Beautiful encounter

CHAPTER 8

A week has passed since Daniel started courting Soren. Daniel, as it turns out, is the name of the guy Soren had been talking about for weeks-the one who caught his heart. Seeing them together now, I can't deny how perfect they look. They're compatible in ways that make it easy to root for them. They laugh at the same jokes, seem to always understand each other, and honestly, they look adorable as a couple.

Life hasn't changed much for me on the surface. Soren and I still talk, we still laugh, and we still share our problems with each other. But underneath all of that, something feels off-something I can't quite put into words. It's subtle, but the time we spend together has gradually dwindled, almost without me noticing at first. Now, though, it's hard to ignore. I don't want to admit it, but I'm feeling a pang of jealousy, one that gnaws at me a little more each day. It's not because I'm in love with Soren-no, it's not that. It's just that we've been friends for so long, since elementary school, and through all that time, it's always been the two of us, side by side.

We've shared so many secrets with each other, things I could never tell anyone else. Soren has always been there, especially during the toughest times-times when I felt like I had no one else to turn to. He knows me better than anyone, especially when it comes to my family. My family is incredibly conservative and deeply religious, which has made it almost impossible for me to be fully open about who I am. There are parts of me I've had to hide for so long, parts that I'm still learning to accept. Soren has been my rock through all of that. He's the only person who knows the full truth about me, the only one who understands the weight I carry because of my family's expectations.

He's also the only person who knows about my boyfriend. I've kept that part of my life hidden for so long, terrified of what would happen if my family ever found out. But with Soren, I never had to pretend. He was the first person I told, the only one I felt safe enough to confide in. And when I felt trapped or overwhelmed, Soren was always there to listen, to remind me that I wasn't alone in this. He's seen me at my worst-when the pressure of hiding who I am felt unbearable-and he never judged me for it. In fact, he's been my lifeline, helping me through moments when I felt like I couldn't breathe under the weight of it all.

Now, with Daniel in the picture, there's this new distance between us, one that I didn't expect and certainly didn't ask for. It's strange, feeling like I'm slowly being edged out of Soren's world, especially when I've been such a big part of it for so long. I know I don't have any right to feel this way. Soren deserves to be happy, and I want him to be, truly. But still, I can't help the knot in my stomach every time I see them together.

Maybe I need to accept that things are changing. People grow, and maybe Soren is growing away from me a little. I have Maki and the others. It's not like I'm alone, and I know I'll get used to this. It'll just take time, but eventually, I'll learn to live without Soren always being by my side. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

But

Another week has passed, and Soren and Daniel are officially in a relationship now. The distance I felt between us before has only grown wider, so wide that it feels like an entire world separates us. We no longer share our little moments-no more casual conversations, no more laughs, no more inside jokes. Even the time we used to spend together, which seemed so effortless, has disappeared. It's as if I'm on the outside looking in at a version of Soren's life that no longer includes me.

It's not just Soren, though. The others have their boyfriends, too. I have mine, of course, but Maki goes to a different school, and the distance between us feels more like a canyon than a few miles. We don't see each other as much, and when we do, it's brief and feels rushed. Ate Yang and Kath have their own lives, their own little worlds where I don't seem to fit anymore. I know none of them mean to leave me out-it's just how life unfolds sometimes-but I can't help feeling like I'm drifting further away from everyone, as if I'm slowly becoming invisible in my own life.

I'm sitting on the same bench where Soren and I used to spend hours together, laughing and passing time while playing our favorite game, "Cute Hunting." We'd joke and point out people in the crowd, rating them and laughing at each other's choices. But now, it's just me. Alone. Watching the steady stream of students pass by without a second glance. The bench feels colder now, emptier, as if it holds all the weight of memories I can't touch anymore.

As I sit there, lost in thought, I notice a familiar figure standing from a distance. Squinting my eyes to focus, I suddenly remember where I've seen him before. It's the same cutie I'd noticed a while back-the one who had caught my eye without even trying. He stands out amidst the crowd, his presence drawing me in for reasons I can't quite explain. There's something captivating about him, something that stirs an odd sense of familiarity and intrigue in me.

I shake my head and sigh. Maybe I'm losing it. Maybe I'm just lonely and grasping for something, anything, to hold onto. Whatever it is, I push the thought aside. Standing up from the bench, I cast one last glance at him before making my way back to the classroom, pretending like none of this really matters. But deep down, I know that something has shifted-within me, within everything around me-and I'm not sure how to deal with it yet.