fragments of forever | han yujin zb1

chapter 2 : unspoken longings

from the very beginning, aejung felt a special bond with her group of friends. it all started in primary school, where they formed an inseparable bond that only grew stronger over the years. they shared countless memories together, from playground adventures to classroom antics. as they transitioned to high school, their friendship endured, and they found themselves navigating the challenges of adolescence together.

among her friends, aejung found herself drawn closer to yujin. their friendship blossomed outside of school, fueled by shared interests and mutual trust. yujin became a regular visitor to aejung's house, and she welcomed him with open arms each time. they spent hours together, laughing, talking, and simply enjoying each other's company.

one of the highlights of their time together was meeting terry, yujin's beloved dog. aejung had heard countless stories about terry, and finally meeting him in person was a joyous occasion. terry quickly became a beloved member of their friendship circle, adding an extra layer of warmth and companionship to their gatherings.

yujin and aejung spent countless hours together, their friendship blossoming within the cozy confines of each other's homes and the bustling halls of their school. whether they were exploring the neighborhood on their bikes, sharing secrets under the shade of a tree, or huddled together in a corner of the library, their bond only grew stronger with each passing day.

but as aejung entered middle school, she began to notice a subtle shift in her feelings towards yujin. it started with a fluttering sensation in her chest whenever he flashed her that lopsided grin or brushed against her hand in passing. at first, she dismissed it as nothing more than nerves or excitement, but as time went on, the fluttering grew stronger, more insistent, until it became impossible to ignore.

one day, during a particularly intense bout of butterflies, aejung found herself overcome with dizziness and nausea in the middle of class. she raised her hand and asked to be excused, her heart racing with anxiety as she stumbled out of the room. her teacher, concerned for her well-being, escorted her to the school nurse, who promptly called aejung's parents to come pick her up.

as aejung sat in the car with her parents, she felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to find the words to explain what had happened. finally, with tears streaming down her face, she blurted out the truth—that she had developed feelings for yujin, feelings that she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried.

to her surprise, her parents responded with nothing but understanding and compassion. they reassured her that what she was experiencing was perfectly normal—that it was okay to have feelings for someone, even if those feelings were confusing and overwhelming.

with their support, aejung felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she realized that she wasn't alone in her feelings. she knew that she still had a long journey ahead of her, but for the first time, she felt hopeful that she would find a way to navigate the complexities of love and friendship.

now to present day in highschool aejung's mind buzzed with thoughts of yujin, her heart skipping a beat every time his name crossed her mind. she found herself lost in a whirlwind of emotions, her feelings for him consuming her thoughts day and night.

the familiar rhythm of their teacher's voice filled the room, accompanied by the soft melody of their classmates practicing their instruments. in the midst of the subdued atmosphere, yujin's voice broke through, cutting through the quiet like a beacon

"you okay aejung?" he asked, his brow furrowed with worry. aejung blinked, snapping out of her reverie as she nodded quickly in response.

"yeah, i'm fine," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper. she turned her attention back to her work, hoping to distract herself from the tumultuous feelings swirling inside her.

as the class continued, aejung found herself caught up in conversation with her friends, their voices blending together in a comforting cacophony. they discussed their upcoming assignments, shared stories from their weekend adventures, and joked with one another as they worked through their theory exercises.

but as the final bell rang, signaling the start of recess, aejung's thoughts once again drifted back to yujin. she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—that her carefully constructed facade was beginning to crumble, revealing the depth of her feelings for him.

yujin & beomseok hastily gathered their belongings & rose from their seats, but aejung remained engrossed in her theory work, oblivious to the chiming of the bell.

"you guys can head off to the cafeteria, me & aejung will stay here for a bit," boreum informed them, her voice tinged with concern. yujin & beomseok nodded in acknowledgment before departing, leaving aejung and boreum alone in the classroom.

"girl are you good?" boreum inquired, her brows knit with worry as she waved a hand in front of aejung's face. startled, aejung glanced up, her focus abruptly shifting from her work to boreum's concerned expression.

"yeah i am, why?" aejung responded, her voice slightly distracted as she hastily packed up her belongings.

"you seem so... out of it," boreum remarked, her concern deepening as she observed aejung's distant demeanor.

"it's nothing much," aejung replied simply as she followed boreum out of the classroom, her footsteps echoing softly against the tiled floor.

"don't lie, it's yujin again isn't it," boreum stated matter-of-factly, her tone laced with understanding. aejung let out a weary sigh in response, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"i just can't help it, i don't know how he can't see how much i like him," aejung confessed, her voice tinged with frustration and longing. she cast a glance at boreum, seeking solace in her friend's understanding gaze.

"same thing per usual, you haven't told him," boreum pointed out, her tone gentle yet firm. "that's why nothing has been progressing for the past couple of years!" she exclaimed, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

aejung's eyes widened in alarm as boreum's words hit home. quickly, she reached out and covered boreum's mouth with her hand. "you're so loud!" aejung chided playfully, removing her hand from boreum's mouth.

"okay sorry," boreum quickly replied, her expression softening as she sensed aejung's distress.

"i just don't know what to do, it's getting harder to hide my feelings everyday," aejung confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. she glanced at boreum, hoping for some semblance of guidance.

"it feels like i'm always longing for him, you know?" aejung continued, her words laden with a mix of yearning and resignation. she searched boreum's eyes for understanding, finding comfort in the shared sentiment.

"yeah, for too long," boreum responded, her eyes rolling in mock exasperation. despite her teasing, she couldn't help but chuckle along with aejung, their laughter mingling in the air.

"i'll figure something out," aejung declared, determination shining in her eyes as they made their way to the cafeteria. scanning the lunch line for yujin and beomseok, they quickly spotted them and joined them, the warmth of friendship enveloping them all.

"thanks for the free spot," boreum chuckled, sliding into place beside yujin as aejung laughed in agreement, the weight of her worries momentarily lifted by the camaraderie of her friends.

"you both are so impatient," yujin teased, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he observed boreum and aejung's eager antics. beside him, beomseok chuckled, his laughter echoing through the bustling cafeteria.

but then, yujin's gaze shifted to aejung, concern flickering in his eyes. "you okay though?" he inquired, his voice gentle and reassuring, as he reached out to her with a warm smile. aejung met his gaze, her own smile radiant as she nodded in response.

"just hungry," aejung replied, her voice laced with mirth as she giggled happily, the weight of her worries momentarily forgotten in the company of her friends. together, the four of them retrieved their meal trays and settled at an empty table, the chatter of the cafeteria fading into the background as they enjoyed each other's company.