My Sister's Boyfriend | Yeonbin

f o r t y s i x

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Soobin didn’t know why he’d said yes to Yeonjun’s invitation to walk with him. Maybe it was the glimmer of something he couldn't name in Yeonjun's eyes—a mix of vulnerability and warmth that cut through the ache he’d been carrying for months.

Or maybe it was the part of him that couldn’t deny that, despite everything, he still missed him. Whatever the reason, he found himself side by side with Yeonjun, stepping out of the cozy, warm café into the brisk afternoon air.

The streets were quieter now, the early rush of the morning long passed, and the chill of the evening just starting to settle in.

They walked in silence at first, the quiet between them broken only by the sound of their shoes against the pavement and the occasional rustling of leaves caught in the wind. It was as if neither wanted to break the fragile peace that had formed between them.

“So,” Yeonjun finally said, his voice hesitant, testing the stillness between them. He tucked his hands deeper into his coat pockets, gaze fixed straight ahead. “How have things been for you, really?”

The question hung in the air, heavier than it should’ve been. How could he answer that? Soobin’s life over the past few months had been a maze of highs and lows, of loneliness and self-discovery, and of painful realizations about the people he thought he knew.

"Busy," Soobin replied, almost automatically, then sighed, feeling the weight of unsaid words pressing on his chest. "But... I guess it’s more complicated than that."

Yeonjun glanced over at him, eyes flickering with curiosity. "Complicated how?"

Soobin exhaled, the words catching in his throat as he tried to find the right way to express everything he felt. “After… you know, after everything went down, it just felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. Like, one day everything was fine, and then…” He hesitated, feeling his chest tighten. “And then I didn’t know who I could trust anymore.”

They stopped at a crosswalk, and Yeonjun looked down, his expression darkening. “I never wanted you to feel like that, Soobin. I didn’t mean for things to fall apart the way they did.”

Soobin nodded, absorbing his words with a pang of hurt and a touch of frustration. “Maybe you didn’t want that,” he said quietly, “but that’s still what happened.”

The light changed, and they crossed the street, continuing down a quieter stretch of the city. The buildings here were older, with brick facades and wrought-iron railings on the windows, reminders of a time long before either of them was born.

Somehow, the setting felt right—timeless, unchanging, while everything between them had fractured.

They fell silent again, letting the city sounds surround them, neither sure how to bridge the gaps that had opened up in their friendship. It wasn’t until they reached a small park, tucked between two rows of townhouses, that Yeonjun stopped, gesturing to a bench under a large, nearly bare oak tree.

"Want to sit for a while?" he asked, his voice gentle, as if he didn’t want to scare Soobin away.

Soobin nodded, sitting down and tucking his hands into his coat for warmth. Yeonjun sat beside him, close enough that Soobin could feel the warmth of his shoulder, but leaving a careful distance.

They watched as a few children played on the swings at the far end of the park, their laughter echoing in the crisp air, oblivious to the tension hovering between the two young men on the bench.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Yeonjun murmured after a moment, glancing over at Soobin. “How everything can change so quickly. How people can just… drift apart.”

Soobin nodded, feeling his throat tighten. "I never thought it would happen to us."

“Me neither.” Yeonjun’s voice was soft, and there was a sadness in his eyes that made Soobin’s heart ache. “I kept thinking I’d just reach out one day and things would go back to how they were. But then… I was scared that maybe you’d moved on. That maybe… maybe you didn’t want me around anymore.”

Soobin looked away, swallowing the lump in his throat. He’d spent so many nights lying awake, replaying everything that had happened, wondering if he’d made the right decision in cutting Yeonjun out.

He’d wanted to protect himself, to guard his heart after it had been shattered, but now he wondered if maybe he’d built the walls too high.

“I thought it would be easier, you know?” Soobin admitted. “If I just… pushed everything away. Tried to forget all of it. But it’s been hard to move on. Harder than I thought it’d be.”

Yeonjun gave him a rueful smile. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the wind rustling the last few leaves on the tree above them. Finally, Yeonjun took a deep breath, as if summoning the courage to say what had been weighing on him.

"I’m sorry, Soobin," he said, his voice raw and open. "For everything. For not being there when you needed me. For letting things get to the point where you felt like you couldn’t trust me. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but… I just wanted you to know that."

Soobin’s gaze dropped to his hands, fingers fidgeting nervously in his lap. Part of him wanted to say it was okay, to brush off the apology and pretend like it didn’t matter.
But he knew that wasn’t true. The hurt he’d felt was real, and pretending otherwise would only make things worse.

"Thank you," he said softly. "For saying that. I think… I needed to hear it."

Yeonjun nodded, a look of relief passing over his face, though the sadness remained in his eyes. “I know things won’t go back to the way they were,” he said, his voice laced with a touch of resignation. “But maybe… maybe we can start over?”

Soobin looked up, meeting Yeonjun’s gaze, searching his eyes for any hint of insincerity. All he saw was a raw honesty that made his heart ache. “Maybe,” he replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “But it’ll take time.”

Yeonjun smiled back, a spark of hope lighting up his face. "I can do time," he said with a playful, soft laugh, one that reminded Soobin of the easy laughter they used to share. It felt bittersweet, like a ghost of the friendship they’d once had, but also like the first step toward something new.

They sat there for a while, not saying much, just existing together in the quiet, feeling the weight of the past finally start to lift, if only a little. Soobin knew there would be more difficult conversations ahead, more pain to work through. But for now, in this quiet moment, it was enough.

As the sky started to darken, Yeonjun turned to him, his expression soft but serious. “I know it might not mean much, but… I’m here for you, Soobin. Whatever you need, whenever you’re ready. I’ll be here.”

Soobin felt a warmth spread through his chest, and he nodded, feeling the beginnings of trust slowly taking root again. “Thank you, Yeonjun.”

They rose from the bench together, both of them a little lighter than when they’d sat down. As they walked back through the park, side by side, Soobin felt something in his heart start to heal. It was a small start, but it was a start all the same.

And for the first time in months, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as alone as he’d thought.

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