“Seems like I came out just when you’d have arrived. Isn’t my time calculation impressive?”
Excited, Seo Yeon looked up at Kwon Yool and asked.

Upon which, a more excited Kwon Yool nodded.

“Huh? Just a moment.”
Kwon Yool’s finger lifted a strand of hair from Seo Yeon’s cheek. Her gaze fluttered at the silent, warm touch.

Seo Yeon felt her cheek where Kwon Yool’s fingers had been, as if it was still hot, and quickly brushed it off.

“We’ll eat, then take a walk. How about three hours from now?”
She wanted to say more time would be okay, but Seo Yeon shortened her words. She felt like she was revealing too much.

“Yes. Well. Sure. But where are we going? This is the first time we’ve met twice in a day.”
“Do you have anything in particular you want to eat?”
“Hmm. Something not too heavy?”
“So, will you go wherever I suggest?”
When Seo Yeon, who made an okay sign with her finger, nodded, Kwon Yool gazed at her with mixed feelings.

When will you stop holding back? There’s not much time.

Kwon Yool pressed and released his lips, then asked.

“Can you do me a favor?”
As Seo Yeon looked at him with a ‘What is it?’ expression, Kwon Yool took a step closer.

“Actually, I planned to ask you on Saturday.”
As Saturday was mentioned, Seo Yeon moved half a step closer, as if ready to grant the favor right away. Her breath touched the tip of Kwon Yool’s chin.

“Please. Do me a favor.”
“Can I hold your hand?”
Confused by the request for her hand, Seo Yeon stretched out her right hand. Then, Kwon Yool, with a smile on his face, lightly held her hand.

Seo Yeon’s eyes, now wide, alternated between looking at their clasped hands and Kwon Yool’s smiling lips.

“Thanks for granting my request.”
Kwon Yool acted as if they were a couple who always held hands.

‘This man. What? Why does he seem so natural?’
Inside Seo Yeon’s mind, her inner voices were shouting. Her whole body felt hot, as if she was on fire, without even having the chance to feel the softness of his palm. She just didn’t show it.

“Are you okay?”
Asking permission, Kwon Yool inquired Seo Yeon, who had paused.

“Ah, yes. Let’s go now.”
Once Seo Yeon’s permission was granted, Kwon Yool, as if he had been waiting, promptly held her hand properly.

They had been together all night, but the warmth felt from the bare hands was so different, he thought, with the corners of his mouth gently lifted.

The pressure that had been tormenting Kwon Yool all throughout the meal, the chain that had been choking him until he could hardly breathe, seemed to loosen up just by being with Seo Yeon.

“Can you walk? It’s not far.”

Kwon Yool, seeming to be stuck, spoke to Seo Yeon.

“Uh, yes, yes.”
She responded coolly but her slight awkwardness showed as she fiddled with the strap of her crossbody bag.

And then they walked side by side. Of course, their hands were interlocked.

“Why do I feel so happy, like a tender lover? The lightweight emotion is so hard to grasp,” Kwon Yool thought.

A neutral breeze, neither cold nor hot, slipped between them.

Kwon Yool cleared his throat like a person with an itchy throat when their interlocked hands slightly shivered. Seo Yeon also matched his pace, rubbing her cheek with the back of her hand as if her face was getting hot.

Then, they felt a vibration from their joined hands.

“Just a moment.”
Without letting go of her hand, Kwon Yool uncomfortably pulled out his cell phone from his back pocket.

“Yes, Principal.”
Kwon Yool held the cell phone tight to his ear, listening to the other person for a long time.

“I’m sorry, but that special lecture might be difficult. As I mentioned last time, I plan to wrap up by the end of this month.”
As the conversation dragged on due to repeated persuasion, Kwon Yool’s lips said ‘I’m sorry’ to Seo Yeon. She hastily gestured that it was okay.

“There’s not much time left until summer. It’s not about the money, so you don’t have to insist… Yes, alright. I’ll definitely contact you later.”
Kwon Yool ended the abrupt call with the phrase ‘on the move’ in response to the principal’s repetitive words.

“I’m sorry for the long call.”
Kwon Yool apologized as he roughly shoved his cell phone back into his pocket.

“You must be busy with work.”
“They keep asking for more at my current job.”
“Ah, as Seo Hee said, you must be an expert to get a ticket and wait.”
“No, that’s not it. I’m going to be busy soon.”
In fact, Kwon Yool wanted to talk about his start of private tutoring work.

How he couldn’t refuse the earnest request of a principal he had known since high school. And how he couldn’t quit because he felt rewarded seeing his students following along well.

He also wanted to add that his cousin Seo Hee had made him seem more grand by labeling him as an educational freelancer.

But given his situation, he had to cut his words short.

He had asked for understanding as he planned to quit tutoring due to various reasons, but then they asked him to take special lectures because the parents’ response was good.

And it was even more surprising because he received the call while he was with Seo Yeon.