Picked Up In Winter

Translator: Ranka

Editor/TLC: Miri

Picked Up In Winter – <2>

At first I did not know what exactly that meant.

Even listening to these completely arrogant words, what I thought of was merely the space that was in reach for me.

And the only thought was that I wanted to stop everything pertaining to reality for some time.

Therefore, I stopped thinking completely as it was tiresome.

Like that, our unreasonable deal came into existence. As if dumbfounded, the guy's friends who were watching from the side came closer.

"Hey, Jo Jun Hyung. What are you doing?"

It seems that this guy, who for some reason seemed to be in a good mood, was called Jo Jun Hyung. He turned to his friends and replied.

"Picked him up."

"……."

The guy's friends stared at him in astonishment for a moment. But due to him originally being a "my pace" kind of person, he ignored his friends and once again turned to me.

I stood there and faced him. The guy beamingly smiled, with a face resembling a child who received a present on Christmas day.

"Are you cold?"

So he asked. I nodded my head once more.

"Follow me."

Suddenly he grabbed my hand and dragged me away. I was startled by the unfamiliar body temperature, his hands were very warm, unlike mine which were out in the cold.

My hand was gently held as I watched the back of a guy who was diligently walking somewhere.

He looked slim, but was pretty tall guy.

"Hey, you weirdo~~ Where are you going!"

"He’s definitely proving himself to be a weirdo. Only choosing crazy things to do."

"Right. Suddenly picking up some person…"

The guy's friends at the back were mumbling. He suddenly stopped and looked at them briefly.

"Look after the luggage."

"……."

Then he continued enthusiastically walking somewhere.

Where was he going?

I looked down at his hand and thought. What is with this guy? Why did he pick me up? Thoughts I should have had sooner, for the first time came to my mind.

At that moment, the guy went into a shop. It was a convenience store. He entered the shop and took a hot canned coffee and paid for it. Then he came out again.

He still held my hand.

From far away I could see the guy's friends approaching again and carrying my luggage. Just then, he grabbed the warm canned coffee he paid for and put it into my hands.

"Isn't it warm?"

He asked, like a child seeking accord. The warm hands of his enveloped mine, as I held the can of coffee.

Despite the not so normal action, the only thought in my head was "warm".

I silently nodded, the guy grinned and gently stroked my head.

"…?"

Ah……?

I realized that this relationship was somewhat strange. His overly natural skin-ship. His attitude that seemed to signal him taking care of and watching over me.

The eyes looking down at me as if I am lovely.

All of sudden, a thought struck me.

Pick you up.

Pick you up.

The words that I accepted without much consideration repeated in my head like an echo.

"Hey, Jun Hyung. What are you planning to do with this kid…?"

"Are you really going to take him to your home?"

Before I knew it, his friends were suddenly by our side and worriedly asked. The Jun Hyung guy replied, "Yes".

His friends were stunned but I was somewhat satisfied. They looked at me with greatly worried expressions.

"This isn't kidnapping, right?"

"No way."

"Are you really going to follow him? It looks like you’re a runaway, so just stay at your friend’s house for a while and return home. Why would you leave the home where you get fed three meals a day?"

"He's right. Home is the best."

I found it a bit amusing that teenagers wandering around after midnight would say such things, so I did not reply anything in particular.

They saw me looking at them quietly and wore a distressed expression when they realized their words would not get through to me either.

"Don't tell me he's not quite right in his head?"

"Aaaagh, I'm going crazy!!! How will we send him home!!!"

"Hey, little kid. How old are you? Name? What school are you from?"

Startled.

Due to suddenly being showered with questions, my whole body tensed up. It was because the questions connected me with the reality I thought was cut off.

I was… actually an 18 years old student at Daeil High School, my name was Kang Ha Gil, a student preparing for the college exam next year. That kind of reality weighed heavily on my mind.

Before I knew it, I was pulled back and Jun Hyung silently stood in front of me, lifting his hands to block me from them.

That one action was quite amazing. When he put up his hands and blocked me and them, it seemed as if my connection with reality was cut off.

Blocking his approaching friends with his arms, he added while glaring at them.

"His name is Happy."

"……."

We all at once fell into silence.

Happy….., he said.

His friends stared vacantly at the guy's resolute expression.

They were in a complete daze, and I also had no choice but to open my eyes wide in a small surprise.

To say he was a joking would be a lie, because he looked overly serious.

"What's with you and your naming sense?"

One person asked with a frown. It was question that had nothing to do with the key point.

In fact, everyone probably noticed the nuance that comes from the word "Happy". But they did not want to believe it.

One guy asked, revealing the desire to flee from reality.

"Why? Isn't it cute? Happy. Right?"

Jun Hyung looked at me and asked.

I realized what had happened and said nothing, but for a while agonized about what to do.

To be honest, when he first suggested to "pick me up", maybe I should have actually guessed how he thought about me.

But it was me who did not think too much about it.

I only awed at the existence of the guy who cuts me off from reality, so I cleared my head of all thoughts and followed him.

Therefore, no matter what he thinks of me, from the start I did not care.

What I needed was just any kind of space.

No, maybe it was the existence of this guy who separated me from reality.

As I thought more and more, I arrived at a conclusion. The guy saw me as just some pet he picked up on the street, I also wanted to go along with this decision. That was what we agreed on from the beginning.

"I'll pick you up."

Yes, I …….

Decided to become Happy.

EN:

Everyone, welcome the new addition to our staff here at Miri Translations, Ranka!

She reached out to me about wanting to translate this novel and from now on her translations will be hosted on this blog as well. Her upload schedule will be one chapter/week. I know many people liked the teaser I posted, so I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the novel as well! Happy reading and Happy New Year!

TN:

Hi, everyone! Ranka here!

I first wanted to read it to try how is my Korean, then decided to translate for better understanding  and thought, why not share with everyone, so here you have it. Anyway, I’m reading as I translate so you shouldn’t worry about delays (well, unless life gets in the way somehow)! Enjoy reading and Happy New Year from me as well!

 ⬅