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it had been four years since sarang moved to korea. the decision wasn't entirely hers—it was more about family and opportunity. she had earned a scholarship to one of the top universities in korea, SNA.
Seoul National University, a prestigious institution known for its academic programs and competitive atmosphere. this opportunity was a chance she couldn't pass up. but it was a reminder of the weight of expectations she carried. school has always been her focus, her escape from the pain that has shadowed since the break up which she wasn't completely over even though it's been years.
dating? that had never been a priority. after what had happened with yeonjun, she had no desire to dive back into the world of relationships, she regretted the time that she wasted on boys, especially loving him. loving someone had only brought her heartbreak, and she promised herself that she wouldn't go through it again. now her life is school, work, and surviving her own. she didn't need the distraction of romance—not now, not ever again.
but sometimes life had other plans.
sarang had bought a small apartment in the quiter part of the city, perfect for her late-night sessions. being a scholarship student meant the pressure was always on. the expectation was high, the workloads was relentless. she didn't have the luxury to fall behind. that's why the peace and quiet she come to depend on we're so important.
at least, they had been.
a few weeks ago, her peaceful nights we're ruined when five boys moved into the apartment nexts to hers. it has been loud since day one. at first, she thought it was just them settling in, but now its clear—they were always like this. from early morning to late nights, the noise never seemed to stop.
tonight was different.
sarang had been up all night, cramming for exams. the library had closed early, and her favorite coffee shop was packed with students. so, she returned home, determined to make the most quiet time she had. but instead, the sounds of laughter and shooting from next door broke her through her concentration, making it impossible to focus.
the latest assignment for her psychology class was demanding; the pressure to maintain her scholarship weighed heavy on her shoulders. she needed to ace this exam, and the only time she had real peace was at night.
sitting at her desk, surrounded by crushed up coffee cups, she felt her frustration boiling. after the third loud crash followed by a burst of laughter, she slammed her textsbooks shut. throwing on a hoodie, she made her way through the door, the creaking sound of hinges echoing her annoynce. she wasn't in the mood to be polite. her exams are important to be ruined by some stupid guys.
she knocked on the door sharply on the door to aparment next door to hers. it took a moment before it opened, standing in the doorway was a familiar face of the boy who introduced himself as beomgyu a few days ago. his hair was a mess, and he was holding his controller in one hand, clearly unbothered by the late hour.
"sarang!" beomgyu greeted her with a grin, his eyes sparkling in mischief. "you here to join the party?"
sarang narrows her eyes "no i'm to you guys could maybe keep it down? it's almost midnight, and i've been trying to study for hours."
beomgyu blinked at her, then glanced over his shoulder at the chaos inside. "oh...right sorry about that. the guys get a little loud when we play games."
sarang folded her arms, trying to hold back her frustration. "i noticed."
before beomgyu can say anything else, another guy appeared behind him, leaning against the doorframe. his hair tousled, and he gave her lazy smile that made her want to walk fight away then.
"who's this?" he asked, his curious gaze.
"our neighbor," beomgyu replied, as if it were obvious. "sarang. is pissed we've loud."
the blond guy—soobin, she remembers "sorry about that. we'll try to be quieter."
sarang raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "thanks. i have exams in a few days, so i'd appreciate it if you could keep it down.
"exams, huh?" beomgyu said, looking assumed. "that sounds tough. maybe you should take a break."
she shook her head. "i don't have time for breaks. i've been studying all night because it's the only time i can get peace and quiet."
just then, a burst of laughter erupted from within the apartment, sarang sighed, feeling the exhaustion through her bones, she felt as if the noise was on purpose to mock her studies.
before beomgyu could reply, another boy popped his head around the corner, his smile wod and his eyes sparkling. he looked younger than the others, bouncing his feet. as if he was ready to join the fun.
"are we in trouble" he looked the least worried.
"yeah kai" beomgyu said with a smirk. "we're annoying the neighbor."
huening kai "sorry about the noise we will try to keep it down, no promises tho."
sarang sigh she feels like this conversation is going nowhere. "thanks i guess."
just then, another boy appeared taehyun, with a plate of food in his hand "is this the neighbor?" he said eyeing sarang with mild interest.
"yeah, taehyu," soobin replied gesturing towards her. "she is annoyed."
"i'm not annoyed i'm just askong for peace and quite" she says.
"got it." taehyun says.
as she turns around to leave, she caught this glimpse of their poster hanging in their living room. the boys huddled together in front of a backdrop of bright lights. it was a photo of a kpop concert. a knot tightend. as she realized how close they were to the world she had tried to distance herself from.
yeonjun.
she heard his name in the passing, but they havent crossed paths yet. not that it mattered anyways.
relationships had no place in her life anymore. after what yeonjun has done to her, she didn't think that she can ever love again.
