Months later
The city was loud, too loud. Every honk, every shout felt like it pressed against my skin. I wanted to turn back, to hide. But then there was Dae-hyun—walking just close enough that his shoulder brushed mine now and then, like he was silently reminding me he was there.
"So… what do you usually like to do on weekends?" he asked, voice casual.
I hesitated. What do I even say? That I spend most of my time trying not to be noticed at home? "I… I don't really go out much," I muttered. "Mostly stay in. Read."
"Really?" He tilted his head, lips quaking into that half-smile that made me want to look away and stare at the same time. "All work and no play?"
The words stung, but not in a cruel way. He was teasing, but I couldn't shake the truth in them. I lowered my gaze. "I just… I don't like people. Crowds make me uneasy."
His expression shifted, softening. "I get it. But with me, you don't have to worry. I'll stick close. Promise."
Something in my chest squeezed so tightly it almost hurt. "You… really don't mind?"
"Not at all," he said simply, like it was the easiest truth in the world. His eyes caught mine, and I had to look away before I drowned in them. "Actually… I like it. Seeing you like this. Quiet. Thoughtful. Makes me want to know you more."
Heat rushed up my neck. I hated how easily he did that—slipped past the walls I'd spent years building. "You… really think so?"
"I do." His voice was steady, no hesitation, no teasing this time. "And I want to know everything about you. What you like. What you hate. What makes you happy… and what scares you."
My chest trembled. Nobody had ever asked me that before. Nobody had ever wanted to know.
I swallowed, words sticking in my throat. "I… don't know if I can."
"That's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to. Not yet." He bumped his shoulder against mine, a small, playful gesture that still made me stumble. "But I'll be here when you're ready."
We stopped at a tiny café tucked between two buildings, the kind of place I would have walked past a hundred times without noticing. Dae-hyun held the door open for me, like it was nothing, but the gesture made my pulse skip.
Inside, the warm scent of coffee and sugar wrapped around us. I sat awkwardly at a table by the window while he ordered, watching the way he laughed with the barista, how effortlessly people seemed to like him.
When he returned, he slid a cup toward me. "Strawberry latte. Thought you'd like it."
My lips parted. "How did you—?"
"You chose strawberry ice cream yesterday," he said with a grin. "I pay attention."
The words hit harder than they should have. I stared at the cup, my throat tight. Nobody ever paid attention. Not to me. Not like this.
He leaned back in his chair, watching me. "See? First date, and I'm already the perfect gentleman."
My face heated instantly. "F-first date?"
"Of course." He said it so casually, like it wasn't the kind of thing that could make my entire chest feel too full, too fragile. "What else would this be?"
I tried to hide my smile behind the rim of the cup, but he caught it anyway. His answering grin made the café feel warmer than it already was.
I stood in front of the little ice cream stall, staring at the rows of colors like I was being asked to make the most important decision of my life. My chest tightened—why was even something so simple so hard? My hands twitched against my sides.
"Don't overthink it," Dae-hyun said, nudging me lightly. His touch was casual, but it steadied me. "Pick whatever you want. I'll get the same for me."
I bit my lip, eyes falling on the pale pink swirl of strawberry. My childhood favorite. It felt like a memory I shouldn't touch but… I did anyway. "Strawberry," I murmured.
He chuckled, choosing chocolate for himself, and for a moment, I envied his ease.
We walked along the fountain, the evening breeze carrying laughter from children nearby. I tried to focus on the sweetness melting on my tongue, but all I could feel was the weight of his gaze—warm, steady, unshakable. It made something in me ache.
"You know," Dae-hyun said, his voice soft, almost like the water trickling beside us, "I'm glad we did this. Just… hanging out. No school. No expectations. Just us."
My throat tightened. I wanted to say something more, something real. But all that came out was a whisper: "Me too."
Silence wrapped around us—not heavy, but gentle. Peaceful. I leaned just slightly closer to him, not touching, but close enough to feel his presence. It was enough.
"You're quiet again," he said after a while, his tone more tender than teasing. "You can tell me anything, you know."
I hesitated. My chest rose and fell too quickly. Do I dare?
"I… sometimes I'm scared," I admitted, the words trembling out of me. "Of people. Of what they think of me."
He stopped, turning fully to face me. His eyes were so steady it was unbearable. "I don't care what anyone thinks of you. And you don't have to be afraid of me. I won't let anyone hurt you."
The world blurred for a second. My throat ached as if every unshed tear I'd buried for years was trying to claw its way out. "Thank you…" I whispered, my voice breaking.
He smiled and brushed a speck of nothing from my shoulder, as if I needed that tiny gesture to anchor me.
"Come on," he said. "I've got one more thing to show you."
When he led me to the carousel, I almost laughed—it was ridiculous, childish. But he grinned like it was the best idea in the world. "Don't tell me you've never ridden one as an adult," he teased.
My face heated. "I… haven't."
"Perfect. Let's do it." He climbed onto a horse effortlessly, looking at me expectantly.
Awkwardly, I followed. The ride started slow, then picked up. My pulse raced—not with fear, but exhilaration. I clung to the pole, laughter bubbling in my chest despite myself.
"This… isn't so bad," I admitted, glancing at him.
"See? Life's better when you let yourself enjoy it." His eyes sparkled, brighter than the lights circling above us.
When the ride slowed, disappointment stung. He jumped down first, then held out his hand. I hesitated only a second before taking it. The warmth of his palm seeped into me, filling the cracks I thought would never heal.
As the sun dipped low, painting the park in gold and pink, a truth hit me so hard it almost hurt: for the first time in years, I wasn't just surviving.
I was living.
And with Dae-hyun beside me, I wasn't alone. Not anymore.
We left the café just as the sky began to soften into dusk. The air outside was cooler, carrying the faint scent of roasted chestnuts from a street vendor and the laughter of children chasing each other past the park gates. My chest felt unsteady, like I had swallowed too much light.
Dae-hyun walked beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed once, then twice. Every accidental touch sent my nerves sparking, but he didn't seem to notice—or maybe he did, and he was just letting me sit with it.
The quiet stretched between us, not uncomfortable, but charged. My heart raced with every step. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words felt heavy on my tongue.
Then his hand brushed mine again. This time, he didn't pull back. He let his fingers linger, brushing against my knuckles, testing. I stopped breathing.
Slowly, deliberately, his hand slipped into mine, his fingers curling until they fit snugly between mine.
I froze, every nerve alive. My first instinct was to pull away, to retreat into the safety of distance. But the warmth of his hand was steady, grounding. I gripped back before I realized I had made the choice.
Dae-hyun's smile curved, small and knowing. "Feels right, doesn't it?"
I couldn't speak. I could only nod, the words lodged in my throat.
We wandered into the park, where the fountain's spray shimmered in the fading sunlight. The benches were mostly empty now, the world quieting as the day slipped into evening. He tugged me gently toward the fountain's edge, where the water caught the golden light like scattered stars.
"Woo-jin," he said softly, still holding my hand as if he never intended to let go. He looked at me then—really looked—and it felt like he could see past everything I'd tried to hide. "I like you. More than just a friend. More than just… classmates." His smile tilted, nervous but sure. "I've been waiting for you to notice."
My breath stuttered. My grip tightened around his fingers without thinking. "I… I do notice. I—" My voice cracked, trembling under the weight of everything I couldn't say. "I like you too. More than I thought I could. With anyone."
The confession spilled out of me like breaking glass—sharp, fragile, but freeing.
Dae-hyun's eyes softened, warmth blooming there. "Good," he murmured, stepping closer, so close that the edges of his hair caught the last light of the sun. "Because I've been wanting to hear that for a while."
My heart stumbled violently. He was too close, too beautiful, too much.
He leaned just slightly forward, his forehead almost touching mine. "Can I…?" His voice was barely a whisper, giving me the choice, the space to say no.
Every instinct screamed at me to run, to protect myself. But stronger than fear was the ache—the ache to feel, to be wanted, to let go just once.
I nodded, trembling.
His lips brushed mine, feather-light at first, hesitant, as if asking again without words. I leaned in before I could stop myself, closing the gap. The kiss deepened just enough to taste the sweetness of my strawberry latte on his lips, to feel the warmth of him spread through me like fire and shelter at once.
When he pulled back, my eyes fluttered open, dazed. My whole body was shaking, but I didn't care.
Dae-hyun chuckled softly, resting his forehead against mine. "Guess that makes it official, huh?"
My laugh came out broken, but real. "Y-yeah… official."
We stood there by the fountain as the sky darkened, the city's hum softening into night. He didn't let go of my hand, and I didn't want him to.
The water sparkled beside us, the air cool against my heated skin, and I felt something bloom inside me that I hadn't let myself feel in years.
Not just safety. Not just comfort.
But love—trembling, new, and terrifyingly beautiful.
And in that moment, I knew: I wasn't alone anymore.