Shore To Be || Hong Eunchae

Lead To You |Chapter 12|

"I doubt my decision a dozen times a day and wonder if I've made the right choice. But I still think that it's better to regret doing something than to regret not doing something." – Choi Seung Hyo

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The evening air was crisp and cool, carrying with it the distant sounds of laughter and music from the festival still in full swing across campus. The sky above was a canvas of deep blues and purples, dotted with stars that twinkled like tiny beacons against the night. I sat alone on a worn wooden bench nestled beneath a towering oak tree, its leaves rustling softly in the gentle breeze.

My thoughts were a tangled mess, swirling with memories and emotions I couldn't quite untangle. The energy and excitement of the festival had been overwhelming, but not in the way it was for most people. For me, it had been a stark reminder of how much had changed, of how different our lives had become.

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair in a futile attempt to steady my racing thoughts. I knew I needed to accept reality, to understand that our paths had diverged in ways neither of us could have anticipated. It was time to let go, or at least try to. But even as I told myself this, the thought of truly moving on felt impossible, like trying to grasp water slipping through my fingers.

The sudden sound of footsteps approaching pulled me from my reverie. They were light, almost hesitant, but growing closer by the second. I kept my gaze fixed ahead, assuming it was just another student passing by on their way to join the festivities. But as the footsteps drew nearer and then stopped right beside me, a familiar presence washed over me, sending a shiver down my spine.

Slowly, almost fearfully, I turned my head to the right, my breath catching in my throat as my eyes settled on the figure standing there.

It was Eunchae.

For a moment, I simply stared, my mind struggling to process what my eyes were seeing. She was dressed in casual clothes—a simple hoodie pulled up over her head and a black mask covering the lower half of her face. Strands of her hair peeked out from beneath the hood, slightly tousled as though she'd hurried to get here. Her eyes, though partially shadowed, held a warmth and softness that made my heart skip a beat.

"Eunchae..." I breathed her name, my voice barely above a whisper, laced with disbelief.

She tilted her head slightly, and even with the mask obscuring part of her face, I could tell she was smiling. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, a playful glint shining through.

"Yes, it's me, dummy," she replied, her voice muffled but unmistakably hers. "I'm real."

I blinked rapidly, still not entirely convinced I wasn't imagining this. "What... how are you here? Shouldn't you be—"

"Performing?" she finished for me, amusement evident in her tone as she moved to sit beside me on the bench. "ITZY's on stage right now, so everyone's distracted. Thought I'd take the opportunity to sneak away for a bit."

I stared at her, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that she was actually here, sitting next to me like it was the most natural thing in the world. "But what about security? Your managers? Won't they notice you're gone?"

She leaned back against the bench, her gaze turning upwards towards the star-studded sky. "Gyeon Ji is keeping an eye out," she said, nodding subtly towards another bench a short distance away.

Following her gaze, I spotted Gyeon Ji sitting casually, her eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced vigilance. She appeared relaxed, but there was a certain alertness to her posture that made it clear she was on duty. When our eyes briefly met, she gave a small nod before returning her focus to the area around us.