Jae Hee was on the verge of fainting the entire time she listened to the story that began with their first meeting at the club.

With an incredulous face, she downed her iced Americano in one shot, and still not satisfied, grabbed Yoo In’s drink and crunched on the ice.

When it got to the part about Director Do’s confession-like moment, she spat out the ice in her mouth with a “pff-” and coughed.

“Wh-what?!”

Yoo In gave an awkward smile and bit her lip.

Jae Hee stared blankly at Yoo In without wiping the melting ice, then suddenly came to her senses after a while.

“S-so. Don’t tell me you agreed to date?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“It’s not? But it’s not not it, right now?”

Yoo In delayed her answer and popped the ice Jae Hee had left into her mouth. The cold, sharp square shape slowly melted, shrinking in volume against her high body temperature.

A relationship that was neither this nor that. Not quite together, but not quite apart. Ki Yeon and Yoo In were continuing to maintain an ambiguous relationship.

Ki Yeon said he would wait for Yoo In’s feelings, and Yoo In tacitly agreed.

And after that, there was no progress. They spent time together and laughed face to face, but nothing else was decided.

“I don’t know either.”

“What are you saying? What don’t you know?”

Yoo In just mumbled quietly.

Jae Hee carefully examined Yoo In’s slightly gloomy face, then leaned her upper body towards Yoo In and spoke.

“You’re not dating yet?”

“No.”

“But that director… said he likes you.”

“Yeah.”

“So what about you?”

“…Me?”

“Yeah. How does Nam Yoo In feel? Do you want to keep seeing that director? Or not?”

At her friend’s serious words, Yoo In lowered her eyes and fell into thought.

Then the face of the man who had suddenly appeared in front of her house last night and stared at her face for a long time crept into her mind.

The low voice that had tapped her cheek and told her to go inside after barely 5 minutes, as if that was enough.

It was the first time she felt regretful watching his back as he turned away so quickly.

She doesn’t dislike his large hands touching her. The handsome smile as their eyes meet, the pranks that don’t suit him – she doesn’t dislike any of it.

“No… I don’t dislike it.”

Could this be evidence that she likes him?

“But I don’t know. I don’t know what it means to like someone, Jae Hee.”

She had been scared. Unlike herself, curled up tightly as if hibernating, he seemed to be on a parallel line she could never meet – endlessly shining and confident.

So she tried to avoid it, but she was swept along this far by the grip that held on tightly and wouldn’t let go.

Could not letting go of that hand, feeling regretful, be proof that she likes him?

“That’s why I couldn’t say anything. I don’t know what’s what either. I’m sorry, Jae Hee.”

“No, well… that’s already in the past. You don’t have to be sorry. Anyway, you’re saying you don’t dislike that director and want to see him more, right?”

When Yoo In nodded almost imperceptibly, Jae Hee grinned and clapped her hands.

“Then what’s the problem? Keep seeing him! There’s some things to consider for lifelong single Nam Yoo In’s first try, but what can you do since you’ve already met? An 8-year age gap? That’s nothing~ If you like him, that’s all that matters.”

Yoo In just smiled ambiguously instead of replying.

“Ah! But of course Yoo Jin unni knows too, right?”

“Uh… no. She doesn’t know yet.”

“What?”

Jae Hee, who had been smiling like a professor who found a clear answer, frowned as if it made no sense.

“It’s one thing for us, but shouldn’t you tell unni quickly? If she finds out later, she might drink that director up.”

“No way. Unni’s been busy lately and barely answers her phone.”

“Huh? Is she already starting a new project? Didn’t she just finish filming that pre-produced drama?”

“Yeah. The director said there’s a movie that unni absolutely has to be in.”

“Ah~ Is that so? The director said that?”

Jae Hee giggled mischievously.

Yoo In glared slightly at her teasing friend, then dumped the remaining ice from the plastic cup into her mouth and said,

“I think I’ll tell Ji Han soon too. He seems to be having some strange misunderstandings.”

“Hmm…”

Jae Hee’s reaction was somehow lukewarm. She scratched her nose bridge as if troubled and furrowed her brow slightly, seeming to be pondering something.

“Why are you reacting like that?”

“Huh? It’s nothing, nothing. Want more coffee? I think I need another cup.”

Jae Hee hurriedly left her seat without waiting for Yoo In’s answer. Yoo In stared at Jae Hee standing at the counter in bewilderment.

The fleeting thought of “why is she acting like that” was interrupted as Yoo In’s phone on the sofa began vibrating for attention.

The incoming call screen showed a name that had become familiar recently.

“Hello?”

-Nam Yoo In.

The soft, languid voice flowed in through her ear immediately.

For some inexplicable reason, the moment she heard it, her chest tightened as if squeezing her heart.

Just in case, she placed her hand on her chest, but her pulse was beating normally.

-Did you finish seeing the festival?

“Yes. I’m sitting in a cafe with a friend now.”

-Oh? Was it fun?

“Um, no. It was noisy and chaotic. Just so-so.”

Ki Yeon let out a low chuckle.

-Then why did you go?

“My friend said we should go before graduating. She said we need something to talk about if they ask about festivals during job interviews.”

-Your friend has interesting ideas. Is it the friend I saw before?

“Yes, that’s right. But do interviewers really ask about things like that? Do you do that too, Director?”

-I’m not sure about that, I don’t conduct interviews directly. I’ll ask the person in charge later and let you know.

Yoo In was about to say that wasn’t necessary, when she sensed a presence and looked up.

Jae Hee was standing there with a tray holding two cups of coffee, wearing a strange expression.

What are you doing? Yoo In mouthed, and only then did Jae Hee move reluctantly, but her odd gaze continued.

-When are you going home?

“I think I’ll go a little later.”

-Okay. Have fun and go home. You can call me if you think of me.

The low voice tinged with laughter seemed to have figured out the feelings she had tried to hide, and her earlobes began to burn hot.

The tingling in her hot ears was so intense that Yoo In considered hanging up right away, but soon replied with a very quiet “Okay.”

After ending the brief call with Ki Yeon, Yoo In was fanning her face where the heat had spread when she met eyes with Jae Hee, who was staring at her intensely.

“What?”

“I never thought I’d live to see the day Nam Yoo In blushes because of a man.”

“…I never said it was a man.”

“Wasn’t that just the director on the phone?”

What? Did she hear everything just now? No way. That’s impossible. The cafe was near the school, crowded with people and noisy music.

Seeing Yoo In’s surprised face, Jae Hee stuck a straw in the coffee she just bought and handed it to Yoo In, saying,

“It shows all over your face. Really. Everything.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. So from now on, work on controlling your expressions when you meet the director. Don’t grin and show that you like him.”

“Hey! When did I grin? And I haven’t said I like him yet!”

“The director probably knows with 99.99% certainty, but well, if you’re okay with that~”

“I’m really not, I’m telling you I don’t know!”

“Yeah~ okay. I said let’s say you’re not, right?”

Anyway, Han Jae Hee was a pro at teasing others. Knowing from bitter experience that continuing to engage would only hurt herself, Yoo In just sipped her cold coffee.

Then Jae Hee, who had been giggling teasingly, suddenly stopped and called out, “Hey, Yoo In.”

She seems a bit emotionally unstable today, Yoo In thought idly as she raised just her eyes.

“When are you going to tell Yoon Ji Han?”

“Well. Probably after the festival ends. Why?”

There was no answer to her question.

Even when she asked again why, Jae Hee just said “Hmm, nothing” vaguely like before and quickly changed the subject.

Yoo In looked at Jae Hee suspiciously for a moment, then dismissed it. It’s probably nothing, she thought.

As if proving Yoo In’s guess correct, Jae Hee began asking about this and that casually.

After chatting idly for a while, they left the cafe when the sun was starting to set.

Before parting ways at the subway station as they were headed in opposite directions, Jae Hee grabbed Yoo In.

“Yoo In. I’m really happy. I’m glad you’ve gotten close to someone other than us, and that you’ve finally opened your heart. Now I just hope that director isn’t trash…”

Yoo In’s shoulders flinched at the clenched fist that was simultaneously cheering and threatening.

But knowing it was all for her sake, Yoo In smiled brightly with gratitude.

“Yeah, he better not be trash.”

“Keep your eyes wide open and watch carefully. Stay alert! Got it? Honestly, he’s too perfect. His abilities are incredible too.”

Yoo In nodded lightly in agreement.

“But God is fair, so He doesn’t give everything to one person, right? So make sure you really get to know what’s inside.”

Jae Hee’s advice continued for a few more points, but Yoo In just nodded mechanically up and down. Even when scolded to listen properly and engrave it in her mind, it went in one ear and out the other.

After forcibly sending Jae Hee away as she went on to verses 2 and 3, the way home was cool yet cozy.

The sunset glow, about to sink and disappear into the ground, was deeply saturated, and the breeze brushing her nape carried the scent of green.

It was a day that seemed to be straddling the borderline between spring and summer.

She used to think this kind of in-between weather was unpleasant, but now the air that was both warm and cool felt comfortable.

Yoo In was well aware that these big and small things were changing one by one.

Even the emotions she had thought meaningless were slowly coming back to life, one by one.

Since when, from what point, had she been changing?

Was it from that spring day when she felt regretful that the cherry blossoms were falling? Was it after seeing that someone who matched so well with the elegant flowering trees…

Just then, a strong wind that would completely dishevel her long hair swept past Yoo In.

“Huh?”

Yoo In, who had been casually pushing back her hair, stopped her leisurely steps.

It was because a figure that shouldn’t be seen here was firmly in place. As if it had appeared with the passing breeze.

She blinked her eyes, and even rubbed them vigorously. But it didn’t disappear, and instead turned its head to look at Yoo In.

She was utterly confused whether this was real or a fantasy that had popped out of her head.

A man like a mirage was walking towards her. He gets closer. And he smiles. Very beautifully.

“You’re here now. Nam Yoo In.”

As he approached, a faint mix of refreshing cologne and acrid smoke wafted from him.

When his long fingers reached out to smooth her disheveled hair, she felt a slight shiver.

“Director?”

It was the real Do Ki Yeon, not a dream or illusion.