Kim Sunwoo

You'd been dating for almost two years, and everything seemed light and warm around Sunwoo. He had a knack for making ordinary evenings special: he'd joke around, bombard you with messages, drag you to new cafes, and get offended if you didn't respond for a long time. You were in your junior year of college, juggling classes and a part-time job, while Sunwoo was already working and staying late more and more often. At first, everything remained the same, but over time, you began to notice something was hiding behind his usual easygoing demeanor. He began disappearing more often, his replies were brief, and sometimes he'd sit next to you, as if his thoughts were far away.
One late evening, Sonu came to you drunk—disheveled, irritated, and overly tired. Then the conversation you'd both been avoiding for so long finally happened. At first, calmly, then increasingly loudly, with pent-up grievances swirling. You tried to get through to him, but he only chuckled nervously and looked away.
"Do you even notice that something is wrong between us?" you asked quietly as a heavy silence fell over the room.
Sonu didn't answer. He just pursed his lips and looked away. And that was it. You parted almost without words, but with the feeling that you'd lost something so important in each other.
About six months passed. School, internships, and meeting new people gradually pushed his memory aside, though sometimes you still caught yourself checking his messages on your phone out of habit. On the first day of internship, you tried to focus solely on your work and remain as calm as possible, until you accidentally bumped into someone in the hallway. You automatically apologized, looked up, and froze.
Sonu stood in front of you.
He looked almost the same, only now he seemed much calmer and more reserved. But as soon as he recognized you, a familiar look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and the corners of his lips twitched slightly, as if he were trying to hide his emotions with a familiar, easy smile. A long silence fell between you.
Sonu took a step closer, looking at you carefully, and then quietly said: So... you work here now?