“Where, where are we?”

“Yeongjong Bridge.”

“What? That’s only crossed when going to Incheon Airport…”

Eun Soo’s eyes widened as a realization hit her and she turned to look at Joo Han.

“Hey… You, you’re not going to the airport, right? You’re not thinking of having a mojito in Cuba right now. Right?”

Joo Han glanced back at her leisurely and replied.

“Why, you don’t like it?”

“Is this a matter of liking it or not?”

“You’re right. That’s not the issue. Did you not bring your passport this morning?”

“Are you serious, you nutcase?”

Joo Han chuckled at the pale-faced Eun Soo and turned the steering wheel.

“I’m going somewhere else, not the Han River, but it’s not Cuba. Do I deserve to be called a nutcase?”

“Where else are you going? Let me hear it and I’ll decide whether to cancel or not.”

“It’s a secret until we arrive.”

“Hey, you crazy bastard!”

Joo Han shook his head with an expression that showed no hint of injustice. The now wide-awake Eun Soo fumed alone for a while before giving up and leaning back. She thought to herself, it seemed to be somewhere in Incheon, but he wouldn’t dare put her on a fishing boat… right?

Joo Han’s car pulled into the yard of an ordinary single-family house. Most of the surrounding houses of similar size had signs for pensions or homestays. Though not as shocking as Cuba, it was still a plenty random place, leaving Eun Soo dazed as she got out of the car.

“When I go on business trips, I park my car here and take a taxi to the airport. It’s convenient. I can’t leave my car in the airport parking lot for weeks at a time.”

“So where are we?”

“It’s the pension that Ki Woo’s older brother used to run. I’d come here to hang out when I had time and stay here whenever I had business trips. He closed it recently and went to Australia. He said he’ll be there for about six months and to use it freely if I need to.”

“Ah.”

Eun Soo nodded, letting go of her remaining dissatisfaction and suspicion. Joo Han took Eun Soo’s bag out of the backseat and said,

“Let’s change clothes and go out. There’s a beach within a 5-minute walk and a cafe. Some good restaurants too.”

Eun Soo’s eyes sparkled with energy.

“I’ll change and come out in 3 minutes.”

A while later, Eun Soo and Joo Han were sitting side by side on a bench facing the sea. They had just finished eating a hearty meal at a nearby restaurant.

“It seems many people come here to watch the sunset.”

“Is that so?”

“If we have time, we can watch it before leaving.”

Eun Soo quickly nodded. Now changed into comfortable jeans and a neat t-shirt, she stretched out her legs and slouched her upper body.

“It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen the ocean.”

“Me too.”

“It’s been a long time since I just sat and did nothing… Is this okay? I feel a bit uneasy.”

“When you rest, just rest.”

Joo Han, sitting in a similarly slouched posture next to Eun Soo, replied. He had also changed into more casual clothes than before.

“Yeah, well. We should have days like this sometimes.”

She had thought today would be a hectic day, but this unexpected leisure time wasn’t bad.

Eun Soo cast her gaze far away. She could see the sea that had receded with the low tide and a few people walking near the waves. With the airport nearby, planes would occasionally fly by surprisingly low.

Joo Han quietly picked up his cell phone. Then he framed Eun Soo’s side profile.

‘Don’t take pictures.’

Eun Soo’s voice from some time ago echoed in Joo Han’s head. She had said that, wrinkling her nose slightly.

‘I don’t really like photos. They always turn out weird.’

‘It’s not weird.’

When he showed her the photo he had just taken, Eun Soo’s expression softened a bit.

‘I guess the photos you take are tolerable.’

‘It’s because I took it filled with affection for the subject. Filled with my heart.’

‘Ew, what’s that.’

When he deliberately spoke in a greasy tone, Eun Soo looked disgusted. Seeing Eun Soo’s typical reaction, Joo Han laughed and she gazed at him before smiling along and saying,

‘But I still don’t want to take photos. It’s awkward. So fill something else with it and give it to me.’

‘With what?’

‘Affection.’

He vividly remembered being dumbfounded as if he had been hit hard, not expecting such a lovely answer to come back.

He had wanted to say that he wanted to fill everything in the world with it and give it to her, but somehow he couldn’t open his mouth in the end, feeling as if something hot was blocking his throat.

At that moment, Eun Soo, who had been looking at the sea, turned her head and her eyes met Joo Han’s.

“Are you taking pictures of me now?”

Seeing the cell phone in Joo Han’s hand, Eun Soo fixed her posture.

“Don’t point the camera straight at me like that, tilt it slightly. They say it makes you look taller that way. And don’t just think of taking one shot, take ten or twenty shots in burst mode. You need at least that much to get a good one.”

Joo Han stared at Eun Soo, who was overly conscious of the camera and flipping her hair in slow motion, then blurted out,

“You’ve changed.”

“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Never mind.”

“What do you mean never mind? You have a really dissatisfied expression right now. Is it such an unreasonable request to put some soul into the photo while you’re at it?”

“If you put soul into a photo, it becomes a ghost photo.”

Joo Han, who had responded crookedly, got up from his seat. He then uttered three words with a clear purpose.

“Bathroom.”

Watching Joo Han’s back as he staggered away, Eun Soo blinked rapidly before belatedly letting out an exasperated sound. She had no idea why he was suddenly acting like this.

“What’s with the tantrum out of nowhere without warning or context? It’s hard to play along.”

Eun Soo, who had grumbled, got to her feet. She stretched lightly and went down towards the sea.

As she was walking carefully at a distance where the waves were about to touch her feet, she heard someone cautiously calling from behind.

Turning around, she saw an elderly couple standing there.

“If it’s alright, could you take a picture of us?”

“Yes, of course.”

What the old man handed over was a Polaroid camera. Eun Soo willingly took it and took a picture of the two who were standing against the backdrop of the sea.

“Here you go. I’m not sure if it turned out well.”

“I’m sure the young lady took it well. Thank you.”

The old man smiled as he took the camera and the film. Then the old lady next to him spoke up.

“Young lady, you should take a picture with your boyfriend too. I’ll take it for you.”

“Pardon?”

Eun Soo, who had been alone, was puzzled when she suddenly mentioned a boyfriend, but then she faltered upon seeing Joo Han standing behind her at some point.

“Oh, no, we’re fine…”

“These are all memories too. Come over here and stand together for a moment.”

It felt awkward to firmly refuse when their expressions and voices were full of goodwill. Eun Soo and Joo Han stood side by side shyly where the elderly couple had been standing a moment ago.

“Have you not been dating for long? Why are you two so shy? At least hold hands while taking the picture.”

Eun Soo and Joo Han’s eyes met. Joo Han reached out first and lightly grasped Eun Soo’s hand.

“Oh my, how pretty. It’s nice to see.”

Eun Soo swallowed her saliva. All her senses were focused only on her hand, which was enveloped in someone else’s body heat, making the old lady’s words sound distant.

Why… Why do I suddenly feel weird? We held hands when riding the amusement park ride and when doing the show at the cafe. It didn’t feel like anything then…

Were his hands… this big and warm?

Eun Soo’s hand twitched unconsciously at the thought she couldn’t help but have. Joo Han also flinched at the sensation that abruptly tickled his palm, and their fingers almost intertwined.

Click, a cheerful sound was heard as the film popped out.

“Thank you.”

Joo Han bowed his head as he received the Polaroid photo with both hands. The elderly couple smiled.

“We met at that age and have been married ever since. It reminds us of old times.”

The elderly couple left saying to have a good date. Joo Han and Eun Soo, who were left awkwardly in place, silently looked down at the Polaroid picture that was gradually becoming clearer.

“This.”

Joo Han opened his mouth.

“Can I keep it?”

“Huh? Yeah. Do as you like.”

Somehow it became awkward. Eun Soo, unable to bear the creaking flow of the atmosphere, opened her mouth.

“Do you have a fe…”

Do you have a fever? Your hand was hot. Eun Soo precariously bit her tongue to stop the words she was about to say. If she had said it, the atmosphere would have definitely become 500 times weirder.

Joo Han tilted his head.

“A fe- what?”

“Fe-, fe-… Let’s work hard.”

“All of a sudden?”

Eun Soo, who had thrown out an abrupt contextless pep talk, turned her body.

“I think the sun is really setting now.”

As Eun Soo said, the sky above the sea was turning redder. The two forgot everything for a moment and watched the color of the sky change.

“It sets much faster than I thought.”

After the crimson sun sank into the sea, Eun Soo muttered.

“And it’s strange that it doesn’t get dark right away even though the sun has set and it’s night.”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”

After standing a bit longer, the two turned around without either taking the lead.

On the way back to where the car was parked, Eun Soo spoke.

“Let’s go home now.”

“Wasn’t there something else after the Han River?”

“No. I think we took enough pictures.”

“Okay, then.”

Joo Han readily agreed and started walking slightly ahead. He had his hands lightly clasped behind his back, holding that Polaroid picture. Seeing that, Eun Soo felt strangely.

What did we do today?

Before an even stranger thought could intrude, Eun Soo quickly came up with an answer herself.

What else, we prepared props… no, bait before filming.

Eun Soo took a deep breath and took a big step.

It was time to return to daily life.

That night, Joo Han, who came out toweling his hair after taking a shower, stopped in front of the dining table. The Polaroid photo he had put down earlier was there.

The image of Eun Soo and himself standing side by side holding hands felt unfamiliar. No, looking again, it was familiar. Another look and it was awkward again, but looking once more, it seemed natural.

Unable to take his eyes off it for a while, Joo Han carelessly hung the towel on one shoulder and picked up his cell phone. He took a picture of the Polaroid and added a few more photos he had taken that day before sending them somewhere. Then he attached a message.

After a moment, Joo Han’s cell phone rang loudly. It was Ki Woo.

– What the hell is this? Did you send it by mistake?

“I’m asking if it looks like a couple photo.”

– Huh, as soon as I saw it, it looked so much like a couple that I got goosebumps. Happy? What is it? You sent it wrong, right?

Joo Han smiled bitterly.

“I’m sorry, Hyung.”

– What are you sorry about? Why are you sorry? Because you sent it wrong?

“It’s not that I sent it wrong. There’s something I couldn’t tell you until now.”

– Don’t tell me…

“Eun Soo and I are seeing each other again. It’s been about a year and we’re appearing on a show together this time.”

A heavy silence was conveyed over the phone.

“I kept such an important thing secret from you, elder brother… Are you angry?”

– No, you…

“Don’t be mad. It’s really not like that.”

– What?

Joo Han finally brought up the real issue. He said it was a setting for the show, and that Sol Hee had originally told them to keep it a secret from family, but he couldn’t do that to his elder brother like he could with family.

“Eun Soo said the same. She said you wouldn’t be fooled anyway, elder brother.”

After a long time, Ki Woo’s brief words came across.

– I’m going to your shop tomorrow so tell me the rest then.

And then the call was abruptly cut off before he could even answer.

Is he very angry?

Somewhat flustered, Joo Han put down his cell phone after considering calling again. He thought Ki Woo needed some time to think too.

He also regretted that he should have calmly faced him and told him, rather than doing this over the phone because he kept getting strange delusions looking at the Polaroid.

But about 30 minutes later, there was a loud knocking sound at the door. There was no one who would come to the house at this hour. Joo Han looked out in surprise and quickly opened the door seeing someone standing there with a serious expression.

“Why have you come in the middle of the night?”