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Hye-ryeong's disbelief in him lingered, yet she couldn't resist following him discreetly. Seokjin sat alone on a park bench near the path frequented by bikers, and gradually, Hye-ryeong noticed his vulnerability. She longed to be by his side, to understand the weight on his mind, but his sorrowful tone kept her from approaching him.
Memories of Seokjin's past lover resurfaced in her thoughts. Had he ever appeared so fragile to her? What could she do if Seokjin exposed his emotional vulnerability? What advice or support had she given him in the past when he needed it most?
Soon, tears filled the air. Amidst the silence, Hye-ryeong fixed her gaze upon the man who had finally broken down. With each sob, he grew weaker, his knees surrendering to the ground, as if bowing to an invisible force. His cries grew louder, his shoulders trembled, and his voice quivered with pain.
An overwhelming urge compelled Hye-ryeong to approach him, wrapping her arms around his quivering form. She felt the wetness of his tears on her shoulder, his sobs reverberating through her being. One hand cradled his head, drawing him closer, while the other gently stroked his broad back.
She had never been one to cry alongside her friends, but she was always the shoulder they leaned on. Sad movies, heart-wrenching dramas, or even emotionally charged books didn't bring tears to her eyes. Yet, when she was there for someone, her own tears flowed freely.
"I'm sorry," she blurted out without thinking. It felt out of place, but she couldn't resist the impulse. Her palms cupped Seokjin's cheeks as he looked up.
"On my way here, I pondered your words. You were right," Seokjin sniffled. "Love drove me to madness, causing me to neglect a future that held countless possibilities and turning me into a lunatic." Another sob escaped him, and Hye-ryeong gently wiped away his tears, repeating, "It's okay." "I must return to my time," he proclaimed later.
"But what about your stopwatch?"
"We have to find it."
**********
A week later, Hye-ryeong received an invitation to a family gathering at her parents' house. She had intended to bring Seokjin along, but he refused, insisting on searching for the stopwatch. She kept the features of the stopwatch in mind, in case she came across it: a golden, rusted timepiece, the size of a doorknob, with a wrist-sized chain and the words "time be capable of holding fate" engraved on its back.
To her astonishment, she noticed her dog, Mondoongie, wearing a stopwatch around his neck. Confirming that it belonged to Seokjin came when her brother revealed how they had acquired it.
"You mischievous boy, I never taught you how to steal!" she scolded her dog. Mondoongie lay on his stomach, whimpering and casting regretful glances at her. "It's okay," Hye-ryeong remarked, sighing and smiling at her furry companion. "On your behalf, I'll apologize to that friend."
