Park Jonggun wasn't really used to being on the receiving end of gift.

If he wanted something, he usually just went ahead and got it himself; he had this knack for taking matters into his own hands. So, it caught Jonggun a little off guard when Ariana handed him a frame.

Her gaze remained steady as she focused on the notebook Jonggun was carrying. Right there, on a small piece of paper, was a signature right next to his name.

Unintentionally, Jonggun found himself going on and on about Praktak for a solid three hours. Sometimes, he couldn't help but get carried away when talking about something he was really into. With a mouthful of takoyaki, Ariana hung onto every word of Jonggun's story about his beloved Muay Thai expert.

It was quite a surprise to see the usually self-centered and somewhat cruel Shiro Oni bend down and ask for Praktak's autograph. If Ariana hadn't seen it for herself, she might not have believed it.

“That guy from earlier, do you know him? Are you a fan of his? How could ....” Ariana had always thought Jonggun was pretty much wrapped up in his own world, but as it turned out, even someone like him could be genuinely impressed by someone else. It was clear from the way Jonggun was speaking so politely (Ariana couldn't remember him ever speaking formally to anyone before). He was definitely taken with the Thai immigrant.

That one question led to a long conversation about a street fighter. A retired Muay Thai expert who left the ring early after accidentally causing the death of his opponent. Jonggun talked about Praktak as if he had read an entire biography about the Thai man and had watched every single one of his matches. There was even a whole hour where Ariana patiently listened to Jonggun rave about Praktak's right thigh—a deadly weapon in its own right—and another hour where he recounted the story of Praktak's favorite match.

“This is something really special to me.” Jonggun held onto his notebook with a look of reverence. His happiness might not have been blatantly obvious on his usually impassive face, but the way he said those words really struck a chord with Ariana.

The blue-eyed girl gestured toward Praktak's autograph. “Want to put it in a frame? I can make a frame for you, so it'll last longer.”

Ariana Ochikage's interest had never ventured into the world of martial arts, but she always paid close attention and remembered every time Jonggun shared his passion. She knew how to make someone feel valued.

“I'd love that,” Jonggun agreed with a nod, then handed over his precious possession to Ariana.

Little did Ariana know, that handmade frame held immeasurable value in the eyes of Park Jonggun. His first handmade gift.

***

Pertamakali ditulis pada Agustus 2023 di Notion.

Gambar adalah karya oleh Sylc0 (twt)