Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-23(awakening)

Chaeryeong ran her fingers along the smooth edges of her new dining table, her apartment now fully arranged yet still feeling foreign. The quiet felt heavy, almost as if she could feel the ghosts of conversations that never happened, things left unsaid with Taehyun. She'd been managing, as she'd told Jisung, but that word felt hollow. This "new beginning" wasn't erasing the past; it only brought everything back in sharper contrast.

After unpacking the last box, she took out her phone, debating whether to call her therapist back in Seoul. She had yet to find someone new in California, and she could feel herself slipping, the anxiety and sadness settling in deeper. Her phone buzzed, breaking her from her thoughts—it was Ye-Dam.

"Hey, Cherry. How's the apartment looking?" he asked, his voice a comforting constant.

"It's done," she replied, trying to sound cheerful. "Everything's in place. It's... nice, you know. Feels... new."

"But?" Ye-Dam pressed, sensing her hesitation.

Chaeryeong paused, pressing her lips together. "I just... I thought leaving Seoul would help, but all I've done is bring all that pain with me. It's like I'm still in the same place."

Ye-Dam sighed softly. "Healing isn't a location, Cherry. It's okay to feel that way. You left because you needed a break, not because it would magically fix everything. It's going to take time, and that's alright."

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Thanks, Oppa. I'll figure it out. I think I just need to keep busy, you know?"

"Maybe that's a good idea," Ye-Dam agreed.
The doorbell rang, and Chaeryeong opened the door to find Jisung standing there, a warm smile on his face.

"Hey, want to come over to my place for dinner?" he asked casually.

She hesitated, glancing back towards her kitchen. "Um... no, thanks. I actually already made dinner."

"Really?" he said, raising an eyebrow as he leaned slightly to peek inside. The kitchen counters were spotless, without a single sign of any cooking.

"Well, that's a shame," he sighed, giving her a playful look. "I made tteokbokki."

The mention of the dish made her stomach turn with longing. It had been ages since she'd had authentic Korean food, and the thought of it made her resolve weaken.

"Alright," she murmured.

"What?" He looked at her, pretending to be taken aback.

"I'll come over," she said, smiling softly.

Hearing her agree, Jisung's face lit up with a warm smile, and he gestured for her to follow him inside. Soon, he set two bowls of steaming hot tteokbokki on the table.Chaeryeong's mouth watered as she took in the sight of the glistening rice cakes smothered in rich, red sauce.

As they began eating, Chaeryeong glanced at him curiously. "Why are you here?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Jisung looked up, surprised. "What do you mean?" he replied, caught off guard.

"I mean... don't you have a packed schedule or something?" she continued, looking at him with genuine curiosity.

He chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "I actually have a few days off. I bought this apartment last year as a little getaway, somewhere I could spend time and relax when I have breaks."

Chaeryeong nodded, impressed. She hadn't known he had a place here.

"What about you?" he asked, turning the focus back to her.

She blinked, slightly taken aback. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Jisung gave her a gentle, knowing smile. "I know you're on a hiatus, and now you're here in the States. Plus..." he hesitated briefly, choosing his words carefully, "I also heard that you and Taehyun are... on a break? I mean, I didn't want to pry, but I was just curious."

Chaeryeong looked down at her bowl, stirring the tteokbokki absently. She hadn't expected anyone to bring up Taehyun so directly, especially Jisung.

Chaeryeong's voice wavered as she admitted, "I really... I really broke his trust." Her words hung in the air, a confession laced with regret.

Chaeryeong esitated, glancing at her carefully before asking, "So... who told you about the, um, break?"

"Taehyun," he replied, his tone steady but soft. "He actually asked me if I knew where you were."

Her eyes widened slightly, an instinctive reaction she couldn't hide. "Did you... did you tell him?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I didn't know you were here back then. And... would you have wanted me to tell him?"

"No," she murmured, almost to herself, but Jisung caught the pain in her tone.

After a pause, he asked gently, "But don't you think... maybe you should apologize? Even if you're not ready to explain everything, he deserves that, don't you think?"

Chaeryeong looked away, swallowing hard. She knew he was right, but her heart felt heavy with all the words she'd left unspoken.

That day, after Chaeryeong went home, she couldn't shake the guilt gnawing at her. Sitting at her desk, the words just spilled out.  I'm really sorry. Three words that felt both too small and too big for everything she wanted to express.

Once it was done, she made sure no trace of her handwriting could be linked back to her. She folded the note and tucked it into an envelope, her heart racing. She had no idea if Taehyun would even want to hear from her, but she had to try. She had to give him the chance to know how sorry she was.

Taking a deep breath, Chaeryeong decided she couldn't wait any longer. With the note safely in her hand, she slipped out of the house and walked next door.

When she knocked on the door, Jisung opened it almost immediately, his expression softening when he saw her.

"What happened, Chaeryeong?" he asked, noticing the weight in her eyes.

She hesitated, her throat tightening, but she managed to ask, "You're going to Seoul next week, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'll be there for a while. Why?"

Her hands trembled as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope. She held it out to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please... give this to him."

Jisung's gaze flickered to the envelope, then back to her, understanding dawning in his eyes. He nodded slowly, taking the note with care. "Are you sure you want me to do this?"

She nodded, her chest tight. "I don't know if he'll even read it, but I need him to know. I... I need to try."

Jisung gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'll make sure he gets it. And you're not alone in this, alright?"

Her heart squeezed at his kindness, and she gave a small, appreciative nod. "Thank you, Jisung."

As she walked back to her house, the weight of what she had just done seemed less oppressive.