5-6 minutes 29.12.2021

“So you don’t even have to ask for an opportunity. From the beginning… There wasn’t a choice.”

So-young looked at Tae-kyung in disbelief. And soon after, the eyes that had confused and captured him were wet.

“…Hic.”

So-young burst into tears and lowered her head as if she had relaxed. Taekyung hesitated no more and held her in his arms. When he held a small body wrapped in his arms, the ‌space that had plagued him disappeared in an instant. Even the feeling of his hard chest getting wet with tears in an instant was terribly sweet.

Tae-kyung hugged So-young with strong force as much as he missed her, lowered her head and whispered to her ear.

“Can you promise me one thing”?

“Hic, yes… Yes.”

So-young cried and nodded with a sad and relieved face. Taekyung continued to speak with strength in his hands wrapped around her small shoulders.

“I’ll give you my everything, and I’ll work harder in the future… Please don’t give up on me. I was determined to go from the beginning to the end. Whenever you say that it’s a relationship that’s going to end anyway, how much I…….”

“I’ll give you my everything, so I’ll work harder in the future… Please don’t give up on me. From the beginning, I was determined to go all the way with you. Every time you say it’s a relationship that will end anyway, how much I…”

Taekyung, who complained without realizing it, closed his mouth. It seemed that So-young’s desire to know her disappointment just because she had a little time to relax seemed to be shaking her head.

Without realizing it, Taekyung shuts his mouth, uttering words like a grudge. His greed, wishing that So-young would know his sadness, seemed to raise her head.

“So what I mean…… I don’t want to hear that we should break up now.”

Taekyung struggled to find his reason, and buried his lips in Soyoung’s hair. When he inhaled her sweet scent that he had missed all the time, his heart that had been frozen for a long time thawed.

“Hic, ugh, yes…”

So-young dug deeper into Taekyung’s arms and replied in an unclear voice mixed with sniffles.

“Now, hic… I don’t think I can let go of the team leader. Later…… Even if the vice president throws the envelope and tells me to break up with you…… I won’t give up.”

“…….”

How did she even think of such nonsense?

Taekyung frowned in admiration of So-young’s cliche imagination. Previously, she could not abandon realistic concerns.

Taekyung gently wrapped her cheeks wet with tears, strengthening his determination to make sure that Soyoung would not suffer unnecessary stress in the future. Then he soothed her with a sweet voice.

“I’ve said this for a long time, but the only obstacle to our relationship is your heart that pushes me away. You don’t have to receive money envelopes or anything. Did you watch too many dramas?”

“But…”

“Don’t worry about such useless things… You just have to love me.”

“Yes, I will.”

So-young, who had been licking her lips, soon nodded. Taekyung wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. He liked So-young’s crying face, but he never wanted to see her cry this way after today. Taekyung smiled lightly and pressed his lips on her forehead.

“Then, to celebrate our official relationship again… Should we go get a marriage registration form?”

“What? What do you mean…”

“I’m kidding.”

Taekyung was very sincere, but So-young was more surprised than expected and he had to take a step back. Then she smiled and raised her head. So-young, who leaned her chin against his chest, whispered quietly, looking at him.

“…… Thank you, team leader. And….”

“…….”

“I love you.”

Taekyung’s expression froze. So-young smiled brightly, even with a teary face. His face, suffering from a captivated feeling. Taekyung fully changed his expression as if possessed.

Taekyung had an intuition. The fact that even if Soyoung begs for him to let go, it will be difficult to do so. Now that she walked in on her own, there was plenty of justification to hold onto her.

Taekyung lowered his head and tried to steal Soyoung’s lips, but barely remembered that he had to be patient. He pressed his lips to her ear.

“Now for me, only you’re the answer. Whether or not you like it, you’re stuck with me so you can do whatever you want. As long as you don’t throw me away.”

“…….”

“I love you, sincerely.”

Taekyung confessed to So-young that he had endured all along. Then everything felt like it had found its place. He closed his eyes still. The sense of reality filling his arms felt like a prelude to a new inflection point in life. With So-young, he was willing to accept any changes that would come to him in the future.

It’s not alone, but a future where you two face each other.

Because it will be the future, they will be together, not alone.

It was the beginning of a genuine relationship.