lack of.
So Jihoon wore his widest smile, it turned his eyes into a small pair of crescents. More excited
than nervous, Jihoon walked to the kids. They were loudly and gleefully talked about tomor-
row’s plan. What costume to wear, what candy is the best. Jihoon loved candies too! They
would be friends really quickly! Jihoon walked faster, his steps a lot happier.
“Hi! Can I join you trick-or-treating tomorrow?”
Silence.
All chatters stopped. They stared at him. Some were surprised, some confused. Most of them,
were frightened. Jihoon’s smile vanished.
“No, you can’t join us!”
“My brother said I might get cursed and my parents will die too if I get too close to you!”
“My Mommy said a kid with no parents doesn’t have manners!”
“My Daddy said you’re too poor, can you even buy a costume?”
“You can’t join us if you don’t have a costume!”
“I don’t like you.”
“We don’t like you.”
Tears welled up in Jihoon’s eyes. A sob was so close to tumbling down his quivering lips. His
trembling hands held onto his pants, a little too strongly until his knuckles turned white. Don’t
cry, Jihoonie, don’t cry, he told himself. You can’t make friends with crying. Smile, smile
widely!
But they don’t like me.
They don’t want to be friends with me.
A hiccup escaped, a drop of tears fell down.
“Jihoonie?”
A familiar voice. Full of fondness and heavy with warmth. Jihoon turned his face to the voice,
and he burst into tears.
“Seungcheol-hyung...”