Ain stared at her phone for what felt like hours, debating whether or not to call Jay. The silence between them had stretched on for too long and she knew it wasn't going to fix itself. It had been days since they last spoke and each conversation had felt more distant than the one before. She missed him—missed their late-night talks and missed his voice.
With a deep breath, she finally hit the call button.
The phone rang once, twice, and then Jay picked up.
"Hey."
"Hey, how's Seoul?"
"It's... okay. Busy, you know? School's been tough and my dad's been pushing me to focus more. What about you? How's everything in Busan?"
She didn't want to lie, but she also didn't want to unload all her worries at once.
"It's fine.. same as always, I guess."
There was another silence and Ain could feel the distance between them, not just the miles but something more. It was like they were both trying to avoid the real conversation.
"Jay, I miss you.."
She wasn't sure how he would respond.
"I miss you too, Ain.."
"Then, why does it feel like we're drifting apart? We used to talk all the time, and now.. I don't know.. it just feels different."
"I've been feeling it too. It's not that I don't want to talk to you, Ain. It's just—everything been overwhelming here. The move, the new school, my dad... I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be to balance everything."
"I get that, Jay.. I really do. But I don't want us to lose what we have because of the distance. I know things are hard right now, but I don't want to feel like we're just.. fading."
"I don't want that either, I've been caught up in everything and I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to make you feel like we're drifting apart. I should've reached out more, been more honest with you."
"I don't want us to pretend everything's fine when it's not. If something's bothering you, or if you're too busy, just tell me.. okay?"
"Okay, we should be more open with each other.. I don't want to lose you because I didn't take the time to communicate."
"Let's make a promise.. no more silence. If we're feeling distant or something's wrong, we'll talk about it. No more letting things pile up."
"Deal. I'm going to make more time for us, Ain.. I promise."
"I believe you.. and I'm here, Jay. Even with the distance, I'm here.."
YOU ARE READING
Curious Hearts
RomanceAfter moving to Busan, Ain meets the quiet and intriguing, Jay. Their awkward introduction sparks a growing bond that deepens into love, despite challenges of distance and misunderstandings. Together, they navigate the ups and downs of young love, l...
