Ch.203203. A Kiss If You’re Curious

──SLAM!

Just as I was about to kiss her after setting the mood, the waiting room door suddenly flung open. Startled, I turned around without even thinking to put Hwa Nabi down.

The uninvited guest who squeezed through the open door was none other than the filming director from before. The man with patches of gray hair stood awkwardly before turning his head.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I knocked on the door, but the lock must be broken because it just swung open… Should I leave?”

“Ah… it’s fine.”

Taking advantage of the director averting his gaze, I put Hwa Nabi down, checked both our appearances, and cleared my throat. Noticing this as some kind of signal, the director looked at me.

“Hmm, it’s been a while. It’s been about three weeks since we met at the wedding photoshoot? Have you been well?”

“Yes. It’s been almost a month. Good to see you too. Have you been well yourself?”

I shook hands with the director as he approached slowly. Perhaps because of what just happened, I spoke somewhat awkwardly, but the director smiled and responded as if nothing had occurred.

“I’ve been happy every day. By the way, are you helping with the concept shoot direction as well?”

“Yes. I don’t usually do concept shoots, but when I heard it was for your wedding, I cleared my schedule and came running. I’ll take beautiful photos this time too. Oh, did you and the bride look at the wedding magazine our studio sent you?”

“Of course. We also saw our wedding photos displayed at your studio building. Thank you. They turned out really beautiful, didn’t they?”

This wasn’t just flattery but my honest opinion. It might sound like self-praise, but the photos with us as models turned out amazingly well.

As expected of a professional photography director, there was something different about how he took what could have been ordinary wedding photos and made them look like fashion spreads.

“Ah, I saw them too. Thank you. You took such beautiful photos.”

“Oh, it’s because the bride and groom have such good visuals that the photos turned out well. I’ve been taking photos for almost thirty years, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a handsome and beautiful couple.”

Pleased with the compliment, Hwa Nabi smiled with the corners of her mouth turned up and shyly looked at me. I placed my hand on her veil and gently stroked it.

“By the way, were you eating something?”

“What? What do you mean?”

The director paused mid-sentence and looked at me intently. Why is he looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?

I unconsciously brought my hand near my face, and the director tapped his upper lip with his index finger.

“There’s something here on your mouth.”

“Oh, where? Here?”

“No, not there, a bit lower. What is this? It’s red… oh.”

The director trailed off, averted his gaze, and suddenly made an exaggerated cough. Not understanding why he was acting this way, I quickly turned to Hwa Nabi.

‘Is there something on my face?’

‘No, there’s nothing…’

Hwa Nabi, who had been speaking only with her eyes, hesitated. Then her eyes widened in shock, and she quickly approached me and wiped my lips with her wrist.

“What’s wrong? Why are you doing that?”

The sudden change in attitude left me no time to react. While I was still trying to understand the situation, Hwa Nabi pulled out a tissue and wiped her wrist. A red mark appeared on the white tissue.

What is this? Could it be blood? Is she doing this because my mouth is bleeding? With that thought, I rubbed my lips with the back of my hand, but nothing came off.

“…Ahem. Shall we start the concept shoot for the bride and groom? We’re only shooting here, not at the main venue, right?”

“Ah, yes! We’ll just do it here, not at the main venue. Thank you, Director!”

“Yes, then I’ll tell the staff to bring the equipment. It will take about five to ten minutes to move the equipment from the main venue, so please wait comfortably until then.”

“Ah, yes.”

Hwa Nabi and the director exchanged words with me between them, reaching an agreement and ending the conversation. Caught in the middle, I looked at Hwa Nabi in confusion, but she was busy avoiding my gaze.

“Nabi, was there something wrong with my lips?”

“No, it wasn’t exactly a problem… but I can’t say there was nothing either.”

Is that even Korean? She spoke so vaguely that I couldn’t understand what she meant.

The director slipped away while we were exchanging these cryptic words, and Hwa Nabi fidgeted with her lips hesitantly. She had the face of someone debating whether to tell me something or not.

“It’s nothing serious, but if I tell you now, you might lose focus, so I’ll tell you after the concept shoot.”

“Hmm… okay?”

I wasn’t sure what had happened in that brief moment, but since she wasn’t telling me right away, I figured it wasn’t urgent.

Or maybe it was something I shouldn’t know.

“…”

That thought suddenly occurred to me as I looked at Hwa Nabi, who pulled her veil down to avoid my gaze. Not that it helped much, since the material was thin and transparent.

I grabbed the hand of Hwa Nabi, who was obviously avoiding me. She flinched in surprise, and I could see through the veil that her face had turned bright red.

“What is it? What happened?”

“W-what?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? Obviously what just happened.”

I was too curious to wait and find out why she was suddenly avoiding my gaze and couldn’t look me in the eye. I lifted her veil to question her.

She seemed surprised by my assertiveness and just blinked rapidly in confusion.

“Is it something I shouldn’t know?”

“It’s not that… but if you knew, you might feel awkward during the photoshoot.”

“Who would I feel awkward around?”

“The director.”

…I would feel awkward around the director? I had no idea what she meant and needed to hear more details. I looked her in the eyes and said seriously:

“It’s okay, just tell me. Why would I feel awkward around the director?”

“Umm… well.”

She seemed hesitant to speak and kept glancing at the waiting room door behind my shoulder instead of looking directly at me.

Still, I didn’t avert my gaze, and after hemming and hawing, Hwa Nabi finally confessed the truth.

“It’s your upper lip.”

“Yes, my upper lip?”

“My lipstick… was on it.”

“…What was on it?”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard. Hwa Nabi swallowed hard and repeated herself to me as I stupidly asked again.

“My lipstick. You know, we kissed a few times before the director came in? I think it transferred then.”

“…”

With that explanation, the puzzle pieces in my head came together.

Right, something did seem off. The way the director looked at my lips, then became flustered and averted his gaze, and how Hwa Nabi panicked and wiped my lips.

All those actions were because Hwa Nabi’s lipstick was on my lips.

“…Do you think he noticed?”

“It would be stranger if he didn’t. He’s a photography director, after all. Lipstick colors changing photo tones is common, so someone at his level would know immediately…”

The reason why a man’s lips would have women’s lipstick on them is, well, obvious. The director probably realized that and quickly excused himself.

Hmm, now that I understand the truth, I feel quite uncomfortable. It might be difficult to take natural photos in this state.

I glanced at Hwa Nabi to see if she was okay, and she seemed to share my discomfort as she fidgeted with her lips. Then she suddenly looked up at me and said:

“I told you not to get it on you. I had just managed to calm down, and now you’ve made me uncomfortable again.”

“Ah… sorry.”

“Never mind the apology, how are you going to take responsibility? If the photos turn out awkward because I’m nervous, it’s all your fault, right?”

This situation occurred because we were both careless, but at this point, arguing about whose fault it was would only make things worse.

Having made that assessment, I changed tactics. Instead of offering obvious verbal apologies, I decided on a more definitive physical apology.

“Then, shall I help you relax?”

As I murmured this and approached her, Hwa Nabi startled. She probably hadn’t expected me to respond this way.

“…Why are you suddenly coming closer?”

“Why? I’m doing this to make sure the photos turn out well.”

Why? Obviously, I’m doing this to tease you. I swallowed those thoughts and answered shamelessly.

Hwa Nabi stared at me as if trying to figure out my intentions, but I didn’t give her the chance, bringing my face close and planting a kiss on her lips.

—Smooch.

“How about that? Feeling better now?”

When I asked with a smile, she gave me a subtle glare before chuckling and patting my shoulder. It seems she didn’t entirely dislike my approach.

“The staff will be here soon. What if we get caught again?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Heh, there you go being reckless again.”

“It’s our wedding day. Can’t we get a pass for this much?”

“Fine. I’ll give you a pass for about another week.”

Another week. That seems to coincide exactly with the end of our honeymoon. Am I imagining things?

I asked Hwa Nabi with just my eyes. In response, she tapped her lips and showed me.

“Kiss me here if you’re curious.”

“…”

I wonder if I can do it twice.