Love is better than pain
8. The distance, almost touching
Leaving the restaurant, Myungho walked ahead.
After a late lunch, the warm sunlight quietly enveloped the two.
The demonstration that followed raised its head and called out to him.
강시연
“Mr. Seo Myung-ho!”
Myeongho spoke without even looking back.
디에잇(명호)
"huh?"
강시연
"I'll calculate it again... I told you to do it again. Of course, it was a lot of money... but I was able to buy it..."
At those words, Myeongho burst out laughing and slowed down his pace slightly.
디에잇(명호)
"Well... it was quite a lot of money, wasn't it?"
It was a playful tone. Siyeon followed suit.
강시연
“Really! Next time, I’ll definitely…!”
At that moment, Myungho suddenly stopped walking.
The demonstration was right behind him, not even realizing he had stopped—an unexpected distance.
강시연
"oh-!"
Trying to avoid it, I lost my balance and fell into Myeongho's arms.
Myungho instinctively reached out and hugged her tightly.
3 seconds. 4 seconds. 5 seconds.
For those few seconds, when no words, no breath, no movement— the only sound in their ears was the pounding of their hearts.
In that brief yet long moment, something in the air seemed to have changed. Siyeon hurriedly pulled away and spoke.
강시연
“I’m, I’m sorry… I’m really… sorry…”
Her face quickly turned red as she bowed her head deeply, and Myungho also turned his head away, hiding his face.
A faint red energy spread through his ears as well.
디에잇(명호)
"are you okay."
Leaving behind a short reply, Myungho quietly headed to his car.
Inside the car. Both of them were silent for a while.
Myungho took the wheel more cautiously than usual, while Siyeon stared out the window, fidgeting aimlessly with her fingers.
After a while, we arrived in front of the company.
강시연
“Thank you for today. And… I’m so sorry about earlier…”
Siyeon opened the door, repeatedly bowing her head, and Myungho nodded slightly.
디에잇(명호)
“…I told you it’s okay. Really.”
At those words, Siyeon covered her face and spoke as if talking to herself.
강시연
“I’m going crazy… I’m so nervous…”
The words were a small whisper, but they brushed past Myungho's ears just before the car door closed.
Myungho watched her back as she ran out the window, and the corners of his mouth raised without him realizing it.
디에잇(명호)
"Whew...I'm going crazy too.."
That night, Myeongho was sitting alone in his room.
In the dimly lit living room, in a quiet space with the TV off, he leaned back on the sofa, reflecting on the day's events.
The corners of his mouth kept going up.
Reunions in the hallway, conversations in the dining room,
And— that moment in my arms, which seemed like a coincidence, or perhaps fate.
디에잇(명호)
"It's like a movie..."
He let out a quiet laugh. Immediately, he pulled out a small piece of paper.
The contact information that Siyeon wrote down with care.
I already had it saved on my phone, but I took it out just to see the handwriting.
After a moment of hesitation, he picked up his phone and sent a message.
디에잇(명호)
KakaoTalk – THE8 [Next time, please buy me some. I really want pasta.]
Transmission complete.
Immediately after sending, my palms started sweating for no reason. But a few minutes later—
The reply arrived.
강시연
[Oh, Myeongho??? Right?? Oh, yes, yes, I'll buy it anytime. If meeting up is inconvenient, delivery is also available!!]
The moment he saw the reply, Myungho chuckled.
And he answered right away.
디에잇(명호)
[No. I'll buy it for you when we meet up. I want to eat something fresh.]
And the reaction of the demonstration that soon follows.
강시연
[Oh..yes!]
That excited reaction. It felt like I could picture his face flushed to the ears. This time, Myeongho wrote down his own number and sent it.
디에잇(명호)
[This is my number. Save it.]
To those words, another reply from Siyeon came.
[Yes!! I saved it…!]
At that moment, a smile quietly spread across Myeongho's face.
His tone of voice was subtly filled with the feeling of "I miss you."
Meanwhile, in the demonstration room.
A sudden KakaoTalk notification rang. At first, I wondered who it was, but the moment I read the message, my heart started beating a couple of beats faster.
강시연
“Huh… Myeongho…? Really…?”
She opened her eyes wide and clutched her phone. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she replied.
강시연
[Oh, yes, yes, I'll buy it anytime. If meeting up is inconvenient, delivery is also available!!]
디에잇(명호)
But Myeong-ho's reply came back soon: "Please buy it for me when we meet, no matter what. I want to eat something fresh."
At that moment, my heart sank, then started pounding again.
강시연
“What… Even words like these make my heart flutter…”
Siyeon buried her face in her hands, muttering to herself.
강시연
‘Pasta… I really want to eat it with you…’
That night. Some people tried to hide their smiles, while others slowly sank into their own solitude.
Their hearts were getting closer little by little through the messages.