Sun kissed

Mina and Jinwoo walked back to the car, ready to start the drive to Seoul. The sun was sinking slowly, turning the sky into soft gold. · Mina looked up and whispered, · “It’s the golden hour.” · She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the sky. At the same time, Jinwoo raised his phone too. When he glanced back at the screen, he realized he had accidentally captured Mina in the shot. He zoomed in, smiled to himself, then quickly noticed her turning toward him. · “What is it?” she asked, reaching out playfully toward his phone. · Jinwoo panicked and shoved it into his pocket. · “Nothing, nothing,” he said too quickly. · Mina blinked, confused, then let it go and walked toward the car. Jinwoo took a slow breath and followed her, heart still beating a little too fast. · On the road, the view through the window looked like a painting. The setting sun wrapped the trees and the road in warm light, turning everything soft and golden. Mina smiled, watching the colors blend together. She felt happy just being able to see this, and experience it. · Jinwoo kept glancing at her, then back at the road. Once their eyes met, both looked away immediately. Mina wanted to look at him again, but she was too shy to show that she was curious. After a few seconds, she whispered, · “I forgot to say… thank you for today.” · Jinwoo didn’t hear her clearly and leaned closer. · “What?” · She turned to repeat herself—and suddenly realized her face was way too close to his ear. She froze, then pulled back abruptly. Jinwoo turned his head just enough to meet her eyes, a tiny, startled smile on his lips, before quickly looking back at the road. · Mina couldn’t say anything. He understood what she meant and answered quietly, · “Don’t have to. You’re tagging along, I should say thank you. I’ve been having these boring drives for a while.” · Mina laughed softly and turned back to the window, mesmerized by the view. As they drove, she slowly relaxed and half‑fell asleep, her cheek pressed against the window, eyes half‑closed. · Jinwoo noticed and turned the music volume down. He leaned slightly toward her and asked in a low voice, · “Still alive?” · She stirred, blinking, then teased back, · “Barely.” · Jinwoo laughed quietly and kept driving. · After a while, she woke up fully and realized the car had stopped at a gas‑station rest area. She knew they’d stopped so he could rest. She straightened in her seat, checked the time on her phone, then glanced at the radio. · The song playing caught her off guard. She recognized it, and despite not remembering all the lyrics, she started humming softly. Her voice, soft and gentle, filled the car. · Jinwoo came out of the station with two hot drinks, walking toward the passenger side. When he heard her singing, he stopped for a second, listening. He realized her voice was completely different from her serious, tired tone earlier—softer, almost sweet. · A man from the car next to them opened his door, and Mina noticed him. Jinwoo snapped out of it, pretended he had just arrived, and said, · “Do you want coffee? It’s warm.” · Mina smiled. · “Oh yes, thank you.” · He sighed in relief, hoping she hadn’t noticed him listening. He got into the car, and she took the cup, warming her hands around it. She couldn’t look directly at him—she had already seen him in the rearview mirror, standing there, listening to her sing. She felt embarrassed and tried not to show it. · Jinwoo started the car again. After a few seconds, he noticed she shivered slightly. · “You feel cold?” he asked. “Hold on…” · He reached to the back seat for a small blanket. · “It’s clean, I swear.” · He noticed her both hands were busy holding the cup, so he awkwardly said, · “Excuse me,” and then gently tucked the blanket around her, under her hands. · Mina looked at him, feeling the warmth—not just from the blanket, but from the way he looked at her, with a quiet, gentle worry. · He’s so gentle… she thought. · Then she shook her head slightly. · Girl, snap out of it. No time for romance. Just focus. · She smiled and said, · “Appreciated.” · Mina sipped her coffee and slowly relaxed. The car felt cozy, like a tiny safe space on the highway. The soft music, the warm drink, and Jinwoo’s calm presence made the road feel peaceful. · They started talking about movies, series, and music. To Mina’s surprise, they had a lot of the same tastes. Both liked slow, emotional dramas, soft music, and stories about second chances. · As they shared favorites, their voices grew lighter, their laughter more natural. For the first time in a long time, Mina felt like she wasn’t just surviving—she was actually enjoying a moment. · Forty minutes later, they arrived at the hotel. · Jinwoo turned off the engine and looked at her. · “Can I have your contact?” he asked. “I may not know much, but can I be your guide? You don’t have to be alone here.” · Without hesitation, Mina gave him her Kakao information. · “Thank you for today,” she said. “I’ll repay you for it soon.” · Jinwoo nodded, but quietly added, almost to himself, · “I don’t want to see you crying anymore. Good night.” · He left then, walking back to his car. Mina stared after him, then whispered to herself, · “Oh no… this can’t be happening.” · Still a little dazed, she walked into the hotel and up to her room. The day had been long and emotional, so she took a shower and fell asleep quickly, the image of the golden hour and his voice still in her mind. · On the other side of the city, Jinwoo arrived at his apartment. It looked empty, like no one really lived there. The couch, the walls, the table—all quiet, untouched. · He lay down, phone in hand, and scrolled through the pictures. Again, he stopped at the one he had taken of her by accident. He zoomed in, then looked away, talking to himself. · “Snap out, Jin. She’s only one week staying here.” · But he couldn’t delete the photo. He stared at it for a few more seconds, then fell asleep with his phone still in his hand.