Apartment – Night

The room is dimly lit, with clothes scattered on the floor. where Jun and Alis lie under the sheets, catching their breath after a passionate moment. The comfortable silence is filled with a sense of unease, as if something unspoken is hanging in the air.

Jun: (smirking as he turns to face Alis, his hand gently brushing against her arm) That was… intense.

Alis: (smiling weakly, but her eyes reveal her anxiety) Yeah, it was.

Jun notices the tension in Alis’s expression. His smirk fades as he studies her face, sensing something is off.

Jun: What’s wrong? You seem… off.

Alis hesitates, looking away as she tries to find the right words. The intimacy of the moment makes the truth even harder to voice.

Alis: My mom called earlier today.

Jun: (raising an eyebrow, still playful but with a hint of concern) Oh? What did she want?

Alis takes a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she speaks.

Alis: She… she said she wants me to marry someone.

Jun’s playful demeanor shifts to something more serious, his expression hardening as he tries to remain calm.

Jun: Marry? Who?

Alis: (sighing, her voice tinged with sorrow) I don’t know him. He’s the son of my dad’s best friend. They’ve known each other for years, apparently.

Jun’s jaw tightens as he processes this information. The air between them feels heavier, thick with unspoken emotions that have been simmering for years.

Jun: So… what does this mean for us?

Alis finally turns to face him, her eyes filled with a mix of regret and resolve. She’s known this moment was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Alis: Jun, we need to stop this. Whatever we have… it can’t continue.

Jun stares at her, the words hitting him harder than he expected. The years of shared moments, the quiet confessions, the silent understanding—they all seem to crumble in an instant.

Jun: You can’t be serious. Just like that?

Alis: (nodding, trying to stay strong, though her heart aches) Just like that. My life is about to change in a big way. It’s not fair to either of us to keep pretending this is just casual.

Jun looks away, a flicker of pain crossing his face. He’s silent for a moment, his mind racing with thoughts of what they’ve shared and what he’s about to lose.

Jun: And what if I don’t want it to end?

Alis: (softly, with a hint of desperation) We don’t have a choice, Jun. My parents expect me to settle down, to marry someone ‘suitable’. This… us… it can’t last.

The room feels colder, the bond between them strained by the weight of reality. What once felt unbreakable now seems fragile, like it could shatter with a single word.

Jun: (almost whispering, his voice rough with emotion) So this is it?

Alis: (her voice breaking slightly, tears threatening to fall) I guess it is.

They are lying side by side, their bodies close but feeling miles apart. The intimacy they’ve shared for two years now seems like a distant memory, replaced by the harsh reality of their situation. Alis’s phone vibrates on the bedside table, a stark reminder of the world outside their fragile bubble.

Alis in her thoughts: I love him from the childhood, but Jun loves someone else. Yet, in some situations, we found ourselves in a friends-with-benefits relationship. we carried this on for two years, but now I know Jun can’t love me the way I needs. I decided to marry the person my mom and dad chose for me .

Alis’s phone vibrating on the bedside table. The screen shows “Mom” calling. Alis, still lying beside Jun, hesitates before picking up the phone. She takes a deep breath, her hand slightly trembling as she swipes to answer.

Alis: (softly) Hello?

The voice on the other end is stern but not unkind. Alis’s mother’s voice fills the silence, each word sinking into the heavy atmosphere of the room.

Alis’s Mom: Alis, you need to come home tomorrow morning. It’s important.

Alis’s heart sinks at the abruptness in her mother’s tone, but she doesn’t argue.

Alis: (barely above a whisper) Okay, Mom… I’ll be there.

Without another word, the line goes dead. Alis stares at the phone for a moment, the weight of the call pressing down on her. Slowly, she sets the phone back on the table and sits up, the sheets falling away as she moves to the edge of the bed. The room feels colder now, the warmth from their earlier embrace fading.

Jun watches her, concern etched on his face. He senses the shift in her mood, the sadness that seems to have settled around her like a heavy cloak.

Jun: (sitting up, his voice gentle but worried) What did she say?

Alis stands up, avoiding his gaze as she starts to gather her clothes from the floor. She speaks, her voice void of emotion, as if she’s trying to hold herself together.

Alis: I have to go home. My mom wants me there in the morning.

She pulls on her clothes with a quiet determination, her movements quick and precise as if by focusing on the task, she can avoid thinking about what it all means. Jun watches her, a sense of dread curling in his chest. He can feel her slipping away, and the thought terrifies him.

Jun: (standing up, taking a step toward her) You’re leaving now? It’s late, Alis. Can’t you stay a little longer?

Alis pauses, her back to him as she zips up her dress. She closes her eyes, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill over. She knows if she turns to look at him, she’ll crumble.

Alis: (forcing her voice to stay steady) I need to pack some things. I’ll come back later.

Jun reaches out, his hand gently catching her wrist, stopping her. The touch is warm, familiar, but right now it feels like it’s burning through her skin.

Jun: (his voice low, almost pleading) Please… don’t go. Not yet.

Alis finally turns to face him, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. The sight of him, standing there with that look in his eyes, makes her heart ache. She’s loved him for so long, and yet, they’ve always been just out of reach of something real.

Alis: (her voice breaking, barely a whisper) Jun, I have to. You know I have to.

Jun steps closer, his hand moving to cup her cheek. His touch is gentle, but his eyes are filled with a mix of desperation and sorrow.

Jun: (softly, his voice trembling) Alis, I don’t want you to go. I don’t want this to end like this.

Alis closes her eyes, leaning into his touch for just a moment, allowing herself to feel the pain of what could never be. She knows this is their reality—two people who shared something deep, yet never truly belonged to each other.

Alis: (tears spilling over, voice shaking) But it has to, Jun. We both knew this was coming. I just… I can’t keep doing this.

Jun’s thumb brushes away a tear that escapes down her cheek. The finality of her words hits him hard, and for the first time, he realizes just how much he’s losing.

Jun: (his voice raw with emotion) Alis, I…

Alis pulls away gently, breaking the physical connection between them. She wipes her tears, trying to pull herself together. With a deep breath, she picks up her bag and heads toward the door. Jun watches her go, his heart feeling like it’s being ripped apart.

Jun: (whispering to himself, voice broken) Alis…

Alis pauses at the door, her hand on the handle. She takes one last look at him, memorizing the way he looks in this moment. A part of her wants to run back to him, to forget everything and stay in this fragile bubble of theirs. But she knows she can’t.

Alis: (softly, voice full of sorrow) Goodbye, Jun.

With that, she turns the handle and steps out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. The sound of the door clicking shut echoes in the room, leaving Jun standing alone in the dim light, the reality of their situation settling in like a heavy fog.

he slowly sits back down on the bed, staring at the door, knowing that this might be the last time she walks out of his life.

Jun sitting alone on the bed, the silence of the room almost suffocating after Alis's departure. The weight of their last conversation lingers in the air, and Jun’s mind is racing with emotions. Suddenly, his phone rings, breaking the silence. He picks it up and sees his mother’s name on the screen.

Jun: (answering the call, trying to steady his voice) Mom?

Jun’s Mom: Jun, I need you to come home tomorrow. It’s important.

Jun hears the urgency in her voice, something that makes his stomach knot with unease.

Jun: (frowning) What’s this about?

Jun’s Mom: We’ll talk when you get here. Just… please, come home.

Jun sighs, the exhaustion of the night catching up to him.

Jun: Alright, I’ll be there.

They exchange brief goodbyes, and Jun ends the call. He sits there for a moment, staring at the phone in his hand, feeling an unsettling sense of foreboding. The screen fades to black.

The next morning, Jun arrives at his family home. he walks through the familiar hallways, his footsteps echoing in the quiet house. He finds his mother waiting for him in the living room, her expression serious.

Jun’s Mom: (motioning for him to sit) Come, Jun. We need to talk.

Jun sits down, sensing that whatever she’s about to say is going to be heavy.

Jun: What’s going on, Mom?

His mother takes a deep breath, looking at him with a mix of sadness and determination.

Jun’s Mom: When your father was… when he was taking his last breath, he made a promise to his best friend.

Jun’s heart skips a beat, the mention of his late father immediately tugging at his emotions.

Jun: (confused and wary) What kind of promise?

Jun’s Mom: He promised that you would marry his friend’s daughter. It was your father’s last wish.

Jun’s eyes widen in shock, and he feels a surge of anger and disbelief.

Jun: (raising his voice slightly) What? Mom, how could you even consider this? I don’t even know her!

His mother reaches out, placing her hand on his, her voice soft but firm.

Jun’s Mom: Jun, this was your father’s last wish. He wanted to make sure you were taken care of, that you had someone who would stand by you. I know it’s sudden, but this is important to me—and to him.

Jun pulls his hand back, standing up abruptly as he starts to pace the room, frustration boiling over.

Jun: (agitated) I’ve been waiting for three years for her, Mom. Three years! I thought I could move on, but now you’re telling me I have to marry some girl I’ve never even met?

His mother watches him, her eyes filled with concern. She knows how much Jun has suffered waiting for his ex-girlfriend, the girl who left him heartbroken and never returned.

Jun’s Mom: (standing up, her voice trembling slightly with emotion) I know, Jun. I know you’ve waited, and I know how much it hurt. But sometimes, we have to let go of the past. Your father believed that this would be best for you. He wanted you to have a future, even if it wasn’t the one you imagined.

Jun stops pacing, his shoulders slumping as the weight of her words sink in. The room feels heavy with the burden of his father’s last wish, and Jun feels trapped between his own desires and the promise made by the man he loved and respected more than anyone.

Jun: (softly, almost defeated) What if she never comes back? What if I’m just holding onto a ghost?

His mother steps closer, placing a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with motherly concern and love.

Jun’s Mom: Maybe it’s time to stop waiting, Jun. Maybe it’s time to move forward… for both of us.

Jun closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tries to reconcile the storm of emotions inside him. He knows deep down that his mother is right—that he can’t keep living in the shadow of a past that may never return.

After a long pause, he finally nods, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jun: Okay, Mom… I’ll do it. I’ll marry her.

His mother exhales in relief, tears welling up in her eyes as she pulls him into a tight embrace.

Jun’s Mom: Thank you, Jun. Your father would be proud.

Jun holds her, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. The camera pulls back, showing them standing in the middle of the living room, two people trying to make peace with the choices they’ve made.