# PARK SUNGHOON
after years of quietly loving her childhood neighbor, she finally makes a bold decision: on September 1st, she's done with unrequited feelings. But as she tries to move on, she starts to wonder... was it really one-sided all along?
...
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— Sophomore year
" Coming through! " Haejin, the cheerful girl, made her way through the bustling hallway, filled with students. She was known for her endless energy at such an early hour, a characteristic that both amazed and bewildered her peers. They were either used to her constant cheerfulness or still found it intriguing. But the true motivation behind her morning energy was simple: Park Sunghoon. And it was for him that she was now hastening to catch up.
" Excuse me—oh my gosh, I'm so sorry—Hoon! " Haejin called out, catching her breath as she spotted the raven-haired boy laughing with his friends. He paused, turning around at the sound of his name, only to be met by a bright and cheerful Haejin. His brows shot up in surprise.
Sunghoon glanced at his friends before speaking to her in an uninterested. " What? You realize we're making a scene, and it's not even halfway through the day. " He frowned slightly. " And stop calling me that. "
Haejin let out a small sound of disappointment, her face briefly showing regret. But she quickly pushed it aside, flashing a bright smile like nothing had happened.
Don't take his words by heart, Haejin. Have courage and give it to him, Come on!
Haejin took a deep breath, then held both hands out toward him. In them was a cute plastic bag filled with bear-shaped cookies, tied with a red bow that made the whole thing hard to miss.
" I... I baked these earlier this morning and I thought I should give you one as well. I hope you still like cookies... "
Haejin eagerly watched for his reaction, her hopes pinned on his response. However, her enthusiasm dwindled as his frown deepened upon catching sight of the cookies. Instead of the smile she had hoped for, a look of distaste overcame him, as if he was actually disgusted by the treats — or perhaps even allergic to them.
Sunghoon sighed, adjusting his bag before turning away. " I don't like cookies, " He said flatly, then waved to his friends. " Let's go. "
Haejin observed silently as Park Sunghoon and his friends walked further away from her, the space growing between them. She couldn't help but notice how some of their classmates had reacted to the rejection, their glances and murmurs only compounding the sense of embarrassment that washed over her. Humiliation coiled in her chest as she grappled with the reality of the moment—rejected by the very boy she had been hoping to impress.
