TATMFL - 89

Her eyes fluttered slowly, heavy with the haze of alcohol, as Ra-on gazed blankly at the crackling flames in front of her. The fire burned brightly, like a campfire.

With bellies full from the barbecue and the warm sea breeze gently rustling through the air, it felt like she could drift off to sleep right then and there.

‘I never expected him to grill the meat himself.’

Ra-on chuckled softly, recalling how Do-kyung had awkwardly wielded tongs to flip the meat—an image that didn’t quite suit him.

Most of the food had predictably ended up on her plate, just like Ji-an’s share—a recurring pattern she’d grown used to by now.

Turning her gaze toward Ji-an, who was dozing off with a bottle of alcohol tucked under her arm, and Hye-sung, who had let her lean against his shoulder while breathing evenly in slumber, Ra-on rested her chin on her hand.

…Once upon a time, seeing those two so close together would have filled her with quiet heartache.

But now, surprisingly calm about it all, Ra-on couldn’t help but let out a small, wry laugh.

She had never believed she’d spend her entire life pining for Hye-sung, suffering through unrequited love without hope of reciprocation.

Time might take longer than expected, but she had always trusted that eventually, this long-held affection would fade—crumbling into something so worn-out it could no longer raise its head. And then, perhaps, she could remain by his side merely as a friend.

“…”

Yes, that was once her resolve. She hadn’t dared imagine letting go of these feelings unknowingly.

Clang— The sound of the villa door opening snapped Ra-on out of her thoughts. She turned to see the man who had somehow seeped into her life walking toward her, arms laden with items. His gaze, which had barely left hers throughout the day, softened into a warm smile when their eyes met.

Covering her mouth with the palm of her hand, Ra-on chuckled softly.

Do-kyung wore a white short-sleeved T-shirt, dark lounge pants, and slippers, looking far more relaxed than the impeccably dressed figure he usually presented—even in hotels that were practically second homes to him.

With his youthful appearance belying his thirty years, he looked no different from any other college student enjoying vacation with friends. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had once intimidated her because of rumors labeling him a thug. Now, watching him, her heart raced pleasantly.

“Hey.”

Only after approaching did he seem to notice Ji-an and Hye-sung. Spotting the two asleep, he nodded approvingly.

“All the effort of bringing every bottle I could find wasn’t wasted.”

Seeing Do-kyung’s satisfied expression after spending the day fretting over excluding the pair, Ra-on burst into laughter.

Though not nearly as intoxicated as Ji-an, she too had indulged enough to feel lightheaded, laughing easily at the smallest things.

Amused by her giggles, Do-kyung leaned in to press a kiss against her feverishly warm forehead before pulling back. Then he began setting down what he’d been carrying.

Still rubbing the spot where his lips had touched, Ra-on asked,

“What’s this?”

“Fireworks.”

With that, Do-kyung lit the first sparkler—a long, thin one. In an instant, it ignited, showering sparks in all directions.

“Here.”

Taking the sparkler he handed her, Ra-on waved it gently. Faint yellow lights danced across her vision, leaving trails like afterimages.

Soon after, a sharp whistling sound pierced the air as another firework shot high into the sky.

Bang! Pop! Boom!

Tearing her gaze away from the dwindling embers of the sparkler, Ra-on looked up. The fireworks painted the dark night sky with dazzling colors, reminiscent of a festival.

“Wow…”

The soft exclamation slipped past her parted lips. Beside her, Do-kyung, preparing yet another firework, popped a grape into her mouth.

As Ra-on chewed, Do-kyung watched her with amusement. Once the last firework exploded, he checked the time.

His smile deepened.

After confirming that Ji-an and Hye-sung remained undisturbed even amidst the commotion, Do-kyung began gathering something quietly.

Then he called out:

“Ra-on-ah.”

“…?”

Turning away from the fading fireworks, Ra-on tilted her head slightly.

“What…”

Small flickers of flame reflected in her wide eyes.

Startled, she glanced between the birthday cake adorned with candles and Do-kyung holding it.

He held up his phone, showing her the date and time.

August 17th. 12:03 AM.

“Ah.”

“Happy birthday.”

“…”

“If those two had woken up, it would’ve been inconvenient. Lucky us.”

Do-kyung joked lightly about not needing an excuse to send them away this time. Ra-on, still dazed, smiled faintly as she stared at the flickering candles.

She had anticipated some kind of celebration since their impromptu trip just before her birthday. But knowing it came from Do-kyung made the full-fledged birthday surprise feel surreal.

For a moment, she was overwhelmed—but only briefly. Licking her lips, she leaned forward and blew out the candles just in time to prevent the cake from being decorated with colorful wax drippings. Taking the cake, she whispered:

“…Thank you.”

Her voice was barely audible, almost like a sigh. Do-kyung handed her another gift, neatly wrapped with a pink ribbon.

“This is for you.”

“You really went all out, didn’t you?”

“Well, whose birthday is it?”

Joking casually about something that might make Joon or his father foam at the mouth, Do-kyung waited eagerly, eyes gleaming as Ra-on unwrapped the present.

When the gift finally revealed itself, Ra-on froze, utterly speechless.

But soon—

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

Her loud laughter echoed across the beach.

Wiping away tears that threatened to spill, Ra-on laughed until she hiccupped.

“No way, hahaha, seriously? What… HAHAHA!”

“…Even I’ll get hurt if you laugh that much.”

At Do-kyung’s mock-hurt tone, Ra-on struggled to stifle her laughter, panting heavily as she lifted the gift.

“Wait, is this… me?”

It was a painting. If not for the graduation banner and familiar school uniform colors, she might not have recognized herself—it was that messy. Somehow, her eyes, nose, and mouth were intact, though barely.

“No need to ask how I feel about it.”

Seeing Ra-on’s teasing reaction, Do-kyung crossed his arms and grumbled. But soon, even he couldn’t help chuckling softly as he glanced sidelong at his own artwork.

Their laughter subsided only after a long while.

Do-kyung, resting his chin on his hand, gazed fondly at Ra-on. Her cheeks, flushed red from the firelight, looked irresistibly endearing.

Mesmerized, he reached out to cup her warm cheek, turning her face toward him.

“I’ll draw one for you every year.”

Her laughter-filled face blinked blankly.

“I wanted to give you one every month, but with my current skill level, that’s impossible. Still…”

Kissing her tear-moistened eyelids, Do-kyung whispered:

“I’ll make sure you keep smiling like this.”

“…”

“For the rest of your life. Though, admittedly, my skills are terrible.”

Grinning mischievously, Do-kyung watched as Ra-on’s eyelids trembled.

Surrounding her with his comforting pheromones, he pulled her closer. Clenching her teeth, Ra-on tightened her grip on the painting. Her eyes stung with rising emotion.

Though nothing grand had been said, she couldn’t hold back the wave of feelings swelling within her.

“Maybe someday, instead of bad memories, your mind will be filled with happy ones. What do you think?”

From between her tightly pressed lips, a faint laugh escaped. As a single tear rolled down her cheek, Do-kyung wiped it away and winked.

“So promise me. When that time comes, let me be the first to paint you.”

________________________________________

Not long after returning from the beach, the second semester began.

The days flew by in a blur, consumed by preparations for the upcoming exhibition. One by one, pieces were selected, reviewed multiple times, and finalized for display in what was once their practice studio.

Time raced forward, and November arrived.

Ra-on stared at the last remaining piece, still untouched despite months passing. A glaring blank space occupied the center of the canvas.

“Sigh…”

Serious-faced and exhausted, Ra-on rose from her seat. If she stayed here any longer, she decided it would be better to step outside for some fresh air.

On her way out, her gaze landed on a familiar painting hanging nearby. Her tense expression softened instantly.

By now, it had become a staple of the studio—the gift Do-kyung had given her on her birthday. Every time she looked at it, it brought a smile to her face.

“Hmm.”

Giving the edge of the frame a playful tap, Ra-on stepped outside.

Emerging into the open air, her eyes widened in surprise.

“…Han Do-kyung?”

“Oh, you’re here.”

Leaning casually against a tree, tapping away on his phone, Do-kyung looked up and grinned when he saw her.

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

“Me?”

“You seemed too focused to disturb.”

“…How did you know when I’d come out?”

Do-kyung shrugged.

“Lost track of time.”

He showed her his phone screen, where photos Hye-sung had recently sent him were playing in a slideshow—photos of her.

Speechless, Ra-on stared at the images of herself on the screen before shaking her head.

Taking her hand firmly, Do-kyung said:

“You came out to take a break, right? Let’s go.”

Ra-on gazed at the hand holding hers, then looked up at Do-kyung humming a tune. His eyes, always curved into a warm smile whenever they met hers, crinkled affectionately.

Letting out a soft laugh, Ra-on sighed.

And so, December arrived—the season of graduation exhibitions.