Chapter 0 (1/2)

Prologue

“Sukyung, you look really happy today. Did something good happen?”

One of her female coworkers poked her and asked. Sukyung couldn’t help smiling, but trying her best not to smile too broadly, she replied in an awkwardly calm voice,

“My little brother is returning home from abroad today.”

“Oh, was he away?”

“Yeah, he has been studying abroad until now.”

When Sukyung explained shyly, her co-worker’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? Studying what?”

“Umm, hair design.”

“Wow, really? Your brother is a hair designer? I never knew that. So that’s why you’ve been keeping your hair so long.”

Sukyung fidgeted with her waist-length hair and smiled. Sukyung was a very quiet girl, so her co-worker, who was an accountant and two years older, has rarely seen Sukyung smile like this. Fascinated, she joked,

“If your brother ends up at a big hair salon, please refer me to him! Maybe he’ll give me a family and friend discount?”

“I’ll try.”

The co-worker gave her a small smile and returned to her seat. Sukyung looked at her watch and began to pack. It was time to go. She was going to go straight to the airport.

It has been three years since Jaewon left. Three years… It was such a long time, and finally, she was going to get to see him again. He was now 26. Feeling like a young girl again, Sukyung felt her palms sweating. Inhaling deeply, she picked up her purse.

“I’ll see you guys later.”

***

The giant airport screen indicated that the flight from London had arrived. Sukyung watched the people leaving the gate diligently. She didn’t expect him to be the first one to come out. After all, he had been away for three years, so he had to have a lot of luggage to find.

Sukyung wondered if he looked very different now. When he left, he still looked a little boyish, but she assumed that this probably wasn’t the case anymore. Just looking at herself in the mirror told her that a lot of time has passed. She looked so old now.

So old…

Sukyung looked down at her one-piece dress with a flower pattern. She bought this last week especially for this occasion, but looking at it now, she realized how ugly it was. Unfortunately, unlike Jaewon, Sukyung had absolutely no artistic talent.

Well, it made sense since Jaewon got his talent from his beautiful elegant mother.

The travelers began to swarm out from the gate. Sukyung stopped daydreaming and rubbed her sweaty palms on her dress. She stared at all the people pouring out.

Men, women, children, elderly people… One by one, they appeared, and Sukyung’s heart began to pound. She felt herself blush as well. She wondered when he was going to come out.

When…

Suddenly, she spotted a tall man with a cart full of luggage. Her heart stopped beating for a moment. She couldn’t breathe. Her brain became blank.

Jaewon looked so different. It has only been three years, but she almost didn’t recognize him. His short hair had subtle blond highlights, and his baby fat had completely disappeared. Before he left, Jaewon was a little chubby, but now, he was a slim young man. All of his facial features have sharpened.