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eighteen and everything after 2

hwang hyunjin x f!reader, kim seungmin x f!reader

synopsis: you build a life too young and watch it fall apart just as you start finding yourself. as you navigate single motherhood and a demanding new career, someone unexpected becomes a steady presence, while the man you never stopped loving learns what it truly means to lose you.

warnings: angst, emotional infidelity, inner conflict, love triangle, slow burn romance, mentions of drinking/alcohol, blacking out.

wc: 22,855

part 1 / part 3

You and Seungmin start off on the wrong foot. You’d be lying if you said otherwise. From the moment he told you to follow him without even introducing himself, something between you felt tense and off balance. Maybe it’s him, his clipped tone, his impatient sighs, the way he moves like the world is constantly five steps behind him. Or maybe it’s you, because your mind keeps drifting somewhere it shouldn’t. You can barely focus.

Every time you try to listen, try to lock in on the instructions he’s giving you, where the supplies are, which charts go where, how the unit runs, your brain drags you right back to that door.

That woman standing there in his shirt. You keep telling yourself it shouldn’t matter. It really shouldn’t. Hyunjin is free to do whatever he wants now. You were the one who told him to leave. You set that boundary. You were the one who said you couldn’t live together anymore, couldn’t pretend everything was fine.

So what if he’s sleeping with someone else? What if she’s his girlfriend? What if she’s the one he laughs with now, the one he vents to when he’s stressed, the one he kisses goodnight instead of you? You shouldn’t care. You repeat that in your head like a mantra as you follow Seungmin down another hallway, struggling to keep up with his pace. You shouldn’t care.

But the truth sits heavy in your chest. You would be lying through your teeth if you said Hyunjin wasn’t still living in your head. He’s there constantly, more than you’d ever admit out loud. Because you imagined your life differently. You imagined this moment from the very beginning, back when you were eighteen and terrified and hopeful all at once.

You imagined your first day of work with Hyunjin waking you up with sloppy kisses, his hair messy and eyes soft with pride. Aerin bouncing on the bed between you both. Him driving you to work with your daughter in the back seat, telling you how proud he is, squeezing your hand at every red light.

“First day,” he’d say with a smile.

You imagined him dropping you off at the entrance, kissing your cheek while Aerin waved excitedly from the car seat.

“Go save lives,” he’d joke. “We’ll pick you up later.”

But that didn’t happen. Instead, you stood in front of his apartment door holding your daughter’s overnight bag while another woman answered it wearing his clothes and now you’re here.

“Are you even listening?”

Seungmin’s voice cuts through your thoughts like a blade. You blink, realizing you stopped walking.

“I—yes,” you say quickly.

He stares at you, unimpressed. “Then tell me where the emergency supply kits are.”

Your mind goes blank. You know he told you. You remember him pointing somewhere earlier. But the image slips through your grasp like water.

“I…” you start.

He exhales sharply, rubbing his temple. “Unbelievable.”

“I’m sorry,” you say quietly.

“It’s your first day, not your first hour being conscious,” he snaps. “Pay attention.”

The words sting more than you expect. You bite down on whatever response tries to rise in your throat and follow him again. The rest of the day doesn’t get better. If anything, it gets worse. He’s strict. Mean, sometimes.. a lot of times. Blunt to the point of cruelty. When you fumble something small, he sighs like you’ve personally offended him. When you hesitate, he steps in with clipped corrections. When you ask questions, he answers them quickly but with the clear implication that you should already know better. By mid afternoon your head is pounding. You feel small, embarrassed, and completely out of place and through it all, the image of that woman in Hyunjin’s shirt keeps creeping back into your thoughts like a splinter you can’t pull out.

By the time your shift ends, you’re exhausted in a way that has nothing to do with physical work. You sit in the locker room, staring down at your bag. For a moment, you seriously consider quitting. The thought forms slowly but clearly. You could just leave. Walk out and never come back. Tell Seungmin exactly what you think of his teaching style. Tell him he’s the reason new nurses quit. Let him deal with the fallout. Your chest tightens. You imagine the relief of not having to face him ever again but then another image pushes its way forward.

Aerin.

Her little face lighting up when you told her you got the job. The way she hugged you and said, “My mommy helps people.” Your fingers tighten on the strap of your bag. You can’t do that. You already lost Hyunjin. You’re not losing the job you worked this hard to get because of one coworker and one terrible day.

You breathe in slowly. You’re still sitting there when the locker room door opens. Mina steps inside, still in her scrubs, ponytail slightly messier than it was earlier. She smiles when she sees you.

“So,” she says lightly, leaning against the lockers. “How was your first day?” You force a smile automatically. “It was good.” She raises an eyebrow. “You don’t have to lie,” she says. You blink. “I’ve worked with Seungmin for years,” she continues, shrugging. “And I’ve been friends with him just as long. I know exactly how he is.” You let out a shaky laugh, the tension in your chest loosening just a little. “Yeah. He’s… something.”

Mina laughs openly. “That’s one way to put it.” You shake your head, exhaustion finally showing through. “He’s intense.”

“Blunt,” she corrects. “And occasionally just mean.” That makes you laugh again. “Well,” you say, grabbing your bag, “at least I survived.”

“You did more than survive,” she says. “Which means you’re coming with us.” You pause. “Coming where?”

“The unit is celebrating your first day,” she explains casually. “Dinner down the street.” Your eyes widen. “Oh, I don’t need to—”

“You don’t have a choice,” she interrupts, already grabbing your wrist. That makes you genuinely smile for the first time all day and for a moment, You’re not thinking about Hyunjin. Not thinking about the woman in his apartment. Not thinking about Seungmin’s sharp voice or the way today nearly broke you. You’re just walking beside Mina down the street toward a restaurant filled with people who already feel a little less like strangers and for the first time since this morning, your chest feels light enough to breathe.

The restaurant is louder than you expect.

Warm lights, the smell of grilled food and spilled drinks, voices overlapping everywhere. For a moment you hover near the entrance with Mina beside you, feeling that awkward hesitation that comes from walking into a room where everyone already seems to know each other then you recognize them. A group of people from the unit, nurses you saw moving quickly through hallways earlier, the receptionist who handed you paperwork, a couple techs you passed in patient rooms. And Seungmin.

He’s sitting at the end of the table, leaning back slightly, one arm resting on the chair beside him while he listens to someone across from him. His expression is the same as it was at work.. serious, sharp, like he’s constantly assessing the room around him. Your stomach tightens. You were hoping to avoid him at least until tomorrow morning. Mina doesn’t give you the chance.

“There she is!” someone says from the table when they spot you.

Suddenly everyone’s waving you over, chairs shifting, people scooting closer together to make room. You laugh awkwardly, letting yourself get pulled toward the table even though part of you wants to disappear. And of course, of course the only open seat left is next to him. You swallow hard but sit down anyway. The table quickly erupts into loud conversations again. People are talking over each other, telling stories from earlier shifts, joking about coworkers who aren’t there. Someone orders drinks. Someone else starts explaining something about a difficult patient from last week.

You nod politely when people include you, but mostly you feel slightly out of place, like you’re observing rather than participating. Seungmin hasn’t said anything since you sat down. You keep your gaze on the table, fiddling with the edge of a napkin, trying not to think about how close his elbow is to yours before he clears his throat. You glance at him instinctively.

“You did good today.”

Your head snaps toward him. You blink, certain you misheard. Was that… praise? He’s looking at you seriously, not joking, not teasing. “You did good,” he repeats, louder. For a moment you don’t know what to say.

“Thank you?” you manage after a second, still slightly stunned. He leans back in his chair, folding his arms loosely. “You were just distracted.”

Your face warms slightly. “I’m sorry if—”

“I don’t care why,” he cuts in, but his tone isn’t sharp the way it was earlier. “Everyone’s got something going on.”You look down at the table again, unsure how to respond. “Whatever’s happening in your head,” he says, quieter now, “whatever’s happening at home… it stays there when you’re on the floor.” You glance at him again. His expression hasn’t changed, but there’s something different in the way he’s speaking now with less irritation. “Because if it doesn’t,” he continues, “everything becomes overwhelming. You miss things. You hesitate. You make mistakes.”

You nod slowly. “And when you make mistakes,” he adds, “you’re putting patients’ lives at risk.”

His voice lowers slightly at that. “That’s the worst thing you can do in this job.”

You don’t respond right away. You’re replaying the day in your head, the moments you lost track of what he said, the way he snapped when you couldn’t answer something simple, the frustration in his voice. It didn’t feel fair then but now… it makes sense. “Patients come in here already feeling sick,” he says. “Or scared. Or helpless. Some of them don’t have anyone else advocating for them.” He glances toward the window briefly before continuing. “If we’re distracted, if we’re sloppy, they’re the ones who pay for it.”

Your chest tightens slightly because he’s right. You think about the patients you saw today, the elderly man who kept asking the same question over and over, the woman gripping the bed rails like she was afraid of falling through the mattress, the quiet tension in every room. They’re already vulnerable. They’re already depending on you and you spent half the day thinking about Hyunjin. Suddenly every sharp remark Seungmin made earlier clicks into place.

You had noticed how attentive he was with patients, the way he double checked medications, the way he crouched down to speak calmly to someone who looked frightened, the way he never rushed through explanations even when the unit was busy but now you understand something deeper, he isn’t just strict. He cares a lot and that care comes out as pressure because he expects the same from the people working beside him. You exhale slowly.

“You’re right,” you admit quietly. He glances at you again, studying your face for a moment. “I know,” he says simply. That almost makes you laugh. For the first time all day, the tension in your shoulders loosens just a little. “Tomorrow,” he adds, “you’ll do better.” You nod.

“Yeah,” you say softly. “I will.”

And for the first time since you walked into the hospital this morning, with your head full of heartbreak and disappointment, you feel something small shift inside you because no matter what’s happening in your personal life… this job matters And now you understand why Seungmin refuses to let you treat it lightly.

-

At some point in the evening, you stop thinking so much. At first you just sip the drink Mina convinces you to order, telling yourself it’s only one. You’re still tense, still careful, still aware of the tight knot in your chest but then someone makes a joke about a patient who tried to bribe the nurses with homemade cookies, and everyone laughs. Mina nudges you, someone else asks you about school, another coworker orders a round for the table. You tell yourself one more won’t hurt, then another and another. You know you’re going to regret it.

Somewhere in the back of your mind you’re aware of that. A quiet voice reminding you that you have work tomorrow, that this probably isn’t the smartest way to end your first day but the more you drink, the quieter that voice becomes. And something else fades with it. The ache in your chest that’s been sitting there all day like a bruise. The alcohol softens it. Not completely, not enough to erase it but enough that it stops screaming in your head.

You find yourself laughing. Really laughing. Loud enough that Mina grabs your arm and laughs with you. “See?” she says. “You survived the unit and Seungmin.” Someone across the table raises their glass. “That deserves another drink.”

You raise yours too without thinking. Beside you, Seungmin exhales quietly. He’s been mostly silent for the last hour. One drink sits in front of him, half empty but he hasn’t touched it in a while. His attention moves between the table and the room like he’s still on shift somehow, eyes sharp, posture relaxed but alert. Every time another drink appears near you, he nudges it slightly away from your reach. And somehow… you keep finding them again.

“Where did this come from?” you laugh at one point, holding up a glass.

“Don’t ask,” Mina replies.

The night blurs after that. Stories get louder. Chairs scrape against the floor as people stand to leave. One by one your coworkers start trickling out, some waving goodbye, others clapping you on the shoulder.

“See you tomorrow!”

“Don’t be late!”

You wave back enthusiastically. You’re not really aware of how the table empties. Or how the restaurant itself grows quieter. Or how the lights dim slightly as staff start cleaning around you. Your head slowly lowers until it’s resting on the table. You’re not exactly asleep… but you’re definitely not present either. Across from you, Seungmin rubs his forehead. The server walks over. “We’re closing soon.”

“I know,” he says tiredly. When the last coworker finally leaves, it’s just the two of you. You don’t notice. Your breathing is slow and heavy, your cheek pressed against your arm. Seungmin stands and circles the table, stopping beside your chair.

“Hey,” he says. No response. He taps the table lightly. “Y/N.”

Still nothing. He sighs. The server clears their throat again from the counter. Seungmin leans down slightly. “Get up.”

You shift… but not in a helpful way. Instead, you push yourself halfway upright and then immediately slump sideways, directly against him. Your full weight drops onto his shoulder. He freezes.

“Are you serious right now?”

You murmur something unintelligible and cling to his arm like it’s the most natural thing in the world. He exhales slowly through his nose. “It’s your first day,” he mutters, adjusting his grip to keep you from sliding to the floor. “And you’re already a problem.”

You mumble again, something that sounds suspiciously like Hyunjin. Seungmin pauses. “…Great.”

He hooks your arm around his shoulder and manages to get you on your feet. It takes effort. More effort than he expected. “Okay,” he says under his breath, half dragging, half guiding you toward the door. “We’re leaving.”

The cold night air hits as he pushes outside. You immediately sag against him again, forcing him to tighten his grip to keep you upright. He huffs as he tries to maneuver you down the sidewalk. “Why,” he mutters, struggling slightly as you nearly trip, “did you drink so much?” You don’t answer. Your head is practically resting against his chest now, eyes closed. He finally gets you to the curb and pauses then he frowns.

“…Wait.”

He looks down at you. Then around the street. Then back at you. “You live… where exactly?”

Silence. Your only response is a sleepy murmur and another heavy lean against him. Seungmin stares at you for a long moment. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Seungmin is already tired before you lean more of your weight onto him but the moment you do, it becomes ten times worse. You’re practically hanging off him now, your arm loosely wrapped around the back of his neck, your body slumped into his side like you’ve completely given up on standing. Your breathing is warm against the side of his neck, uneven and slow with sleep and alcohol.

“Okay,” he mutters under his breath, adjusting his grip around your waist so you don’t collapse. “That’s… great. Fantastic.”

You mumble something again. It’s soft, slurred. He doesn’t understand it at first. Then you say it again.

“Hyun…” Seungmin pauses mid step.

“What?” You shift slightly, your forehead nearly brushing his collarbone now.

“Hyunj… Hyun…jin…” The name comes out broken and quiet. He frowns.

Hyun? Hyunjun? Hyunji? Hyunjin? He’s not sure exactly which one it is, but you keep repeating some version of it under your breath like it matters a lot. He exhales slowly.“Great,” he says dryly.

You’re mumbling someone’s name while half unconscious in his arms. And wherever that person is… they’re clearly not here. That irritates him more than he expected. He shifts your weight again as you nearly slide down his side. “Where’s your boyfriend, huh?” he mutters. “Why isn’t he the one picking you up?” You don’t answer, obviously. Just another quiet mumble of that same name.

Hyunjin.

Seungmin sighs. He looks around the street again like maybe some miracle will happen and someone will appear who knows where you live. Nothing. Just quiet sidewalks and the distant hum of traffic. “Fantastic,” he mutters again. He tries asking you one more time. “Hey,” he says, nudging you slightly. “Where do you live?”

You don’t even open your eyes. Your head just tilts forward until it’s resting against his shoulder. That’s it.That’s all the response he gets. He stares at you for a long moment, weighing his options. He could leave you here and call a taxi. He could drag you back inside the restaurant and ask the restaurant staff to deal with you but you can barely stand, and he has no idea what your address is. Another quiet murmur escapes your lips.

“…Hyunjin…”

Seungmin grimaces slightly. “Yeah, well,” he mutters, adjusting his grip again. “Hyunjin clearly isn’t helping right now.” He debates it for another thirty seconds. Then he makes the decision. “Fine,” he says under his breath. “You’re coming with me.”

You’re too out of it to protest. You barely react at all when he shifts his arms and lifts you properly. One arm under your knees. The other supporting your back. Bridal style. Your head immediately falls against his chest.

“Unbelievable,” he breathes, already feeling the strain in his arms.

Thankfully, he doesn’t live far. Still, the walk feels longer than usual. You’re heavier than you look, and you’re completely dead weight now, occasionally shifting or mumbling something unintelligible while he adjusts his grip to keep from dropping you. By the time his apartment building comes into view, he’s breathing noticeably harder.

“You’re lucky,” he says under his breath while he fumbles with the door, shifts you slightly, unlocks it, then pushes inside.. “If you were ten pounds heavier I would’ve left you on the sidewalk.”

You mumble something again.

“…Hyunjin…”

Seungmin rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he mutters. “Wherever he is, he’s doing a terrible job.”

The hallway lights flick on. He carries you straight down the short hall toward the bedroom. When he reaches the bed, he lowers you carefully onto the mattress. You barely stir. Just a quiet sigh as your body settles into the blankets. Seungmin stands there for a second, catching his breath then he drops your bag beside the bed with a soft thud.

“First day,” he mutters to himself. “And already causing problems.”

You don’t respond. You’re already drifting deeper into sleep. He exhales heavily and runs a hand through his hair. His arms ache. His shoulders ache. He turns and walks out of the room without another word. By the time he reaches the living room, he’s too exhausted to even think properly. He tosses himself down onto the couch with a tired groan, stretching out awkwardly across it.

“That’s enough,” he murmurs.

The apartment goes quiet. Within minutes, Seungmin is asleep too, too tired to worry about the drunk nurse currently passed out in his bed.

-

What wakes you isn’t gentle. It isn’t the soft, quiet alarm clock you and Hyunjin picked out together years ago when you first moved into your tiny place. The one that chimed instead of screamed because you both hated loud mornings. The one that would go off while sunlight slipped through the curtains and Hyunjin would pull you back into bed for “five more minutes.”

No. What wakes you is a loud, blaring, obnoxious alarm clock that sounds like it’s trying to wake the entire building. Your head explodes with pain the second your eyes open. You groan, immediately squeezing your eyes shut again as the pounding in your skull pulses behind your temples. It feels like someone stuffed cotton in your brain and then hit it with a hammer.

“Ugh…”

The alarm keeps screaming. You roll onto your side, trying to find it blindly, but your hand hits unfamiliar sheets. You freeze. Slowly, painfully, you open your eyes again. The room is… not yours. It’s clean. Minimal. The furniture is neat and functional, the walls bare except for one small shelf and a clock mounted near the door. The bed you’re in isn’t the one you sleep in every night. For a moment, pure confusion floods your brain. The alarm keeps blaring. You scramble upright, immediately regretting it when your head spins violently.

“Where is it?” you mumble, squinting around the room while you search for the source of the noise.

Your hand fumbles across the bedside table, knocking into something metallic. The alarm continues screaming. Before you can find the off button, the bedroom door suddenly swings open. Someone storms in and you nearly scream.

Seungmin.

He’s standing there in the doorway, hair slightly messy, eyes half lidded with sleep, wearing a loose t shirt and sweatpants. He walks straight past you without even looking fully awake and slaps the alarm clock off. The room finally goes quiet. You stare at him.

“…Seungmin?”

He glances at you, equally unimpressed and exhausted.

“Morning.” Your brain scrambles desperately.

“What—what happened?” He exhales slowly, rubbing his face with one hand like he’s already tired of this conversation. “What happened,” he says flatly, “is you got too drunk last night.”

Your stomach drops.

“And I had no idea where you lived,” he continues, leaning against the wall for a second. “So you ended up here.”

Your eyes widen instantly.

“Oh my god.” Memories flicker in pieces, Mina laughing, drinks appearing in your hand, the restaurant getting quieter and then… nothing. Your face flushes bright red.

“I’m so sorry,” you blurt out immediately. Seungmin just nods once, already turning toward the door. You scramble out of bed, grabbing your bag from the floor.

“I’m so, so sorry,” you say again, mortified. “This is such a terrible first impression. I swear I’m not normally like this.” He pauses halfway out the door, glancing back briefly. “You’re not the first drunk coworker I’ve had to drag home,” he says dryly.

That somehow makes you feel both better and worse. You sling your bag over your shoulder quickly, still apologizing as you move toward the door.

“Thank you for helping me,” you add quickly. “And for not leaving me outside somewhere.”

He shrugs slightly. “Just try not to do it again.”

You nod rapidly. “Absolutely. Never again.”

You practically sneak out of his apartment after that, cheeks burning the entire time. The hallway feels too quiet and too early. Outside, the morning air hits your face and wakes you up just enough to realize something else. It’s very early. You glance back at the building, confused.

Why on earth did he have an alarm set two hours before work?

You shake the thought away quickly. Your head still hurts too much to analyze Seungmin’s morning habits. You rush home as fast as your pounding head allows, keys fumbling in the lock when you reach your own apartment. The second you step inside, embarrassment washes over you all over again. You slept in your coworker’s bed. On your first day. After getting drunk with the entire unit. You groan, dropping your bag on the couch and rushing to the bathroom. There’s barely time to think. Shower. Brush teeth. Change clothes. Drink water. Try not to die from embarrassment. You’re halfway through getting dressed when your own alarm suddenly goes off. Your heart nearly stops. You glance at the clock. You only have a few minutes left.

“Great,” you mutter under your breath.

You grab your bag, shove your phone into your pocket, and rush out the door, locking it behind you. Your head still aches. Your pride is still bruised. And now you’re racing to work, hoping desperately that Seungmin doesn’t bring up last night but deep down you already feel that he absolutely will. You get to the hospital looking like you fought a war.

Your head is still pounding, your hair only halfway cooperating with the rushed bun you threw it into, and your eyes feel heavy from the combination of alcohol, embarrassment, and barely any real sleep. You keep your head down as you walk through the halls, hoping you won’t run into anyone from last night.

Your face still burns every time you remember waking up in Seungmin’s bed. You make it to the nurses’ station and immediately busy yourself with organizing your things, pretending to be extremely focused on absolutely nothing.

“Morning.”

You flinch slightly. Mina slides into the chair beside you, stifling a yawn that clearly isn’t working. Her eyes are slightly puffy, hair a little messier than usual. “Please tell me you had fun last night,” she says, rubbing her temples.

You keep your eyes down, pretending to check something in your bag.

“Yeah,” you mumble. “It was… good.”

Your gaze flicks around the unit instinctively. You’re checking for him. You try to make it subtle, but your eyes move quickly from hallway to hallway, scanning every passing figure. No Seungmin. You release a quiet breath of relief. Maybe he’s late. Maybe he decided to start his shift somewhere else. Maybe…

“Morning.”

You nearly choke on your own breath. You look up instantly. Seungmin is standing right in front of the desk. He looks perfectly normal like he didn’t spend last night hauling your drunk self across half the neighborhood. Your stomach flips. You immediately look down again. He sets down a cup of coffee in front of you. You blink in confusion before slowly looking up again.

“For the hangover,” he says simply. Your eyes widen slightly.

“Oh… thank you.”

Mina immediately straightens in her chair. “Excuse me?” she says dramatically. “Where’s mine?”

Seungmin shrugs as he adjusts the strap of his bag. “You didn’t look like you wanted one.” Mina narrows her eyes suspiciously. “I always want coffee.”

He doesn’t respond to that. Instead he just nods once toward the hallway. “I’ll be back,” he says, already turning away as he heads toward the lockers to put his bag away. Mina watches him walk off then slowly squints. “…That was weird.”

Your heart jumps. You quickly lift the coffee and take a sip, too fast. It burns your tongue and you cough slightly. Mina immediately turns toward you.

“What happened?” You choke again. “Nothing,” you say quickly, waving your hand. Her eyes narrow even more.“No. Something happened.” You shake your head so fast it almost makes your headache worse. “Nope. Nothing. I went home.” Which technically isn’t a complete lie. You just left out the part where you went home… after waking up in Seungmin’s apartment. Mina leans closer, studying your face carefully. “You’re acting suspicious.”

“I’m not,” you say quickly. She glances toward the hallway where Seungmin disappeared, then back to you.

“Why did he bring you coffee?” Your brain scrambles.

“I don’t know,” you say quickly. “Maybe he felt bad about yelling at me yesterday.”

Mina considers that.

“…Hmm.” You force another sip of coffee just to give yourself something to do. There is absolutely no way you’re telling her the truth. No way. You are not admitting that you were too drunk to even make it home on your first day and ended up passed out in his bed. Your embarrassment can only handle so much.

Seungmin comes back a few minutes later, looking exactly the same as he did when he walked away calm, focused, already mentally at work. Mina immediately turns in her chair, still squinting at him suspiciously like she’s been waiting for his return.He notices. Of course he does. He stops a few feet from the desk and looks between the two of you once before speaking.

“Before you start,” Mina begins slowly, clearly ready to interrogate him. Seungmin cuts her off without even letting her finish the sentence.

“Are you ready to start?” he asks you. Your head snaps toward him.

“Oh—yeah. Yes.”

You stand quickly, grateful for the interruption before Mina can dig any deeper into whatever she thinks is going on.

“Good,” he says simply.

He turns immediately, already walking down the hallway. You grab your coffee and follow him quickly, leaving Mina staring after both of you with narrowed eyes and clear curiosity.

-

The unit is already busy. Patients need medications, charts need updating, someone down the hall is asking for assistance. Seungmin moves through it all like he’s done this a thousand times, which he probably has. You trail just behind him, doing your best to keep up. Today is better. You’re more focused. Less foggy. Every now and then he points something out or asks you a quick question, and this time you answer without freezing up.

You start to relax. Maybe he really isn’t going to mention last night. Maybe he’s just going to pretend it never happened. You’re adjusting a chart when he suddenly speaks again.

“Who’s Hyunjin?” Your heart drops straight to your stomach. You freeze. Your fingers stop moving entirely. Slowly, you look up at him.

“…What?”

Seungmin doesn’t even look up from the tablet in his hands as he finishes typing something.

“How do you know that name?” you ask carefully.

He glances at you briefly.

“You kept saying it.”

Your eyes widen immediately. He must see the confusion on your face because he answers the question forming in your head before you even finish thinking it. “When you were drunk,” he adds. “Last night.” The embarrassment hits you all over again. Your face instantly warms.

“Oh my god,” you whisper. Seungmin shrugs lightly, scrolling through the chart. “You were out of it,” he continues. “Mumbling things. Mostly that name.”

You stare at the floor for a moment, mortified. “So,” he says casually after a beat, “who is he?”

Your throat tightens slightly. There’s no judgment in his voice but the question still lands heavy. You hesitate before answering. “My ex husband.” Seungmin pauses mid scroll. He glances up at you again, actually studying your expression this time.

“Ex,” he repeats. You nod, focusing on the chart in front of you so you don’t have to hold his gaze.

“Yeah.” There’s a moment of silence between you then he nods once and goes back to work.

“That explains it.” You blink.

“Explains what?”

“You looked like your head was somewhere else yesterday,” he says simply. “And last night.”

Your chest tightens slightly. You don’t answer. He doesn’t push. Instead he finishes entering something into the chart and hands you a folder.

“Room 214,” he says. “You’re taking the lead this time.” Your eyes lift to him again in surprise.

“Really?” He nods.

“You’re here to work, not think about Hyunjin.” The words aren’t harsh. Just matter of fact and somehow that makes them land even more clearly. You take the folder. “…Right.” And for the first time since yesterday morning, you push Hyunjin completely out of your mind, at least long enough to walk into the next patient’s room and do the job you worked so hard to earn.

-

By the time your shift ends, you’re exhausted in a completely different way than you were that morning. The pounding embarrassment from waking up in Seungmin’s apartment is long gone, replaced by the heavy fatigue that comes from actually working an entire shift without your mind wandering every five seconds. Somewhere between the morning rush and the afternoon rounds, something shifted between you and Seungmin. You started to understand him.

Not the blunt tone or the impatient sighs, those are still there but the rhythm of how he teaches. You noticed he moves fast because he expects people to keep up, but once you started asking him to show you things first, he adjusted without even complaining.

He demonstrated something once in room 214, letting you watch closely before handing the responsibility to you. After that, everything started flowing. You weren’t tripping over your own thoughts anymore. You weren’t distracted. And by the end of the day, he barely had to correct you at all.

When you finally clock out, your shoulders sag with relief. You grab your bag and step out of the locker room, already thinking about Aerin. You haven’t seen her since yesterday morning and the thought of finally hugging her again fills your chest with warmth. As you walk toward the exit, you spot Seungmin and Mina near the nurses’ station, talking quietly about something.

They both notice you approaching.

“Hey!” Mina calls.

You slow down slightly.

“Want to grab dinner?” she asks casually. “My boyfriend’s paying tonight.”

You giggle tiredly.

“That’s tempting,” you admit, shifting your bag on your shoulder, “but I can’t. I’m busy tonight.”

Mina nods knowingly. “Next time then.”

Seungmin glances at you once before nodding slightly.

“Get some rest,” he says.

You smile faintly.

“I plan to.”

Mina waves dramatically as you turn to leave. The moment you step outside, your pace quickens without you meaning to. You’re walking faster than you probably should after such a long shift, but you can’t help it. Your body is tired but your heart feels light knowing you’re about to see Aerin. You reach Hyunjin’s apartment building and climb the stairs quickly, your chest tightening with anticipation. You barely finish knocking before you hear tiny footsteps rushing across the floor.

The door swings open.

“Mommy!”

Aerin launches herself into your arms before you can even step inside. You laugh loudly, nearly losing your balance as she wraps her arms around your neck.

“Whoa—hey!” you laugh, steadying yourself as you hug her tightly. “I missed you too.”

She squeezes you like she hasn’t seen you in weeks instead of just one night. You bury your face in her hair for a moment, breathing in that familiar scent that immediately melts the stress from your shoulders.

“I missed you,” she says again.

“I know, baby.”

Behind her, Hyunjin is standing in the doorway. You look up at him over her shoulder. He gives you a small smile.

“How was your first two days?” he asks.

You nod.

“Good.”

You don’t tell him it didn’t start that way. You don’t mention that he was in your head half the morning yesterday making everything harder than it needed to be.

“It got better.”

Hyunjin glances down at Aerin before speaking again.

“Hey,” he says to her gently. “Ask your mom what you asked me.”

Aerin immediately pulls back from your arms and looks up at you with wide hopeful eyes.

“Mommy,” she says eagerly, “can we get ice cream with daddy?”

Your heart stumbles. You look from her to Hyunjin. Your instinct is to say no. You don’t want to sit across from him pretending everything is normal. You don’t want to play family for an hour just to go back to separate lives afterward but Aerin is already bouncing on her feet.

“Please?” she begs. “Please please please?”

Hyunjin watches you quietly.

“It’ll be quick,” he says gently. “Just ice cream. It’d be nice to do something together again… for her.”

Your chest tightens. You look down at Aerin again. She’s staring up at you with so much excitement it almost hurts.

It makes you sigh quietly.

“…Fine.”

Her face lights up instantly.

“But,” you add quickly, pointing a finger at Hyunjin, “don’t try anything.”

Hyunjin raises both hands immediately.

“Yes ma’am.”

He even gives a mock salute. Aerin bursts into giggles between the two of you. And before you can overthink it, she grabs both of your hands and starts pulling you both toward the door like this is the most exciting thing that’s happened all week. Aerin is practically vibrating with excitement the entire walk to the ice cream shop.

Her small hands are wrapped around both of yours, your left and Hyunjin’s right swinging your arms back and forth like she’s trying to make the moment last as long as possible.

“I think I want strawberry,” she says seriously.

“No wait—cookies and cream!”

“But maybe chocolate… because daddy likes chocolate.”

You smile down at her softly, exhausted but warmed by her excitement. She’s so happy it almost hurts to look at. Every so often, though, you feel Hyunjin’s eyes. You don’t even have to look at him to know he’s watching you.

It burns along the side of your face, heavy and quiet. The kind of look that carries too many thoughts behind it. You keep your gaze ahead, pretending you don’t notice. Aerin keeps swinging your arms between you both.

To anyone passing by, you probably look like the picture of a perfect family, parents holding hands with their child between them, laughing, walking to get ice cream on a weeknight. Hyunjin seems to be enjoying it. You, however, are counting down the minutes until it’s over. The bell above the ice cream shop door jingles as you step inside. Your heart drops immediately.

Because the first thing you see is Mina. She’s standing near one of the small tables, holding hands with a guy you assume must be her boyfriend. And right beside them, Seungmin.

Your stomach twists. You almost turn around right there. If you move fast enough, maybe they won’t notice..

“Y/N!”

Mina’s voice cuts right through the shop. You force a smile before you even turn around.

“Hey,” you say lightly, like your heart didn’t just drop straight to the floor. Aerin is still gripping both of your hands, swinging happily between you and Hyunjin, completely unaware of how awkward this moment is becoming. From the outside, it must look almost picture, perfect. Mina squints playfully.

“I thought you were busy,” she says, raising an eyebrow.

You laugh softly, rubbing the back of your neck.

“I was,” you say. “I had to pick up my daughter.”

You glance down.

“This is Aerin.”

Aerin looks up curiously at the new people staring at her.

“Hi,” she says shyly.

Mina’s face lights up.

“Oh my god, she’s adorable!”

Before you can say anything else, Hyunjin speaks up beside you.

“I’m Hyunjin,” he says easily. “Her husband.”

Your head snaps toward him instantly.

“Ex,” you correct quietly.

The word hangs in the air for a second. Seungmin’s eyes move slowly between the two of you. You notice it immediately. You clear your throat awkwardly. Hyunjin’s jaw tightens slightly, but he doesn’t argue. Seungmin gives a small wave.

“Hey.”

You smile politely back. Mina looks completely surprised.

“I had no idea you had a daughter,” she says.

You laugh shyly.

“Yeah… I didn’t want to talk about my personal life much at work.”

Hyunjin clears his throat beside you. You glance at him and see the irritation there subtle but obvious.

“I’m going to order,” he says shortly.

He looks down at Aerin.

“Come on.”

Aerin happily lets go of your hand and grabs his instead, immediately launching into another explanation of the five flavors she’s trying to choose between. You watch them walk toward the counter then you exhale quietly.

“I should go help,” you say.

Mina opens her mouth.

“Wait—you should join us!” she says quickly.

But Seungmin speaks before you can respond.

“Let them be.”

Mina glances at him. He shrugs slightly.

“Family time.”

You hesitate for a moment… then nod gratefully.

“Thanks,” you say softly.

And you turn to go join Hyunjin and Aerin at the counter, hoping the rest of the night doesn’t get any more complicated than it already is. You finally manage to sit down at one of the small round tables near the window.

Aerin is happily swinging her legs from the chair, clutching her cup of ice cream like it’s the greatest treasure she’s ever owned. She immediately digs into it, completely focused on the swirl of strawberry and cookies and cream she ended up choosing.

As long as she’s happy, the rest of the tension doesn’t matter as much. Hyunjin sits across from you. You notice immediately that something has shifted.

His shoulders are tight, his jaw set in that familiar way that tells you he’s thinking too much and holding something back. He barely touches his own ice cream, just staring down at it like it personally offended him. The tension starts creeping up your spine. You know this feeling. You’ve seen it before. It’s the quiet before an argument. You try to ignore it, focusing on Aerin instead.

“Is it good?” you ask gently.

She nods enthusiastically, mouth already smeared with pink ice cream. “It’s the best!”

You laugh softly, reaching over with a napkin to wipe her chin but even while you’re smiling, you can feel Hyunjin watching you and eventually, you can’t pretend you don’t notice anymore. You glance up. His expression is tight. You sigh quietly.

“What?”

He waits until Aerin looks down again, busy digging into the bottom of her cup. Then he leans slightly closer across the table.

“Do you know,” he says quietly, “that I’m still your husband?” Your heart drops. You stare at him for a moment.

“Hyunjin—”

“You embarrassed me,” he cuts in.

The words sting more than you expect. You blink.

“Embarrassed you?” you repeat softly.

He exhales sharply, glancing toward Mina and Seungmin across the shop before lowering his voice again.

“You corrected me like I was lying.”

“You were,” you reply quietly. His jaw tightens.

“We’re still married,” he insists. “Legally.” You stare at him, disbelief slowly rising in your chest.

“So that’s what this is about?” you whisper. “Your pride?”

“It’s not pride,” he snaps softly. “You made it sound like I’m some random guy standing next to you.”

Your hands tighten slightly around your spoon.

“You introduced yourself as my husband,” you say. “You’re not.” His voice lowers even more.

“I am.”

“On paper,” you reply.

For a moment neither of you speaks. Across the table, Aerin hums happily to herself, completely unaware of the conversation happening above her head. Hyunjin leans back slightly, running a hand through his hair.

“You didn’t have to correct me in front of them.” You let out a slow breath.

“You didn’t have to say it.”

Silence falls again. You can feel the argument building like a storm cloud, thick and heavy between you. And suddenly you regret agreeing to this ice cream trip at all. The tension between you doesn’t fade. If anything, it tightens. Aerin is still happily eating her ice cream, occasionally humming to herself, completely unaware that the air between you and Hyunjin feels like it’s about to snap. You lower your voice again.

“So that’s what bothered you?” you say quietly. “Me correcting you?” Hyunjin leans forward slightly, elbows on the table.

“You didn’t have to do it like that.” You stare at him for a moment, something sharp twisting in your chest.

“And you didn’t have to cheat on me.” The words come out before you can stop them. His expression hardens immediately.

“Don’t start,” he mutters.

“Oh, I’m not starting anything,” you whisper, a bitter laugh slipping out before you can help it. “You already did that.” He glances at Aerin quickly to make sure she isn’t paying attention.

“Lower your voice.”

“Then don’t pretend like you’re the one who was embarrassed tonight.”

You lean back slightly in your chair, crossing your arms.

“Especially when the girl you’re seeing is the same one you cheated on me with.” His jaw tightens.

“It’s not like that.” Your eyebrows lift.

“Not like what?”

“She’s just a friend.”

For a second you actually laugh. Not loudly but enough that he notices.

“A friend?” you repeat.

You shake your head slightly, disbelief written all over your face.

“Hyunjin, she was wearing nothing but your shirt.”

“She’s comfortable around me,” he says quietly.

“That’s obvious,” you reply dryly.

“And she opened your door like she lives there.”

“You don’t get it,” he says, frustration creeping into his voice.

Your patience finally snaps.

“Then explain it to me,” you whisper sharply. “What exactly am I supposed to get?”

He hesitates and that hesitation tells you everything. You stare at him, your chest tightening.

“What?” you press. “You want to keep seeing her… sleeping with her… and still have me standing here as your wife?”

His eyes widen slightly.

“That’s not what I said.”

“But that’s exactly what it sounds like,” you reply quietly.

The silence between you stretches again.

Across the table, Aerin suddenly looks up.

“Mommy?”

Your entire expression softens instantly.

“Yes, baby?”

“Can I get sprinkles next time?” she asks hopefully.

You nod gently.

“Of course.”

She smiles, satisfied, and goes back to scraping the bottom of her cup.

You look back at Hyunjin.

“You don’t get both,” you tell him quietly. “You don’t get to move on with someone else and still hold onto me like nothing changed.”

His shoulders sag slightly and for the first time since the conversation started, he doesn’t argue back. Hyunjin doesn’t answer right away. For a moment he just looks at you, his expression shifting between frustration and something else you recognize too well, regret. Aerin finishes the last bite of her ice cream and proudly flips the empty cup upside down.

“All done!” she announces.

You smile at her immediately, forcing the tension out of your voice.

“Good job.”

She grins and starts swinging her legs again under the table. The moment stretches between you and Hyunjin until he finally exhales slowly, rubbing his face with one hand.

“You think that’s what I want?” he says quietly. You stare at him. “I don’t know what you want anymore,” you admit. And that’s the truth.

The boy you married at nineteen, the one who built a crib with his own hands and whispered promises to your stomach while Aerin kicked inside you feels like a different person from the man sitting across from you now. Hyunjin leans forward slightly, his voice low.

“I never wanted this.”

You shake your head faintly.

“You should’ve thought about that before you kissed her.”

His jaw tightens again.

“I told you what happened.”

“You told me part of it,” you reply.

He looks away for a moment, watching Aerin climb off the chair and wander toward the napkin dispenser nearby.

“You think I’m happy right now?” he asks quietly.

You blink.

“What?”

He lets out a bitter breath.

“You think being with her makes everything better?”

Your stomach twists slightly.

“Then why are you still seeing her?”

He doesn’t answer right away and that silence says more than any explanation could.

Finally he murmurs, “Because you pushed me away.”

The words hit you harder than you expect. You stare at him in disbelief.

“I pushed you away?” you whisper.

“You told me to leave,” he says.

“After you cheated on me.”

“I was trying to fix it!”

“You were still talking to her!” you fire back.

Your voices are still quiet, but the emotion behind them is anything but. Hyunjin leans back in his chair again, his fingers dragging through his hair in frustration.

“I didn’t know how to stop everything all at once,” he admits.

You feel something hollow open in your chest.

“So instead,” you say softly, “you replaced me slowly.”

“That’s not what I did.”

“It is.”

Across the shop, Aerin finally returns to the table, sliding back into her chair happily.

“Can we walk around after this?” she asks.

Both of you go quiet immediately.

Hyunjin forces a small smile.

“Sure.”

You nod too.

“Just for a little bit.”

She beams. The tension between you and Hyunjin fades into the background for a few minutes while Aerin chatters about school and the drawing she made earlier that day. But the moment she gets distracted again, watching people walk past the window Hyunjin looks back at you. His voice is softer this time.

“I still love you.”

Your heart stutters painfully. You swallow hard.

“That doesn’t change what happened.”

“I know.”

He watches you carefully.

“I just don’t know how to fix it anymore.”

You look down at the table, your fingers tracing the edge of your empty cup. For the first time in a long time, you realize something that makes your chest ache. He might still love you and might still love him but love alone stopped being enough the moment trust broke and neither of you knows how to rebuild something that shattered that badly.

-

You don’t cry in the ice cream shop. You don’t cry when you leave. You don’t cry while Aerin holds your hand and swings your arm like nothing in the world is wrong. You even manage to laugh at something she says while you walk back toward Hyunjin’s apartment, your chest tight but your face calm. You’ve gotten very good at that. Holding things in.

Hyunjin walks beside you quietly, occasionally answering Aerin when she asks a question, but the tension from earlier never fully disappears. The conversation you had sits between you both like something fragile and broken that neither of you wants to touch again.

When you reach his building, Aerin hugs him first.

“Bye daddy!” she chirps. He kneels slightly to hug her back, kissing the top of her head. “Bye Aerin, I love you.”

Then she runs back to you, grabbing your hand like always. You and Hyunjin look at each other one last time. Neither of you say anything. There’s too much to say and nowhere safe to start. So you just nod once and leave

You don’t cry on the walk home.Aerin chatters the entire way, talking about the ice cream, about the sprinkles she wants next time. You listen. You respond. You smile when you’re supposed to.

When you get home, the routine continues. Shoes off. Pajamas on. Teeth brushed. You sit beside her bed while she climbs under the blanket, her small body already sinking into the mattress. “Mommy,” she murmurs sleepily. “Yeah?”

“I like when we all go out together.”

Your chest tightens. “I know, baby.”

She yawns. “We should do it again.”

You smooth her hair back gently. “We’ll see.”

She’s already drifting off before you finish the sentence.You sit there a little longer than usual, watching her breathe slowly, making sure she’s fully asleep before you stand up and quietly leave the room. The apartment feels too quiet after that. You walk into the kitchen, then the living room, then back to the kitchen again like you don’t know where to put yourself and then it hits you.

You grip the edge of the counter as tears suddenly spill over. They come fast and heavy, your chest tightening as the emotions you held in all evening finally crash through you. You’re angry. So angry. And sad. And hurt in a way that feels almost humiliating. You press a hand over your mouth as a shaky breath escapes you.

You hate how that conversation went. You hate that Hyunjin had the nerve to sit there and tell you you embarrassed him. You laugh bitterly through your tears. Embarrassed him? When you were the one who had to stand in an ice cream shop with your coworkers and pretend everything was fine while he introduced himself as your husband like nothing had happened.

Like he didn’t cheat. Like he didn’t break the life you built together. You slide down slightly until you’re sitting on the kitchen floor, your back against the cabinet. Your chest aches. You had finally started to feel comfortable at work. You were starting to like Mina. Starting to understand Seungmin. Starting to believe maybe this new life could actually work.

And then tonight happened. And suddenly all of it collided together in the worst possible way. Hyunjin. Your coworkers. Your past and your present meeting in the same room. You wipe at your eyes roughly.

“You humiliated me,” you mutter bitterly under your breath, repeating his words.

The audacity of it makes your stomach twist. Because the truth is, He humiliated you first. He humiliated you the moment another woman opened his door wearing his clothes. And somehow he still managed to make himself the victim. You sit there on the floor for a long time, letting the tears fall until the anger slowly starts to burn itself out. By the time the apartment goes quiet again, you feel empty.

-

You dread going to work the next morning. Not because of the job itself. That part you can handle now. Yesterday proved that. You can keep up, you can learn, you can take care of patients and survive Seungmin’s blunt teaching style. But today… today you have to face the people who saw you with Hyunjin.

Mina. Seungmin. Your coworkers who sat just a few tables away while you pretended everything was normal.

Your stomach twists the entire morning. You drop Aerin off at school with a hug that lasts a little longer than usual. “Mommy,” she giggles, squirming slightly. You laugh softly but don’t let go right away. “Have a good day, okay?”

“I will.” She pulls back and grins up at you.

“Are you working again today?” You nod.

“Yep.” She beams. “You’re helping people.” Your chest tightens a little. “I am.” You kiss the top of her head and smooth her hair before standing. “I’ll see you after school.” She waves as she runs toward the building.

You stay there for a second longer, watching her disappear inside before forcing yourself to turn back toward your car. Then you drive to the hospital. The dread creeps in again the closer you get. You don’t want to see Mina. You don’t want to see Seungmin. You definitely don’t want to talk about the ice cream shop, about Hyunjin, about the awkward moment where everyone suddenly knew more about your personal life than you ever intended.

Your stomach feels like it’s tied in knots as you walk through the hospital doors. You keep your head down when you reach the nurses’ station, hoping maybe you can slip into your shift quietly. But of course, They’re both there.

Mina is leaning against the desk flipping through a chart while Seungmin stands nearby checking something on the computer. Both of them look up when you approach. You brace yourself but nothing happens. No mention of last night at all. The normalcy almost catches you off guard. You quietly set your bag down and start organizing your things, trying to act like your heart isn’t beating a little too fast. Then Mina speaks,

“Aerin is adorable, by the way.” Your head lifts immediately. Seungmin glances up at the same time. Mina smiles warmly. “She’s practically your twin.” You blink for a second before smiling back. “Thank you.”Seungmin nods once beside her.

Mina tilts her head slightly. “I had no idea you had a daughter.” You laugh softly, rubbing the back of your neck. “Yeah… I don’t really talk about my personal life much at work.”

“That makes sense,” she says. You shrug lightly. “I had her pretty young.” Mina studies you for a moment. Then she smiles again, this time softer. “You’re a good mom.”

The words hit you harder than you expect. Your throat tightens immediately. You bite your lip before you can react too obviously, blinking quickly as your eyes sting. You didn’t realize how much you needed to hear that. Especially after everything with Hyunjin. Especially after wondering if you’re doing any of this right.

“Thank you,” you manage quietly.

Seungmin glances at you for half a second, noticing the way your expression shifts. Then he looks at Mina. “Get to work.” She groans dramatically.

“Yes, boss.”

She grabs her chart and walks away, muttering something about him being bossy. Seungmin turns back to the computer for a moment before nodding down the hallway. “Come on.” You follow him automatically. After a few steps he speaks again without looking back.

“You looked like you wanted out of that conversation.” You exhale softly. “…I did.” He nods slightly like he expected that answer. You hesitate before saying quietly,

“Thank you.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “Don’t overthink it.”

And just like that, the two of you fall back into the rhythm of the workday again. By the time lunch rolls around, your feet ache and your shoulders feel tight from the constant movement of the morning.

But it’s a good kind of tired. The kind that comes from actually doing the job instead of fighting your own thoughts. Seungmin had you running around most of the morning again, checking vitals, updating charts, assisting him with medication rounds. He didn’t snap at you once today, which you’re quietly counting as a victory. When things finally slow down for a moment, he nods toward the break room.

“Eat.” You blink.

“Now?”

“Before it gets busy again.” You nod quickly and follow him. The break room is surprisingly quiet. Most of the unit must still be tied up with patients. You sit down at one of the small tables and pull your lunch out of your bag.

For a moment, neither of you says anything. Seungmin opens his lunch container while scrolling through something on his phone. You take a few bites, enjoying the brief silence. Then he suddenly speaks.

“How old were you when you had your daughter?”

Your eyebrows lift slightly. You weren’t expecting that question. You chew your food slowly before answering, then laugh lightly.

“Eighteen.” His head lifts immediately. His eyes widen a little.

“Eighteen?” You nod.

“Yeah.”

You shrug slightly. “I got pregnant and married young.”

He leans back in his chair slightly, processing that.

“I didn’t even know you had a daughter,” he says. “Let alone a five year old.”

You smile faintly. “That was kind of the point.”

He tilts his head.

“What do you mean?” You shrug again.

“I wanted to see how long I could keep it a secret.”

He stares at you for a second. Then unexpectedly, He laughs. It’s not loud, but it’s genuine. And it surprises you. You blink, watching him like you’re seeing a completely different version of him.

“You’re serious?” he says.

“Completely.”

You laugh too.

“Most people I meet usually don’t find out about Aerin for a while.”

He shakes his head slightly, still amused.

“That’s insane but also understandable.”

Just then the break room door swings open. Mina walks in carrying her own lunch container. She stops dead the moment she sees both of you sitting at the table. Her jaw drops dramatically.

“Wait.” You glance up.

“What?” She points at Seungmin.

“What are you doing?” Seungmin sighs immediately.

“Eating lunch.”

“With… people?” she says, still staring.

You choke on a laugh. Mina shakes her head like she’s witnessing something impossible.

“I’ve worked here for years,” she continues, “and I have never seen him voluntarily sit in the break room with anyone.”

Seungmin groans. He snaps his lunch container closed.

“I’ll see you in ten,” he mutters to you, already standing up.

“Finish eating.”

And just like that, he walks out of the room. He doesn’t even acknowledge Mina. The door closes behind him. Mina squints at the door.

“…That was weird.”

You giggle quietly.

“You scared him away.”

She looks at you suspiciously.

“I didn’t scare him.”

“You did.”

She sits down across from you, still glancing at the door like she expects him to come back.

“That’s very weird behavior for him.”

You shrug lightly, smiling as you take another bite of your lunch.

“Maybe he just needed a break.”

Mina shakes her head slowly.

“No.”

She points her fork at you.

“Something happened.”

You laugh softly again. But this time, you don’t answer.

Mina is quiet for a while after Seungmin leaves.

You both eat in comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from forks tapping against containers and the distant hum of activity outside the break room. Every so often, Mina glances toward the door Seungmin walked out of, like she expects him to suddenly reappear. You notice it after the third time but you ignore it and keep eating. Eventually you feel it, her gaze lingering on you. You look up slowly. She’s staring. You stop chewing.

“…What?” you ask cautiously.

She leans back in her chair slightly, studying you like she’s putting together a puzzle.

“I think,” she says slowly, “Seungmin has a crush on you.”

You blink.

“What?”

She bursts out laughing at your reaction.

“I said I think,” she repeats, still amused. “I’m not one hundred percent sure yet, but the signs are there.”

You stare at her like she’s lost her mind.

“What signs?”

She starts counting on her fingers.

“Bringing you coffee.”

“That was for the hangover.”

“Constantly praising you.”

“He’s not praising me.”

“Eating lunch with you.”

You point your fork at her.

“He just sat down for five minutes and he’s being nice.”

Mina scoffs loudly.

“Seungmin?” she says. “Nice?”

You shrug, feeling a little defensive now.

She laughs again, shaking her head.

“You don’t know him yet.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means Seungmin being nice to someone he just met is practically unheard of.”

You roll your eyes slightly.

“He’s just being decent.”

Mina leans forward slightly, resting her chin in her hand.

“No. He’s being different.”

You shake your head immediately.

“He can’t like me.”

“Why not?”

You hesitate.

Because the reasons come out before you can stop them.

“Because I’m a mess,” you say quietly.

The words slip out more honestly than you meant.

“And… I have a daughter.”

The moment the words leave your mouth, Mina’s expression changes. She reaches across the table and gently grabs both of your hands. You blink in surprise.

“Hey,” she says softly. “You’re not a mess.”

You look down at your hands in hers.

“You just met me,” you mutter.

“I’ve seen enough,” she replies.

You don’t respond.

She squeezes your hands lightly.

“I’m just telling you what I think,” she continues. “And even if Seungmin did like you…”

She shrugs casually.

“I don’t think he’d mind that you have a daughter.”

You look up at her again.

“Why would you think that?”

Mina smiles slightly.

“Because after meeting Aerin last night, he kept talking about how adorable she was.”

Your heart stumbles unexpectedly.

“…He did?”

She nods.

“Yeah.”

You feel something warm flutter in your chest before you even realize it’s happening. Your heart beats just a little faster. And you hate that you notice it.

-

You try not to think too much about what Mina said. You really do but the problem with thoughts like that is once they exist, they refuse to quietly disappear. All day you catch yourself watching Seungmin more closely than you normally would. The way he talks to you. The way he explains things. The way he corrects you. And slowly, annoyingly you start noticing small differences.

He’s still blunt, still direct, Still impatient when someone wastes time but with you… there’s a little more patience. A little more explaining. Once or twice you even catch him watching you after you finish a task, like he’s checking whether you understood it or not before moving on.

It makes Mina’s words echo louder in your head. The signs are there. You shake it off every time. By the time your shift ends, you’re mentally exhausted from both work and overthinking. You change in the locker room, sling your bag over your shoulder, and head toward the exit. As you step out of the locker room door, you nearly bump straight into someone.

“Oh—”

Seungmin stops just in time, one hand lifting slightly so you don’t collide.

“Sorry,” you say quickly.

He has his backpack slung over one shoulder, looking like he’s just finished his shift too.

“You heading home?” he asks.

You nod.

“Yeah. I have to pick up Aerin from school.”

Something soft crosses his face for a second.

He nods.

“Right.”

Then after a brief pause he adds,

“Has Mina told you anything… weird lately?”

Your stomach flips.

“Weird how?” you ask carefully.

He exhales quietly.

“She has this thing,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, “where she gets obsessed with setting people up.”

Your cheeks warm instantly. So he does know.

You look down slightly, suddenly very aware of the silence between you. He clears his throat, shifting slightly beside you. He looks like he’s about to say something else. Maybe reassure you. Maybe tell you Mina’s exaggerating. Maybe even lie and say he definitely doesn’t have a crush on you. That he definitely doesn’t think you’re pretty.

“Mommy!”

A small voice cuts through the hallway. Your head turns instantly. Aerin runs toward you, her little backpack bouncing against her shoulders before she launches herself straight into your arms. You laugh in surprise, catching her before she knocks you backward.

“Hey—what are you doing here?”

She giggles and points behind her. You look up. Hyunjin stands a few feet away. He’s holding a bouquet of flowers. Your heart stutters in confusion. He walks toward you slowly and hands them to you.

“For you.”

You blink down at the flowers.

“Hyunjin… what—”

But before you can finish your sentence, you notice something else. Hyunjin’s eyes flick to Seungmin and the look he gives him is anything but friendly. Seungmin’s posture changes almost instantly. His relaxed stance disappears. His expression hardens slightly as he meets Hyunjin’s stare without looking away. For a second the tension between them feels thick enough to touch then Seungmin clears his throat.

“I’ll see you around,” he says. He’s already stepping back. “Wait,” you say quickly. “Sorry—I didn’t introduce you.” You adjust Aerin on your hip.

“This is Aerin.” Aerin immediately waves brightly.

“Hi!” Seungmin’s expression softens a little. He lifts a hand and waves back.

“Hi.” Her eyes lock onto something dangling from his backpack.

“Your puppy!”

Seungmin blinks.

“My what?” She points excitedly at the keychain attached to his bag, a small plush puppy.

“That!”

He glances down at it.

“Oh.”

Before you can stop her, Aerin starts asking questions.

“What’s his name? Why is he on your bag? Does he sleep there?”

Seungmin actually crouches down slightly so he’s closer to her height. You watch, surprised, as he answers her patiently.

“It’s just a keychain.”

“What’s his name?” she insists again.

He pauses for a moment.

“…I never named him.”

Aerin gasps dramatically.

“He needs a name!”

Without thinking too much about it, Seungmin reaches behind his shoulder and unclaspes the keychain. Then he holds it out to her.

“You can have it.”

Aerin’s eyes go wide.

“Really?!”

He nods once. She takes it carefully like it’s a priceless treasure. You shake your head slightly.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

He waves it off casually.

“It’s fine.”

Aerin immediately turns and shows it to you.

“Mommy look!”

You smile down at her, even as your mind spins slightly from everything that just happened. Hyunjin clears his throat quietly.

“Aerin,” he says gently, “we should head home.”

You nod automatically, still holding the bouquet of flowers in one hand while Aerin proudly clutches the little puppy keychain Seungmin just gave her. She’s still talking about it excitedly, completely unaware of the shift in the air around the adults. As you adjust the flowers in your arm, Hyunjin steps a little closer. His hand settles lightly on your lower back.

It’s so subtle that for a second you almost don’t register it until your body instinctively stiffens and you shift slightly away but not before someone else notices. Seungmin definitely does. His eyes flick down to Hyunjin’s hand for a split second before returning to your face, his expression tightening just slightly.

Hyunjin’s gesture had been casually deliberate. From the moment he saw you walking down the hallway with Seungmin before Aerin ran toward you, he’d noticed the way Seungmin was looking at you, The attention, the quiet focus. Hyunjin knows that look. He’s worn it himself. And he didn’t like it. Seungmin straightens up from where he’d crouched beside Aerin.

“Well,” he says, his voice calm again. “Bye, Aerin.”

“Bye!” she chirps, already shaking the little puppy keychain excitedly.

He nods once toward you.

“See you tomorrow.”

You smile softly.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

He gives one final glance toward Hyunjin before turning and walking down the hallway, his backpack shifting slightly over his shoulder. You watch him go for a moment before turning back to Hyunjin. The flowers are still in your hands. You look down at them, then back at him.

“…Thank you,” you say quietly.

You can’t lie. They’re beautiful. And despite everything, they had brought a genuine smile to your face when he handed them to you. Hyunjin watches your expression carefully.

“I owed you an apology,” he says.

“For yesterday.” You shift the bouquet slightly in your arms.

“I didn’t want us to fight like that.” You look down for a moment.

“I don’t want to fight either.”

His voice softens.

“I want to fix things.” Your heart stumbles a little.

“I want us to work things out,” he continues. “To figure this out… together.”

The sincerity in his voice makes something warm and dangerous spread through your chest. For a moment, the version of Hyunjin you fell in love with, the boy who held your hand when you were terrified at eighteen, the man who stayed up all night with Aerin when she was sick feels close again. Then he reaches out gently and tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear. The familiar gesture makes your chest tighten.

“I just…” he murmurs, his voice low. “I don’t want you letting someone else into your heart before I’ve had the chance to fix what I broke.”

Your breath catches slightly.

“I want you back,” he says quietly. “Back in my arms where you belong.”

Your heart melts before you can stop it. You swallow hard, forcing yourself to breathe. Don’t get swept up. Not again. You shake the moment off quickly.

“We should get home,” you say, adjusting Aerin on your hip slightly.

Hyunjin studies your face for a second, then nods.

“Yeah.”

He feels… strangely accomplished. Like he planted something in your mind again. Like he reminded you that what you two had isn’t something easily replaced but as the three of you start walking away, his eyes drop to Aerin’s hands. The puppy keychain dangles from her fingers. Hyunjin’s gaze darkens slightly. He looks back down the hallway where Seungmin disappeared.

His jaw tightens. Because Hyunjin knows exactly the way a man looks at a woman he’s interested in. And the way Seungmin had been looking at you? He didn’t like it. Not one bit.

-

You and Mina manage to find a quiet corner in the break room for lunch again. It’s become a small routine over the past few days, something comfortable in the middle of long shifts. You sit across from each other at the small table, your lunch containers open, both of you trying to eat quickly before the floor gets busy again. Mina takes a bite of her food, chewing thoughtfully before she glances around the room.

“Where’s Seungmin?” You shrug slightly, poking at your own food. “He said he was running to grab something to eat.” Mina nods slowly.

“Good.” The way she says it makes you pause. You look up at her. “…Why?”

There’s a small glint in her eye now. That look. You already know she’s about to say something. You narrow your eyes slightly. “What?”

She takes another bite first, completely dragging the moment out.

“Mina.” She swallows.

“I asked Seungmin.” Your eyebrows knit together.

“…About what?” She raises her brows.

“About his crush.” Your stomach flips. Heat rushes up your neck so fast you can practically feel it spreading to your ears.

“Mina,” you whisper urgently.

“What?” she shrugs innocently. “I was curious.”

“What did you say?”

“I asked him if he liked you.” Your heart jumps.

“And?”

She opens her mouth, but before she can say another word, the break room door opens. Seungmin walks in. He clears his throat as he approaches the table, like he already knows he’s interrupting something. Mina’s eyes flick toward him. You quickly look down at your food like you weren’t just about to hear something life altering. Seungmin stops beside the table and slides something toward you. You look up. A slice of cake sits on a small plate in front of you.

You blink.

“What’s this?”

“The lunch staff gave it to me for free,” he says casually. “But I’m cutting sugar.”

Mina immediately leans back in her chair, watching the exchange with a very obvious mischievous look. You look from the cake to him again.

“…So you’re giving it to me?”

He shrugs slightly.

“Eat it or don’t.”

Mina smirks.

“That was very nice of you,” she says sweetly.

Seungmin eyes her suspiciously.

“What?”

“For giving her cake that you definitely didn’t buy just for her.”

He glares at her immediately.

“I didn’t buy it.”

Mina hums skeptically. Seungmin reaches forward like he’s about to take the plate back. You react instantly, pulling it closer.

“Hey!”

He pauses.

“You can’t take it back,” you tell him, laughing.

The sound slips out before you can stop it.

Seungmin freezes for a second. A faint flush creeps up the back of his neck. He clears his throat quickly, looking away.

“…Fine.”

Mina notices. Of course she notices. She’s practically glowing with amusement now. Seungmin sits down, trying to look normal again.

“So,” he says casually, glancing between you both, “what were you two talking about?”

Mina answers immediately.

“I was telling her about the party tonight.”

Your head snaps toward her. But she gives you a quick look that says play along. You hum quietly, nodding.

“Yeah.”

Seungmin looks between you both again.

“Oh. Right.”

Mina leans forward slightly.

“Are you going?”

You blink.

“…Are you actually having a party?”

She nods confidently.

“Of course I am.”

Seungmin stares at her.

“…You are?”

Mina nods confidently, like she absolutely did not just make that up thirty seconds ago.

“Yeah,” she says, rolling her eyes dramatically as she looks at Seungmin. “I told you I’ve been planning it.”

Seungmin narrows his eyes slightly.

“You didn’t.”

“Yes I did,” she insists immediately. “My boyfriend, a few of his friends, you two, a couple people from the unit. Nothing huge.” She shrugs casually.

“Just something small. Some drinks.”

Seungmin scoffs quietly. Her eyes move between both of you, clearly trying to make sure neither of you escape.

“I’m not letting either of you back out.”

Then she turns toward you. “Are you actually coming?” You pause for a moment. She tilts her head.

“Or do you have Aerin this weekend?” You shake your head.

“Her dad has her.” Mina’s entire face lights up.

“Perfect!”

Her excitement is immediate and loud enough that you laugh slightly. “Dress sexy,” she says with a wink.

Your cheeks warm instantly.

“I’ll text you the address.”

She stands up, grabbing her lunch container. Then she turns toward Seungmin again, pointing her fork at him like a warning.

“You better be there.”

He just stares at her. She walks out of the break room without waiting for an answer. The door swings closed behind her. Silence settles over the room again. You glance at Seungmin. He’s staring at the door like he’s trying to process what just happened. Then you speak.

“Are you actually going?”

He looks at you. “I don’t think so.” He leans back slightly in his chair. “Parties like that aren’t really my thing.” You nod. “That makes sense.”

You wouldn’t have pictured him at a loud party either. There’s a small pause. Then he asks, “Are you?” You nod slowly.

“Yeah.”

You look down at the slice of cake on the table for a moment. “I think I need it.” He watches you for a second, like he’s trying to understand what you mean by that. Then he just hums quietly.

“Mm.”

-

By the time your shift ends, you’re exhausted again, but not in the same emotional way as before. This time it’s physical, your feet ache, your shoulders are tight, and you’re more than ready to go home. Seungmin walks beside you toward the locker rooms at the end of the shift. Neither of you brings up the party again.

You grab your bag from your locker, slipping your jacket on while you mentally plan the rest of your evening. When you step back into the hallway, Seungmin is waiting by the door with his backpack over his shoulder again.

“You heading out?” he asks. You nod.

“Yeah.”

He pushes the door open and the two of you walk toward the exit together. Outside, the evening air is cooler than you expected. You pause for a moment, breathing it in.

“So,” you say casually, glancing at him, “you’re really not going tonight?” He shrugs slightly.

“Probably not.”

You nod again, but something about it feels… disappointing. You ignore that feeling quickly. “Well,” you say, adjusting the strap of your bag, “I guess I’ll see you next shift then.” He studies your face for a second.

“You’re really going?” You laugh softly.

“Why does everyone sound so surprised?”

“Because you don’t seem like the party type either.” You shrug. “Maybe I’m trying something new.” That answer makes him quiet for a moment. Then he nods once. “Be careful.”

The words come out so simply that it catches you off guard. You blink. “I will.”

There’s a small pause between you. Then you wave lightly. “Goodnight, Seungmin.” He nods.

“Night.”

You turn and head toward your car. But just before you get in, you glance back once. He’s still standing near the entrance of the hospital. Watching you leave. And when he notices you looking, he quickly looks away like he hadn’t been.

-

Your apartment feels quiet without Aerin there. Not empty exactly but quieter in a way that reminds you she’s not running from room to room, asking questions or dragging her stuffed animals across the floor. You sit on your bed with your phone pressed to your ear while your closet stands open in front of you, hangers pushed aside as you try to decide what to wear. On the other end of the phone, Aerin is talking nonstop.

“And then daddy pushed me really really high on the swings,” she says excitedly. “Like this high!”

You smile softly, even though she can’t see you.

“That sounds fun.”

“And then we saw a dog,” she continues, her voice bright and breathless. “A big one! And it tried to lick my face.”You laugh quietly. “Did you let it?”

“No!”

You can practically hear her scrunching her nose. “Daddy said it was friendly but it had slobber.”

You lean back against the bed for a second, letting her voice fill the room. Grounding in a way you didn’t realize you needed after the long week. You pull another dress off a hanger while she keeps talking. Eventually you stop. The dress in your hands is one you haven’t worn in years. You bought it a long time ago, back when you and Hyunjin still tried to make time for date nights. Back when you’d let yourself get dressed up, when Aerin was still little enough to fall asleep early and leave you two a few hours to feel like something other than exhausted parents. You remember the first time you wore it. Hyunjin couldn’t stop touching you. His hands on your waist, your back, your hips every time you walked past him. He had looked at you like you were the most beautiful thing in the room. The memory hits harder than you expect. You shake your head quickly, forcing the thought away. “Mommy?” Aerin says.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’m sleepy.”

You glance at the clock.

“Okay. Go brush your teeth and get ready for bed, alright?”

“Okay.”

You smile softly.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” she says immediately.

Before you can hang up, you hear the phone shift. Then Hyunjin’s voice. “Hey.” Your shoulders stiffen slightly.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing tonight?” he asks. Your eyes flick toward the dress in your hands. You hesitate for a second. Then you lie.

“Probably going to bed early.”

There’s a quiet hum on the other end.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

He pauses.

“You could come over if you want,” he says casually. “After Aerin goes to sleep.” Your stomach twists slightly.

“We could talk,” he continues. “Have a drink or something.” He says it in a way that almost sounds tempting.

But you know him too well. You know how that night would end. He’d sit close to you. Apologize again. Maybe reach for your hand. Maybe kiss you. Maybe ask you to stay. Maybe remind you how happy Aerin would be to wake up and see both of you together. You close your eyes for a second. Going to this party. Letting yourself breathe. Letting yourself have one night where you’re not just someone’s ex wife or someone’s mom.. That sounds better.

“I can’t tonight,” you say gently.

“I’ll see you when I pick up Aerin.” There’s a long pause. You can almost hear him swallowing. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “Goodnight.”

Then the line clicks. The goodbye feels shorter than usual. Like it wasn’t the answer he wanted. You stare at your phone for a moment after the call ends. Then you set it down. No overthinking. Not tonight. You stand up and hold the dress against yourself, walking toward the mirror. For a second, you just look. It fits. It hugs your body in a way that makes you remember that you’re still young. Still attractive. Still someone who can go out and be noticed. You smooth the fabric down slightly. This could be good. Not for Hyunjin. Not for anyone else. Just for you. You take longer getting ready than you expected. Not because you’re unsure anymore but because it’s been so long since you’ve done this for yourself.

For a moment, you barely recognize yourself. Not the tired nurse who rushes through hospital hallways all day. Not the mother who falls asleep on the couch after helping with homework. You add a little makeup, something simple but enough to brighten your face. Your hair takes a few attempts before it finally falls the way you want it to. When you’re finished, you pause in front of the mirror again. You feel confident. You feel… different. You grab your jacket, your phone, and your keys before heading out.

-

Mina’s place isn’t far, but the music is already audible from outside the building when you arrive. Your stomach flips again, not from nerves exactly, but from the unfamiliar feeling of going somewhere where you’re not responsible for anyone but yourself. You climb the stairs and follow the noise until you find the door. It’s already open.

Inside, there’s laughter, music, people talking over each other. The space is warm and crowded in a relaxed way, the kind of gathering where people have already been there long enough to settle in. You hesitate for a second in the doorway. Then someone spots you. “Y/N!” Mina appears almost instantly, weaving through people before pulling you inside. “You came!” she says excitedly. You laugh softly. “You told me not to bail.” She takes a step back and looks you over. Her eyes widen. “Oh my god.”

“What?” you ask nervously.

“You look amazing.” You feel your cheeks warm.

“Thank you.” She grabs your wrist and pulls you toward the living room where a few familiar faces from the unit are already sitting around with drinks. “Everyone!” Mina announces dramatically. “Look who actually showed up.”You laugh awkwardly, already feeling the warmth of the room settle around you. “Relax,” Mina murmurs beside you. “This is the fun part.” You nod slowly. Maybe she’s right then the door behind you opens again. You glance over your shoulder without thinking. And your stomach flips.

Seungmin.

His hair is slightly messy like he rushed out, jacket still half on his shoulders as he closes the door behind him. For a second, his eyes scan the room. Then they land on you. He stops walking. Clearly not expecting you to look like that. His gaze lingers just a second longer than normal. Then Mina leans toward you and whispers with a grin, “I knew he’d come.”

Seungmin stands near the door for a moment like he’s reconsidering his decision to come. His eyes are still on you. You suddenly feel very aware of the dress, of the way your hair falls over your shoulders, of the fact that the last time he saw you, you were in scrubs with your hair tied up and exhaustion written all over your face. This version of you is… different. Mina leans closer to your ear. “I told you,” she whispers, clearly pleased with herself. You nudge her lightly. “Stop.” But she’s already grinning as she waves toward him. “Seungmin! Over here!” He exhales through his nose like he knew this was coming. Still, he walks over. His jacket is off now, his sleeves rolled slightly up his forearms. When he stops in front of you, his gaze flicks down your outfit again before he looks back at your face. “You came,” he says. You tilt your head slightly. “You didn’t think I would?” He shrugs faintly. “You said you needed this.” You smile a little. “I did.” For a second neither of you says anything. Then Mina loudly clears her throat.

“Well,” she says dramatically, “now that the two of you are standing here staring at each other like it’s a slow romance movie, someone should probably get drinks.”Your face warms instantly. Seungmin shoots her a look.

“I wasn’t staring.”

“You were.” You laugh softly before the tension can get worse.

“I’ll take a drink,” you say quickly. Mina claps her hands.

“Perfect.” She grabs your wrist and pulls you toward the kitchen counter where a few bottles are lined up.

“You’re starting with something light,” she says, pouring a drink into a plastic cup. “No repeat of the restaurant incident.” You groan quietly.

“Please never mention that again.”

“Oh, it’s never leaving my memory,” she replies cheerfully.

You take the drink and sip it slowly this time. Across the room, Seungmin leans against the wall near the couch, watching the group casually while talking to one of Mina’s boyfriend’s friends. But every once in a while, you catch his eyes drifting back toward you. And every time you do, your heart does that small, annoying skip again. The music gets louder. People move around more freely now, some dancing, some talking in small circles. Mina nudges you with her elbow. “So,” she says quietly.

“What?” She nods subtly toward Seungmin.

“You see it now?” You roll your eyes, but your lips curve slightly.

“I see someone standing by the wall looking uncomfortable.” She laughs.

“That too.”

You take another sip of your drink. Then, as if sensing the conversation happening across the room, Seungmin finally pushes himself off the wall and walks over. Mina’s grin widens. “I’m going to go find my boyfriend,” she announces suddenly.

You narrow your eyes. “You’re not subtle.”

“I’m very subtle.” And just like that, she disappears into the crowd.

Leaving you and Seungmin standing there with your drinks and the noise of the party humming around you. For a moment after Mina disappears into the crowd, neither you nor Seungmin says anything. The music hums in the background, people laughing and talking around you, but the small space between the two of you suddenly feels quieter than the rest of the room. You take another sip of your drink just to give your hands something to do. “So,” you say lightly, glancing up at him, “I thought parties like this weren’t your thing.” He exhales softly through his nose. “They’re not.” You raise an eyebrow. “Then why are you here?” He shifts his weight slightly, glancing toward the kitchen like he’s considering grabbing something else to drink before answering. “Mina texted me three times,” he says. You laugh quietly. “That sounds like her.” He nods. Then after a second he adds, almost casually, “And I figured if I didn’t show up, she’d never stop bringing it up at work.” You hum, pretending to accept that explanation. But the small pause before he said it doesn’t go unnoticed.You glance down at your cup again. “You don’t have to stay long,” you say. “I know.” Another pause stretches between you. You can feel his gaze again, softer this time, studying you like he’s still adjusting to seeing you outside of scrubs and hospital lighting. “You look different,” he says suddenly. Your head lifts. “Different how?” He shrugs slightly, but the faint pink creeping up the back of his neck gives him away. “Just… different.”You smile a little. “That’s a very specific answer.” He huffs quietly. “You don’t usually dress like that at work.”

“Well, I’d probably get sent home if I did.” That makes him chuckle softly. And hearing that sound again surprises you. You take another sip of your drink. “You clean up well too,” you add casually. He blinks at that.“Meaning…?” You gesture vaguely toward him. “You look less terrifying outside the hospital.” He scoffs lightly. “I’m not terrifying.” You raise your eyebrows. “Seungmin, half the new nurses are afraid to ask you where the supply closet is.”

“That’s not my fault.” You grin.

“It kind of is.” The tension between you loosens a little after that. For the first time since arriving, the conversation feels easy. Then your phone buzzes in your hand. You glance down.

Hyunjin.

Your stomach tightens slightly. Seungmin notices the way your expression changes. “You okay?” he asks. You quickly lock the screen. “Yeah.” You tuck the phone back into your bag. “Just… someone checking in.” He doesn’t press. But his eyes linger on your face for a moment like he’s reading something there anyway. Then he nods once. “You want another drink?” he asks. You hesitate. Then smile faintly. “…Yeah.”

And for the first time in a long while, you allow yourself to relax into the moment instead of thinking about everything waiting for you outside of it.

-

You and Seungmin eventually drift toward the drink table where it’s a little quieter. Not quiet enough to hear every word perfectly, the music is still thumping somewhere in the background and people keep walking past but quiet enough that the conversation doesn’t feel like you’re shouting over everyone else. You lean your hip lightly against the counter, your drink resting in your hand. For a moment, you just watch the party around you. Then you glance back at him. “You know,” you say thoughtfully, “you know a lot more about me than I know about you.” He raises an eyebrow slightly.

“I do?” You nod. “You know I got married young. You know I have a daughter. You know my ex’s name.” His mouth twitches slightly. “That one wasn’t exactly intentional.” You laugh softly. “Still counts.” He shrugs.

“What do you want to know?” You tilt your head slightly, thinking. “How did you end up doing this?” He doesn’t even hesitate. “I started nursing school right after high school.” Your eyebrows lift. “Really?” He nods. “Finished pretty fast.” You take another sip of your drink, watching him curiously. “And your family was okay with that?” He lets out a quiet laugh. “Not even a little.”

You smile. “Why?”

“My parents wanted me to become a doctor,” he says simply. You grin. “That explains a lot.”

“Does it?”

“Yeah,” you say. “The intense personality. The judgmental stares.”

“I’m not judgmental.”

“You absolutely are.” He huffs softly, but there’s a small smile on his face now.

“They were mad about it for a long time,” he continues. “They thought I was wasting my potential.”

“And?” He shrugs.

“I liked nursing more.” You nod slowly.

“That’s fair.” For a moment, you both just stand there again, leaning against the table. The conversation feels… easy.Which surprises you. At work, he’s sharp and demanding and constantly moving. You never really get the chance to see this side of him. Now, he’s relaxed. And funny, apparently. You laugh again when he tells you a short story about how his parents still occasionally try to convince him to go back to school. “I told them if they wanted a doctor so badly they should’ve become one themselves,” he says. You shake your head, smiling.

“You actually said that?”

“Yep.”

“That’s brutal.”

“They stopped asking.” he shrugged. You laugh again, and the sound comes easily. It’s strange. You realize you’re actually enjoying yourself. Enjoying talking to him. You glance at him again as he finishes his drink, noticing the way the warm light from the room catches his face. And then you feel it. That small, unexpected flutter in your stomach. You pause. Because you haven’t felt that in a long time. Not since Hyunjin. The realization makes you swallow slightly as you look away, pretending to focus on the drink in your hand instead. But the feeling doesn’t disappear right away. At some point, the party starts to blur into something softer.

The music is louder now, people are more relaxed, voices overlapping in a way that feels less chaotic and more… alive. You’ve only had one drink, maybe two sips more than you planned but it’s enough to take the sharp edges off your thoughts. You’re not thinking about Hyunjin. Not about the flowers. Not about the conversation. Mina’s boyfriend is currently trying and failing to walk in a straight line across the living room, one hand hovering in the air like he’s balancing on an invisible rope. “I’m fine,” he insists loudly. “You’re not fine,” Mina calls from the couch, laughing. You and Seungmin are standing off to the side, watching. “He’s going to fall,” you say, leaning slightly closer to Seungmin so he can hear you over the music. “He’s been about to fall for the last ten minutes,” Seungmin mutters back. You laugh. “You’d think he’d just give up and sit down.”

“Pride,” Seungmin says dryly. “Very dangerous thing.”You both watch as Mina’s boyfriend nearly trips over nothing, catching himself at the last second. You both watch as Mina’s boyfriend nearly trips over nothing, catching himself at the last second. “Oh my—” you start, laughing harder now. Seungmin shakes his head. “Unbelievable.” You lean in a little closer, lowering your voice conspiratorially. “Do you think he even remembers where he is?”

“Probably not.” You grin.

“He’s just existing.”

“Barely.” You both laugh quietly, the moment light and easy. And just then someone bumps into you from behind. It happens fast. You lose your balance before you can react, your foot slipping slightly as you stumble forward, Straight into Seungmin. Your hands come up instinctively, landing against his chest to steady yourself. His hands catch your waist immediately, firm and steady, pulling you close so you don’t fall. Everything slows down. You’re closer than you meant to be. Closer than you’ve been to anyone in a long time. Your fingers press lightly against his shirt, feeling the warmth of him underneath. His hands are still on your hips, holding you there without hesitation. For a second, neither of you moves. The noise of the party fades into the background. You look up at him. He’s already looking at you. Not like he does at work. Not sharp or assessing. Something softer. Something more uncertain. Your breath catches slightly. You can feel it again, that flutter. Stronger now. You should move. You know you should. Step back. Laugh it off. Say something normal but you don’t and neither does he. His hands stay where they are. Your hands stay on his chest. The space between you feels smaller with every second that passes. You swallow. Your heart is beating faster now. You don’t know what pushes you. Maybe the drink. Maybe the night. Maybe the fact that for once, you’re not thinking about consequences, just the feeling in front of you Or maybe it’s just that you’re tired of holding yourself back. Before you can overthink it, you lean in.

It’s not perfect. Your lips meet his.

For a split second, there’s hesitation on his end. A pause like he’s deciding whether this is really happening. Then, he kisses you back. It’s a little messy, a little unsure but real. His hands tighten slightly on your hips, pulling you just a fraction closer as he responds. Your fingers curl lightly against his shirt, holding onto him like you need the balance more than you actually do. Your heart is racing. Everything feels too fast and too slow at the same time.

-

For a moment, everything feels suspended. Like the noise, the music, the people, all of it fades into something distant and muffled. It’s just you and him. Your hands are still curled into his shirt, gripping the fabric near his collar as if letting go would somehow break whatever this is. His hands stay firm on your hips, holding you steady, grounding you in a way that feels unfamiliar and dangerously comforting. Your heart is racing. Too fast. Too loud. You pull him closer without thinking, just slightly and you feel the way his hands react instantly, tightening, his thumbs brushing absentmindedly against your hips like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it and for a second, it feels like something sparks between you, something you haven’t felt in years. Not like this. Then it hits you. You pull away first. Just enough to create space, your breath uneven, chest rising and falling as you try to catch it. Your hands loosen against his shirt, but you don’t drop them right away. You look at him. He’s already looking at you. There’s something in his expression, surprise, yes, but also something softer. Something that makes your chest tighten even more.

And then, Guilt. It crashes into you all at once.

Aerin. Her little voice. The way she hugged you this morning. Hyunjin. The flowers. His voice telling you he wanted to fix things. The way he looked at you like you were still his. The life you thought you were supposed to have. The future you imagined, another baby, maybe a little boy like he always talked about, Aerin becoming a big sister, the three of you becoming four. Your stomach twists painfully.

What are you doing?

You take a step back.Then another. The distance between you suddenly feels necessary. “I’m sorry,” you say quietly. Your voice barely comes out steady. You don’t wait for him to respond. You turn and leave. You push through the crowd, barely registering the faces around you, the music, the voices calling out. Your chest feels tight, like you can’t get enough air. You just need out. You don’t even see Mina until you nearly run straight into her. Her eyes are wide, her face lit up with excitement. “Oh my god—” she squeals. “I saw that—”

You don’t stop. You don’t even look at her. You just keep going, brushing past her like she’s not even there. You hear her call your name, confused now, but you don’t turn around. You push the door open and step outside into the cool night air. It hits you instantly. You breathe in deeply, but it doesn’t help much. Your heart is still racing, your thoughts tangled and loud and impossible to sort through.

What did you just do?

Before you can even begin to process it, “Y/N.”

You freeze. Seungmin. He pushes through the door, clearly having rushed after you. He doesn’t even slow down as he moves toward you, weaving past a couple people standing outside. “Wait.” You don’t turn around. You can’t. Because if you do, you don’t know what you’ll say. Or worse, what you’ll feel. His hand reaches for yours and you don’t have it in you to pull away. But you still don’t face him. You just stand there, back to him, your hand is still in his. You haven’t turned around. His grip isn’t tight, but it’s firm enough that you know he’s not letting you walk away this time. “Are you seriously just going to leave?” he says. There’s frustration in his voice now. Not sharp like at work but personal. You close your eyes for a second. “I can’t do this right now,” you say quietly. “Do what?” he pushes. “Talk about what just happened?” You shake your head slightly, even though he can’t see it.

“This—this whole thing,” you say, your voice tightening. “I don’t even know what that was.” He exhales, clearly irritated now. “It was a kiss.”

“It shouldn’t have happened,” you snap, turning halfway toward him now, your emotions spilling out faster than you can control them. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why?” he shoots back immediately. You blink, caught off guard by how quickly he responds. “Because—” you start, frustrated, overwhelmed, “because I don’t like this.”

“Don’t like what?” he says. “These feelings,” you admit, your voice breaking slightly. “Or whatever this is. I don’t even know if they’re real or if I’m just—confused or—”You cut yourself off with a frustrated breath. He steps closer. “You’re not confused,” he says. “You don’t know that,” you fire back.

“I do.”

“How?”

“Because you kissed me.” You scoff softly, shaking your head.

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“It meant something,” he says firmly. You open your mouth to argue again, but instead the words that come out are different. “Mina thinks you like me,” you blurt. He pauses. You don’t stop. “Because you brought me coffee,” you continue, pacing slightly now, your frustration spilling over, “and because you sat with me at lunch and because you said Aerin was adorable—” You’re rambling. You know you are. “And now this—” you gesture between you both, “this just makes it worse because now I don’t even know what’s real and what’s just—” You stop mid sentence because he’s smiling. You stare at him.

“…What?” He shakes his head slightly, like he can’t help it. “You’re unbelievable.”

“What does that mean?”

Instead of answering, he steps forward, and kisses you. Again. This time, there’s no hesitation. Just him closing the distance like he already decided he wasn’t letting you overthink your way out of this. You inhale sharply against his lips, surprised but you don’t pull away. You melt into it before you can stop yourself. Your hands find his shirt again, gripping lightly, grounding yourself as everything else feels like it’s spinning too fast. His hand comes up to your waist again, pulling you closer without forcing it like he’s giving you the space to pull away if you want to. You don’t. When he pulls back slightly, his forehead almost brushing yours, his voice is low. “Mina really doesn’t know how to keep a secret.” Your breath catches.

“What does that mean?” He huffs a quiet breath. “It means,” he says, “I might’ve mentioned you were pretty.” Your heart stutters. “And then,” he continues, his voice softer now, more honest than you’ve ever heard it, “I saw how hard you work. How you don’t quit even when I’m being—” He gestures vaguely. “Difficult.” You let out a small breath. “And somewhere between all of that…” he adds, glancing at you, “I started really liking you.” Your chest tightens. “And then I met Aerin and saw how you were with her.” Your heart skips. “And that just…” he pauses, shaking his head slightly, like he doesn’t even fully understand it himself. “…confirmed it.” You don’t say anything because or the first time since this started, your doubt quiets. You’re not thinking about whether this is wrong. Or too fast. “Say something,” he mutters. You blink. “What?”

“I just—” he exhales, clearly frustrated now, “I just told you all that and you’re not saying anything.” You laugh softly. It surprises both of you. Then, instead of answering, You reach for him. And kiss him again. This time, there’s no hesitation at all. Just you pulling him in, closing the distance like you’ve already made your decision. The kiss is messy and Unplanned and for once, you don’t stop yourself. The kiss slowly fades, not because either of you wants it to, but because reality starts to settle back in. Your hands are still on him, his still on you, but your breathing is uneven now, your thoughts catching up all at once. You pull back first this time. You don’t let go of him completely though. Your fingers still lightly grip his shirt, like you’re afraid if you step too far away, this moment will disappear entirely.

“I…” you start, then stop. He watches you carefully, waiting. You swallow. “I do like you,” you admit quietly.

The words feel strange coming out. “Maybe,” you add quickly, almost nervously. “I’m just… confused.” You let out a small, breathy laugh. “I’m kind of a mess right now.” Immediately, “You’re not a mess.”

The way he says it is firm like there wasn’t even a second of doubt in his mind. You blink. The heat creeps up your cheeks before you can stop it. You glance away slightly, your grip on him loosening as you finally step back a little more. You take a breath. “I don’t know where this is going,” you say honestly. “And I don’t want to pretend like I do.” He nods once, letting you speak.

“But I need you to know something,” you continue, your voice softening. “Hyunjin is still in my life.” His expression doesn’t change, but you see the slight shift in his posture like he’s bracing himself. “Not like that,” you add quickly. “Not in that way. But… he’s Aerin’s dad. He’s always going to be there.” You pause. “And Aerin is my priority. Always.” There’s no hesitation in your voice when you say that. There never is.

You pause. “And Aerin is my priority. Always.” There’s no hesitation in your voice when you say that. There never is. He nods again. “She should be.” The simple agreement makes something in your chest loosen just a little. You look back at him. “And as much as I do think… this—” you gesture lightly between the two of you, “—is mutual…” You hesitate again. “I don’t know how fast or slow this should go.” You exhale softly. “I just got out of my relationship with him. And he’s… really the only person I’ve ever been with.” The vulnerability in that hangs between you for a second But he doesn’t react the way you feared. He doesn’t pull away. Doesn’t make it awkward. He just nods. “That’s okay.” You blink. “Really,” he adds. “We don’t have to put a label on this.”

His voice is calm. Steady. “We don’t have to figure everything out tonight.” You study his face, trying to read him. “I just don’t want you to run away from it,” he continues. “Or pretend it didn’t happen.”

Your chest tightens slightly. “Because I meant what I said,” he adds quietly. “And I’m not taking it back.” You swallow. “And I’m willing to wait,” he says. That makes you shake your head immediately. “I don’t want you to wait.” He frowns slightly. “It’s not like that,” you explain quickly. “I just… I don’t want you to be blindsided.” You shift your weight, wrapping your arms loosely around yourself now.

“There are going to be days where I pull back,” you admit. “Where I get overwhelmed. Where… Hyunjin feels too present in everything.” You meet his eyes again. “I don’t want you to think I’m choosing him. Or that I’m unsure about you.” You hesitate.

“I just don’t want to hurt you because I’m still figuring everything out.” There’s a quiet moment between you. Then he steps just a little closer again. Not enough to crowd you. Just enough to be there. “I’ll take that risk,” he says simply. Your heart stumbles again. Because he doesn’t say it dramatically And somehow, that makes it harder to look away from him. “You’re sure?” you ask quietly. He doesn’t hesitate. He nods once. “I’m not going anywhere.” Your chest tightens at that. Not in a bad way. You glance down for a second, your fingers absentmindedly brushing the hem of your dress as you try to process what he just said. Then you look back up at him, something softer settling into your expression.“You say that now,” you murmur, a faint smile tugging at your lips, “but I can be… a lot.”

“I’ve noticed,” he replies dryly. You let out a small laugh, the tension easing just a little. “That didn’t scare you off yet?”

“No.” No hesitation. That makes your heart beat a little faster. You glance toward the door behind him, where the music from the party still hums through the walls.“We should probably go back in,” you say. He doesn’t move. “I didn’t come for the party.” You tilt your head slightly, studying him. “Then why did you come?”

He looks at you and he doesn’t say anything but he doesn’t need to. The answer is written all over his face. Your breath catches slightly. For a moment, neither of you moves again. The air between you feels heavier now but not in the same overwhelming way as before. This time, it feels… certain. You take a small step closer without even realizing you’re doing it. “You’re making this harder,” you mumble, half teasing, half serious.

“How?”

“You’re being too sure about this.” He huffs quietly.

“Sorry. Want me to act confused instead?” You smile, shaking your head. “No.” There’s a pause. “Just… don’t make me feel like I have to figure everything out right now.” His expression eases slightly. “I’m not, promise.”You nod, exhaling slowly. “Okay.” Another beat passes. Then you glance back toward the door again. “…We should still go back in,” you say, quieter this time. He watches you for a second longer. Then finally nods.“Yeah.” But neither of you moves right away. Because even though the party is right there, This moment feels harder to leave.

You move first. You take a breath, steadying yourself, then reach for the door and push it open. The music hits you again instantly, loud, warm, alive. The voices, the laughter, the movement it all rushes back in like nothing just happened outside. But everything feels different now. You step inside. And this time, you’re not tense.Not overthinking every little thing. Not stuck in your own head. Behind you, Seungmin follows. And somehow, you can feel it without even looking, the difference in him too.

More sure. More grounded like whatever uncertainty was there before has settled into something clearer. You glance back at him briefly. There’s no awkwardness now. And it makes your chest feel lighter. Like something you didn’t realize you were carrying has finally been set down. Mina spots you almost immediately. Her eyes widen. Then narrow. Then she practically sprints over.“Where did you—” she starts, then stops mid-sentence, looking between you and Seungmin. Her expression changes instantly.

“Oh.” You try to look normal.

“Hi.” She squints. “Don’t ‘hi’ me.” You laugh nervously. Seungmin just looks away slightly, clearly trying not to get dragged into whatever interrogation she’s about to start. Mina points between the two of you. “You went outside together.”

“Yes.”

“And now you’re coming back in together.”

“…Yes.”

She crosses her arms. “Something happened.” You bite back a smile. “Nothing happened.” She gasps dramatically. “You’re a terrible liar.” Seungmin huffs quietly beside you. “She really is.” You turn to him.

“Hey.” Mina’s eyes widen even more. “Oh my god,” she whispers. “You’re teaming up now?” You shake your head, laughing. “It’s not like that.”

“It is exactly like that,” she insists. Then she leans closer to you, lowering her voice. “Did you kiss him?” Your cheeks immediately warm. “Mina.”

“That’s a yes.” You groan softly. “Can you not—” She squeals. “I knew it!” You cover your face briefly, laughing despite yourself. “Please stop yelling.”

“I can’t!” she whispers loudly. Seungmin mutters under his breath, “She’s annoying.” Mina points at him. “And you—don’t think I didn’t notice you actually showed up tonight.” He shrugs.

“I was invited.”

“You hate parties.”

“I still do.” She grins. “But you came anyway.” He doesn’t answer. He doesn’t need to. Mina looks between both of you again, clearly satisfied. Then she claps her hands once. “Okay. I’m going to pretend I don’t know anything.” You narrow your eyes. “You definitely know everything.” She smiles sweetly. “I absolutely do.” Then she turns and disappears back into the crowd like she wasn’t just interrogating you seconds ago. You exhale, shaking your head. “She’s never going to let this go.”

“Nope,” Seungmin says. You glance at him again. There’s a small smile on your face now. And for once, It doesn’t feel forced.

-

You don’t realize it all at once.It’s not some big moment where everything suddenly clicks into place. It happens in pieces. Small things. Things you don’t question at first, until you do. Like how Seungmin always ends up walking you to your car after your shifts now. At first, it felt like coincidence. You both finished around the same time, heading in the same direction, exchanging a few words before parting ways. But then it became expected. You’d step out of the hospital doors, and he’d already be there, adjusting the strap of his bag, glancing over when he hears your footsteps. “Done?” he’d ask. And you’d nod and then you’d walk together.

It never felt forced. He didn’t try to fill every second with conversation. Sometimes you talked about work, sometimes about nothing, sometimes you just walked in comfortable silence but he always stayed until you reached your car. Always waited until you got in. Always gave a small nod before stepping back. And somehow, that started to matter more than you expected. Then there were the texts. Did you get home?  Eat something. You looked tired today. And you found yourself replying faster than you meant to. And then there was Aerin. That was the one that caught you off guard the most because eople always reacted the same way when they found out you had a daughter.

She’s so cute. That’s adorable.

And then they moved on. But Seungmin didn’t. He asked, How was school for her today? Does she like it there? What does she usually eat for lunch?

The kind of questions that meant he was actually listening when you talked. Actually remembering and caring. That’s when you started noticing it. You and him… You were moving faster than you expected. And the strange part? You didn’t mind.

-

It’s late one night when it becomes more obvious. You’ve just finished a long shift, your body tired in that deep, aching way that settles into your bones. You’re standing outside the hospital again, adjusting your bag on your shoulder when he steps beside you like he always does.

“Hungry?” he asks. You glance at him. “A little.” He nods toward the street. “Come with me.” You narrow your eyes slightly. “Where?”

“There’s a place down there,” he says, already starting to walk. “Kimchi jjigae.” You hum, suspicious. “It’s late,” you point out. “I know.”

“And you’re inviting me because…?” He glances at you briefly. “I don’t want to eat alone.” You raise a brow.“That’s your reason?”

“Yes.” You study him for a second longer. Then sigh. “…Fine.” He doesn’t say anything else, but you catch the smallest hint of satisfaction in the way his shoulders relax. The restaurant is small. The kind of place that feels lived in, with quiet chatter and the clinking of dishes filling the space. You sit across from each other, the steam from the jjigae rising between you as the server sets it down. For a moment, neither of you speaks. Then you take a bite. And it’s good. Really good. You hum softly, surprised. “Okay,” you admit. “This was worth it.”He nods like he already knew. “I told you.”

You shake your head slightly, smiling. “You didn’t tell me anything. You just dragged me here.”

“You came willingly.”

“Barely.” He huffs quietly, but there’s a faint smile on his face. The conversation comes easier than it should. You talk about work at first small complaints, shared frustrations but it shifts naturally. He tells you about how he met Mina. “She annoyed me,” he says simply. You laugh. “That tracks.”

“She talked too much.”

“She still does.” He glances at you.

“You’re friends with her.”

“Unfortunately.” That makes him smile a little more.

You don’t notice how much time passes. You don’t notice how the tiredness in your body fades into something softer. You just… sit there and enjoy it. When you leave, the air is cooler. The street is quieter now, the city settling into the late hours. You start walking side by side again. Somehow, the conversation doesn’t stop. He asks about Aerin again. “What does she like to do after school?” You smile a little. “Talk.”

He huffs. “Like her mom.” You nudge him lightly. “I do not talk that much.”

“You do.” You roll your eyes, but you’re still smiling. “She likes dolls,” you continue. “And making up stories. And she’s really into stickers right now.” He nods, listening. Your steps slow without you realizing. Or maybe it’s both of you. At some point, Your hands brush. Accidentally. You feel it immediately. That small spark. You glance down for a second. He does too. Neither of you says anything, neither of you pulls away.

Your fingers shift slightly. Then his. And suddenly, your hands are intertwined. You swallow softly, your heart picking up just a little. You expect one of you to pull away, to laugh it off, to say something, neither of you does. You keep walking. Hand in hand. And you don’t miss the way he tries, fails to hide the small smile tugging at his lips. By the time you reach your building, the night feels quieter than before. You stop in front of your door. Your hands are still connected. You’re both aware of it now.

And still neither of you lets go. You look up at him. He’s already looking at you. There’s something unspoken there. Something that lingers in the space between you. You don’t say anything. You stand there.Longer than you should. Long enough that it starts to feel like something more than just a goodnight. You’re both interrupted when, a door opens down the hall. You both turn slightly. Your older neighbor steps out, glancing between you with curious eyes.

“Oh,” she says, clearly recognizing you. “Where’s Hyunjin? And Aerin?” The question lands heavier than it should. Your heart stutters. Suddenly, reality rushes back in.

You pull your hand away so quickly it almost feels like it burns. The silence that follows is heavier now. Your neighbor looks between the two of you, her eyes narrowing slightly in that way that makes it very clear she’s already made up her mind about what she’s seeing.“Aerin’s with her dad,” you say quickly, your voice steadier than you feel. She hums. A slow, thoughtful sound that doesn’t quite mean she believes you. “Oh,” she says, but her eyes linger. “I thought I heard her earlier.”

You shake your head. “No, she’s not home tonight.” She nods again, but there’s still something in her expression, something skeptical, something judging as her gaze moves from you to Seungmin and back again. She’s known you for years. Watched you walk in and out of this building with Hyunjin. Watched Aerin grow up. To her, this probably looks like something else entirely. Something wrong. Something… unfaithful.

“Well,” she finally says, her tone light but her eyes still sharp, “goodnight.” She walks off slowly, like she’s still thinking about it. The door closes behind her. And suddenly the hallway feels too quiet. You don’t look at Seungmin right away. You don’t want to see his expression. But you feel it.

“I’ll go,” he says. Your head snaps up.

“What?” He’s already stepping back slightly, his hand no longer anywhere near yours. “I’ll see you later.” He turns like he’s about to leave. “Wait,” you say quickly. He pauses, but he doesn’t look at you right away.

You step closer. “Are you okay?” He hums. “Yeah.” But he’s already shifting his weight like he’s still planning to leave. Something tightens in your chest.

“Seungmin.” He finally looks at you. You hesitate for a second, then the words spill out. “I’m sorry.” His brows knit slightly. “For what?”

“That,” you gesture vaguely toward where your neighbor had been. “She’s just… my neighbor. She’s known me for years. She practically watched Aerin grow up.” He doesn’t say anything. So you keep going. “And she really likes Hyunjin,” you add quickly. “He used to fix things around her apartment all the time. She—she just assumes things sometimes, she doesn’t mean—”

“It’s fine.” The way he says it cuts you off. You blink.

“…No, it’s not.” He sighs quietly. “You don’t have to explain.”

“I do,” you insist softly. “Because you’re clearly bothered.”

“I’m not,” he replies. You look at him. His expression is calm, but there’s something underneath it something tighter, something he’s trying not to show. “Yes, you are,” you say gently. He exhales, “It’s not about her.”

“Then what is it?” There’s a long pause. He looks at you again. And this time, he doesn’t soften it. “It’s because you pulled your hand away.” Your chest tightens.

“What?”

“When she asked about Hyunjin,” he continues, his voice still controlled but heavier now, “you let go of me like you were ashamed.” The words land harder than anything your neighbor said.

“That’s not—” you start.

“But that’s what it looked like,” he cuts in. You stop because ou don’t know how to immediately fix that. His jaw tightens slightly. “I get it,” he says. “You said you’re still figuring things out. That he’s still in your life.”

“It’s not like that,” you say quickly.

“Then what was it?” Your throat tightens.

“I just—” you struggle, trying to put it into words. “She knows me. She knows him. I didn’t want her to—”

“To what?” he asks.

“To think I was… doing something wrong,” you admit quietly. The moment the words leave your mouth, you realize how bad they sound. Because of course, To him, That means this feels wrong. You shake your head immediately. “That’s not what I meant.” He doesn’t respond right away. And that silence feels worse than anything.

“I’m not ashamed of you,” you say softly. That makes his gaze flicker slightly.

“I just… panicked,” you admit. “It caught me off guard. Everything did.” Your voice drops.

“I’m not used to this yet.” He watches you for a long moment. Like he’s trying to decide whether to believe you or not. And you can feel it, That fragile thing between you both, Testing whether it’s strong enough to hold. The silence stretches. It doesn’t feel explosive. It feels… fragile. Like one wrong word could snap whatever this is before it even has the chance to become something real. You watch him, your chest still tight, waiting for him to say something, anything but he just exhales slowly, like he’s trying to sort through his own thoughts first. “I just…” he starts, then stops.

You don’t interrupt. You let him take his time. “I don’t want to be that guy,” he says. Your brows knit slightly.“What guy?” He looks at you then.

“The rebound.” The word lands heavier than you expect.

“I don’t want to be the person you run to while you’re still trying to figure things out with him,” he continues, his voice steady but quieter now. “Or someone you keep around until you decide you want to go back.” Your heart drops slightly.

“Seungmin—”

“I just need to know,” he adds, “that I’m not… temporary.” The vulnerability in that makes your chest ache. You step closer without thinking.

“No,” you say immediately. Your voice is firm this time. “I wouldn’t do that.” He watches you carefully, like he’s trying to read past your words. “I mean it,” you continue, softer now. “What I had with Hyunjin…” You pause for a second. Because saying it out loud makes it real. “…I truly believe it’s over.” The words sit between you. You don’t look away.

“And I wouldn’t use you like that,” you add. “I wouldn’t let you think this is something it’s not.” His shoulders relax just slightly. You swallow. “And I like you,” you admit. The words come more certain this time. “I like you more than I thought I would.” That makes something shift in his expression. You let out a small breath, your lips curving just a little as you continue, almost shy now, “Because… since we said we’d take things slow…”

You glance down briefly, then back up. “You walk me to my car.” A small smile pulls at his lips. “You text me at night.” His gaze softens. “You make sure I eat.” You huff out a quiet laugh. “And you keep asking about Aerin like she’s… part of the conversation, not something separate.” Your cheeks warm slightly now. “And I like that,” you admit quietly. There’s a pause.

But this time, It doesn’t feel heavy. He steps closer again. His hand brushes yours again, slower this time. And when your fingers naturally lace together again, Neither of you pulls away. This time, you don’t even think about it because now You both know where you stand.

Your fingers are still intertwined with his, your thumb brushing lightly against his without you even realizing it. You take a small breath. “I don’t want this to be confusing anymore,” you say quietly.

He looks at you. “Then don’t make it confusing.” You frown slightly. “That’s not helpful.” A small smile tugs at his lips. “You’re the one overthinking.” You narrow your eyes at him. “I’m not overthinking.”

“You are.”

“I’m not,” you repeat, more stubborn now. He watches you for a second, clearly amused. You huff softly before blurting it out, “I want to make it official.” The words come out faster than you expected. And almost immediately, He goes quiet. Just for a second. A slow smile spreads across his face. “Oh?” You immediately regret how direct that sounded.

“What?” you say defensively. “Nothing,” he replies, clearly entertained. “Just didn’t expect you to say it like that.” You frown. “Like what?”

“Like you’re asking me to sign a contract.” You scoff. “I am not—” But before you can finish, he leans in and kisses you. Right over your words. It steals the argument right out of your mouth. You blink when he pulls back, your frown still there but weaker now. “That didn’t fix anything,” you mutter. “It did,” he says simply. You try to stay annoyed. You really do. But your lips betray you, pressing together to hide the small smile forming. “You’re annoying,” you mumble.

“Yeah.” You shake your head slightly, then sigh. “…Mina is going to be unbearable.” He hums immediately. “Yeah.” You glance at him. “She’s going to make fun of us.”

“She already does.”

“That’s different,” you argue. “Now she’s going to be right.” He shrugs. “I don’t care.” You look at him for a moment. “You don’t?”

“No.” There’s no hesitation. Your chest warms slightly at that. “…I do,” you admit.

“Why?”

“Because she’s going to bring it up at work. In front of everyone. Loudly.” He huffs a quiet laugh. “Then ignore her.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“She annoys me too.” You raise an eyebrow.

“Yet you still showed up to her party.” He glances at you.

“…Yeah, for you.” That’s all he says. But it’s enough. You feel your cheeks warm again, and you quickly look away. The silence that follows isn’t awkward. It’s soft. And when he squeezes your hand just slightly, You don’t question it. Because now, There’s nothing left to question.

. The moment settles. Not in a dramatic way, no big declaration, no fireworks. Your hand still in his. Your shoulders a little less tense than they’ve been in a long time. You look at him again, studying his face like you’re trying to memorize this version of him, this side that isn’t sharp or rushed or hidden behind work. “…So,” you say softly. “So?” he echoes. You hesitate for half a second,

“Are you going to say it or not?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Say what?” You narrow your eyes slightly. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.” He watches you for a second longer, clearly enjoying this more than he should. “…You’re my girlfriend now?” The way he says it like it’s almost a question, makes your lips press together immediately. “That sounded unsure.”

“It was a question,” he says simply. You huff. “It’s not supposed to be a question.”

“Then what is it supposed to be?” You step a little closer without thinking. “A statement.” He tilts his head slightly. “Okay.” A beat. “You’re my girlfriend.” Your chest tightens again but this time, it’s not overwhelming. You try not to smile too much. Fail. “…Okay,” you murmur. He watches your expression carefully, like he’s trying to catch every small reaction you’re having. “You’re smiling,” he points out. “No I’m not.”

“You are.” You look away quickly. “I’m not.” He lets out a quiet breath of a laugh. “You’re cute.” Your head snaps back toward him immediately. “Don’t start.”

“Start what?”

“That.”

“What?”

“That thing where you say things like that out of nowhere.” He shrugs.

“It’s true.” You shake your head, trying to ignore the way your face warms again.

“You’re annoying.”

“Yeah.” The silence that follows feels different now. He steps a little closer again, like it’s natural now, like there’s no invisible line he has to be careful not to cross anymore. And this time, when his hand finds yours again, It doesn’t feel like something accidental. “Text me when you get inside,” he says.

You nod. “I will.” He lingers for a second longer. Like he doesn’t want to leave just yet. And honestly, Neither do you. But eventually, you step back toward your door.

“…Goodnight, Seungmin.” He nods. “Goodnight.”

You unlock your door, stepping inside slowly. And just before you close it, You glance back. He’s still there. And when your eyes meet, there’s a small smile on his face. One he doesn’t bother hiding this time. You close the door softly, leaning back against it for a second. Your heart is still beating fast. But for once, It’s not from stress. It’s something you’re finally allowing yourself to feel. You close the door behind you and lean back against it, your hand still on the handle like you need something to ground yourself. And then, you smile.too hard that your cheeks actually hurt from it.

You let out a quiet exhale, almost like a laugh, shaking your head to yourself as you finally push off the door and step further into your apartment. It feels different. Warmer. Like something shifted tonight that you didn’t realize you needed. You drop your bag on the chair, toeing off your shoes as you replay it in your head,

The walk. Your hands in his. The way he looked at you. The way he said it.

You’re my girlfriend.

Your heart flutters again. You press your lips together, trying to calm the smile, but it doesn’t fully go away. Then your phone buzzes in your hand. You glance down. Two notifications.

A call from Hyunjin.

And a text from Seungmin.

You open the text first.

Seungmin: Sleep well. I’ll see you tomorrow.

You smile again without meaning to. Your thumb hovers over the screen for a second before you lock it. Then your eyes shift back to the incoming call.

Hyunjin.

Your smile fades just slightly. You hesitate. Then answer.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing?” he asks immediately. His voice is softer than usual. You walk slowly toward the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

“Just got home.” There’s a pause.

“I miss you.” You close your eyes for a second. You hear it. That slight sniffle in his voice. That subtle break. He’s always been good at this. At sounding just vulnerable enough. Just emotional enough to pull at you. To make you hesitate. To make you feel bad.

“I’ve been thinking,” he continues, his voice quieter now, more careful. “We can fix this.” You don’t respond right away. “I can fix this,” he corrects himself quickly. “Whatever it is. I’ll do anything.” Your grip tightens slightly on the phone.

“I mean it,” he adds. “I’ll do whatever you want. I just—”He exhales shakily. “I don’t want to lose you.” Your chest tightens. Because a part of you, a small, quiet part has wanted to hear that. For a long time. “I can be better,” he continues. “I will be better.” You look down at the counter, your reflection faintly visible in the dark surface.

“I just… want us back,” he says.

Then softer, “Don’t you want that too?” You don’t answer.

“Aerin would be so happy,” he adds quickly. “You know she would. She’d be excited to have us together again.”That one hits deeper than the rest. You swallow.

“…You should get some rest,” you say softly.

Silence.

“That’s it?” he asks. Your chest tightens again. “What else do you want me to say?” you ask quietly. “I don’t know,” he admits, his voice breaking slightly. “Anything.”

A pause. “Say you feel the same way,” he adds. “Say you want to fix this too.” Your throat feels tight.

Because just minutes ago, you were smiling. Feeling something new. Something light. And now you’re back here. In this pull, cycle, history. “I can fix it,” he repeats again, softer now. “I swear I can.”

You close your eyes. Your mind drifts, To Seungmin. To the way he didn’t promise anything unrealistic. Didn’t beg. Didn’t try to pull you back with guilt. He just… stayed. Steady. Then your mind shifts back. To Hyunjin. To everything you once had. To the life you thought you were going to build. To the future you pictured for years. Your chest aches. “…Goodnight, Hyunjin,” you say finally.

“No—wait,” he says quickly. “Don’t hang up yet.” You hesitate. “I just want to hear your voice a little longer.”

That soft tone again. That pull. You close your eyes. “I’m tired,” you say quietly. “Please,” he murmurs. You inhale slowly. Then exhale. “…Goodnight.”

And you hang up. Before you can change your mind. The silence that follows is louder than the call. You stare at your phone for a moment. Then your screen lights up again.

Seungmin’s message. You read it again. And your chest softens slightly. But the feeling isn’t as clear as it was before. Because Hyunjin’s words, they linger, they settle. They plant something small and dangerous in the back of your mind.

I can fix this.

You press your lips together, staring at the screen. Because no matter how good tonight was, no matter how right it felt, you can’t ignore it. The past doesn’t just disappear and now, It’s starting to pull again.

-

a/n: sorry for the long wait! hope u enjoy! i thought lover was the perfect song for this part & part 3 😝🎧. part 3 is really angsty (already working on itt)

after reading part 2.. are you team hyunjin or team seungmin?

hyunjin

seungmin

Voting ended onMar 27

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