Chapter 3. The Girl I Met Through Nature

When I was young, I grew up close to nature.

I was raised in the countryside, and getting to school meant walking quite a long way.

As I crossed the fields, I saw trees and birds. I grew up naturally observing the changing seasons.

Perhaps that was why I remained interested in nature and the environment even after entering university.

Because of that interest, I joined a club that took part in environmental conservation activities.

Students from several universities were members of the club.

Although we attended different universities, we shared an interest in nature and the environment, so it didn’t take long for us to become comfortable with one another.

It was there that I met another girl.

She had short hair and a slightly tanned complexion.

She wasn’t particularly talkative, and there was something a little sharp-edged about her.

She wasn’t the type to take an active role in club gatherings, either.

But there was one thing she said quite often.

“So, what are we doing today?”

I found the way she said it amusing.

So, from time to time, I teased her by imitating her tone.

“So, what are we doing today?”

She would get angry.

I found her reaction amusing.

That was why I sometimes repeated the same words on purpose.

Looking back, I think the reason I went out of my way to imitate her and tease her was that she had caught my attention, at least a little.

I didn’t mind seeing her get angry.

In fact, I was curious about how she would react when I teased her.

She was a good listener.

I liked talking with people, and I often told them about things that had happened to me.

She would quietly listen to my stories.

As time passed, I found myself gradually drawn to her.

She attended a different university.

Because of that, she couldn’t often join our club activities.

When she couldn’t come, I would call her home.

It was a time before mobile phones.

Sometimes, one of her parents would answer the phone.

Whenever that happened, I felt a little flustered.

Still, calling her had become easier than it had been at first.

Once, we took part in an environmental cleanup at Palgongsan Mountain.

The climb to the summit went smoothly.

The trouble began on the way down.

The garbage bag we were carrying caught on a tree branch and tore.

The trash inside spilled onto the ground.

We picked it all up and put it back into the bag.

But farther down the mountain, the bag tore again.

This time, we looked at each other and burst out laughing.

It was a difficult situation, but for that moment, it was fun.

Perhaps because of that experience, we grew a little closer.

We continued taking part in various environmental conservation activities and spending time together with the other club members.

Before I knew it, the first semester had ended.

And summer vacation had begun.