“Hey, sunbae.”
And just like that, nothing else came to mind. Other people could chat endlessly about the smallest things, so why was even that so difficult for him? After mulling it over for a bit, Go Hoon finally managed to come up with one thing to say.
“The semester’s almost over.”
For something said off the cuff, it wasn’t a bad topic. Kim Yeo-jin nodded with a smile.
“Right? This semester felt like it went by especially fast.”
“Did it?”
Go Hoon gave a vague reply and then nodded belatedly.
Now that he thought about it, time really had flown by—maybe even more chaotically than usual—probably because of getting unexpectedly entangled with Bae Jung-yoon.
“Since it’s break now, I guess we won’t really be running into each other anymore.”
Kim Yeo-jin said it softly, with a hint of regret. As he struggled to come up with a response, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.
“Hold on a sec.”
He asked for a moment and checked his phone. As expected, it was a call from Bae Jung-yoon—the same guy who could never quite manage to act like a gentleman. He was probably calling to ask where Hoon was. Looked like he’d arrived at the parking lot first.
A sense of urgency bubbled up. Go Hoon was about to say goodbye, but Kim Yeo-jin spoke up first.
“Um, sunbae.”
She must’ve picked up on the signs—that he was trying to leave quickly. But she met his eyes with a firm expression and stopped him.
The phone in his hand was still buzzing. But for some reason, it didn’t feel like the right time to answer it.
“Would you like to go see a movie with me this weekend?”
Right on target. And at that exact moment, the vibration stopped. Holding the now-silent phone in his hand, Go Hoon looked at her in silence.
Kim Yeo-jin was visibly nervous. After a long pause, he finally opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
She quickly waved her hand, flustered.
“Oh! It’s okay. You already have plans that day, right…?”
She offered an awkward smile along with her guess. Go Hoon hesitated for a moment, considering whether to just go along with it, but eventually shook his head.
“It’s not that.”
How could he explain this in a way that was honest but also as gentle as possible? He didn’t want to hurt her. Was that just his own selfishness? Still, he genuinely didn’t want to cause pain.
Go Hoon wrestled with it for a while. But no matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t good with words. He didn’t know how to wrap things in nice, soft packaging. So in the end, he could only speak plainly, from the heart.
“If you’re asking me just as friends—if this is coming from a place of no feelings, just hanging out like any close sunbae-hoobae—then yeah, I’d be happy to go to the movies with you anytime.”
“……”
“But if there’s something more to it… if there are feelings involved, then I think all I’ll be able to say from now on is that I’m sorry.”
Kim Yeo-jin’s eyes slowly widened. She looked completely caught off guard. Her lips moved, as if trying to say something, before she let out a faint sigh. Finally, she bowed her head deeply. She stayed that way, silent for a long moment.
“So… what you’re saying is, you don’t see me as someone you could have feelings for. At all.”
Her voice returned after what felt like both a short and long pause—calmer than he’d expected. Go Hoon hesitated briefly, then decided to say it clearly so she could move on.
“There’s someone I like.”
Kim Yeo-jin slowly looked up at him.
“That’s why.”
Her face showed she hadn’t seen that answer coming at all. She blinked, stunned. Like someone unsure of what to say, she faltered for a few seconds before finally managing to speak.
“I didn’t know… I’m sorry, sunbae.”
“I didn’t say this to get an apology.”
Go Hoon shook his head. There was no need for her to be sorry. Liking someone wasn’t something to apologize for. All he felt was concern.
“I just thought… if I didn’t say this now, it might hurt more later. That’s why I told you. I’m sorry if I upset you.”
“No, it’s okay. Actually… thank you. For being honest with me like this.”
Her lips curled into a shaky smile. Seeing that—and the way her shoulders slumped—made his fingers twitch slightly. Would it be okay to give her a light pat on the shoulder? He considered it, but then realized that even that would be for his own comfort, not hers. So he held back.
“Sunbae. Then… I’ll get going. If we ever bump into each other again, I’ll say hi.”
She quickly said her goodbye. As she turned and walked away at a brisk pace, Go Hoon didn’t try to stop her. Even if he did, there was nothing more he could say that would change the outcome.
Was this really the right thing to do? He still wasn’t sure. Maybe he could’ve softened his words. But if he knew from the start he couldn’t return her feelings, wasn’t it better to cut things off early? Rather than leading her on with false hope, this felt cleaner—kinder, even.
He quietly watched Kim Yeo-jin disappear into the distance, her steps quick and determined. And just then, a heavy arm dropped onto his shoulder.
“Funny… for two people who claim you’re just sunbae and hoobae, you sure get spotted together a lot.”
I was starting to wonder why you didn’t show up today.
Completely unaware of someone else’s inner turmoil, Bae Jung-yoon wore an easy smile. He was the very person responsible for Go Hoon’s confusion, yet he tossed out words so casually, as if he had nothing to do with it.
Hoon knew he had no right to feel wronged. He had never confessed his feelings, never put them into words. Still, that didn’t mean he could control them.
He swallowed the sigh rising in his chest and brushed Jung-yoon’s hand away.
“How long were you watching?”
“Hmm… hard to say.”
Jung-yoon smiled with his eyes, completely unfazed. And in that moment, Go Hoon realized for the first time just how cruel a gentle face could look.
Maybe Kim Yeo-jin had felt the same way about him. With that thought, Hoon turned to walk away. It felt easier to keep moving than to stand still while talking.
“So, Hoon.”
But Jung-yoon’s voice called him to a stop.
“Who’s the person you like?”
So he heard that too.
A sinking feeling washed over him. Still, he couldn’t let it show. Hoon composed his expression and turned around. Jung-yoon was staring straight at him, smiling as if nothing had changed.
“Who slipped into your heart without me noticing?”
Why do you even want to know? Is it just curiosity, like when your precious Kkongddeok-i suddenly starts liking someone else?
What if he answered honestly? If he said the person he liked wasn’t someone else—but you? What kind of face would Jung-yoon make?
Would he be startled? Or just laugh it off like it was nothing, that same soft chuckle of his?
Hoon had no way of knowing. Which left him with only one possible answer.
“No one.”
He met Jung-yoon’s gaze directly and continued.
“I said it so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea. It’s better not to give someone false hope. So forget about it.”
His tone was flat. He nodded toward the street.
“Come on, let’s go home. My brain’s fried from exams—I’m exhausted.”
All he wanted now was to go home, wash off the day in hot water, and cool down under the air conditioner. His body was begging for rest.
Stretching his sore shoulders, he began to walk. But he’d barely taken a few steps when a hand grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around.
“Is that true?”
Jung-yoon had come up behind him without a sound. The smile was gone from his face.
“Are you absolutely sure there’s no one you like?”
His voice had grown serious. He looked at Hoon with intent, as if trying to read the truth off his face.
Hoon’s brow furrowed. This wasn’t something worth interrogating over.
“What does it matter to you whether I like someone or not?”
The words slipped out unfiltered. And Jung-yoon didn’t hesitate even for a second.
“Because we’re friends. Of course I’m curious.”
Friends.
So that’s the mask you’re choosing to wear now. Does this relationship even deserve to be called that? It was bound by contract, and Hoon’s feelings had already started to drift.
Jung-yoon’s attention toward him was clearly excessive. But Hoon couldn’t let himself see that as a sign of anything more—because he knew the kind of person Jung-yoon was.
That’s why he couldn’t let himself waver. He had to keep his balance. Had to keep his feelings hidden. Had to make sure they didn’t go any further.
He still believed he could do that—at least for now.
“There’s no one I like.”
He said it again, even more firmly this time. Like a spell he was casting on himself. Don’t let this grow. Set the boundary clearly. Because he’s not going to do it for you. He doesn’t think the way you do.
Masking his face with indifference, Hoon stared into those deep black eyes. They held each other’s gaze for a long moment, until Jung-yoon finally loosened his grip.
His shoulder tingled as the pressure lifted. Jung-yoon briskly patted the wrinkles from Hoon’s shirt, the fabric snapping lightly under his hand. Then, he leaned in and whispered.
“I hope that wasn’t a lie, Hoon.”
