TATMFL - 76

“I’ll have an iced Americano, please.”

“…That’ll be 4,300 won.”

Raon swallowed a deep sigh as she handed over the card. Standing before her was Do-kyung, who had been waiting patiently for her to change into her café uniform.

The café was busier than ever during exam season, so despite having an exam in two days, Raon had no choice but to work.

And like clockwork, Do-kyung followed her here again, now occupying a seat and waiting for his drink—something he’d done for several days in a row now. Chang-woo, the café owner, seemed unfazed by this routine. In fact, given how often Do-kyung visited and boosted sales, Chang-woo almost seemed to welcome him enthusiastically.

In short, Raon was the only one who found Do-kyung’s presence inconvenient.

‘Not that I can exactly kick him out.’

“Haa.”

As Raon sighed and placed the drink on the counter, Do-kyung sprang up and approached. Leaning casually against the counter, his posture exuded familiarity.

“What are you doing during break?”

“Huh?”

“It’s a two-month break. Are you just going to spend it painting in the studio?”

“…”

What others did during their break was none of his business. Irritated by his probing gaze, Raon shot him a sour look, prompting Do-kyung to smirk.

“Do you like the sea?”

The sudden question made Raon’s eyebrows twitch.

She didn’t particularly love the sea, but she didn’t dislike it either.

While Raon mulled over her feelings about the ocean, Do-kyung pressed on.

“Painting with a wide-open seascape as your backdrop doesn’t sound bad, does it?”

Come to think of it, she couldn’t recall ever painting the sea—well, except once. Back when her mother was still around, she had painted something in memory of those days.

“There won’t be many people. I have a villa near Yangyang in Gangwon Province.”

Yangyang was closer than Jinhae, at least.

“Ahh.”

A sigh escaped Raon’s lips. As she blinked slowly, her previously unfocused eyes sharpened.

Rubbing her temples absentmindedly, Raon asked,

“…What exactly are you talking about?”

“I’m saying I want to see you during break too.”

“…”

“Wow.”

Chang-woo, standing nearby, let out an impressed whistle before quickly covering his mouth.

Feeling the weight of everyone’s curious stares, Raon clamped her mouth shut and emitted a soft groan.

She already knew Do-kyung wasn’t someone who cared much about others’ opinions, but lately, his boldness had reached new heights.

Thanks to him, moments like these—awkward and uncomfortable—had become all too frequent.

By now, professors and classmates alike implicitly treated them as a couple. Even Hye-sung seemed oddly nonchalant about sharing meals with Do-kyung.

“Listen, Han Do-kyung.”

“Yes, Raon?”

When he responded to her name with such ease, Raon felt her heart skip a beat. Biting back the involuntary groan rising in her throat, she said firmly,

“Forcing yourself on someone who clearly doesn’t want you—that’s harassment.”

At that moment, Do-kyung’s expression darkened. But just as quickly, his frown gave way to a sulky pout.

Caught off guard by his fleeting shift in emotion, Raon opened her mouth to speak—but then Do-kyung rested his chin on his hand and stretched lazily, flashing a mischievous grin. His deep dimples drew Raon’s gaze involuntarily.

“You never said you didn’t like me.”

“…?”

Her eyes, momentarily captivated by his dimples, widened in confusion as they met his smirking ones.

Do-kyung’s smile grew more seductive, dangerously alluring. Raon’s lips trembled instinctively.

“When you were drunk, you said you liked me.”

“Who?”

Before Raon realized she’d spoken aloud, Do-kyung leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice.

“Who else? The Raon who wouldn’t let go of me that night.”

“I never—I didn’t do any such thing!”

Startled by Raon’s raised voice, Chang-woo—who had leaned closer to eavesdrop—jerked backward.

Before Do-kyung could finish, Raon blurted out loudly, only to clamp her mouth shut under the sudden flood of curious stares.

Her face flushed red, trembling eyelids betraying her embarrassment. Watching her flustered state with amusement, Do-kyung shrugged.

“It’s true.”

“You’re lying. I know it.”

She knew he was lying—not just about clinging to him that night, but also about her supposedly liking him.

Glaring at him stubbornly, Raon bristled. Do-kyung tilted his head curiously.

“How do you know? You were drunk, weren’t you?”

Raon’s shoulders visibly tensed.

His dimples deepened further, mischief dancing across his face.

“Ahh. Could it be…you remember everything? Acting so calm after confessing your feelings like that? Late at night, no less?”

Unable to find words, Raon gaped soundlessly. Do-kyung added teasingly,

“Turns out you’re quite cunning, Raon.”

“…If you’re just going to spout nonsense, leave. Orders are piling up—what are you even doing here?”

Finally, Raon scowled deeply and turned away first.

Though Do-kyung had been her last customer, she needed an excuse to escape. Ignoring Chang-woo’s alternating glances between her and the empty order counter, Raon grabbed a glass for no reason.

Ha ha—Do-kyung’s laughter rang softly behind her.

Trying to ignore it, Raon resolutely began squirting chocolate syrup into the glass.

She usually hated sweet drinks, but right now, she felt the need to indulge.

“I’m heading out.”

Stretching as she left the café earlier than usual, Raon yawned. Summer was unmistakably here—the sky remained bright despite it being 7 PM.

“Phew.”

Lowering her arms from the stretch, Raon turned around. Do-kyung, who had sat glued to the café all day, stood holding her bag.

Eyeing her bag warily, Raon held out her hand.

“Give it to me.”

“If I intended to give it back easily, I wouldn’t have taken it in the first place.”

“What?”

With an exaggerated shrug, Do-kyung started walking ahead.

Being tall, his strides were long. By the time Raon took a few steps, he was already far ahead. She sighed heavily as she followed.

In the distance, a familiar car came into view. It hadn’t been there when he walked to the café earlier, so Joon must have dropped it off.

Thinking of Joon, who always shadowed Do-kyung, Raon reluctantly quickened her pace.

Having come straight from studying, her bag contained materials for Monday’s exam. Whatever Do-kyung’s intentions, she needed her bag back.

“Get in.”

Placing her bag on the passenger seat, Do-kyung gestured with his chin.

“…Why should I?”

Raon frowned, reaching for her bag.

At that moment, Do-kyung—who had been leaning casually against the car with crossed arms—moved swiftly to block her path. With one hand on the car door and the other gripping the roof, he trapped her in his embrace.

The presence pressing against her back stiffened Raon’s spine as she froze mid-reach for her bag.

“…”

Do-kyung’s gaze traced her rigid nape, down her shoulder, over the soft curve of her back beneath her thin shirt, and finally lingered on her flowing chestnut hair.

His voice dropped lower, rougher.

“Let’s have dinner.”

Though it was a simple invitation, goosebumps prickled Raon’s skin. The languid tone dripping behind her sounded less like an offer for dinner and more like a desire for something else entirely—and she doubted it was mere imagination.

Gripping her bag tightly, Raon slowly turned around. Carefully avoiding contact, she looked up at Do-kyung with deliberate slowness and sighed.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Hye-sung finds you unpleasant.”

Damn Hyung-seok.

But strangely, mentioning his name didn’t feel as irritating as it once did.

Do-kyung breathed in Raon’s pheromones naturally, as if inhaling air.

They weren’t sharp or hostile anymore. Instead, they felt subdued, as though retreating deep into the mountains for meditation. This softened sensation dulled his initial irritation, almost like being enveloped in phytoncides.

How amusing—his emotions swayed so completely by one person’s pheromones.

Moreover…

Do-kyung watched Raon bite her lip awkwardly after bringing up Hyung-seok’s name.

It seemed mentioning him had caught her off guard too. Likely, it was an unconscious defense mechanism—a way to shield herself from the growing pull toward him.

His gaze softened.

“It seems there’s some misunderstanding.”

Closing the distance until their noses nearly touched, he smirked crookedly.

“I’m asking to eat alone with you .”

“…”

“Without Hyung-seok.”

Do-kyung’s piercing gaze locked onto Raon’s eyes before trailing downward.

Within his yearning-filled vision, her lips—now pressed tightly together—were pinched white against her teeth. Her pale pink lower lip stood out enticingly, clouding his mind.

‘Ah.’

Do-kyung inwardly sighed. How torturous it was to resist something so tempting right before him.

But just a little longer. Just until the sturdy walls guarding Raon crumbled completely.

With thirsty eyes, Do-kyung gazed at her.

Patience might be bitter, but its fruit would surely be sweet—or perhaps “sweet” was an understatement. It would be intoxicating, leaving her unable to escape.

Yearning fiercely for the day she would be firmly bound to him, Do-kyung repeated softly,

“Have dinner with me, Raon.”