Side Story 1.18

‘Eek…’  

The child widened her eyes in surprise and quickly hid behind the wooden pillar. But all it did was press her face against the wood. As if it was enough that she couldn’t see, Leeseo shut her eyes tightly and clung to the pillar. Her heart pounded. It felt like the moment when she got caught playing a prank by her mother.  

After holding her breath for what felt like forever, Leeseo cautiously opened her eyelids. A gentle breeze rustled, making her clothes flutter. She could see two legs dangling from the swing, slowly swaying in the air. Her anxious heart mixed with her boundless curiosity, making it beat even faster.  

When she peeked her head out from beside the pillar, their gazes met unerringly. As if he had been watching her the whole time, the calm eyes fixed on the little girl without a hint of movement. There was a faint trace of annoyance and irritation in his gaze—feelings far too complex for a mere five-year-old Leeseo to comprehend.  

‘Uh… uh…’  

The child clung to the pillar for no reason, fidgeting awkwardly. Avoiding the sharp gaze, her round black eyes darted around the air. Then, she stole another glance toward the swing.  

He wasn’t an adult, but he wasn’t a little kid like her either—somewhere in between. Normally, she would have eagerly struck up a conversation, but for some reason, she felt shy and hesitant. Dressed in a white shirt layered with a knit vest, with neatly combed hair, the boy looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale in Leeseo’s eyes.  

Of course, he wasn’t wearing anything as extravagant as a prince’s attire, but his face seemed to shine, making him look like one anyway. Feeling self-conscious, Leeseo fidgeted with her own dusty T-shirt, which had become dirty from climbing cars and rolling on the ground all day.  

‘Um… I want to ride too.’  

She mumbled softly as if talking to herself, her gaze fixed on the swing. The boy, who had been staring intently at her, let out a small sigh. Though his reaction seemed annoyed, Leeseo, in her youthful optimism, took it as a positive sign. She raised her index finger and pointed at him, blurting out a question.  

‘What’s that on your head?’  

The boy was wearing headphones. To young Leeseo, it was something she had never seen before. Instead of answering, the boy moved a bowl that had been sitting next to him onto his lap. It was an invitation to sit beside him. Quickly catching on, Leeseo climbed up onto the swing.  

‘Hehe…’  

Grinning widely, she stared intently at the boy. He sighed again, this time more audibly. Taking off his headphones and hanging them around his neck, he gestured toward the bowl of fruit.  

‘Want some?’  

Leeseo’s gaze followed his gesture. Inside the bowl was a pile of fruit she had never seen before, gleaming red and plump.  

‘Yeah.’  

Without hesitation, she reached out, grabbed a fruit, and popped it into her mouth. As her teeth sank into its firm surface, sweet and fresh juice burst into her mouth.  

‘Mmm! It’s really good! What is this?’  

At her age, curiosity was boundless, while tact was lacking. The boy, who had hoped to silence her with the treat, realized his plan had backfired. With a resigned look, he replied curtly.  

‘Cherry.’  

‘Ah, cherry? Can I have another one?’  

The boy silently held out the bowl. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if he had noticed something strange.  

‘Wait… did you eat the stem too?’  

‘The stem? What’s that?’  

For someone who had been indifferent the entire time, the boy’s expression now showed clear dismay. He was momentarily speechless, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Then, he picked up another cherry from the bowl, removed the stem, and handed it to her.  

‘Don’t eat this part. And don’t swallow the pit inside—spit it out.’  

‘Oh, I see. You should’ve told me earlier.’  

‘…’  

That day, Leeseo ate cherries until her lips turned red, leaving the guesthouse with a delighted expression. When her mother scolded her for wandering off again, Leeseo mentioned that the boy on the swing had given her cherries. Her mother’s face turned pale.  

‘The young master from the main house.’ That’s what her mother called the boy. She sternly warned Leeseo never to go near the guesthouse again, but her words went in one ear and out the other.  

‘Young Master!’  

The next time Leeseo met Kwon Taegyeom, she proudly addressed him with the title her mother had taught her. Once again, he was sitting on the swing with his headphones on. He turned to look at her with a puzzled expression.  

‘What?’  

‘My mom said I should call you Young Master, not Oppa.’  

The boy, lowering his headphones around his neck, looked at her incredulously.  

‘Kids don’t need to use terms like that.’  

‘I’m not a kid.’  

‘Then what are you?’  

‘I’m Hyun Leeseo. That’s my name.’  

‘…Did I ask?’  

Though he frowned in annoyance, Taegyeom shifted slightly to make room on the swing. Leeseo, feeling triumphant after introducing herself, climbed onto the swing with a hop.  

As her feet dangled in the air, Taegyeom put his headphones back on, exuding an air that clearly said, ‘Don’t talk to me.’ The swing began to sway gently back and forth.  

Leeseo met the boy several more times after that. Whenever she saw the guesthouse gate slightly ajar, she would excitedly run over, only to find the familiar back of his head on the swing.  

Though her endless questions rarely received answers, the boy always handed her a bowl of snacks. Sometimes it was cherries, other times it was chocolate so sweet it made her tongue tingle.  

When Leeseo bragged to her mother about becoming friends with the boy from the main house, her mother’s eyebrows knitted in deep concern.  

‘You shouldn’t bother the young master. He must already be going through a lot. And he’ll be leaving for America soon. I hope he adjusts quickly…’  

At that age, Leeseo didn’t fully understand her mother’s words. She only vaguely grasped that he would be leaving soon.  

‘Hey, kid.’  

Even though she had told him her name countless times, Taegyeom never called her by it. He always referred to her as ‘kid’ or ‘little one.’  

‘You want this?’  

One day, out of the blue, he offered her his headphones—the ones he always wore. After pestering him for days, she had learned that they played music. She couldn’t understand why he was suddenly giving them to her.  

‘Why?’  

‘I don’t need them anymore.’  

‘Oh, okay. Then I’ll take them.’  

Leeseo cheerfully accepted the headphones and put them on. They were too big for her head and kept slipping off. Taegyeom adjusted them to fit her and placed them back on her head. After fiddling with the device connected to the headphones, music began to play.  

As she looked up with a bright smile, a shadow fell over her face. Taegyeom, now standing in front of her, looked down at her with an expressionless face.  

For some reason, she felt a pang of fear. Her smile faded as she sensed that the moment her mother had mentioned—their parting—was imminent.  

‘Are you leaving?’  

‘…’  

‘You’ll come back, right?’  

‘No.’  

‘…’  

‘I’m not coming back.’  

Taegyeom turned slowly and walked away. Leeseo watched his retreating figure in a daze, his neatly combed hair disappearing behind the large gate.  

Sliding off the swing, she pouted and began to cry. The headphones on her ears continued to play sweet melodies.  

***

Leeseo’s eyelids twitched slightly. When she suddenly opened her eyes, the first thing that came into view was a large palm. It was Kwon Taegyeom, shading her face from the sunlight so it wouldn’t dazzle her. Sensing her movement, he gently stroked her forehead.  

“Awake?”  

“…Mm. When did you get here?”  

Leeseo rubbed her eyes and lifted her upper body, which had been leaning against Taegyeom’s chest. At some point, a thick blanket had been draped over her shoulders.  

“Not long ago.”  

Taegyeom set aside the book he had been reading and pulled her waist closer as she tried to move away. He pressed his lips firmly against her hair, then tilted his head deeply to kiss her. Naturally responding to his lips seeking hers, Leeseo slowly blinked her eyes.  

She must have dozed off, unable to resist the drowsiness brought on by the warm sunlight. Her mind still felt hazy. It seemed like she had dreamed something vivid, but for some reason, all that remained was a faint impression, as if her memories were shrouded in a thick fog.  

With a soft, teasing sound, his lips parted from hers. As if scolding her for being lost in thought during their kiss, he bit down firmly on her lower lip, leaving a mark. Then, he gently ran his tongue over the spot, tracing the mark he had left. Without breaking the kiss, he murmured softly.  

“You’ve been spending a lot of time here lately.”  

There had been occasions when she welcomed her husband home at the guesthouse. Answering with a hum, Leeseo wrapped her arms around Taegyeom and nuzzled her head against his chest like a child seeking affection. He let out a low chuckle, the deep vibrations of his laughter resonating through his chest against her cheek.  

“You seem to like the swing.”  

“Yeah, it’s nice to sit here. It makes me feel good, and I fall asleep easily.”  

At her reply, Taegyeom remained silent for a moment. Finding his silence odd, Leeseo looked up at him. A faint, enigmatic smile played on the corners of his lips, which had curved into a gentle arc.  

“Why?”  

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”  

He shook his head and leaned in once more. Just as their lips met, the strange smile lingering on his face seemed to deepen momentarily. A fleeting sense of curiosity crossed Leeseo’s mind as her eyes naturally began to close. However, whatever unease she felt was quickly swept away as Taegyeom consumed her entirely, leaving no room for doubt.  

The kiss deepened, and Taegyeom’s strong, warm arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her close. The pounding heartbeat she felt—she wasn’t sure if it was her own or the baby nestled within her belly asserting its presence.  

But did it matter?  

A profound sense of happiness welled up, so overwhelming it brought tears to her eyes. Leeseo embraced Taegyeom’s body, which seemed to envelop her entire world, as tightly as she could.  

Each day felt more exciting than the last. Love was like an endless fountain; even if she loved him with all her heart today, she was confident she could give him even more love tomorrow. Though the thought of becoming a mother filled her with occasional fear, the joy of becoming parents together outweighed it.  

She couldn’t wait to meet the child who would resemble him. At the same time, she felt everything was already perfect as it was. Whispering sweetly between their entwined lips, she poured out her overflowing affection.  

“I love you.”  

Taegyeom pulled her up effortlessly, seating her on his lap as he gazed at her intently.  

“I love you more.”  

In his beautiful hazel eyes, infinite emotions swirled softly. The unfiltered love pouring out from him made her heart swell anew.  

He was her world.  

His warm breath tickled her skin, and once again, he claimed her entirely. The pleasant scent of his body grew stronger as they melted into each other. Beyond their intertwined figures, the burning sunset stretched long across the horizon.  

At the cusp of summer, it felt as though all seasons had faded away. A day that was ordinary yet extraordinary passed quietly.