Hwang Hyunjin⁹

At first everything was easy with you.

Hyunjin looked at you as if the whole world stopped every time you spoke. He always found a way to take your hand, to draw you closer to him in silence, to whisper that he didn't need anyone else. You were enough. You had always been enough.

But then she appeared.

A friend.
That's what he said.

At first it didn't seem like anything important. Just messages, some laughs, long conversations where he would say:
"She's just a friend, don't overthink it."

You believed him. Because you trusted him.

But little by little you started to notice things that weren't there before.

Hyunjin took longer to respond.
He would cancel plans with you.
Sometimes he would simply disappear.

—“I’m sorry, I’m running late.”
—“I had to help her with something.”
—“I promise to make it up to you.”

You always ended up waiting.

Waiting for him in cafes where the coffee got cold in front of you.
Waiting for him in messages that remained on "read".
Waiting for him even when you knew he probably wouldn't come.

And the worst part is... he did have time.

But not for you.

The stories on his phone showed laughter with her. Long conversations. Moments that used to be yours.

One night, when he finally arrived late for another date, he didn't even notice that your eyes were red.

—“Why are you like this?” he asked, as if he really didn’t understand.

You wanted to scream at him.
Tell him everything that was happening.

But you only said something small, something that came out broken from your throat:

“I miss you… even when you’re here.”

Hyunjin remained silent.

Because at some point… without you realizing it…

He had begun to leave.