* * *
Two and a half months had already passed since Yoonwoo arrived in Jeju.
Time flowed slowly, but small changes were beginning to happen to Yoonwoo as well.
He still spent much of his time alone, but he was no longer confined only to his room.
Gaeul.
That small creature had recovered at an astonishing speed and was now starting to look and act like a proper cat.
Although its movement was still awkward because of the cast on its leg, it energetically wandered around the room or jumped onto Yoonwoo ’s lap to purr and fall asleep.
By caring for Gaeul, Yoonwoo began to feel a sense of ‘meaning in life’ and ‘responsibility’ in the time that had previously flowed by pointlessly.
His relationship with Dojin was also gradually changing.
Yoonwoo no longer pushed away his steady consideration and kindness as he had before.
A fundamental aversion to Dojin’s Alpha form still remained, but at least a slight trust had begun to form for Kim Dojin as a person.
On one lazy afternoon, Yoonwoo was sitting on the porch bench, watching Gaeul tumble about in the yard.
Just then, Dojin carefully approached and placed a small plate containing freshly baked, steaming roasted sweet potato next to him, along with a warm cup of green tea.
“…The wind is still cold here. Have this, at least.”
It was a silent expression of merely wanting to be present, without long words.
Yoonwoo nodded wordlessly, and Dojin carefully sat down beside him.
For a long time, the two sat side by side, silently watching the sea.
Yoonwoo drank the warm green tea Dojin offered and blew on the steaming sweet potato before taking a bite.
A sweet, warm feeling spread throughout his mouth.
“…The sweet potato is good.”
It was the first time Yoonwoo had initiated a conversation in a very long time.
At that single sentence, Dojin’s face brightened considerably.
“Really? That’s good! My father grew these himself. Would you like me to bring you more?”
“No… I’m fine. This is enough.”
After that brief exchange, silence returned, but it was a comfortable, warm kind of silence, unlike before.
Yoonwoo slowly ate the rest of the sweet potato, fully accepting the warmth of another person beside him for the first time in ages.
Even after that day, the two often sat side by side on the porch bench, sharing similar moments.
Sometimes they only watched the sea in silence, and sometimes they shared a short conversation while eating snacks Dojin brought.
Those slow and cautious moments were adding warmth, bit by bit, yet clearly, to Yoonwoo ‘s frozen world.
That afternoon, too, Yoonwoo was sitting on the bench, gently stroking Gaeul’s back as he slept on his lap.
Despite the cold winter air, the afternoon sun warmly embraced the yard, and the lazy warmth of the cat seemed to melt a significant part of his hardened heart.
His gaze, now slightly softer and no longer empty, naturally drifted sideways.
On the other end of the bench, Dojin had his laptop and sketchpad spread out and was absorbed in something.
Seemingly anxious because the design contest deadline was approaching, he frowned, let out a deep sigh, and looked alternately between the screen and the sketchpad.
It was clear that the work wasn’t going well, as he was seen pulling at his hair and spinning his pen.
Yoonwoowatched him for a moment. Design.
The world he excelled at and which was once his everything.
The memories of passionately working with Joowon to establish the company, and the tragic betrayal he tasted at the end of it.
Although he tried to ignore it, his passion for design had not completely vanished.
And seeing a junior walking the same path struggling right in front of him, the instinct of a designer, which he had forgotten for so long, stirred within him.
He hesitated. He thought it wasn’t his place to intervene.
But Dojin was the person who first reached out to him after he came to Jeju, and the one who had silently waited for him to get back on his feet.
He recalled the help and comfort he had received from Dojin.
And he gathered his courage.
He got up from his seat and approached Dojin.
“…Is something not working out?”
Yoonwooasked quietly.
Dojin, whose nose was practically buried in the laptop screen, was startled by Yoonwoo ‘s voice and looked up.
Embarrassment and surprise flashed across his face.
“Huh? Oh, I’m just… running into a wall.”
He hurriedly closed his laptop and tried to flip his sketchpad over.
He felt his face heat up, as if his inadequate skills were being exposed in front of the designer he respected.
Yoonwoothought Dojin’s reaction was a little unexpected.
Now that he thought about it, from the moment they met at the airport, Dojin had clearly seemed to know he was the designer Seo Yoonwoo , yet he had never once acknowledged the fact or acted pushy about it.
He had simply maintained a respectful distance and shown consideration.
Perhaps he had cautiously treated him not as a ‘famous designer,’ but merely as a ‘guest who looks like he’s struggling.’
He was suddenly grateful for that unadorned and thoughtful attitude.
His embarrassment made Yoonwoo a little curious about his work.
And he thought that perhaps it might be okay to ask.
He asked again.
“…If it’s alright, can I take a look?”
Yoonwoo’s voice held a curiosity unlike before, and perhaps even a hint of professional pride.
Dojin’s eyes widened at Yoonwoo ‘s suggestion.
His expression was one of disbelief.
“Yes? Oh… I-I would be honored! Really? But… I’m actually embarrassed because it’s nothing special….”
He still hesitated, but at Yoonwoo ’s serious and intense gaze, he finally reopened his laptop and placed the sketchpad correctly.
His hand was trembling slightly.
He moved over a bit and said:
“Please sit here.”
Yoonwoomoved closer to Dojin and began looking at the laptop screen.
His eyes, unlike before, were serious and sharp. Dojin swallowed hard, feeling nervous.
It felt like a final job interview.
Yoonwoo’s brow furrowed and relaxed repeatedly, and his fingers moved skillfully on the trackpad, meticulously checking every corner of the design file.
His usual timid and unstable demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
His gaze, when confronting the design, shone sharply again, and the surrounding air seemed to change.
The composure and certainty of an expert radiated from his entire body.
Dojin held his breath once more at the sight.
After a long silence, Yoonwoo finally spoke.
His voice was low and calm, but it held accurate analysis and deep insight.
“…The concept itself is fine. I can tell what message you want to convey to the viewer.”
He started with a compliment, but sharp criticism quickly followed.
“However, the way you’re presenting it is a bit… complicated and cluttered.”
He pointed to a specific part of the screen.
“This graphic element is too excessive, and this text is difficult to read. The overall visual hierarchy hasn’t been established.”
He moved to another screen and continued.
His criticism was cool but logical and clear.
He didn’t just stop at saying ‘it’s not good,’ but precisely pointed out why it wasn’t good and how to improve it.
“The brand logotype is too light and merely trendy, which actually undermines the sincerity of the message you’re trying to convey. It would be better to use a slightly more weighty typeface for the part that needs to instill trust.”
Yoonwoopicked up the sketchpad and pen beside him and, with quick and precise movements, instantly drew several layout options.
The lines drawn by his fingertips were clean and distinct, without any unnecessary flourish.
“The color usage is also a bit distracting. The roles of the primary, secondary, and accent colors need to be clear, but right now too many colors are being used with similar weight, dispersing the viewer’s focus. If you want to emphasize the core message, you need to use color more sparingly.”
Each piece of his advice precisely pierced the core of the problems Dojin had been struggling with for days and nights.
The image of ‘Designer Seo Yoonwoo ‘ that had been forgotten was now being resurrected right before Dojin’s eyes.
Dojin felt a thrilling sensation along with admiration.
At the same time, he felt pity and respect for Yoonwoo ‘s talent and passion, which shone even amidst such broken circumstances.
He hurriedly scribbled down Yoonwoo ‘s advice one by one on his laptop.
How much time had passed?
As the western sky began to turn red, Yoonwoo finally took his eyes off the laptop.
He looked visibly tired from being completely engrossed in the design for a considerable time, but strangely, a faint hint of vitality, different from before, lingered around him.
It was a subtle change, as if he had rediscovered a long-forgotten passion, or confirmed that he was still a useful existence.
Of course, the deep wounds in his heart hadn’t disappeared, but at least for today, he was able to fill his mind with thoughts of design instead of those terrible memories.
“…Let’s stop here for today. I talked too much.”
Yoonwoomuttered, slightly embarrassed. The tips of his ears were faintly red.
“Not at all! Really… thank you so much, Mr. Yoonwoo ! This was truly a huge help! Wow… I really feel like my eyes have been opened!”
Dojin smiled broadly, genuinely grateful.
His eyes sparkled with respect and excitement.
He looked at the laptop screen, filled with feedback from Yoonwoo , as if it were a precious treasure.
Yoonwoolooked at Dojin for a moment and then curved his lips into a very faint, almost unnoticeable smile.
Then, he silently got up and headed toward his room.
His back still looked fragile, but a distinct warmth, different from when he first arrived in Jeju, could be felt.
Dojin stared blankly at the door to Yoonwoo ‘s room for a long time.
His mind was complicated.
Gratitude for the designer he respected, admiration for his talent, and a surge of excitement and relief over the small smile and change Yoonwoo had shown.
He opened his laptop screen again and recalled Yoonwoo ‘s advice along with the smiling face he had just seen.
Feeling his face flush hot again, Dojin involuntarily smiled like a fool.
The winter night in Jeju was gradually deepening, much like the relationship between the two men.
* * *
