Knock, knock.

“Yes.”

At Ina’s reply, the door opened. Director Ji stepped quietly into the room.

“Are you studying?”

“Ah, yes.”

Ina rose from the small desk where she had been sitting.

On the blanket spread out on the floor beside it, Ayeong slept soundly.

“Ayeong doesn’t have a fever anymore.”

“That’s a relief. She was looking for you all afternoon.”

“That’s why she wouldn’t let go of me until she fell asleep.”

Since falling ill, Ayeong had become even more attached to her. Feeling sorry for her, Ina had carried her in the baby sling and walked the hallway until she drifted off.

“I almost forgot to give you this. That’s why I stopped by.”

“What is it?”

“A gift.”

Director Ji handed her a large shopping bag, smiling brightly.

Ever since Ina had ended up staying another year, she had been overly conscious, as though she felt guilty. Director Ji had always felt uneasy keeping her close without doing much in return. Thanks to Taeyun, she was finally able to give her something meaningful.

“What…?”

Caught off guard, Ina took the bag and looked up at the director. The shopping bag was crisp and immaculate, not a crease in sight. Just looking at it felt burdensome.

“It’s winter clothes. Keep them safe and wear them next winter.”

“……”

“We all went to the department store earlier, but you couldn’t come because of work. It would’ve been nicer if you’d chosen them yourself.”

She remembered the children’s bright faces at dinner, talking excitedly about picking out clothes at the department store. It seemed there had been something for her as well.

“You don’t need to give me anything.”

“Don’t say that. Just keep it. I’ll prepare something separately when you start university, but still… You never even had a proper winter coat. It’s weighed on my heart.”

“It’s really okay, Director.”

The fact that she was allowed to stay here and that her circumstances were understood was a great comfort in itself.

Otherwise, she would have had to leave immediately and live alone while paying rent. Had she needed to cover the cost of rent after failing the exam, retaking the test — let alone going to university — would have been out of the question.

Director Ji continued gently, her eyes filled with concern.

“I wasn’t sure what university students wear, so I asked Taeyun to choose. He picked it out. I hope you like it. You must be tired — get some rest.”

She patted Ina lightly on the shoulder and left the room.

Left alone in the middle of the room, Ina slowly lowered her gaze to the shopping bag in her hand.

“……”

They said it was hers, but she couldn’t bring herself to open it.

It felt as though it belonged to someone else.

Even the brand-new bag felt as though it wasn’t meant for her.

When had she last bought something new for herself?

No matter how hard she tried to remember, she couldn’t.

Clothes? Bags. Even uniforms and stationery.

Everything at the orphanage was shared. Having something set aside as her own had been exceedingly rare.

She stood there, staring at it, unable to move.

“I didn’t know what university students wear, so I asked Taeyun to choose. I hope you like it.”

Han Taeyun.

They said he had chosen it.

“Why are you outside when it’s so cold?”
“You’re dressed so lightly.”

His words resurfaced in her mind.

After hesitating, Ina returned to her desk, picked up her mechanical pencil, and fixed her eyes on the book.

But the words on the page blurred almost immediately.

“Ha…”

She let out a long sigh.

She tried to ignore it, but the bag kept tugging at her thoughts. She could not even focus on the problem in front of her.

She did not have the courage to open it.

It meant nothing. Just something done under the name of volunteer work.

And yet, her fingertips kept tingling.

“Ah…”

She tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and pressed her palms against them.

After steadying her breathing for a moment, she lowered her hands and slowly opened her eyes.

She then stood up, walked back to the shopping bag and sat down on the floor in front of it.

After peeling off the tape sealing the top of the bag, she found two neatly boxed packages inside.

She carefully took them out and placed them on the floor.

“……”

Opening the larger box, she found a neatly folded white jumper inside.

“It’s pretty.”

The words slipped out before she realized it.

The fur lining the hood looked soft and luxurious. Mesmerized, she traced the fabric gently with her fingers, reluctant to even unfold it.

After a long while, she closed the box again and opened the smaller one.

Inside were a cozy-looking muffler and fur-lined gloves.

For reasons she could not quite name, a strange feeling settled over her.

That night, she tossed and turned for a long time.

***

“Ah! Hehe—!”

She was crossing the yard on her way to breakfast when she saw Choa running wildly across the snow, a tall man chasing after her.

“Got you!”

The moment he caught her, Choa burst into breathless laughter.

Ina stopped walking and watched them quietly from a short distance.

“Am I it now?”

“Hmm. Or should I go again?”

“Yes!”

“Alright. If I catch you this time, you’re it.”

Choa nodded enthusiastically.

Four or five children clustered around him.

For reasons as simple as this, their faces were brighter than ever.

Snow had piled up on their hair and shoulders.

The snow that had not fallen all winter now poured down endlessly.

And in the midst of it, the children—and the man—were simply carefree.

“I’ll count to twenty.”

One, two, three, four…

The unfamiliar man’s voice rang through the yard, and the children scattered at once.

Those who hid stifled their giggles.

“Ready or not…”

He turned around.

And at that moment, his eyes met Ina’s, where she stood watching silently.

“……”

For a brief moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped.

All sound faded away, as if only the two of them remained in that space.

She forgot even to look away—simply stood there, staring.

Then Taeyun curved one corner of his lips into a grin.

At the sight of his bright smile, Ina snapped back to her senses and hurriedly turned her gaze aside.

“I’m coming to find you! Where’s Choa? Where could Yoonjin be?”

Calling out the children’s names, he ran past her.

A fresh scent brushed against her as he passed, seeping deep into her lungs.

Heat flared across her face.

Drawing in a sharp breath, Ina hurried toward the dining hall.

***

As always, Ina fed the children first and ate last.

After cleaning up the dining hall, she quickly left the building to head to her part-time job.

“Ha…”

She pressed her brows together in discomfort.

No matter how much she patted her chest or took deep breaths, the tightness in her stomach would not ease.

She should have brought medicine with her. Perhaps she needed to stop by the pharmacy and buy something for indigestion.

But there was another reason her chest felt so unsettled.

His gaze had followed her the entire time she fed the children.

She had tried to pretend she did not notice, to ignore it—but she could not.

“I’m late.”

Checking the watch on her wrist, she quickened her pace.

Suddenly, someone stepped in front of her.

“Oh my—!”

Startled, Ina shrank back.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

When she slowly lifted her head, she found Taeyun looking down at her with an awkward expression. He seemed more flustered than she was, apologizing immediately.

Color rushed to her cheeks.

Pressing the back of her hand to her face, she turned to pass him—

“Did you try the clothes?”

“……”

She needed to leave.

But at his question, her steps halted.

“I wasn’t sure what your style is, so… I just chose something that looked nice. Well—I got the staff’s recommendation too. And since I didn’t know your size, I followed their suggestion.”

He stumbled over his words, rambling as though offering an excuse.

“If you don’t like it, you can exchange it. I don’t know if you saw, but they said they included a receipt.”

Unsure what to say, she took a step forward.

His hurried voice reached her back.

“It’s cold. Wear it. Don’t catch a cold.”

Slowly, Ina turned her head.

He was still standing there, looking at her.

“The scarf, and the gloves too.”

He added it carefully.

Only then did she glance down at herself.

The jumper she wore was old and worn thin. She had no gloves. No scarf.

Compared to his neat, polished appearance, she felt suddenly shabby.

Embarrassment burned across her face.

Her fingers brushed the bare skin of her neck.

“They’re having a barbecue party tonight.”

He kept speaking.

Ina said nothing, biting the inside of her lip.

“I just thought you should know.”

She turned and walked away quickly.

Taeyun remained where he was, watching the place she had disappeared into for a long time.