PTT - 49

It was 6 PM on a Sunday, six days later. Ra-on glanced around her surroundings. People wearing animal ear headbands were enjoying their holiday to the fullest, parades in elaborate costumes filled the streets, and most notably…

“Does something this sweet actually taste good to you, Team Leader?”

She looked down at the giant cotton candy in her hand. Twice the size of her face, it had two paper rabbit ears attached. Just looking at it made her teeth ache with sweetness. Si-heon, who had just bitten into a churro drenched in chocolate syrup, smirked slightly.

“Heh, haven’t you heard of the kind of cotton candy that blows holes if you huff on it? These days they come in cute designs like this.”

“The price is anything but cute. It’s just sugar—did I really need to pay four thousand won for this…?”

“Tsk. Agent Yoo Ra-on, since you already bought it, eat it and enjoy it. Sometimes a little sugar boost is necessary to lift your mood.”

He whispered softly so others wouldn’t overhear, flashing a playful smile. His eyes, framed by delicate double eyelids, curved gently like crescent moons. That sly fox-like grin was utterly disarming. With no choice, Ra-on reluctantly took a small bite of the cotton candy and blinked slowly.

‘How did I end up at an amusement park…?’

Her last memory of visiting one dated back to elementary school during a field trip. As an adult, she’d been too busy juggling studies and part-time jobs to even consider such outings, even when money wasn’t an issue. For years, amusement parks had seemed like places disconnected from her life.

That is, until last night at 11 PM, when Baek Si-heon called out of the blue.

〈Yeon-ah. How about we go to an amusement park tomorrow? We’ll skip the whole day since it might get tiring; let’s aim for the afternoon.〉

〈…Huh?〉

〈Let’s go on a date. It’s the weekend, right? Once our operation starts next week, proper rest will be hard to come by.〉

An amusement park? And he suddenly decided to buy tickets the night before? Bewildered by his randomness, Ra-on could only listen as Si-heon told her to prepare herself and ended the call.

Though she felt ambivalent about the unilateral arrangement, the idea of a “date” didn’t leave her entirely displeased. So, after spending a dreamless, comfortable night, she met him outside her house, and here they were.

“Why an amusement park, of all places? Did you happen to watch some TV show or something?”

“It does seem a bit random, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, very random.”

“You’ve got some cotton candy stuck here.”

His touch was gentle as he wiped away a piece of cotton candy clinging to her lips. Was she a child to eat messily like this? Just as embarrassment began to heat her ears, he shrugged lightly and continued.

“I was organizing old photo albums yesterday and found pictures of me at an amusement park with friends when I was younger. It must have been over twenty years ago, but I looked so happy.”

“…So that’s why you wanted to come?”

“That, and I thought of you. Remember five years ago when we talked about going to an amusement park? Do you recall?”

Si-heon’s voice was sweeter and gentler than the cotton candy itself. Startled by the unexpected response, Ra-on murmured, “Ah…” The faint memory lingered hazily in her mind.

〈I heard there’s a new amusement park opening in Suwon. They say it has the tallest roller coaster in the country. Have you ever been to places like that often, Senior?〉

〈Hmm… I think I went a few times when I was younger. Why? Do you want to go?〉

〈Well, maybe a little? Actually, I’ve only been to an amusement park once in my life. That was over ten years ago. Back then, I was too scared to try many rides, and now I feel a bit regretful thinking about it.〉

The conversation, shared over cocoa topped with marshmallow bears, echoed in Ra-on’s ears. She hadn’t been able to afford amusement park tickets costing tens of thousands of won, nor was it easy to visit with her aging grandmother.

To think he still remembered that offhand remark she’d made almost dismissively. Surprised, Ra-on fidgeted with her fingers and smoothed her thin earlobe.

“It was just a passing comment… I’m surprised you remembered.”

“How could I forget something you said? Even if I can’t do pre-study, I make sure to review thoroughly.”

By now, Si-heon had finished his churro and tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash bin, answering quietly. Had anyone else cherished her words so dearly, even ones she herself had forgotten?

Feeling an inexplicable warmth, Ra-on absentmindedly poked the paper rabbit ears of her cotton candy with her index finger. Only then did she notice the flow of air tinged with happiness.

Fathers giving piggyback rides to toddlers, students in uniforms taking selfies while pressed close together, couples holding hands tightly as they watched parades—all these scenes surrounded her.

Taking a closer look, she saw faces brimming with laughter. These moments would become pages in their memory albums, preserved forever.

Finally, Ra-on raised her head to look at Si-heon. Like the soft spring breeze that had begun to blow, he was gentle and sensitive.

Standing on tiptoe, she playfully poked his cheek with her fingertip. Given how rarely their line of work allowed them leisure, she wanted to spend this day fully immersed in joy with him.

With a mischievous smile, Ra-on took a big bite of the overly sweet cotton candy, her tongue protesting its intensity.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go ride some attractions.”

---

“Haa… I don’t think I can ride that again, ever.”

“Was it really that scary? Sure, it went high, but compared to parachute training, it wasn’t much, was it?”

Waiting for the famous roller coaster known for its 80-degree drops took exactly one hour and thirty minutes. Chatting idly, they barely noticed time passing until boarding was imminent.

Both wore calm expressions as they boarded, but after three minutes, Ra-on remained the only one unfazed.

Exiting via the walkway, Baek Si-heon laughed hollowly, shaking his head. He should have guessed based on how others returned, staggering like they’d survived a harrowing ordeal.

Even someone with nerves of steel like him found the ride terrifying. Hurtling at speeds exceeding 280 km/h, ascending and descending multiple times—it left quite the impression. Fixing his wind-tousled bangs, Si-heon gazed at Ra-on’s profile.

“Didn’t you say this was your first time on a roller coaster?”

“Yes. When I was younger, I wasn’t tall enough to ride.”

“For a first-timer, weren’t you awfully calm? You didn’t scream once.”

“It was fun. But I don’t think I have the patience to wait two hours in line again.”

Even Ra-on’s lack of expressiveness felt endearing. Chuckling helplessly, Si-heon shook his head. True, he’d heard rumors she ranked first among her peers during training.

Five years ago, “Yoo Sa-yeon” was a shy, worried college student. When had she changed so drastically? Yet, Si-heon welcomed even this dramatic transformation. Whether Yoo Sa-yeon or Yoo Ra-on, she remained precious to him.

Smiling, he ruffled her hair affectionately. Startled by the sudden contact, Ra-on looked up at him. Though they’d crossed every boundary, such light touches still made her neck flush. Quietly accepting his tender gesture, she let him stroke her hair.

“…Hmm, what do you want to ride next? Should we avoid scary attractions?”

“Are you teasing me? I jump out of helicopters at 400 meters without hesitation.”

“Operations are different from rides. Besides, I saw you gripping the handle tightly earlier.”

His teasing tone elicited natural laughter from both. Enjoying such mundane moments felt rare. For now, she wanted to savor the present without worry or regret.

Perhaps it was simply because she was with Baek Si-heon.

As Ra-on absentmindedly touched her peach-colored earlobes, the chatter of high school girls reached her ears.

“Wow, that was terrifying… I almost punched that ghost guy. Could’ve gotten arrested for assault.”

“But seriously, it was scary. Might haunt my dreams tonight. Hey, how much do those people earn? Must include hazard pay, right?”

“No clue. Still, scaring people for money sounds pretty sweet. Let’s grab some popcorn or go play games. Ugh, I’m still getting goosebumps.”

Ra-on watched the group of girls in uniform skirts walk away briskly. Noticing her gaze, Si-heon clicked his tongue playfully.

“Wanna check out the haunted house? Supposedly, it’s super scary here.”

“They’re just actors. How scary can it really be?”

“You sound confident. Want to make a bet?”

At Si-heon’s teasing voice, Ra-on blinked. There was nothing to lose in this wager, yet she responded with a relaxed smile.