Yona had never known luxury. His home was a tiny wooden house at the edge of town, where he lived with his frail grandfather. Every morning, he woke up early to help his grandfather with chores before heading to school. His uniform was slightly worn, his shoes scuffed, but he didn't care about those things. He only cared about one thing—Lena.
Lena was beautiful, confident, and always surrounded by friends. She had a laugh that echoed through the hallways, and Yona couldn't help but admire her from a distance. But no matter how much he tried, she barely acknowledged his existence.
Meanwhile, there was another pair of eyes that always found him—Mia.
Mia had known Yona since middle school. She saw the way he worked hard, the kindness in his eyes, and the way he looked at Lena with longing.
It broke her heart every time he ignored her smiles, every time he looked past her like she was invisible. But still, she never gave up.
She left small gifts in his desk—his favorite snacks, handwritten notes of encouragement. She made excuses to be around him, offering to help with schoolwork or just walking beside him when he seemed lonely.
But Yona was blind to it all. His heart only beat for Lena, who barely even remembered his name.
One rainy afternoon, Yona stayed late at school, standing near the school gates. He had been waiting for Lena, hoping for a chance to talk to her.
He had no umbrella, and the rain poured down on him, drenching his clothes, but he didn't move. He had waited too long for this moment.
Finally, he saw her walking toward the gate, laughing with her friends. His heart pounded.
"Lena!" he called out, stepping forward.
She turned slightly but barely glanced at him before looking away. He tried again.
"Lena, can we talk?" His voice was hopeful, desperate even.
But she ignored him. She didn't stop, didn't slow down—she simply walked past him, her laughter blending into the sound of the rain.
Yona stood there, his hands trembling, his wet clothes clinging to his skin. His heart felt heavier than ever, the weight of rejection sinking in.
And then, a soft voice broke through the silence.
"Yona…"
He turned and saw Mia standing nearby, her umbrella held out toward him.
Her eyes were filled with concern, her voice gentle.
"Come on, you'll get sick."
But Yona didn't move. He didn't take the umbrella. He just stared past her, his gaze empty, lost. Without a word, he turned and started walking, his footsteps slow, his head low. The rain kept falling, soaking him even more, but he didn't seem to notice.
Mia stood there, watching him disappear into the distance, gripping the umbrella tightly. No matter what she did, no matter how much she tried, he still couldn't see her.
And yet, she stayed
Mia stood frozen in place, gripping the umbrella so tightly her fingers turned white. The rain poured around her, but it was nothing compared to the storm inside her heart.
Tears welled up in her eyes, mixing with the raindrops on her cheeks as she whispered to herself,
"What else can I do?"
She had done everything. She had been by his side when no one else was. She had smiled at him, encouraged him, left him little gifts—yet he never saw her. His heart belonged to someone who didn't care about him, while she… she had been waiting for him to turn around, to see her, just once.
But he never did.
Her shoulders shook as she wiped her face, but the tears kept falling. It wasn't fair. She had hoped that maybe today, when he was hurting, he would finally see her. That maybe, for once, she wouldn't just be the girl standing in the background of his life.
But instead, he had walked away, lost in his pain. And Mia… Mia was left behind.
As she watched his figure disappear into the rain, a painful thought crept into her mind—
What if he never notices me? What if I'm always just… invisible?
The idea crushed her, but deep down, she already knew the answer.Yet, despite everything, despite the heartbreak, she knew she couldn't stop loving him.
With a trembling breath, Mia lowered the umbrella. She let the rain soak her just as it had soaked Yona, as if somehow, in that moment, she could share his sorrow.
And as she stood there, tears mixing with the rain, she made a quiet promise to herself.
One day, Yona… you will see me.
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The next day at school, Yona sat in his chair, his arms resting on the desk, his mind still clouded by the weight of yesterday. His clothes were dry, but his heart still felt drenched, stuck in the downpour of emotions he had walked through.
His eyes were locked on Lena. Even after everything, even after she ignored him in the rain, he still couldn't look away.
Mia quietly slid into her seat beside him. She hesitated for a moment, watching his expression before forcing a small, hopeless smile.
"Hey," she greeted softly.
But Yona didn't respond. He didn't even glance at her.
And then, something unexpected happened.
Lena walked toward them, her presence immediately filling the space around them. Yona straightened up, his breath catching in his throat.
She stopped right in front of him, brushing her hair back as she spoke, her voice softer than usual.
"Hey, Yona… I wanted to say sorry for yesterday."
Yona blinked, his heart pounding. He didn't expect this.
"I wasn't ignoring you on purpose," she continued, tilting her head slightly. "I was just upset about something and wasn't in the mood to talk. I didn't mean to be rude."
He stared at her, struggling to believe this was real. Lena… was apologizing to him. She had come to him on her own. For the first time, it felt like he existed in her world.
A small, excited smile tugged at his lips. "It's okay," he said quickly, shaking his head. "I understand."
Lena nodded, flashing a charming smile. "Cool. See you around."
Then, just like that, she walked away, returning to her group of friends.
Yona sat there, his heart still racing, a spark of happiness flickering inside him.
But beside him, Mia lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening around the edges of her notebook.
She had watched the entire thing, had seen the way his face lit up for Lena—a light she had never once seen directed at her.
And it hurt.
She swallowed back the lump in her throat and forced another smile, even though it felt like it was breaking her.
"Looks like your day just got better," she murmured,
but Yona barely heard her.
Because once again, he wasn't looking at her.
And maybe he never would.
to be continue .....