Even though I barely manage to go out for a walk once a day, I ended up going out twice by suggesting we go to a cafe for no reason.

I don’t know why I keep saying things that weren’t planned in front of Kim Soo Young…

I regret it every time, but I keep doing it every time. The woman is unusual, so I feel like I’m becoming more and more unusual too.

When we came out of the building, a chilly wind blew. The hazy lights seemed to be floating in the air, but overall it was dark and felt different from when we came out during the day.

I prefer sunlight to lamplight, but the sun seemed to have already disappeared.

“Can you see the electric lights?” Soo Young whispered softly.

Woo Jin replied with a stiff expression, “I can’t see such things.”

“But you said you can distinguish light and darkness?”

“It has to be very bright.”

“Ah, I see…”

The two of them slowly walked forward, stepping on the yellow blocks. Compared to the first day, their pace had become considerably faster now.

If it got any faster, Soo Young thought she might have trouble keeping up with his wide strides.

“Maybe it’s because the weather is nice and the lighting is pretty, but I can see quite a few people. I can see couples too… To those people, we must look like a couple too, right?”

“…I suppose so.”

When he readily agreed instead of being alarmed as she expected, her mood became soft and fluffy somehow.

Looking around at all the men in the vicinity, none had looks comparable to David’s.

Other people seemed to know this too, as they would pretend not to look while sneaking glances at him, then becoming embarrassed when they made eye contact with Soo Young.

“Is it far?”

“Pardon?”

“That cafe.”

“No, it’s just a little further past the fountain. Are you tired?”

“…I’m fine.”

“If you’re tired, tell me. We don’t have to go to that cafe. I can go by myself later.”

“…I said I’m fine.”

Hearing something like irritation in his tone, Soo Young quickly shut her mouth.

Unlike when they came out during the quiet daytime, the sounds of people were quite audible now.

There were also many people walking their dogs, so barking could be heard here and there.

Having experienced it at home, she understood how fearful Woo Jin must be feeling right now.

That’s why Soo Young hugged his waist even more tightly. Feeling the pressure of her hand, Woo Jin lowered his head.

Was she nervous too? Why? As they neared the fountain, the sound of water spraying became loud. The cold sensation of water splashing could be felt.

Woo Jin’s steps gradually slowed, then he came to a stop in front of the fountain.

With his head raised, to others he looked like just an ordinary man admiring the sculpture above the fountain. Embracing the woman he loved.

Watching Woo Jin, Soo Young closed her eyes tightly too.

She could feel cool droplets of water brushing her whole body. The cool breeze too… and the faint sound of music coming through the streams of water…

It felt different from when her eyes were open.

“I can hear music. Is it coming from the cafe?”

As Soo Young unconsciously opened her mouth, Woo Jin lowered his gaze towards her.

“Relying only on hearing and touch, it feels very clear. When I could see, I would avoid the splashing water…”

At her words, Woo Jin realized she had her eyes closed too. Why are you closing your eyes? What do you want to know?

− I was curious about Seol Woo Jin.

That’s what she had said then. What about me were you curious about? Were you curious about what it feels like not to be able to see? Why were you curious about that?

When he could see, he had never once been curious about such things. Though he knew there were visually impaired people, he had rarely actually seen them.

It was only after he became visually impaired himself that he learned how many people in the world can’t see, and what kind of lives they lead.

But Kim Soo Young isn’t like that, so why is she curious? The answer was always the same.

But he didn’t admit it. He couldn’t admit it.

Because his condition was too unstable to admit it. Because he was a man who couldn’t protect the woman at all.

Even now, he couldn’t let go of the arm embracing her shoulders. He felt anxious if their bodies separated even a little.

But… how long was he going to be like this? The more his feelings for Soo Young grew, the more his self-loathing grew along with it.

Soo Young suddenly felt the arm around her shoulders loosening and opened her eyes. Woo Jin’s arm slid down from her shoulder, groping along her arm.

Then lower and lower… Finally his hand touched hers. Soon a warm sensation enveloped her entire hand.

Firmly grasping the small hand that fit snugly in his, Woo Jin spoke in his unique soft voice.

“Let’s walk holding hands now.”

Though the area of contact had decreased considerably, he wasn’t afraid. Rather, the direct skin contact made him feel fluttery.

Soo Young looked up at Woo Jin wondering why he was doing this, but soon seemed to understand as she swung their clasped hands back and forth and said,

“We’re almost at the cafe now. Shall we go in and have tea, or just go up to the front and then turn back?”

“Let’s have tea. Something warm.”

“But there are some people inside the cafe. Is that okay?”

“…It’s fine.”

He swallowed the words ‘As long as you’re here.’ Now, as long as Kim Soo Young was there, Seol Woo Jin had nothing to fear.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Oh my god!”

Soo Young almost lost her balance and tripped as an electric scooter whizzed by.

Mi Jin and Ye Eun, standing next to her, quickly grabbed their stumbling friend.

“Are you crazy! Is this a road?”

Ye Eun shouted harshly. Mi Jin agreed, glaring after the scooter.

“These days they even do deliveries on those things, so you see them a lot. And they just park them anywhere. Oh, a kid from the class next door was riding one of those and crashed into a car. Came back with a cast on his arm.”

“How did he end up with just a cast after colliding with a car?”

Soo Young asked loudly.

“Luckily it was a parked car he hit.”

“Huh? He hit a stationary car and still got a cast?”

This time Ye Eun asked with an incredulous expression, so Mi Jin started explaining while reenacting the situation with her hands.

“Even if it was a stationary car, the electric scooter had built up speed, so he crashed into it and flew forward. Then when he fell to the ground, he crushed his own arm. He injured his growth plate area, so his mom was crying and making a huge fuss.”

“Who on earth invented those electric scooters anyway?”

“More than who invented them, I don’t understand why they let people ride them on the sidewalk.”

“Wouldn’t it be more dangerous to ride them on the road?”

“Then only they would be in danger, but riding on the sidewalk puts people at risk.”

While Mi Jin and Ye Eun were sharply criticizing the social system, Soo Young was thinking of Woo Jin.

Even a normal person can’t dodge those scooters when they come, so how do visually impaired people avoid them?

Come to think of it, there are no yellow tactile paving blocks on this street either. How do they walk on streets like this? How do they know where they are?

Just then, So Ra came running over, waving her hand from afar.

“Girls! Sorry, sorry!”

She was always the one who came last while saying sorry, so everyone just looked at her as if it was to be expected. And seeing the shopping bags in both her hands, they understood why she was late.

“Whew, heavy. Here, take this.”

So Ra handed out the shopping bags to her friends with a smile.

“Hey, why did you buy gifts again? I said I’d treat you for coming to my sister’s wedding.”

As Ye Eun glared at her, So Ra smiled brightly and said,

“You can pay for yours… I bought mine and got yours too while I was at it.”

“What is it?”

When Soo Young took the item out of the shopping bag, it was a couple mug set.

When you put the mugs with a boy and girl design side by side, their protruding lips formed a kissing shape.

“Hey, did you buy this to rub salt in our wounds?”

When Mi Jin spoke menacingly, So Ra waved her hand as if that wasn’t the case at all.

“What are you talking about! I bought it with hopes that you’ll all find good partners soon, like Ye Jin’s sister. And also…”

So Ra nudged Soo Young’s arm with her elbow and continued,

“With wishes for things to go well between our Soo Young and that writer…”

“Ah, hahaha…”

Soo Young laughed awkwardly. Though it probably wouldn’t happen, she thought that no matter what, she must never show Seol Woo Jin to her friends.

Because she knew exactly what kind of scolding she would get if they found out she was going around lying that he was her boyfriend.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ye Eun looked at her friends with a displeased expression and shouted.

“Ah, why are we eating street food! I said let’s go to a restaurant!”

“Shut up. I couldn’t give much for the wedding gift. Street food is appropriate.”

Mi Jin lightly dismissed her words while pressing various menu items on the kiosk.

But suddenly, Soo Young standing next to her started feeling around the kiosk with her hand.

“What are you doing? You want to order first?”

“This machine… it’s too smooth.”

At Soo Young’s bizarre statement, all her friends looked at her.

“Why does it matter that the machine is smooth?”

When Ye Eun asked with an expression of disbelief, Soo Young replied as if it were obvious.

“There’s no sensation when you touch it. How are visually impaired people supposed to use kiosks like this?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you suddenly talking about that?”

Everyone had expressions of not understanding why she was asking that question. Their faces said, ‘Why are you suddenly bringing that up?’

“Kim Soo Young. Are you doing volunteer work these days? Why are you worried about that?”

“Huh? Ah, no… just…”

“And would visually impaired people even come to a place like this? They’d go somewhere else.”

As Mi Jin muttered, Soo Young looked at her and asked seriously.

“Where else?”

“Huh?”

Mi Jin looked at her with an expression that seemed to say ‘Why are you asking me?’, and Soo Young spoke bitterly.

“The machines would all be the same… where else?”

Thinking about where Woo Jin could go if he was able to go out alone, it seemed there weren’t many suitable places.

He couldn’t even go to fast food restaurants or small snack shops like this right now.

[This is the timeline separator]

Even as they sat on the bench, Woo Jin quietly listened to the sound of Soo Young’s breathing, who was silent.

Judging by her breathing, she didn’t seem to be dozing off, nor did she seem angry… so why wasn’t she talking?

She was always chattering away whenever they sat on a bench, so that Woo Jin wouldn’t pay attention to the time.

“Did you finish reading the book?”

“Huh? What book?”

Soo Young asked back belatedly, as if she had just come to her senses at Woo Jin’s question.

“The book Seol Ji Hyun gave you.”

“Ah… I finished two of them, and I’m in the middle of reading one.”

“Is it interesting?”

“Yes. They’re all interesting. Especially the travelogue. I don’t usually like travelogues, but this one is so funny.”

“Funny?”

“Yes. The writing is witty. Even the awkwardness experienced in unfamiliar cultures is all expressed with humor.”

“The author must be Kim Soo Young.”

“Pardon?”

“Kim Soo Young always deals with awkward situations in a funny way too.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You.”

“When did I?”

“All the time.”

“…Is that a compliment?”

“Did it sound like a compliment? Sorry.”

“Sheesh… I was complimenting the travelogue author, you know?”

“Oh, were you?”

When Woo Jin pretended not to know and reacted to her words, Soo Young slapped his thigh.

She always tried to be careful not to make sudden touches, but she did it without realizing.

However, Woo Jin wasn’t particularly startled, and only chuckled.

“I met my friends last night.”

“Was it fun?”

“Yes. Oh right, I have something to give you… I’ll give it to you when we get home.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a mug. There’s a boy and a girl drawn on it, and when you put the cups side by side, it makes a picture of them kissing. My friend gave it to me as a gift, isn’t it so cute? Let’s drink our coffee in those cups from now on. You use the cup with the boy drawn on it, and I’ll use the one with the girl.”

Soo Young spoke cheerfully, but Woo Jin only looked at her with increasingly intense eyes without replying.

Afraid he might misunderstand that she had bought such cups, Soo Young hurriedly explained.

“I didn’t buy that, it was given by one of my friends. Remember I said I have one friend who’s married? Han So Ra… She always gives gifts when we meet, and she gave that.”

“Why?”

“Huh? Well, just… because it’s pretty?”

“A couple cup set?”

He was sharp as expected. Is it because he’s a writer… Soo Young spoke hesitantly.

“Actually, when I said I was working as Seol Yong’s manager, my friends kept saying we must be dating.”

“They know me?”

“Yes. There was a friend who had read . At first I said no, but as my friends kept insisting, at some point it just ended up that way. Then So Ra bought these cups.”

At that, Woo Jin’s gaze turned towards the fountain.

His long eyelashes drooping downwards and thin lips pressed tightly together somehow looked angry.

Soo Young murmured in a lowered voice.

“I’m sorry. For revealing your pen name without permission and saying we’re dating. I never intended to do that, but my friends kept…”

“Then let’s do that.”

Woo Jin suddenly said plainly. His voice, mixed with the swooshing sound of the fountain, sounded clear like water droplets bouncing.

“Do what?”

“Let’s date.”

Amber eyes full of sunlight were saying this to Soo Young, as brightly as the sun.