Back in the dorm, the night carried the faint scent of the festival—sweet smoke from grilled snacks clinging to Kaya's clothes, the memory of lanterns still glowing behind her eyelids.
Ji-eun dropped onto her bed with a dreamy sigh. "Tonight was perfect. Min-jae's aim at the shooting game was terrible, but he still won me that stuffed bear." She hugged the plush toy tightly, her smile so bright it filled the small room.
Kaya nodded, setting her bag on the desk. She didn't trust her voice.
Ji-eun went on, oblivious. "You saw, right? The way he gave me his scarf when it got chilly? He's always looking out for me."
Each word was a pinprick, reopening old wounds Kaya thought had healed. She wanted to cover her ears, but she forced herself to listen, her lips curving in a polite smile.
"Why do you have to keep reminding me, Ji-eun? You know I was there when he first looked my way."
But Kaya stayed silent, because what else could she do?
When Ji-eun finally drifted into her endless texting with Min-jae, Kaya slipped into bed and pulled the blanket over her head. In the darkness, she let her thoughts wander—away from Ji-eun's laughter, away from Min-jae's name.
Instead, she saw Moon.
The way he walked beside her without demanding words. The way he noticed her thirst before she even realized it. The way his voice carried calmness, as if he'd understood the question she hadn't been able to ask anyone else.
Her chest ached, but it was different this time—not from pain, but from something she hadn't felt in years. A fragile warmth, quiet but persistent.
Before sleep claimed her, Kaya whispered into the dark, "Why do you feel different?"
No answer came, of course. Only the faint hum of the night outside.
But deep inside, Kaya knew her story was beginning to shift.
To be continued....