The next day-
The air felt heavy—
Since morning.
---
Harin stood near the window—
Quiet.
Thinking.
---
Then finally—
She spoke.
"…I'll talk to him."
---
Yuna and Jihun looked at her.
---
Jihun crossed his arms.
"…Are you sure?"
---
Harin nodded.
"Yes."
A pause.
"I should be the one to face him."
---
Then Jihun asked—
Straightforward.
"…Do you like him?"
---
Silence.
---
Harin thought for a second—
Then shook her head lightly.
"…No."
---
Yuna watched her carefully.
---
Harin continued calmly,
"…Right now, I don't have any love interest."
"…So it's better to be clear."
---
Jihun nodded.
"…Good."
---
Yuna agreed softly.
"…It's better than giving him false hope."
---
Harin smiled a little.
"…Yeah."
---
After School
The sun was slowly setting—
Painting the sky orange.
---
Jihun texted Kyungmin.
"Come to the back garden. We need to talk."
---
A few minutes later—
Kyungmin arrived.
---
"…You called—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
---
Because standing there—
Was Harin.
---
Alone.
---
He froze.
"…Oh."
"…Hi…"
---
Harin looked at him calmly.
"…Hi."
---
A small silence passed.
---
Then Harin spoke—
Softly.
"…From today…"
"…Call me Harin."
---
Kyungmin looked at her.
---
"…Not Haru anymore."
---
He gave a small, awkward smile.
"…Yeah… I figured."
---
Harin took a deep breath.
---
"…I'll explain everything."
---
And she did.
---
She told him—
About transferring to the school.
About pretending to be a boy.
About how it started as fun—
A game—
A disguise.
---
And how it went too far.
---
From a distance—
Behind a wall—
---
Yuna, Jihun, and Minji stood quietly.
Listening.
---
No one spoke.
---
Back there—
Kyungmin stayed silent.
Listening to everything.
---
Then—
After a pause—
He smiled.
---
"…I see."
---
He looked at her.
Straight.
Honest.
---
"…I like you, Harin."
---
Silence.
---
Even from far—
Yuna and Minji held their breath.
---
Harin closed her eyes for a second—
Then bowed slightly.
---
"…I'm sorry."
---
Kyungmin didn't move.
---
Harin continued gently,
"…Right now…"
"…I'm not looking for anything like that."
---
A pause.
---
"…So I can't accept your feelings."
---
Silence.
---
For a moment—
No one knew what Kyungmin would do.
---
Then suddenly—
He laughed.
---
"…Wow."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Got rejected properly, huh."
---
Harin looked at him—
A bit worried.
---
But Kyungmin smiled again.
This time—
Genuine.
---
"…It's okay."
---
He shrugged lightly.
"…At least now everything is clear."
---
Then he added—
"…We know each other properly now."
---
A small pause.
---
"…So let's just be friends."
---
Harin blinked—
Then smiled softly.
"…Yeah."
---
Kyungmin took out his phone.
Checked the time.
---
"…Ah, I'm late."
---
He looked at her one last time.
"…I have guitar class."
---
Then turned—
And waved casually.
"…Bye, Harin."
---
"…Bye."
---
And just like that—
He walked away.
---
From the distance—
Minji whispered,
"…Is he… okay?"
---
Yuna looked at him leaving—
Her expression unsure.
---
Jihun answered quietly—
At the same time as Yuna.
---
"…Don't know."
---
The sun set slowly—
As Kyungmin walked alone.
---
Smiling.
---
But somewhere deep inside—
Something had quietly broken.
---
And even he didn't know—
If he was really okay.
The music room was quiet—
Except for the soft sound of a guitar.
---
Choi Kyungmin sat there—
Holding his electric guitar—
But his fingers weren't moving properly.
---
His mind—
Was somewhere else.
---
Harin…
Haru…
All this time…
---
"Kyungmin."
---
He snapped back slightly.
---
His teacher looked at him.
"…Focus."
---
Kyungmin nodded.
"…Yes, sir."
---
He tried again—
Plucking the strings.
---
Wrong note.
---
Again.
---
Wrong.
---
His grip tightened slightly.
---
She's a girl…
She rejected me…
But… we're still friends… right?
---
"…Kyungmin."
---
This time, his teacher's voice was firmer.
"…You're not concentrating today."
---
Kyungmin forced a small smile.
"…Sorry."
---
But even as he said that—
His thoughts kept drifting.
---
And no matter how much he tried—
He just couldn't focus.
---
Meanwhile…
The sky was turning darker—
Streetlights slowly lighting up.
---
Yuna and Harin were walking home together.
---
Harin stretched her arms lazily.
"…Finally."
"…Everything is settled now."
---
Yuna glanced at her.
"…Is it though?"
---
Harin tilted her head.
"…What do you mean?"
---
Yuna looked ahead.
"…What if you fall in love someday?"
---
Harin stopped walking for a second.
Then smirked.
---
"…Me?"
---
She placed a hand dramatically on her chest.
---
"…If this beautiful prince ever falls in love—"
---
She flipped her hair lightly.
---
"…Then the world might end."
---
Yuna stared at her.
Deadpan.
---
"…You're impossible."
---
Harin laughed.
---
"…I'm serious!"
---
Yuna sighed.
"…I feel bad for the person who falls for you."
---
Harin grinned mischievously.
"…Or lucky?"
---
Yuna shook her head.
"…Definitely not."
---
Both of them continued walking—
Their laughter mixing with the cool evening air.
---
But somewhere else—
In a quiet music room—
---
A boy sat—
Holding his guitar—
Lost in thoughts—
He couldn't escape from.
---
And even though everything was "settled"—
---
Some feelings—
Don't end that easily.
The night deepened—
Far beyond Korea.
---
In New York City—
Where the city lights never fade—
And silence feels different.
---
Inside a high-rise apartment—
A soft glow filled the room.
---
A girl stood near the window.
---
Her face—
Hidden in the shadows.
---
Only the faint outline of her figure visible—
Still.
Composed.
---
In her hand—
A photograph.
---
She looked at it quietly—
For a long time.
---
Then slowly—
Her fingers brushed over it.
---
A soft whisper escaped her lips—
Almost like a memory.
---
"…You didn't change at all."
---
The camera shifts—
Revealing the photo—
---
Choi Kyungmin.
---
Smiling brightly—
Unaware.
---
The girl let out a small laugh.
---
"…Or maybe…"
She paused.
---
"…you did."
---
Her eyes narrowed slightly—
Still fixed on the picture.
---
"…Finally…"
A soft breath.
---
"…I will meet you again, Choi."
---
Outside—
The city lights flickered endlessly.
---
Inside—
The silence grew heavier.
---
And somewhere between the past—
And the present—
---
Something long forgotten—
Was about to return.