Chahyuk tossed his finished cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his shoe before lighting another.
"I'm shocked," he said, exhaling. "Who's the person who managed to change your mind — the thing we couldn't do for almost six years? I'm impressed. So what are you going to do now?"
Han leaned forward on the railing, looking out at the city lights below.
"One thing I know," he said quietly, "is that he could die for me. But if I asked him to give me a glass of water, he wouldn't. I don't want to break up yet — it'll be hard for me. So for now, I'll just let it be the way it is. He already doesn't pay attention to me anyway. I think I have to get over him first… maybe then I'll be able to finally let go."
"So, you've made up your mind?" Chahyuk asked, watching Han quietly.
Han nodded, taking the cigarette from Chahyuk's hand and blowing out a slow stream of smoke.
"If you're saying this yourself," Chahyuk said, placing a hand on Han's shoulder, "then you must've thought it through. Han… if he doesn't treat you well, then he doesn't deserve you."
Han smiled faintly — a bitter smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Chahyuk tried to lighten the mood. "So I guess we'll only have one couple left in our group now."
Han shook his head. "They already broke up."
"What? No way." Chahyuk's eyes widened. "Jisoo and Seokmin? Impossible. Seokmin's crazy about him."
Han looked straight into Chahyuk's eyes. "Seokmin said Jisoo likes someone else — and that he'll never love him sincerely. I've known Jisoo since high school, and I don't remember him liking anyone… unless it was someone from middle school. You were with him then, right?"
That was the reason Han had come to see him — to understand the truth about Jisoo and Seungmin's past.
Chahyuk thought for a moment before answering. "He wasn't really close to anyone — except for one friend. But that friend left him, and after that, he got close to Seungmin."
Han frowned slightly. "So he left his old friend to be with Seungmin? Maybe they already knew each other before."
Chahyuk shook his head. "Not from the start. It was unpredictable. At first, they hated each other. Jisoo and his friend used to bully Seungmin all the time. Seungmin never fought back — he just took it quietly."
He paused, his tone turning serious. "Then one day, during a parent–teacher meeting, Mr. Choi came to school. Seungmin had failed his exams. Mr. Choi grabbed his arm in front of everyone and started yelling, dragging him down the hallway. Everyone was watching. I was on the second floor… and Jisoo was across from me on the opposite side. When he saw what was happening, he ran."
Chahyuk's voice lowered. "Mr. Choi was about to slap Seungmin, but Jisoo jumped in front of him. He pulled Seungmin behind him, protecting him. You could see the whole school holding its breath. Even now, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Jisoo stood there — chin up, eyes locked with Mr. Choi's — and said something to him. I don't know what, but it stopped him. Mr. Choi let go and walked away."
He exhaled a shaky laugh. "Then Jisoo took off his jacket and threw it over Seungmin's head — but it fell. So he picked it up again and gently covered him, leading him away."
Han listened quietly, expression unreadable.
"After that," Chahyuk continued, "they were inseparable. Always together. I remember some girl fell for Jisoo later and they dated, but it lasted only a week. She slapped him in front of everyone and dumped him. I don't know if it was true or not but everyonein my class said that. "
Han sighed, thinking to himself, So typical of Chahyuk — missing the actual point.
"Chahyuk," he said finally, "don't you think it's strange? A man like Mr. Choi — people say he killed his wife — why would he let Jisoo walk away that easily. Thats strange.?"
Chahyuk hesitated. "Maybe because Jisoo's mother worked for him?"
Han shook his head. "That's not a good enough reason. If he really wanted to, he could erase their entire family — and no one would ever know."
Chahyuk fell silent, eyes narrowing in thought. "Maybe… because the whole school saw it. If he touched Jisoo after that, he'd be the obvious suspect. Or maybe choi is actually jisoo real father."
Han laughed. "Maybe you're right."
Both laughed.