Chapter 11
A rather innocent question made Tae-joo lower his guard.
“What do you want?”
“A photo. I want a photo with you.”
Seol was excited as if she had been granted permission and quickly continued.
“I’ll keep it as a keepsake. Do you know how people take photos with their teachers at graduation? Right?”
“……”
“Well, if taking one together is too much, maybe just a solo picture of you?”
Tae-joo didn’t respond, so Seol offered a compromise. Not rejecting outright gave her hope.
Seol scooted closer to Tae-joo. She figured if she acted quickly, she could take the photo and leave.
Holding her phone with the camera already running, she extended it forward.
“Teacher, I’m taking it now, okay?”
Before Tae-joo could say anything, the picture was taken. Seol turned her body away quickly, just in case he tried to snatch her phone.
“Hehe, it’s a picture of you, teacher.”
Though Tae-joo wasn’t even looking at the camera, Seol decided to be satisfied. He looked great from any angle, after all. Plus, the photo gave the illusion that he was looking at her, which made it even better.
“When you left for the U.S. after tutoring me, I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I was so sad.”
Seol zoomed in on the slightly blurry picture and smiled to herself. Watching her enjoy even an imperfect photo, Tae-joo felt an unfamiliar twinge of guilt.
Especially since Seol was wearing a mask in the photo.
Should I take another one?
As Tae-joo hesitated, he glanced at Seol. Her mask seemed too loose for her small face, almost like it would slip off at any moment.
Tae-joo narrowed his eyes slightly as he leaned closer, moving his hand toward Seol’s ear.
“Huh?”
The sensation of the mask string being pulled startled Seol, making her lift her head. Suddenly, something soft and damp brushed against her cheek near her lips.
Tae-joo’s lips.
It was an unintentional and fleeting touch, but the moment stretched on. Tae-joo immediately pulled back, rubbing the spot where her lips had accidentally grazed him, muttering a curse under his breath.
What kind of absurd accident is this?
“Uh, uh….”
Seol blinked in confusion, her mouth slowly opening.
“Was… was that my first kiss…?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
Tae-joo shook his head instinctively.
Seol’s lips quivered as her face flushed red, and then—ugh—she suddenly gagged.
It sounded like a hiccup, but Tae-joo was too surprised to notice.
“What’s wrong?”
He reached out to grab her arm, but Seol quickly turned away, covering her mouth with both hands.
“Teacher… I think my heart just threw up.”
Unbelievable.
“Yoon Seol. Stop blushing.”
“I can’t help it….”
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop. That wasn’t your first kiss.”
“But… it felt like it was. Even if it wasn’t, can’t I just think of it that way…?”
“Enough nonsense. Why is your face like that anyway?”
Tae-joo diverted the topic, cupping her chin.
“Take off the mask.”
“Oh my, teacher, you can’t just say things like that….”
“Stop joking around.”
Seol pushed his hand away and adjusted her mask.
“It’s fine. The swelling will go down soon. It’s no big deal.”
“It’s not fine. This isn’t nothing. Did someone hit you?”
“It’s from filming today… but that’s not important right now, teacher.”
“It is important. Your face looks like this, and you think nothing else matters?”
Seol slumped her shoulders, pouting before glaring at him.
“Are you used to things like this?”
“What?”
“Like, on a beautiful night like this—with the nice lights and the starry sky—stealing someone’s lips and acting like it’s nothing?”
Tae-joo felt a headache coming on.
“Stay put.”
Knowing Seol wouldn’t back down easily, Tae-joo stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“The pharmacy.”
“I already have medicine. I even took a painkiller.”
Seol grabbed Tae-joo’s sleeve.
“So, don’t go.”
She smiled reassuringly as their eyes met.
“You’re smiling right now?”
Looking like that?
“You’re being so kind, teacher.”
Of course, I’d smile when you’re worrying about me.
Tae-joo stared at her in silence. Her transparent gaze showed pure trust and affection, completely untainted by doubt.
[Our Seol never stopped talking about you. It was always “teacher this, teacher that.”]
He remembered the frail, wrinkled hand that had clutched his so tightly.
[She’s been working since she was a kid on set. She’s always been a bit naive. I worried so much, but after meeting you, she became more confident. Thank you, Teacher Tae-joo, for all your hard work.]
Seol, who had debuted at age five, had never taken a real break, and now, she was a 20-year-old who had only just begun to experience life.
[Teacher, have you been to a karaoke room?]
[Did you get to go on school trips, teacher?]
The girl who had hesitated and been shy at first grew talkative and lively as time went on. For someone like Seol, whose only world was the entertainment industry, Tae-joo was likely her first “blemish.”
“Yoon Seol.”
Tae-joo gave her a bitter smile.
“Don’t fall for me.”
Seol’s eyes wavered.
“I’m not the person you think I am.”
“Then… what kind of person are you?”
After a moment of silence, Seol asked softly.
“Please tell me.”
“……”
“I want to know.”
A quiet sincerity filled the air.
“Judging by the selfie posted, it seems she arrived safely.”
Assistant Director Choi held out a phone to Chairman Kang. The chairman, struggling with his farsightedness, picked up his reading glasses to take a closer look.
Yoon Seol stood in front of a pink truck, smiling brightly.
“Living this long, I’ve been able to try some amusing things at this age, haven’t I? Don’t you agree, Chairman?”
“Hmm.”
Chairman Kang simply handed the phone back without a word.
Assistant Director Choi, confident in reading the chairman’s moods, could tell he was pleased.
