Chapter Text
Eunha had always told herself that love was something that happened slowly, over time, like a song you didn't realize was your favorite until you caught yourself humming it every day. But with Yoshi, it had always been there—a quiet melody playing in the background, waiting to be heard.
Eunha and Yoshi had always been close. Too close, maybe. They had been inseparable since high school, sharing inside jokes, late-night calls, and a playlist filled with songs that felt like their own secret language.
But they were just friends. Weren't they?
Eunha never questioned it, at least not until the night Yoshi showed up at her apartment at midnight, drenched from the rain, grinning like he always did. He had a habit of doing this—appearing out of nowhere, asking to crash on her couch, complaining about dates gone wrong and laughing about how he was 'just too charming for his own good.'
That night, as she handed him a towel, she found herself staring at him a little too long, watching the way his wet hair clung to his forehead, how his smile lingered before he spoke.
"What?" he teased, cocking an eyebrow.
"Nothing." She turned away quickly, pressing her lips together.
He laughed and threw the towel over his head. "You're acting weird."
Was she? Or was it just the way his voice softened when he spoke to her, how he always found her in a crowded room, how he never let her go too long without checking in? She always chalked it up to friendship—because that's what Yoshi did. He made everyone feel special, effortlessly.
But she wanted to be more than just 'everyone.'
"Did your date go that bad?" she asked, sitting on the floor next to the couch as he flopped down onto it.
He let out a dramatic sigh. "She was nice. But you know how it is."
No, she didn't. Not really.
Yoshi had a way of dating like he was passing through, never staying too long in one place, never letting himself get too attached. And maybe that was the problem—because Eunha was already attached.
She looked down at her hands, hesitating before asking, "Why do you always do this?"
"Do what?"
"Go on dates with people you don't actually like."
He let out a small chuckle, running a hand through his damp hair. "I don't know. It's easier, I guess."
"Easier than what?"
He didn't answer right away, just stared at the ceiling for a moment. Then, finally, he said, "Than liking someone I can't have."
Her heart stopped.
The room felt too small, the air too thick. Eunha swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. "And who's that?"
Yoshi turned his head, his gaze locking onto hers. "You know who."
Silence stretched between them, heavy with all the things they had never said. Eunha could hear the rain outside, the distant hum of the city, the quiet sound of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.
She had spent so long convincing herself that Yoshi was just being friendly. That the lingering glances, the playful touches, the way he always seemed to be there—none of it meant what she wanted it to mean.
But maybe she had been wrong all along.
And maybe, just maybe, he was waiting for her to see it.