Twin, you & I, we drifted apart.
Like the white clouds under the stars
pairing: Ahn Keonho x f!reader
extra + warnings: angst no comfort, teenagers being teenagers, kind of red flaggy keonho, swearing, arguments, emotional conflict, seperation
synopsis: High school friend groups come with their own drama—messy breakups, weird tension, and the one rule everyone knows: don’t date your friend’s ex. But some things sit quietly between the lines, and what sits there its what people usually miss, but you? you notice them. Especially when it comes to Keonho.
playlist: handlebars by jennie // intro: jane with FKJ by jennie // save the world by we are not friends & nextime // back to me by the marias // the other woman by lana del rey // get up by newjeans // cigarettes out the window by TV girl // love hangover by jennie and dominic flike // true romance by pink pantheress // has to be by capzlock // twin by jennie
© ramenoil 2026
Friend groups in high school don’t really form in some big cinematic way like they do in movies. It doesn’t start with some intentional, fated meeting in kindergarten. Most of the time it’s way less dramatic than that. People just start sitting together, then talking more, and suddenly months later you realize these are the same six or seven people you're going to see every single day.
That’s basically how your group happened.
At the start of grade 9 it was mainly just you and Iroha. You both had been friends long enough that it felt natural—like a routine—walking into school together, sitting next to each other without asking, sharing snacks when one of you forgot lunch. Iroha was the type of person who could talk to absolutely anyone, which meant your circle was always expanding slightly. Whether you planned it or not.
Around the start of the second semester, Seonghyeon showed up because of math.
He started sitting next to you during math class after realising you were good at it and he definitely wasn’t. At first it was just him asking to borrow your notes.
Then it became questions during class.
Then complaints.
Lots of complaints.
Within a month he had somehow inserted himself into your lunch table like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Nobody actually objected, mainly because he was entertaining.
He had strong opinions about everything, especially teachers—especially your math teacher, oh did he hate her. The way he delivered the hatred made even boring mornings feel less boring.
Keonho joined because of him.
Seonghyeon knew him from swim practice and one day he just showed up behind him at lunch like a pet that follows you in video games.
“This is Keonho,” Seonghyeon said that day, dropping his tray down as he pointed beside him. “He swims.” he said, eyes on the food.
Keonho blinked at him. “That’s your introduction?”
“That’s not my entire personality.”
Seonghyeon laughed and started eating.
The first thing anyone noticed about him was the chlorine smell and the wet hair still dripping down his back, leaving a mark on his uniform.
He’d clearly come straight from practice. He had that ‘worn out but functioning’ look student athletes often have after training. Iroha noticed it immediately and leaned across the table with her eyes squinting.
“Why do you smell like a public swimming pool?”
Keonho looked mildly offended. “That’s the smell of hard work, and it kind of is a swimming pool? A private one though.”
“That’s the smell of chemicals and arrogance." Iroha replied with her eyebrows raised.
You laughed quietly into your drink while Seonghyeon nearly choked on his food.
Keonho didn’t say much that first lunch. He mostly just listened, occasionally throwing a comment here and there when Seonghyeon got too dramatic about something.
But he came back the next day.
And the day after that.
Soon it just felt normal.
Over time he started talking a little more.
Not a lot, but enough that you noticed.
At first it was small things. Comments under his breath when Seonghyeon said something ridiculous. A quiet “that’s not how that works” whenever someone got a math problem wrong. Once he leaned over during class and asked you how you finished a question so fast.
He nodded like it made sense immediately.
After that he started asking more.
Sometimes about homework.
Sometimes about random things during lunch.
The conversations weren’t long, just easy. The kind where you look up halfway through and realize everyone else at the table had moved on to a completely different topic.
It wasn’t something anyone pointed out.
It just…. happened.
You and Keonho were close, but not in the way people usually describe friendships. You talked often enough, knew small things about each other, but there was still an odd distance there. Like you were somewhere between acquaintances and actual friends; neither of you quite sure where the line was.
Amy joined a little later, mostly because she and Iroha had been friends since middle school. Amy was the kind of person who naturally filled space in a conversation. She laughed loudly, somehow always knew what everyone was talking about even if she’d only been sitting there for five minutes, and most importantly was insanely smart— flawless report card smart, and on top of that? Gorgeous. She too started coming to lunch sometimes.
Eventually it was every day.
Wonhee and Minju sort of happened after that, though neither of them technically “joined” in some official way. Wonhee had a habit of drifting over during lunch because she already knew Amy from one of her classes. At first she’d just sit nearby, occasionally including herself into whatever stupid argument Seonghyeon had started that day. Then one afternoon she just… stayed. Wonhee was louder than the rest of the group but not too loud. She had this energetic way of saying things that caught everyone off guard.
Minju started showing up not long after that, mostly because she and Wonhee were basically inseparable. Where Wonhee filled the silence between conversations, Minju did the opposite. She was quieter, the type who listened more than she talked. When she did say something, though, it was usually the kind of comment that made everyone pause for a second before laughing. She noticed things other people missed — small expressions, side comments— even the passive aggressive ones, the weird little dynamics happening around the table. She didn’t try to take attention, but somehow she still ended up being part of everything anyway.
Before long, the lunch table just… adjusted again.
Still the same loud cafeteria table.
Still the same routine nobody ever officially talked about. And then suddenly it was grade 10, the group remained the same and lunch was still the loudest part of the day.
And it was obnoxiously loud, the kind of noise that happens when everyone’s talking over each other and laughing too loud. Nobody really cares about finishing their sentences because the joke delivers perfectly midway.
One afternoon Seonghyeon dropped into his seat looking like someone had personally offended him.
“I swear that math teacher hates me.” he announced dramatically.
“You say that every week.” you said.
“Because it’s consistently true. It’s like one of those stupid linear equation thingies.”
Iroha leaned back in her chair. “Didn’t you literally turn in a blank test yesterday?”
“It was stupid.” You said, barely paying attention to Hyeon.
Across the table Keonho made a quiet snorting sound into his water bottle. You glanced over at him and caught the quick smile he was trying to hide.
Seonghyeon pointed his fork accusingly. “You think this is funny?”
“You’re not helping yourself by failing are you?” Keonho said.
“Wow. Betrayal.” Seonghyeon said dramatically with his palm on his chest
Amy leaned forward, clearly entertained. “Honestly I think the teacher knows you’re going to fail anyway and doesn’t want to waste her time, she doesn't get paid enough for this anyway.”
Seonghyeon looked genuinely wounded. “Amy, I thought we were friends.”
“We are. That’s why I’m honest.”
You shook your head, trying not to laugh.
Moments like that were basically every lunch. Someone complaining, someone clocking them for it, and Keonho quietly observing everything like he was half entertained by the chaos.
For someone who spent most of his mornings swimming laps in silence, he seemed surprisingly comfortable around noise.
Keonho’s schedule revolved around swimming.
Practice started ridiculously early— 5 a.m. early, which meant most mornings he looked half awake when he showed up to school. Sometimes you’d see him walking into the first period with wet hair and a hoodie thrown on like he’d gotten ready in under two minutes. And oh lord. The smell of chlorine would fill up the whole room within 5 minutes of him entering it.
Seonghyeon loved making fun of it.
“You voluntarily reek of chlorine and you wake up before 4:30 a.m.??” he said once, shaking his head. “That’s borderline psychotic.”
“It’s called discipline.”
“It’s called unnecessary suffering.”
“You literally stay up until three playing games.”
“That’s different.” Seonghyeon defends himself.
“How?” Keonho says with his eyebrows raised up
Keonho rolled his eyes but he was smiling slightly, smiling while he looked at you. He sat next to you and the day continued as usual, snarky comments, random jokes and groaning in annoyance when the teacher started doing too much.
You noticed things about him the more time passed. Not in some dramatic way. Just little details that stuck.
He was talkative around you and Hyeon but quieter with the rest of the group, not shy though. He simply hadn't warmed up enough.
He listened more than he talked. But around the middle of the semester, he started warming up to the group more.
Whenever he said something, it usually made everyone smile a little too hard and laugh a little too loud, especially Amy.. she smiled a little too much and laughed a little too loud, like there was intention behind it.
Amy started talking to him more around the middle of the semester, which may have been why he warmed up to everyone else sooner than expected but who knows.
At first it was just random comments between them during lunch.
Then the kind of conversations that slowly stretch longer and longer without anyone really noticing.
One day Seonghyeon leaned over to you during lunch and whispered, “Are they flirting?”
You glanced across the table where Amy and Keonho were sitting too close, arguing about something stupid.
“You think everything is flirting.”
“They’ve been talking for like twenty minutes.”
“They’re arguing about pizza toppings.”
You ignored him. You had a weird feeling about this, it felt weird.
You felt side lined, but why should you? You and Keonho are just friends right?
But eventually everyone noticed what Seonghyeon was on about.
It was the starting of grade 11 when everyone realised how Amy would sit closer to Keonho without thinking about it. Keonho would actually start conversations instead of just reacting to whatever chaos the group was already creating.
By the time the first semester's end came around, nobody was that surprised when Seonghyeon casually announced at lunch one day, “So apparently these two are dating now.”
Amy threw a fry at him immediately.
“Can you not announce private shit like that??”
Keonho looked equally annoyed. “We were literally going to tell them today.”
Seonghyeon grinned. “I saved you the trouble.”
Iroha clapped once like she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Finally. That tension was getting annoying.”
Amy groaned. “There was no tension.”
“Please,” Iroha said. “You two were obvious.”
You glanced at Keonho then, just briefly.
He looked right back at you.
He looked slightly embarrassed but not unhappy.
Actually… he looked kind of proud.
Like the decision had taken him a while but he was glad it had finally happened.
And that was basically the start of Amy and Keonho.
At first everything seemed easy.
They sat closer together. They even walked to class together sometimes. Amy would show up at swim meets with snacks and loudly complain about how long swimming events took.
“You literally just swim back and forth,” she said once after practice. “How is that a sport people watch?”
“Because I’m supportive.”
Keonho laughed at that, shaking water out of his hair while she pretended to be offended. From the outside, it looked like it worked.
But if you paid attention—really paid attention—you could see the small things that didn’t quite line up.
Amy liked affection when it was casual.
Keonho was careful about showing it. Sometimes he’d reach for her hand and hesitate halfway like he wasn’t sure if he should. Sometimes Amy would pull away without meaning to.
It was subtle. The kind of tension that only shows up in tiny pauses. And the rest of the group mostly ignored it. Because from the outside? Everything still looked normal.
Lunch was still loud, Seonghyeon was still dramatic, Iroha still roasted everyone and Keonho still smelled faintly like chlorine most mornings.
Life kept moving the way it always did.
At least for a while.
It had been 4 months since Amy and Keonho started dating. At first, nobody really cared.
Not in a bad way—just in the way things tend to settle after the excitement of something new wears off. When they first got together it had been a whole event. Seonghyeon made a huge deal out of it for two weeks straight, Iroha kept claiming she ‘saw it coming from day one.’ and Wonhee had asked Amy multiple questions about how it happened.
But eventually the craze faded.
They were just Amy and Keonho again.
Except now they sat next to each other more often.
Sometimes Amy would lean against his shoulder and casually touch his arm when she laughed. Sometimes Keonho would slide his tray closer to hers without thinking. Occasionally they’d disappear for a few minutes during lunch and come back mid-conversation like nothing had happened.
If anything, it felt weirdly normal.
The group still sat at the same loud cafeteria table. Seven trays crowded together, phones piled in the middle of the table, someone always talking too loudly while someone else tried to interrupt.
Seonghyeon still complained about teachers like it was his only purpose.
Iroha still made fun of him.
Wonhee reacted to everything like it was breaking news.
Minju listened quietly before dropping one perfectly timed comment that made everyone laugh.
And you—well, you mostly watched everything unfold the way you always did.
You’d always been like that.
It was probably why you were the first one to realize something about Amy and Keonho wasn’t quite right anymore.
Amy liked casual affection. That part hadn’t changed. She leaned on people when she laughed, bumped shoulders during conversations, and stole food from other trays without asking.
When she did it to Keonho, he usually looked surprised for half a second before letting it happen. Sometimes he’d awkwardly adjust his arm so she could lean more comfortably and other times he’d freeze like he didn’t know where to put his hands.
Keonho wasn’t great with casual affection.
But when he tried to be serious—when he actually tried to say something meaningful, that was when things started to feel strange. She started to pull back.
One day during lunch he had been explaining something about swim practice, talking about an upcoming meet that actually mattered to him.
Amy had been listening at first.
Then halfway through his explanation she turned to Wonhee. “Wait, did you see that thing Minju sent in the group chat?”
Just like that their conversation was over.
Keonho stopped mid-sentence.
Nobody said anything about it.
But you saw the tiny pause before he picked up his drink and took a sip like it didn’t matter.
You noticed it again two days later.
Amy had been talking about a test she aced, dramatically describing how she’d ‘singlehandedly saved her GPA.’ Keonho listened the entire time.
When she finished he smiled and said, “I told you you’d do fine.”
She laughed and shoved his shoulder lightly.
The moment passed quickly.
But something about the exchange sat oddly with you.
Amy moved through conversations quickly, like she always had. She bounced between topics, people, ideas—mind everywhere all at once.
Keonho had a slower pace.
When he spoke, it was usually because he actually had something to say.
When those two rhythms matched, it worked.
When they didn’t, things felt…uneven. Almost like watching a movie where the subtitles lag a minute behind the scene.
You noticed that too, but no one else seemed to care.
Seonghyeon definitely didn’t.
He was too busy arguing with Iroha about whether the math teacher graded unfairly— the same argument they've had every day for 3 years...
“She literally marked me wrong for writing the answer in a different step.” he complained.
“That’s because your steps made no sense dude, LOOK AT THEM” Iroha said enraged.
“They made perfect sense.” Seonghyeon defended
“To you.” Iroha said flatly, giving up.
Seonghyeon pointed at him. “Don’t laugh. You’re on my side.”
The table burst into laughter.
Amy leaned forward, grinning. “Wait, what even happened?”
Seonghyeon launched into another dramatic explanation.
For a while the tension disappeared under the noise of normal conversation. Which was how most of the initial problems stayed hidden. They were small enough to drown out.
Still, you noticed patterns.
Amy liked attention—not in a selfish way, just naturally. Conversations tended to orbit around her energy. When she talked, people listened. When she laughed, everyone else laughed too.
Keonho didn’t try to compete with that.
Instead he waited for moments in between.
Small conversations.
Little exchanges that happened while the rest of the table argued about something ridiculous. Sometimes those moments worked and sometimes they didn’t.
One afternoon you were sitting in homeroom—the same room you shared with Iroha, Seonghyeon and Keonho since grade 9.
That had always been the funny thing about your group.
The four of you spent most of the school day together anyway.
Amy, Wonhee and Minju were usually on the other side of the building.
It had never been a big deal before.
But lately the difference felt more noticeable.
Seonghyeon was leaning back in his chair while Keonho worked on a math worksheet beside you. Iroha had her feet propped on the desk in front of her.
“Twin, you’re doing that wrong.” Keonho muttered suddenly.
You looked down at your paper.
He leaned closer— too close, pointing at the equation.
You rolled your eyes but rewrote it anyway.
He nodded approvingly. From across the row, Iroha watched the interaction with a smirk.
“You two are such nerds.”
“I’m passing.” Seonghyeon replied instantly.
Keonho shook his head dramatically, smiling slightly.
Moments like that felt easy. Normal.
You didn’t think much about them at the time.
But looking back later, those quiet homeroom interactions were probably why the four of you always ended up leaning onto each other.
Meanwhile Amy’s side of the group had its own rhythm. Wonhee reacted loudly to everything Amy said. Minju observed quietly but always seemed to understand what Amy meant even when she didn’t finish her sentence. They had their own dynamic too. And for a while, both parts still met in the middle every day at lunch.
Until one afternoon when things shifted slightly.
The seven of you were sitting together like usual. Seonghyeon was halfway through complaining about swim practice schedules.
“Why do they make you wake up at 4:30 in the morning?” he groaned.
Keonho shrugged. “Because it’s practice.”
“That’s not a real answer.”
“You could never be an athlete.”
“I don’t want to be an athlete.”
“You say that because you can’t.”
Seonghyeon gasped dramatically.“That was rude.”
The conversation continued. But halfway through lunch, Amy stood up.
“Wait, Wonhee, come with me to the vending machine.” Wonhee immediately followed. Minju hesitated for a second before grabbing her tray and standing too.
“We’ll be back.” she said. Nobody thought much of it. Except they didn’t come back. By the time lunch ended, the three of them were sitting two tables away talking. Not in a secretive way. Just… somewhere else.
Soon, Amy and Wonhee sat together first followed by Minju. All side by side now.
You, Seonghyeon, Iroha sat in front and Keonho beside Amy. Still the same group. Just with slightly more distant energy.
No one mentioned it and soon the pattern started feeling normal.
Not hostile.
Not tense.
The group hadn’t broken apart.
Amy, Wonhee and Minju together.
You, Iroha, Seonghyeon and Keonho together.
It made sense in quiet ways.
You four shared homeroom. You saw each other more often during the day anyway. Conversations carried over from class to lunch naturally.
Amy’s side of the group had their own energy too—fast, expressive, loud.
The split wasn’t dramatic.
If anything, it felt strangely practical.
But even as everyone adjusted, the tension between Amy and Keonho didn’t disappear.
If anything, you started noticing it more clearly now that the noise of the full table wasn’t drowning it out.
Like the day Amy brought up an upcoming school event.
“You’re coming, right?” she asked Keonho.
“Probably?” Amy tilted her head slightly.
“That’s not a real answer.”
Keonho frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean are you actually coming with me or are you just showing up.” There was a tiny pause.
Amy didn’t answer immediately. Then she shrugged.
Seonghyeon started talking about something else. But you caught the way Keonho stared at his tray for a second longer than usual. Little moments like that kept happening. Small enough that no one addressed them. But big enough that you kept noticing. And for the first time, the idea started forming quietly in the back of your mind. Maybe things between Amy and Keonho weren’t as simple as everyone thought.
But slowly, quietly—starting to crack.
For a while after that conversation between Keonho and Amy, nothing actually happened.
At least nothing obvious.
Amy and Keonho still sat next to each other at lunch. They still walked together sometimes after school. From the outside, it didn’t look like anything had changed. If someone asked, they were still dating, still part of the same group, still moving through the same routine everyone had fallen into since the start of the year.
But the tension didn’t disappear.
If anything, it just settled somewhere under the surface.
You noticed it in the way their conversations sometimes ended a little too quickly. The way Amy occasionally went quiet after something Keonho said, even when it wasn’t a big deal. The way Keonho started hesitating slightly before speaking, like he was trying to decide whether something was worth saying out loud.
At lunch, the group still sounded the same—Seonghyeon arguing about something ridiculous, Wonhee reacting loudly to every new topic, Iroha making dry comments from the side. Minju watched everything quietly like she always did.
The noise at the table covered a lot of things. Especially the growing tension
But you started noticing the smaller things.
Like the day someone brought up the school festival.
Amy glanced at Keonho. “You’re helping with the photobooth, right?”
“I mean….yeah, if the teacher makes us.”
Amy looked at him for a second. “You always answer like that.”
“Like you’re leaving room to escape.”
Keonho sighed slightly. “It’s just a festival.”
Amy let out a small breath through her nose. “Forget it.”
The conversation moved on almost immediately after that. But you still noticed the way Keonho stared at his tray for a moment longer than usual.
Moments like that kept happening. Small enough that no one addressed them. But big enough that they never fully disappeared either.
And eventually, the thing Amy had been holding onto finally came out.
It happened one afternoon when the group was sitting together like usual. The cafeteria was loud, conversations overlapping across the table the same way they always did. Plates clinked, chairs scraped, and someone a few tables over was laughing at something barely audible, but none of that mattered. Nothing about this moment felt odd at first.
Amy had been unusually quiet for most of lunch. Normally she carried herself through the conversation effortlessly, commanding attention without trying, but today there was a stiffness to her posture, a tension in the way she set her tray down and folded her arms.
Keonho noticed it eventually.
“Dude, you’re being weird,” he said casually, glancing at her.
She looked up, eyes narrowed slightly. “Weird how?”
For a second, she just stared at him, quiet but heavy with something he couldn’t place. Then she laughed once under her breath, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It wasn’t amusement. It was the kind of laugh that felt like an edge, sharp and uncomfortable.
“Can I ask you something?” she said.
Amy leaned back slightly in her chair, arms crossing loosely, and fixed him with a look that could slice through steel. “Why did you call that girl hot?”
The question landed at the worst possible moment, right between a chaotic conversation everyone else was having about two random teachers supposedly running away and getting married. The table was still loud, but the words cut through anyway—enough that the people nearest immediately noticed the tension spike.
Keonho blinked. He froze for a fraction of a second. “What?”
“That girl,” Amy repeated, her tone sharp now. “The one Seonghyeon was talking about the other day. I didn't hear her name but I don't care enough to know.”
Realization flickered across his face. “Oh, her?”
He exhaled slightly, already looking tired of having the conversation in the middle of the cafeteria. “It was for Seonghyeon.” he said.
“Oh my god.” Seonghyeon groaned, turning his head toward you and Iroha, clearly wishing he hadn’t been dragged into this.
“You were literally there??” Keonho said, defensively.
“That does not mean I want to be involved now.” Seonghyeon replied, voice louder than usual.
Amy didn’t look at him. Her eyes stayed on Keonho, menacing, accusing. “So that makes it fine?”
“I was helping him,” Keonho said. “He asked if she was attractive.”
“Yes.” He took another bite of his food, almost trying not to be bothered by the conversation, like eating might somehow distract from the tension.
Amy shook her head slowly, disbelief creeping in. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Then what is the point?”
Amy leaned forward slightly now, frustration finally breaking out. “The point is you’re my boyfriend, and you’re sitting there talking about other girls being hot.”
“And you don’t see anything wrong with that?”
“Because there isn’t anything wrong with that.”
The moment the words left his mouth, it made everything worse. The air felt suddenly heavier. Everyone at the table sensed it. Nobody moved, no one dared break the awkward silence. The noise of the cafeteria continued around them, but it felt muted, like they were in a bubble where only tension existed.
Amy laughed again, sarcastically this time. It wasn’t funny, of course it wasn't. “Right. Of course, you think that.”
Keonho’s patience started slipping. “You’re taking this out of context, it isn't that deep.”
“Because this is exactly what I mean.”
Amy shook her head slowly, exasperated. “You act like you care about things when they’re all fun and giggles. But the second something actually matters, you suddenly don’t get it, and you’re the dumbest guy on Earth.”
Keonho sat up straighter, defensive now. “I do care.”
“Because half the time it feels like you’re just there.”
The comment hung between them like smoke, curling into the air, impossible to ignore. Keonho’s expression softened, caught off guard, almost pained. “I’ve been trying this entire time.” he said, his voice quieter now.
“Trying what?” Amy demanded, sharper than before.
“Trying to understand what you want from me.” he admitted.
Amy rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t have to figure it out.”
“I shouldn’t have to explain basic things.”
Keonho rubbed his face with his hands, exasperated, frustrated in a way that made his shoulders tense. “Then what do you want me to do?”
Amy stared at him for a long moment. Her expression softened slightly, but the anger and hurt were still there. Then she said quietly, almost to herself, “I don’t know.”
The answer hit harder than either expected. Silence fell between them, thick and suffocating. For a few seconds, nobody spoke. Not Seonghyeon, not Iroha, not the people a few tables away who were now pretending not to notice. Even the clatter of trays and silverware felt muted.
Amy looked away, eyes focused somewhere on the far wall. Her hands tight around the edge of her tray, fingers messing with the plastic slightly, as if she was trying to calm herself.
“I just don’t think this works.” she said finally.
Keonho frowned, confusion and disbelief flickering across his face. “What?”
“This.” She gestured vaguely between them, a small, almost defeated wave of her hand. “Us. I don’t think it works anymore.”
Amy nodded slightly, still avoiding his gaze.
“It shouldn’t feel this difficult.” she added.
Keonho didn’t respond immediately. He wanted to argue, to insist, to explain, but the words caught in his throat. Everything he thought he understood about the situation felt suddenly irrelevant.
When he finally spoke, his voice came out quieter, flatter than before, carrying weight instead of volume. “Okay.”
That one word carried all the finality of a slammed door. No yelling. No dramatic gestures. Just a quiet statement, simple and devastating.
And somehow, the fact that the breakup happened in front of the whole group made it feel even heavier. Everyone else tried to carry on, shifting uncomfortably in their seats, but the tension had already settled like a storm cloud over the table.
Seonghyeon shoved a fry into his mouth, pretending to chew loudly. Iroha propped her chin on her hand, trying to look disinterested but not really managing it. You didn’t say anything, just stared at Keonho, who sat frozen for a second, shoulders slumped, staring at the tray in front of him as if it were the only thing that made sense.
Amy pushed her tray slightly away, a subtle gesture that marked distance, one that hadn’t existed before today. For a moment, the cafeteria noises returned, but only around them. They were still trapped in that quiet bubble, the moment stretching longer than it should have.
Keonho finally lifted his head, eyes meeting hers briefly. There was a flicker of regret, of wanting to fix it, but nothing that could undo what had been said. Amy’s expression didn’t soften; she wasn’t interested in apologies right now. She was only interested in being honest, even if it hurt.
You could see the weight of the breakup settle into everyone, like an invisible tension in the air. Nobody dared to break the silence, not even Seonghyeon, who usually had a comment ready for anything. Everyone knew the moment was bigger than words, bigger than the casual the chaos of the cafeteria.
Keonho swallowed slowly, jaw tightening. “Okay.” he repeated, quieter this time, almost to himself.
Amy looked away again, a faint exhale escaping her lips. She didn’t say anything further. She got up and walked away, followed by Minju and Wonhee
No yelling. No dramatic storming out. Just the quiet, crushing reality of two people realising that, despite trying, some things didn’t fit together the way they thought they did.
The noise of the cafeteria continued around Hyeon, Iroha and yn, louder now because they had stopped noticing it. Everything had moved forward, everyone eating and talking like it was all normal— for them which it was. But for Iroha, Seonghyeon and yn? that lunch was anything but normal.
Keonho stared at his tray for longer than before, Amy’s words echoing in his mind, and slowly, the enormity of the moment sank in.
The school bell saved us. It rang so loud it covered the tension felt on the table as everyone got up and headed to class.
“You coming?” You said to Keonho trying to break the tension
Seonghyeon and Iroha shuffled off first, clearly trying to leave before the tension got unbearable. You lingered for a moment, glancing at Keonho, who was still sitting, staring at the tray as if it held all the answers. You almost turned to leave, wanting to give him space—but his voice stopped you.
“YN, can you wait for me?”
You froze for a second, caught off guard, then nodded. “Yeah….sure.”
You leaned against the edge of the doorway, listening to the chatter of the cafeteria around you, but your attention was fixed entirely on him. That’s when you saw Amy. She was standing a few tables away with Minju and Wonhee, watching. Her gaze locked on you for a second, sharp, full of disapproval. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her lips tight. It wasn’t obvious to anyone else, but you saw it—the subtle warning she was sending. Amy’s eyes were saying, don’t make this about you. Don’t make this Amy's fault for him.
You took a slow breath. Your heart twisted a little. You knew Amy was right—you shouldn’t console him, not over something he’d clearly messed up. She had every reason to be angry. And yet… your chest ached at the thought of him sitting there, quiet and depressed.
Part of it was always there, you always felt Amy’s awkwardness around you ever since Keonho and her started dating. The closeness you and Keonho had developed over the years. Amy knew it too. Maybe that’s why, ever since they’d started dating, she subtly nudged him to sit closer to her during lunch, leaving you on the opposite side. She never said it outright, but the message was clear. It wasn’t about anyone else; it was about the quiet little territory you two had claimed over the years—territory she couldn’t entirely take away.
But right now, none of that mattered. All that mattered was him, the way he looked so vulnerable, like every bit of confidence he had, had been stripped away.
When he finally stood, shoulders tight, gaze briefly looking towards Amy retreating back, he walked over to you. “Do you want to skip this next class?” he asked quietly.
You hesitated. Skipping class wasn’t a big deal, but..with him? “I don’t know. Why?”
“Twin please, I really need to talk,” he said, his voice low, almost impatient. “I really need rational advice and who else would I go to if not you?”
You let out a soft exhale and nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”
You fell into step beside him, leaving the cafeteria behind. The hallways felt emptier now, echoing with the distant chatter of other students already settled in their classes, but the air between you two was heavy, weighted with what had just happened. Neither of you spoke for a few moments, letting the silence stretch as he led you toward the abandoned classroom you sometimes used when you needed to get work done—or, in this case, when you needed to think without the noise of everyone else around.
The classroom was quiet, dust particles flying around evidently when the sunlight through the windows hit them. Tables were pushed together, one of them against the window, and Keonho climbed onto it, sitting cross legged, indicating you to join him. You perched on the edge opposite him, careful not to get too close, but not wanting to be distant either.
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “It’s, fuck, I don’t know, dude. Amy, she’s so on and off. Sometimes it’s like she doesn’t care at all. And then other times, she’s sweet, but it never really…. it never really clicks. She didn’t like— I don’t think she really ever cared about how I felt, not in the ways I needed.”
You nodded, listening. You could see the tightness in his jaw, the way he kept looking down at his hands, being careful about every word that left his mouth.
“Yeah.” you said slowly, choosing your words carefully. “I noticed that…a lot. Especially at the table. She never really listened when you were talking about things you liked. I don’t mean that she was wrong for being upset now, because obviously this whole thing was messy. But, like, she wasn’t really fully present with you either.”
Keonho let out a short laugh, more bitter than amused. “I guess I was almost hoping she’d notice that, you know? That I cared about the little things that I really tried. It’s like I mentally broke up with her before she even did. Physically, it just felt wrong. I couldn’t do it right.”
You stayed quiet, letting him vent. You could feel the weight of his words settling in the room, thick and heavy, but there was also a vulnerability in them that wasn’t there before. The Keonho who always seemed so composed, so guarded, was unraveling, and for some reason, you felt a mix of concern and helplessness at being the one witnessing it.
“I don’t even know if I was in the wrong completely,” he admitted after a pause, voice almost a whisper. “But… It feels like I failed at something I didn’t even know how to do. And now it’s gone.”
Your chest tightened. You wanted to say something, to reach across the table and reassure him— pat his back or something, but you thought about Amy, why would you reassure someone he was right when he was wrong. So, instead, you nodded. “I get it. I really do.”
He looked at you then, eyes wide, searching. “You really get it?”
“Yeah,” you said. “I noticed the way things never aligned sometimes. The way she didn’t always pay attention. But…” you paused, carefully. “That doesn’t mean she was wrong to be upset. And it doesn’t mean you were right to call other girls pretty. You can’t do that, Keonho. Not when she trusted you. You are— I mean were her boyfriend you know.”
He ran a hand across his face, shoulders slumping further. “I know….I know I screwed that up. I couldn’t stop myself from hoping she’d get to know me. I wanted her to see me, not just what she assumed I was. And now…” His voice cracked slightly. “Now it’s just…. empty. I feel like I’m carrying this space around that I don’t know how to fill.”
You stayed quiet, letting the words linger. You didn’t offer false comfort. “I get it,” you repeated. “You wanted things to work. You tried and it didn’t. That’s all that can be said right now.”
He nodded, staring out the window at the football turf below. “It’s stupid, I feel stupid. Like I misread everything, like I made it all worse.”
“No,” you said gently. “You didn’t make it worse. It just wasn’t meant to work out. Sometimes it’s not about right or wrong. Sometimes it’s about timing, and how people are. That’s all really.”
He let out a shaky breath, leaning back against the table, shoulders finally relaxing slightly. “Thanks,” he said softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without someone to talk to about this. Seonghyeon would make fun of me and shit, and Iroha…well. You know how she is”
You gave a small, encouraging smile. “That’s what I’m here for. Just remember, it’s okay to feel like shit right now, but it’s also okay to move forward. And you will eventually.”
Keonho exhaled, a bit of the tension bleeding out, but the sadness remained, “Yeah…yeah, eventually.”
The classroom was quiet again, save for the soft hum of the air vent and the distant murmur of students in other parts of the building. For the first time in a while, Keonho seemed like he could breathe a little. Not completely, but enough to stop feeling trapped by the weight of the breakup.
You stayed there with him for a while, letting him talk, letting the silence speak where words couldn’t. The conversation wasn’t about fixing everything—it couldn’t be—but it was about debriefing it, and somehow trying to figure it out together.
At some point, you realized that even though Amy’s anger and disapproval were still out there, but, it didn’t touch this room. Here, it was just Keonho and you. Vulnerable, messy, and real. And somehow, that made all the difference.
The next day felt strange before it even began. When you, Iroha, and Seonghyeon reached the cafeteria table, there was already awkwardness sitting in the air, like everyone knew something needed to be addressed before things could go back to normal.
Amy arrived a few minutes later with Minju and Wonhee. Keonho came shortly after with his usual slow, sleepy stride, dropping into his seat like nothing had happened the day before. But the moment he sat down, the table fell into that same uncomfortable quiet again.
“Okay,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “Before this gets weird again, Keonho and I talked.”
“We’re not getting back together or anything,” she continued quickly. “But we figured it out. We’re good. Like, actually good. Just friends.”
Keonho nodded, not looking particularly emotional about it. “Yeah. No hard feelings.”
It wasn’t dramatic. No long speeches, no explanations. Just a quiet agreement that the relationship was over, but the friendship—or at least the group dynamic didn’t have to be destroyed because of it.
And somehow, that was enough.
The tension that had been sitting at the table the day before slowly dissolved. Conversation restarted slowly at first, then it all went back to normal. Seonghyeon cracked a dumb joke about failing math, Iroha complained about a teacher, and Wonhee started talking about some random drama happening in another class.
Within fifteen minutes, the group felt almost normal again.
Because even though Amy and Keonho had agreed things were fine, they still didn’t interact much after that. Not directly. They didn’t argue, they didn’t glare at each other, but they also didn’t really talk unless they had to. They sat at the same table, laughed at the same jokes, but there was always a small, invisible gap between them.
And everyone just accepted it.
That was how the rest of year eleven went after the whole break up.
Keonho, despite acting like he was over it, was honestly a little wrecked after the breakup. Not in an obvious way—he didn’t sulk around or complain, but it showed in other ways. The biggest one being how quickly he started looking for distractions.
The first one happened a few months later. Some girl from another class who thought Keonho was funny and athletic. They talked for a while, went out a couple of times, and then it broke up almost immediately like 2 weeks in.
The second one lasted slightly longer— about a month.
Both ended the same way: awkwardly, quietly, like something that was never meant to last, more of a fling than something real.
You could tell he wasn’t really in it for the girls themselves. It was more like he was trying to fill the space Amy had left behind, hoping that if he moved on fast enough, the lingering sadness would disappear.
Amy, on the other hand, handled things… differently.
She moved around too. Not in a serious relationship sense, but casually—talking to different guys, flirting here and there, going out a few times. Some people in school whispered about it, but honestly no one in your group cared.
Whatever happened between Amy and Keonho had ended. What they did afterward was their own choice.
So no one made a big deal out of it. And that’s how year eleven ended.
Messy in the beginning, calm toward the end, with everyone quietly learning how to exist around each other again.
There were no big fights between the girls either. You, Amy, Minju, Wonhee, and Iroha still did everything together—sleepovers, lunch, gossip sessions, complaining about teachers.
The only thing you occasionally noticed was Amy dropping small backhanded— almost passive aggressive comments your way.
Just tiny things you notice when you look too hard.
Little jokes about how ‘some people’ always sided with Keonho. Or how you two seemed ‘a little too close’’ whenever he needed advice.
You never really reacted. Iroha seemed to be taken aback by those, she tried to defend you but you always stopped her. You should’ve said something, you should've cared.
But, frankly, you didn’t care enough to.
You knew where you stood. And if Amy wanted to throw subtle comments every now and then, that was her problem, not yours. Her insecurities, her problem.
Eventually, even that faded.
Year twelve began, and everything felt different—not tense, just… calmer. Everyone had grown up a little. Classes were harder, university applications were around the corner, and people had less energy to care about petty things.
Amy and Keonho slowly started talking again.
Small conversations. Passing jokes. Group discussions. Just enough to show they were trying to be normal with each other again.
By the middle of the year, you could sit at lunch and watch them talk like two people who had simply dated a long time ago. No tension. No awkwardness. Just familiarity and mutual acceptance.
That’s when the senior school trip happened.
Everyone went, of course.
Your entire friend group ended up glued together for most of it.
The girls—Amy, Minju, Wonhee, Iroha, and you—shared one hotel room, which basically meant chaos twenty-four seven. Clothes everywhere, makeup scattered across desks, someone always stealing someone else’s charger and the smell of multiple fragrances always in the air— one corner smelt fruity, the other of vanilla.
The boys had their own room too.
Keonho and Seonghyeon shared it with Martin, Juhoon, and James—guys you weren’t super close with, but you knew them well enough. They were nice, easygoing, the type that blended into the group naturally.
The trip itself was surprisingly smooth.
Just long days of school activities, sightseeing, stupid group photos, and late night room conversations where everyone was too tired to be dramatic about anything.
By the time the second last day arrived, everyone was relaxed.
That night, after dinner, a bunch of you gathered near the hotel pool. The place was quiet, lit only by soft outdoor lights reflecting across the surface of the pool water. The moon hung above the pool, its reflection shimmering across the surface and the slight breeze causing slight waves.
You, your friends, James, Juhoon, and Martin sat around a small table playing cards.
The conversation slowly drifted from the game to gossip.
“Did you see Tara with Oliver earlier?” James said, grinning.
Juhoon snorted. “Yeah. She’s trying to do something but it clearly isn’t working.”
Minju started talking about another couple from school. Wonhee complained about how someone had been flirting with her all day. Seonghyeon made dramatic commentary like he was narrating a reality show.
One of those nights where everything just felt right.
Eventually though, exhaustion caught up with everyone.
It was already 10:30 p.m.
After a full day of school planned activities that started at 7a.m, most people were barely functioning anymore.
One by one, everyone started heading back to the rooms.
“Goodnight losers.” Seonghyeon said dramatically as he stood up.
“Please never say that again.” Iroha replied.
Within a few minutes, the group had disappeared toward the elevators.
You both drifted toward the edge of the pool instead, sitting side by side with your feet dipped into the cold water.
The cold water made you shiver immediately as Keonho laughed, he didn't mind the freezing cold water— he was used to it.
“Why is it freezing?” you muttered.
“Character development.” Keonho said seriously.
For a moment, neither of you spoke. The pool lights flickered softly beneath the water, and the quiet hum of the hotel filled the background.
“Twin, are you and Amy good?”
You glanced at him. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t we be? You literally saw us basically cuddling on the pool chairs five minutes ago.”
He laughed. “I know, I know. But I’ve been noticing something.”
“I don’t want to sound weird,” he said slowly, “but sometimes she looks at you weird when you talk to me. Almost jealous.”
You frowned slightly. “Dude you sound hella weird.”
“I mean I’ve noticed the tension too sometimes.” you admitted. “But I hope she knows I wouldn’t do anything.”
Then Keonho suddenly said, “You know, yn I like you.”
Your brain stopped working for a solid second.
“What??” You said, your voice louder than it should have ben
“NO, NO!” he said immediately, waving his hands. “Not like that. I mean you’re a great friend. I enjoy your company a lot.”
“Oh.” You looked away quickly, trying to ignore the sudden weirdness in your chest.
“Sorry.” he laughed awkwardly. “That came out wrong.”
“Very fucking wrong you scared me dude.”
But the conversation recovered quickly.
You started talking about random things—teachers you hated, the stupid drama from earlier, how weird it felt that school was almost over.
Soon you were both laughing again, the earlier awkward moment fading.
That’s when Amy’s voice cut across the quiet.
She was standing a little distance away near the poolside entrance.
“Oh,” you said, standing up. “Keon, I think I’ll go.”
“Okay,” he replied. “Goodnight.”
“Sweet dreams.” he added with that warm and big smile on his face.
You walked over to Amy. The moment you reached her, she grabbed your arm.
“I need to talk to you.” Her tone was tense.
“What’s wrong?” you asked.
She hesitated, clearly nervous. “Are you and Keonho like, a thing?”
You blinked. “NO,” you said immediately. “What the fuck???? No, never.”
“Yes. Amy, we’re just friends. We’ve always been close like that.”
She looked visibly panicked for a second before letting out a long breath.
“I know,” she muttered. “I know. Fuck it’s so stupid of me to even think that.”
You tilted your head slightly.
“Amy,” you said gently. “I would never go for one of your exes. I hope you know that.”
“I know. I know,” she said again, running a hand through her hair. “I’m over him. I swear I am. But something about seeing you two there just felt so wrong for a second.”
She looked genuinely embarrassed now.
“I’m sorry.” she said quietly.
And just like that, the tension disappeared.
The two of you headed back to the room together, slipping quietly into bed whilst talking. The others were already half asleep.
Within minutes, the room filled with the soft sounds of breathing.
The last night of the trip was approaching.
And none of you knew yet how much everything was about to change, what the last few days of this school would bring to the table.
The trip ended faster than anyone wanted it to.
One minute everyone was laughing by the pool and fighting over who got the last snacks from the vending machine, and the next you were all back home staring at the calendar because finals had started.
Year 12 finals. The last ones.
Everyone went into that weird panic mode where the group chat suddenly turned into:
‘does anyone have the chem notes’
‘who tf understood question 4 from the mock’“
if i fail math i’m actually dropping out and becoming a stripper’
But for you, math wasn’t the scary one. Math was your thing.
Everyone in the group knew it too. Especially Keonho.
Which is why, the second the 4 day study break before the math final started, he showed up at your house.
You opened the door and he was standing there with his backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Hey.” He said with that familiar bright smile.
You blinked. “Why are you here.”
“You would’ve said yes anyway.”
“A little text would be nice but ok.”
He grinned and walked inside like he owned the place.
The first day it was just you two sitting at your desk with papers spread everywhere while he complained every five minutes.
“Why the fuck does this formula even exist?”
But by the second day, Iroha and Seonghyeon showed up too.
“Study group.” Iroha announced, dropping her bag dramatically.
Seonghyeon immediately flopped onto the floor.
“I’m not studying shit. I’m here for emotional support and yns moms food.”
“If you don't study I won’t give you food .”
“NO PLEASE.” He said dramatically, making everyone laugh a little.
It became routine after that.
Whiteboard markers everywhere, snacks disappearing, Seonghyeon loudly announcing wrong answers, and Keonho constantly leaning over your shoulder asking questions.
“Wait, why does the 3 cancel here?”
“That’s not an explanation.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
But somewhere in between all that, you and Keonho got closer.
You noticed it in small ways.
The way he always ended up sitting next to you even when there were other chairs.
The way he’d bump your shoulder whenever he got a question right.
The way he’d say “yn explain this like I’m five” at least ten times a day as if you were an AI bot.
By the time the exam day came, everyone was exhausted. But the math final?
You walked out feeling like you had just carried the entire subject on your back.
Keonho came out right after you.
“How’d you do?” he asked.
“You’re not fucked ‘twin’.”
“I left one question blank.”
“That’s like four marks.”
“You’re dramatic and you just called me a bad tutor.”
“TWIN COME ON YOU KNOW I DIDN'T SAY THAT.”
“Skill issue dude?” You teased him as he just rolled his eyes at you
And suddenly the entire group had too much freedom.
Which led to someone suggesting something completely unnecessary.
“Let’s go to Lotte World.” Said Iroha.
“Why the fuck not?” Seonghyeon replied.
A few days later, the whole group was standing at Lotte World, screaming like idiots.
The place was packed. Music everywhere. Lights flashing. Kids running around with cotton candy and some even sitting down clearly catching their breath and recovering from rollercoaster trauma.
And for some reason, Keonho was glued to your side the entire day.
First ride. The rollercoaster.
The second the ride dropped, he grabbed your hand so tight your fingers almost cracked.
“FUCK” He screamed. He screamed this the whole ride.
You both screamed the entire ride.
When it ended, you looked down and realized he was still holding your hand.
“Oh.” He let go immediately.
You felt something weird, something was wrong. His actions held intentions you couldn't quite point out yet.
But then came the next ride.
And every time the ride dropped, he grabbed your hand again like his life depended on it.
By the fourth rollercoaster, Iroha was already laughing.
“Bro just marry her at this point.”
“SHUT UP IT’S SCARY OKAY?” Keonho yelled.
Then during one drop he shouted:
“TWIN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I SWEAR”
You froze. His intentions seemed more clear to you. You weren’t fucking stupid, you noticed it all.
The ride ended.
You slowly turned to look at him.
Seonghyeon was already dying laughing.
Keonho blinked at you. Then waved his hand in front of Hyeon's red face.
“Chill. She’s a good friend. She’s my twin.”
You stared at him. “That was weird.”
“It was because of the rollercoaster and I’ve always called you twin, come on girl.”
“That’s not an excuse for whatever confession you dropped.” You made your words clear.
But still. Something about it felt odd.
To everyone and even to you.
After that day, the group basically refused to stay home.
For an entire month you were all constantly out.
Late night food runs, random movie nights and walking around the city with absolutely no plan.
It was chaotic and stupid and fun. Until slowly things changed again. College decisions started rolling in. Some people were still stressing.
Applications.
Interviews.
Paperwork.
You were already done. Early acceptance. Your parents were proud.
His was basically guaranteed due to his athletic record. Which suddenly left both of you with way too much free time. And somehow that free time you had, you both would always end up together.
Roblox nights started randomly.
“Why are we playing this?” you said.
“I don’t know but it’s fun.”
“It's so stupid, it's just random anomalies dancing dude.”
“It's fun yn, deal with it..”
“Sure whatever you big bitch.”
Some nights you played until 4 AM. Headsets on. Laughing like idiots. Other nights you just… talked. About things you hadn’t told anyone. Family stuff, future fears, random childhood stories and things that felt too personal for anyone else.
Then the late night walks started.
“Twin, let’s go out.” he texted once at 2 a.m.
“Are you fucking insane??”
And somehow you did. You’d walk around empty streets, talking about absolutely nothing. Sometimes you ended up at the 24-hour convenience store near your neighborhood. The cashier was an old woman who had worked there for years. She had basically seen you since high school started and now she's seeing you again after it was over.
Every time you came in she smiled.
Keonho would grab drinks while you grabbed snacks.
Then she’d ring everything up and say something like:
“You’re such a cute couple.”
The first time it happened you choked.
But Keonho just paid and shrugged.
He walked out laughing while you followed him.
“You didn’t correct her!”
“She thinks we’re dating!”
He just grinned. “Relax.”
And somehow… those nights became normal too.
The old cashier still called you a couple every time.
And neither of you corrected her anymore.
Somewhere along the way, without anyone noticing, you and Keonho had become closer than you had ever been before.
Closer than during school.
Closer than during the study sessions.
Closer than even the group realized.
And neither of you were really questioning it yet.
Because for now, it just felt easy.
Two weeks before college started, everyone finally managed to meet up.
It had taken almost a week of texting in the group chat to figure out a time that worked for everyone. People had packing to do, relatives visiting, documents to submit, stupid orientation emails to read. Normally when you all met after a gap like this, the conversation would explode immediately.
But this time, you were the one sitting there with something stuck in your throat.
You had known for weeks.
You were leaving.
Not just leaving for college.
Leaving the country.
Moving continents.
And no one at the table knew.
You hated announcements like this. You hated the pity faces people made, the fake sympathy, the ‘we’ll stay in touch!!’ that everyone knew wouldn’t really happen the same way.
So you didn’t say anything at first.
You all sat at the same café you’d been going to since year ten. The same dark wooden table, the same overpriced milkshakes, the same stupid playlist playing overhead.
Seonghyeon was halfway through telling a story about how he nearly crashed his dad’s car.
“And then the cop stopped me? I wasn't even speeding. ”
“It’s because you drive like shit.” Iroha interrupted.
You stared down at your drink.
You said it again, a little louder.
This time they looked up.
The table went quiet immediately.
“What kind of news?” Wonhee said.
You looked around at all of them. The same people you had spent almost every day with for 4 years.
For a second no one reacted.
Then Seonghyeon blinked.
“What do you mean moving?”
“Like, moving.” you said. “My family’s moving. I’m leaving in two weeks.”
Silence hit the table like someone had dropped something heavy.
Minju’s mouth literally fell open.
“Wait, wait what?” she said.
Iroha frowned. “What do you mean two weeks?”
“I mean, two weeks,” you repeated quietly.
That’s when it really landed.
“Wait, you're leaving the country?” Wonhee said.
The table exploded with reactions at once.
“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
“Are you serious right now?”
Seonghyeon leaned forward across the table.
You rubbed the back of your neck awkwardly.
“I didn’t know how to say it.”
Iroha looked like she’d been slapped. “You’ve known for weeks haven’t you.”
Her eyes started watering immediately. “You asshole,” she muttered.
“You’ve been hanging out with us every day and you just didn’t tell us??”
“I didn’t want the whole pity thing.” you said quickly. “You know I hate that.”
“Pity??” Seonghyeon said. “You think we’d pity you??”
“It’s not that,” you said. “I just didn’t want things to get weird.”
“They’re weird now.” Wonhee said softly.
Across the table, Keonho hadn’t said a single word.
He was just staring at you.
His jaw was tight, eyes locked on you like he was trying to process something his brain refused to accept.
Iroha wiped her eyes angrily.
“We literally grew up together.” she said, voice cracking. “You could’ve at least told me.”
“I know.” you said quietly.
“I don’t,” she admitted miserably with tears staining her cheeks.
The rest of the conversation that night was messy.
Everyone asked questions.
Where you were going. When the flight was. Whether you’d visit.
You answered everything calmly. But the mood never fully recovered. And Keonho still hadn’t said anything. He barely spoke the entire night. A few days later, the four of you met up again.
Just you, Keonho, Seonghyeon, and Iroha.
The others couldn’t make it. You ended up at a small park near your neighborhood—the one with the old swings and the rusting slide that little kids used during the day. At night it was empty. You all sat around the climbing frame like teenagers who refused to grow up. Seonghyeon kicked pebbles around while complaining about his university dorm.
“I swear if my roommate snores I’m committing a crime.”
“You’re being fucking dramatic.” Iroha said.
“You don’t understand suffering.”
The conversation moved slowly.
Eventually Seonghyeon checked his phone.
“Shit, my mom’s calling.”
“I should go too.” Iroha said, standing up.
She looked at you for a second before pulling you into a tight hug.
“I’m still mad at you.” she muttered.
Seonghyeon gave you a big tight hug too.
“Don’t become one of those people who disappears.”
And with that they left. Which meant it was just you and Keonho. You sat next to each other on the bench. The park was quiet except for the faint buzz of streetlights. After a long silence, he spoke.
He inhaled slowly. “I like you.”
“I really like you,” he said again. “I can’t hold it back anymore.” The words hung in the air like something explosive. “If I knew you were moving,” he continued, voice tight, “I would’ve said this before.”
Your brain struggled to catch up.
“And I know you won’t do anything because of Amy,” he added quickly, “but just give me a chance. She won’t matter anymore.”
Your head snapped toward him.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ve given you so many hints.”
“No one just says ‘I love you’ like that.” He tried to justify.
“I told you that was weird.” you said slowly. “And you said it was because I’m a good friend?”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“But you said it like that.” you snapped, louder than you intended.
He went silent. Then suddenly the tension exploded. “Why didn’t you tell us you were moving?” he demanded.
“So we don’t matter to you?”
“I didn’t fucking say that!”
“Yes you did. You implied that.”
He ran a hand through his hair angrily. “Because if I knew earlier I would’ve done everything differently.” He gestured between you. “This. This could’ve happened.”
You stared at him. “You’re really that confident I like you?”
“I’m confident I could’ve made you feel something,” he said. “If Amy wasn’t in the picture.”
Your jaw clenched. “Okay Keonho,” you said sharply. “But guess what? She is. And she’s a good friend to me.”
His expression turned annoyed instantly. “A good friend?” he scoffed. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“She’s always been dramatic about our friendship,” he snapped. “She throws passive aggressive comments at you and you call her a good friend?”
“Since when were your views so fucked up?” he continued. “Where’s your self respect?”
You stood up immediately. “You have no business talking about me and Amy.”
“We are good,” you said. “We literally talked about this during the trip. Why the fuck do you think you have the right to comment on it?”
“Because you don’t get it!” he shouted.
“IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU.” Keonho yelled, breathing heavily right after that sudden confession.
“That girl I called hot?” he continued, voice shaking with frustration. “The one everyone thought Amy was mad about?”
“It was you. Seonghyeon was talking about you.”
Your brain short-circuited.
“You’re too dense for someone with good grades.” he said bitterly.
“Keonho I would have never known?” you yelled. “I can’t read your fucking mind?”
You were both breathing hard now. The park suddenly felt too small.
“I’m leaving,” you muttered. “I don’t have the energy for this.”
You yanked your arm back.
“What do you need to know?” you snapped. “Haven’t you fucked around enough?”
“Two rebounds after Amy because your desperate ass couldn’t move on,” you continued. “And you’re commenting on my self-respect?”
“Stop.” he said quietly. “Chill, I need to know something.”
You glared at him. “What.”
Your anger faltered for half a second.
“Even a little,” he said. “If Amy and I never happened.”
“I can’t live like this,” he said quietly. “ I can't live in doubt.”
“Maybe I did,” you admitted.
“But it doesn’t matter now, does it?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“You and me?” you said flatly. “From today onwards we’re strangers.”
“No I’m not,” you shot back. “You just completely bashed me. Then confessed. Then questioned my friendship with Amy.”
“Is this about girl code?”
“Don’t you see how fucked up it is for me to even consider liking someone like you?”
“You basically toyed with me,” you said. “You knew exactly how Amy would react when she saw us together.”
“You think I’m fucking stupid?” You questioned him.
His expression changed, his eyebrows now furrowed. He couldn't respond.
“No I’m not,” you said. “I notice things.”
“I notice how you lean in too close when she’s around.”
“I noticed how you grabbed my hand at Lotte World and held it too long because you knew everyone—including Amy, was watching.”
You turned and walked away.
You didn’t
The day you left, everyone came to the airport. Even though you told them not to.
Iroha cried immediately. Seonghyeon hugged you twice. Minju and Wonhee kept telling you to text them.
And then Keonho walked up.
Arms open.
You turned toward the entrance.
His hand grabbed your arm gently. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
“My intention was never that.” He swallowed.
“I didn’t realize how wrong everything played out.”
You turned and looked at him. Expressionless.
For a second he looked like he might say something else. But you didn’t respond. Because you knew if you did, it would break something all over again.
So you walked away. And that was the last time things were ever the same.
You and him, you both drifted apart after one conversation like the white clouds under the stars.
tags: @louiscoree / @kpopsmutty69 / @yoonchaebaby / @sailuvsu / @r0ckst4rjk / @octoberdeaths / @sailorinthesie / @myuekii / @jnikiosc9703 / @fimmisstuff / @realseanshady / @user28388727 / @wenosauras / @moneelisaa / @chbq2 / @ohmynayeons / @09zpzkeonnss / @sopadekiwi / @beatbymarzz / @claireshelby / @loverkiiller / @lovinglyyoursa / @ilovegojosatoru13
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