It happened by accident.
Or maybe it had been building toward it for weeks.
Yuna was sitting on her bed, homework half-finished, when the silence felt too loud. Texting suddenly seemed too small. Too flat.
Before she could overthink it—
She pressed call.
The ringing felt endless.
Back home, Ren was at the pier with Aio and Mio when his phone vibrated.
He froze when he saw her name.
"Answer it," Aio said immediately.
"I am."
He stepped away, toward the edge of the pier where the ocean stretched wide and open.
"Hey," he said.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
It was different hearing each other like this. No typing. No time to edit.
Just breath.
"Hi," Yuna replied softly.
Her voice sounded the same.
And not the same.
"How was your day?" he asked.
"Busy. Loud. Hana talks too much."
He smiled. "I warned you about loud people."
A small laugh escaped her.
The wind picked up around him, carrying the scent of saltwater.
"I miss the ocean," she admitted suddenly.
Ren looked out at it.
"It's still here."
"I know."
There was something heavier in her tone now.
"Ren…"
He straightened. "Yeah?"
"What if I get used to this place?"
The question landed gently—but it carried weight.
He understood what she meant.
What if new routines became normal?
What if missing home didn't hurt as much?
He inhaled slowly.
"Then that's okay," he said.
Silence.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah. You're allowed to grow somewhere else. It doesn't erase where you started."
Her chest tightened at that.
"Are you sure?" she whispered.
He leaned against the railing.
"I don't want you stuck in memories just because I'm in them."
The honesty surprised even him.
On her end, Yuna blinked back sudden tears.
"You're not just a memory," she said quickly.
"Good," he replied, voice softer now. "Because you're not either."
The wind roared louder for a second, filling the quiet space between them.
In the background, Aio's voice echoed faintly. "Is this a confession? Do I need popcorn?"
Ren turned slightly away. "Ignore him."
Yuna laughed, covering her mouth.
That sound—
He hadn't realized how much he missed hearing it live.
Not through text.
Not imagined.
Real.
"I'm glad you called," he said after a moment.
"Me too."
They didn't rush to hang up.
They talked about small things. School. The bakery near her apartment. The broken vending machine near the station.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing life-changing.
But it felt closer.
More solid.
When they finally said goodbye, neither wanted to be the first to disconnect.
"You hang up," Yuna teased quietly.
"Not happening."
She smiled.
"Okay. Together."
"Together."
Three.
Two.
One.
The line went silent.
Ren stood on the pier a little longer, phone still in his hand.
Across the city, Yuna lay back against her pillow, staring at the ceiling.
Distance was real.
But so was effort.
So was choosing.
Summertimes were coming.
And for the first time since she left—
The space between them didn't feel so wide.