𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞
pairing — lee heeseung x yoo serin genre — angst, first love, rich boy/poor girl, doomed romance warnings — crying, heartbreak, class differences, parental pressure, unresolved ending word count — 2.1k summary —heeseung used to say love was enough for two people to survive on,serin wanted to believe him until the world reminded them that some people are born holding stars in their hands, while others spend their whole lives reaching for them.
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Seoul looked prettier at night.
Maybe because darkness hid the difference between people.
The rich still drove black luxury cars past flickering streetlights, and the poor still counted coins at convenience stores under neon signs, but at least in the dark, nobody could immediately tell who belonged where.
Serin liked nighttime for that reason It made her feel normal, she sat on the rooftop of her apartment building with her schoolbooks spread across her lap, knees pulled close to her chest as cold wind brushed against her cheeks. The city glittered below her like spilled diamonds.
“Studying again?”
A familiar voice, Warm. Soft. Home.
She looked up instantly Heeseung stood there in his black school uniform, tie loose, hands shoved into his pockets. His hair fell over his forehead from the wind, and he was smiling in that unfairly gentle way he always did whenever he looked at her.
Like she was something precious, Not poor. Not tired. Not a girl wearing old sneakers with thinning soles.
Just her.
“You’re late,” Serin mumbled.
He walked over dramatically and collapsed beside her with a sigh. “My parents had another dinner with investors.”
“Sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
She laughed quietly, and Heeseung immediately rested his head on her shoulder like he had been waiting all day to do it, they stayed like that for a while.
Comfortable silence, the kind that only existed between people deeply in love.
“You smell like strawberries,” he whispered.
Serin rolled her eyes. “It’s shampoo.”
“Still counts.”
He always noticed tiny things, the color of her pens. The way she chewed her lip while studying. The fact she skipped lunch whenever money was tight, even when she lied and said she wasn’t hungry.
“You should go home soon,” she said softly. “It’s getting cold.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Heeseung.”
“I mean it.”
He lifted his head and looked at her carefully.
“You know,” he murmured, “I think this rooftop is my favorite place in the world.”
Serin smiled faintly. “Why?”
“Because you’re here.”
It was stupid,Something straight out of a drama But coming from him, it never felt fake.
Serin met him during their second year of high school,Everyone already knew who he was.
The son of one of Korea’s biggest business families.
Handsome. Smart. Untouchable.
Girls followed him around constantly, but Heeseung never seemed interested in any of them. He was polite, kind even, but distant.
Then one rainy afternoon, Serin accidentally fell asleep in the library while studying for university entrance exams,when she woke up, there was a strawberry milk beside her books and a note written messily on a sticky paper.
you looked tired. don’t overwork yourself too much. — heeseung
That was how it started,not with fate Just kindness and somehow, kindness became love.
“You’re staring again.”
Serin blinked. “Hm?”
Heeseung grinned from across the convenience store table. “You do that a lot.”
“I do not.”
“You do.”
She kicked his leg under the table, making him laugh.
God, she loved his laugh,loved how it sounded real not polished like the rich boys she saw on television Just warm.
“You’ll get into Seoul National University,” he suddenly said.
Serin looked down at her ramen cup. “You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“My grades still aren’t enough.”
“They will be.”
She shook her head slowly. “I can’t afford failure, Heeseung.”
And there it was the truth sitting heavily between them,Heeseung had dreams,Serin had survival If she didn’t get into a top university, she would lose scholarships. Lose opportunities. Lose the future she had spent her entire life clawing toward.
Her father worked himself sick every single day,She couldn’t waste that sacrifice. Heeseung reached across the table and took her hand.
His hands were warm Always warm.
“You’re going to live the life you deserve,” he whispered.
Serin looked at him quietly then smiled sadly because she wanted that life to include him.
The first time Heeseung brought her near his house, Serin almost felt embarrassed standing beside him His neighborhood looked unreal.
Massive gates,Perfect gardens,Luxury cars parked like decorations.
Meanwhile, Serin lived in a tiny apartment where the ceiling leaked during heavy rain.
“You okay?” he asked gently.
She nodded too fast. “Yeah.”
But she wasn’t,because for the first time, the distance between them looked impossible.
So he grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers tightly.
“I don’t care about any of this,” he said quietly.
Serin forced a smile. “Maybe you don’t But your parents will.”
His expression darkened immediately.
“Serin—”
“Heeseung!”
A sharp voice cut through the air both of them turned a woman stood near the gates in an elegant cream coat, eyes cold the moment they landed on Serin.
Heeseung’s mother,Serin immediately let go of his hand the woman looked her up and down once,that was all it took.
One glance and somehow Serin felt smaller than she ever had in her entire life.
“Come inside,” his mother said flatly.
Heeseung frowned. “I’ll come in later.”
“Now.”
Serin stepped back slightly. “You should go.”
“I’ll text you.”
“It’s okay.”
His mother was still staring at her Serin bowed politely before turning away first but she could still feel those eyes on her back the entire walk home.
After that day, things changed,Like cracks spreading across glass.
Heeseung became busier,His parents suddenly monitored everything.
Extra meetings. Family dinners. Business events.
Sometimes he looked exhausted before he even spoke.
Still, he tried, God he tried, He skipped formal events just to see her for thirty minutes.
Called her every night no matter how late it was held her like he was afraid she would disappear Maybe he already knew.
It happened three months before graduation,Serin still remembered the exact weather Snow falling softly outside.
The world painfully beautiful at the worst possible moment Heeseung showed up at her apartment looking pale.
She opened the door with sleepy eyes. “Heeseung?”
He couldn’t even smile properly that terrified her.
“What happened?”
He stepped inside silently then finally spoke.
“My parents arranged a marriage.”
“...what?”
He looked destroyed.
“After graduation,” he whispered. “To the daughter of one of their business partners.”
Serin stared at him the room suddenly felt too small too quiet.
“You’re joking.”
“I wish I was.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked instantly.
“No, Heeseung.”
“I fought with them.”
“Then fight harder.”
“I DID!”
He raised his voice for the first time ever around her then immediately looked guilty. serin’s eyes filled with tears Heeseung looked like he was breaking apart right in front of her.
“They said if I refuse, they’ll cut me off completely,” he whispered shakily. “They’ll ruin your father too.”
“What?”
“They know where he works.”
Serin suddenly understood everything this was never a discussion,Never a choice.
People like his parents always won because they had money,Power,Control.
And people like Serin only had love Love was never enough against families like that.
Heeseung grabbed her hands desperately.
“Run away with me.”
“We can figure it out.”
“Heeseung…”
“I’m serious.”
Tears slid down his face.
“I’ll work any job. I don’t care anymore. I just want you.”
And maybe if Serin had been selfish, she would’ve said yes Maybe in another life, she would’ve chosen love over fear.
But all she could think about was her father collapsing from exhaustion after twelve-hour shifts.
All she could think about was ruining the life of the man who sacrificed everything for her.
So she cried instead And shook her head.
Heeseung looked at her like she had stabbed him.
“Please,” he whispered.
Serin covered her mouth to stop herself from sobbing.
“We can’t.”
“Yes, we can.”
“We can’t.”
“You’ll hate me one day.”
“Never.”
“Your world is too different from mine.”
“I DON’T CARE ABOUT MY WORLD!”
“But they do!”
That silence afterward felt like death,Heeseung started crying harder.
And somehow that made it worse because there was no villain between them Just reality.
“I love you.”
Serin squeezed her eyes shut.
“I know.”
“I’m serious, Serin.”
“I know.”
“No matter what happens—”
“Please don’t.”
she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly,Heeseung held her immediately Desperately.
Like if he loosened his grip for even one second, he would lose her forever.
Maybe he already had Serin buried her face into his chest and cried silently while he stroked her hair with trembling hands.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered over and over again.
She didn’t know if he was apologizing for leaving Or for not being able to stay.
Maybe both. Outside, snow continued falling softly over Seoul.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them looked ruined.
Red eyes.
Wet cheeks.
Broken hearts.
Heeseung pressed his forehead against hers one last time and smiled sadly.
The kind of smile people make when they already know love isn’t going to save them.
“In another life,” he whispered shakily, “I think we would’ve been happy for a really long time.”
That was the moment Serin finally started sobbing Because she thought so too In another life Maybe he would’ve been born into a smaller home.
Maybe she would’ve had less fear inside her heart Maybe love would’ve been enough But not this life Not this one.
The strange thing about heartbreak was that the world never stopped for it,People still laughed on the streets Still ordered coffee,Still rushed onto buses and complained about homework and posted pretty pictures online like nothing in the world had changed.
Meanwhile, Serin felt like she had died quietly three months ago.
She still texted him,That was the worst part not losing him immediately but slowly.
At first, they tried pretending things were normal.
did you eat? yeah. you? mhm don’t stay up too late studying you too
Tiny conversations,Tiny pieces of love desperately trying to survive.
Sometimes Heeseung would still wait for her outside school with warm drinks in his hands,Sometimes Serin would still fix his crooked tie absentmindedly while talking And every single time their fingers touched, both of them looked devastated afterward.
One evening, Heeseung took her to the arcade near the river.
The same one they used to visit after exams.
“You’re losing,” Serin mumbled quietly while holding the claw machine controls.
“I’m distracted.”
“You always say that when you suck.”
Heeseung laughed softly that laugh still ruined her For a second, things almost felt normal again.
Then the claw machine finally grabbed the small white bunny plushie successfully Serin blinked in surprise.
“You got it?”
“Told you I would.”
He handed it to her immediately the plushie was soft and ridiculously cute Serin stared at it for too long Because suddenly everything hurt again this stupid little bunny would remain even after he left.
Something she would hold while missing him Her eyes watered instantly.
Heeseung noticed Of course he did His smile faded slowly.
“Serin…”
She looked away quickly. “Thank you.”
That was all she could say without crying.
Weeks passed anyway Cruelly fast.
February melted into March before either of them were ready,Graduation season arrived with cherry blossoms beginning to bloom across Seoul, soft pink petals falling onto sidewalks like scenes from movies.
Everyone around them seemed excited,Teachers smiled proudly. Students talked about universities, trips, futures.
The entire school buzzed with happiness But Heeseung and Serin felt like ghosts walking through it all because for everyone else, graduation was a beginning.
For them It was the end.
The night before graduation, Serin couldn’t sleep.
Her father had already gone to work for the night shift, leaving the apartment painfully quiet.
At 2:13 AM, her phone buzzed.
heeseung
are you awake?
Serin stared at the message for a long time before replying.
yes
Three dots appeared immediately then disappeared then appeared again.
Finally—
can i see you?
She found him waiting outside her building wearing a black hoodie and tired eyes the second he saw her, his entire expression softened Like she was still his favorite person in the world.
Maybe she always would be.
“You should be sleeping,” Serin whispered.
“So should you.”
Neither of them smiled.
Heeseung stepped closer slowly then held out his hand.
“Come walk with me."
They walked through empty streets beneath dim streetlights while cold spring wind brushed past them quietly Everything felt too calm Like the world was preparing to break their hearts gently.
“I got accepted,” Serin said suddenly.
Heeseung looked at her instantly. “What?”
“Seoul National.”
For the first time in weeks, genuine happiness flashed across his face.
“Serin.”
He grabbed her shoulders.
“You did it.”
She laughed weakly through tears. “Yeah.”
“I told you you would.”
“You were right.”
“I’m always right.”
That finally made her smile a little and God, Heeseung looked at that smile like he wanted to memorize it forever.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispered.
Serin felt tears burning her eyes again because somehow his pride meant more to her than anyone else’s congratulations, More than acceptance letters More than the future she worked herself to death for.
She wanted him Only him.
Heeseung suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled something out.
A small silver keychain a moon charm, Tiny but Pretty.
Serin blinked. “What’s this?”
“You always said the moon followed you home.”
“You remembered that?”
“I remember everything about you.”
That almost broke her immediately.
He clipped the moon charm carefully onto her bag.
“There,” he whispered softly. “Now I can still walk you home.”
Serin looked down because she couldn’t let him see her cry again.
Graduation day arrived too quickly.
The school looked beautiful decorated with flowers and banners while families crowded everywhere taking pictures Students laughed loudly in uniforms for the last time.
Flash cameras sparkled endlessly,It should’ve been happy Serin stood quietly near the hallway balcony, fingers tightening around her diploma.
Below her, people celebrated futures Beside her Heeseung stood silently in his graduation uniform,Close enough to touch Far enough to already feel gone.
“You look pretty,” he said softly.
Serin laughed faintly. “I’m wearing the same uniform as everyone else.”
“You still look prettier.”
Her throat tightened painfully.
Heeseung looked out at the schoolyard quietly.
“I used to think graduation would feel bigger.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know.” He smiled weakly. “I thought I’d feel excited.”
Instead, he sounded empty Serin understood because she felt it too.
Like the world ended quietly while everyone else kept celebrating around them.
“You’ll do well,” she whispered.
“So will you.”
The wind moved softly between them,Cherry blossoms drifted through the air slowly.
“Heeseung!”
Someone called his name from downstairs.
Probably family,Probably the future waiting for him.
He closed his eyes briefly,Serin felt sick suddenly because this was it.
No more stolen nights,No more rooftop conversations,No more pretending they still had time.
Heeseung looked at her carefully like he was trying to memorize every eyelash, every expression, every tiny detail before losing access forever.
“Do you think we’ll meet again someday?”
Serin’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“I don’t know.”
He nodded slowly like he expected that answer below them, students cheered loudly for group photos The sound felt distant.
Heeseung stepped closer then closer Until she could feel his breathing.
“I don’t want anyone else,” he admitted softly.
Serin started crying instantly.
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s true.”
“Heeseung…”
“I think part of me will always belong to you.”
Serin covered her face while crying quietly, shoulders trembling and Heeseung He looked just as ruined,He reached forward carefully and pulled her into his arms one final time.
This hug felt different.
Like goodbye settling into their bones at last Serin held onto him tightly anyway. because if this was the last time she wanted to remember his warmth forever.
“I love you,” he whispered against her hair.
She cried harder.
“I love you too.”
And somehow those words sounded more painful than beautiful now.
Below them, cameras flashed,People celebrated,Life continued but somewhere on that school balcony, two people quietly watched their entire world end together.
It happened quietly Just two people standing under falling cherry blossoms like the world was gently closing a book it never meant to finish properly.
Heeseung looked at her first,Serin looked back and for a second just one fragile second it felt like time stopped again.
then he leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn’t rushed,It wasn’t desperate It was slow,careful.
Like he was afraid she might break if he held her too tightly, even now Serin’s hands trembled as she held onto his shirt.
Trying to memorize everything,the warmth the silence the way his lips felt like home and goodbye at the same time.
When they pulled apart, neither of them spoke Because anything said would ruin what little was left.
Heeseung pressed his forehead against hers.
“I wish I met you in another life,” he whispered.
“I know.”
A pause,Long,Heavy.
Then He let go Slowly.
Serin stepped back first Because if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to leave at all and then she turned away Walked down the stairs.
A week later, Serin moved into her dorm Seoul National University felt like a different universe entirely.
Everything was bigger,Louder,Faster.
Students ran between lectures, coffee cups in hand, talking about internships and futures like they weren’t terrified of them.
Her life started moving,Even if her heart didn’t She got a part-time job at a small café near campus.
Early mornings,Late nights,Worn-out hands but she kept going because stopping meant thinking and thinking meant remembering him Serin became good at pretending.
Smiling when she served drinks,Nodding during lectures,Laughing with classmates who called her “pretty and quiet and hardworking.”
They didn’t know she sometimes cried silently in her dorm at 2 AM Or that she still checked her phone even when she knew there would be nothing.
Meanwhile, Heeseung’s world did not stop either it only became heavier.
“Marriage arrangements are confirmed.”
His mother said it like she was discussing weather.
His father didn’t even look up from documents.
Heeseung sat at the long dining table in their massive house, untouched food in front of him.
“I don’t want this,” he said calmly.
“You will adjust,” his father replied.
“I won’t.”
“You are not a child anymore,” his mother added.
“I was never a child to you.”
Then business talk resumed like he hadn’t spoken at all yhat was how it always went Like his voice existed in a room nobody cared to hear.
He met her anyway,The girl they chose.
Elegant,Beautiful,Perfect on paper She smiled politely every time they met.
Spoke softly,Laughed at appropriate moments Her name was always mentioned alongside expectations.
Future wife.
Heeseung treated her kindly,Because that was who he was Polite,Gentle,Respectful But never warm.
At night, he would sit alone in his room,Phone in hand He would open their chat Scroll up.
Read old messages.
-don’t stay up too late studying
-you smell like strawberries
- i’m proud of you
.✦ ݁˖.✦ ݁˖.✦ ݁˖.✦ ݁˖
Weeks turned into months, Serin learned how to live without reaching for her phone every five minutes Heeseung learned how to smile in meetings without feeling anything behind it.
Both of them became experts at pretending But pretending didn’t erase memory.
It only buried it deeper,Where it hurt more quietly.
One evening, Serin stood outside her dorm building holding a cup of cheap coffee The sky was orange.
Familiar in a way that made her chest ache She looked up at it and thought, "he would’ve liked this sky."
Across the city, Heeseung sat in a car outside a company building after another endless meeting.
His driver waited,His phone buzzed with messages about schedules, weddings, expectations He didn’t open them.
Instead, he looked out the window at the skyline And thought "she would’ve loved this view."
Because even now, even after everything they were still living inside each other’s thoughts Just on opposite sides of a life they couldn’t cross anymore.
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°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･