Sol's Biggest Secret | A Lovely Runner Spin-off

The Space Between

Sunjae stumbled into his apartment, the quietness of the space ringing in his ears. He dropped his keys onto the counter, then collapsed onto the couch, his body heavy with exhaustion. His vision blurred for a moment, but then he caught sight of his phone on the table. The screen had gone dark, but it still displayed her face—Sol, smiling brightly. She was still his wallpaper. He smiled to himself, tipsy and lost in memories.

"Aww, my Solie..so cute," he mumbled, staring at the picture. He pressed the side button, bringing the screen back to life, and kissed the image like a fool. "So cute."

His thumb swiped open the phone, and for a moment, he did what he always did—he went to the photos. There they were: dozens of pictures of them together, Sol's smile lighting up every frame. A video of them on vacation played, the sound of her laughter filling the room. "Remember this, Sol? You couldn't stop laughing because I fell in the water," he said to no one, the emptiness in the room mocking his attempt at conversation.

Another video popped up—Sol dancing playfully in their living room, wearing his oversized hoodie. He chuckled, then his chest tightened as he watched her twirl. He missed that smile. He missed her. In every corner of his apartment, he could still hear her voice, calling softly, "Sunjae-ya," with that smile that was only for him.

But then reality hit. Sol wasn't here anymore. Her things were gone, her side of the closet empty. The apartment was a museum of their past—her favorite coffee mug still sat on the kitchen counter, the pillow on the couch indented from where she used to rest her head. He felt a gnawing emptiness in the pit of his stomach, a hollow ache that seemed to grow with each passing second. Every picture of them together, every corner of the room, seemed to echo with her absence. It was as if the apartment itself was mourning the loss of her presence, a cruel reminder of what used to be. And as much as he wanted to cling to these moments, he knew she was slipping further away from him.

Suddenly feeling restless, he switched to Instagram, needing to distract himself from the sadness pressing in on him.

The first thing he saw was the post. "Congratulations to Director Im Sol for being awarded Rookie Director of the Year! Watch her interview here, where she talks about her next big steps in the industry!"

His heart sank. There she was again. Perfect, radiant, smiling for the world. But not for him.

He hesitated for a moment before tapping the link. The interview played, and there she was, looking every bit the star that she was becoming. The interviewer's voice was cheery, oblivious to the ache growing in his chest.

"So, Sol, you've had an incredible year. What's next for you? Any exciting projects or... updates in your personal life?"

Sol smiled, but there was something distant in her eyes. "I'm focusing on my career right now. It's been... a journey."

Sunjae's stomach twisted. She was avoiding the topic, but it was clear enough—she wasn't just moving on professionally. She was moving on from him.

His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a text from Dong Seok, his manager: "We need to talk. There's a lot of buzz about you and Sol right now."

Confused, Sunjae switched back to Instagram, his thumb hovering over a notification from a media outlet. The post was a blurry paparazzi photo, clearly showing him and Sol, though the faces were hard to make out. The caption read, "Which famous couple has called it quits? Rumor has it, a top actor and a rising director have quietly broken up... More details to come."

The comment section was on fire.

@popculturejunkie: "Wow, it's really over between Sunjae and Sol? 😢"
@entertainmentfan12: "I had a feeling something was up. They haven't posted together in forever!"
@socallover: "Sol deleted all their photos? That's a tough move."
@celebwatcher: "Poor Sunjae. He seems so quiet these days. Must be rough."
@filmcritic101: "They were such a great couple. What happened?"
@theatrebuff: "Did anyone notice how Sol seemed distant in her interview? Maybe she's been going through a lot."
@hollywoodnews_24: "I hope Sunjae is doing okay. This breakup must be hitting him hard."
@gossipgirl95: "I saw Sol out with someone else recently. Is there someone new in her life?"
@romancefan89: "Sunjae and Sol looked so happy together. It's sad to see it end like this."
@dreamer_in_love: "Are we sure it's really over? Maybe there's still hope for them?"