The street bathed in sunlight was peaceful. In the familiar morning hours, the leisurely street was bright as always. A large golden retriever suddenly appeared at the end of the street. Its golden fur, well-groomed, shimmered in the light as it walked with its tail wagging. It had a cheerful expression, as if it were smiling widely.
The person holding the retriever’s leash was a tall, slender young woman. Her slightly dark blonde hair fell to her shoulders. Dressed in loose workout clothes that revealed one shoulder and short string shorts, she looked like a very healthy beauty.
Woof, woof. The retriever barked as if to greet someone. It was in front of a small house with a blue roof. Beyond the low fence, a charming garden was visible. In the garden, there was a white table and white chairs, and two men were sitting in front of the table. Hearing the barking of the retriever, the tall man lifted his head. The man’s white skin and light-colored hair sparkled in the sunlight.
“Ally?”
Siwoo turned his eyes toward the woman walking with the retriever, his gaze curving into a smile. The woman seemed to have spotted Siwoo as well, waving her hand enthusiastically. Siwoo’s gaze, which had been kindly directed at her, briefly shifted to Sanho, who was sitting in front of him. Sanho appeared to be uninterested in both the barking puppy and the woman called Ally, as he slightly lowered his gaze and placed his coffee cup down with a thud.
Siwoo, with a somewhat awkward expression, raised his gaze again to look at the woman.
“Are you out for a walk?”
“Yes. Buddy insisted on going out.”
The woman’s voice was cheerful, but there was a hint of shyness in it. Only then did Sanho’s head move slightly, as if trying to confirm the presence of the other person over his shoulder; it was just a small movement. Siwoo noticed Sanho’s subtle shift and frowned slightly.
“Yeah, have a nice day.”
With a hint of urgency, Siwoo greeted her. The woman, caught in Sanho’s line of sight, seemed to be biting her lip slightly, though it wasn’t very clear. A faint blush appeared on her healthy, tanned skin. Sanho slowly turned his head to look at Siwoo, who was sitting in front of him.
As Siwoo chased after the retreating figure of the woman, he finally noticed that Sanho’s gaze was directed at him and met Sanho’s eyes. The slight frown on Siwoo’s face softened back into a smile.
“Ah. I don’t want to go to work.”
Sanho looked at Siwoo neatly. Recently, Siwoo had been busy with various matters. With the establishment of the JR UK branch just around the corner, there was much to handle and many people to meet. Adapting to the different atmosphere of the business world compared to Korea would also take quite some time.
As Sanho silently gazed at him, Siwoo burst into a light laugh and playfully pinched Sanho’s cheek.
“Can’t you tell me not to go?”
“If you tell me not to go, I won’t go?”
At the ambiguous response, Siwoo’s eyes widened, and he laughed out loud again. That makes sense. Siwoo slowly stood up, stretching his arms wide as if asking for a hug. Sanho stared at Siwoo and then gently stood up to wrap his arms around Siwoo’s waist.
“I don’t want to be apart today.”
Just today? I always feel that way. But Sanho said nothing in reply.
***
Just as Siwoo was busy with work at the JR UK branch, Sanho was also leading a rather busy daily life. He had decided to continue his studies that he couldn’t finish in Korea, as it seemed that his stay in the UK would be a bit longer than expected. Transferring to a university abroad was more of a hassle than a difficulty.
But it was okay. Of course, if Siwoo helped a little, it would be resolved quickly, but Sanho wanted to go through the transfer process himself. Various documents were needed, and different exam scores were required. Living as an ordinary student and focusing on studying wasn’t a bad thing.
The place where Sanho spent most of his time was a small public library nearby. He loved the atmosphere, which was quite different from libraries in Korea, and he enjoyed the smell of aged paper. Sanho had never disliked studying. Picking up the studies he had put down for a while was a very enjoyable thing. Sometimes, reading light novels or papers to clear his mind was also nice.
Today was no different.
After Siwoo left the house early, Sanho set out a bit later. He was thinking about returning the essay he had read until yesterday to the library when he stopped in front of a small flower shop in the city.
“……”
Unlike the bustling downtown of a big city, this place had a small, charming atmosphere. Under a wide awning, a large bucket was placed, filled with fresh red flower petals. There were also many tall pots. In front of it lay a large golden retriever, lazily sprawled out. The retriever, blinking its eyes in boredom, suddenly perked up when it spotted Sanho walking from a distance.
Woof, woof.
As if it had found a familiar face, the retriever sprang up. With a face that seemed to smile widely, it dashed toward Sanho, wagging its tail. Its shiny black eyes looked up at him, as if asking to be petted. Sanho slowly bent his knees and sat down.
“Hello.”
He placed the book he was holding in one hand on his lap and began to pet the retriever’s head. The golden fur was incredibly soft. The retriever happily wagged its tail and let out a low, rumbling sound.
“Buddy? Where are you, Buddy?”
At that moment, a woman wearing a work apron rushed out of the flower shop. The dog, which had been standing guard at the door like a doorman, seemed somewhat flustered that Buddy had disappeared. However, upon spotting the retriever being petted by Sanho not far away, she quickly relaxed and smiled. The woman’s face suddenly flushed.
“Oh… I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”
As she tucked the garden scissors she had been using into her apron pocket, the woman approached Sanho, speaking in a slightly mumbling voice. Sanho, who had been sitting with his knees bent, looked up at her.
“No, it’s okay.”
“Buddy loves people so much. But he usually doesn’t just run up like this.”
The woman’s voice seemed to tremble slightly. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that her flushed face was due to shyness rather than embarrassment. Sanho silently picked up his book, straightened his knees, and stood up. The retriever, seeming to miss Sanho’s touch, rubbed its cheek against his leg.
“Oh my, Buddy really likes you.”
“Ah.”
“It seems like you and Buddy have become friends already.”
The woman spoke shyly but continued to engage in conversation. Sanho tilted his head slightly.
“Not really.”
Sanho replied softly in a flat tone, which was somewhat dry compared to the woman’s playful banter. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. However, she quickly resumed her composure and continued speaking.
“Ah… um, actually, I know who you are.”
Then, in a rather serious tone, she said, “You’re Siwoo’s roommate, right?”
Sanho had recognized the woman from the beginning. To be precise, he had first recognized the cute retriever. Recently, he had often seen her walking near Siwoo and Sanho’s house. He clearly remembered the owner of the retriever greeting Siwoo warmly every time they met. The name… Elena?
“Roommate?”
“The one living in the house with the blue roof and garden… isn’t that you?”
The woman’s voice was still flushed. Sanho slowly nodded.
“I have a bit of a connection with Siwoo. I was really glad to hear he came to the UK.”
“……”
“We’ve actually met before, do you remember? With Siwoo…”
Sanho stared at the woman with a blank expression, unable to conjure any particular reaction. It seemed the woman realized she had been rambling on her own.
“Ah, I’m sorry. You might be busy, and I’ve been talking too much.”
“……”
“I hope to see you again next time.”
Her slightly bowed head was still flushed. Sanho also bowed his head in greeting to her. The retriever, Buddy, whined as if it didn’t want to move, but the woman coaxed the large dog and stepped aside. Sanho gently patted Buddy’s forehead one last time before walking away.
Woof, woof.
The sound of Buddy’s barking came from behind, as if to say goodbye. Hello, see you next time. It was a clear bark that seemed to convey such a greeting. Yes, goodbye. But what should I do? I don’t want to see you again. To be precise, not you, but your owner. More accurately, the person who blushes when seeing my senior.
***
Siwoo returned home just before dinner time. Sanho had also just gotten back. Sitting on the sofa, Sanho put down the book he had been reading and turned his head toward the slightly open door. Siwoo stood at the front door with a smiling face. Sanho quietly stood up and approached Siwoo. Siwoo’s hand was hidden behind his back.
“Hello.”
Siwoo bent slightly at the waist to look at Sanho’s face. Then, as if to tease, he leaned in, presenting his left cheek. Sanho hesitated for a moment before gently pressing his lips against Siwoo’s white cheek. As his plump lips touched Siwoo’s cheek, Siwoo beamed.
“This is a gift.”
The hand that had been awkwardly hidden behind his back suddenly came forward. A bouquet of red flower petals was neatly tied with white tissue paper and a red satin ribbon. Sanho alternated his gaze between the flowers and Siwoo.
“Pretty.”
He silently accepted the bouquet. He continued to look back and forth between the flowers and Siwoo’s face. Siwoo’s eyes, which had been beautifully curved, gradually softened. He probably hadn’t expected such a calm reaction, but Sanho’s response was so flat that it puzzled him.
“Huh? You don’t like it?”
Sanho, who had been fiddling with the red petals with his fingertips, looked up to meet Siwoo’s gaze. Sanho shook his head slightly.
“It’s pretty.”
Siwoo’s eyes, which had been softening, curved back into a smile. The corners of his mouth lifted gently. Sanho slowly opened his mouth.
“It’s pretty… but it’s not pretty.”
Pretty, but not pretty? What does that mean? Before Siwoo could respond or ask anything, Sanho suddenly pulled Siwoo’s neck tightly. With one hand holding the bouquet and the other around Siwoo’s neck, the rustling sound brushed against his ear. Siwoo, surprised by Sanho’s sudden embrace, straightened his back. But soon, he affectionately wrapped his arms around Sanho’s waist.
Sanho was the first to kiss Siwoo’s lower lip. It was a kiss lighter than a regular kiss, but a bit heavier than a bird kiss. He pressed his tongue against Siwoo’s lower lip as if to mark it, then gently pulled away.
“Senior. Don’t buy flowers.”
“Huh?”
Facing Sanho, who spoke in a sulky voice, Siwoo tilted his head. Though there was laughter in his voice, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion.
“Do you dislike flowers? But you didn’t dislike them before, did you?”
“Yeah. I didn’t dislike them, but, um, I think I might start to dislike them now.”
Why all of a sudden? Sanho pressed his lips against Siwoo’s again, as if to say it was absurd. They kissed a little deeper. In the brief moment their tongues intertwined and separated, Sanho felt Siwoo’s hand tightening around his waist.
“Baek Sanho is angry, right?”
“……”
“Why do you think he’s angry?”
“I’m not angry.”
“No, you are angry. What are you talking about?”
Siwoo, lifting Sanho’s waist as if to carry him, stepped inside the house. The two bodies, tightly pressed together, swayed into the living room. Finally, when Siwoo sat Sanho down on the sofa, he knelt down beside Sanho.
“I’m upset. I bought this to make you feel good. Did I fail?”
Siwoo rested his cheek on Sanho’s knee and looked up at him. Sanho gently brushed Siwoo’s hair aside.
“No. It’s not that. I just dislike that flower.”
In front of the flower shop where the retriever lay, there was a large bucket filled with fresh red flower petals. Siwoo, who had been wearing a puzzled expression, reached out his large hand and cupped Sanho’s cheek.
“Okay. Then I’ll do something else instead of flowers. I won’t do anything you dislike.”
Sanho quietly placed the bouquet on the sofa. He placed his hand over Siwoo’s hand that was resting on his cheek. Matching rings were worn on the ring fingers of both hands.
