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A small bonfire almost burned out. Pyo Chi Soo and Kim Ju Muk were arguing about something in an undertone, so tongue-tied that it was unclear how they managed to understand each other. Park Kwang Beom occasionally got into this argument with short remarks, which meant he was almost as drunk as they were, but managed to seem the most sober as usual.
Ri Jeong Hyeok was looking into the clear night sky above his head and thinking. Well, more precisely, he was looking into the sky not to look at Yoon Se Ri. Because that evening she was even more beautiful than usual. She had fun, telling some funny stories, playing words with Chi Soo. She laughed to tears to all their jokes, and her cheeks were flushing with soju. And her lips…
When Ju Muk poured her soju for the first time, she tasted it incredulously and licked her lips with the tip of her tongue. «Sweet», she said in surprise. And that was it. From that moment on, he could not think of anything else.
Sweet. So soft and sweet, so good ... So good she could not read his mind.
That night she stroked his head, and her palms were warm and tender. Her fingers was trembling and her heart was pounding in fear. He wanted to embrace her and never let her go ...
– Comrade captain, – Geum Eun Dong called softly.
– M? – Jeon Hyeok shook his head and turned. – What's the matter, private?
Eun Dong pointed to the platform where philosophical discussions were still ongoing:
– Sister Se Ri. It seems, she's about to fall asleep.
Yoon Se Ri was listening to the argument, propping her cheek with her hand and closing her eyes lazily. And at the same time she managed to seem even more beautiful.
…
When he returned after escorting his subordinates almost to the barracks to sober up, Yoon Se Ri was dozing above the kitchen table in the candlelight, resting her elbows on the table to maintain balance. And it was breathtaking to just look at her, sleepy.
– Ri Jeong Hyeok, is that you? – She muttered without opening her eyes.
– Yes it's me, – he answered quietly, crouching beside her. – Why are you still awake?
– I was busy washing my face.
– All this time?
– The water is cold, – she finally opened her eyes and looked at him as if that was the explanation for everything. – Anyway ... How do I know where to sleep?
– In the bedroom.
Se Ri sighed and closed her eyes again.
– It's so far away ... I'd rather sleep here ...
She was capricious again. Like a child, Jeong Hyeok thought. This thought seemed salutary. A small capricious child was much safer than a capricious woman. With soft and sweet lips ...
He shook his head.
– Yoon Se Ri, you will be cold here.
– Then don't leave. It’s warm with you, – she said, without opening her eyes, and smiled faintly.
His cheeks flashed. His ears too. And pretty much everything. So she knew that last night he really returned ... to the bedroom ...
«So what? I just laid near the edge sleeping».
No, not sleeping. For some reason, it was completely impossible to sleep next to her.
– Ri Jeong Hyeok?
– M?
– Have you really decided not to leave? – She snorted softly.
He did not answer, because he did not know how to answer.
– Hey? – called Se Ri.
– What?
She opened her eyes with visible effort and shook her head.
– Sorry, Ri Jeong Hyeok. I'm too drunk. My legs refuse to walk.
At least this was not an incomprehensible whim. At least he knew what he could do. Take her in his arms and carry her to the bedroom – like he did the day before. And never think about it later.
Se Ri only gasped softly from surprise, clutching at his shoulders, and then giggled again:
– It would be better if you warned me like you did that night, Ri Jeong Hyeok.
– You may reprimand me for this tomorrow.
– Tomorrow I won't even remember that. It’s always like this for me: if I drink too much, in the morning I don’t even remember why there was a party ...
Diffused cold light fell from the windows in the dark bedroom. Se Ri slipped under the covers and moved closer to the wall, as if she was making room for him. And for some reason it made him feel hot.
– I … – It was somehow difficult to speak. – That candle in the kitchen ...
She snorted.
– Save it and come back to me.
…
Jeong Hyeok put out the candle, splashed some cold water in his face, and went outside. The sky was still clear and cloudless.
«Come back», she said. As if she promised, she won’t fall asleep until he comes. Until he lies down next to her to spend the whole night looking at her in the darkness. Looking at her hair scattered on the pillow, at the shadows of her eyelashes on her cheeks. At her parted lips ... «I won’t even remember», she said.
No. He firmly decided that he would sleep in the living room on the floor. He would just go into the bedroom before that to see if she was sleeping ...
Se Ri was sleeping, her thick hair scattered on the pillow, shadows lay on her cheeks, and her lips were parted. The locks of her hair lay in his palms without his assistance. They smelled of campfire smoke and some flowers. Her lips were wet and sweet. Her fingers were soft and tender.
She stroked his cheek and whispered:
– Jeong Hyeok, embrace me.
– I can't … – he answered quietly.
– Why?
– You will leave anyway ...
– I'll leave, – she agreed. – That's why I want to know you.
– Stop that ...
– I want to remember what it feels like ...
– Se Ri ...
– ... when you are mine.
He exhaled with a groan.
– Ri Jeong Hyeok? – Se Ri called to him right away. – Are you okay?
He opened his eyes and met her anxious gaze.
– Did you have a nightmare? – She laid her palm on his forehead. – You seem to have a fever.
He realized what had happened, and it fell upon him like a cold shower. He gritted his teeth for a couple of moments, and then took a deep breath.
– I'm fine, Yoon Se Ri.
– Really?
– Really. Sorry to interrupt your sleep.
– It's okay, – she grunted. – For some reason, I quickly fall asleep next to you. Just imagine, at home I would need to take pills ...
She laid her head on the pillow, stayed silent for a minute, and then said sleepily:
– Your hair smells of campfire smoke ...
...
In the morning, Se Ri left the bedroom before she even truly woke up, attracted by the smell of coffee. She stuck her nose into the mug he handed to her. She raised her happy eyes ...
And then for some reason she gave him her heart, and everything became a thousand times more complicated.