PTT - 69

Two weeks later. With his discharge from the hospital just a day away, Baek Si-heon gazed at the falling cherry blossom petals. When he had first been admitted, the buds hadn’t even bloomed—how had they now burst into such full, radiant blossoms?

The warm April spring breeze seeped into his skin. Sitting on a picnic mat sipping coffee, Ra-on waved him over.

“Have some sandwiches. You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, right?”

“At this point, I feel like I could just leave the hospital already. I’ve never felt more energetic. Spending this golden weekend in the hospital garden feels like a waste.”

“Stop complaining and eat. I even brought your favorite potato salad sandwich.”

Unlike other places, this hospital boasted a small but charming garden—a feature that drew crowds of patients on sunny days. Today, with its beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom, was no exception. Watching families and friends enjoying the flowers together brought an involuntary smile to his lips.

“I suddenly got curious about something.”

“What is it?”

“What’s your favorite season?”

“Hmm…”

Ra-on paused mid-unwrapping of the sandwich, lost in thought. Choosing a favorite season wasn’t easy, though she definitely knew which one she disliked the most.

“As long as it’s not winter, I don’t mind. I’ve hated cold days ever since I was little. Heat is bearable if you endure it, but cold is harder to deal with. Still… if I had to pick one, I’d say autumn. What about you?”

“Spring. This time of year feels peaceful and nice. Flowers bloom everywhere, and the weather is warm.”

He turned his gaze toward the flowerbeds. Various spring blooms proudly displayed their beauty. By summer, autumn, and winter, they would vanish as if they’d never existed.

Still, Baek Si-heon knew well that spring always returned after a harsh winter. Five years ago, he hadn’t been able to welcome spring with Ra-on, but from now on, he intended to wait for March alongside her every year.

What would Ra-on look like in her 30s and 40s? He already found himself curious and excited about those future days. Gazing at her drinking her Americano with affection, Si-heon unlocked his phone screen.

“Let’s take a picture together.”

“A picture, all of a sudden?”

“Yeah. Come to think of it, we haven’t taken one since we reunited. I want to keep at least one.”

“…My bangs look weird, though.”

Ra-on inspected her hair with a serious expression. She couldn’t recall where she’d left her usual styling gel, and her limp bangs drooped awkwardly over her forehead. At her words, Si-heon chuckled softly.

“What are you talking about? You look perfectly fine. Come on, let’s take one quick shot. Get closer.”

“My outfit doesn’t look great either…”

“Surely it can’t be worse than this hospital gown. I really want to change into regular clothes already.”

Si-heon exaggeratedly flapped the sleeves of his hospital gown. Ra-on hesitated, adjusting her lips awkwardly before peeking her head out from behind him. The image of them on the phone screen felt strangely unfamiliar.

Truthfully, Ra-on had rarely taken photos since childhood. There wasn’t any particular reason—it was simply that she’d never had the means to take sticker photos or own a phone like her peers.

Years of poverty had taught her resignation. Thoughts like, “Do I really need to take pictures?” lingered even now, despite having more financial ease.

Resting her chin lightly on Si-heon’s shoulder, she stared at the front camera lens. How did she usually smile? It felt as though she’d forgotten how to smile naturally.

Noticing Ra-on stiffen like a log through the screen, Si-heon smirked meaningfully before suddenly poking her side with his index finger. Ticklish by nature, Ra-on instinctively cringed and burst into laughter. At that moment, click—he pressed the camera button.

“Ah! Seriously, what was that? Delete it right now. It came out weird.”

“I’ll delete it later, later. Let’s take one more properly.”

“I don’t trust you. Delete it right here, Senior. Hurry!”

“What? Are you making me sad? Didn’t you say you’d trust me no matter what?”

“Sigh… I trust you in every situation except this. Hand over your phone—I’m deleting that one photo.”

Ra-on held out her hand demandingly, but Si-heon merely grinned mischievously and raised the phone high above her reach. Kneeling with her knees up, she flailed her arms helplessly. She couldn’t possibly leave such an unflattering photo on his phone.

“Uh…”

At that moment, Ra-on lost her balance and collapsed onto Si-heon. Mortified, she tried to lift herself up, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her down. Their proximity widened her eyes as she glanced around nervously.

“What are you doing?! We’re outside…!”

“Alright, alright. I just wanted to capture that expression in a photo.”

Worried someone might overhear, Ra-on clenched her teeth and whispered while punching his shoulder. As usual, he was incorrigibly playful. Glaring at him with narrowed eyes, she finally stood up. Fortunately, everyone else seemed too preoccupied admiring the flowers to notice their chaos.

“Sigh… I feel like my lifespan shortens multiple times a day because of you.”

“You should be the one hospitalized, not me. Want to swap outfits?”

“That mouth of yours…!”

Exasperated, Ra-on slapped his lips lightly. In response, he caught her wrist and planted a kiss on her palm with a soft smacking sound. His mischievous grin made her both exasperated and inexplicably warm inside.

“Senior, you really… should thank Director Kwon for giving birth to such a handsome face.”

“Why?”

“She gave you good looks, so I have to endure seeing it every day.”

It wasn’t entirely untrue. Rolling her eyes playfully, Ra-on unwrapped the sandwich again. Just then, Si-heon poked her cheek teasingly with his index finger.

“Am I handsome?”

“What kind of question is that? If I said you weren’t, you’d get stoned.”

“I already know I’m objectively handsome. I’m asking if you think so.”

“I don’t know. Let’s eat first.”

What to do with this nine-tailed fox? Ra-on fed him a triangular piece of the sandwich and dusted off her hands. He obediently nibbled on the bread, grinning happily. On such a sunny day, simply watching her filled him with contentment.

A gentle spring breeze brushed against their cheeks. The drowsy atmosphere made it feel like they could fall asleep at any moment. Sipping her iced coffee through a straw, Ra-on blinked her long lashes and glanced at Si-heon.

“Oh, did Rock visit during lunch yesterday? He mentioned you.”

“Yeah, he came with Mabel. Ray was busy with the data team. Those two still seem close—something’s definitely going on between them.”

“That’s… true. Once you return next week, it’ll be nice to see everyone together again.”

“It’s Sunday tomorrow. Why don’t we call the team for a dinner party? Come to think of it, I promised to treat everyone to drinks after the operation, but things turned out differently.”

Ra-on tapped her phone screen thoughtfully. It wasn’t a bad idea. If the other three were available, it would be nice to gather and catch up after so long.

“Alright. I’ll contact them later. But you’re not allowed to drink. Even after discharge, you’ll need to take medication consistently for a while.”

“I’m not a child. I know that much. Don’t worry, Yeon.”

Nodding in agreement, she tilted her head back to gaze at the sky. A cloudless, deep blue expanse reflected in her eyes. How long had it been since she’d spent such a peaceful day? The sweet scent of spring tickled her nose.

Fixing her gaze on the sky, Ra-on reached out and intertwined her fingers with Si-heon’s. Their hands formed a tight, unbreakable clasp. A small desire to enjoy all four seasons together with him sprouted like a green bud in her heart.

A gentle spring breeze blew from the east, swaying the branches above. A rain of pink cherry blossoms cascaded down, brushing Ra-on’s cheeks and warming their clasped hands.

After a long, cold winter, spring had finally arrived in full bloom.