Ga Eul opened the front door in the morning to pick up the milk bottle, when she found a bunch of beautiful pink lilies, tied with a silver ribbon lying at the doorstep. She picked it up and saw a small note below it.

Have a beautiful Sunday, Ga Eul!

At first, she could not think of who would send her flowers. Then the kiss from previous night flashed in her mind, and blood crept on her cheeks. She quickly hid the flowers behind her, closing the door. She walked to the window facing the back garden and arranged the lilies in a crystal vase that stood there empty before.

Her face brightened up, as she bit her lips and gently caressed the petals. Indeed, it seemed to be a beautiful start of a day.

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Ha Jin looked mesmerized at the sky displaying the small scattered clouds with myriads of colours reflected on them, as the sun rose steadily from the horizon. People around them were busy clicking photographs, but she just wanted to capture the moment in her mind forever.

Ji Hoo had brought her at a small temple close to Angkor Wat, and they sat on the steps to view the sunrise, without being blocked by other people. The chatter of hundreds of visitors around them slowly died down, as they moved in to visit the main temple. Ha Jin did not want to move yet. Her eyes were fixated on the temple silhouette in the gorgeous early morning sky backdrop. Ji Hoo looked at her and smiled.

“You know, every year Jan Di and I would come here for the sunrise during our visit. She said she would never get bored of it. She thought every time it was different, uniquely beautiful,” he spoke softly.

Ha Jin stilled at his words. She had heard that name from him so many times since they met, but for the first time she felt a brief stirring within her. It was alien to her. But it was quite profound.

“Jan Di had picked up some Khmer words, and said she would become a tourist guide here for the Korean visitors, if she could not pass her medical exam…,” continued Ji Hoo laughing.

“Ji Hoo, I am hungry. Can we go somewhere to eat?” interrupted Ha Jin.

She did not want to hear that name again, not here, not now. At least this moment should have been theirs, exclusively.

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Jae Kyung’s car was repaired and ready to go. She turned to Do Jung who was waiting with her.

“Thank you so much, Do Jung. And thanks for the coffee as well,” she said smilingly.

“It was my pleasure to be of any help to you, Jae Kyung. I hope to see you again. Soon,” replied Do Jung with a charming smile.

Jae Kyung nodded her head and got in her car. She was about to start the engine, when Do Jung came by her side and gave a small name card.

“That’s my restaurant. Come over sometime.”

“Will do. Thanks,” she smiled.

It was not before another 10 minutes into driving towards home, that Jae Kyung realised she was still smiling.

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He was walking on an empty road with vast stretches of sands on either side. He was thirsty as the sun was on top, blazing with heat. He looked around for a shade but there was absolutely nothing other than the yellow sand dunes and frequent blasts of hot air. Suddenly he saw a strip of water at a distance.

“Water! I need water!”

He started running towards it, but it kept on moving farther away from him. After some time, he collapsed on the sands as he could not run any further. With his face in the sands, he tried to breathe in the hot air, and gather some energy to rise and chase after the water again.

“Hey, drink this.”

Yi Jung looked up to see who spoke to him but the blazing sun behind the face almost blinded him. He guarded his eyes with his palm and stared again and saw two doe-eyes, looking at him with warmth. He tried to lift himself up and touch her face when she vanished, leaving behind a mist of mixed colours. And soon the mist solidified into a beautiful shape, the colours smearing on its surface on their own. Before he could look closer into the sublime piece of art, a buzzing noise surrounded him from everywhere…

Yi Jung’s eyes opened wide and he woke up with a startle. He looked around and it took him few moments to realise he was on his bed, and not some hot desert sand bed. And the buzzing sound was coming from his phone, and before he could pick it, it stopped.

He held his head and sighed. He wished he could see the end of the dream.

It was a masterpiece. I must try and remember how it looked.

But more he tried, only one image came flashing in his mind again and again… a pair of doe-eyes looking at him with warmth.

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“Oppa, you look unusually peppy this morning,” commented Mi Jin while stuffing with pancake at the dining table.

“I am always peppy, pabo,” replied Woo Bin shaking his head.

“Are you going to meet someone special today?” asked Mi Na wiggling her brows.

“Don’t know. Maybe I will,” he answered casually as he stood up and left.

“Hey, how dare you girls tease your elder brother like that? He is 10 years older than you two. Have some respect. Soon he will get married and what will his wife think of you two, eh?” asked their mother disapprovingly.

The twins made faces and went back to eating.