|Summer, August 3rd, 2027|
23:55
Streetlights cast a golden glow on the quiet, empty road. The night breeze gently whispered through, carrying the scent of flowers and the river, stirring the lush green leaves. In the stillness of the night, you could hear the soft rustle of leaves, the chirping of crickets, and the slow, relaxed footsteps of a peaceful walk.
Walking beside Jiyoon, Jungeun would occasionally steal a glance at her.
Her skin was soft and fair, her nose elegantly shaped, her breaths steady and calm. Her lips, sweet as cherry blossoms, and her delicate features were impossible to look away from.
Jiyoon glanced at Jungeun and curled her lips into a smile, causing a small flutter in the younger girl's heart.
Jungeun quietly chuckled at herself. Jiyoon had been hers for a long time, yet she could never stop her heart from fluttering at the sight of her.
Noticing the way Jiyoon’s gaze made her feel shy, Choi Jungeun awkwardly diverted the conversation—“This road doesn’t seem to get much traffic, does it?”
“This area was just finished recently. Not many people know about it yet,” Jiyoon replied, her thoughts drifting to how Jungeun had just returned after six months on an exchange program in Japan.
The two of them stopped along a stretch of the road. Jungeun propped her chin on the railing, gazing at the river, her other hand hanging loosely as if waiting for the one beside her to take it. Suddenly, she felt something poke her side, and she turned to look.
“Wow! What’s this?”
“A birthday gift.”
She eagerly took the box from Jiyoon, smiling like a child receiving candy.
“Can I open it now?” Jungeun asked, trying to contain her excitement as she looked at Jiyoon.
Her fingers quickly untied the pretty pink ribbon after getting a nod from Jiyoon.
“Wow, it’s a bracelet! It’s so beautiful!”
“Where did you buy this?”
“When did you prepare this?”
“Was it expensive?”
“It’s even engraved! It must’ve been pricey! You’re too much, Yoon Jiyoon!”
Jiyoon laughed, watching Jungeun intently without answering. It wasn’t until Jungeun playfully pinched her cheek that she responded.
“I found it on the street.”
With that, they both burst into laughter.
---
They gazed at each other for a long time, like lovers lost in a deep sea of love, letting time and the world fade away. In that moment, the person before them was the only light in their lives. Their breaths synchronized, and for that fleeting instant, all they felt was peace and absolute happiness.
But then…
Jungeun sensed something different in Jiyoon’s eyes.
“What is it you wanted to tell me?” Jungeun asked softly, but suddenly a wave of unease washed over her.
“Jungeun, let’s break up.”
---
