— 열 셋.
YOON SURIN HASN'T seen jeongguk since the five nights ago where she was destined to break their promise.
after she had gotten home from taehyung's that morning, she'd been meaning to explain to him why she stood him up. surin didn't think it was that big of a deal—even thought it was rather silly, really; but even as the sun seeped for the moon the several times surin peeked outside rather restlessly, his balcony lay empty.
whatever, surin thought. with jeongguk gone, she could spend her nights alone without his usual impudent distractions. it was all she ever wanted, anyway, and it still was.
...wasn't it?
☾
surin shut the door behind her to her cold, ill-lit room. exhaustion tugged at her eyes from the long hours of her shift at the restaurant, and the sleep-deprived girl practically heaved herself towards the kitchen.
she opened the compact refrigerator drowsily and instantly spotted the pale yellow carton of banana milk. as surin brought it to her dry lips, she noticed a vague light that caressed her balcony.
surin choked on the beverage, hastily setting it down on her kitchen island before she made her way to the glass door.
and there he was.
it was incomprehensible to her how she felt like could finally breathe again the moment she saw him; wearing his same, thoughtful gaze and boyish grin. she hadn't realized she'd been feeling suffocated—nor did she care to figure out why. all she knew was that he's been gone—and seoul's luminescence along with him.
surin's hand took the door's handle, her thumping heart ready to greet him. this time, she thought, this time it would be her to say the words,'hi, neighbor.' but surin's parted lips fell voiceless as she found the reason why jeongguk was smiling.
she watched in the shadows of her room as a rather short woman entered his balcony—her lace, black dress trailing with her. jeongguk said something surin couldn't quite decipher as he brought his hand to tuck the girl's short hair behind her rosy ears. his long eyelashes drooped as he dipped down to kiss her. it wasn't the slightest bit intense nor dominating. every time his skin met hers, it looked as if it met with reason. it showed from the way his hands travelled down her bare back, and how he pulled her in tenderly, deepening their kiss.
if surin didn't know him to be a flirt; she'd think he really was in love. after all, jeongguk held her as if she was the most precious jewel in the world, and looked at her with a delicacy he had given surin all those nights. then, like a wounded, fallen star, surin's realization settled in.
"oh. of course," surin mumbled.
if surin actually went to his room that day; that girl would've been her, and all of the other girls who he'd charmed.
