Sun kissed

Mina got so nervous that she wiped her tears as fast as she could and tried to breathe calmly. Less than five minutes later, Jinwoo came running back again. She laughed and said, · “I’m always crying and you’re always running.” · He smiled. · “There you go.” · She looked at him with a furrowed brow. · “What do you mean?” · “By the way,” he said, “I know your name from your file. Is it okay if I call you by your first name?” · Mina nodded. · “Yes, sure. And you?” · “I’m Jinwoo,” he said. “I have an English name too, if you prefer. But your name feels Korean.” · Mina laughed softly. · “Yes, it depends on how you pronounce it.” · Jinwoo gestured toward the car, and she followed him in silence. When she saw her dream car, she smiled and quickly opened her phone to show him the background picture. He glanced at the screen and froze for a moment, unsure what to say. · Mina spoke first. · “It’s not mine… but I want to buy it one day.” · Jinwoo smirked. · “Do you believe in fate?” · She shook her head, laughing. · “No, I don’t—haha. Isn’t this exactly how people get kidnapped?” · He stared at her for a second, then smiled. · “I don’t kidnap foreigners… usually.” · She looked at him, wide‑eyed. · “Well, I hope someone checks on me today, just in case.” · He chuckled. · “Girl, that’s so depressing… but funny.” · She climbed into the car and looked around with wide eyes, forgetting for a moment that she had only met this man a day ago. · “Wait,” she asked, “you’re Korean, you speak English so well, and you drive a BMW? Why?” · Jinwoo laughed at her direct question. · “Most people ask, ‘Are you rich?’ I see you don’t care about that detail.” · Mina shrugged. · “Why would I?” · He smiled. · “That’s fair. Ha‑ha.” · He started the engine, set the GPS, and turned to her. · “Do you want to eat before we go, or do something in Daegu, or go straight to Seoul?” · She thought for a moment. · “Since you’re doing this for me, can we pass by Daegu? I want to see one place… for the last time.” · Jinwoo tilted his head slightly. · “Why ‘last’?” · She looked at him with a smile that carried hidden pain, but she didn’t answer. He understood and nodded. · “Sure, it’s on my way. We can eat there if you want. We’ll probably reach Seoul at night, and you can sleep.” · As they merged onto the highway, the view from the window calmed her. She loved car rides, even though she used to enjoy them with her ex‑husband. · Jinwoo noticed her silence and wanted to lighten the mood. He remembered her question about the car model and finally answered it. She listened with a small smile, but her mind was somewhere else. · Outside, the shades of autumn burned through the trees. Yellow and orange leaves danced in the wind, falling lazily beside the road. It felt peaceful, almost like the world was wrapping them in a soft, quiet moment. · Mina turned to him. · “So why do you volunteer at immigration, and why that city? It’s far away.” · Jinwoo hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. · “I don’t know if you believe in fate. Today was assigned to that city. Usually I work in Seoul or nearby cities.” · Mina thought about how she no longer believed in fate at all. She decided long ago that she would live day by day, not expecting anything good to happen. But today felt different. · Jinwoo sighed quietly. · “I lived in England all my life with my mom. I’m half‑Korean, half‑English. My father is Korean; my parents separated after I was born. My little sister is fully English—my mom remarried. But my dad got sick and had to come back to Korea. My sister couldn’t visit because of visa issues… so I volunteer. I want to use my position to help her come stay with me whenever she misses home.” · Mina stared at him, then whispered, · “Wow… someone’s life is more complicated than mine.” · Jinwoo laughed. · Mina immediately looked worried. · “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m sorry.” · He waved his hand, still smiling. · “No, don’t apologize. I understand. It is complicated.” · She smiled again and caught him staring at her. For a brief moment, he looked almost surprised. · “Oh,” he said softly. “I like your smile.” · Mina froze, unsure what to do. If she stopped smiling, it would feel awkward. So she let the smile linger, then looked away, cheeks burning with embarrassment. · They reached the Daegu Tower parking lot. · “Thank God it’s a weekday,” Jinwoo said. “I hate crowded places.” · Mina nodded. · “Same here. Can we go up?” · She led the way, passing the ice ring floor. When she saw it closed, she turned and said, · “Still, we go up.” · Jinwoo noticed the nostalgia in her eyes but didn’t interrupt or push. He followed quietly, letting her emotions move at their own pace. · When she reached the upper floor, she finally let out a small, happy sigh. · “Oh, finally, I can see the view.” She glanced at the vast windows. “Last time I was here, I couldn’t find a place to sit.” · Jinwoo smiled. · “You probably came on a holiday.” · Mina’s eyes drifted across the city. · “Christmas, if I remember.” Her voice grew softer. “I thought I would live here forever… with him. Now I’m just a tourist.” · Jinwoo had no words, so he just stood there, silently beside her. · Mina took a few photos of the view, then looked back at him. · “Can we go? I’m so hungry.” · He nodded, and they headed silently toward the elevator. The quiet hovered between them until they reached the parking lot. · She suggested a restaurant she knew. He nodded again and followed her back to the car. · Halfway through the drive, Mina finally broke the silence. · “Why are you saying yes to everything I suggest? You can suggest things too.” · Jinwoo chuckled. · “I think your experience in Korea is bigger than mine. Haha. I’ve never gone on dates in Korea before.” · Mina jolted in her seat. · “D‑date?” · He corrected himself quickly. · “I meant I’ve never gone out on dates in Korea before, so I don’t know many good places. Nothing about today. I just…” · Mina laughed weakly, trying to hide her nervousness. · “Yes, yes, I understand.” · They arrived at the restaurant. The way Mina observed the place told Jinwoo it was somewhere she had been before with her ex‑husband. He wanted to say something reassuring, but before he could, he noticed her smiling. · Mina turned and said, · “It’s true. Jin, the best way to turn a bad memory is to coat it with a new one.” · He smiled, finally understanding what she was trying to do. · “Today is just one day,” he said. “Tomorrow may be different.” · Mina smiled deeply, this time with tears in her eyes—but they were not tears of pain. They came from something close to joy. · They walked to a rooftop corner and looked at the view under the soft autumn light. The city felt calm, almost like it was holding its breath for them.