ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮⋆༄
One
𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 : Lee Heeseung × Fem!Reader
𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 : Ni-ki, Eunchae, Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, Heedo, Lee family & Park family.
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 : Childhood Neighbors AU, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, First Love, Tutor AU, College AU, Long Distance, Reunion, Fluff, Angst, Slice of Life, Mutual Pining, Domestic Romance, Happy Ending.
𝐖𝐂 : 4,857
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 : The boy next door taught her math, fed stray cats every night, and accidentally became her first love. Years later, they meet again only to realize that some feelings never really leave—they simply wait for the right time to come home.
Pt2 , Pt3
The moving truck stopped in front of the two-story house just as the evening sun began to set.
"Careful with that box!" Mrs. Park called out as two workers carried another carton inside.
Y/N stood on the sidewalk, holding her small plush bunny against her chest. Her long hair was tied into a messy ponytail, and she looked around the unfamiliar neighborhood with curious eyes. New house. New area. New school. Everything felt strange.
"Y/N, don't just stand there. Bring your backpack inside," her father said with a smile.
"Coming, Dad." She picked up her bag and slowly walked toward the house. A few houses away, someone was watching.A tall boy wearing a gray hoodie stood near a flower pot, his hands inside his pockets.
Lee Heeseung. Nineteen years old. First-year university student. Basketball player. And currently very curious about his new neighbors. He watched the girl carefully. She looked young. Maybe a high-school student. She looked shy too, constantly hugging the plush bunny in her arms. Then she accidentally dropped her keychain. "Oh!" She quickly bent down to pick it up. Heeseung smiled slightly. Cute. Before he could think further, a voice called from inside. "Heeseung-ah!" He turned around. His mother was standing at the door. "Come help me." "Coming."
He took one last glance at the new girl before entering his house. Inside the Lee residence, delicious smells filled the kitchen. Mrs. Lee had cooked enough food for an entire army. Heeseung looked at the dishes. "Mom... are we opening a restaurant?" She laughed. "Our new neighbors just moved in. They must be tired and hungry." "You made all of this for them?" "Of course." Heeseung smiled. His mother had always been like this. Kind to everyone. A few moments later, she packed the food into containers. "I'm going to deliver these." "Should I come?" "No need."
Meanwhile, inside the Park house, boxes were everywhere. Mrs. Park sighed. "I think we'll be unpacking until midnight." Y/N giggled. "At least my room is nice." The doorbell suddenly rang. "Ding dong." "I'll get it!" Y/N said. She opened the door and found a smiling woman standing there.
"Hello. I'm your neighbor." Mrs. Lee lifted the containers. "I brought some food."
Y/N blinked. "Oh..."
Before she could say anything, her mother appeared. "Oh my goodness, you didn't have to!"
"It's nothing," Mrs. Lee said warmly. "I know moving can be exhausting." Mrs. Park looked touched. "Thank you so much. Please come in."
A few minutes later, the two mothers were sitting in the living room, chatting like old friends. Y/N sat quietly beside her mother. "So, your family just moved from another district?" Mrs. Lee asked. Mrs. Park nodded.
"Yes. My husband got transferred."
"And this is your daughter?"
Mrs. Park smiled proudly.
"Yes. She's our only child."
Mrs. Lee looked at Y/N.
"What a pretty girl."
Y/N immediately became shy. "Thank you..." Mrs. Lee chuckled. "You're adorable." Then she introduced her own family.
"My husband works in an office. My eldest son is Heedo. He's already working. And my younger son, Heeseung, is in university."
"University?" Mrs. Park asked.
"Yes." The adults continued talking while Y/N listened quietly. Little did she know that the name 'Heeseung' would become one of the most important names in her life.
───
Over the next few days, the Parks finally settled into their new house. Y/N spent most of her time arranging her room. She placed her books neatly on the shelf and lined up her plushies on the bed. At night, she sat beside the window. The neighborhood looked peaceful. Then she noticed someone outside. A tall boy. He was crouching near the street, petting three cats. The cats surrounded him happily. He laughed softly. Y/N watched curiously. Then one of the cats climbed onto his lap. She couldn't help smiling. The boy looked up. For one terrifying second, their eyes met. Y/N immediately hid behind the curtains. Her heart raced. Why was she hiding? She didn't know. Outside, Heeseung chuckled. So the new girl liked watching people from her window. Cute. Very cute.
A week later, Y/N's first day at her new school arrived. She stood nervously in front of the gate. "Deep breaths," she whispered. She entered the classroom and introduced herself. The entire day felt awkward. Until lunch. "Can I sit here?" Y/N looked up. A cheerful boy smiled at her. He had bright eyes and looked friendly. "I'm Ni-ki." Another girl sat beside him. "And I'm Eunchae." Y/N smiled. "I'm Y/N." "You're new, right?" Eunchae asked. She nodded. "Don't worry," Ni-ki said. "We'll adopt you." Y/N blinked. "Adopt me?" He grinned. "Yep." Eunchae laughed. And just like that, Y/N made her first friends.
One evening, Mrs. Park was talking with Mrs. Lee outside. "Actually, I'm looking for a tutor for Y/N," Mrs. Park said. "She's struggling with math."
Mrs. Lee thought for a moment. Then she smiled. "What about Heeseung?" "Your son?" "He tutors sometimes." Mrs. Park looked surprised.
"Really?" "He's patient and good at explaining." "That would be wonderful." And that was how Lee Heeseung accidentally became Park Y/N's tutor. The first lesson was awkward. Very awkward. Y/N sat straight like a statue. Heeseung almost laughed. "Relax. I'm not scary." "I'm relaxed." "No, you're not."
She looked away. He smiled. "So, what's your worst subject?" "Math." "Your favorite?" "Everything except math." He laughed.
"You hate math that much?" "Very much."
"Why?"
"Because numbers hate me."
He laughed even harder. For the first time, Y/N looked at him properly. He had pretty eyes. And a really nice smile. "Don't worry," he said.
"We'll make peace with numbers."
She looked doubtful.
"I don't think that's possible."
"Challenge accepted."
And that was the beginning. The beginning of late-night tutoring sessions. The beginning of friendship. And the beginning of feelings neither of them understood yet.
───
A month had passed since Y/N moved into the neighborhood. Things were slowly becoming familiar. The streets no longer looked strange, and she had finally memorized which cabinet held the plates in their kitchen. Most importantly, she had made friends.
"Y/N! Hurry up!"
Ni-ki waved from the school gate while Eunchae stood beside him holding two strawberry milks.
"I'm coming!" Y/N said, running toward them.
"You almost made us late," Eunchae complained dramatically.
"I was feeding a cat."
"You and cats are becoming inseparable," Ni-ki laughed.
Y/N grinned. Maybe she had learned that habit from someone.
For some reason, every evening she found herself looking out of her bedroom window. And every evening, she would spot Lee Heeseung feeding the neighborhood cats. Sometimes he sat on the curb. Sometimes he talked to them. Sometimes he simply smiled while petting them. She didn't know why, but those little moments always made her smile too.
"Earth to Y/N."
Ni-ki snapped his fingers in front of her face.
She blinked.
"Huh?"
"You've been smiling at nothing."
"I wasn't."
"You definitely were."
Eunchae narrowed her eyes.
"Do you have a crush?"
Y/N nearly choked on her juice.
"W-What?!"
The two laughed.
"Relax, we're joking."
She sighed in relief. A crush? No. Definitely not. She had only known Heeseung for a month. That evening, there was a knock on the Park family's door. Y/N already knew who it was. She opened it. Heeseung stood there with his backpack hanging from one shoulder.
"Good evening."
"Hi."
For some reason, she still became shy around him.
"Ready for math torture?"
She frowned.
"Can we study literally anything else?"
"Nope."
"You enjoy my suffering."
"I do."
She gasped dramatically.
"You admit it?"
He chuckled.
"You should become an actress."
The tutoring sessions had become a routine.
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening, Heeseung came to their house. At first, Y/N had been nervous. Now, things felt easier. She still respected him and listened carefully, but she wasn't nearly as shy. Sometimes she even argued with him.
"Why does x always disappear?" she complained.
"It doesn't disappear."
"It does. One minute it's there and then suddenly it's on the other side of the equation."
He laughed.
"That's called solving."
"It's called black magic."
He nearly dropped his pencil from laughing.
"Math isn't black magic."
"It absolutely is."
"Y/N."
"Yes?"
"Study."
She sighed dramatically.
"You hate seeing me happy."
"I promise you'll thank me after your exams."
"I won't."
"You will."
"I won't."
He smiled.
"You will."
A few minutes later, she groaned.
"My brain hurts."
"We've only studied for thirty minutes."
"Exactly."
He laughed again. Honestly, teaching her was fun. She understood concepts quickly once they were explained properly. She just hated numbers. And she made the funniest comments.
"You know," he said, "you're actually pretty smart."
She looked up.
"Really?"
"Really."
Her face brightened. That tiny smile made something strange happen inside his chest. He quickly ignored it. She was just his student. A cute and funny student. Nothing more.
A few days later, Heeseung was sitting with his friends in the university cafeteria.
"So…" Jake said.
"How's your little student?"
Heeseung looked up.
"Why do you care?"
Jake grinned.
"You talk about her a lot."
"I do not."
"You do," Jay agreed.
Sunghoon nodded.
"Yesterday you spent ten minutes telling us how she thinks math is black magic."
"Because it was funny."
Jake smirked.
"Sure."
"Stop smiling like that."
"What?"
"That smile."
"What smile?"
"The annoying one."
The three burst into laughter.
"You're attached to your student," Jay said.
"I am not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Heeseung sighed.
His friends were impossible.
───
Meanwhile, Y/N's life at school was getting better too. She and Eunchae often ate lunch together while Ni-ki entertained them with random stories. One afternoon, the three sat under a tree.
"So…" Eunchae said.
"How's your tutor?"
Y/N smiled.
"He's nice."
"Handsome?" Ni-ki asked.
She blinked.
"I mean… I guess."
Eunchae gasped.
"You think your tutor is handsome?"
"I didn't say that!"
"You literally did."
"No, I didn't!"
"You did."
Y/N covered her face with her hands. Her friends laughed. She had no idea why she was blushing. Weeks passed. Summer arrived. The tutoring sessions continued. And little by little, Y/N changed around Heeseung. She became comfortable. Very comfortable.
"You're late," she said one evening.
"I'm two minutes early."
"That's basically late."
He laughed.
"You've become bold."
"I learned from the best."
"Me?"
"Unfortunately."
He placed a hand on his chest.
"You wound me."
She giggled. And just like that, they started teasing each other.
"Do this problem."
"No."
"Y/N."
"No."
"You need practice."
"I need peace."
"You need math."
"I would rather eat my textbook."
He laughed.
"You're unbelievable."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it anyway."
Their tutoring sessions slowly became one of their favorite parts of the week. They studied. They laughed. They talked. Sometimes they ended up discussing movies, music and random things instead of equations. He learned that she loved reading. She learned that he loved basketball. He learned she talked to her plushies. She learned he couldn't sleep without listening to music. One evening she accidentally confessed something.
"I still talk to my stuffed animals."
He looked up.
"You what?"
She froze.
"I… didn't say anything."
"You talk to your plushies?"
"No."
"You absolutely do."
She covered her face.
"This is embarrassing."
He laughed so hard he almost fell from the chair.
"Stop laughing!"
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
He grinned.
"No, I'm not."
───
A month later, the results of her exams were announced.
"Y/N!"
Eunchae came running.
"You got third place!"
"What?!"
Ni-ki grabbed her shoulders.
"Third place! You genius!"
She stared at the list in shock. Math. She had scored ninety-two.Ninety-two. She immediately smiled. That evening, she practically ran home. The first thing she did was knock on the Lee family's door. Mrs. Lee opened it.
"Y/N?"
"Is Heeseung home?"
"He is."
A moment later, Heeseung appeared.
"Everything okay?"
She held up her report card.
"I got third place!"
His eyes widened.
"Really?"
"And I got ninety-two in math!"
A huge smile spread across his face.
"I'm proud of you."
For some reason, those four words made her happier than getting third place itself.
"Really?"
"Really."
She smiled so brightly that he couldn't help smiling too. Mrs. Lee watched the two and chuckled quietly. They looked adorable. Neither of them realized it.
───
Unfortunately, life was never peaceful for long.
A week later, Heeseung was playing basketball with his friends.
"Pass!" Jake shouted.
Heeseung jumped to catch the ball. Unfortunately, he landed badly. The next thing he knew—
THUD.
"HYUNG!"
Pain shot through his leg.
"Oh no."
"Don't tell me—"
"I think it's broken."
A few hours later, he returned home with a cast on his leg. Mrs. Lee looked worried.
"You should rest."
"I will."
"You definitely can't teach this week."
"I can."
"No."
"Mom."
"No."
But Heeseung was stubborn. The next day he asked Mrs. Park if Y/N could simply come to his room instead.
"Really?" Mrs. Park asked.
"You should rest."
"I'm fine."
"Health is important."
"I promise I'm okay."
Eventually she agreed. That evening, Y/N knocked on the Lee family's door. Mrs. Lee smiled.
"He's upstairs."
She nodded.
"Thank you."
She entered his room nervously. It was the first time she had ever been there. The room was neat. Books everywhere. A basketball near the desk. A guitar in one corner. And a sleeping cat plushie on his bed. Cute. She smiled.
From the bathroom, his voice came.
"Open your books and wait."
"Okay."
She sat on the chair.
Then—
BANG.
The door suddenly opened. Three boys entered.
"HEESEUNG, WE BROUGHT—"
They froze. A girl was sitting there. Y/N nearly jumped. The boys blinked. She blinked. Silence.
Then—
"WHO ARE YOU?" Jake shouted.
Y/N nearly dropped her pencil. At that exact moment, Heeseung walked out of the bathroom.
"What are you doing here?"
The three pointed dramatically at Y/N.
"WHO IS SHE?"
Heeseung sighed.
"My student."
"Oh."
"Oh."
"Oh."
The room became silent again.
Then Jake grinned.
"Your student is pretty."
"Jake."
"What?"
"Sit down."
Jay laughed.
Sunghoon smiled politely.
"Hello."
"H-Hi."
A few minutes later, Heeseung started teaching. His friends, however, refused to behave. Jake watched videos at full volume. Jay somehow tripped over absolutely nothing. And Sunghoon accidentally threw a basketball at Heeseung's head.
"Sorry," he said.
"It slipped."
"You weren't even holding it properly!" Heeseung exclaimed.
Y/N tried not to laugh.
Then Jake leaned toward her.
"What are you learning?"
"Math."
"Oh."
He made a dramatic face.
"My condolences."
Y/N burst out laughing.
Heeseung looked betrayed.
"Please don't encourage them."
Unfortunately, it was already too late. She was laughing with his friends. And for some reason, seeing her laugh made him smile too. Even if his friends were complete disasters. The tutoring session that day ended much later than usual. Mostly because studying had turned into chaos. Jake somehow convinced Y/N that taking a "five-minute break" was necessary. Those five minutes became thirty. Jay had discovered the snacks Mrs. Lee left on the table and ended up eating almost all of them. Sunghoon was bouncing a basketball with one hand while reading a comic book. And Heeseung...
Heeseung had completely given up trying to control his friends.
"Why are they like this?" Y/N whispered.
He looked at her with tired eyes.
"I ask myself that every day."
She giggled.
"You should get new friends."
"Too late."
Jake dramatically placed a hand on his chest.
"After everything we've been through, you're replacing us?"
"Yes."
Jay gasped.
"I thought we were brothers."
"We're not."
Sunghoon nodded seriously.
"I support your decision."
"You're all terrible," Heeseung said.
The room burst into laughter. For the first time since moving here, Y/N felt like she belonged somewhere. She liked this. The laughter. The teasing. The comfortable atmosphere. And maybe... Just maybe... She liked the person sitting beside her a little too much.
A few days later, Y/N was lying on her bed.
Her math notebook was open in front of her. But she wasn't studying. She was staring at the ceiling. Why was she thinking about Heeseung again? It had become a habit lately. She remembered the way he smiled whenever she got an answer right. The way he patiently explained things. The way he listened to her random stories. And the way he laughed at her dramatic complaints. She sighed. Her plush bunny sat beside her.
"Do I... like him?"
Silence. Then she looked at the plushie.
"You can't answer me."
Another sigh. Her bedroom door opened.
"Who are you talking to?" her mother asked.
Y/N nearly jumped.
"No one!"
Mrs. Park laughed.
"You've been talking to your plushies again, haven't you?"
"No."
"Y/N."
"...Maybe."
Her mother smiled and closed the door.
Y/N covered her face with a pillow.
This was embarrassing.
──
The next day at school, Eunchae and Ni-ki were eating lunch with her.
"You look distracted," Eunchae said.
"I'm not."
"You are."
Ni-ki leaned closer.
"Confess."
"I have nothing to confess."
"You definitely do."
She sighed.
"I think... I might have a crush."
Both of them gasped.
"WHO?" Ni-ki almost shouted.
"Lower your voice!"
"Who is it?" Eunchae whispered excitedly.
Y/N hesitated.
Then she whispered back.
"...My tutor."
The table became silent.
Then—
"LEE HEESEUNG?!" both of them exclaimed.
She nearly dropped her juice.
"Shhh!"
"Oh my gosh!" Eunchae squealed.
"That's so cute!"
"No, it's not."
"It is."
"It isn't."
Ni-ki grinned.
"I knew it."
"You did not."
"I did."
"You absolutely didn't."
He shrugged.
"Still."
Y/N sighed and rested her head on the table.
"This is a disaster."
"Why?"
"He's older than me."
"Three years isn't that much."
"He's in university."
"So?"
"He probably sees me as a child."
Neither of her friends said anything.
Because honestly...
They didn't know.
───
As months passed, life continued peacefully. Y/N focused on school. Heeseung focused on university. The tutoring sessions continued. And her little crush quietly grew. She never planned to tell him. Never. Because she was sure it would disappear someday. At least, that's what she thought.
───
Winter arrived. One evening, Heeseung knocked on the Park family's door. He looked nervous. Mrs. Park noticed immediately.
"Is everything alright?"
He smiled softly.
"I got accepted."
"What?"
"I'll be transferring to a university in another city next semester."
Silence.
"That's wonderful!" Mrs. Park said.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Y/N stood frozen. Another city? He was leaving? For some reason, her heart sank.
"Oh..." she said quietly.
He looked at her.
"I'll be leaving in two weeks."
She forced a smile.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
He noticed how quiet she became. But before he could ask anything, her father started asking about the university. The conversation continued. Meanwhile, Y/N remained silent. She didn't understand why she suddenly felt sad. That night she sat by her window. The streetlights glowed softly. She could see Heeseung's bedroom light. He was probably packing. The thought made her chest hurt. Her phone suddenly buzzed. It was Eunchae.
Eunchae: How are you?
Y/N: Not good.
Eunchae: Because he's leaving?
She stared at the message.
Then slowly typed.
Y/N: I think I really like him.
───
The next two weeks passed too quickly. Before she knew it, moving day arrived. Boxes filled the Lee family's living room. Mrs. Lee was already crying.
"You'll visit often, right?"
"Of course."
"Call me every day."
"Mom."
"Every day."
He laughed.
"I will."
Outside, Y/N stood awkwardly. She had come to say goodbye. But now that she was here... She didn't know what to say. He walked toward her.
"You look sad."
"I'm not."
"You are."
She sighed.
"Maybe a little."
He smiled.
"I'll still visit."
"I know."
"And you can call if you need help with math."
She looked up.
"You'll help me even from another city?"
"Of course."
A small smile appeared on her face.
Then he gently patted her head.
"I'm proud of you, you know."
She blinked.
"What?"
"You've changed a lot."
She looked confused.
"When you first moved here, you barely spoke."
She laughed softly.
"That's true."
"But now..."
He smiled.
"You laugh a lot."
She felt her cheeks warm.
"That's because of you."
He didn't realize how much those words meant.
A car horn sounded. It was time. He picked up his bag.
"I should go."
"Okay."
"I'll see you soon."
She nodded.
"Take care, Heeseung."
"You too, Y/N."
Then he got into the car.
She stood there until the car disappeared. For some reason. She wanted to cry.
───
The following years passed faster than anyone expected. Y/N graduated from high school. She got accepted into college. And to her surprise— Ni-ki got into the same college. Meanwhile, Eunchae entered another university. Despite the distance, the three remained close friends. They met often. Called each other constantly. And nothing really changed.
As for Heeseung. He graduated with excellent grades. He built a life in another city. Then another opportunity came. A job abroad. And he took it. At first, he called home every week. Then life became busier. The calls became shorter. Less frequent. But he never forgot his family.Or his old neighborhood. Or the girl next door. Even if he didn't realize it.
───
Years passed. Y/N completed her degree. Then she left the country for higher studies. Living abroad wasn't easy. The first few months were lonely. She missed home. She missed her parents. She missed speaking her own language every day. But she worked hard. She studied. She made friends. She grew. She became more confident. More independent. And slowly... She built a successful career. Along the way, she met someone.
Sam.
They dated for almost two years. He was kind. Funny. Reliable. She genuinely liked him.
But...
Something was missing. Eventually they realized they wanted different things in life. They broke up peacefully. No drama. No hatred.
Just two people choosing different paths.
Meanwhile, Heeseung's life abroad was also busy. He worked hard. Built his career. Made new friends. Became successful. His parents couldn't have been prouder. And somewhere along the way... He started dating someone. A beautiful woman named Mina. Everyone thought they looked good together. Everyone...
Except his family.
Mrs. Lee didn't dislike her. But something felt off.
The same went for Jake, Jay and Sunghoon. None of them could explain it. They just had a strange feeling.
───
Ten years passed.
The shy girl next door was now twenty-seven years old. One morning, Y/N stood in the airport.
She smiled. Home. After years abroad. She was finally coming home. She didn't tell anyone. It was a surprise. When she opened the front door.
"Mom?"
Mrs. Park looked up.
A plate almost slipped from her hands.
"Y/N?!"
"MOM!"
They hugged tightly. Moments later, her father joined the hug. The entire house was filled with laughter and happy tears. She was finally home. And the neighborhood looked exactly the same.
Except. Everything felt smaller. Later that evening, she visited her friends. Ni-ki almost screamed when he saw her. Eunchae cried.
Then all three ended up laughing together.
"So..." Eunchae said.
"You look amazing."
"You do too."
Ni-ki nodded.
"You've changed."
"Good change or bad change?"
"Good."
They spent hours talking.
About careers.
Life abroad.
Old memories.
Everything.
It felt as though no time had passed at all.
───
A few days later, another person returned home.
Lee Heeseung. He stepped out of the car and stretched. Finally. A vacation.
He entered the house.
Mrs. Lee hugged her son immediately.
"My baby is home."
"Mom, I'm twenty-nine."
"Still my baby."
He laughed. Everything seemed perfect.
Until that evening. He went outside to feed the street cats. Some things never changed. A familiar voice suddenly spoke.
"Still bribing cats for friendship?"
He froze. That voice...
He slowly turned around. And nearly forgot how to breathe. A woman stood under the streetlight. She was beautiful. Long hair. Warm smile. Confident eyes. It took him a few seconds.
Then—
"Y... Y/N?"
She grinned.
"Missed me?"
He stared at her.
"You..."
"What?"
"You changed."
She laughed.
"I hope that's a compliment."
"It definitely is."
She smiled.
And for some reason. His heart beat a little faster. For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. The only sound was the soft meowing of the cats gathered around Heeseung's feet.
One of the cats rubbed against Y/N's leg.
She immediately bent down and picked it up.
"Oh, hello there."
The cat purred happily. Heeseung smiled.
"You still like cats."
"And you still feed every cat in the neighborhood."
"Some things never change."
She looked up at him. Some things definitely had changed. The boy she remembered had become a man. He was taller somehow. His features looked sharper. His hair was longer than before. And somehow... He was ridiculously handsome. Dangerously handsome.
"Why are you staring at me?" he asked.
Y/N blinked.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I was not."
He chuckled.
"You still deny everything."
"And you still enjoy teasing me."
They both laughed. The comfortable feeling surprised them. It had been years. Years. Yet talking to each other felt easy. Natural. As if no time had passed.
"When did you come back?" he asked.
"A few days ago."
"A few days ago? And you didn't tell me?"
She crossed her arms.
"You didn't tell me you were coming home either."
"...Fair."
She grinned.
"Exactly."
He looked at her again.
"You really changed."
She smiled.
"I think living alone in another country forces you to grow up."
He nodded.
"I understand that."
For a moment, they simply stood there. Then she looked at the cats.
"They're still here."
"Not all of them."
His voice softened.
"Some disappeared over the years."
She looked at him.
"Oh."
"I miss them sometimes."
She smiled gently.
"You really are a cat person."
"Completely."
"You know, I used to think you were secretly a Disney princess."
He blinked.
"What?"
"The cats followed you everywhere."
He laughed.
"That's ridiculous."
"It's true."
She grinned.
"You looked magical."
"Magical?"
"Yes."
He laughed harder. She found herself smiling at the sound. She had forgotten how nice his laugh was.
"So," he asked, "how have you been?"
That one question somehow led to another. And another. And another. Soon they were walking down the quiet street together. The cats had long disappeared. Neither of them noticed how much time had passed. They talked about everything. College. Work. Friends. Living abroad. Funny stories. Embarrassing memories.
"I nearly burned my apartment down once," she confessed.
He stopped walking.
"You what?"
"It wasn't my fault."
"It absolutely was."
"The recipe said medium heat."
"What did you make?"
"Pasta."
"You almost burned your apartment making pasta?"
She sighed.
"I wasn't blessed with cooking skills."
He laughed so hard he had to hold his stomach.
"Stop laughing!"
"I'm sorry."
"No, you're not."
"No, I'm not."
She rolled her eyes.
Some things truly never changed.
"And you?" she asked.
"Any disasters abroad?"
He looked thoughtful.
"I accidentally got locked out of my apartment."
"How?"
"I forgot my keys."
She burst out laughing.
"That's so stupid."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They continued walking. The night felt peaceful. The air was cool. Streetlights illuminated the empty roads. At one point, they ended up sitting on a small bench in a nearby park.
Y/N leaned back.
"I missed this."
"This neighborhood?"
"Home."
He looked at her quietly.
"I missed it too."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Then she suddenly spoke.
"I used to wonder how you were doing."
He blinked.
"You did?"
She nodded.
"I'd see your mom sometimes whenever I visited home."
"Oh."
"I heard about your promotions."
He looked surprised.
"You kept up with my life?"
She laughed softly.
"Not in a creepy way."
He laughed.
"Good."
"What about you?"
He looked at her.
"What about me?"
"Did you ever wonder about me?"
He smiled.
"Sometimes."
Her heart did something strange.
"I wondered if you still hated math."
She gasped.
"Unbelievable."
"It's an important question."
"I still hate it."
He laughed.
"I knew it."
"You haven't changed at all."
He looked at her.
"Neither have you."
For some reason, his voice sounded softer. She looked away. The silence returned. It wasn't awkward. It felt nice. Familiar.
Then—
Her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen. 3:07 a.m. Her eyes widened.
"WHAT?!"
He nearly jumped.
"What happened?"
"It's three in the morning!"
He looked at his phone.
"...Oh."
"We've been talking for hours!"
He blinked.
"Oh."
She laughed.
"You didn't notice either!"
"I really didn't."
They stared at each other. Then both started laughing.
"Your parents are going to think you've been kidnapped," he said.
"Your mom probably thinks the same thing."
"Probably."
They stood up.
"I should take you home."
"It's literally two houses away."
"Still."
She smiled.
"Okay."
They walked back slowly. When they reached her gate, neither of them immediately went inside.
"Goodnight," she said.
"Goodnight."
Neither moved.
She laughed.
"Why are we still standing here?"
"I don't know."
They laughed again.
Finally she opened the gate.
"See you tomorrow?"
He looked surprised.
"Tomorrow?"
"You're on vacation, right?"
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"Then let's hang out."
A smile appeared on his face.
"Okay."
"Okay."
"Goodnight, Y/N."
"Goodnight, Heeseung."
She went inside. And for some reason. Both of them smiled the entire night.
TO BE CONTINUED...
