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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 .

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