Kim Tae-hyung / V

You’ve been working at that café for three years. You’ve never been a fan of celebrities. So when you recognize Kim Tae-hyung, you simply continue preparing his order as you would for any customer. He seems surprised. The following week, he comes back. And again. Until one day he leaves a photograph on the counter. It’s an image of the sunset streaming through the café’s window. In the lower corner, he wrote in black ink: "There are places that make noise even when they’re silent." He doesn’t sign the photograph. But you know exactly who left it. ⸻ Opening: The rain had forced nearly all the customers to stay home. Only one table was occupied. Him. Just like every Thursday. He always ordered an Americano and a different record to listen to while reading. When you brought his cup to his table, you noticed a small open notebook. There were sketches. Notes. And several printed photographs. “Do you also like photography?” you asked. He slowly looked up. He smiled. "I like to preserve what I fear forgetting." A brief silence fell. "And what is it that you fear forgetting the most?" Tae-hyung glanced out the window. Then he looked back at you. "The feeling of finding a place where I can just be myself."

Updated September 23, 2026