TATMFL - 40

Han Do-Kyung was acting strange. 

On Saturday morning, Ra-on sighed as she recalled the odd feeling that had settled over her since stepping into Do-Kyung’s car. 

She then turned her gaze toward him, studying his unusually serious expression with a quiet intensity. 

“...” 

He had been like this ever since they entered the hotel room. 

After seating her on the sofa, he had taken the chair opposite her and simply stared, saying nothing. The only words exchanged had been when he opened the door and curtly said, “Get in.” Today’s Do-Kyung was undeniably peculiar. 

As Ra-on watched him with suspicion, Do-Kyung was internally wrestling with his thoughts. 

[What should I do to see her smile?] 

[……Huh?] 

That night, after unleashing his frustration in a violent outburst, the seething irritation that had consumed him had somewhat subsided. The air around him was filled with the groans of those writhing in pain. 

But even so, the tension in his chest hadn’t fully dissipated, prompting him to pull out a cigarette. Maybe smoking would help ease the suffocating feeling. 

Joon, who had been about to light the cigarette for him, looked at Do-Kyung with an expression that suggested he’d heard one too many bizarre things. 

[Could it be that you’ve been brooding over that this whole time, making the car ride so tense?] 

Do-Kyung didn’t need to ask who Joon was referring to—it was obvious. Lighting the cigarette for him, Joon offered his unsolicited advice. 

[First, try to get closer to her. People naturally lower their guard as they grow more familiar. Having common interests would help too.] 

[……] 

[Though, Young Master, it might be a bit difficult for you. Given how you started things off physically, it’s unlikely Yoo Ra-on will let her guard down easily—Oof!] 

Annoyed by Joon’s unnecessary commentary, Do-Kyung kicked him and clicked his tongue, taking a deep drag from the cigarette. As the nicotine filled his lungs, the burning thirst inside him seemed to ease slightly. 

And now, Do-Kyung sat tapping his fingers, recalling the conversation he’d had with Joon days ago. 

‘…Conversation, huh.’ 

Come to think of it, he’d never really sat down and had a proper conversation with Ra-on. 

What little he knew about her could be counted on one hand: her preference for shrimp, discovered just days ago. 

Ah, no—there was one more thing. 

The moment Do-Kyung thought of Hye-sung’s delicate, bookish face—the kind Ra-on seemed to like—he reflexively furrowed his brow. 

Unaware that Ra-on had once described his own face as resembling both a gigolo and a thug, Do-Kyung exhaled sharply in dissatisfaction. 

‘Oh, wait—one more thing.’ 

Cherry blossoms. He vaguely remembered hearing that she liked them—enough to paint them. 

Counting up the few things he knew about her, Do-Kyung realized there was only one potential “common interest” Joon had mentioned. 

After a long silence, Do-Kyung finally spoke. 

“The other day, I noticed you paint a lot of landscapes. Trees, especially.” 

Ra-on, who had been staring blankly past Do-Kyung’s shoulder in a semi-trance, blinked at the sudden topic of conversation. Her delayed response followed. 

“…Oh, yeah. That’s right.” 

“So you like trees?” 

It seemed like he had something more profound to say after staring at her for so long, but all he asked was whether she liked trees? 

Ra-on gave him a wary look before nodding. 

“Yes.” 

“Why?” 

It was a question she had been asked countless times since she first picked up a brush. Though she didn’t understand his motive for asking now, it wasn’t something she couldn’t answer. She had replied to this question so often that her response came almost reflexively. 

“I like things that don’t change.” 

“Hmm?” 

As Do-Kyung’s puzzled voice reached her ears, Ra-on turned her gaze back to the window. Beneath the clear sky, the faint outline of distant mountains was visible. 

It wasn’t a lie. She genuinely loved painting nature. 

Her reason for sticking to landscapes wasn’t complicated. Though the scenery changed subtly with the seasons, it remained fundamentally constant. She found comfort in how it stayed in one place, waiting for her. Its unchanging nature brought her solace. 

Even without that reasoning, looking at landscapes had become second nature to her whenever she picked up a brush. 

“So you don’t paint people?” 

Ra-on’s gaze returned to Do-Kyung. 

“I haven’t seen a single portrait of yours.” 

Despite having only glimpsed her work briefly through photos, he had somehow picked up on that detail. 

“…You must have looked pretty closely.”

“Guess I’ve got a pretty sharp eye for detail.” 

Do-Kyung grinned teasingly, but Ra-on’s mind drifted to a childhood painting she could barely remember now. 

It had been a picture of a three-person family. On a day when her parents’ relationship had started to crumble, she had drawn it as if making a wish. Recalling happier moments from the past, she had hoped with all her heart that her mother would return to her and her father after seeing the drawing. 

But it was no use. One morning, she woke up to find her mother gone, and at her feet lay the torn remains of the painting. That was how her first attempt at portraiture ended up in the trash. 

To this day, she still didn’t understand why her mother had destroyed the drawing so completely, leaving it unrecognizable. 

Perhaps she had wanted to wake her daughter from the futile dream of longing for something she couldn’t have. 

Because of that, Ra-on stopped drawing people altogether. She painted everything else—landscapes, objects—but never again ventured into depicting humans. The memory of that day, now faded like an old photograph, always held her back. 

No one knew this story—not her father, not Hye-sung or Ji-An, and certainly not her professor, who now waited with resigned anticipation for her next piece. 

So, as usual, Ra-on recited the familiar line she had repeated throughout her four years in university. 

“People just don’t interest me.” 

Her curt reply signaled her desire to drop the subject, and she immediately countered with a question of her own. 

“But why are you suddenly curious about this?” 

“Because I like your work,” Do-Kyung said with a smirk. 

“Even someone like me, who knows nothing about art, can tell your paintings are impressive.” 

Ra-on blinked rapidly, her eyes widening in surprise. 

“…Thank you.” 

No artist disliked hearing praise for their work, and Ra-on was no exception. She awkwardly rubbed her cheek in gratitude. 

But then— 

“…?” 

Seeing Do-Kyung look at her with an expression of mild shock, Ra-on tilted her head slightly. 

“What?” 

“It’s nothing.” 

Do-Kyung covered his mouth with his hand and leaned back slightly. His evasive gaze made it seem as though he were trying to hide a blush. 

From morning until now, Do-Kyung’s behavior had been utterly unpredictable. Just as Ra-on was about to furrow her brow in confusion, he lowered his hand and asked: 

“Can I visit your studio?” 

“Huh?” 

“I said I liked your work. I want to see if you’ve got more good pieces.” 

Ra-on stared at him skeptically. 

This sudden display of friendliness felt strange and unfamiliar. Was this another one of his schemes? Had all his earlier compliments just been a setup for this moment? Did he really need an excuse to visit her studio? 

“Why?” she asked cautiously. 

Do-Kyung shrugged, his earlier surprised expression replaced by a cheerful grin. 

“The other day, I heard someone mention they might buy one of your works.” 

“Ah.” 

So he had overheard Hye-sung’s comment from before. She had assumed he hadn’t been paying attention, but it seemed he had sharp ears as well as sharp eyes. 

“They’re for sale, but…” Ra-on massaged the back of her neck, tilting her head curiously. 

“Are you planning to buy something?” 

“I already told you—I like them. And if I’m going to buy something, I need to see it with my own eyes, right?” 

“…” 

Well, if that was his reason… 

Feeling somewhat reassured by his earlier praise, Ra-on slowly nodded. 

“Fine. But only if I’m there. There are a lot of other pieces too.” 

Watching Ra-on’s unusually soft demeanor when it came to her art, Do-Kyung smiled faintly. 

“Of course.” 

---

[You’re really okay with me visiting?]

Despite it being a Saturday, Do-Kyung had sent Ra-on home. Recalling her suspicious gaze as she wondered why he was acting so strangely today, he chuckled softly to himself.

As much as he wanted to keep her longer, there was the third evaluation for the redevelopment project bid early tomorrow morning. Thinking of Mu-Jin’s explosive rage last week over his absence, Do-Kyung knew he was already cutting it close.

After confirming that the lights were on in Ra-on’s apartment, Do-Kyung rested his chin on the steering wheel.

Today, instead of having sex, he and Ra-on had actually talked. 

Do-Kyung had asked questions, and Ra-on had answered—a simple dynamic, but he found the conversation surprisingly satisfying.

“I should have someone cook king crab for next time.”

Remembering her response—that she liked all kinds of shellfish—Do-Kyung decided on the menu for their next lunch and started the car.

[...Thank you.]

Joon had been right.

A shared interest—it was a powerful thing.

It was as if Ra-on had an unspoken rule ingrained in her: “Anyone who compliments my art is a good person.” After he praised her work, she became noticeably softer in her responses to his questions.

There were moments when she’d looked at him with a puzzled expression, as if wondering why they were even having this conversation. But every time he brought up her art, her defenses melted away like snow under the sun.

“Maybe I should bring flowers.”

Since it would be his first visit to her studio, he thought it only appropriate to bring at least one bouquet. Remembering the flower bouquets Ra-on had held in those photos, he pondered when to set a date for the visit—when suddenly, he slammed on the brakes.

Screech! The sound of tires grinding against the road echoed through the night.

“Oh.”

Do-Kyung grabbed his phone, which had been carelessly tossed aside, and opened the search bar. His fingers tapped rapidly.

And then he confirmed it.

Next week was the cherry blossom blooming season.