As he awoke to the blaring of the alarm clock, he quickly noticed that Jisoo was missing from his side. Propping himself up, he searched the room with his gaze, a habit he had grown accustomed to. A wave of dizziness washed over him the moment he sat upright in bed.
"Ugh... damn it... I really overdid it last night," he groaned, memories of sharing two bottles of wine with Jisoo flooding back. With a heavy sigh, he shuffled towards the bathroom and turned on the shower. As he peeled off his clothes, he watched the water cascade down, steam beginning to swirl in the air—a clear indication that the temperature was just right. Without hesitating, he stepped into the warm embrace of the shower and pulled the glass door shut behind him.
Under the showerhead, the water poured down like a gentle rain, warm and even, invigorating every fiber of his being. He exhaled deeply, a loud sigh of relief, feeling truly awake and alive. Reaching for the shampoo bottle, he squeezed a generous amount into his palm and began to work it into his hair, the cascading water washing over his face. His body soaked up the warmth like a sponge, and he relished the satisfying sensation. In those precious moments, his mind was blissfully clear, a rare sense of freedom that no other experience could rival—a brief escape from the chaos of his life, especially now that he was back in Korea.
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After a leisurely 20-minute shower, Haein reluctantly stepped out, driven by an overwhelming desire to kiss the woman he adored. It struck him as odd that she had risen before him, especially since she usually relied on reminders about her own identity. As he made his way back into the bedroom, his gaze fell on the well-loved book resting on her nightstand from the night before. A frown creased his forehead as he approached it, curiosity piqued.
"How peculiar... this reminds me of the times when I held you close as my girlfriend," he mused with a smile as he picked up the book, running his fingers over its worn edges. However, he was startled when a small piece of paper slipped out as he opened it. Instinctively, he crouched down to retrieve it, and a soft gasp escaped his lips upon seeing a photograph attached to the note.
"Jisoo?" he whispered, realizing that she must have written a summary of the book, weaving in her own reflections on life. As he read through the entire summary, a tightening sensation gripped his chest, his eyes narrowing in response to the poignant words.
Friendship is like paper; once it's crumpled, it can never return to its original state. Yet, I still wanted to mend what was broken between us. But then I realized that no matter how hard I tried, there would always be tears staining that piece of paper... xJisoo
"This... this isn't new! It's actually a letter you wrote when you finished writing the book!" he muttered, his eyes scanning her familiar handwriting on the paper. It was evident that she had been grappling with something significant the day she penned those thoughts.
"After all... Siwon did confess to you... and you must have been heartbroken, caught between us when we both fell for you at the same time! You must have known how difficult it was, watching us clash over you! I never understood just how much you must have hurt, witnessing our friendship crumble into something so painful..." Haein reflected, his gaze lingering on the photographs that accompanied her words.
