The next day, I woke up very early. I sat for a while on the bed, staring downwards blankly as if my soul was still lingering in a nightmare before finally regaining consciousness, and turned to look at Donghwa slowly who was still sleeping beside me.

When I was about to get out of the bed, Donghwa was heard muttering my name in a low voice but it could still be heard clearly in my ears. I smiled, then kissed his forehead secretly. Worried that a little touch would wake him up, so I immediately lifted my head while saying in a hushed voice, "Donghwa, welcome home."

After that, I got out of the bed, then walked to the bathroom to take a shower. I walked like a bride, slowly with heavy steps. It was just that the brides would smile as they walked towards the altar, while I had to endure the pain in my body and soul while continuing to carry my legs as if they had just been crushed.

A few minutes later, after taking a shower, as I still had to work today, I immediately prepared breakfast for the two of us before waking Donghwa up.

Today everything felt so normal. No bickering between us. He also returned on time after working at Daejeon all day and returned in the evening in a good mood. This situation lasted for the next few days until he decided to stay home and took a few days off.

In autumn, the star in the morning was rarely seen. There were only dark clouds covering the sky as if heavy rain would fall for several days.

However, the weather wasn't something that could be predicted. For the past few days, the dark clouds brought only cold air and seemed to bring the news that winter was at the end of the month.

In the apartment, I stepped out of the bedroom in a hurry. However, when I was about to pass through the living room, I immediately stopped when I saw Donghwa who was sitting on the sofa while watching TV shows with a serious look as if there was the distress that he was trying to suppress.

During these few days, Donghwa and I spent more time together. After finishing his works about two days ago, he said that he wasn't going to Daejeon for a few days.

"You're not going anywhere today?" I asked with a smile, but in my own heart, I was mocking him right now.

He turned to me with a smile, then stood up and approached me immediately. He touched my face while asking, "Are you leaving for work? Today, I still want to stay here with you, don't you want to spend all day with me?"

He gazed at me deeply, as if his gaze would become magic that would change someone's mind. His intimate voice was something soft and seductive. People who heard it for the first time would think that he was an adorable person who had a strong level of sensuality that was deadly and would plunge a person into an infinite warmth.

However, for me, everything had become painful things. I just tried to recover from them all.

I grinned. Holding his hand to my face, I spoke with great affection, as if I didn't spare all the affections that were inside of me.

"I have to go. During I was in the hospital and when I came back, my boss has given me a lot of policies. He gave me a week off. And if I add more days, I'll be an ungrateful person. You better eat lunch outside, okay?"

He stared at me for a moment before hugging my body warmly while saying, "Hmm, fine, but you have to come back soon when your work is done. Don't push yourself too hard. Don't make me wait too long."

Hearing the last sentence of him, something sharp pierced my heart instantly. I clenched my fists tightly and buried my face in his chest, enduring the pain that pierced my heart.

After that warm embrace, as I was about to walk away to leave, he shouted again, "Wait! Let me drive you. I'll take my jacket first."

He hurried got into the bedroom and came back with his warm black jacket, then he drove me immediately.

On the way, we didn't have much conversation, like a couple who had just had their first date and there was an awkward moment between them. I thought, with Donghwa who drove me in this morning, he would talk about many interesting things at his work or would come up with the reasons about why he had not come back in the past few months, but it was far from my expectations.

Is he waiting for me to say something? But, why should I be the first, while I have been waiting for him all this time until the summer has passed?

I exactly want to hear a piece of a story about many things from him. What has he been doing all this time? Why did he just come back? Why didn't he notify me previously? And ... the young man who was with him at that time ... what is their relationship?

I didn't care about a falsehood that he would convey to me. But at least, the conversation would be able to fill our wasted time in this awkwardness rather than be silent all over the time, wasting time in futile silence.

It was just as painful as when he went away and disappeared, then came back as he pleased.

After a long moment of deliberation, finally, my courage gathered. I turned to him, and paused for a moment before asking, "Um, Donghwa, Will you ... will you go with me to the Fireworks Festival on Sunday?"

"Is it in Pohang?" Donghwa asked, without turning to me.

I immediately widened my eyes. I was a little surprised when he found out where the place for this festival would be, and it meant that he had known it beforehand.

I said with a smiley face, "Yes. If you're not busy, will you go with me? It's been a while since we went together ...."