Seongho's schedule kept getting busier.

Shoots.

Practice.

Interviews.

Radio.

Jiyeon was with him every day.

Before this, there had hardly been any days when they spent the entire day together. On weekdays, they each went to work. At night, they ate dinner and looked at their own phones.

Now they were together from morning until night.

One afternoon, they had two hours before the next schedule.

The moment Seongho got in the car, he said,

(Seongho) : “Let's eat.”

(Jiyeon) : “What do you want?”

(Seongho) : “Anything.”

Jiyeon stared at him.

(Jiyeon) : “Worst answer in the world.”

(Seongho) : “Kimchi stew.”

(Jiyeon) : “We had that yesterday.”

(Seongho) : “That's why I said anything.”

Jiyeon laughed despite herself.

They ended up at a small restaurant nearby.

Seongho studied the menu, then ordered spicy pork and rolled omelet.

When the side dishes came, he automatically moved the cucumber salad to his side.

Jiyeon watched without saying anything.

He knew she hated cucumbers.

He had done that countless times over eleven years.

When the omelet arrived, he pushed it toward her.

(Seongho) : “Eat this.”

(Jiyeon) : “You like it too.”

(Seongho) : “We can order another one.”

Jiyeon picked up a piece.

Everything about the gesture was familiar.

The face across from her was not.

Seongho lowered his head to eat.

His lashes looked long from that angle. His throat moved when he drank water. His eyes curved slightly whenever he smiled.

Jiyeon caught herself staring again.

Seongho put down his chopsticks.

(Seongho) : “You're doing it again.”

Jiyeon immediately looked down.

(Jiyeon) : “Doing what?”

(Seongho) : “Looking at me.”

(Jiyeon) : “I'm not.”

(Seongho) : “You keep doing it lately.”

(Jiyeon) : “I'm checking whether there's something on your face.”

Seongho stuck his chin forward.

(Seongho) : “Then wipe it off.”

Jiyeon threw a napkin at him.

(Jiyeon) : “Do it yourself.”

Seongho laughed.

That laugh bothered her too.

After lunch, they went to a café.

They still had some time left when they finished their coffee. The next studio was only a fifteen-minute walk away.

(Seongho) : “Want to walk?”

Jiyeon looked outside.

The weather was nice.

(Jiyeon) : “Sure.”

They walked side by side.

Seongho pulled his cap low over his face.

Jiyeon walked beside him without thinking, then suddenly looked up.

Seongho was taller than she remembered.

Of course, he had always been tall.

But now he had a twenty-year-old body.

His shoulders were straight, his long arms and legs obvious even through his clothes.

Jiyeon looked up at him with a strange feeling.

They had been together for eleven years.

Yet it felt like she was noticing his build for the first time.

A group of people approached from the opposite direction.

Seongho naturally moved closer to Jiyeon.

His broad shoulder blocked half her view.

(Seongho) : “This way.”

He caught Jiyeon's wrist and pulled her toward him.

For a moment, Jiyeon couldn't say anything.

His hand was warm.

Long fingers wrapped around her wrist.

The group passed.

But Seongho didn't let go.

Jiyeon looked down.

His hand slid slowly from her wrist.

Their palms met.

Then their fingers naturally intertwined.

Jiyeon's pace slowed by the smallest amount.

They were holding hands.

(Jiyeon) : “What are you doing?”

Seongho looked perfectly calm.

(Seongho) : “It's crowded.”

Jiyeon looked around.

The people from a moment ago were already gone.

The street was surprisingly quiet.

(Jiyeon) : “Not really.”

Seongho answered without missing a beat.

(Seongho) : “It was crowded before.”

Still, he didn't let go.

Jiyeon didn't exactly pull away either.

After a few steps, Seongho glanced at her.

(Seongho) : “Why are you so quiet?”

(Jiyeon) : “No reason.”

(Seongho) : “Nervous?”

(Jiyeon) : “Why would I be?”

Seongho smiled.

(Seongho) : “Your ears are red.”

Jiyeon immediately let go of his hand.

(Jiyeon) : “I'm hot.”

Seongho looked up at the sky.

(Seongho) : “It's nineteen degrees.”

(Jiyeon) : “Shut up.”

Seongho laughed.

Eventually, Jiyeon did too.

A little later, they stopped at a crosswalk.

The light changed.

Seongho took one step forward, then held out his hand again.

Jiyeon stared at it for a moment.

She had held that hand countless times before.

Today, it somehow looked new.

In the end, Jiyeon took it.

Seongho smiled without saying anything.

They crossed the street hand in hand.

They didn't let go until they reached the studio.

Jiyeon suddenly remembered being twenty-five and dating Seongho for the first time.

Eating together.

Going to cafés.

Walking for no reason.

They had done exactly the same things today.

And yet somehow, today felt even less familiar.

The man beside her was her husband of eleven years.

But his face was twenty.

And just holding his hand made her heart race.

Jiyeon smiled without realizing it.

Seongho asked,

(Seongho) : “Why are you smiling?”

Jiyeon shook her head.

(Jiyeon) : “No reason.”

Seongho looked at her for a moment.

Then squeezed her hand a little tighter.

Jiyeon didn't say anything.

He was her husband of eleven years.

But today,

it really felt like she'd been on a date with another man.