“Is the messenger installed? If you can do a video call, that would be nice.”

“I haven’t installed anything.”

“Download something famous and decent. Give me your phone.”

Eunchae reached out to install it herself. Kijoo, who had brought the phone from somewhere, gently placed it on her palm.

It’s a different model from what I saw before. Eunchae looked at the phone in her hand and then glanced at Kijoo. Come to think of it, it seems like he often changes his phone.

“Is this a second phone?”

Kijoo leaned against the wall and clenched his fist. Judging by his reaction, it was clear that it was not a second phone, but rather several.

“Honestly, there are more than just this one.”
Eunchae shook her hand up and down and spoke sternly.

“Bring out all the communication devices. Now.”

I thought he might bring out three or four at most.

Kijoo watched Eunchae, who was taken aback, looking at what he had taken out.

There were six in total, including a regular cellphone, a half-sized QWERTY keypad cellphone, a tablet, and so on. Even those were periodically changed depending on the role and responsibility.

“What do you use to contact me?”

Eunchae, who was fiddling with her Adam’s apple, carefully selected and asked the most important question. Kijoo nodded towards the phone he had given earlier.

“Is this for private contact?”

“Yes. Mostly.”

Eunchae sighed, as if it was heartbreaking, and muttered as if she were sulking.

“Doesn’t it get confusing? Home, cellphone, identity.”

“…….”

“Even with all these, he probably doesn’t have anything of his own.”

Except for Eunchae, everything that made up Kwon Kijoo was like floating debris. Not more, not less. It was work for him, and there was no excitement. Yet, those things hurt her heart.

Kijoo, who was carefully examining the melancholic Song Eunchae, did not say anything or express any opinions. She just waited for Eunchae to complain, silently containing herself.

“Mr. Kijoo.”

After a while, she called him.

Her pupils were clear, but why did her voice sound damp? Kijoo’s chest tightened, and he answered with a delay.

“…Yes.”

“I respect whatever Mr. Kijoo does. However, I want to ask about this.”

He lowered his gaze under Eunchae’s hand covering his dorsum.

“Don’t you want to settle down now? Name, home, and people.”

Settle down. That word lingered in his ears for a long time.

“Do you want something ordinary?”

She boldly asked without fear. Despite knowing that he wasn’t like that. Kijoo swept away Eunchae’s hand covering his back like a cold wind.

“Even if you have so many, you probably don’t have something that truly belongs to you.”
“I almost lost you.”

A desire arose. The words that had been lingering in Kijoo’s ears since earlier circulated through his mind.

Eunchae, who had been looking down at the scattered phones on the bed, raised her head.

“Mr. Kijoo. When I come back, would you like to go on a trip together? It was nice in the countryside. There has never been such a peaceful time in my life. We should have those moments once in a while.”

She spoke with a slightly excited voice.

“Later on, let’s go back to the countryside for real. Stay a little longer next time. Go to the market together, cook three meals a day, and in the evening, light a bonfire in the yard. Since Mr. Kijoo can’t chop firewood, maybe that won’t work.”

At the end of her playful words, Eunchae closed her eyes and smiled.

“Of course, when Mr. Kijoo has a day off this long. Then.”

Kijoo tightly held Eunchae’s hand.

Those few days he had sought her out without any plan were unique in his life. Moderately dull, peaceful, and calm. Even in such an unrelated routine, Eunchae was there by his side.

Go. It’s fine with a mask. Why do you say it like it’s a distant future?

Eunchae’s warm care made Kijoo even more eager.

“Let’s go again.”

He muttered, wrinkling his forehead.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you. I wonder if I can be this happy.”

Eunchae, with her hand on her pounding chest, averted her gaze.

“Lately, I’ve been so unreasonably happy that I wonder if it’s right to live without thinking about the problems from before. It’s a bit unsettling. I’ve never been so relaxed and happy like this.”

Looking up, Eunchae anticipated what Kijoo would say and took the words out of his mouth.

“You must have thought it was nonsense.”

“Yes.”

There was no intention to hide. Kijoo, bewildered, lightly touched Eunchae’s eyebrows as she laughed out loud.

“Why bother thinking about getting even happier in the future.”

“How can you guarantee that?”

“I guarantee it. So forget about what’s passed.”

Eunchae took his hand and nibbled gently, not hurting.

“Still, within the past time, I won’t forget Mr. Kijoo.”

“Filter that appropriately.”

Their lips met as Eunchae’s soft, sweet lips, bursting like ripe fruit juice, were caressed by Kijoo’s lips.

As he gently nibbled, whispering, “It tickles,” their lips separated like the opening of a flower.