Scarlet Strings.

Chapter 17:

As Scarlet and Ha-neul exited the café, the afternoon sun bathed the cobblestone street in a warm, golden glow. They walked side by side, their conversation light but carrying an undercurrent of familiarity that neither could quite place. Ha-neul's car was parked a little farther away, and Scarlet's secretary, Christine, was on her way with Scarlet's vehicle.

While they waited, Scarlet spotted a young boy on the corner of the street. He couldn't have been more than twelve, his clothes slightly worn but his smile bright as he held up a Polaroid camera. A small sign next to him read, "Photos for a cause... help me help my family."

Scarlet's heart softened instantly. Without a second thought, she turned to Ha-neul, her eyes sparkling. "Let's help him," she said.

Ha-neul blinked, slightly taken aback but curious. "How?"

Scarlet gestured toward the boy. "Let's take some pictures."

Before he could protest, she walked over to the boy and crouched to his level. "Hi, can you take pictures of us?" she asked gently.

The boy's face lit up. "Yes, ma'am! Thank you so much!"

Scarlet waved Ha-neul over, and though he looked slightly flustered, he complied, standing next to her.

"Ready?" the boy asked, positioning the camera.

Scarlet smiled brightly for the first shot, but Ha-neul found his gaze drawn to her instead of the lens. His heart tightened as he watched the way her hair caught the sunlight and how her lips curved into a smile.

The boy snapped the first picture, then a second. Scarlet decided to change it up, leaning slightly toward Ha-neul for the third photo. Unconsciously, he tilted toward her, their shoulders brushing.

By the fourth picture, Ha-neul was laughing softly at Scarlet's playful antics as she made an exaggerated pout. For the fifth, she gestured for him to strike a confident pose, and though he rolled his eyes, he complied.

Finally, for the sixth picture, Scarlet glanced at him with a grin. "Do something natural," she said. Ha-neul didn't have to think twice. His expression softened as he gazed at her with unfiltered admiration.

The boy handed them the Polaroids, and Scarlet paid him generously. "Thank you," she said, patting his head gently.

"Thank you, ma'am!" the boy replied cheerfully, running off to show his family the earnings.

Scarlet turned to Ha-neul and split the photos in half, handing three to him. "Here," she said, her tone casual but her eyes warm.

Ha-neul took the photos, his fingers brushing hers briefly. He glanced down at the images, his heart swelling as he saw how carefree and happy Scarlet looked in them. "I think the tradition is going on," he said with a small smile.

Scarlet tilted her head. "Tradition?"

He chuckled. "Whenever we meet, somehow, we end up with pictures together. Venice, the restaurant yesterday, and now this."

Scarlet laughed softly. "I guess you're right. Maybe it's a sign."

Ha-neul's heart skipped a beat at her words. "A sign of what?" he thought, but he quickly brushed it aside.

Scarlet glanced at him thoughtfully. "By the way, do you have your hotel's structure plan with you? I'd like to get a head start on the designs."

Ha-neul shook his head. "No, I don't have it with me right now, but I can show it to you the next time we meet."