Reluctantly, Soeun got into the car, guided by Taejun. While Taejun, who had brought Soeun’s luggage, started the car solidly, he said, “If you’re sleepy, go ahead and sleep.”

“No, you’re driving, Director.”

In the meantime, Soeun, who had chased away sleep a bit by going up and down the stairs, opened her eyes with strength. Taejun, who saw Soeun’s eyelids darken, burst into laughter. Taejun, who was about to move the car but stopped, suddenly leaned over and kissed Soeun’s lips. The breath that covered the open lips was teasing, as if it would induce sleep by taking in oxygen.

However, Soeun was happy even in her blurred consciousness. Only now did she think of him as the Kim Taejun she knew. Soeun, in her reluctance, wished for a slightly later departure. But soon, their lips separated.

“If I get sleepy while driving, I’ll take a short nap and sleep well. Get some rest, Soeun.”
Affectionate and merciless lips.

Soeun looked at his wonderful side profile with resentful eyes. Sensing her gaze, Taejun forcefully lowered the backrest of the passenger seat. Buried in the slowly descending seat, Soeun groaned.

“Ugh, that’s too much…”

Eventually, warmth spread over the backrest and buttocks, and a soft blanket settled on her body. It was the same method as before when she fell into a deep sleep without realizing it.

“I won’t sleep. It’s too much.”

With her eyes half closed, Soeun muttered in a painful voice.

“When we arrive, I’ll wake you up when the sun rises.”

“…”

“I get too anxious when Han Soeun can’t sleep.”

He didn’t let her sleep when she said she wanted to, but now that she said she wouldn’t, he made her sleep forcibly.

Soeun grumbled softly, but he seemed to intentionally pretend not to hear. He locked the seat switch, and she couldn’t raise the backrest. Soeun quickly fell into a deep sleep as he wanted.

How long did she sleep? Soeun opened her eyes at the sound of waves that seemed to touch the car wheels. It was the sea. Although it was dark, a faint dawn could be felt at the end of the sea.

When she turned her head, she saw Taejun sleeping in the driver’s seat. He looked so sound asleep that Soeun, with a wishful thinking, watched, hoping the sun would rise a little later. But time doesn’t wait. The sun rose faster than she thought.

What should she do? Should she wake him up by shaking him?

While contemplating, Soeun approached and kissed his cheek. At the same time, Taejun, who had only opened his eyes like a doll, stared at Soeun up close. His eyes were more restless than the sea embracing the sun. At any moment, it felt like a wave would rush in. For some reason, it felt like a moment she had missed so much, and her nose tingled. Soeun didn’t want to ruin this moment with her noise because he looked so beautiful.

Touch.

Taejun moved first. Raising his head, Taejun responded to Soeun’s kiss, wiping away the gentle gaze from earlier and smiling neatly.

“Shall we go out?”

The two of them opened the car door and stepped outside. Although it was summer, Soeun shivered in the unbelievable cold. As she huddled, a blanket was draped over her shoulders, and Taejun’s arm firmly rested on top of it.

On the rippling red water scales, the sun was halfway up, and it soon popped up with a thud. It felt like the sea was spitting out the sun. It was a fleeting moment that seemed like it could be missed.

It was Soeun’s first sunrise in her life, made with the feeling that she might have to mark a turning point in her life. The intense feeling that there was no need to see anything more beautiful. The stunning colors left in her life as a lingering feeling, created with the feeling that this was enough.

Seagulls, as if to create even more wonderful memories for them on this precious day, flew towards the sun.
Amidst a world where nothing is heard except the sounds of waves and seagulls, Taejun quietly began speaking.

“There is a sedimentary rock terrain national park called Bryce Canyon in Utah, USA.”

The country where he spent his short childhood and youth. Since Soeun was hearing the story of that land for the first time, she listened quietly.

“It’s a red desert filled with thick, goblin horn-like rock towers, and during sunrise, the whole world appears blood-red. My expression may be lacking, and if you hear the description, it might sound dreadful.”

“…”

“Sitting quietly on any rock there, watching the sunrise, makes me feel like I’m as solid as a rock on the ground, like flying dust when the wind blows, like I’m nothing at all, but at the same time, like I can live for thousands of years. It’s a place that evokes a lot of emotions. It’s enormous, desolate, and lonely. It’s the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen, or no, now here is probably the most beautiful….”

Unlike his usual self, Kim Taejun unfolded an unusually long description as if offering a eulogy to the scenery. Even in this long story, every word was gentle and warm, typical of Kim Taejun.

“Let’s go there someday. I’ll take you. It will be even more beautiful if we see it together.”

“…”

“But to go there, you need to be healthy. The road is tough.”

Can you promise the future so easily?

She tried not to think of ‘someday.’ ‘Someday’ without a specific date felt like an ungraspable hope because, if she holds onto it, her heart will wear away and disappear from the inside.

But somehow, this man seemed like he would definitely make it happen. Carrying herself, who has never been on a plane, across the Pacific, and placing himself among the giant rocks’ crevices. It seemed like he would bring all kinds of splendid landscapes to place them in front of his eyes. So that they could sit together and become a rock on the ground or flying dust when the wind blows.

Soeun found that vague belief fascinating.