HEART LIES

ONE KISS

Ji-Seong started the engine and headed to Seoul station; public transportation was more practical to go there.

Nami Island or Namiseom was one of Korea's most sought out tourist sights. 63km from Seoul, the place was famous for being one of the locations where Winter Sonata, the acclaimed drama, was filmed.

It was one of the rare places without any phone poles. One could just admire the landscape and let their mind drift.

For Ji-Seong, the trip was for lovers, and here Soo Hae blackmailed him into going there. Wringing Sa rang's whereabouts from doctor Moore was impossible; the woman hated him now. Soo Hae's proposal appeared to be the only option.

"Ji-Seong, I'm hungry. We should get some snacks at Kmart."

Soo Hae was like a child, running about every aisle and stopping in front of every food demonstration.

"Soo Hae, you know I can't be doing this?"

"No, I don't, because you're here," the woman said, putting down all her snacks on the cashier's till carpet.

"30 000won, please."

"Yeobo [honey]," Soo Hae hummed.

The little woman's beating lashes prompt Ji-Seong, who proceeded to pay.

"Oh, you kids are too cute. What a beautiful couple you make," the cashier said as she swiped each item.

"Oh, we're notㅡ."

"We just got engaged," Soo Hae ended.

"Oh, gosh, what beautiful children you'll have with your idol looks."

Soo Hae smiled and carried on the conversation with the cashier while Ji-Seong packed her snacks in bags.

"Bye-bye, be happy," the cashier said, waving them away.

"Soo Hae, please don't do stuff like that, you and Iㅡ."

"It's my date, Appollo; this is my dream, so please don't spoil it. Hurry, the slower you walk, the longer this date will last."

Ji-Seong hurried. They sat in silence next to each other on the train there, too Ji-Seong tried to search for answers.

"Soo Hae, why are you doing this?"

Just for once, just for one day, I want to be just a girl. Can you just be a boy for once, not a knight, a son of a chaebol, a whiz kid, only a boy?"

The request was accompanied by Soo Hae's head lying on his shoulder.

She asked him to be just a boy. For some reason, the demand seemed unreasonable.

Ji-Seong wondered whether he had been a boy in his life.

From birth, like many, he was labeled with all the tags Soo Hae stated. These tags were heavy to carry, and people's expectations were hard to please. Ji-Seong tried to swim against the currents of his status, only to realize he could never be the boy next door.

Everything was written and chosen for him. The only choice he made for himself was to become a knight. The man smothered and tinted himself, wanting to become a wasteland without a name. At first, he thought he did it to annoy his father, but the truth was he desired to feel alive. Knighthood did not bring him anything except to the encounter, which gave him everything.

He nudged Soo Hae, who slept grip Sa rang's photo in his pocket.

Young and beautiful, even in the photo, the woman's fragility transpired thought Ji-Seong.

"She's wonderful."

Ji-Seong stared at Soo Hae, who woke up.

The doctor she's gorgeous. I wish I were like her."