Yeon Si-Eun

Si-Eun was extremely private. Very few people knew he had a girlfriend. And it wasn't because he wanted to hide you. He simply never talked about his private life unless asked. When a classmate brought it up, his response was usually just a curt, "Yes. I have a girlfriend." And the conversation ended there. He never showed pictures of you, never boasted about the relationship, and never felt the need to explain who you were. For him, what he had with you was nobody else's business. It was enough for him that you knew the place you held in his life.

As the months passed, you began to wonder if he really liked you. Not because Si-Eun was rude to you. Quite the opposite. He always answered your messages, walked with you after class, and was the first to show up if you needed help. But... he never took your hand on his own initiative. He never hugged you. Much less kissed you. Sometimes he even seemed to pay more attention to his notes than to you. It was hard not to think about it. You tried to convince yourself that this was just how he was. But inevitably, the doubt kept growing. Did he really enjoy being with you... or did he only agree to go out with you because he didn't know how to reject you?

One afternoon, they were both in Si-Eun's apartment. He was sitting in the chair in front of his desk, his usual indifferent expression on his face, as he reviewed some notes on advanced mathematics. He was so engrossed in his notes that he barely seemed to notice you were there.
Si-Eun thought he wasn't ignoring you. He seemed comfortable, letting you be in his space. But you felt slighted. So, unable to bear the doubts swirling in your head any longer, you asked him, "Si-Eun, do you like me?"

At the question, he put his pen down on the notebook. He stared at the pages for a few seconds, as if processing what you had just said. Finally, he looked up at you.
"Why would you ask something like that?"