Chapter 22. Ju Taeseong’s Dream

The moment Taeseong’s large hand completely covered hers, Haeyoung stopped breathing.

Like someone dropped into a vacuum of space—with no air.

“If you’ve focused the ring, next you need to adjust the aperture…”

Taeseong’s words didn’t register; they scattered in the air.

The warmth radiating from behind her was so vivid that the fine hairs on her body stood on end.

Her throat was parched, her legs felt like they’d give out, and her eyes stung.

A flood of emotion surged again—this time, different from the small ripples that used to lap at her.

This was a wave.

Not the soft sound of gentle surf, but a crashing roar that hit her ears like thunder.

“Once that’s adjusted, just press this button.”

The short lesson ended, and Taeseong withdrew his hand and stepped back.

Standing in front of her now, he asked with an expectant look.

“Did you get it?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah.”

Haeyoung nodded vaguely, even though she couldn’t remember a word he’d said.

“But why is your face so red—”

“That—that picture! Is that something you took a long time ago?”

Spotting a stack of photos on the side, Haeyoung quickly changed the subject.

Thankfully, Taeseong followed along without saying much.

“Oh, those? Just casual photos I printed out.”

He moved closer and added,

“I keep them just in case they inspire me later, you know, for ideas.”

Haeyoung picked up a bundle of photos and flipped through them.

For a high school student—or even an amateur—his photography was outstanding.

Even with her untrained eye, she could tell the composition and colors were artistic.

If these were “casual” shots, she could only imagine the effort it took to reach this level.

“You must be pretty serious about becoming a film director.”

She spoke softly while flipping through the pictures.

Then she heard a sentimental tone in Taeseong’s voice for the first time.

“To be honest… I started watching movies because I hated my mom for leaving me to chase her dreams. I wondered what was so great about movies that she left me behind.”

“…”

“But.”

His voice, which had been wavering, suddenly grew firm.

“As I kept watching… I started to like them.”

As if the child who once resented his dream-chasing mother was long gone.

“And before I knew it, it became my dream too.”

Haeyoung’s gaze drifted from the photos to Taeseong.

“Actually, my grandfather wants me to take over the company.”

Taeseong’s face lit up as he talked about his dream.

So much so that she felt like protecting this boy, who looked far bigger and stronger than her.

“You’ll definitely be a great director.”

Of course, all she could offer were these clumsy, cliché words.

“I have a feeling about it.”

She realized she wanted to protect Ju Taeseong—and his dream.

“You definitely will.”

Taeseong blinked, then smiled smoothly at her firm tone.

“No one’s ever supported me so directly before. It’s a little strange.”

Because of his background, people rarely encouraged his dream.

So Haeyoung’s support struck him deeply.

“Then I’ll keep cheering you on. Even if everyone else is against you.”

Maybe that’s why—his body froze at the sound of her promise.

In that moment, Taeseong looked like someone enchanted… or bewitched.

With that kind of gaze, he stared at Haeyoung for a long time.

His lips didn’t move, but his eyes locked onto hers with intensity.

The space between them grew quiet and heavy, and Haeyoung—trapped in that gaze—couldn’t move.

Just as their eye contact started to feel too heated, Haeyoung, unable to handle the tension, spoke.

“Haha, I’ll look at more photos now.”

“…Yeah.”

As soon as Taeseong answered, Haeyoung quickly flipped through the photos at a frantic pace.

So fast, it was doubtful she could even see them properly.

But then, her hand slowed in front of one photo, like someone hit the brakes.

As the sound of paper rustling faded, Taeseong turned his gaze from midair to the photo.

“Oh, that one—”

“This is Minjoo noona, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Your first love—the one from the picture in your room.”

“…Yeah.”

There it was.

A photo of the first love she couldn’t even remember when she started liking.

After Minjoo’s photo appeared, the mood turned awkward fast.

Haeyoung set the photos down and stood up abruptly.

“I—I’ve taken up too much of your time. I should get to the library!”

She left behind obviously forced gestures and words as she rushed to the library.

Even after finding a seat and opening a book in the reading room, the text didn’t make sense.

All that filled her mind was the photo of Minjoo she’d seen by chance.

A picture clearly taken with love.

That image wriggled through her brain like a slippery eel.

“He said she was his first love, so… I mean…”

Of course it made sense the photo showed affection, but why did her chest ache like this?

Like the shock of drinking ice water with a rotten tooth, a sharp, instant pain stabbed her chest.

“This is driving me crazy.”

The pain kept pulsing, and Haeyoung muttered under her breath again and again.

Just then, a sticky note slid over from the seat beside her.

If You’re Going to Keep Talking to Yourself, Leave. It’s Noisy. 

Haeyoung snapped to attention as she read the hostile message on the post-it. She quickly lowered her head.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

She began to pack up again.

Studying seemed pointless now anyway.

Honestly, everything felt like a complete mess.

Haeyoung sat down on a bench outside the library.

“Whew…”

Letting out a long sigh, she leaned back and stared up at the sky with a troubled gaze.

And just then, a familiar face suddenly entered her field of view.

“What are you doing here?”

“Gijun oppa? What are you doing here?”

Startled, Haeyoung blinked a few times and straightened her posture.

“There’s a book I wanted to read that’s out of print, but this library had it. So I came.”

Gijun sat down beside her and asked,

“But shouldn’t you be studying right now?”

“Ah, well…”

“You finished the assignment I gave you?”

“Um, about that…”

Caught between lying and admitting she hadn’t done it yet, Haeyoung’s awkward expression made Gijun burst into laughter.

Both Taeseong and Haeyoung were amusing in that way—so easy to read.

Unlike him, who had to learn to hide his emotions from a young age.

“Is something bothering you?”

And it wasn’t just the assignment Haeyoung couldn’t hide.

Her eyes trembled at his question, like she’d been completely seen through.

Sensing he was right, Gijun gently nudged her.

“Come on, tell me. Maybe I can help.”

“Well, the thing is…”

Haeyoung bit her lip in hesitation.

Then, sighing as if she had no other choice, she finally spoke.

“So, my friend has a problem…”

“Okay.”

“She says her heart… kind of races, or aches, whenever she sees someone.”

The way she furrowed her brows while lying, as if it was her own issue, made the corners of Gijun’s mouth twitch upward.

But he held it in and nodded sincerely.

“And then?”

“It’s her first time feeling something like this, so she doesn’t know what to do.”

“I see.”

“But the person she likes… has a first love from a long time ago.”

At the word “first love,” Haeyoung’s eyebrows twisted into a frown.

“So my friend… already knew he liked someone else before she felt anything.”

“…”

“But even knowing that, her heart still…”

She placed her hand over her chest, as if to quiet the thumping.

“I really thought of him just as a friend. Of course, marri—”

Her lips froze mid-sentence.

She realized too late she was blurting out her real thoughts.

And it seemed like Gijun not only figured out it was about her—but maybe even that the person was Taeseong.

“Ah, no, I mean… I’m just really worried about my friend. I guess I got too into it, haha.”

“Really? Hmm…”

Fortunately, Gijun didn’t press further and simply seemed deep in thought.

After a short pause, with a sharper look in his eyes, he gave his answer.

“Then… can’t she just take him? From his first love?”

“What… what?”

Haeyoung stared at him, stunned.

That was a response she had never expected.