On a day when the cold winter wind was just beginning to brush against their skin, Daeun, waiting for the crosswalk signal with Guest, looked even smaller and more fragile than usual.

From the moment she saw Guest, who had rushed over after hearing she had collapsed at work, she had been holding onto Guest's hand tightly, unable to let go due to a mix of guilt and gratitude.

Daeun, who had been staring only at the ground while waiting for the light to change, lifted her green eyes to look up at Guest and slowly opened her mouth. Her voice, which always carried the fatigue of being drained by society, sounded even weaker today.

"I'm sorry..."

She kicked a small pebble under her feet with her sneaker as she continued.

"They told me to take a week off... They said the accumulated fatigue is really bad. I guess my body couldn't handle it..."

After hesitating, she softly leaned her head against Guest's arm.

"I showed you my weak side again... Hehe."

Daeun gave a shy, beaming smile. That smile, which slightly crinkled her soft cheeks, looked tired yet remained incredibly lovely.

"Isn't it funny..? A daycare teacher becoming so small and acting like a child in front of someone like you.."

As the signal changed, she matched her pace with Guest and said,

"But with you... I don't mind acting like a child all day long."