Chapter 25.2

Chapter 25.2

Yeon-ha’s dazed eyes drifted to another plastic bag lying on the wooden boards. She cracked open a half-empty can of soda and gulped it down, the carbonation temporarily soothing her.

“…It’s your birthday tomorrow,” she mumbled to herself, recalling Min-gyu’s words from the night before, his tone as indifferent as always. He had suggested they go out for a meal to celebrate. Why did he always take care of her like this? She didn’t even know when his birthday was, and yet he seemed to remember hers, even planning something small. Despite his usual carefree demeanor, he would get adorably awkward whenever he tried to do something thoughtful for her. Yeon-ha had begun noticing that about him over time.

She stared blankly at the yellow flowers while continuing to eat, pushing down the strange feelings rising within her. She swallowed them back, just like the food. At one point, halfway through a cream-covered pastry, she gagged, almost choking, but after finishing off another can of soda, she felt better. She forced herself to finish the remaining pastry, too.

Nobody would believe her, but this wasn’t some self-destructive act. She was simply eating because she wanted to. She liked sweets—she always had.

The only reason she hadn’t indulged like this before was that she couldn’t afford to. Her allowance barely covered hanging out with friends, let alone personal treats. Sometimes, going out to a restaurant felt more manageable because it was a social expectation.

Her pale hand unwrapped another jelly candy. One of the plastic bags that had once been filled with snacks was now completely empty, but she still had more left. As she chewed, she bent down to pick up another bag.

In the process, the bag on her lap tipped over, spilling empty cans and wrappers onto the ground. She glanced at the sound of a soda bottle rolling toward the flower bed but didn’t care. She could clean it up later—there was still plenty of time before Min-gyu would arrive.

She could save the rest of the snacks for tomorrow, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to eat them all now. Halfway through the jelly, she opened another can of soda. The sugary liquid offered brief relief from her thirst, but it left her mouth dry. Then she remembered: she had a whole tub of ice cream waiting inside. How had she forgotten? She should have started with that.

Even though she had already eaten a lot, Yeon-ha couldn’t shake that thought. She didn’t realize how much time had passed, nor that someone was approaching, their footsteps growing louder. The sun was still bright in the late afternoon, and though her movements had slowed, her hand kept scooping the now-melting ice cream. She ate mechanically, spoon after spoon.

I’ll probably get a stomachache. That thought came late, but she kept eating. Just one more bite. And again, another. She kept her eyes on the flowers, mindlessly shoveling in the sweet dessert, when—

The gate creaked.

“…!”

Startled, Yeon-ha turned her head. There he was, walking in through the now-open gate. Her heart raced, and embarrassment flushed through her. The ice cream in her mouth suddenly tasted empty.

“…”

She wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Min-gyu stopped, his large frame stiffening for a moment. On his tired face, a flicker of confusion crossed before he masked it. Yeon-ha had never seen him like this before. Usually, he brushed off everything with his typical indifferent look.

Realizing this, she felt a wave of heat rush to her face, like she’d been caught doing something wrong. The sweet escape she’d briefly enjoyed vanished, replaced by a harsh pull back to reality.

She wanted to say something. But no words came.

Still frozen, spoon in hand, she watched as Min-gyu’s eyes scanned her. Her wide, startled eyes. Her slightly parted lips. The messy piles of empty snack wrappers at her feet and the half-filled convenience store bags beside her.

His gaze lingered on her pale, embarrassed face, but only for a moment. For Yeon-ha, it felt like an eternity.

Finally, Min-gyu broke the silence, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. The brief shock or curiosity he’d shown quickly disappeared, replaced with his usual calm demeanor.

“What’s got you so startled?”

“…”

“You don’t like me being here?”

His attempt at being playful didn’t land. Yeon-ha couldn’t respond. Her eyes dropped to the mess in front of her—crumbs, wrappers, melted chocolate smeared on her hands, and ice cream stains splattered across her dress. She looked a mess, and she hadn’t even realized it.