( T1 / Sillim-dong Alleyway ⌚ 14:23 / Sunday, September 9th )

The lazy afternoon sunlight slanted across the alleyway.
A Yorkshire Terrier came running playfully from afar.
An all-too-familiar shadow following behind entered Byeol's field of vision.

That person wore their usual bright smile.
Byeol's eyes widened instinctively.

Actually, he didn't like dogs.
Not the barking, not the wagging tails, not the touch of a damp nose.

All of it felt like excessive noise and a strange discomfort to his senses.
But Byeol didn't let that show.
In this moment, he liked that radiant smile so much that he simply swallowed the truth lingering in his mouth.

"Ttotto! Come here! ...Huh? ...Byeol? Right? It's been a long time!"

The person greeted him brightly while scooping the Yorkshire Terrier into their arms.
The dog growled, flicking its small tongue.
Byeol struggled to maintain a smile as he looked at the dog.
The corners of his mouth were forced upward. In truth, he hated dogs.
There was only his hypocritical self, clinging to Noona's smile.

Han Byeol | "...Wow, it's cute."

The moment he tried to force a smile, the edge of his lip twitched.
He pulled a Marlboro Red from his pocket and expertly placed it between his lips.
As soon as he lit it, bitter smoke billowed out.
The white smoke scattered into the blue sky, masking his expression.
Like the cigarette smoke, he wished the lies in his heart would just scatter and disappear.