Lies There~
Into A Heart That Remembers~
The comment section fell into silence—stunned, almost reverent—as Jaisy's sudden live performance ended. Even on an unfamiliar platform like TookTick, where her account had always been little more than a casual update spot for vacations and small posts, her presence was enough to shake the audience.
It was suspicious, though.
Dohyun sat in quiet awe, yet a part of his mind lingered on something else. Has she had a change of heart? Among the hundreds of thousands of viewers, all equally desperate for answers, the chat was filled with wild speculation and raw emotion:
Is this a new release?
What an extravagant song...
Reminds me of my old lover...
And then, after the storm of comments, silence once more. The air felt heavy, as though the world itself had paused.
Until Jaisy spoke.
"Hi, guys..."
Her soft greeting broke the stillness.
"I have an important announcement to make today. I hope you enjoyed the last song I just released—along with my last performance."
Dohyun's heart sank. I see... so this is her last perfor—
"What?!!!"
The shout rang so loudly that Dohyun almost dropped his phone. The voice belonged to none other than Dr. Yun, one of the most renowned professors on campus.
Eh?! Since when was the professor here?!
It wasn't just Dohyun. Every student in class turned toward the source, equally shocked at the professor's outburst.
"Ahem..." Dr. Yun quickly straightened, clearing his throat to recover some dignity. "Looks like I have some business. I'll return in a few minutes."
And with that, he rushed out of the lecture hall, leaving only a single swinging door behind him.
No one needed to guess. He'd seen the same live broadcast. Everyone had.
"Ugh... even a renowned professor, huh?" someone muttered. "Guess he's just another fan."
Dohyun sighed inwardly. Well, not up to me to judge. But... it's true. Jaisy wasn't just an idol for teenagers—her reach stretched from children to the elderly alike.
Still, what shocked everyone wasn't her performance. It was her sudden retirement.
Unlike most artists bound by ironclad contracts, Jaisy had always been independent. She built her own company from the ground up, funded by loyal fans on WeTobe, hiring only a handful of staff and a manager of her choosing. She was free to quit whenever she wanted.
But that freedom only made her words harder to believe.
"The reason I'm quitting," she said on the stream, "is because I want to focus on my studies. I've lived the past two years as an artist and experienced the ups and downs. But I realized... I need to find stability. I need to focus on building a future outside of music."
The comments exploded.
That's a lie.
She could feed ten generations with what she has!
Nooo! My lovely Jaisy!
Every corner of the chat brimmed with chaos—grief, denial, frustration. A storm of fans unable to let go.
Dohyun tilted his head back, eyes wandering to the ceiling.
"A heart that remembers..."
For some reason, her last song lingered in him—aching, familiar.
"Why, Dohyun? Does it make you sad that your favorite artist's quitting?" Harin, seated beside him, tilted her head with a teasing smile.
He shook his head lightly.
"No... just that the song was beautiful. It feels like a waste, that someone so talented would just... quit."
Ting!
Almost everyone's phones—except those muted—suddenly rang with a notification. A message popped up.
Dr. Yun's name appeared, along with a voice note.
"Today's class is canceled. I have lost my goddes— I mean, something urgent came up. I will upload important notes later. DO READ IT."
His crying voice was loud and clear, betraying what it really was.
"Wow, he must be a die-hard fan..." Yuna muttered.
"Well, that's wrapped," Harin said, already busy packing up her things.
Unexpected... I hope she uploads the last song somewhere, Dohyun thought.
He felt something he couldn't explain, as if the song was directed at him. Not just a song, but someone—reaching out through it.
Meh, won't bother.
"Huh? What are you doing? Let's go," said Harin, now standing, bag slung over her shoulder.
The street just behind the campus was famous among students. It bustled with people walking leisurely. With cars forbidden, it was the safest spot, a true walking paradise. Lining both sides were shops—food stalls, cafés, and 24-hour convenience stores—that made student life easier.
Dohyun and Harin strolled down the lively road. Yuna had left earlier, saying she had something to do at home.
"So, what's your next plan?" Harin asked.
"Dunno. Probably just head home and game."
"Umm, no fun~ You should be more active, Mister Dohyun." She teased.
It was just Dohyun's usual. Whenever he had free time, he gamed. He wasn't exactly a nerd—just a hardcore gamer who enjoyed a peaceful, solitary life. Which, in contrast, seemed strange since he had someone like Harin—a campus goddess—as his friend.
While scrolling through her phone, Harin suddenly stopped.
"I have an idea!"
"?"
Dohyun also halted, looking at her curiously.
"Come, let's go!~"
"Wait, wha—?!"
Before he could protest, Harin grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
He didn't resist. Somehow, it felt natural.
Behind the fast pace, Dohyun's face heated up as he stared at their hands, now linked together.
Ugh, this clueless girl...
***
"Tada~!"
"Uh... so you dragged me here for Captain Mimica, I suppose?"
In front of them stood a massive signboard: Cinemplexer.
It wasn't hard to guess. The moment Dohyun saw the poster, he blurted out Captain Mimica—the one movie both of them had been waiting for.
"Yup! Showing at 3:30."
"Harin..."
"What?"
"It's 3:29. Let's go! We'll miss it!"
"Eh—?!" Harin blinked, shocked by Dohyun's sudden burst of energy.
This time, it was him dragging her. Captain Mimica was his absolute favorite, and no way was he going to miss it. And now, it was Harin's turn to blush.
Dummy.
They rushed to the counter, quickly booked tickets, and slipped inside.
"Ah, excuse us—" Dohyun muttered, politely making way through the narrow row. Their seats were right in the middle, and a few students were already settled along the way. The hall wasn't too crowded—probably because it was midterm season and working hours. If not for today's canceled class, neither of them would be here.
Both carried only drinks—iced tea for each. No popcorn. They'd been in too much of a hurry.
Only after sitting down and catching his breath did Dohyun realize what he'd just done.
You idiot, Kang Dohyun, what have you done!!!
It wasn't like him at all to take the lead, especially with a girl. The embarrassment burned his ears.
Harin noticed his sudden awkwardness and smirked.
"What's with you? Acting like a bulldog in heat? The movie's about to start."
"Ah—yeah, nothing..." Dohyun mumbled, shrinking into his seat.
(Done Fix)
Hence, the movie began.
Throughout the film, Dohyun's expression shifted again and again—sometimes tense, sometimes wide-eyed, sometimes even goofy—completely absorbed in the flow of the story.
Harin, who had been focused on the movie herself, found her attention wandering to him instead.
"So even the faceless Dohyun can make expressions like that..." she whispered under her breath, a smile tugging at her lips. Her voice was so soft that even Dohyun, sitting right beside her, couldn't hear it.
Wait... when I think about it, isn't this basically a date?
She sneaked another glance at his dumbfounded movie face.
Nah. With him? No way.
"Nghh..." Dohyun stretched his arms as the credits rolled and the lights came on.
Their silhouettes emerged from the dark cinema hall into the busy corridor.
"Dang, that was such a great movie," Dohyun grinned. "I remember reading this in the comics."
"True. And Alham really lived up to his name. That acting in the action scenes? Perfect," Harin agreed.
On the stairs, Harin suddenly quickened her pace, turning around to block Dohyun's path. She looked straight at him.
"Now, now, Dohyun."
"What?"
"Don't you think... this feels like a date?"
"Ugh—?!" Dohyun froze, caught completely off guard. His face flushed red instantly. Nonchalant as he usually was, he couldn't deny the fact: he was walking side by side with one of the most beautiful girls on campus. Even as a man, denial only went so far.
"T-that's... it's just a casual walk."
"Really?" she tilted her head.
"Yeah, I mean—"
"But we've never walked together, though."
She had a point. Usually, it was always the trio: him, Harin, and Yuna. And if it wasn't, then it was Dohyun paired with Yuna because of their part-time jobs. Never once had it been just him and Harin like this. Tonight wasn't just rare—it was a first.
"Oh~ and don't forget. You pulled my hand earlier. Really made me blush~"
"Ugh..." Dohyun groaned, knowing full well she was teasing him again.
But then—
"I'm serious."
Her expression shifted. For a brief moment, Harin's eyes carried a weight of sincerity, making it feel like she was urging him—go on, make a move.
"U-um..." Dohyun stammered.
"Just kidding!~" she burst out laughing, her grin wide. "Awww, look at that blush! Hahaha!"
"Y-you...!" Dohyun's embarrassment flared.
"Kyaa! A guy's attacking me!" Harin squealed dramatically as he chased after her a few steps, his face burning.
"Alright, alright, stoppp!" Harin finally held up her hands in surrender, still giggling. "Anyway, see you tomorrow, blush boy."
"Ugh, yeah, morning class. See ya."
They split paths there—his rented room just nearby, hers a little further down in the opposite direction.
"Ugh, what was that serious face about..." Dohyun muttered, rubbing his neck as he trudged home.
Meanwhile, on her side of the street, Harin was smiling softly, cheeks still tinged pink.
Dohyun, you dummy. Just take a step already.