WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
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◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend is Too Pretty
Chapter 5: With My Platinum-Haired Childhood Friend at Ten (1)
In the vast sandy playground, despite the global spread of smartphones and the rumor that kids these days only play with TikTok, elementary schoolyards still buzzed with lively children, much like the neighborhood playgrounds conquered by young ones daily.
Among them, I stood, my heart yearning more for drawing than playing outside.
"Do-yoon, what are you doing? Won't you throw it?"
"Is it okay if I hit you?"
"Want to die?"
"No..."
Holding a dodgeball, I faced off against a girl on the opposing team, her simple attire of denim shorts and a white T-shirt somehow looking as if she was adorned in luxury children's wear.
Even after five years, her beautiful platinum hair fluttered unchanged, her slightly tanned yet undimmed pale skin glowing under her long lashes, blue eyes capturing me within.
Alicia, affectionately known as Elli.
Now a third grader, she had grown much taller and more fluent in Korean than at five.
Despite her growth...
"Hurry up!"
"......"
"Hey, Lee Do-yoon, just give her the ball and let her hit you. You can't throw it at her anyway."
"Alright..."
Elli remained a willful princess, just as she was at five.
Thankfully, unlike those days when it was just the two of us, she had started mixing with other kids.
Standing in the dodgeball court drawn on the playground, I faced Elli.
-Thud
I easily handed the ball over to Elli, my opponent.
Catching the ball, Elli beckoned.
"Lee Do-yoon, come here."
"Okay."
-Wham
"I won!"
"Hey! Again! This time, let's do rock-paper-scissors for teams!"
After calling me close, she lightly threw the ball to get me out, ending the game.
No one questioned the fairness of this blatantly biased game of dodgeball.
No one dared to challenge Elli, the third-grade princess of Dohwa Elementary School.
Though it might seem odd, Elli played fairly unless she was up against me, so there were no real issues.
And me?
"See?! I won everything!"
Watching Elli, hands on her hips, grinning mischievously, even making such a face, she was incredibly beautiful.
"You're always good at dodgeball. Are we playing again?"
"Of course! This time, Lee Do-yoon and I are on the same team!"
I had no choice but to let her win.
The desire to return home and draw had to be tucked away to play together.
Whether at five or now...
"Quick, get behind me!"
"I'll catch all the balls. You just throw."
"Of course, that's how it should be!"
I was smitten with this platinum princess.
The days at the daycare where we first met had become a distant memory.
From the following year at kindergarten, we were inseparable, always hand in hand.
And then, fortunately, we even ended up at the same elementary school.
"Phew... It's a relief. Being able to walk to and from school together eases some worry. The kids are so pretty, you worry about everything in today's world."
"That's true, hehe."
Our parents were thrilled with the school assignment, as attending the same school made it easier to look out for each other and alleviated some concerns about commuting.
Even at just eight years old, Elli, who seemed to vaguely understand that we might end up at different schools, was delighted.
"Elli, are you happy to be going to the same elementary school as Do-yoon?"
"Hmph, he's mine, of course! We were meant to go together!"
Shy about expressing her feelings, she retorted with much-improved pronunciation... Well, that's Elli for you.
"Elli's so possessive, what to do~ Do-yoon, take good care of her, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Ah, don't say that, call me 'mother-in-law'..."
"Ye-rin, it's too early for that! Our son isn't ready to be given away yet!"
"Oh, you'd like to be called 'mom' by Elli, wouldn't you?"
"Not yet! I can't give her away!"
"Hmm... I agree with Ji-eun. It's too soon."
"Right? Mark knows what he's talking about!"
"I wish Elli would call me 'dad'..."
"Be quiet, you!"
Originally, Elli's and my homes weren't close.
This meant that even if we played late, we had to part ways by dinner, and walking to and from school together was out of the question.
"How's the preparation going? No problems, right?"
"Yeah, we can move in next week."
"It's amazing how things turn out. You never know with life."
"Hehe, indeed."
A series of coincidences led to Elli's family moving into the apartment next to mine.
Elli's neighborhood was redeveloped, and just then, the elderly couple living next to us moved to the countryside.
Elli's family quickly took the vacant spot, and right before starting elementary school, we became perfect next-door neighbors.
Naturally, Elli and I were overjoyed on moving day.
Just a knock on the next door, and we could meet instantly.
Our families, already close from occasional outings and beach trips, now shared meals and even beds on many nights.
Elli and I constantly roamed each other's homes, blurring the lines of "our house."
But there was one thing...
"Elli~ Time to go home? If you want to play with Do-yoon tomorrow, you need to sleep well and wake up early."
"Yes..."
"If you tell your mom you overslept, I'll take Do-yoon far away to play tomorrow."
"I won't let you! I'll wake up early!"
"Pfft... Okay! Go, Elli!"
Elli's reluctance to stop playing, even late at night, significantly reduced my solo drawing time. I squeezed it into every possible moment.
Though I missed it, such feelings...
"Lee Do-yoon."
"Yeah?"
-Hug...
...melted away in the natural embrace with Elli.
Apart from that minor detail, we lived as close neighbors in a way rarely seen these days.
That was two years ago.
Now, as third graders...
-Boom!
"Elli! I caught the ball!"
"Good job! Give it here!"
"Here you go."
...we continued to enjoy our days filled with fun.
"Alicia is really good!"
"Let's go home together! You know the stationery store downstairs..."
"Alicia!"
After the dodgeball game led by Elli ended...
Watching Elli surrounded by friends, I, at ten, felt a wave of nostalgia.
Before entering elementary school, Elli would only play with me, but around eight, she began to socialize with other kids during class, aside from me.
Despite her platinum hair, blue eyes, and pale skin standing out, by eight...
"My name is Alicia. I'm eight. I like..."
...her Korean had improved enough to blend in without issues.
I knew the effort behind it. On rainy days, when we couldn't play outside, Elli would diligently study Korean.
With no language barriers, the only thing left was the undeniable fact that "Elli is beautiful."
From a doll-like five-year-old to a girl who seemed straight out of a movie, children naturally took a liking to Elli. The popularity of the animated movie "Frozen" at that time also played a significant role. The character Elsa, with her similar hair color, was a hit among the kids, further enhancing Elli's appeal. This continuous attention, rooted in goodwill, gradually opened Elli's heart.
Despite this, I remained her closest confidant.
From then on, Elli, including me in her circle, took a leading role in after-school activities, making her an unquestioned figure among her peers. Falling out of favor with Elli meant missing out on the largest playgroup.
Observing Elli confidently basking in the children's admiration, I...
"Lee Do-yoon! Want some of this?"
"Yeah, I'll have some. Thanks."
"It’s only for you! Eat it secretly!"
"Don't tell the other boys we gave it to you~"
I shared a laugh with the girls offering me snacks. Though not as much as Elli, I was approachable to many kids.
And the reason was...
"I'll enjoy it. Thanks, Tae-hee, So-yeon."
-Blush
"Uh, well... there's more if you want..."
"If you're not with Elli today..."
Their blushing faces, intrigued by me, made it clear.
I didn't mind the girls' affection and always reciprocated with a smile.
Well, there was a slight inconvenience.
After such warm exchanges and shared snacks, I had to face...
-Blaze
...Elli's fiery glare from afar, even as she mingled with other kids.
"What did they give you?"
"Gummy worms."
"Did you enjoy it because they gave it to you?"
"They were tasty."
"Hmph! Then keep eating those! Or follow them for more!"
Walking home together after parting with friends, Elli vented her frustrations, her cheerful demeanor during the game gone.
Whenever I seemed too friendly with other kids or accepted girls' gestures, Elli reacted this way.
She subtly interfered even when I was with boys, fearing I'd get too close.
Despite this, I naturally bonded with some kids, ending with Elli pouting.
-Stomp, Stomp, Stomp!
Elli's brisk walk ahead, showing her displeasure at my interaction with the girls, reflected her immature possessiveness and jealousy.
At ten, I couldn't fully define these feelings, but they made me happy, knowing the princess's attention was on me.
With her platinum hair, cut last year, reaching just below her shoulders, I caught up to her.
And grasped Elli's delicate hand firmly.
-Squeeze
Her hand, always soft and slightly small for her tall frame, felt strong in mine.
"What?"
Though Elli feigned annoyance, she didn't pull away.
To her, I smiled softly, as always.
"Want to stop by the playground? I'll push you on the swing."
"......"
"Don't want to? Then I'll go home to draw..."
"Let's go. To the playground."
Elli's mom occasionally apologized for her daughter's stubborn, self-centered behavior towards me.
But it never bothered me.
Because...
"Actually, I didn't like the gummy worms much. Let's play at the playground, then go to your house for toast."
"Hmph, fine."
"With sugar sprinkled on top. You like that."
"Mom will scold you, dummy."
"I'll say I wanted it. She won't scold me. It's okay."
"If it's what you want... it doesn't matter."
"Yeah. I want to eat it with you."
"Let's hurry."
Elli, even with her quirks, was incredibly dear to me.
As she was at five, at ten, and as time would go on, she remained the incomparable, beautiful princess in my life.
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