Falling For The Park Brothers' Sister ⚊ Nishimura Riki

Chapter Thirty Five

Jiyoo couldn't shake the image of Ni-ki's pained expression from her mind. After the fight with Jungwon, he’d been more distant than ever, avoiding eye contact and giving her only short, clipped responses.

It was unlike him, and the change was unsettling.

She knew she couldn’t just let things continue like this. Ni-ki needed someone to talk to, someone who understood how much that fight had hurt him.

That evening, after getting home, Jiyoo texted Ni-ki.

Jiyoo: Hey, can we hang out tomorrow? Just the two of us?

She waited, anxiously watching the three little dots appear and disappear as he typed, then paused, and then typed again. Finally, his response popped up.

Ni-ki: Sure. Where?

Jiiyoo: How about the park near the mall?

Ni-ki: Okay. Noon?

Jiyoo: Noon it is. See you then!

⚊

The next day, Jiyoo arrived at the park a little early. The sun was shining brightly, and the sounds of laughter and chatter filled the air. It was the perfect setting for what she hoped would be a relaxing day.

When Ni-ki finally arrived, he looked tired, his usual bright energy dimmed. She greeted him with a smile, trying to lift his spirits.

"Hey, you look like you could use a break," she said, patting the bench next to her.

Ni-ki smiled faintly, sitting down beside her. "Yeah, you could say that."

For a while, they just sat in silence, watching the kids play and the dogs chase after balls. Jiyoo didn’t want to push him, but she could see the storm of emotions brewing just beneath his calm exterior.

"Ni-ki," she began, keeping her voice gentle, "what happened with Jungwon… it’s really been bothering you, hasn’t it?"

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stared down at his hands, picking at the fraying threads on his sleeve.

"I didn’t think seeing him again would bring up so much stuff," he admitted.

Jiyoo leaned in slightly, giving him her full attention. "What do you mean?"

Ni-ki sighed. "Back when we were younger, Jungwon and I were inseparable. He was like a brother to me. But then, out of nowhere, he started pulling away. I didn’t understand why. I thought I did something wrong. I tried to talk to him about it, but he just… shut me out. It felt like he abandoned me. And then, one day, he was just gone—moved away without even saying goodbye."

Jiyoo’s heart ached hearing the pain in his voice. "That must have been really hard."

"It was," Ni-ki continued, his voice cracking slightly. "I was so angry. I felt so betrayed. I swore to myself that if I ever saw him again, I wouldn’t let him back into my life. But now… now that he’s back and trying to make things right, I don’t know how to feel."

Jiyoo reached out and placed her hand on his. "It’s okay to feel conflicted. You have every right to be hurt, but it’s also okay to want to forgive him."

Ni-ki squeezed her hand, appreciating the comfort. "I just don’t know if I can. Every time I see him, I’m reminded of how he walked away from me without a word. It’s like… how can I trust him again?"

Meanwhile, Jungwon was having his own struggles.

After the fight with Ni-ki, he felt like a failure. He’d tried so hard to make amends, to be the friend Ni-ki deserved, but all he seemed to do was make things worse.