Work Text:
[ Art Class ]
"Okay? How do you even do this?"
Yoon Jiyoon asked Choi Jungeun with an air of innocence as she settled into the wooden chair.
Jungeun chuckled at her friend's endearing question and glanced at the shorter girl seated in front of the white square canvas.
"Well, It’s simple. Just sit still and try not to move, okay?"
Jiyoon's eyes widened dramatically, her face twisting in exaggerated disbelief.
"Are you serious?! That sounds exhausting!"
Jungeun shook her head, amused, while arranging her art supplies.
"You already agreed to this, Ms. Yoon Jiyoon. No backing out now."
With a soft laugh, Jungeun grabbed a pencil and stole another glance at Jiyoon before beginning the first lines of her sketch.
"Be grateful that I am your friend Jungeun," Jiyoon said, pouting.
Jungeun laughed again.
"Okay okay, I get it. Now, stop moving." Jiyoon giggled but eventually complied.
Jungeun started to add light strokes and lines to the canvas. Biting her lip to suppress a smile, she felt a small thrill. Not only did she have the chance to draw her, but she could also admire her friend's adorable expressions without feeling awkward about it. She gave a slight shake of her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts. This wasn't the time to get distracted.
After twenty minutes or so, Jiyoon began to fidget.
"Holy moly! I didn’t know art modelling was this hard! Can we take a break?" she asked while trying to be cute.
Jungeun smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. She set her pencil down and stretched her arms and legs, loosening up from the focused session.
"Hey, Jungeun-ah."
"Yeah?"
Choi turned toward Yoon, who didn't respond right away. Instead, she was staring at her with a soft, tender smile that made Choi pause.
"What is it?" she asked again, tilting her head in curiosity.
Jiyoon bit her lower lip, trying to stifle a grin that threatened to spread across her face.
"You look funny, what?" Jungeun chuckled, casually tucking a strand of her long, straight hair behind her ear.
Jiyoon quickly covered her flushed cheeks with her hands, face-palming as if to hide her embarrassment.
"You do know that I like—"
"Hmm? You like what?" Jungeun interrupted, raising a curious eyebrow. "Or is it who?"
"...That I like Jeemin, right? Our class president."
Jungeun's smile faltered. Her eyes shifted away from Jiyoon, and she looked off to the side, suddenly quiet.
"Of course. What about it?" Jungeun replied, picking up her pencil and resuming the shading of her sketch, her gaze focused on the canvas instead of Jiyoon.
"Well, I'm planning to confess to her tomorrow."
Choi's hand froze, nearly dropping the pencil. She carefully set it down, her hands moving to grip the hem of her skirt as she gulped.
"Why so sudden?"
Yoon's smile widened into an adorable crescent shape, her cheeks puffing slightly, making her look even more charming as she flashed a grin that seemed to brighten the entire space.
"We've been talking a lot lately, and you know I've liked her since the first day of our senior year !"
She rambled on, lost in thoughts of someone else, while Jungeun nodded quietly, her heart sinking further with each word.
"She also mentioned that she's been single for months now!" Jiyoon giggled, her excitement growing.
"Jeemin is obviously flirting back with me! I mean do you want to see our text messages?!"
Before Jungeun could answer, Jiyoon suddenly stood up, startling her in the process. She raised her hands in mock surrender, forcing a smile to mask the emotions threatening to show on her face.
"Oh no, you don't have to do that," Jungeun said, shaking her head to refuse. She laughed awkwardly, bowing slightly as a faint blush of embarrassment crept up her cheeks.
"But I don't know what to say to her, Jungeun?" Jiyoon exclaimed, clasping her hands together nervously. "Should I just ask her to be my girlfriend on the spot? Or should I write her love letters first? Aigoo! I’m nervous—I don't know how to do this!"
Jungeun finally lifted her head to meet Jiyoon's wide, anxious eyes. She could even see the faint worry lines on her friend's forehead, and it made her want to ease them away immediately.
"Do you like her that much?" Jungeun asked softly.
Jiyoon nodded enthusiastically, her face a mixture of excitement and dread. Choi sighed.
"To be honest? all your ideas are.. hm— "
"What?"
"Lame"
"Yah!!!" Jiyoon protested, her cheeks puffing out indignantly.
"I mean, if you like her, just tell her. Simple as that," Jungeun said with a shrug, her tone casual.
"But... what if she’ll reject me?"
The glimmer of happiness in Jiyoon's eyes dimmed, and Jungeun's chest tightened at the sight. Without a second thought, she stood up from her chair and walked over to the shorter girl.
"Why would you think that, silly? Didn't you just say earlier that she's been flirting back at you?" Jungeun giggled, reaching out to gently pat Jiyoon's head.
Jiyoon pouted, her cheeks puffing up, while Jungeun glanced away to stifle a smile.
"But still!!!"
"Shut up Jiyoon, she likes you too, okay?" Jungeun teased, her gaze returning to Jiyoon. Their eyes met, and a warm smile passed between them.
"Really?" Jiyoon's eyes sparkled with delight, making the taller one laugh softly at her adorable reaction.
"Nah, I'm kidding."
"Yah!!" Jiyoon exclaimed, playfully smacking Jungeun's arm. The two broke into laughter, filling the room with their easy camaraderie.
" What should I say then? 'I like you'?" Jiyoon asked, her voice tentative yet hopeful.
"Yeah, but you need to be serious about it when you say it," Jungeun replied with a small nod.
"I like you!" Jiyoon blurted out with exaggerated enthusiasm, making Jungeun pause to look at her.
"Just like that?"
"Nope. More than that."
"How? Show me then." Jungeun gently smiled at the confused girl.
"I lik—."
"Yah, Jiyoon! Why me?! you’re the one who’s going to confess!"
"I mean, it would be fun to see you confessing."
"Then, I like you."
[ Gym ]
[You got a message from : yooniebear🐼]
Jungeun put down the brush as she shifted her gaze to her mobile phone. She opened the text message and read it.
yooniebear🐼 :
Jungeun-ah I’m at the gym
Hurry up and come here!
Imma ‘bout to confess!!!
Jungeun’s brows furrowed as she started to type a reply to her.
: 🐆junggumie
?why do I need to come
yooniebear🐼 :
because I said so! Ppalli!!
: 🐆junggumie
I'm painting
yooniebear🐼 :
Aish! u can paint later
:🐆junggumie
give me a good reason to be there
yooniebear🐼 :
I needed you to cheer me on ok? I can't do this without you🥹
: 🐆junggumie
.Fine, I'm coming
Jungeun set down the brush and fixed her stuff. She went to the sink to wash her hands first, then combed the ends of her straight hair before heading out toward the gym.
She took her time walking, making it clear she wasn't exactly eager to go. But she had to—that potato was relentless when she wanted something.
Almost there, she sighed, knowing she'd have to make a left turn soon. She took a deep breath and practiced a smile. It wasn't easy these days, but Jiyoon wanted to see her encouraging smile, so she'd try.
As Jungeun turned left, she stopped abruptly. Not far ahead, two people stood facing each other. She lowered her head and stayed by the corner, listening.
"Jeemin-ah, I—I like you," Jiyoon said, her voice shaking slightly. "I know this might seem fast, but I really like you. Will you go out with me?"
Jungeun realized she was late. She lifted her head and saw Jiyoon blushing furiously, clearly embarrassed by her confession.
The silence stretched on. She wanted to peek at Jeemin's expression, but her back was turned toward her.
"Why not? That sounds okay with me, Jiyoon-ssi" Jeemin's voice finally broke the quiet.
Jungeun could only hear her, but that was enough.
"R-Really?!"
Jiyoon nearly jumped in delight.
"Yes, Jiyoon-ssi," Jeemin replied with a gentle smile.
Jiyoon swore she could see a halo above her head. She smiled back, mirroring her expression, and gazed straight into Jeemin’s eyes.
As her gaze shifted slightly, she caught sight of Jungeun standing a short distance away. Their eyes met briefly before she raised her hand and made an "okay" sign with her fingers.
Jungeun, understanding immediately, flashed an ecstatic smile— the one she had practiced earlier. She raised her hand as well and gave Jiyoon a playful thumbs-up accompanied by a wink.
"Good job!" she mouthed silently, earning a laugh from Jiyoon.
"I'm sorry," Jiyoon said, noticing Jeemin's puzzled expression. "It's just that Jungeun is over there."
She gestured toward Jungeun, who was lingering near the corner.
Jeemin followed the direction of her pointing finger and spotted a tall girl with wavy, long hair and full bangs framing her petite face.
"Oh," Jeemin said with a slight nod. "The art lover girl."
Jeemin quickly shifted her attention back to Jiyoon, gently smiling at her childlike grin.
"Yeah, Jungeun's a great painter," she said.
Jiyoon glanced at Jeemin, then tilted her head to peek at Jungeun, who was gesturing that she needed to leave. Understanding, Jiyoon waved goodbye to her friend before returning her focus to Jeemin.
"I’m sorry," Jiyoon began, her voice tinged with guilt. "I kinda texted her to be here, I was really nervous earlier, and I didn't know what to do, so—"
Her words were cut short as Jeemin reached out, taking her hand and gently pulling her into a hug.
"I’d like to walk you home." Jeemin said softly, looking down at her.
Jiyoon, still shocked by the sudden embrace, could only nod in response, her heart racing.
While one person felt overjoyed at having her feelings reciprocated, the other was experiencing the opposite.
Jungeun quietly closed the sliding door of the art studio and walked back to her wooden seat, her steps heavy with disappointment.
She stared at the unfinished canvas in front of her and let out a deep sigh.
Jungeun picked up a paintbrush and began mixing colors on the wooden palette, her movements slow and deliberate. She resumed her work, adding bright, lively hues to the canvas.
Stop being sad, she told herself firmly. You should be happy. She's happy. That's all that matters.
With each stroke of the brush, she tried to paint over the heaviness in her chest, layering vibrant colors as if they could mask her feelings. The room was silent except for the soft sound of the bristles against the canvas, her only solace in that moment.
[ Cafeteria ]
Choi Jungeun stretched her arms wide, rotating her wrists to ease the stiffness from painting for nearly two hours. She glanced at her wristwatch and decided to continue the painting tomorrow. There was still plenty of time before the deadline for her art project, and she wanted it to be flawless—no need to rush.
Her stomach growled loudly, making her bite her lower lip in embarrassment, even though she was alone. Right then, her phone began to ring.
[Incoming call from: yooniebear🐼]
She hesitated, staring at the screen. What does she need this time?
Over the past week, ever since Jiyoon started dating Jeemin, she seemed to have completely forgotten their deal to finish the art project together. Jiyoon spent more time hanging out with Jeemin than working on their shared assignment. Jungeun understood—Jiyoon was in a relationship now—but couldn't she at least remember how important their grades were? They were both art majors, for goodness' sake.
[You missed a call from: yooniebear🐼]
When the ringing stopped, she sighed and was about to tuck her phone back into the pocket of her blazer when it vibrated again.
[Two new messages from: yooniebear🐼]
She opened the messages and began to read.
yooniebear🐼 :
jungeun-ah~! I'm so sorry I couldn't come again.
I swear I'll make it up to you next time.
By the way, I bought your favorite!
yooniebear🐼 :
strawberry ice cream for you 🍓🍓🍓
Eat lunch with us!
Jeemin and I will be waiting for you at the cafeteria.
[Read 12:25 PM]
Jungeun sighed, turned off her phone, and slipped it into the pocket of her blazer. Rising from her seat, she made her way out of the art classroom.
She had been avoiding eating lunch with Jiyoon for days now. The last time she did? It didn't go well. She'd felt like a third wheel, awkwardly sitting there while Jiyoon and Jeemin acted all lovey-dovey in front of her. Frankly? It was nauseating—or, as she preferred to call it, an excessive public display of affection.
She entered the cafeteria, her hand instinctively reaching toward her rumbling stomach. Calm down, she told herself. This won't take long, and soon you'll be fed.
Her stomach growled loudly, and though it was embarrassing, she ignored it.
Heading toward the food counter to grab something quick, She suddenly froze when she heard her name called out in a familiar, cheerful voice.
"Jungeun-ah, you came!!! Sit with us!"
Oh no. Please, no.
She turned her head slowly toward the voice, dreading what she knew she'd see.
Her eyes met Jiyoon's, who was enthusiastically waving her over and gesturing for her to sit beside her. She shook her head, politely refusing. Without a word, she turned back toward the food counter.
She grabbed a few snacks to fill her empty stomach and paid for them. But as she turned to leave, she nearly bumped into Jiyoon, who was suddenly standing in front of her.
"Why are you so distant?" Jiyoon pouted, her lips jutting out in mock frustration. "I miss you already, so sit beside me this time."
Jungeun's defenses wavered for a moment at Jiyoon's playful glare, but she quickly regained her composure. Shaking her head again, she smiled gently.
"I don't want to ruin your time with Jeemin," she said softly. "Besides, I'll be eating in the classroom today. I still need to finish my math homework—I didn’t get to do it last night."
Jungeun's gaze shifted briefly toward the table Jiyoon had left behind, where Jeemin was now sitting alone. But the moment her eyes landed on her, she froze.
Jeemin was already looking at her, her expression unreadable. Jungeun quickly averted her eyes, feeling an uncomfortable twist in her chest as she clutched her snacks and made her way toward the door.
"You need to go back, Jiyoon. Your girlfriend's waiting for you," she said with a teasing smile, adding a playful wink.
"Next time, you’ll be sitting with us, okay?" Jiyoon pouted dramatically, whining at Jungeun's refusal.
"Of course," She replied with a chuckle. "Do I have any choice?"
"None, Choi Jungeun. None! So you better be sitting with us tomorrow arasso?"
Jungeun nodded, biting back a wide smile as she looked at her friend. She really did miss her. "Alright, now go."
Gently, Jungeun gave Jiyoon a soft nudge back toward the table. Her eyes briefly met Jeemin's, who gave her a polite nod. Jungeun responded with a faint smile before turning to leave.
"Jungeun-ah, wait! You forgot your ice cream!"
Jiyoon hurried after her, holding out the strawberry ice cream she'd promised. Jungeun paused, glanced back, and accepted it with a quiet, "Thanks." Without another word, she walked away.
Jiyoon stood there for a moment, watching Jungeun's retreating figure, a frown forming on her face.
Pushing the thought aside for now, she returned to her seat and found Jeemin still focused on the lunchbox she had made for her.
"So? Is it good?"
Jiyoon leaned her elbows on the table, cupping her cheeks with both hands as she smiled brightly, her teeth showing in anticipation of her girlfriend's reply.
"This food is way better than what they always sell at the cafeteria," Jeemin chuckled, reaching out to pat her head.
A wide smile spread across Jiyoon's face, her happiness shining in her eyes. After exchanging sweet words, the two resumed eating.
"How long have you been friends?" Jeemin asked casually.
"Hm, who?" Jiyoon mumbled, her mouth full.
"Jungeun," Jeemin clarified.
"Oh, we've been friends since we were 14." Jiyoon replied enthusiastically. "I approached her first because Jungeun’s kinda introverted. I shamelessly asked her to teach me my math problems since we’re seatmates and after that, we just clicked and became friends."
She chartered away while munching on her food, pausing only when Jeemin handed her a bottle of water. Jiyoon accepted it gratefully, taking a sip.
"So," Jeemin asked with a slight smile, "is she good at math?"
"Yeah, she still tutors me even now."
Jiyoon smiled at the thought of having to bribe Jungeun with a whole box of pizza just to get her help with math problems.
"Jungeun may be weird sometimes but she's uniquely special in a good way. That's why I became friends with her in the first place—she's truly one of a kind."
[ Art Club ]
Choi Jungeun let out a satisfied smile, admiring the nearly finished product of her art project. It looked beautiful— she looks so beautiful.
She leaned back in her seat, letting out a frustrated sigh as she set the paintbrush down. This feeling always confused her. She felt drained, exhausted in a way she had never been before. How could love be so perplexing?
Jungeun regretted ever listening to her, let alone helping her with math problems. She should have looked away and ignored her. But no—she was captivating, like a living masterpiece. She felt herself sinking deeper every time their eyes met, her smile etched permanently in her mind.
She felt tethered.
And now, her thoughts were in chaos.
Yoon Jiyoon always seemed so radiant, carrying an infectious positivity that Jungeun lacked. She wasn't talkative, didn't enjoy noise, and preferred solitude. But everything changed when Jiyoon entered her life.
Jiyoon's sweet smiles and playful jokes felt like warmth, slowly dismantling the cold, impenetrable walls around Jungeun's heart. For the first time, she allowed someone to seep into her monochrome world, painting it in vibrant technicolor.
The sound of the door sliding open pulled her out of her thoughts.
She looked up, and her eyes met someone's gaze—someone she hadn't expected to see here.
"Hi."
Bang Jeemin greeted her with a warm smile, and Jungeun froze for a moment. What was she doing here?
"Hey."
Finally, she managed to reply, giving her a timid smile before returning her focus to the painting.
"Wow. When Jiyoon said you were a good painter, I didn't realize you were this good," Jeemin said, stepping closer. She crouched slightly to get a better look at Jungeun's work.
"I'm not," she replied with a small shrug. "My model is just naturally beautiful, which is why it turned out well." Her gaze shifted to the painting—a portrait of Jiyoon's face on the square canvas.
"The painter is marvelous, in my opinion," Jeemin said softly.
Jungeun blinked twice and turned to look at her, catching her infamous angel-like smile.
"You have an incredible talent, Jungeun-ssi," she added.
It wasn't until that moment that Jungeun realized just how close Jeemin was. She was still crouching, her face almost level with hers. Before she could react, she suddenly snatched the paintbrush from her hand.
Straightening up, Jeemin grabbed the wooden palette from the table and started mixing colors. Jungeun watched her, unsure of what to say, her heart beating slightly faster than before.
"How do you do this?"
Jeemin's forehead creased in confusion.
"Oh! This color looks great on Jiyoon! Yellow suits her really well, don't you think?" Jeemin showed Jungeun the color she just mixed, and to her surprise, Jungeun liked the combination of orange, yellow, and peach. The hues seemed to mirror Jiyoon's cheerful personality.
"You must really like her to know exactly what suits her." Jungeun reached for the palette she was holding, and Jeemin willingly handed over the paintbrush.
"Sure," she shrugged.
Jeemin watched as Jungeun dipped the brush into the paint she'd just mixed. She began applying the colors to the canvas with a few graceful strokes, shading each detail of her masterpiece with care.
"Do you want to try?" Jungeun asked, noticing Jeemin's stare. Feeling a little self-conscious, she leaned back in her seat and shifted her attention to their class president.
"I don't know how to do it," Jeemin admitted.
"I understand," Jungeun replied with a nod. But then she stood up, gently grabbed Jeemin's wrist, and guided her to sit in her chair.
She handed her the paintbrush, and Jeemin hesitated for a moment before accepting it.
Jungeun moved to stand behind Jeemin, crouching slightly as she held her hand.
She guided her hand, and the brush glided smoothly across the canvas, blending colors into a beautiful abstract pattern. Jeemin's lips curled into a smile.
"Woah, this is amazing!" Jeemin exclaimed, her excitement clear in her voice.
"It's extraordinary."
She gulped, her tone softer now.
"What do you mean, Jeemin-ssi?" Jungeun asked, pausing to glance at her. But she froze when she realized she was already staring at her.
"You, Jungeun-ah. You're extraordinary."
She blinked, her eyes widening in shock at her words. "What?"
Before she could react, Jeemin leaned in, her eyes closing as she closed the distance between them.
Jungeun's eyes went wide, her body freezing in place as Jeemin's warm, lingering kiss took her by surprise. She didn't know how to respond, caught off guard by the suddenness of it all.
A few moments passed before Jeemin pulled away, her gaze fixed on Jungeun. Her big, doe-like eyes were wide, mirroring a mix of shock and confusion.
"I—I'm sorry," Jeemin stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
[ After Schhol ]
[You received a message from : my president🐻]
Out of the blue, Jiyoon's phone vibrated in her pocket. She carefully fished it out, making sure to hide it from the prying eyes of their literature teacher.
After reading the notification on her screen, Jiyoon glanced toward Jeemin's seat. As the class president, she always sat in the front row, while Jiyoon preferred the back with Jungeun.
She tapped the screen and opened the message.
my president🐻 :
I need to talk to you. Meet me at the gym after class.
The confused girl raised a brow and glanced at her girlfriend again. This time, Jeemin turned around to look at her. Jiyoon smiled softly at her, but Jeemin quickly averted her gaze.
my yoonbear🐼 :
Of course.
I'll be there. See you.
"Hide your phone. The teacher is looking your way," Jungeun whispered, lightly elbowing Jiyoon. She had noticed the sharp gaze of their literature teacher, who seemed to be watching Jiyoon with suspicion.
The shorter girl, with quick reflexes, pocketed her phone immediately and continued taking notes.
"Are you going home after this?" Jiyoon asked without looking at Jungeun, both of them engrossed in their notes.
"No, I'll be at art class," Jungeun replied.
"I thought you already finished it?"
"I just need to add a few retouches."
"I see. I'll be going home with Jeemin then," Jiyoon said casually.
Choi Jungeun paused from writing and tilted her head to glance at Yoon, who remained focused on her notes.
Time flew by, and the last bell rang. Jiyoon packed her things into her bag and dashed excitedly toward the gym.
She pushed open the large door and spotted Jeemin playing volleyball alone. A smile spread across her face as she ran toward her.
Jiyoon slipped both arms around Jeemin's waist, catching her by surprise with her sudden back hug.
Jeemin turned around to face her. Jiyoon's bright smile began to fade when she noticed the stoic expression on her face.
It felt strange to see her girlfriend acting so distant. Jiyoon slowly let her hands fall from around her waist and took a step back.
"What's wrong?" she asked nervously.
"Jiyoon..." Jeemin started, her voice heavy.
"What? You're making me nervous," she said with an awkward laugh, glancing away.
"I'm sorry, but... let's break up."
Jiyoon's laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by a sinking despair.
"What?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Bang Jeemin clenched her fists, struggling to find words that could somehow soften the blow she was about to deliver.
"Why? Did I do something wrong?" Jiyoon asked, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes.
Jeemin's gaze softened at the sight of her on the verge of tears. "I... I kissed Jungeun."
For a moment, there was silence before Jiyoon let out a hollow laugh. She laughed so hard that tears began streaming from her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Jeemin-ah, but I didn't quite catch that," she said, her voice wavering.
"Jiyoon..."
Jeemin stepped closer, reaching out for her hands, but Jiyoon pulled away, her anger radiating.
"Jeemin, I said I didn't quite catch that," she repeated, her voice firmer this time.
Jeemin bowed her head, unsure of what to do. "I... I like Jungeun," she admitted quietly.
Jiyoon stumbled back in disbelief.
Jeemin looked up just in time to feel the sting of a hard slap across her cheek. Jiyoon's glare burned with anger and betrayal.
Without another word, she turned and dashed out of the gym, leaving Jeemin standing alone.
Her heartbeat raced as her feet carried her closer to her destination. She reached the art room and shoved the door open, her breath heavy with anger.
Jiyoon stormed up to Jungeun. "So, tell me, Jungeun—did you and Jeemin really kiss?"
Jungeun froze mid-stroke, placing the paintbrush and wooden palette down slowly.
"It's not what you think..." she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Jiyoon grabbed Jungeun's arm, forcing her to stand and face her. "Look at me, Jungeun. Tell me the truth!"
"No, it's not like that, Jiyoon."
"Then what?!" Jiyoon screamed, her voice shaking with hurt. Tears began streaming down Jungeun's face.
Jungeun hated how Jiyoon's eyes always reflected exactly what she felt—pain, betrayal, heartbreak. But what she hated even more was knowing that she was the one causing it.
Unable to think of a response, Jungeun stayed silent.
"Do you like her?" Jiyoon's voice cracked. "Answer me! Do you like her?"
Jungeun tried to reach out to her, but Jiyoon slapped her hand away.
"I said answer me, Jungeun! Do you like Jeemin?!"
"No," Jungeun whispered, her voice breaking. Tears continued to pour from her eyes.
"The one that I—" Jungeun started, her voice trembling. "The one that I like is—"
But she stopped herself, the words catching in her throat. Unable to say what she truly felt, Jungeun broke down, sobbing, wracking her body as she cried even harder.
"How could you do this, Jungeun?"
Jiyoon's voice quivered with anger and pain as she turned around abruptly. She grabbed Jungeun's paintbrush and, with trembling hands, began smearing dark colors across the canvas, ruining the painting Jungeun had been working on so carefully.
"I hate you!" Jiyoon cried, her voice breaking.
She poured more dark paint onto the canvas before throwing the brush down and rushing out of the room, leaving Jungeun behind.
Jungeun's knees gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. She looked at the destroyed painting, and an unbearable pain pierced her chest.
Her vision blurred from the intensity of her sobbing, but Jungeun tried to force an artificial smile, knowing that at least part of this was her fault.
"I'm sorry."
The words echoed silently in her mind.
"I don't have the courage to say it."
[ Ceremony ]
A few months had passed, and it was already their graduation day. Everything felt like it had happened too quickly.
The ceremony ended in what seemed like the blink of an eye, and now it was time for students to bid their goodbyes. Teachers gave heartfelt speeches in the classrooms they were assigned to, while students took countless pictures, knowing this day would soon become just a bittersweet memory.
The Section 3 students gathered at the front of the room to take their final photo as classmates. Some were still crying, others masked their sadness with brave smiles. Some were lost in reminiscence, while others were eagerly anticipating their futures. A myriad of emotions blended together, captured in one unforgettable photograph.
But as the moments slipped away, the inevitable time came when everyone had to say their goodbyes.
In a quiet corner of the room, one person waited. Choi Jungeun sat alone, hoping someone would come to her, at least to say goodbye.
She waited. Jungeun waited.
Her heart sank as she realized the person she was waiting for wasn't in the classroom anymore.
Taking a deep breath, Jungeun stood up from her seat, deciding it was time to go home. But as she reached the door, a figure blocked her path—a familiar presence standing in her way.
Her heart skipped a beat as she looked up and saw Bang Jeemin.
"What do you need?" Jungeun coldly asked.
"I wanted to say sorry..."
"Jeemin-ssi, it's been five months. I've already forgotten about it."
Lies . Jungeun would never forget about it—it was the reason her friendship with Jiyoon ended.
After the confrontation, Jungeun tried to talk to her and reconcile, but Jiyoon was determined to avoid her. She blocked Jungeun from every part of her life, until all their connections ceased to exist, as if they'd never been friends in the first place.
Jiyoon didn't want to hear her explanation, treating Jungeun like she never even mattered.
Still, Jungeun couldn't bring herself to tell Jiyoon the truth.
"I like you, Jungeun."
Her solemn gaze met her dark chocolate eyes.
Jungeun looked away. This wasn't the first time Jeemin had confessed to her. In fact, she had done it many times before, but Jungeun didn't like the idea. It felt like betraying Jiyoon, even though months had passed.
"I've already told you, Jeemin-ssi. I like someone else. I'm sorry."
Jeemin nodded, pursing her lips, but kept a gentle smile.
"I know, I just wanted to tell you what I feel before we part ways. This will be the last time. Goodbye, Jungeun."
Their eyes locked for a moment, neither saying a word, just staring into each other's solemn eyes.
"Goodbye, Jeemin."
Jungeun was the first to break away from the gaze. They both tried to smile at each other before deciding to part ways.
She walked straight toward the front gate of the school, where she waited for her driver to pick her up.
The tall girl leaned against the wall, staring at her diploma. She had finally finished high school, entering a new chapter of her life, but without Jiyoon by her side anymore.
"I like you."
It was just three words, and she couldn't bring herself to voice them. It had been too scary back then. She wasn't ready to say it.
She heard giggles and laughter from a group of four girls approaching the gate. She turned her head to look at them, and there, she saw the one she had been looking for.
Yoon Jiyoon didn't notice her; she was busy laughing with her new friends.
But Jungeun kept her gaze fixed on her. Jiyoon was still as cheerful as always.
However, something strange happened when Jiyoon turned her head to look back and their eyes met.
Jiyoon suddenly smiled at her, in an unexpected and tenderly assuring way.
And Jungeun's heart lurched painfully.
She had a wild urge to run and throw her arms around Jiyoon, but she refrained.
It all happened so quickly that Jungeun didn't even realize that Jiyoon was no longer there. She gulped down the growing lump in her throat.
It hurts.
But Jungeun knew, from the moment she saw Yoon Jiyoon with her ecstatic smile and friendly approach, she knew this was worth the broken heart.
"The one that I like is... you."
She finally voiced it out.
End.