They entered the restaurant, and Seojin took a seat first.
Seolhyo followed right after him, sitting beside him instead of across.
She slid close very close and immediately wrapped her arms around his again.
Seojin glanced at her sideways.
"You could've sat across from me, you know."
"I don't want to,"
she replied, resting her head against his arm.
He exhaled quietly but didn't push her away.
In truth, he didn't mind.
He actually liked it.
Moments like this were rare. Seolhyo was usually reserved, careful about showing affection in public, not wanting anyone to see their intimacy.
So this clingy version of her felt… like a special mood of her.
Soon, their food arrived a warm pot of kimchi jjigae, several side dishes, and bowls of rice.
Seojin gently moved the arm she had wrapped around him so he could grab a spoon.
He dipped it into the stew to taste the soup first.
Seolhyo stared at the food.
Then at him.
Then at the food again.
She lightly poked his arm, then looked at his eyes, then back at the food.
Seojin blinked. "What?"
She leaned back against the seat and crossed her arms, speaking in a sulky tone.
"My arms are tired from hugging you, so I can't feed myself. Feed me."
He shook his head slightly, muttering, "Unbelievable…"
But he still scooped up some kimchi jjigae with rice and lifted the spoon to her mouth.
She opened her mouth and tasted it.
Her eyes sparkled immediately.
"This is good… You looked it up online, didn't you?"
He nodded, then scooped some for himself.
After that, he picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a side dish, holding it out to her.
"Here."
Seojin watched her eat with clear delight.
A small smile formed on his lips.
"Did you like it when I'm feeding you?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, I like it. So you have to feed me all the time."
He chuckled faintly and gave her another spoonful of kimchi jjigae.
"That sounds like a heavy responsibility."
Seolhyo narrowed her eyes at him before accepting the spoon into her mouth.
"What? You don't want to?"
Seojin picked up a rolled omelet with his chopsticks, steadying them with his other hand as he raised it to her lips.
"Who said I don't?"
She looked at the food in front of her, then at him.
Slowly, she opened her mouth and took a bite.
As she chewed, she turned her head slightly away, hiding the faint blush forming on her face.
"…You can't take that back now," she said in the middle of chewing.
Seojin smiled softly.
They continued eating like that quietly, comfortably the earlier tension completely gone, replaced with warmth and ease between them.
-
After we filled our stomachs, we wandered into a nearby shopping street.
We strolled past a few stalls, casually looking around, when Seolhyo suddenly stopped.
Her eyes had caught something.
A vibrant red scarf.
She picked it up, holding both ends in her hands before wrapping it around her neck.
Then she turned to me, tilting her head slightly.
"Jin, what do you think?"
I looked at her for a moment, warmth spreading quietly through my chest as I took in the sight of her.
The red scarf complemented her perfectly, making her skin look even brighter.
She's really pretty…
I tried to keep my composure.
"It looks great on you," I said, giving her a genuine smile.
Seolhyo's eyes sparkled as she glanced down at the scarf, a pleased smile tugging at her lips.
"Really?"
"Yeah." I nodded, even though my heart was beating a little faster than usual.
Then she picked up another red scarf the same one she was wearing and looked at me expectantly.
I chuckled and leaned down slightly.
Without hesitation, she draped the scarf around my neck, adjusting it carefully.
"There," she murmured.
She then grabbed my hand and pulled me gently toward a full-length mirror beside the stall.
We stood side by side, looking at our reflection.
For a brief moment, neither of us spoke.
I pulled out my flip phone, deciding to capture the moment.
As I raised it to take a photo, Seolhyo immediately fixed her hair and straightened her clothes before grabbing my arm and leaning into me, flashing a bright smile.
Click.
The store owner suddenly spoke up from behind the counter.
"Are you buying those, or are you just going to take pictures wearing them?"
Seolhyo glanced at the owner, then back at me.
"We'll buy them," she said quickly.
Before I could even respond, she walked to the counter.
"I'm paying," she added firmly, cutting me off before I could protest.
She had already pulled out her wallet and paid for both scarves.
I sighed but didn't argue.
They weren't that expensive anyway.
There was no winning when she had that determined look on her face.
And if she ended up spending too much of her allowance, I could always cover the rest for her later.
After paying, she returned to my side.
"This is perfect," she said happily. "I was starting to feel cold anyway. I've been planning to buy one of these for a while."
I adjusted the scarf around her neck properly, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders as we started walking.
"Let me see the photo you took," she said.
I handed her my phone.
She looked at the picture we had taken earlier, smiling to herself.
Then she switched the camera and took a quick selfie.
"Jin, look here."
I leaned down, our heads touching lightly.
She took a few shots before checking them, satisfied.
"Send it to me later," she said.
A moment later, she glanced at the time and her expression shifted slightly.
"It's already five. I should head home. My brother might get suspicious if I stay out any longer."
I nodded, reluctant but understanding.
We walked to the nearest bus stop together since my route was in the opposite direction.
I stayed with her until the bus arrived.
When we saw it approaching, she turned to me.
"See you on Monday, Jin."
I smiled, then leaned down and pressed a kiss to each of her cheeks.
"Text me after you get home, okay?"
She nodded, letting me kiss her.
"And I'll text you if that guy shows up again."
The bus pulled in and the doors opened with a hiss.
I glanced at it, then back at her.
"Go on."
She smiled, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek in return, and hurried onto the bus.
I watched as she found a seat by the window.
She waved at me.
I waved back.
The bus began to move, slowly pulling away until it disappeared down the road.
Only then did I turn and start walking home.
I shoved my hands into my hoodie pockets, a faint smile lingering on my lips.
Choi Giryang…
I looked up at the sky, my expression slowly hardening.
It seems like this guy won't stop.
Don't let me see you again.
I'll break that fake eyelid of yours
-
Seolhyo arrived at her apartment building and took a quiet breath before opening the door.
The moment she stepped inside, she froze.
Her brother, Seol Minsu, was crouched near the entrance, putting on his shoes.
He was dressed in a casual jacket, but his expression was the same as always unreadable, stern… intimidating.
"Where did you go?" he asked flatly, without looking up at first.
Seolhyo blinked, her fingers instinctively touching the scarf around her neck as she glanced away.
"I told you. I hung out with my friends."
For a few seconds, Minsu didn't respond.
He slowly stood up.
His eyes flicked to the red scarf around her neck, lingering there briefly, before returning to her face.
It was subtle like he wanted to ask something more.
But he didn't.
"…I'll be out tonight," he said instead, stepping past her to grab his keys. "Lock the door before you sleep."
Seolhyo nodded quickly. "Okay."
Minsu paused for just a second at the door, then left without another word.
The door clicked shut behind him.