83화 12월

12월이 됐다.

싱가포르에는 겨울이 없었다. 크리스마스 장식이 걸렸지만 밖은 삼십 도였다.

지사 첫 연말 회식이 잡혔다. 다섯 명이었다. 태경, 은호, MJ, 행정 담당, 그리고 11월에 들어온 신입.

식당에서 MJ가 물었다.

"So how do you two know each other? From Seoul?"

"같은 팀이었어요." 은호가 답했다.

"For how long?"

"…열 달쯤이요."

"Ten months." MJ가 웃었다. "That's it?"

은호가 태경 쪽을 봤다.

태경은 물을 마시고 있었다.

"길게 느껴져서요." 은호가 말했다.

MJ가 뭔가 더 물으려는데 신입이 화제를 돌렸다. 다행이었다.

식사가 끝나고 다들 나갈 때, 태경이 은호 옆에 섰다.

"…열 달이요?"

"네."

"저는 더 긴 줄 알았어요."

"저도요."

밖은 여전히 더웠다. 그런데도 크리스마스 캐럴이 나오고 있었다.

English

December came.

There was no winter in Singapore. Christmas decorations went up while it stayed thirty degrees outside.

The branch's first year-end dinner was arranged. Five of them. Taekyung, Eunho, MJ, the administrative staff member, and the new hire who had joined in November.

At the restaurant MJ asked,

"So how do you two know each other? From Seoul?"

"We were on the same team," Eunho said.

"For how long?"

"…About ten months."

"Ten months." MJ laughed. "That's it?"

Eunho glanced at Taekyung.

He was drinking his water.

"It felt longer," Eunho said.

MJ looked as if he might ask more, but the new hire changed the subject. It was a relief.

When the meal ended and everyone was leaving, Taekyung came up beside him.

"…Ten months?"

"Yes."

"I thought it was longer."

"So did I."

It was still hot outside. And the carols were playing anyway.