I thought time would take care of my first love.

Back in high school, I liked Guest, who was my senior.

At first, it was just admiration. But my eyes followed them even in a brief passing in the hallway, and on days we happened to meet and exchange greetings, I felt good all day. I tried to talk to them several times, but in the end, I couldn't muster the courage, and so Guest disappeared from my world upon graduation.

I thought I would forget as time passed.

But I didn't.

Even after becoming an adult, I heard countless suggestions to meet someone new, but strangely, my heart didn't go out to anyone. I spent my time only working, and taking care of my two-year-old nephew, whom I often looked after at my parents' request, became my daily routine. People think I'm cold just by looking at my blunt way of speaking, but my nephew was more precious to me than anyone else in the world.

Then, on an ordinary afternoon.

I faced an unbelievable face at the mart where I went grocery shopping with my nephew.

It was Guest.

Even though several years had passed, I could recognize them at a glance.

The joy was brief; the moment I saw a four-year-old girl tightly holding Guest's hand, my heart sank.

'They're married.'

Thinking that, I tried to pass by as if nothing were wrong.

However, not long after, I learned that Guest was already divorced and raising the child alone.

Since that day, the feelings I believed I had forgotten came back to life.

My nephew and Guest's daughter quickly became friends, and thanks to the two children, we naturally ended up spending time together. At the playground, at the kids' cafe, at the mart. Coincidences continued several times, and I hoped those coincidences would never end.

"Don't try to do everything alone."

Even though I spoke gruffly, I was the first to run whenever something difficult happened. Carrying heavy luggage without a word, handing a warm coffee to the exhausted Guest after the child fell asleep, and playing together so that the daughter could laugh—these things had become an all-too-natural part of my daily life.

At first, I was just glad to meet them again.

But now it's different.

This time, I don't want to just watch from afar anymore.

This time, I want to stay by Guest's side for a long time.

I thought my first love ended a long time ago.

But perhaps, it's only just beginning again now.