Episode 5: The Space Between Moments

The following week, Eunji found herself lingering a little longer after the critique class. She told herself it was just for the quiet, the light under the blossoms, the way the wind carried her thoughts into shapes she could sketch. But deep down, she knew she was waiting. For what—or who—she didn’t say aloud.

She didn’t have to.

The cherry blossoms were beginning to fall in clusters now, soft piles gathering around the base of the tree like snow. She was halfway through a sketch—another cafe scene, but this time, the girl was smiling—when a shadow crossed her page.

“I was hoping you’d be here.”

Seojin stood a few steps away, same dark hair, same quiet smile. This time, though, he had two coffees in hand.

“I figured artists run on caffeine too,” he said, offering her one.

Eunji blinked, then laughed softly. “Only if it comes with a side of inspiration.”

“You’ll have to let me know if this qualifies,” he said, settling onto the bench beside her.

They sat in a silence that wasn’t awkward, just… easy. Eunji took a sip of the coffee—it was sweet, with a hint of vanilla. She glanced at him sideways.

“How’d you guess what I like?”

“I didn’t,” he admitted. “I just picked what I thought sounded like something someone who sketches in secret places might drink.”

Eunji rolled her eyes, but her smile gave her away. “You’re not entirely wrong.”

He watched her as she returned to her drawing, the lines flowing again like a river unblocked. For a while, neither of them spoke. It was the kind of moment that didn’t need narration—comfortable and slow, like a Sunday morning.

Finally, Seojin leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You know, I thought business was all numbers and deals. But lately, it’s felt… kind of empty. Like I’m solving equations that don’t really change anything.”

Eunji looked up from her sketchbook. “Then maybe you’re asking the wrong questions.”

He turned to her, intrigued. “What would you ask?”

She shrugged. “Not ‘how do I build something that works?’ but maybe… ‘how do I build something that matters?’”

He didn’t reply right away. Just looked at her with something like recognition in his eyes. Like maybe, somehow, she’d articulated a truth he’d been circling without quite grasping.

“I like that,” he said finally.

The breeze stirred again, lifting a few petals into the air. One landed in Seojin’s hair. Eunji reached over without thinking and brushed it away, her fingers grazing his temple.

Neither of them moved for a beat.

“Thanks,” he murmured.

She lowered her hand. “You had a flower growing out of your head. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Tragic,” he said with mock gravity. “I’ve got an image to maintain.”

She laughed, the sound light and free, and for a second, it felt like they were suspended in a moment that didn’t belong to the rest of the world.

Somewhere deep inside, Eunji felt that stir again—something warm and unfamiliar. It wasn’t love. Not yet. But it was the beginning.

The day before the exhibit, Eunji met Seojin in their usual cafe, the one with the ivy-covered windows and mismatched chairs. The air was crisp with the early autumn chill, and as they settled into a corner booth, Eunji couldn't shake the feeling that something was different.

Seojin sipped his coffee, his gaze flickering to the window, where golden leaves drifted by. "That piece of yours," he began, voice quieter than usual, "it got me thinking."

Eunji raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"About waiting. You said she wasn’t waiting anymore." He paused, then added with a half-smile, "I think I’ve been waiting for something too, but maybe not in the way I thought."

"Waiting for what?" Eunji's voice was gentle, more curious than anything else.

He leaned forward, fingers tracing the rim of his cup. "I’m not sure yet. But I’ve spent so much time planning everything, working toward being CEO, that I forgot about what I actually want. Something real, you know?"

Eunji felt a tug at her heart. She thought back to their last conversation at the gallery—the one where they had shared something quietly beautiful—but this felt different. Seojin wasn’t just speaking about his career; it was like he was opening up in a way that felt unspoken before.

"I get that," she said softly. "I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, too. About what matters, what I want out of my art, out of life. And I don’t want to just wait anymore either."

There was a long pause before Seojin broke the silence, his voice hesitant. "Maybe... maybe we’re both waiting for the wrong things."

Eunji met his gaze, wondering if he meant what she thought he did. Before she could respond, Rora texted, pulling her from the moment with a simple question: "You coming by the studio later?"

Eunji smiled, relieved for the distraction. "Actually, Rora’s wondering if I’ll drop by later."

"Go," Seojin said quickly, a little too quickly. "I’ll catch you later."

They’d started to say something deep, something about where their paths were taking them, but hadn’t finished.

As she left the café, Eunji couldn’t help but wonder if she was already on the verge of something new with Seojin.

Her friends, especially Rora, had always reminded her to trust her instincts. But now, with Seojin’s words still echoing in her mind, she wasn’t sure if that instinct would lead her closer to him or further away.

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