Three men stared at the crowded photos on the monitor. Every ten photos, there were smiling faces, mostly in profile, not facing the camera.
Their laughter erupted only when facing each other. Laughter like happiness.
The director enlarged one photo. In it, Hye-yoon was grinning at Jiho. It felt like a vibrant, colorful energy mocking the black and white photo. One staff member, perhaps having a similar impression, spoke up.
“It’s too precious to discard as a B-cut.”
“Indeed. It will cause more chaos when it’s released.”
“Readers would want to see more of this.”
The filename written in the corner of the monitor included today’s date and the theme of the photoshoot: ‘Winter, Finally Spring.’ Life bursting through the black and white. She truly was a woman like spring.
No, she seemed like a woman like spring at all times.
The director reconsidered the thoughts he had held throughout the shoot. Then, he sensed the staff members’ disappointment.
“But there’s nothing we can do. We started the shoot with this condition.”
“Huh? What condition?”
The two gazes glued to the monitor sharply turned to the director.
“Mr. Jiho asked not to leak the B-cuts. The video team for today’s making didn’t come either.”
“Oh? Really? The first nine teams already did the making.”
Two staff members scurried around the shooting location. Despite looking around, there was only one camera. The belated realization left the two of them speechless.
“Yeah. He said he only wants to release four cuts. Only the photos that will be in the magazine.”
“I see…”
“But Mr. Jiho is quite an ordinary person too. All men in love are the same.”
“What?”
The two staff members looked at the director with puzzlement. There was nothing ordinary about him at all. Strong curiosity flashed in the eyes of the two men.
“The pictures taken today, whether they are B-cuts or whatever, just send them all.”
Like saying, ‘Since she’s his girl, he’ll only look at her.’ The director gazed at the woman like spring in the monitor. In front of the woman who was always spring, his expression seemed to imitate Jiho’s as he laughed.
The shooting location was the same as before. In the middle of the empty set, even the chair they were sitting on was gone. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was warmer. Just looking at the flowers they held for props made it feel that way.
On the opposite side where the flowers weren’t held, their hands were holding each other.
The fact that their hands were touching seemed like the ultimate luxury they could enjoy. In that moment, they could feel even the tension that rose and fell, and that’s why they could soothe it. Jiho gently pulled Hye-yoon’s palm, which was lightly opened.
Click [dash] Click [dash]
The regular shutter sounds were pleasant, like the sound of a heartbeat. A faint smile appeared on Hye-yoon’s beautifully seen face.
“I wonder who he’s thinking of this time.”
“Huh?”
“He wouldn’t have made such a beautiful expression.”
As I vividly recalled the source of sensuality that I firmly misunderstood, a hollow laugh escaped me. Hye-yoon also seemed to reminisce about the previous shoot where we briefly played along. Lips that blossomed with embarrassment let out a faint, delicate sound.
“…This time, I really thought about what I wanted.”
Whatever she was thinking, even her voice seemed shy. The held hands conveyed a pleasant strength. She wanted to hear more.
“Just… I was thinking about when we first met last year. It was really fascinating that day, and today is still so fascinating. I never thought it would lead to a photoshoot like this.”
“Indeed. It’s already been a year.”
Hye-yoon’s hand returned Jiho’s strength in equal measure. I hoped that the strange emotions I currently felt would be conveyed to him as well.
Thinking about it, everything was truly fascinating. Min-woo coming to the café when I clumsily outlined the framework for “23 Centimeters,” and when a little flesh began to stick to it. “Lately, I’m drawn to calm things,” he said, taking my writing and contacting me a few weeks later.
“Hey, Hye-yoon, do you know actor Jiho?” The first words beyond the phone were still vivid.
Having received such an unbelievable contact, going to his company, and eventually meeting. Just meeting. I bothered him with all kinds of trouble and ended up becoming the most precious person.
A bright smile appeared on Hye-yoon’s face. Jiho, too, glanced at her with a subtle smile. It seemed like he knew what she was thinking.
Click [dash] Click [dash]
Between the continuing shutter sounds, the two drew similar expressions. And beyond similarity, a desire for sameness emerged. Jiho’s voice was quietly sinking.
“Will you be with me next year too?”
Jiho held Hye-yoon’s somewhat loosened hand more tightly. Then, as if giving an even greater gift, she gently caressed the back of his hand.
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Then, in ten years?”
“…….?”
“Even then… will you be with me?”
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
