● JL의 한 페이지 영어소설 (4)

초단편 영어소설#4 (영어+한글)

<A Letter to Myself 나에게 쓰는 편지>

Everything had fallen apart.

모든 것이 무너져 버렸다.

I lost my job after being accused of something I didn't do.

나는 억울한 누명을 쓰고 직장을 잃었다.

I trusted a friend and cosigned a loan for him, only to be buried in debt that wasn't even mine.

친구를 믿고 그를 위해 대출 보증을 섰다가, 내 것이 아닌 빚더미에 파묻히고 말았다.

The woman I promised a future to had already chosen a different life.

미래를 약속했던 여자는 이미 다른 삶을 선택해 떠났다

All the dreams I built crumbled at once, and I was left with nothing but hopeless despair.

내가 공들여 쌓아 올린 모든 꿈들이 한순간에 와르르 무너졌고, 내게 남은 건 희망이라고는 전혀 없는 절망뿐이었다

I was exhausted.

나는 너무 지쳐 있었다.

Tonight, the urge to end all this suffering took hold of me.

오늘 밤, 이 모든 고통을 다 끝내고 싶다는 충동이 나를 사로잡았다.

Wanting to leave nothing behind, I began clearing out my desk.

나는 아무것도 남기지 않으려는 마음으로 책상을 정리하기 시작했다.

I found a folded paper in a small box of odds and ends.

잡동사니들을 모아둔 작은 상자 속에서 접힌 종이를 하나 발견했다.

At the top it said, "To the cool Future Me."

그 위에는 '미래의 멋진 나에게'라고 쓰여 있었다..

As I searched my memory, I realized it was a letter I wrote in high school to my future self.

기억을 더듬어 보니, 고등학생 시절에 미래의 나에게 쓴 편지였다.

Was it really a coincidence it caught my eye, tonight of all nights?

수많은 밤 중에, 하필이면 오늘 밤에 그게 내 눈에 띈 게 정말 우연이었을까?

"Hi, future me! You're living a happy life, right?"

"안녕, 미래의 나! 넌 행복하게 잘 살고 있지, 그렇지?"

"Are you driving a cool car and living with a beautiful family?"

"멋진 차를 몰고 예쁜 가족들과 살고 있어?"

"Thinking about your life makes me smile. I can't wait to be you."

"네 인생을 상상하면 웃음이 나. 난 빨리 미래의 네가 되고 싶어."

"I'm sure you're an amazing person. Please become someone I can be proud of."

"너는 분명 멋진 사람이 되어 있을 거야. 내가 자랑스러워할 만한 사람이 되어 줘.

"I really do believe in you. Please don't let me down. You'll do better than anyone else."

"나는 정말 너를 믿어. 제발 나를 실망시키지 마. 넌 누구보다 잘 해낼 거야."

I was overcome with emotion, and couldn't hold back the tears.

나는 감정이 북받쳐 올라, 눈물을 참을 수가 없었다.

'Should I really end the happy life that boy believed in so deeply, as a broken failure?'

‘그 소년이 그렇게 깊이 믿었던 행복한 삶을, 이렇게 망가진 실패자로서 정말 끝내야만 할까?’

I picked up the pen with a trembling hand, tears streaming down my face.

나는 눈물을 흘리며 떨리는 손으로 펜을 집어 들었다.

"To the boy who once wrote to me, "

"나에게 편지를 썼던 소년에게, "

"I’m sorry I didn’t become the hero you imagined."

"네가 상상했던 멋진 주인공이 되지 못해서 미안해."

"Having lost everything, I had no strength to start over, so I was going to end it all."

"모든 걸 잃고 다시 시작할 힘조차 없어서, 그냥 다 끝내버리려고 했었어."

"But tonight, your letter traveled through time and deeply shook me."

"하지 오늘 밤, 네 편지가 시간을 넘어 도착해 나를 뒤흔들었어."

"Honestly, I wanted to live no matter how hard it was. But I just didn't have the courage to endure the pain."

"사실, 아무리 힘들어도 살아남고 싶었어. 그저 고통을 견뎌낼 용기가 없었을 뿐이야."

"But when I thought about you believing in me, I realized I was just being a coward."

"하지만 나를 믿어주는 너를 생각하니, 나는 그저 비겁한 겁쟁이였구나 싶더라."

"Tonight I chose to stay. Not because I’m strong, but because you believed in me."

"오늘 밤 나는 살아남기로 선택했어. 내가 강해서가 아니라, 네가 나를 믿어줬기 때문이야."

"Thank you for saving me."

"나를 살려줘서 고마워."

I opened the window, and the cold night air rushed in.

창문을 열자 차가운 밤공기가 밀려들어 왔다.

I threw away the empty liquor bottles and cleaned the floor.

나는 빈 술병들을 갖다 버리고 바닥을 치웠다

Nothing was resolved yet.

아직 해결된 건 아무것도 없었다.

But I wanted to try living again.

하지만 다시 살아보고 싶어졌다.

I will take the hand offered by the boy I once was, gather my strength, and rise again

나였던 그 소년이 내밀어준 손을 잡고, 온 힘을 다해 다시 일어서봐야겠다.

Flash Fiction

<A Letter to Myself>

Everything had fallen apart.

I lost my job after being accused of something I didn't do. I trusted a friend and cosigned a loan for him, only to be buried in debt that wasn't even mine. The woman I promised a future to had already chosen a different life. All the dreams I built crumbled at once, and I was left with nothing but hopeless despair.

I was exhausted. Tonight, the urge to end all this suffering took hold of me. Wanting to leave nothing behind, I began clearing out my desk. I found a folded paper in a small box of odds and ends. At the top it said, "To the cool Future Me."

As I searched my memory, I realized it was a letter I wrote in high school to my future self. Was it really a coincidence it caught my eye, tonight of all nights?

"Hi, future me! You're living a happy life, right? Are you driving a cool car and living with a beautiful family? Thinking about your life makes me smile. I can't wait to be you. I'm sure you're an amazing person. Please become someone I can be proud of. I really do believe in you. Please don't let me down. You'll do better than anyone else."

I was overcome with emotion, and couldn't hold back the tears. Should I really end the happy life that boy believed in so deeply, as a broken failure? I picked up the pen with a trembling hand, tears streaming down my face.

"To the boy who once wrote to me, I’m sorry I didn’t become the hero you imagined. Having lost everything, I had no strength to start over, so I was going to end it all. But tonight, your letter traveled through time and deeply shook me. Honestly, I wanted to live no matter how hard it was. But I just didn't have the courage to endure the pain. When I thought about you believing in me, I realized I was just being a coward. Tonight I chose to stay. Not because I’m strong, but because you believed in me. Thank you for saving me."

I opened the window, and the cold night air rushed in. I threw away the empty liquor bottles and cleaned the floor. Nothing was resolved yet. But I wanted to try living again. I will take the hand offered by the boy I once was, gather my strength, and rise again.

---

Copyright © 2026 JL’s One-Page Stories. All rights reserved.