you have in mind?” Junu asked, leaning in until his lips were a centimeter from hers.
“I have a few ideas,” Somin said. “But I’m really bad at explaining things. So I’ll just have to show you.”
Then she pressed her lips to his, humming in appreciation. And she welcomed the tingles that started in her toes and ran up her spine.
“Ya! Hurry up, you two!” Jihoon yelled from down the street.
Somin laughed at Jihoon’s exasperated voice.
“So I spoke to my mother,” she said as they started after their friends, hand in hand.
“Really?” he asked. “What about?”
“I told her I wanted to apply to some colleges abroad.”
Junu stopped walking. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Somin said. “I figured if Jihoon gets into college, he’ll probably stick around this area, so it’s not like he needs me around when he has Miyoung and my mother. Changwan’s father has been throwing around the idea of sending him to Jeju-do to get work experience in their company factory before college, so he’ll be off on that adventure. And I just started to think about what I wanted.” She was rambling now, but Junu was just staring at her. She felt nervous suddenly, telling him this.
Then a smile broke free and he asked, “Well? What did she say?”
Somin grinned. “She said she thought it was a great idea.” Was this real contentment? Being able to share good news with someone she loved. Procrastinating from studying to go eat with friends. Stealing kisses in the street. Such simple things that turned out to be everything.
“So where are we applying?” Junu asked.
“We?” Somin said as they approached the others, who waited in front of the restaurant.
“Well, I’ve been thinking,” he said, hauling her close until she stood in the circle of his arms again. “I haven’t traveled in a while.”
“Is that so?” Somin asked. “Well, I might have a few suggestions.” And she lifted onto her tiptoes to kiss him.
“Oh, come on,” Jihoon said with a groan. But she didn’t care. She wanted to hold on to this feeling. This love. It was so new she didn’t know if it would last. She didn’t know who they’d be in a month or a year. But a good friend had once told her not to worry about who they’d be a year from now.
Right now, he was what was right for her.
And right now, everyone she loved was happy.
Somin knew how rare that could be. So she’d appreciate what she had in this moment. And if she needed someone to stand with her in a storm, she knew who to call.
GLOSSARY
-ah / -ya (-아 / -야) informal name-ending implying the speaker is close to the person they are addressing
abeoji (아버지) father
ajumma (아줌마) middle-aged woman
appa (아빠) dad, daddy
babo (바보) fool
Baektu (백두산) an active stratovolcano on the Chinese–North Korean border; at 2,744 meters (9,003 feet), the highest mountain of the Changbai and Baekdudaegan ranges; Koreans assign a mythical quality to the volcano and its caldera lake, considering it to be their country’s spiritual home
bangmangi (방망이) a large club carried by a dokkaebi that is used as a weapon, but also has the power to materialize anything one wishes
bbeongchiji ma (뻥치지마) slang for “don’t lie to me”
bujeok (부적) talisman created by a shaman or monk, often used for luck, love, or to ease stress (see Notes)
byeontae (변태) pervert, weirdo
chonggak dokkaebi (총각도깨비) handsome “bachelor goblin” that is known to attract humans
daebak (대박) awesome, amazing
dokkaebi (도깨비) goblin; legendary creatures from Korean mythology that possess extraordinary powers and abilities used to interact with humans, at times playing tricks on them and at times helping them
emo (이모) aunt; sister of your mother
eomeoni (어머니) mother
eomma (엄마) mom, mommy
eomuk (어묵) Korean fish cakes
gaesori (개소리) bullshit
gi (기) human energy, also known as qi, chi, or ji in other East Asian cultures
gu (九, 구) nine
Guksabong (국사봉) a mountain of Gyeongsangbuk-do, eastern South Korea, with an elevation of 728 meters (2,388 feet); its name can be transcribed in Chinese characters in various ways, according to the related stories: 國思 means “national concern,” 國祀 means “state ritual,” and 國師 means “state preceptor,” a high government post given to eminent Buddhist monks
gumiho (구미호) literally “nine-tailed fox,” a mythical, immortal fox that appears in the tales and legends of Korea
gwishin (귀신) ghost
halmeoni (할머니) grandmother
hanja (한자) Korean word for Han Chinese characters that were adopted from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation
harabeoji (할아버지) grandfather
hyeong (형) older brother; also used for an older male the speaker is close to
jeoseung saja (저승사자) Korean reapers that are often