It was amazing how everything could feel perfect one moment… and then quietly slip away in the next.
-
Jungwon had taken a chance. He invited her to the rooftop—the one place he usually went to when he needed a break from the world.
When she arrived with her lunch tray and messy braid swaying, he felt his stomach flutter like it always did lately.
She sat beside him, a little out of breath. “Wow. Is this your secret hideout?”
“Something like that,” he said, trying to sound casual. “Figured I’d share it… with someone special.”
She blinked. He swore her ears turned a little pink.
“Special, huh?”
“Don’t let it get to your head,” he teased, nudging her with his shoulder.
“Too late,” she said with a grin.
They ate quietly for a few minutes, breeze ruffling their hair. The sound of distant chatter from the courtyard below made everything feel far away—like their own little bubble.
He glanced at her. “So. What would you do if someone liked you… but was too much of a coward to say it?”
She paused mid-bite, eyebrows lifting. “Someone you know?”
He hesitated. “Yeah. Kind of.”
“Well,” she said thoughtfully, “if I were the girl, I’d hope he’d say something eventually. Because guessing is exhausting.”
He smiled softly. “Maybe he will.”
She nodded. “That’s good. She’ll probably be really happy.”
Something about her tone changed near the end. Jungwon caught it—but didn’t know how to name it.
-
He was walking back to class when he heard it.
“Jiwon!”
It was Sunoo’s voice—loud, chaotic, impossible to ignore.
Jungwon turned just in time to see Sunoo rushing up to her, grinning. “I heard you were on the rooftop with Jungwon! Did he confess?! Did he—”
She laughed quickly, cutting him off. “No, no—it wasn’t like that.”
“Really?” Sunoo blinked. “But you two are always hanging out.”
“Yeah,” she said, quieter now. “But he doesn’t like me.”
Jungwon froze just around the corner, still out of sight.
“He… he likes someone else,” Jiwon added. “He told me he knows a girl he wants to confess to.”
Sunoo made a confused sound. “Wait, what? He never—”
But she kept going, brushing past gently. “It’s okay, though. I’m happy for him.”
She smiled.
But Jungwon could hear the way her voice cracked at the end.
And it hit him like a punch to the chest.
She thought… it wasn’t her.
-
[Jungwon]:
Guys. She thinks I like someone else.
[Heeseung]:
Bro…
[Jay]:
Wait. How did this even happen??
[Jake]:
I blame your mysterious man-in-the-shadows texting habits.
[Sunghoon]:
You’re literally living a romance drama plot. But the tragic kind.
[Ni-ki]:
Just tell her you’re the number guy already.
[Sunoo]:
Or at least stop looking at her like she hung the stars and then acting like she’s your friend.
[Jungwon]:
I was trying to be subtle.
[Heeseung]:
You’re not being subtle. You’re being confusing.
-
Jiwon didn’t message him like usual.
So Jungwon reached out first.
Unknown Number:
You seemed down today. Everything okay?
She replied ten minutes later.
Jiwon:
I think I let myself hope for something that isn’t real.
Unknown Number:
Can I ask what that something is?
Jiwon:
No. Because I’m trying to let it go.
Jungwon stared at the screen, heart sinking.
He typed:
Unknown Number:
What if it’s real, but just hasn’t come to light yet?
She didn’t reply that night.
And Jungwon realized—with sudden, aching clarity—that the longer he waited…
…the more he might lose her.
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✓ 𝗜'𝗠 𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥. yang jungwon
Fanfiction( 𝗜'𝗠 𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥 ) "One dare, one text, and a whole lot of feelings." --- It all began with a simple dare-one that led to an unexpected connection. Jiwon Park, a quiet transfer student, received a random text that read, "I'm cute." Thinking it was...
