The days following Jungkook’s confession were quiet. Too quiet.
Eun-ji couldn’t help but notice the sudden shift. The comfortable routine they had fallen into—him showing up after his schedules, teasing her, lounging around her house—was now gone. Jungkook no longer came by unannounced, no more late-night dinners or playful conversations. The silence he left behind was deafening.
At first, she told herself it was probably just because he was busy with his BTS commitments, but as days turned into weeks, the absence became more noticeable. There was no teasing message about her cooking or random video calls asking if she wanted ramen. He hadn’t even replied to her last few texts.
Sitting at her kitchen table one evening, Eun-ji scrolled through her phone, staring at Jungkook’s name in her chat history. The last conversation was from days ago—a simple “How’s everything?” text from her that had gone unanswered. She sighed, setting her phone down with a heavy heart.
There was no denying it now. Jungkook was avoiding her.
Eun-ji leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. She had always appreciated the quiet moments in her life, but now it felt different. The quiet was no longer peaceful; it was filled with a nagging emptiness. Her house felt bigger, lonelier, without him there. She missed the way his laughter would echo in the rooms, the way he would complain about how comfortable her sofa was as if he were ready to move in.
She missed *him*.
But why?
That question gnawed at her, growing louder every day. She had been so sure about her feelings when she rejected his confession. They had always been close, but to her, it was friendship—nothing more. Wasn’t it?
Yet, now that he was gone, Eun-ji found herself questioning everything. Had she taken his presence for granted? She missed the way he made her feel—comfortable, safe, and undeniably happy. And now, without him, she felt unsteady, like a piece of her daily life had disappeared.
One evening, after yet another long day of rehearsals, Eun-ji decided she couldn’t handle the distance anymore. She grabbed her jacket and her keys, heading out of her apartment with a determination she hadn’t felt in a while. She needed to talk to him, to figure out what was going on. Maybe it was selfish after what she had said, but she couldn’t let things stay like this.
When she arrived at Jungkook’s place, she hesitated at the door. Her hand hovered over the doorbell, her heart racing with uncertainty. What if he didn’t want to see her? What if she had hurt him more than she realized?
Before she could second-guess herself, she rang the doorbell.
It took a few moments, but eventually, she heard the soft click of the door unlocking. Jungkook appeared on the other side, his expression neutral but surprised to see her standing there.
“Eun-ji,” he said, his voice calm but distant.
She tried to smile, though it felt shaky. “Hey… Can we talk?”
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. His eyes flickered with something she couldn’t quite place—hurt, maybe? But then he stepped aside, letting her in.
Eun-ji walked inside, the familiar warmth of his apartment washing over her. Yet, the atmosphere felt different—tense. She glanced around, trying to find the right words, but everything felt heavier than it used to.
“Why haven’t you been coming around?” she finally asked, turning to face him. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
Jungkook leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. His jaw clenched slightly as he looked down, avoiding her gaze. “I needed space.”
Her heart tightened. She had expected that answer, but hearing it still stung. “Because of what I said?”
He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. I just… I didn’t know how to be around you after that. I needed time to process.”
Eun-ji took a deep breath, stepping closer. “I get that. But it’s not the same without you around, Jungkook. Everything feels off.”
Jungkook finally looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… I miss you,” she admitted, her voice softer now. “I miss our conversations, the teasing, everything. I didn’t realize how much until you weren’t there.”
Jungkook’s eyes searched hers, as if trying to figure out what she really meant. “But you don’t feel the same way, right? You don’t… love me like that.”
Eun-ji bit her lip, suddenly unsure of what to say. She had been so sure when she rejected him, but now… everything felt different. The distance had made her realize just how much she cared about him, more than she had let herself admit.
