“Why does Jiyong have to hold an exhibition on Valentine’s Day?” Chaerin sighs as she and Dara are standing on the side of the road, waiting for the traffic lights to change color. Her voice isn’t clear because her nose and mouth are buried behind a thick scarf wrapped around her neck. The afternoon’s wind is colder than the previous days.

“You don’t have a plan yourself, right, tonight?” Dara asked back with a smile.

“Oh my God! Should you remind me of that?” Chaerin glares, then sighs again. “But maybe I can stroll around a little at the exhibition.”

The traffic lights change color and they cross quickly, relieved that at least they are moving again. Standing quietly only makes them feel cold.

“By the way, is Jiyong really okay?” Chaerin asked while they walk quickly towards the gallery where Jiyong’s exhibition is held. “I mean, just a few days in the hospital, he had forced himself to go home.”

“I think he’s still in pain here and there, but because he’s a man, he won’t admit it,” Dara answered. “All preparations have been made for this exhibition and the sponsors will not want to postpone it. Jiyong himself also definitely doesn’t want to.”

As soon as they arrive at the gallery and leave the jacket, Chaerin looked around and muttered, “Wow, a lot of people come. Alright, Dara, see you later. I have to look around by myself first.”

After Chaerin left, Dara enters the exhibition room and searches for Jiyong. Jiyong is nowhere to be found. Maybe he’s busy. This is his exhibition after all. Surely many people want to talk to him. Sighing softly, Dara decides to look around first.

This place is so crowded. It turns out that many people are interested in Jiyong’s works. Several journalists are also seen. Dara wonders if Jiyong is rally that great. Is Jiyong really famous as Chaerin once said?

Just looking at the photos hanging on the wall, Jiyong is indeed great. How could Jiyong photograph something so ordinary and make it so extraordinary? For example, a black-and-white photo that shows someone’s hand raised towards the sun, as if to reach the sun. Somehow Jiyong took a picture, but the sunlight that slipped between the spaces of his fingers looked very beautiful and sparkling.

Dara keeps moving from one photo to another. She stops at each photo to look at it and continues to be amazed. She doesn’t understand photography, but she knows wonderful photos. And Jiyong is obviously very talented as Chaerin said.

Suddenly a photo catches her attention. Dara blinks and holds her breath. The photo hanging in front of her is a picture of a woman in a green jacket standing amidst a crowd of people passing by on the road. The woman who is the main object in the photo stood back to the camera. In addition to the green color of the jacket worn by the woman, everything around her — including the crowds of people passing by — is black and white and seems blurred, as if the world around her faded in the eyes of the photographer.

“You’ve come.”

A soft voice jerks Dara back from her astonishment and she immediately turns around. “Ji...”

Her eyes widen and a smile appears on her lips as soon as she sees Kwon Jiyong standing beside her.

***

Actually Jiyong had seen Dara since the girl entered the exhibition room. At that time he was talking to several important people, so he couldn’t immediately meet the girl. Once he could slip out of the conversation, he immediately approached Dara.

“You’ve come.”

Dara turns around and smiles broadly. “Ji...”

Jiyong smiles back, then looks at the photo Dara is looking. “Do you remember that day?”

“What?” Dara doesn’t understand.

Jiyong moves his chin towards the photo. “My third day in Seoul. You accompanied me to Myeong-dong to look around. That day you’re wearing a green jacket.”

Dara frowns, still not understanding. Then slowly the wrinkles on her forehead disappear and she looks back at the photo hanging in front of her.

“Myeong-dong’s intersection is always crowded and at that time you almost fell because of being nudged from all directions.” Jiyong laughs softly.

“That’s... That’s because you suddenly disappeared,” protested Dara. “I was looking for you. I thought you... I mean, you could get lost among so many people.”

“At that time I was behind you. I could see you,” Jiyong said. “I always see you.”

Dara’s eyes are fixated on the photo. “So... that’s me?” She asked incredulously.

Jiyong nods. “I know you don’t like being photographed, but I think this photo is great for the exhibition. So...”

“It’s okay,” Dara said with a smile. “This photo is indeed very beautiful. Other photos too.”

Jiyong’s smile widens. “Thank you. It must be the object that makes it more beautiful.”

They still stand in front of the photo and Jiyong remembers a few hours ago when Seunghyun came here. Seunghyun also stood in front of the same photo and looked at him with a small smile.

“I told her that I wanted to protect her,” Seunghyun muttered then.

Jiyong’s eyebrows rose and he turned his head. “What?”

Seunghyun moved his head towards the photo. “That woman. I told her that I hoped I could  protect her at that time.”

Jiyong immediately knew they were talking about Park Dara. And what did Seunghyun say earlier? Had Seunghyun expressed his feeling? Suddenly Jiyong felt tense and he held his breath.

“Is that so?” Murmured Jiyong, hoping that Seunghyun would continue his words.

But Seunghyun sighed and glanced at his watch. “I have to go back to the hospital,” he murmured. Then he turned and reached out to Jiyong. “Well, good luck to you, even though I’m sure you will succeed because your work is very amazing.”

Jiyong shook the outstretched hand and thanked him. He really wanted to ask Seunghyun what he had said earlier, but didn’t know how to ask.

That’s why, until now Jiyong is still not calm. He takes a deep breath and turns towards Dara who is now standing beside him. Seunghyun had expressed his feeling to Dara. Is Jiyong late? Impossible. Impossible...

“Anyway,” said Dara without turning her eyes from the photos on display, “Did Doctor Choi come here?”

Why did the girl suddenly ask about Seunghyun? “A few hours ago,” Jiyong said half-daydreaming.

Dara looks at him and smiles broadly. “Really? How did he respond to this exhibition?”

That girl still likes Seunghyun. That’s what Jiyong thought as soon as he saw Dara’s beaming face. At that moment he suddenly feels unenthusiastic. That girl still likes Seunghyun. What should he do? What should he do?

What should I do so you can see me?

When Dara turns to look at him with a surprised look, only then does he realize he had said what he had thought before.

***

Dara thinks she had heard wrong. “What?”

Jiyong doesn’t answer right away. The man just stares at her with a confused and moody expression. After a moment of silence, Jiyong sighs, stuffs his hands in his pants pocket, and asks, “What should I do so you can see me?”

For a moment Dara can’t find her voice. She can only stare at Jiyong without blinking. Her breath caught in and his heart begins to pound hard.

“Actually, I’ve already asked you before,” continued Jiyong with a small smile. “But you haven’t answered me yet.”

Oh, yes. Dara remembers. Dara remembers it clearly, as if everything had just happened yesterday. Christmas Day. Train station. She was about to get in the train that would take her to Busan when Jiyong stopped her and asked that question. Can you forget him and start to really... really see me?

“I knew that wasn’t the right time,” Jiyong said, then chuckles. He looks around the exhibition room filled with people. “Actually, now isn’t the right time as well. The place is also not proper. But I guess I have to say it right now.”

Dara doesn’t even notice anyone around them. She can see nothing but Jiyong. She can hear nothing but Jiyong’s voice. She still can’t breathe normally because she is too amazed and she still holds her breath waiting for what Jiyong will say next.

Jiyong’s dark orbs stare straight into her eyes and Dara is almost sure she sees her own reflection there.

Jiyong takes a breath and says in a low but steady tone, “I love you, Park Dara.” His eyes are still fixed on Dara’s eyes.

The world stops. At least Dara feels her world stops spinning right at that moment. The whole universe stops. There’s no sound heard other than the remaining echo of Jiyong’s words.

“What should I do so you can accept me?” Jiyong’s soft and deep voice is heard again.

Nothing, Dara thoughy. Nothing...

The roar of applauses can be heard through the mist that enveloped Dara’s head. She blinks and looks around. The exhibition visitors clap their hands and looks at Jiyong while smiling broadly.

Dara just realized that at the time Jiyong was asked to come forward to give a few words and answer questions from reporters. A woman who is holding a microphone and seeming like one of the people responsible for organizing the event waves at Jiyong.

“Jiyong, she called you,” Dara muttered.

Jiyong looks down, exhales heavily. “At times like this...” he muttered softly. But he quickly raises his head, straightens his shoulders, and turns around. A big smile had spread on his lips as he walks—his steps are still rather limp— toward the woman holding the microphone, accompanied by everyone’s applauses.

“I told you that he’s great,” said Chaerin, who had suddenly stood on Dara’s right side.

“I know,” said Seunghoon, standing on Dara’s left side. “I just didn’t expect him to be famous like this.”

Dara turns and looks at the two siblings