"This is officially the worst day of my life," Soo-ji sighed, standing in front of the bold sign that read 'Closed Under Re-Construction'. The breeze carried the faint scent of popcorn from somewhere, which only made it worse.
"Don't be dramatic," Seo-jun said, a quiet chuckle leaving his lips as he adjusted the strap of his watch. "We can do something else."
"But I really wanted you to have fun today," Soo-ji replied, hugging her arms around herself.
"We're twenty-seven, Soo-ji. We'd probably leave with back pain if we got on those rides anyway," Seo-jun said, glancing at her with a small smile. "Besides, I'm not the biggest fan of them."
"You never said that before," she pointed out, looking at him.
He shrugged, his expression calm. "I didn't want you to feel bad."
Soo-ji frowned slightly, eyes softening. "Feels like you're trying to do that now."
Seo-jun sighed before reaching into the paper bag he was holding and gently plopping a bunny ears headband onto her head. The ears flopped once, then settled. "Come on. Let's watch a movie instead."
She looked at him, the corners of her lips twitching. "How many hours left?"
"Three."
"Let's go," she said, taking a deep breath as she followed him away from the gate.
---
They ended up at a small, quiet theatre, a nearly empty hall with soft lighting and the smell of warm caramel popcorn drifting through the air.
Soo-ji chose the seats in the middle row. "Prime spot for maximum immersion," she declared, dropping into her seat and pulling her hoodie closer.
"Sure," Seo-jun said, settling in beside her, long legs folding calmly as he placed the drinks between them.
Halfway through the movie, Soo-ji's eyes flickered toward Seo-jun, who was quietly watching the screen, his jaw resting on his knuckles. The action scene played, the screen flashing, but his calm presence felt more comforting than the movie itself.
"You're actually watching," she whispered.
He raised an eyebrow, eyes still on the screen. "What else would I be doing?"
"I don't know, making fun of the actors," she muttered.
He glanced at her, the corner of his lips lifting. "Not today."
She nodded, her lips forming a small smile before turning back to the screen.
---
A few hours later, Soo-ji and Seo-jun stood in the middle of the airport, surrounded by the hum of rolling suitcases and last calls, the scent of coffee and jet fuel in the air.
Soo-ji's earlier bright smile had faded into a long, heavy silence, a sadness so clear that even a blind person could sense it pressing around them.
"Hey," Seo-jun said softly, nudging her shoulder, "I'm going to come back soon. It's not like I'm leaving forever."
"Even so," Soo-ji murmured, hugging her arms around herself, "it already feels empty, and you haven't even gone yet."
Seo-jun let out a small chuckle, though his eyes were gentle. "Come on, don't get too emotional now. Weren't you the one who always said you couldn't wait to get rid of me?"
"I was just kidding," she whispered, her voice catching.
"Hey, little demon," he said, ruffling her hair gently, "don't make me get emotional too."
And then, without warning, Soo-ji's eyes welled up, and tears spilled down her cheeks as her lips trembled. "How do I survive without you here? Who do I run to when I need to vent, when I need someone to tell me it's okay to be tired, to be angry, to just... be? Who do I scold and make fun of?."
"Soo-ji," Seo-jun sighed, pulling her into a quiet hug, resting his chin lightly on her head. "You're stronger than you think. I know you can take care of yourself, and I'll be back before you even realize it."
"Promise?" she sobbed, clutching the front of his jacket like a child afraid to let go.
"Promise." He wiped her tears with his thumb, forcing a small smile. "Now stop crying before you catch a cold."
At that moment, the call for his flight echoed through the speakers, splitting the moment in two.
"I have to go," he said, stepping back, his eyes lingering on her face as if trying to memorize every feature.
Soo-ji nodded, tears still streaming. "Don't forget to call me when you land. Don't skip your meals. And—" Her voice cracked.
"I won't," Seo-jun said, a soft chuckle breaking through as he waved. "Bye."
"Bye," Soo-ji whispered, lifting her hand weakly as she watched him disappear into the sea of people, feeling like a mother watching her only child leave home for the first time.
---
By the time Soo-ji returned to the penthouse, her eyes were swollen from crying, but the weight pressing on her chest was heavier than the exhaustion in her limbs. Her mind raced, searching for an excuse, any excuse, for slipping away to say goodbye.
She froze the moment she stepped inside.
Tae-hyun was sitting in the living room, a cup of coffee in his hand, steam curling lazily into the air. His sharp eyes lifted to meet hers, cold and unreadable, but carrying that silent threat she had come to know too well.
Before he could speak, she snapped, her voice brittle. "Are you going to scold me for wanting my personal time?"
"Ms. Kim," Tae-hyun said, setting aside his coffee with a quiet clink.
"Am I wrong for wanting personal time, Mr. Tae-hyun?" Her voice rose, her hands trembling as they clenched into fists. "Then tell me—why? Why do I get treated like a prisoner?"
Tears rushed to her eyes again, spilling down her cheeks unchecked. "Why do I have to stay in here all day doing nothing? Why can't I walk out without being trailed, why can't I work, why can't I live? Do you have any idea how suffocating and lonely it is in here?"
"Ms. Kim—" Tae-hyun began, but his voice was softer now.
"Don't say it," she said sharply, her chest heaving as her tears fell faster. "If protecting me means stealing every piece of my happiness, then I don't want it anymore."
She let out a small, broken laugh, her shoulders shaking. "Are you even looking for the stalker? Or did you bring me here to punish me? Is it fun for you, watching me break a little more every day?"
"Soo-ji," Tae-hyun said, but she cut him off.
"I hate it here Mr. Tae-hyun" she said her voice softer now and before he could say more she turned and walked away, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the quiet penthouse, her tears leaving a trail only she could feel, as she slammed the door to her room, pressing her back against it, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees.