dandelions｜kim dohoon

prologue - dandelions wishes 🌼

the sun hung low on the horizon, casting a soft, amber glow over the wide expanse of grass. the air was cool, the kind of evening breeze that sent a gentle shiver through the skin but felt refreshing nonetheless.

moon yewon stood in the middle of an open field, surrounded by countless dandelions that dotted the landscape like tiny, golden suns. she held one of them carefully between her fingers, gazing at it as though it were a fragile secret.

it was always the same feeling when she came here-peaceful, quiet, and distant from the noise of her everyday life. high school had a way of consuming everything, from assignments to relationships to the constant clamor of her classmates.

but here, in the solitude of this quiet field, yewon felt like she could breathe freely again. no one to judge her. no one to tell her who she should be. just her, the soft rustle of leaves, and the dandelions that seemed to whisper forgotten wishes to the wind.

she closed her eyes, holding the dandelion tightly in her palm. the world seemed to pause for a moment. yewon inhaled deeply, letting the coolness of the evening fill her lungs.

she could hear the distant chatter of her classmates walking home, the sounds of the world moving on without her. but for now, in this small, fleeting moment, she was free.

her thumb gently pressed against the dandelion's base, feeling the delicate seeds beneath her touch. the wind picked up just enough to make them sway, and she knew what she had to do. it was a ritual she had started years ago-every time she came to this field, every time she held a dandelion in her hands, she made a wish.

a wish that always seemed to come back to one thing.

her fingers wrapped around the stem, and she lifted the dandelion to her lips. she made a wish. no matter how impossible it seemed, it was a wish she held onto dearly, as fragile and elusive as the seeds that floated into the air.

yewon blew softly, sending the tiny seeds scattering into the breeze. the moment they were freed, they danced around her, swirling in the wind, leaving behind only the faintest trace of their fleeting presence.

"please," she whispered, her voice barely audible, lost in the rustling of the leaves. "please let him see me."

her eyes fluttered open, watching the seeds float and scatter before disappearing into the distance. the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting a warm light over the world, making everything feel a little softer, a little more magical.

she didn't know why, but she always felt the weight of the wish in her chest, as if the dandelions held the key to some door she couldn't quite open. every year, every season, every moment she spent with them, it felt like a silent promise-one that, no matter how much she longed for it, might never come true.

but it didn't stop her from wishing.

the wind carried the seeds farther, scattering them across the field as though the universe was taking her words to heart, even if it didn't answer her directly. yewon exhaled softly, watching the empty space where the dandelion had once been.

she smiled faintly to herself, her hands falling gently to her sides. maybe it was silly to still believe in this, to wish for something that seemed so far beyond her reach.

but there was something about the way the world felt in these moments, when she was surrounded by the simple beauty of nature, that made her feel as if anything was possible. like maybe, just maybe, her wish wasn't as impossible as it seemed.

as she turned to leave, she glanced at the path leading back to the school, her heart tightening in her chest. she had already spent far too much time in the field today, and the sun was beginning to dip beneath the horizon. her classmates would be heading home soon, and she still had to finish an assignment for class.

she had no real excuse to linger in this field, no reason other than the quiet peace it gave her. the wish she had made was already fading from her thoughts, but the feeling lingered in her chest, a warmth that was as comforting as it was heartbreaking.

it was then that she saw him.

standing near the school gates, just a few yards away, was kim dohoon. his back was straight, his posture impeccable, the way he always carried himself. as the president of the student council, dohoon was used to being the center of attention.

tall, confident, and undeniably handsome, he seemed like the kind of person everyone looked up to, literally and figuratively. his usual cool, aloof expression was in place as he stood outside the gates, his gaze directed toward something beyond the field, his attention far away from the world around him.

yewon's breath caught in her throat. she had seen him a thousand times before, in the halls, at school events, during council meetings. yet each time, it felt like the first. he wasn't just the president of the student council to her.

he wasn't just the handsome, intimidating figure everyone feared or admired. to her, he was something more. something unreachable. she had seen his warmth in small, fleeting moments-the way he treated his friends, his quiet kindness when no one was looking-but it was always hidden behind that wall of indifference he maintained.

the crush she had on him had started out like any other-small, barely noticeable, just a passing thought when their eyes met across the room. but over time, as she observed him from afar, it grew into something bigger, something stronger. every glance, every subtle gesture, every quiet moment they shared in passing seemed to fuel the fire inside her.

she couldn't explain it-couldn't even really understand it herself. all she knew was that every time she saw him, her heart would race, her thoughts would scatter, and all she could do was wonder if he even knew she existed.

yewon felt that familiar flutter in her chest as she stood there, frozen in place, watching him. her fingers brushed her hair nervously, the soft strands caught by the evening breeze.

she knew she should leave-she knew she should stop staring at him like a fool-but she couldn't tear her eyes away. he was everything she wanted, and everything she feared would always be out of reach.

and then, just as she began to turn away, dohoon glanced up.

for the briefest of moments, their eyes locked across the distance, and yewon's heart skipped a beat. his gaze wasn't cold or dismissive, as it so often appeared to be.

for just a second, it softened, and he gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod-just enough for her to catch. it wasn't much, but to yewon, it was everything.

she didn't know what it meant. she didn't know if it was just a passing courtesy or if he had even noticed her at all. but in that moment, as their eyes met, yewon felt like the world had shifted ever so slightly. it was like a tiny dandelion seed had taken root in her heart, and for the first time, she could feel it.

yewon took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly as she turned away from the field. the wish she had made was still fresh in her mind, but now, for the first time, it didn't feel so impossible.

maybe... maybe this wish could come true after all.

as she walked back toward the school gates, the wind picked up once more, sending a few more dandelion seeds into the air, scattering them in all directions.

yewon didn't stop to watch them this time. she didn't need to. for the first time, she felt like one of those seeds. carried by the wind, carried by hope, and maybe, just maybe, carried toward something more.

she would keep wishing. because sometimes, all it took was a single wish, and a single glance, to change everything.