my eyes. I turned around.

Through blurry vision, I saw a familiar face.

It was Seon-jae.

□ ■ □

Morning sunlight spilled into the room. I squinted and turned over.

“My head is killing me.”

I reeked of alcohol every time I exhaled. My head felt like it had been smashed and taped back together. Dizzy. A total mess.

“What even happened yesterday...”

As I tried to remember, Seon-jae’s face popped into my mind. I shot upright—and winced.

I collapsed back onto the bed.

Face buried in the pillow, I retraced the night.

The last thing I remembered... was Seon-jae.

He picked up the gift bag. He saw me home. But everything in between was gone.

Wiped out.

“Oh my god.”

I fumbled around the bed for my phone.

I finally found it under the blanket and checked my messages.

Missed calls from Seon-jae and Baek In-hyeok. And a message from In-hyeok:

[Yo, did you seriously run off with Seon-jae? The guy who went to find you didn’t even come back! And you’re not answering your phone!]

What do I do...?

I couldn’t remember anything.

Groaning, I collapsed face-first into the bed.

□ ◆ □

Seon-jae led a barely-standing Im Sol to a shopping complex.

It was a three-story building.

First floor: book rental.

Second: dark, empty office.

Third: under-renovation café.

No one on the upper floors. The stairway lights were off.

He helped the staggering Sol sit on the stairs between the second and third floors.

She kept her face buried in her knees, reeking of alcohol. She had been on the verge of tears when they left the bar, and now she was stumbling. He thought she was joking. She wasn’t.

She even tried to cross the street without looking, and he had to grab her by the collar.

He had planned to meet Baek In-hyeok for lunch and arrived at Ryu Geun-deok Gamjatang early.

Seo Yun-jae was busy blowing up balloons and yelled, “Ugh, what the hell!” when Seon-jae walked in.

Baek In-hyeok snapped, “Get out, you bastard!” and tried to shove him out.

Unfazed, Seon-jae went in and heard from In-hyeok that Im Sol still hadn’t arrived.

That’s when In-hyeok finally checked a message.

Kwon Seong-jun, munching on strawberries from the cake, peeked over and said, “Oh? I got mugged in front of this place earlier.”

Something felt off.

The call didn’t go through, so Seon-jae checked the location from the photo.

And there she was.

Drunk out of her mind.

Im Sol slowly turned her head, blinking at Seon-jae.

She raised a hand and gently touched his lip.

He winced when her finger brushed a split.

“Oh... your lip...”

She spoke slowly.

A few minutes ago, when he tried to take her out of the bar, someone picked a fight.

He could’ve just walked away—but he was already annoyed.

After a few low words, one of the guys grabbed him by the collar.

Maybe the guy didn’t like being treated like trash.

“Does it hurt?”

“Oh... sorry.”

She slowly pulled her hand away.

Seon-jae stared at her blankly.

Everything she did was slowed down.

Even her blinking, her breath, her words—

“Who messed up such a pretty face...”

Her breath stirred her hair with every word.

He gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

His fingers grazed her earlobe.

It felt... strange.

“That’s your gift, Seon-jae.”

Sol nodded toward the gift bag on the stairs.

“It’s my first time giving you something.”

He had already received more from her than he could count.

So what did she mean by first?

Looking embarrassed, she hid her face again.

“Why do you keep giving me things?”

“Because it’s your birthday. So don’t even think of refusing it.”

She lifted her head, looking serious.

Then buried her face again, breathing heavily.

“Ryu Seon-jae...”

Her hushed voice dissolved into the dark.

“I’m so glad... you exist.”

And then—

“I hope you can come to where I am... safe and sound... without anything going wrong.”

The dark stairwell echoed faintly with noise from outside. Somewhere nearby, a shop had cranked up the music, and it spilled faintly into the corridor. The dim light filtering in touched Im Sol’s flushed cheeks. As if whispering from a distant place, Kim Kwang-jin’s “Just Like the First Feeling” began to play.

Maybe it was the song.

Or maybe it was Im Sol, lips slightly parted, cheeks aglow.

But Ryu Seon-jae’s heart stirred quietly.

No one had ever filled his heart like this before.

There was something in the air between the narrow staircase steeped in darkness and the wall beside them. That something brushed gently across his heart.

“Sol-ah.”

Im Sol lifted her head from her knees and looked at him. A pale light crossed her face. Her dark, glimmering eyes made his heart waver.

“Why do you keep giving, always?”

She seemed disoriented, blinking slowly as she responded with a soft, “Hm?”

“You never accept what I give you.”

“...Me?”

She straightened her back, and their eyes met on the same level. Her face looked indifferent, but his heart pounded. It thudded painfully beneath his ribs.

“I like you.”

Sol blinked slowly again.

“I don’t care what your feelings are anymore.”

“......”

“I like you.”

The silence that followed was heavy.

Their eyes held each other’s faces for a long, still moment.

The one to look away first was Im Sol.

And Seon-jae thought once again that she hadn’t accepted what he gave.

□ ■ □

When the hour hand of the pocket watch drew close to three, I started carrying it in my hand. If I returned to my original time right at the hour, I didn’t want that to happen while sitting on the toilet.

I placed the pocket watch next to my rice bowl, taking a bite of rice and then glancing at the watch, then another bite and another glance. My mom, watching this, frowned and said, “You better snap out of that trance with that thing, got it?”

“I have a mom’s meeting tonight, so I’ll be home late. Eat and go to bed early. And don’t stay up watching those bell-ringing broadcasts or whatever.”

I shoved seaweed into my mouth and nodded.

After she left, I took the citron syrup that Seon-jae’s mom had given me, poured some into a cup, and added hot water. I set the steaming cup on the table and picked up the iPod Seon-jae had given me.

It was a 6th-generation iPod Classic, with a massive 160GB of storage.

With that kind of space, it was odd that there was only one song on it.

The first time I turned it on, I thought—because of the snowy landscape, or maybe the lyrics—This is definitely a song Seon-jae chose just for me. But now that time had passed, that thought felt foolish.

Who was I, to think that?

Why would Seon-jae...?

“Huh... I don’t know anymore.”

I exhaled a deep sigh and slumped over the table. In just a few hours, it would be a new year.

I fiddled with the iPod, then set it down and picked up the pocket watch. I slid open the cover and stared at the face.

I had a feeling I would return today.

What if Seon-jae wasn’t there when I went back?

That thought terrified me.

Once I returned to the original time and handed back the watch to its rightful owner, I wouldn’t be able to time travel anymore.

What if nothing had changed?

What could I still do in the time I had left? No matter how hard I thought, nothing came to mind. If I’d gone back to just a week before Seon-jae’s death, I would’ve stood in front of that hotel with a protest sign. But this... this was too far in the past.

Still slumped on the table, I opened and closed the pocket watch repeatedly.

Then my phone rang. I set the pocket watch down and picked it up.

“Huh?”

I shot up, checking the number again.

Seon-jae.

It was the first time he’d called since the day I woke up after blacking out. I felt tense as I cleared my throat and answered.

“Hello?”

— It’s me. Seon-jae.

“Yeah.”

— Is now a good time to talk?

“Yeah. It is.”

Even though he wasn’t standing in front of me, I nodded into the phone.

— I want to talk to you. Can we meet?

“Right now?”

— Yeah.

I glanced at the pocket watch.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see him. But the timing was tricky.

If I set out to meet him and the watch ticked over to the hour... I wouldn’t make it.

He’d think I’d ditched him for no reason. And while I didn’t care what he thought of me, I couldn’t bear the idea of him waiting in the cold. He’d definitely be annoyed.

“I don’t think I can go out today. What do you want to talk about?”

Silence. I traced the surface of the table with my finger, waiting for his voice.

Scritch, scritch. I thought I was just doodling idly, but when I looked down, the smudged marks on the glass formed the word Seon-jae.

— Remember when I told you I didn’t know why you did what you did to me?

“Uh... yeah.”

The memory of Seon-jae on the festival stairs flashed in my mind, and my heart froze all over again.

— I was asking about what you said.

“What I said?”

— You told me you liked me.

“...Yeah. I did.”

He was talking about the day I gave him the sleep kit.

He asked why I was giving it to him, and I told him I liked him.

It wasn’t a lie. But maybe he didn’t like that answer.

— I like you too.

I gripped the phone. My hands were damp with sweat.

— I like you.

My heart pounded in my ears.

What did I just hear? My face burned.

— But it’s not a feeling I’d have for just anyone.

It’s because it’s you.

I pulled the phone from my ear and checked the screen again.

It really was Seon-jae.

“Seon-jae... it’s me, Im Sol...”

Maybe he had meant to call someone else?

I told him my name.

He fell silent, like he’d made a mistake.

— This is why I didn’t want to say it over the phone.

“...Wait. So, you did call the wrong number?”

— Hey. Chun-baek.

The way he said my name—so firm—

My god.

He really was talking to me.

— Do you not like that I like you?

“No, that’s not it.”

He let out a long sigh on the other end.

— Im Sol.

“...Yeah?”

— You do like me, right?

I nodded.

Tears brimmed in my eyes.

If Seon-jae liked me... I didn’t want to go back.

I pressed my palm to my forehead and bit down on my lip.

What could I even say? My head was blank.

My heart beat wildly. I just wanted to cry.

— I don’t understand why it feels like you’re pushing me away.

“I’m not pushing you away.”

I lowered my hand and covered my eyes.

I wanted to cry out loud. My heart was in shambles.

Seon-jae, I can’t be anything to you here.

— The song I sang at the festival.

“Yeah.”

He paused.

— I sang it thinking of you.

I didn’t expect you to be there, but I was thinking of you.

My tear-streaked face froze in place.

My heart boomed like a drum.

Thump. Thump. Loud and hard.

— Why aren’t you saying anything?

I looked at the pocket watch.

2:59.

There was no second hand. I didn’t know exactly when the hand would strike three.

Here I was, on the phone with Seon-jae, and the moment I had waited for all this time was right here—only for the clock to steal me away.

If I had to take one thing with me from everything I left behind, it would be the feelings I gave Seon-jae.

Because that’s who I am.

“Seon-jae.”

— Yeah?

“I’m sorry.”

— ...For what?

His quiet voice reached me.

And in that moment, I became the worst kind of person.

“I don’t like you anymore.”

Nothing came from the other end.

My throat burned—I was about to cry—so I quickly hung up.

I sat frozen, staring ahead.

My phone vibrated in my hand.

I didn’t check who it was.

I clamped my lips shut.

Tears burned up my throat.

I sat there, dazed, then looked up.

It was snowing outside.

The house was quiet.

The world beyond the window felt just as still.

I felt... empty.

Like I was slowly dissolving.

Not dying, but feeling what it must be like to stand before death.

Is this what the last day of the world feels like?

Is this what it's like for someone with no tomorrow?

I thought about things that don’t disappear.

The seeds I’d planted, tossed into twisted time—

The feelings that had taken root in various places.

People who had seen death,

Survivors of the apocalypse,

People moving toward tomorrow.

And us—Seon-jae and I—

About to become strangers in an instant.

I stared at the falling snow.

Like the time I spent with Seon-jae, it fell in endless silence.

Anyone who hadn’t seen it fall wouldn’t know what made the ground wet tomorrow.

Ding. My phone vibrated again.

I looked toward the table.

The screen lit up.

I opened the message.

[Lie.]

It was Seon-jae.

I let out a long sigh.

I buried my face in my knees and exhaled again and again.

The thought of the people left behind after I returned made my heart sink.

The old me, who would return to this world I had shaken—

The Seon-jae who would face that version of me—

The pain settled beneath my ribs like a bruise.

I went to my desk.

Ripped a page from a notebook. Picked up a pen.

Maybe it would be the last thing I left for Seon-jae.

A goodbye letter.

[To Seon-jae.]

Just writing his name made my eyes sting.

I wiped them with the back of my hand and took a deep breath.

I wanted to explain everything—why I came to him,

Why I wrote that strange letter, gave him that book—

Even knowing he hated things like that.

But my pen wouldn’t move.

And besides, it would all vanish anyway.

A wave of sobs crashed over me.

My head went fuzzy. I bit my lip and forced the pen to write.

[If I suddenly appeared one day,

It’s because I fell from another world.

I wanted to reach the world you couldn’t cross into—

Even if it meant running through all the worlds I had.

It was my own decision, without your permission.

Everything I said—that you were precious,

That I wanted to share all my happiness—

I meant it.

But now, this feeling leaves with me.

The me who remains in this world will have no feelings for you.

It’s cruel, but please think of it as a wave

That came crashing in and then receded.

I’ll never forget the winter I spent with you.

I’m sorry for stepping into your time.

I hope you always have sweet dreams.

Be well, Seon-jae.]

A tear dropped onto the paper.

The ink bled over his name.

I knew this letter would never be delivered.

The clock would strike,

And I would leave this time behind.

I wiped my tears.

Through red, swollen eyes, I looked outside.

Fine snow was falling.

White flakes drifted through the dark night.

My face crumpled. My eyes stung hot.

I looked at the pocket watch. 2:59.

Time in the past was racing toward the new year.

And the watch was racing toward the end.

“...Hhng.”

A sob escaped through my clenched teeth.

The cry I had been holding in burst forth.

I buried my face in my arms and cried.

It wasn’t the same sorrow I’d felt on that new year where Seon-jae didn’t make it through.

This felt like someone had carved out a whole chunk of my heart.

Somewhere, I could hear people shouting,

“Happy New Year!”

The voices faded into the distance.

Just as the sound was about to vanish—light.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Tears spilled over my cheeks.

The blinding light disappeared. Darkness returned.

I steadied my breath and slowly opened my eyes.

Tears had soaked into my pillow.

The TV was blaring from beyond the wall.

My heart thundered so loudly, I thought I might die.

I breathed in. And out.

I blinked.

As my eyes adjusted, I recognized the room—

Too familiar, and yet now too strange.

The TV beyond the wall confirmed it.

I was back.

I checked the time.

January 1st. 3:00 a.m.

Suddenly, I felt hollow.

My chest still ached as if torn apart,

But I couldn’t believe I had actually returned.

Then the thought struck me—Seon-jae.

I rushed to open a browser and typed “Ryu Seon-jae.”

My hands didn’t «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» shake this time—maybe because it was my second time doing this.

But my heart pounded violently.

If nothing had changed—

If everything was the same—

I might not survive it.

Even after typing his name, I couldn’t press Search.

I took a few deep breaths.

Then tapped the button.

I shut my eyes. Like I was watching a horror movie.

Then peeked through a slit.

I hadn’t read anything yet, but sweat coated my hands,

And the phone kept slipping.

I rubbed my palm against the blanket and scrolled.

His name appeared. His birth date. His group, his agency. His profile photo.

I scrolled further—

And the article section began to load.

...Huh.

My eyes, half-lowered, lifted slowly.

“Seon-jae...”

He was alive.