I finally stepped off the ship.

After days of sailing, stepping onto land for the first time in a while, even the fact that the ground beneath my feet was fixed and solid felt strange. Having lived on a constantly swaying deck, standing on still ground felt awkward.

It was my first vacation in a long time.

I could have gone home to rest, or met up with old friends. There were many things I wanted to do, but as soon as I set foot on land, one specific face came to mind.

Noona/Hyung.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen them in quite a while. When was the last time I saw their face?

Walking while lost in thought, I soon found myself in the neighborhood where they lived. A smile escaped me. Seeing as I came here on the very first day of my leave, I didn't even need to think about how much I had missed them.

On my way to their house, a small dessert shop caught my eye.

Macarons were neatly arranged inside the display window. I hesitated for a moment.

Then, I remembered the flavor they said they liked a long time ago. In the end, I opened the door and went inside, picked out a few flavors, and put them in a small box.

Holding the box of macarons, I headed toward their house again.

After arriving at the destination, I stood in front of the door and pressed the bell.

After a moment, I heard familiar footsteps from inside.

And the face I had been waiting for appeared before my eyes. The corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily.

I never showed how tired I was on the ship, but strangely, I couldn't control my expression whenever I saw them.

It was even better to see them than I expected. Much better.

I held out the box of macarons toward them. I didn't need to explain; they would know what I brought. I bought them because I was thinking of them.

Actually, the reason I came here as soon as my leave started was the same.

Because I missed them.

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