"I've come to like you more, Yeoju..."
Daniel, who had been struggling all day to figure out what to say, had an unwavering gaze and voice as if nothing had happened.
"He doesn't look like that at all... but he's really good..."
"What is it?"
"That's a ridiculous statement."
Daniel burst out laughing when he saw that the sincere heart he gave back to the heroine who had expressed her feelings to him was being described as 'ogle-eyed' by the heroine.
"So you don't like it?"
"Still, it's good that you're honest."
It was the first time they had exchanged glances, cherishing only the present, not the future or the past. Finally, Daniel, gaining some courage, cleared his throat and spoke.
"Yesterday... happened..."
But at that moment, the female protagonist covered Daniel's mouth and shook her head, saying that it was no good.
"That...! I'm not mentally ready for it yet..."
Daniel, who had been observing the female protagonist's expression closely, lowered the female protagonist's hand that was covering his mouth and clasped his fingers together.
"I'm sorry for saying sorry yesterday."
"...yes..?"
"I should have said something more cool... I was too embarrassed..."
The heroine looked up at Daniel, once at her hand that was intertwined with his, and once at Daniel, and moved her trembling lips.
"Well...then let's try again."
"Here?"
"Ah, no...! Not that... There's something even cooler... That..."
As the female protagonist spoke, unable to even make eye contact properly as if embarrassed, he bent down and met her gaze, thinking to himself, "She's so cute, I'm going crazy."
"You said you were ogling."
"I told you it was good to be honest..."
Daniel spoke to the heroine, who was trying hard to avoid Daniel's persistent gaze, without an inch of hesitation, unlike yesterday.
"i love you."
As soon as Daniel finished speaking, the female protagonist's eyes, which had been running around diligently, stopped at a certain point.
"I'm staring..."
"I like it when you're honest!"
"That's that... and this is this..."
Taking advantage of the gap in the heroine's eyes, Daniel's lips briefly brushed against hers.
"I'll take back the words 'I like you'. That's not enough.
i love you."
It was a dreamlike day. Surrounded by the blue ocean, colorful fish swimming within. And the hands clasped tightly together, and the words that powerfully stirred my heart...
It was a perfect day.
Daniel thought he'd get to know each other well, and then develop feelings for each other based on what he learned later, and maybe even fall in love. He didn't believe in love at first sight. He said, "You fall in love in three seconds without knowing who they are? You must be a complete fool to experience that."
But perhaps it wasn't the heroine's deep wounds, her sad daily life, or the miraculous events that happened to us, but rather the three seconds Daniel spent waking up in the morning, the sight of the heroine's sleeping face right before his eyes. He was already captivated by those three seconds.
“What if people see me! How many people are passing by?”
“Whatever. It’s just so pretty I can’t stand it.”
Now I could hold her hand without saying sorry.
Daniel held the female lead's hand and they walked closer together, matching each other's pace, slowly walking through the blue-lit aquarium.
“It’s really pretty..”
“Right? It was a good decision to come, wasn’t it?”
“But can I ask what the memories you mentioned are here?”
“That’s a secret.”
“Well. I can’t help it. I have a memory, after all.
“Wouldn’t my memories be better?”
A slightly lighter conversation. A slightly more comfortable conversation.
It wasn't because their relationship had changed, but because they were able to be light and comfortable with each other that the gap between them was able to narrow.
“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”
“Team Leader, is there anything you want to eat?”
Even here, not in Hwasa, you're the team leader...
Daniel sighed as soon as the word ‘team leader’ came out of the mouth of the female lead, whom he thought he was closer to than anyone else.
“Rice and all, let’s start by organizing our titles.”
“What’s your title? What kind of…?”
“I absolutely do not leave out the team leader.”
At Daniel's words, the heroine noticed that he had called her team leader and sighed, and bit her lip to hold back her laughter.
“Then what should I call you? Should I just call you Daniel?
“Let’s go, Daniel!”
Daniel put one hand on his forehead when the female protagonist, who pretended to be thinking seriously on her own and then suddenly called him by his name, suddenly spoke informally and called him by his name.
“I’m really crazy...”
Most people who fall in love at first sight become increasingly disappointed the more they get to know that person.
Love at first sight is when someone seems perfect at that moment. As you get to know someone you thought was perfect, you inevitably see their flaws.
Yeah.. that's normal..
But why do I love it so much the more I look at it...
Yeoju seemed genuinely happy. Was she like that back then? It was something I hadn't seen since I met her. She seemed a bit childish, and not quite Yeoju herself. But it was all in a good way.
“Yeoju is a more energetic person than I thought.”
“Daniel is a cuter person than you think.”
Daniel, who had never heard the word ‘cute’ before, shook his head from side to side with a surprised expression.
“It’s not a cute style at all..”
“That’s right. It’s such a cute style. Like a puppy!”
“A puppy? An outline? Seriously, I’m just a handsome guy.”
“Wow. That was too much.”
Today was also the first time I had ever pranked Daniel.
Daniel was touched and grateful for that fact.
“I’m glad. I’m glad you’re smiling again, Yeoju.”
“Thank you. For making me smile again.”