Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. So-eun and Joon-ho still sat in the same classroom, breathed the same air, and crossed paths every day. But everything was different now.
So-eun had mastered the art of indifference. She laughed with her friends, asked questions in class, and lived as if Joon-ho had never existed in her world. To everyone else, she was the same bright, confident girl. But only she knew how much effort it took to pretend.
Joon-ho, on the other hand, was struggling. The weight of his decision pressed down on him like a heavy stone. He thought choosing his faith over love would give him peace, but instead, it left him restless.
The First Crack
One afternoon, their professor assigned a group project.
"Joon-ho, So-eun, you two will work together," the professor announced.
A tense silence filled the air. Joon-ho’s heart skipped a beat. He risked a glance at So-eun, but she only nodded and scribbled something in her notebook, as if the announcement meant nothing to her.
After class, he approached her hesitantly. "Should we decide on a topic?"
She looked at him with unreadable eyes. "You choose. Just send me the details."
Her voice was calm, detached—like he was a stranger.
Joon-ho swallowed. "So-eun… can we talk?"
She blinked, then tilted her head slightly. "About what?"
His breath caught in his throat. He had expected her to be cold, maybe even bitter, but this? This complete lack of emotion? It scared him.
"Nothing," he mumbled.
She gave a small nod and walked away.
Joon-ho clenched his fists. The girl who used to look at him with warmth now treated him like he was nothing. And it hurt more than he had expected.
The Breaking Point
That night, Joon-ho found himself staring at their old messages. The way she used to call him Joonie, the late-night confessions, the silly arguments about what to eat.
He missed her. Desperately.
But it was too late, wasn’t it?
The next day, during their project discussion, Joon-ho tried again. "Are you really okay with this? With how things are now?"
So-eun looked up from her notes. "Do you want me to cry, Joon-ho? Would that make you feel better?"
His stomach twisted. "That’s not what I meant."
She sighed. "Then stop asking. You made your choice. I’ve accepted it."
He stared at her, hoping to find some trace of the girl who once loved him. But all he saw was someone who had already let go.
And that’s when he realized—So-eun wasn’t pretending to be okay. She really had moved on.
But Joon-ho?
He was still stuck in the past.
—To Be Continued…
Should I write a novel about this .
