“What?”

Kyung Jun raised his voice in disbelief. He started arguing that it wasn’t enough to treat him like an unwelcome guest, but to mention smell? Is that what you say to a friend who came all this way on his day off?

“I drove all the way here because I was worried you’d be scared alone. Instead of thanking me, you say such bewildering things.”

“No, that’s not it. We lit charcoal, remember? I mean the charcoal smell. Dummy.”

“Oh.”

Kyung Jun made a face like he’d had a great realization and sniffed his clothes. There is a smell indeed. He wrinkled his nose with an embarrassed smile. Without further comment, he downed his beer and set the empty can down with a satisfying thud before speaking.

“Let’s wash up and drink more. I can shower upstairs, right? You should wash too. You smell as well.”

He laughs triumphantly at his petty revenge. Da Jung looked at him awkwardly.

“…I’ll shower before bed.”

It was a strange answer. She insisted Kyung Jun wash because of the charcoal smell, but wouldn’t do so herself. She thought Kyung Jun would surely have something to say about that. So she rambled on.

“Ah. I need to watch this drama.”

“…”

“This one. It’s a drama starring Oh Chae Won and it’s really interesting. ‘Record Your Love’ is super hot these days.”

“Is Lee Jae Ho in it?”

“…No. He’s not.”

“You’re watching a drama without Lee Jae Ho in it?”

Kyung Jun asked with wide eyes. His tone held pure curiosity rather than suspicion. Being reminded once again of what Lee Jae Ho had meant in her life all this time, Da Jung blushed slightly out of embarrassment.

“Just. Because it’s interesting.”

“Well, whatever.”

Kyung Jun replied indifferently as he turned away.

“I guess. When else would you watch dramas if not while you’re here.”

Humming to himself, Kyung Jun went upstairs and the sound of the bathroom door closing was heard. Knowing full well how long Kyung Jun takes in the shower, Da Jung suddenly felt ashamed for even thinking about that.

A little later, the sound of water could be heard.

**

The sound of footsteps crunching on crushed stone gravel could be heard. How focused must I have been to hear such a small sound. I’m not a dog. Jae Ho chuckled wryly as he flung open the front door.

Da Jung’s eyes widened as the door opened before the sensor light even turned on.

“How did you know…”

“I was paying attention.”

Da Jung pressed her thumbs together and gave a short “Ah” in response. Her expression clearly showed her bewilderment. When their eyes met, she bit her lower lip slightly.

Her nervousness was evident.

Jae Ho scrutinized Da Jung from head to toe.

Had she imagined what would happen after passing through this door? About the intimate breaths we would exchange, and the even more raw, primal excitement beyond that?

Jae Ho’s eyebrows twitched, on the verge of losing his reason. Even Da Jung’s short breaths were unbearably sweet.

Jae Ho recalled the message he had sent once more. ‘I want to kiss you.’

“You didn’t reply.”

“…”

“Did you come to answer in person?”

“…”

“I was waiting.”

A maple leaf the color of her flushed cheeks blew in on the wind and landed on Da Jung’s head.

“…Because I wanted to.”

Jae Ho placed his hand on Da Jung’s head and removed the leaf. The autumn-colored maple leaf was burning red. Just like his heart. As he twirled it between two fingers, Da Jung’s gaze followed his fingertips.

“Miss Yoon Da Jung. Let yourself be swept away by me.”

The maple leaf spinning in Jae Ho’s hand seemed to hypnotize Da Jung’s gaze, drawing it in deeply. Da Jung held her breath for a moment.

The man’s gaze felt burning hot. They shared breaths quietly while keeping their distance. Their gazes intertwined helplessly.

Finally, Da Jung broke the silence.

“…Um, can I come in?”

“If you do?”

“…”

“That sounds a lot like an answer.”

“…”

“An answer saying it’s okay.”

Embarrassment and unripe courage simultaneously appeared in Da Jung’s slightly trembling eyes.

“…It is an answer.”

The barely audible small voice finally snapped Jae Ho’s reason. He reached out and pulled Da Jung inside the entrance, slamming the door shut. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her against the wall. At the same time, his hot lips came close.

“You should say things like that sooner.”

“…Ah.”

A startled voice escaped like a small moan. It was because Jae Ho’s body, pressed against her without hesitation, was firmer than she had expected. Jae Ho, with no intention of hiding his desire, covered Da Jung’s lips with his own.

The soft lips deeply overlapped, and hot breaths intertwined as they passed between them. Jae Ho’s gentle breath filled Da Jung’s mouth and escaped repeatedly. A warmth that spread slowly heated up her entire body. A ticklish, seductive feeling filled her heart. Da Jung, not knowing what to do, clutched Jae Ho’s shirt.

“Mmph…”

Jae Ho’s arms tightened around Da Jung’s waist. In the midst of rapidly exchanging breaths, Da Jung’s excitement continued to build.

The inside of her mouth felt sweetly melting. The delicate mucous membranes and flesh were gently crushed. Heat rose in waves. The first kiss was much more sensual than she had imagined.

Ha.

Taking short breaths, Jae Ho spoke in a husky voice.

“So sweet, and clumsy.”

“Hah.”

“It’s dizzying.”

His breathing also seemed beyond control. He smiled with a frown as if enduring intense pleasure.

“Relax a little.”

After leaving a light, ticklish mark on the surface of her lips, he whispered.

“Is this your first kiss?”

“Th-that…”

“Then I’ll teach you.”

He melted her lips. Da Jung gripped his shirt tighter. Jae Ho gently removed her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

“Don’t be nervous.”

“…”

“Just relax and feel me.”

“H-how…”

“…Like this.”

Gentle breath touched her again. The man’s intoxicating scent poured over her helplessly. All strength left her body and her legs went weak.

“…Just follow my lead.”

The man cupping her cheeks pushed in deeper. With just a kiss, the man had brought Da Jung to the threshold of the highest pleasure. Da Jung thought she would never forget this moment. She was so overwhelmed with happiness that tears came to her eyes.

In a world where everything else had disappeared, only the two of them remained.

**

Unlike herself, still flushed and short of breath, the man was calm and composed. Did I kiss alone? Why does he seem so unaffected?

It was such a whirlwind moment that she felt she would have acquiesced even if he had naturally led to the next step. Her heart raced again as she recalled his voice whispering ticklishly on her lips.

Jae Ho, who had briefly left his seat, returned to the sofa with his hands behind his back. He sat down naturally next to Da Jung and pulled out a bouquet he had been hiding.

“A gift.”

“!”

“After our first kiss, I wanted to give you something.”

It was a beautiful bouquet of red, yellow, and white flowers in full bloom. The pleasant fragrance helped Da Jung relax a little. The man’s thoughtfulness was amazing. What woman wouldn’t be happy to receive flowers as a gift?

First kiss. Bouquet. A beautiful combination.

“I prepared it hoping it would be memorable.”

She wanted to say it would be unforgettable even without this. But Da Jung, afraid of the deepening relationship, just held it in. Hiding her feelings, she retorted sharply.

“What were you going to do with these flowers if I hadn’t agreed?”

Jae Ho looked at her adoringly, tilting his head and moving only his eyes to meet her gaze.

“…Well. I didn’t think that would happen.”

“!”

“How could you resist me courting you so openly?”

In the end, it was Da Jung who ended up flustered. As she hurriedly turned her head away, he chuckled audibly.

Da Jung hastily stroked the petals and rambled on.

“But where did you buy these flowers? Did you go out? I didn’t know you went out.”

“Of course you didn’t know. You were too busy playing house with your friend or boyfriend or whatever to notice me.”

“When did I…!”

As she blushed and tried to argue, his lips approached and left a quick peck. Da Jung froze like a statue.

“R-really, just because we did it once, you keep…”

“I have a flower boy at my beck and call. Things like bouquets get delivered right away if I order them.”

Jae Ho said with laughter in his eyes. Da Jung, who had been staring at that smile in a daze, suddenly remembered and looked at the clock. Almost 30 minutes had already passed.

“Ah.”

Was there some kind of time-eating monster living around Lee Jae Ho? Da Jung hurriedly got up from her seat.

“I, I have to go now.”

“Where?”

Jae Ho asked, pretending not to know. Obviously to the lodging, where else? Annoyed by his feigned ignorance, Da Jung answered oddly.

“Back to reality? I need to wake up from this dream.”

Da Jung put down the bouquet, went to the front door, waved silently, and opened the door.

Watching Da Jung’s retreating figure as she scurried away, Jae Ho smiled emptily. As she finally disappeared from view, his smile turned to shadow.

He knew well what kind of place Da Jung called reality. A daily life of working breathlessly as a nurse on three shifts at a university hospital, spending most of her hard-earned money on hospital bills and loan repayments.

Yoon Da Jung was foolish. The first thing Jae Ho did after learning of Da Jung’s existence was to inquire about her mother’s hospital.

He had offered several times to take responsibility for the hospital bills as an anonymous sponsor, but Da Jung stubbornly refused, saying she wouldn’t accept help from strangers, and struggled on with her life.

That reality. A place where she had to live arduously, struggling.

Thinking of Da Jung’s difficult life made his heart ache again. On the day of Woo Jung’s funeral 13 years ago, Jae Ho had promised Da Jung he would come back to her, but in the end, he couldn’t keep that promise. So he couldn’t know everything about her life since then, but it must have been hard all along.

He wanted to give her only happiness from now on. She must be sick of hardship by now.

He intended to do everything for her. But for that to happen, Da Jung needed to open her heart a little more, but her attitude was still ambiguous. Wasn’t her mind set on breaking up before even starting?

A month was ridiculously short to fully capture her heart. Could he change her mind within a month? Jae Ho rubbed his lips with a face full of impatience and lingering attachment.

**

“Where did you go?”

Kyung Jun said, ruffling his hair with a towel. Though his tone was indifferent, Da Jung was startled, feeling guilty on her own. Trying to maintain a calm expression, she spoke in a natural voice.

“Ah. To throw out some food waste.”

And she unnecessarily stretched with big movements before sitting on the sofa. Kyung Jun stared at her for a moment before bringing two cans of beer. Simple snacks were already set out on the table.

“Oh Chae Won’s drama wasn’t over yet, did you have to go out in the middle?”

“Ah.”

She kept getting shaken even though he was probably asking without much thought. Da Jung took a few deep breaths internally before speaking.

“Well. Uh. I thought I smelled food waste.”