The Law of Webnovels

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Ban Yeo Ryung and Woo Jooin, who were both rummaging something in my room, soon came out with a small object in excitement. Eun Jiho, who was sitting down on the living room floor, crawled toward them with his knees. He then tilted his head to check the thing in their hands. I asked in wonder.

“Hey, what is it?”

“A digital camera! Isn’t this the one in your house a year ago? I think it’s the same.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right,”

Jooin, who took short and quick steps to lean his body on Eun Jiho’s back, observed the object and responded like that. I, at last, remembered the digital camera that my dad bought about a year ago. Like most of the electronic devices in my house did, the digital camera soon disappeared somewhere and got out of our sight. Every time I had to shoot pictures sometimes, I would find myself unable to find that camera anywhere.

I asked, “Where did you find it?”

“It was between the photo album. Surprised me as well. It says that if you connect this with a USB cable, then you can see the pictures and videos on TV. Hold on.”

With that said, Ban Yeo Ryung looked through a box that contained a lot of tangled USB cables all over. How many did she try to connect the camera with the TV… Jooin then carefully stretched out his hand while grabbing a cable.

“Try this one.”

“Oh, okay. Yay, it’s working!” Letting out an exclamation, Ban Yeo Ryung ran in front of the TV in excitement then kneeled. Jooin laughed at her as if she was acting funny. He then suddenly strode toward the couch and buried himself in it while sitting next to me. I patted his cute brown hair. In the meantime, Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Jiho kneeled in front of the TV while showing their expectations on their faces.

The TV that we installed in the middle of the wall displayed gray noises on the screen a few times.

Eun Hyung asked, “Should I turn the lights off?”

“Turn it off! Now!” Yeo Ryung said while pressing the remote control enthusiastically.

As soon as Eun Hyung turned off the lights, he threw himself on the couch, across from us, then smiled. I could hear Yoo Chun Young and Eun Hyung’s chat from here.

“Don’t they look like a nice brother and a sister?”

“Um… I don’t think so.”

As if Yoo Chun Young’s serious response sounded funny, Eun Hyung laughed loudly. I leaned on the sofa apathetically while staring at the TV screen full of gray noises.

How many times did the external inputs and Channel 1 change with flickers? Suddenly, the screen turned bright with a spark. Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Jiho stood up from their seats at the same time and emitted a whoop. They then came closer to us to sit in front of the couch. Ban Yeo Ryung, who sat right in front of me, leaned her head against my knees. I stretched out my hand to pat Ban Yeo Ryung’s head too.

The TV screen was yet out of focus. While looking at it like that, I flung a question to Ban Yeo Ryung.

“But what’s this video about?”

“Maybe something you shot before…? Well, I have no idea either.”

“What?”

While I asked back in confusion, a voice came from out of the TV suddenly. A bright, refreshing, and quite a unique tone, it was no one else but Jooin’s voice.

The screen exhibited our dining table then it showed Jooin’s face. He, inside the TV, looked very delighted. His light-brown hair was a little tangled, but he looked way younger than now. He was also a little shorter.

Suddenly, I felt strange when I glanced at Jooin who was beside me. When our eyes met, Jooin spoke with a grin.

“I think that was when I was a sophomore in middle school, mama.”

“Oh, yeah. I thought you looked young.”

“Woo Jooin is so cute there,” Eun Jiho, who was sitting in front, said slyly.

Jooin, inside the screen, talked excitedly.

“Hello! Let me introduce my family.”

“… What?”

From somewhere at the side of the video, there came out a little surprised yet warm and composed voice. No wonder it was Eun Hyung’s.

‘Was Eun Hyung in the kitchen at that time?’ As soon as I had that thought in mind, Eun Hyung, who put on my mom’s pink apron, showed up inside the screen.

Eun Hyung, who looked younger than now, with a pink flower-patterned apron on, had a shy face like a newlywed bride. ‘How can he look so pretty and gorgeous with that apron?’ When I thought that way, I heard a burst of small laughter from the side.

“Hehe.”

Covering his mouth, Jooin buried his face in my shoulders. Perhaps he wanted to hide his laugh after seeing Eun Hyung.

In front of the couch, there was already a fuss. Hitting each other’s arms, Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Jiho were laughing like crazy. As I slowly turned my head to see Eun Hyung, I found out that he looked quite uncomfortable, so I turned my head to the front quietly. ‘Let’s say nothing from now on.’

Not even a minute seemed to pass since the video started, but it was already proving to be quite a dangerous clip.

Inside the screen, Eun Hyung covered the camera with his hands out of embarrassment. The TV suddenly darkened for a moment but soon brightened.

“Oh, don’t shoot. It’s not the right time.”

“Let me introduce him. He’s my mama. Mama! Mama! What is today’s menu?”

Regardless of Eun Hyung’s disconcerted protestations, Jooin attached himself to Eun Hyung while jumping in joy. The camera, that was shaking up and down, soon focused a richly boiling red soup.

Eun Hyung looked as if he had given up now. A low voice continued.

“Never mind. Shoot if you want, but I was wondering from a long time ago… why am I also mama? Isn’t it Donnie your mama?”

“Oh, multiple mamas are also available.”

“What? Is it like plural voting or something?”

“Anyway. Eun Hyung-mama, what is today’s menu? Please explain!”

“It’s tteok-bokki. Open your mouth and say ahh~”

In front of the camera, there I saw a spoon full of red soup. The camera then shook intensely. Jooin’s surprised voice came along.

“Ow! It’s so… so hot!! What is it so spicy?!”

“Yeah, that’s why I let you try it.”

“Huh…?”

“Why? Something wrong?”

“Did you just say you let me try it because it’s hot…?”

“Are you gonna call me mama again?”

“No, sir.”

‘Good boy.’ As soon as I heard a kind voice, Eun Hyung’s hand passed the screen at the same time. Maybe Eun Hyung was patting Jooin’s head.

Why does Eun Hyung’s kind voice saying, ‘good boy’ frightens me? With that thought in mind, I turned my head to see Eun Hyung. He now looked quite comfortable. I, again, turned my head to watch the TV screen.

A long black hair appeared on the screen with a twinkle. A girl with doll-like, delicate limbs and a beautiful appearance from behind stood quietly in our living room. The scene itself looked like a masterpiece painting that I drew in my breath for a moment from its perfectness.

The girl, Ban Yeo Ryung, then turned back to see the camera. The silence inside the screen which seemed like a magic spell broke at last. Ban Yeo Ryung rounded her eyes in surprise and ran toward the camera at once. She looked younger than now.

“Wow, where did you get this?”

“Mama’s dad gave me to play with it.”

“Donnie’s father? I guess he really likes you, huh? Oh, hold on. Are you shooting right now?”

“What’s up?? What’s all the fuss?”

I soon heard a familiar voice then a hand popped out to snatch the camera. The one who dropped his aloof gaze at the camera lens was Eun Jiho.

His platinum blond hair melted into the transparent air under the bright light. His gentle gaze at the screen looked black like the eyes of a dead fish.

Compared to the present, Eun Jiho, at that time, was way more expressionless. As if it wasn’t only me, who thought Eun Jiho looked outstandingly different before, I heard Yoo Chun Young asking him from the side.

“Hey, did you look like that in the past?”

“Like what?”

Eun Jiho turned his head in a flash to look at us. Placing his elbow on the corner of the couch, Yoo Chun Young asked back.

“You look very… expressionless than now. Are you usually like that?”

“Yeah, true. I also thought it wasn’t Eun Jiho at a glance. Dude, you were quite handsome back then.”

Listening beside him, Ban Yeo Ryung helped Chun Young’s words like that, which made me burst out laughing. Jooin also giggled while stomping his feet. I heard Eun Jiho asking in bewildered feeling.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Huh? Don’t you understand?”

“That sounds strange… I was, am, and always will be handsome.”

Furrowing her face, Ban Yeo Ryung flipped off to Eun Jiho. Jooin, and I put my arms around each other’s shoulders and laughed our asses out.

Jooin, who giggled for quite a while, rubbed his eyes then said, “As far as I remember, I don’t think Eun Jiho has ever changed that much. Maybe in the middle of his sophomore year in middle school? It was then when his character began to change a lot. Don’t you remember? When you were a freshman in middle school, you looked as icy cold as Chun Young.”