Simmering Heat Chapter 2.1

“Mom!”

The iron front door slammed against the wall, creating a loud noise. An even louder voice followed. It was the kind of voice that sounded like it could boil a train’s chimney. It was so loud that if a noise complaint came in, one would have to meekly bow their head, but at that moment, such things didn’t matter to Taeun.

“You brat, how many times have I told you not to open the door like that!”

But the only one who was serious was Taeun. His mother, lying on the living room sofa and venting her frustration, completely shut down Taeun’s ability to speak. What the heck, is this a hidden camera prank? A fleeting, silly thought crossed his mind and vanished. No way… Sure, their household was a bit rough around the edges, but his parents weren’t the type to tease him like this. Snapping back to reality, Taeun, puffing like a steam locomotive, flung the flyer in his right hand to the floor.

“What’s this, this paper!”

The paper, thrown with all the force of his anger, fluttered softly and landed gently on the floor. The delicate motion made Taeun’s rage feel oddly comical. A middle-aged woman, lying sideways and peeling a tangerine, rolled her eyes to glance at the fallen flyer. Unlike Taeun, who was fuming, her expression was utterly relaxed.

“Didn’t your dad tell you? That guy… I told him to talk to you first.”

“…For real?”

At the jaw-dropping response, Taeun felt the strength drain from his legs. Srrrkk. His knees buckled on their own, and soon his entire body collapsed. His slumped figure looked as pitiful as a defeated fighter in a match.

“Lee Taeun, get up right now! And… you crazy kid. Why did you tear this down? Do you know how hard it was for me to put these up everywhere? Go stick it back up tomorrow when you’re out!”

A barrage of nagging poured down on Taeun, who was propping himself up on the floor with his head bowed.

The woman wasn’t delicate enough to understand her son’s turmoil. Swallowing the last piece of tangerine and getting up, she mercilessly smacked the back of her son, who lay there like a grieving widow. The sound alone was enough to sting, but Taeun felt nothing. His mother’s touch, her sharp voice—they all faded into the distance. He slowly recalled, once again, the contents of the flyer he had thrown.

🔥

For rent: 380 million won. Hansol Apartment, Building 107, Unit 1208. 34 pyeong.

Modernly remodeled, very clean.

3 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms / living room / balcony, utility room included.

Urgently listed, priced below market value. Please contact.

010 – 0878 – xxxx

The text on the white paper was neat.

It was a typical real estate flyer, nothing problematic about it. Except for the fact that the phone number at the bottom was his mother’s, and Hansol Apartment, Building 107, Unit 1208 was his home. Taeun whipped his head up, eyes wide.

“Why are you putting our house up for sale?”

The incident had started about ten minutes earlier, at the entrance of the alley on his way home.

Having been discharged from the military and preparing to return to university for his third year’s first semester, Lee Taeun was enjoying free and leisurely days. His life followed two main patterns: lying in bed or lying in a PC bang chair. His family handled minor household chores on a rotating duty system, so the days Taeun was home were usually his turn.

And today was his day to lounge in a PC bang chair. After spending the whole day gaming with friends, Taeun finally stepped outside in the late afternoon, rolling his creaky shoulders.

Why was it? A flyer that he would normally have passed by caught his eye so vividly. Taeun thought it was a stroke of luck. If he had ignored it, his house might have been gone without him knowing. The moment he saw the absurd flyer, Taeun bolted home. That was the whole story.

“Ugh, so loud. Hurry up, change, and wash up, you punk! And I told you to clean your room ages ago—look at that mess. A pigsty would be cleaner than that. Wash yourself and your room. Got it?”

“…”

Taeun knelt there, unmoving. His round head spun furiously, trying to process the situation.

Why is she so calm about this?

As he spoke, his anger flared, but his mother’s bold, unfazed demeanor left Taeun speechless. He awkwardly got up. Kicking off his shoes haphazardly, he trudged toward the sofa, his eyes darting nervously. The confusion in his movements gradually subsided.

“No way…”

“…”

“Did our house… go bankrupt?”

Yeah, that had to be it. Why else would they suddenly put the house up? It was the only conclusion Lee Taeun’s limited perspective could reach.

At her son’s grave expression, the woman burst into a hollow laugh, her face saying she was dumbfounded. Taeun didn’t care and glared at her. They must’ve borrowed money from some shady place and lost it all. They’re probably trying to rent out the house to put out the immediate fire. In his mind, loan sharks and foreclosure notices were already swarming.

“What kind of bad luck are you talking about? Wanna get hit?”

“…Don’t hide it. I’m part of this family too.”

“Oh my… That’s actually hilarious.”

Despite his mother’s mockery, Taeun’s expression didn’t soften. She gazed at her son, who was clearly spinning wild scenarios in his head. If she left him like this, he’d sing a whole saga, complete with a refrain.

“Your dad’s company apparently landed a good contract with an overseas factory. But it’s not a simple matter—looks like we’ll have to go there. I’m going with him. You know your dad can’t live without me, right?”

Even after over 20 years of marriage, he’s still the same. So annoying. Despite her words, her expression seemed oddly proud.

“We’ll need some extra cash to go there… and leaving the house empty in Korea is a waste, so we decided to put it up.”

As the long explanation ended, Taeun quietly retracted his suspicious gaze.

Dad’s company, contract, overseas factory…

The words from his mother’s mouth floated around him and faded. So, things turned out well, huh? That’s about how much Taeun understood.

“So, we’re not ruined?”

“I told you we’re not. Say ‘ruined’ or anything like that one more time, and I’ll smack your mouth shut.”

Taeun instinctively raised his hand to cover his mouth. Having had his mouth grabbed countless times since childhood, he knew all too well how painful his mother’s grip could be.

His heart, which had sunk to his toes, slowly crawled back to its place. Overseas, huh. The unexpected answer was disorienting, but knowing they weren’t ruined was a relief. Finally calming down a bit, Taeun grumbled inwardly. They could’ve told me this earlier… Sometimes he wondered if he was really part of this family—like right now, for instance. Mom and Dad probably said, “I’ll tell him,” “No, I’ll tell him,” and both forgot. It wasn’t the first time, so he could easily guess how it happened.

But there was something else he was curious about.

“So, am I going too?”

His thoughts were simple. If the house was gone, he’d go with them, right? But leaving had its complications. School was starting soon, and he’d already completed his re-enrollment.

“You haven’t even graduated—where do you think you’re going? You’re staying in school.”

“…What? Where am I supposed to live?”

“They must’ve figured something out. We got you a place near your school. I was gonna tell you when you got home today.”

“Live on my own?!”

Before she finished, Taeun’s face lit up dramatically. It was a natural reaction.

For two years since starting college, he’d endured a three-hour round-trip commute. After three months of that, Taeun had begged to live on his own. But his parents always shut him down cold. He’d even staged a protest by crashing at a friend’s place for days, but that was ignored too. Am I really part of this family? He’d thought that back then too. The reason Taeun wasn’t allowed to live alone was simple: financial concerns and his parents’ distrust in him.

“For real? I get to live on my own? Really?”

And yet, here it was. They were finally letting him live alone. It was an unexpected windfall for Taeun. He’d assumed they’d shove him into a boarding house at best, never allowing him to live alone.

“You kept whining about how hard commuting was, and since we’re putting the house up, we granted one of your wishes.”

A curt reply came back to Taeun, who kept confirming. Overwhelmed with emotion, he clasped his hands together.

“Mom…!”

His voice trembled comically with how moved he was. He knelt politely on the sofa, hands clasped and swaying. At her son’s sudden display, the woman let out a baffled laugh.

“You’re thrilled to death, aren’t you? Not even a little sad about not seeing your mom, huh?”

“What’re you talking about? I’m already tearing up.”

“You always know what to say.”

She poked Taeun’s side with a raised finger. Euhh. Taeun grabbed his side, giggling. Goodbye to those days of waking up at dawn to catch the first class… The grueling two years flashed by like a panorama.

“But Seoul’s expensive, gosh. I mean, the rent for a tiny two-room officetel is the price of an apartment.”

Taeun, who’d been dabbing his eyes and indulging in sentiment, tilted his head at her words.

Two rooms? Did he, alone, need two rooms? His belongings were just clothes, a desk, and a laptop.

“Two rooms? One’s enough for me.”

“You’ll need two since two people are living there.”

The incomprehensible words landed in his ears. Taeun tilted his head further.

“Huh?”

They were both speaking Korean, so why wasn’t the conversation making sense? Unable to grasp her words immediately, he froze blankly, then shot up three seconds later. Despite his dramatic rise, his mother’s gaze remained fixed on a weekend drama.

“What do you mean, two people?”

“You think we’d trust you to live alone?”

The joy on Taeun’s face melted into bewilderment. I knew it was too easy. It felt like a slap to the back of his head, his brain buzzing.

Dropping bombshells without warning was his mother’s specialty, and Taeun knew it well. Normally, unless it was something shocking, he’d let it slide like a serene Buddha. But this time, he couldn’t.

“Shouldn’t you have asked me first?!”

A belated complaint echoed through the living room.

“Don’t worry, it’s someone you know. Stop being so picky, you’re a guy.”

“Someone I know?”

It was even someone he knew. Taeun’s shocked face hardened like stone. He had a bad feeling. If it was someone his mom knew and he knew, it couldn’t be more than two or three people. A few familiar faces floated into his mind. One stood out prominently. In that brief moment, Taeun desperately prayed his gut feeling was wrong.

“Jinhyun’s returning to school too.”

“Aaagh!”

But no god answered his prayers.

His excitement plummeted instantly. This was unacceptable. Screaming, Taeun clutched his cheeks like a figure in a famous painting, wailing. Jinhyun. The name from his mother’s mouth made him feel like his soul was escaping. Ignoring her son’s cries, she grinned as if expecting praise.

“Your schools are right next to each other. Isn’t that great?”

“No, no way! I don’t want to!”

“You were just thrilled a second ago.”

“I thought I’d live alone!”

Taeun’s voice, retorting point by point, was close to a sob. Aah… He stomped his feet, twisted his body, and groaned. He bent forward and back, writhing in a bizarre display of distress.

“Ugh, you’re giving me a headache—stay still, you punk.”

Taeun finally stopped thrashing at his mother’s scolding.

“I’ll just not live alone. I’ll… I’ll go to the dorms.”

“Good luck getting in. Don’t you need to be top of your class for Gyeonggi?”

She was right. He wasn’t top of his class, so no chance. Poor Gyeonggi native Lee Taeun quickly suggested the next plan.

“Then, uh, I’ll find a boarding house or something. Okay?”

“Where do you find boarding houses these days… And I’d feel bad for the landlord. You confident you can go to school without binge-drinking?”

He wasn’t. Taeun shook his head promptly. At his bold gesture, his mother clicked her tongue in disappointment. Undeterred, he moved to the next plan.

“Then a job with room and board…”

“Enough already!”

“Eek!”

Taeun’s jabbering mouth was swiftly grabbed. Tears welled at the corners of his eyes as her fierce grip pinched and twisted his flesh. He wanted to bawl.

“It’s already contracted, so deal with it. Why are you whining so much?”

Total defeat. It’s already contracted. That one line told him the situation was irreversible.

Clutching his stinging mouth, Taeun scrambled to the edge of the sofa, away from her hand. He felt breathless, like after intense exercise. He caught his breath, then pondered. There was something nagging him, something he was most curious about.

Ask it. Don’t ask it.

After mentally plucking a few petals, Taeun took a short breath and cautiously brought it up.

“You should’ve asked him too.”

He must’ve said no.

The Jinhyun he knew was like that. He’d rather live alone than have a roommate. …Especially if that roommate was him. If Cha Jinhyun knew, he’d have refused outright…

“Jinhyun? He said it was fine, whatever.”

“He said it was okay?”

“Yeah. I asked Yoonseon, and I talked to Jinhyun directly. They helped so much with finding the place. They’re even covering the rent… Without them, you might’ve ended up in a cockroach-infested monthly rental. You should be grateful.”

“I’d rather live with the cockroaches…”

“Why do you hate this so much? Did you two fight?”

“No, it’s not that…”

The string of names left Taeun speechless. Yoonseon, Cha Jinhyun’s mother, was close with his mom, and they’d even spoken directly to Jinhyun himself—nothing more to say. Still, it was hard to accept.

He agreed? No way.

Silently holding his breath, Taeun thought of his friend, now his roommate. That handsome face was familiar enough to draw with his eyes closed.

“If it’s not that, then what?”

“…Just.”

Gulp. He swallowed. His mother’s innocent expression pricked his conscience, like it was scraping the dirt.

Mom, I confessed to him and got rejected.

The reason he couldn’t say out loud dangled in his throat.

🔥

How long had it been since he sat at his desk?

Lost in useless thoughts, Taeun folded his fingers one by one. One month, two months… He shook off three folded fingers. Not the time for this. He nearly veered off track again. Straightening up, he lowered his gaze.

On the open notebook, illegible scribbles sprawled like chicken scratch.

1. Tell Mom the truth.
2. Find another roommate instead of me.
3. Secretly take a leave of absence and follow them abroad.
4. Accept reality.

In the 20 days since the bombshell roommate situation, Taeun had devised plans to navigate it. The apartment’s lease was proceeding smoothly. Meaning, the insane future of living under one roof with Cha Jinhyun was fast approaching. Taeun’s face, summarizing the situation, was deadly serious.

For three weeks of brainstorming, the list was pitifully short, but the black lines scratched across it and the messy notebook reflected Taeun’s tangled emotions well. Let’s think. Lee Taeun reviewed from number one. He closed his eyes slowly, letting his imagination unfold.

Mom, I can’t live with Jinhyun. Why, what’s wrong? Because I confessed to him, and he rejected me. Oh… Really? What didn’t he like? Well, you see…

Snap. Taeun opened his eyes. He shook his head side to side. His pale face looked like he’d witnessed something horrific.

“Am I crazy?”

He spat a curse at himself. With a pen, he marked an X over number one. No matter how open he was with his parents, coming out like that? Insane. Especially admitting he got rejected—he couldn’t. Without hesitation, Taeun scrapped Plan 01 and moved to the next.

“This one seems kind of okay…”

Number two: Find another roommate instead of me. Among his peers returning to school, some still hadn’t found a place. Even if not them, he could find someone suitable. But Taeun touched his forehead, troubled. A problem surfaced in the promising plan.

“…But where would I live?”

Only after writing it did he realize that giving up his spot would leave him homeless. If someone saw this, they’d thump their chest and call him an idiot. Taeun chewed the inside of his mouth. Number two, rejected. He looked at number three.

“What’s the difference from one?”

He scratched an X over it immediately. He scolded his past self for thoughtlessly making plans.

That left number four. Accept reality… It barely qualified as a plan. Yet it was the most realistic option now. Still, he wanted to keep it as a last resort. Too many issues. For one, Cha Jinhyun had a bad personality. Or rather… bad? He was picky and sensitive. Not great to live with, anyway. From what Taeun recalled, Jinhyun even had a touch of germaphobia.

Swish. Taeun turned to scan his room. It was hard to call it clean, even as a courtesy. Wash your room too! His mother’s scolding echoed in his ears.

…And the other reason.

“Aah…”

Just thinking about it was painful, so Taeun slammed his head onto the desk. Honestly, whether his roommate’s personality was good or bad didn’t matter much. If messiness was an issue, he’d just be more diligent.

So, saying there were many issues living with Cha Jinhyun was a lie. For Taeun, there was just one.

He confessed, it didn’t work out, and he cut contact first.

And now live together? Was this some new torture? Taeun’s forehead suddenly thumped the desk. Just tell Mom? Thinking of living with the guy he confessed to made Plan 01 look pretty good.

No. Even so, that’s not it.

But isn’t it better than living with that guy?

True…

Idiot. Wanna get disowned?

That’s a no…

Different selves bickered in his ears. His head spun. Taeun slowly lifted his slumped body. His gaze wandered the messy notebook and stopped.

Was number four really the only option?

Accept reality. His head screamed what his heart rejected. Ugh… He groaned, leaning back. Fully reclining in the chair, he sighed and closed his eyes. Just go with it and try living well with Cha Jinhyun. It wasn’t impossible. Technically… he wasn’t really rejected. Rejection happens when you properly confess your feelings.

Could he call that rejection?

Taeun recalled a winter at the tail end of his 21st year. The noisy music of a cheap bar crept into his ears. Fleeting glimpses of sleet falling intermittently, the chill air seeping deep into his lungs.

That day was a middle school reunion. Was it because he saw faces he hadn’t in ages? Or because Cha Jinhyun was there? …Or maybe because Cha Jinhyun had broken up with his girlfriend? He was in high spirits, elated, and drank like there was no tomorrow.

Stumbling back from the bathroom, tipsy, he lingered near the entrance instead of going back in, intending to rest. He stared at the fine snow settling and melting on the ground.

Drunk?

Even in his haze, he recognized that voice. He liked Jinhyun’s low, resonant voice a lot—a lot.

Ah… you.

You’re drunk.

No, you.

Your mom’s gonna yell again.

His words broke with hiccups, and he vaguely recalled giggling because it was funny. Cha Jinhyun brought the chocolate milk he was holding to his lips, saying, Sober up. As Taeun obediently drank the sweet milk, he thought, This kind of tenderness is cheating.

Looking back, it was just ordinary kindness anyone could offer. Yet Taeun felt something welling up from his toes, and at the same time, sadness. Don’t be nice to me. That’s what he wanted to say, but…

Hey…

The words that came out raced somewhere else entirely.

Don’t moments like that happen? When everything aligns as if racing toward a purpose. For Lee Taeun, that was that moment.

What, gonna puke?

Why did he look so handsome? Why did the streetlamp light him like a spotlight? Why did I drink until I couldn’t think straight? Why did Cha Jinhyun shake me with such ordinary kindness? The vivid memory made Taeun rub his face with both hands.

…I like you.

…

No matter how he thought about it, that confession was inevitable.

He regretted it to death, but he didn’t wish for a time machine. Even if he went back, Taeun was sure he’d confess to him at that time, in that place.

Really. I mean it…

It didn’t reach the other properly, though.

What’s that, outta nowhere.

…?

This guy’s laying the groundwork to get a ride home.

No… Hey, I’m saying I like you.

The alcohol’s buzz faded instantly. His hiccupping, slurred words were comical, but he had no time to care. Thinking Jinhyun misheard, he said it again. Cha Jinhyun just squinted and laughed. The boyish smile Taeun loved sparkled brighter than the moon under the streetlamp. The mischievous, crooked smirk stabbed Taeun’s left chest like a sharp thorn.

What did he say next? Taeun stared at the white ceiling, digging up old memories. It was still absurd.

Yeah, yeah. I like you too.

…Hey…

No, I love you. So, my dear friend, stop drinking. Alright? I’m scared you’ll puke in my car.

Adding that he’d just washed it, Cha Jinhyun chuckled. He tossed the cigarette he was smoking to the ground and crushed it with his foot. Speechless, Taeun thought the cigarette butt under Jinhyun’s sneaker was just like his heart.

An impure, dirty remnant, not even acknowledged as a feeling.

Lee Taeun’s once-in-a-lifetime confession became a mere joke, scattering into the frozen air. It’s cold, let’s go in, Cha Jinhyun said, pulling his arm. Taeun was dragged along, dazed. He wished he’d been too drunk to remember. He followed Jinhyun’s advice not to drink more, knowing the extent of his friend’s kindness.

If I get that drunk, you’ll leave me behind. His pathetic heart swayed like soju in a glass.

That night, Taeun got home safely in Jinhyun’s car. Sober, Cha Jinhyun came up briefly to say hi and left. Taeun’s mom smacked his back, saying to be half as good as Jinhyun, and Taeun cried loudly from the pain. His startled mom rubbed his back to soothe him, but the tears wouldn’t stop easily. A foolish night.

The next day, he didn’t want to get up ever, but his phone’s alarm forced him up. Only one alarm rang on a weekend morning.

Should I just die? Hungover, heartbroken without a proper heartbreak, his body and mind wrecked—yet it was his chore day. With a swollen face, Taeun stripped the tear- and snot-soaked pillowcase and started the laundry. Unable to even sulk freely, he cried a bit more at the unfairness of the world.

That’s when it started. Avoiding Cha Jinhyun.

“Dumbass…”

Taeun folded the aching memory and let it sink. The rough curse’s target was unclear. Was it for Cha Jinhyun, who threw his confession into the gutter, or for himself, hurt beyond reason by the absurd situation? Either way, dwelling on it did no good. Taeun shook his head, clearing stray thoughts. He dug into his hoodie pocket and pulled out his phone.

According to his mom, Cha Jinhyun knew about this sudden cohabitation and even agreed it was fine. The square phone screen showed several notifications, none from Cha Jinhyun. As expected, but oddly disappointing.

Opening the messenger, Taeun hesitated before moving his fingers. Searching Cha Jinhyun brought up their chat and a few group chats. Glancing at the dates, he tapped their private chat with a heavy heart. The last conversation was three years ago.

-20xx, December 23-

[Cha Jinhyun: Yo] 14:30

-20xx, December 28-

[Cha Jinhyun: Ignoring me?] 19:21

[Why] 20:04

[Cha Jinhyun: Heard you’re going to the army] 20:15

[Cha Jinhyun: Why didn’t you tell me] 20:15

[Just] 21:07

[No big deal] 21:07

[Cha Jinhyun: It is a big deal?] 21:10

[Cha Jinhyun: Kinda hurt] 21:10

“…”

That was the end. Below, a few of Jinhyun’s one-sided messages trailed off. Taeun had ignored them all.

Kinda hurt.

How many laps did he run around the neighborhood that night after seeing that message? It wasn’t a voice message, yet he heard Jinhyun’s voice. Despite the confession becoming nothing, he hated himself for being swayed, unable to move on. Clinging to a futile crush was foolish, so he planned to let go. A love not even allowed a confession should be discarded. Drastic measures were needed.

So, Taeun ignored every contact from Jinhyun with superhuman patience. No replies to messages, rejected calls, and when Jinhyun came to his house, he hid in the bathroom until he left. Once it was all sorted, he’d reach out casually… return as proper friends.

But he couldn’t.

Over years, his hardened heart stubbornly refused to fade. While Taeun dithered, time slipped by. Later, he wanted to reach out but couldn’t, leaving him looking foolish.

Like flipping through an old album, Taeun scrolled up the messenger. More conversations came into view.

[Yo, what you up to] 20:18

[heyhey] 20:25

[Don’t ignore me] 20:33

[Tasty?] 20:33

[Cha Jinhyun: Assignment] 20:52

[Cha Jinhyun: Busy] 20:52

[ㅠㅠ] 20:54

[You at school?] 20:54

[lol] 20:54

[Cha Jinhyun: Nope] 20:58

[Wow I didn’t even say anything] 20:58

[Cha Jinhyun: Didn’t bring my car] 20:59

[Liar] 20:59

[Cha Jinhyun: For real] 21:02

[Liarㅡㅡ] 21:02

[You’re lying right now.. I can tell.. Know why?] 21:02

[Photo] 21:02

[Cause I’m in front of your car rn.] 21:02

[Cha Jinhyun: Oh] 21:02

[Cha Jinhyun: Crazy dude] 21:02

[Give me a ride…] 21:03

[I’ll pay for the taxi… Five thousand won…] 21:03

[Cha Jinhyun: Get lost] 21:04

[Hahaha] 21:05

[Hurry up] 21:05

[Gotta go home and watch my drama] 21:05

[Cha Jinhyun: Ugh] 21:05

[Cha Jinhyun: Stay there] 21:06

[Yessir] 21:06

…Am I crazy? Reading the messages, Taeun quietly covered his mouth.

A hollow laugh escaped at his own ridiculous behavior. The selfie he’d sent, taken in front of Cha Jinhyun’s car… there were no words. Scattered throughout the chat were traces of him calling Jinhyun like a designated driver whenever he got drunk, and some messages were even ignored without a reply. Judging by the dates, it was during the time Cha Jinhyun was dating his girlfriend.

“No wonder he said stuff like ‘laying the groundwork’…”

Witnessing his past antics, Taeun understood—by about one gram—why Cha Jinhyun had described his confession as “laying the groundwork.” Just one gram, though.

The universities they attended were right across from each other, separated by a single main road. And since Taeun’s house was only three bus stops away from Jinhyun’s, Taeun occasionally rode home in Jinhyun’s car. These remnants of their close past brought a strange sense of nostalgia.

Lee Taeun bent and straightened his thumb, hesitating.

…Should I contact him?

It wasn’t easy to send a message out of the blue. And no wonder—over two years had passed since he’d cut off contact. Even though they’d been close friends, growing distant happened in an instant. After the day Cha Jinhyun came to his house, Taeun had no way of knowing what was going on with him. He must’ve been angry. It’d be weird if he wasn’t.

Taeun typed up to “Hey… How’ve you been? It’s Lee Taeun” but ultimately didn’t send the message and closed the app. He didn’t have the nerve to reach out now after ignoring him for so long. Getting up from the chair, Taeun went to his bed and lay down. What he was really curious about was something else.

“…”

Do I still like him?

Thinking of Cha Jinhyun felt tender and bittersweet. His restless heart was stirred not by excitement but by a monotonous, chilly breeze. Taeun turned his phone back on and opened his photo gallery. In his favorites folder were several pictures from their high school graduation. All of them were with Cha Jinhyun.

Taeun tapped the first photo. If it had been a printed picture, it might have worn out from how often he’d looked at it. The familiar image filled his phone screen. Cha Jinhyun’s youthful face, holding a bouquet with a sulky expression, was cute.

But that was it. Three years ago, just seeing this photo would’ve sent his heart racing, but now it was relatively calm. Instead, it felt a bit melancholic… and lonely. It wasn’t lingering attachment or sadness for a first love, but rather a regret closer to the awkwardness of an old friend grown distant.

“Yeah, that was ages ago…”

After deep deliberation, Lee Taeun chose option four. Though, to be fair, it took less than an hour.

Accept reality. In a way, it could be a chance to mend a strained relationship with an old friend and rebuild a strong bond. Turn a crisis into an opportunity—there’s a saying like that, isn’t there? Taeun resolved to transform this crisis into a splendid opportunity. Thinking that way, he even felt a bit lighter.