Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

EPILOGUE

NO ONE POV

Years had passed, and the echoes of the past had faded into soft memories, the kind that still linger but no longer sting. Seoyeon, now 33, lived a life of quiet contentment. She had found happiness in the small moments, the kind that came from her work as a kindergarten teacher and her close bond with her younger sister, Hyerin, who was now 18 and thriving.

Her days were filled with laughter and joy as she helped shape the lives of the children under her care. Seoyeon had found her peace in taking care of the kids, their energy and innocence filling her heart. She had moved on, or at least, that’s what she told herself.

Her friends had settled into their own lives, too. Sohyun and Xinyu had married and opened a cozy restaurant together, a dream they had nurtured for years. Nakyoung and Yubin’s unexpected love story had blossomed into something beautiful, and they too had married, their playful dynamic still as strong as ever. Mayu had moved to Japan with her wife, though she had yet to introduce her to the group.

Life had a way of moving forward, and Seoyeon had embraced it, allowing the painful parts of her past to drift away. She no longer thought about the person who had once occupied such a large part of her heart. Or at least, she tried not to.

One sunny afternoon, Seoyeon was outside with her class, watching over the children as they played on the school’s playground. A particularly bright 10-year-old named Suhyeon was tugging on her hand, excitedly asking her to help with a game. Seoyeon smiled, her heart full as she crouched down to his level.

“Okay, Suhyeon, show me what you’ve got,” she said warmly.

Just as she began to follow Suhyeon’s lead, a voice from afar froze her in place.

“Seoyeon.”

It was soft, almost hesitant, but unmistakable. Seoyeon’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart, which had been calm and steady for years, suddenly raced. The voice was familiar, painfully familiar.

She slowly straightened up, turning toward the sound. Her mind tried to reject it, to tell her that it couldn’t be real. She had moved on, hadn’t she?

But there she was, standing at the edge of the playground, as if she had never left. Yooyeon.

Time had changed her, but those familiar eyes, the ones that Seoyeon had once known so well, were still the same. For a moment, the world seemed to stop, everything around her fading into the background. The laughter of the children, the warmth of the sun, even the cool breeze that had been brushing against her skin—it all ceased to matter.

It was Yooyeon.

Seoyeon’s heart twisted painfully in her chest. She had spent years trying to forget, trying to move on from the person who had left her without a word, without a goodbye. And just when she thought she had finally succeeded, Yooyeon had returned.

Suhyeon’s voice broke through the haze, pulling her back to the present. “Teacher, are you okay?”

Seoyeon blinked, glancing down at Suhyeon, who was looking at her with wide, innocent eyes. She forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, Suhyeon. Go ahead and play. I’ll be right here.”

Her gaze returned to Yooyeon, who hadn’t moved. She stood there, waiting, her expression unreadable. Seoyeon’s heart ached, a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. Anger, hurt, confusion—all the feelings she thought she had buried came rushing back.

For years, she had told herself she wouldn’t forgive Yooyeon for leaving her like that, for disappearing without a trace. And now, here she was, as if time had folded in on itself and nothing had changed.

But everything had changed.

Seoyeon took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she clenched them at her sides. She had moved on. She had a life she loved, friends who cared about her, a sister who was her whole world. She had learned to be happy without Yooyeon.

Yet, despite everything, seeing Yooyeon standing there—just when Seoyeon thought she had finally put the past behind her—made her heart ache in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

The woman who had once been her rival, her constant, her heartbreak… was back.

And Seoyeon wasn’t sure if she could face her.

Not yet. Not like this.