Chapter 79 : I’ll reserve that spot
by fnovelpia
That spot, I’ll make a reservation.
A street where a gentle spring breeze is blowing.
The sunlight is pleasantly warm, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of flowers.
Couples are walking hand in hand down the street, and the leaves of the trees sway in the wind, making a pleasant sound.
On that road, two people were walking side by side.
But between them, there was an invisible wall.
Memories.
This street was unfamiliar to her.
It was strange that walking with this person could feel both so familiar and so strange.
“The weather is really nice today.”
Junseok casually spoke.
Yeonwoo slightly lifted her head and looked at the clear sky.
A sky so blue that it almost hurts the eyes, with not a cloud in sight.
She quietly stared at the sky, slowly closing her eyes, then opening them again.
How many times has she seen this sky, this street?
Did her past self walk this road with Junseok, too?
“Yeah, it’s a great day for a walk.”
In response, Junseok smiled gently.
But—
Yeonwoo unknowingly started walking with a bit of distance between them.
Though they were walking side by side, there was an awkward gap between them.
Junseok glanced at her and then smiled lightly.
“Yeonwoo, is it uncomfortable walking with me like this?”
“…What?”
Yeonwoo flinched and turned her head.
Junseok was looking at her with a playful glint in his eyes.
“You’ve been walking a bit apart from me since earlier. Are you thinking of running away?”
“Ah, no! It’s not like that!”
She denied it instantly, but Yeonwoo couldn’t help but feel her face heat up.
He was someone who had loved her for a long time.
But she couldn’t remember.
The time they spent together, the memories, the feelings.
All of it felt like an empty blank space.
Still, he approached her casually, treating her as if they had been together just yesterday.
‘Did I really love this person?’
He smiled gently and reached out his hand.
“Then, would you like to come a step closer?”
Yeonwoo looked at his hand, then his face—and then, cautiously took a step closer.
They didn’t hold hands, but the distance between them as they walked side by side had definitely shortened.
Just that distance made Yeonwoo’s heart beat a little faster than usual.
That feeling was unfamiliar.
It wasn’t that he was unfamiliar, but this feeling toward him was unfamiliar.
The bright neon signs of the arcade filled the space.
The sounds of games and people’s cheers from afar, along with the noise of machines, tangled together.
Yeonwoo felt a strange sense of alienation amid that noise.
It felt like she had never been here before.
But somehow, it felt familiar.
Even without memories, it didn’t feel unfamiliar.
Had her past self been here with Junseok?
Unknowingly, Yeonwoo glanced to the side.
Junseok seemed unusually excited as they walked around the arcade.
He was casually looking around, with an expression as if recalling memories.
“Do you like places like this?”
Yeonwoo asked carefully, and Junseok chuckled softly.
“Yeah. I used to come here often.”
“Then… with me…?”
She asked casually.
But the next moment, she realized what she had said and closed her mouth.
She didn’t have any memories with him.
But still, she asked naturally, as if she were the “past her.”
Junseok looked at her, a little surprised, then smiled gently.
“Yeah. We used to come here together.”
At those words, Yeonwoo’s heart sank for a moment.
‘I see…’
Then this street, this arcade, this air…
They must have been so familiar to her past self.
But to the current her, they were just unfamiliar sights.
The difference between them made her heart ache strangely.
She tried to suppress her emotions and turned her gaze.
Then, by chance, she spotted a claw machine off to one side.
“Ah? This is cute.”
Yeonwoo muttered as she looked into the machine.
It was filled with various stuffed animals.
Among them, the one that stood out was a round-faced cat plushie.
A white plushie with a small ribbon.
It felt strangely familiar.
“Do you want it?”
Junseok asked, looking at her.
Yeonwoo tried to act indifferent and shook her head.
“No, it’s just that I thought it was cute.”
But her gaze was still on the plushie.
Junseok watched her for a while, then slowly took out his wallet.
He picked up a coin and said,
“Then, how about giving it a try?”
“What?”
Yeonwoo widened her eyes, and Junseok skillfully inserted the coin.
The machine started, and the lights flickered.
Her gaze naturally turned to the crane.
“Wait, I didn’t even say I really wanted it.”
“I know. But I just wanted to try grabbing it.”
“Hey, that’s going to be hard to grab.”
“I’ll try anyway.”
He said seriously and moved the joystick.
The claw slowly descended.
It seemed to be heading toward one of the cat’s ears, but—
“Ah, so close.”
The claw missed and the plushie slipped away.
Yeonwoo chuckled softly.
“See? I told you it wouldn’t work.”
“One more time.”
Junseok inserted another coin.
Then he began operating the machine again.
This time, he was a little more cautious.
He furrowed his brows and focused, as if he were performing a crucial task.
His serious expression made Yeonwoo laugh for no reason.
“Aren’t you trying too hard?”
“Well, if I’m going to do it, I want to succeed.”
The claw went down again.
This time, it grabbed the plushie’s body directly.
And—
“I got it!”
The claw held the plushie tightly.
It slowly rose up and moved toward the exit.
Yeonwoo silently watched it, feeling a little hopeful.
‘Will it work this time…?’
But just before it was about to fall into the exit—
Thunk.
“Ah, it fell…”
The plushie slipped back to its original spot.
“Ha ha, I told you it wouldn’t work!”
Yeonwoo couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Even as she laughed, Junseok didn’t give up and took out another coin.
“Third try.”
“Hey, stop it. You’ve already used three coins.”
“No, this time I really think it’ll work.”
“…I don’t think so.”
“I think it will.”
He smiled mischievously and started the game again.
This time, he was really careful, operating the joystick with great focus.
Yeonwoo silently watched him.
The claw went down again, and this time, it grabbed the plushie’s belly firmly.
As it moved toward the exit, she found herself unknowingly clasping her hands.
‘Will it work this time…?’
And then—
Thunk.
“Oh!”
The cat plushie fell into the exit.
“I did it!”
Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.
He really did it.
Junseok, looking pleased, picked up the plushie and held it out toward Yeonwoo.
“Here, you said it was cute.”
Yeonwoo froze for a moment.
She looked at the plushie and then at Junseok, holding it out.
Her heart was pounding for an unknown reason.
‘Is this…’
Should she accept it?
She hesitated.
But Junseok playfully said.
“You’re not going to take it? Then I’ll keep it!”
“…Ah, no!”
Yeonwoo hurriedly reached out and took the doll.
Their fingertips touched.
A momentary warmth was transmitted.
She, feeling flustered, avoided eye contact and said,
“T-thank you.”
“You’re welcome. If you come again tomorrow, I might win more for you.”
“Who said I’m coming again tomorrow?!”
Yeonwoo blushed and quickly hugged the doll to her chest.
Then, she quietly looked down at the doll in her hands.
White fur, a small ribbon.
A cute, round, fluffy cat plushie.
But—
She felt strange.
It was her first time seeing this doll, yet somehow…
‘It feels familiar.’
As if, long ago, she had received a doll like this from someone.
Was it just her imagination, or a sign that her memories were starting to return?
She didn’t know.
She just held the small doll close and silently followed Junseok as he walked ahead.
The two of them stepped out of the arcade and walked slowly in the chilly air.
The city lights twinkled along the streets, and the red taillights of passing cars streaked across the road.
Perhaps because they had just been in the noisy arcade, the quietness outside felt even more distinct.
Yeonwoo unconsciously exhaled.
Her breath turned white in the cold air.
“It’s cold.”
She murmured, and Junseok beside her let out a small chuckle.
“Yeah. Should we get something warm?”
“Yes.”
So, the two of them headed toward a nearby convenience store.
The automatic doors slid open smoothly, and warm air wrapped around their faces.
Inside, the store felt cozy—a stark contrast to the cold winter outside, with familiar lighting and the signature scent of a convenience store.
Yeonwoo naturally walked toward the refrigerators.
She scanned the drinks for a moment before effortlessly picking up a warm canned coffee.
As she wrapped her fingers around the can, a gentle warmth spread through her palm.
“What about you, Junseok?”
She asked without much thought, and Junseok, after a brief hesitation, picked up the same canned coffee.
“This one.”
Yeonwoo let out a small laugh at that.
“What, are you copying me?”
“I just felt like drinking the same thing.”
Junseok replied nonchalantly and walked toward the counter to pay.
Yeonwoo paused for a moment, watching him.
It was just a drink choice, but for some reason, it made her feel strangely sentimental.
Caught in an inexplicable emotion, she slowly followed after him.
After paying, they stepped back outside and sat on a bench.
The streetlights sparkled in the night, and though the air was chilly against their skin, the warmth of the canned coffee in their hands made it more bearable.
Yeonwoo held the can between her palms and slowly rotated it, feeling the warmth.
Then, absentmindedly, she looked at Junseok sitting next to her.
“…Junseok.”
“Hm?”
He turned to look at her.
The streetlamp cast a soft glow on his face.
His warm gaze—the same as always when he looked at her.
At that moment, Yeonwoo’s heart skipped a beat.
He wasn’t even that close.
She had merely called his name, and he had turned to look.
And yet, for some reason—it was suddenly hard to meet his eyes.
Yeonwoo quickly averted her gaze, staring down at the can in her hands.
Her fingers fumbled awkwardly with it.
“Today… was fun.”
She whispered.
It was the truth.
Awkward and unfamiliar as it had been, every moment—playing games at the arcade, focusing seriously on winning the doll—the more she thought about it, the warmer her heart felt.
Even with her lost memories, it was amazing that she could still have moments like this.
And more than anything—being with Junseok felt strangely comfortable.
“Me too.”
He responded softly, as if it were obvious.
“Spending time like this with you, Yeonwoo…it was a special day for me.”
A special day.
The words settled gently in her ears.
A special day.
Her fingertips twitched slightly.
For him, was this moment truly that important?
For Yeonwoo, it was just another ordinary day—the first normal experience she had had since losing her memories.
But for Junseok, was it different?
That thought made her heart ache in an unfamiliar way.
She suppressed her confused emotions and idly tapped the can with her fingertips.
Then,gathering a bit of courage, she spoke carefully.
“…Then, should we go together next time too?”
The moment she said it, her heart sank.
Was she being too forward?
What if he felt pressured?
Should she just play it off as a joke?
A flurry of thoughts ran through her mind.
And yet—she couldn’t help but hope.
Junseok looked at her, momentarily surprised.
A brief silence.
Yeonwoo nervously clenched the can in her hands.
Then, a slow smile appeared on his lips.
“Sure.”
Junseok said gently.
“Let’s go together next time, too.”
At those words, Yeonwoo’s lips trembled slightly.
An indescribable feeling swelled in her chest.
What was this?
She quietly wrapped her hands around the can.
The warmth from it felt unusually strong.
She nodded slightly.
And then, she finally realized.
Even if she had lost her memories—this feeling could bloom again.
If this was love.
“Hehehe… Ahaha.”
Yeonwoo laughed, because she found it amusing how easily she could fall in love.
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