Chapter 85
He had no interest in the iridescent colors. But Sarin seemed to like them.
She no longer paid attention to the terrifying water falling below. She focused solely on the rainbow hanging from his fingertips. The sight of colorful rainbows floating above the mist was magnificent.
Owen’s gaze wasn’t on the rainbow, but on Sarin’s blurry eyes, which held the rainbow.
A rainbow appeared in the cloudy sky. It was much more beautiful under her eyelids than he had imagined.
“…It’s beautiful.”
She couldn’t have imagined being able to see a rainbow in such a clear place a few months ago.
As the wind blew fiercely enough to make her sway, Owen pulled Sarin’s waist back into his arms. There was a lot of foam on her exposed neck.
Unable to hear what he said over the roaring sound of the water, Sarin frowned. However, after he removed the muffler from himself and saw her neck exposed, he reached out and covered it with both hands.
Perhaps startled by her touch, Owen’s eyes softened slightly. Then warmth spread from his neck. They stood there, looking into each other’s eyes for a while, their heartbeats rough under their palms.
The cloudy and beautiful eyes that had captured the rainbow now captured him. For the first time, Owen thought they were adorable.
As the short release ended and the dam became silent, they quickly left before the area became crowded again.
The tingling sensation on her cheeks didn’t subside until they arrived at the hospital. Thinking about the incredibly majestic sight she had seen for the first time, her heart still raced. And when she looked through the thick water mist and saw the long rainbows, the sound of the pouring water sounded just like the arrival of spring. Just as her sister had said.
Spring in Eden City.
After the harsh cold receded, Sarin wondered what the spring in Eden City would be like.
“Thank you for showing me. It was scary, but it was fun.”
Sarin said with a wet face. Even after Owen wiped it with a towel he had prepared in advance, it still felt damp.
“Because I thought you might like it.”
He expected her to enjoy it because of the unexpectedly childish aspect. Sarin nodded with a smile at Owen’s gentle response.
By now, the evacuation drills were over, and people were gradually coming out, making the streets bustling again. Pubs and shops were busy from early hours as a celebration of the water release, symbolizing the arrival of spring in Eden City.
The car was now just entering the entrance of the hospital. He had suggested stopping by the hotel to change clothes, but Sarin insisted on going straight to the hospital, so he chose this path.
As she got out of the car, she shivered slightly from the cold. Since her coat was also soaked, she couldn’t take it off, so Owen turned to look at the glass. Understanding his intentions just by looking at his indifferent eyes, the glass quickly took off the intact coat and handed it to him.
As if it were his own, Owen wrapped it around Sarin’s body.
Yuri was much larger than Owen, making him look somewhat small and angry. When Sarin was about to refuse, Owen spoke first.
“It’s okay…”
“Just wear it.”
Sarin knew what he meant and obediently raised her coat from the ground, like lifting a skirt to avoid dragging. Realizing that she hadn’t brought any money since meeting Owen, she felt dismayed.
“Is there anything you want?”
“Ah!”
Startled by the sudden voice from behind, Sarin jumped. It wasn’t surprising to Owen, as he had often elicited such screams from her before. He pointed to what she held in her hand and asked again.
“Do you want it?”
“Could you buy it for me? I want to show it to Hayan. It was too beautiful earlier, so I didn’t even think about taking a picture.”
The child was in a stuffy hospital room. Sarin couldn’t explain to the child what she had seen in a way that they could understand. She wanted to tell the child that she had seen something so beautiful and wanted to show it to them.
If she had known it was such a fleeting moment, she would have taken a picture. It was at that moment that she saw the postcard as she passed the store.
It was the first time someone had pressured her to buy something. Although she was startled by his sudden appearance, seeing his face made her feel relieved, and she blurted out words without realizing it. Afterward, feeling a bit cheeky, her face turned red belatedly.
“You must have been paid too little.”
“Huh?”
Sarin’s eyes widened at Owen’s unexpected words.
He had simply added to what she was thinking, finding it amusing. Owen took out his wallet from his pocket and paid the owner. When a $100 bill came out for a mere $1 postcard, the owner was bewildered, but he waved his hand, saying the remaining change was fine.
“Tell me more. You have to demand it if you want something. What else should I buy for you?”
“Are you teasing me now?”
The owner discreetly packed the other postcards into envelopes, aside from the one Sarin bought, and handed them over by category. Instead of taking them, Owen took Sarin’s hand and walked slowly.
“Like you’d do that.”
“Lies. It’s written all over your face that you’re having fun.”
“If you ever want something in the future, just demand it from me.”
“…I have money, you know.”
“As you said, I find it more enjoyable when you pester me.”
He couldn’t understand why he was saying such things about how he would handle something too big to handle. He lifted her chin slightly and gently stroked below it, as if reading Sarin’s mind.
“Owen.”
“I’m curious about what I can do, too.”
He had never felt the desire to achieve something for someone else, so he was genuinely curious.
“You already did.”
“What?”
“You said you’d save Hayan. If you ask for something bigger, I might have to pay for it.”
“Ah, Miss Lee Sarin seems to enjoy anything she does with her body. Isn’t that right?”
The words came out strange. Despite not meaning it that way, it sounded lewd and greedy coming from Owen’s mouth. Wondering if she was the only one who thought so, Yuri coughed nearby.
“I don’t know why the conversation went that way, but no.”
Sarin quickly walked ahead, trying to create more distance from Yuri. Owen found her carrying the bag full of envelopes while dragging her coat back and forth endearing.
Being a dog walker was just an excuse to have fun, but he worked hard at it and eventually won over the hearts of the dogs. Owen found that fascinating.
He followed Sarin at a slow pace. And when she entered his sight at an appropriate distance, he confirmed her presence.
He gestured as if confirming someone was behind him. It was like a dog that had been let off its leash, going ahead but checking if its owner was coming along properly.
“I don’t know which one’s the dog.”
Owen muttered quietly. He was the one feeling stifled, knowing she was behind him. His large palm covered one side of her face, then he quickly brushed her hair back.
Sarin returned to the front of the hospital room.
“Are you okay?”
He didn’t want to bring this woman into the room. With worry in her eyes that couldn’t tell lies, he suppressed his dry lips with his tongue. He wondered if he should sweet-talk her, asking if she wanted to just lie down on the bed and roll around.
“Let’s go in.”
Kind words came out unexpectedly, contrary to his feelings.
“Aren’t you not very busy right now?”
As Owen remained silent, as if asking what she meant, Sarin hurriedly continued.
“I just… thought you’d drop me off and leave right away. You always seem so busy.”
So she didn’t look back. She thought he would take her to the hospital and then naturally go back to work. She realized it was a loss not to have brought her wallet since she didn’t even bring it out of the store.
He was always busy. He hardly had time to relax his face, let alone have a day off until the next day.
“You’ll have some free time soon.”
“Really?”
“Well, I might lose my job.”
