The library was quieter than usual, sunlight spilling in through tall windows, warming the long wooden tables. Kaya traced her finger over the edge of her notebook, trying to focus on the dense lines of her psychology text. The words blurred together, stubbornly refusing to make sense.
She sighed, tucking a loose strand of her wavy hair behind her ear.
"Struggling?"
The voice was soft, low. Kaya looked up and found Moon standing there, his backpack slung over one shoulder. He had an effortless way of blending into the background, yet the moment he spoke, the world seemed to narrow to just him.
"Not struggling," Kaya murmured. "Drowning."
The corner of his mouth lifted, just barely. Without asking, he slid into the chair beside her. He pulled out a notebook, filled with staff lines and scattered music notes, setting it on the table between them.
"You study," he said, opening his notebook. "I'll compose. We'll both try to survive."
Kaya blinked at him, then let out a quiet laugh. It startled her—it had been a while since laughter came so easily.
For the next half hour, silence stretched between them. His pen scratched steadily against paper, her pencil underlining hesitant phrases. Every so often, their eyes met. Not long enough to break the moment, but long enough for warmth to bloom inside her chest.
At one point, she caught a glimpse of his page: notes arranged carefully, like he was trying to speak through them. She wanted to ask what they meant. But something told her that with Moon, the answers would come slowly, when she was ready to hear them.
The calm shattered when her phone buzzed against the table. A message from Ji-eun lit up the screen.
"Don't forget, Min-jae and I want you to come with us to the festival this weekend! It'll be fun!"
Her stomach twisted. Fun—for them, maybe. For her, it would mean standing in the shadow of their happiness again.
Moon's eyes flicked toward her phone. He didn't ask, but his quiet presence felt like an anchor. She quickly locked the screen and whispered, "Just… friends."
He nodded, as if he understood without needing more.
And for the first time that day, Kaya realized that silence with Moon didn't feel empty—it felt safe.
To be continued....