──── song eunseok.

There is nothing more painful than having to accept that the guy you like is into someone else. You’ve been in love with Eunseok since the start of university. You tried to be his friend back then, even though your friends warned you against getting close to him. You ignored them and stuck to your goal. You even shared an intimate moment while working on a project together, and you genuinely believed it might lead to something more—but unfortunately, it didn't.
Not long after that, he made it clear that he was truly in love with Ho-Yeon, his best friend. On some level, you knew it—everyone at university knew it, really; the only one who "didn't know" was Ho-Yeon—but you clung to the idea that you could make him forget her. That never happened. His confession devastated you, of course, though you never let your vulnerability show; you simply became distant. For months, you didn't even want to be near him. You felt immature acting that way, but it was the most effective way to get over him.
Today, you were in the cafeteria, trying to decide between a green apple and a red one. Eunseok walked over, clearly intending to speak to you; he was holding two different ties in his hands. A wide smile spread across his face when he spotted you.
"Hey, I need your help. Which one do you think...?" he asked as he reached you, looking down at the options in his hands—only to stop mid-sentence and frown when he looked up and didn't see you there. A moment later, he spotted you in the distance, your expression neutral as you took a seat next to your best friend, Hyun-Woo.