since our eyes first met - Minsung

챕터old friends

»You're the delivery the girl from yesterday« I said as the girl picks up her paper bag. And that was the moment when I saw that her coffee mug was lying on the floor. 

»Oh yes. I am« she said.

I helped her with the mess of the spilled coffee »I'm sorry. I think I owe you a new coffee now.«

She smiled »No need.«

»Oh please. I want to« I said and she eventully nodded.

»Ok. If you want to« She said with her sweet voice and to be honest, she isn't only looking so familiar, it also sounds so familiar and also her way of being so familiar to me.

It was like a puzzle for which I didn't have all the pieces. I searched in my deepest thoughts and try to connect her face with something.

Suddenly  I found the last piece an every thing fell into place.

»Wait. I know you, but... is that even posseble?« I looked at the gitl again? »Yeona?«

She looked at me »Who do you know- Oh my good« She said. Did she recodniced me too? »How the hell... Jisung?«

»Yeah, how long has it been? 7 years?« I asked and we hugged for a moment »that was why you looked so familier yesterday« 

Yeona chuckled »Yeah, same. I mean... you're world famous and I knew it. How couldn't I just place everything?«

.｡.:*☆☆*: .｡.☆*: .｡..｡.:*☆☆*: .｡.

I gestured to one of the empty tables near the window after buying her the new coffee »How about we sit and talk for a bit? It's the least I can do after spilling your coffee.«

She hesitated for a moment, but then a small smile tugged at her lips. »Alright, I guess we can do that.«

I spoke up, trying to sound casual even though I could feel a bit of awkwardness lingering in the air. »I'm just glad we ran into each other again.«

She nodded, and we both moved to the table. I noticed how she was walking a bit slower, as if processing the same thoughts I was. After all, we hadn't seen each other in seven years—nearly a lifetime for us back then. It wasn't like I expected everything to go back to normal, but the familiarity between us made the situation a little easier.

We sat down across from each other, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly natural either. I could tell she was trying to figure out what to say as much as I was.

Finally, Yeona broke the silence, her voice light. »So, what's been going on with you? I mean, I saw a few things online, but it's not like we really talked after you got into Stray Kids. I guess I just didn't know where to start.«

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to come up with a good way to explain. »Yeah, it's been a lot. When Stray Kids first started, it was all pretty overwhelming. Everything changed so fast—tours, music, the fans, the pressure. It's been incredible, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I miss... I don't know, the quiet moments.«

She looked at me, a soft understanding in her gaze. »I get that. I mean, you went from being a regular high school kid to being in the spotlight all the time. That must've been... well, intense.«

I nodded, glad she understood. »Yeah. It was. At first, it was hard to keep up. You get so caught up in the hustle, and then you realize you don't have time for anything outside of it. I lost touch with a lot of people, including you. It wasn't intentional, but you just get wrapped up in the whirlwind.«

Yeona smiled a little, but it wasn't a happy smile—it was one of quiet acknowledgment. »I get it. I mean, you had a lot on your plate. I didn't expect you to keep in touch with everyone. It was just... weird, I guess, to see you change so much and not know where you were anymore.«

I looked down at my coffee, unsure how to continue. »Yeah, it's strange. You think that the people you care about will always be there, and then time passes and you realize you've drifted apart. It's not like I ever forgot about you, though. You were one of the people I actually thought about from time to time.«

Her expression softened at that, and for a moment, there was a kind of quiet understanding between us. She didn't say anything in response, but I could tell that she appreciated hearing that.

»It's funny,« she said after a pause, her voice quieter now. »I've always wondered what you were up to. I mean, back in school, I always thought you were going to do something big, but I didn't expect it to be like this. I mean, the whole idol thing—it's so different from what we were doing back then.«

I chuckled, trying to downplay it. »Yeah, well, I don't think I expected it either. It just sort of happened. One minute I'm in class, and the next, I'm performing on stage in front of thousands of people. But, I don't know, it's still hard to believe sometimes.«

She tilted her head, her eyes curious. »So, how do you handle it? The whole fame thing? I mean, is it what you thought it would be?«

That was a tough question. I thought about it for a second before answering. »In some ways, yes. I mean, performing is incredible. The fans, the music, everything—it's what I've always wanted. But there's a lot of pressure. It's not all glamorous. Sometimes, it feels like you're constantly on display, like you don't have any room to breathe. I've missed a lot of things that used to be easy, you know? Like just sitting down with an old friend without worrying about someone recognizing you.«

Yeona nodded, her gaze thoughtful. »Yeah, that must be exhausting. I can't even imagine what it's like to live under that kind of pressure every day.«

I shrugged, trying to make it seem less heavy than it really felt. »It's not all bad. There are a lot of great things about it. But sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if I'd chosen a different path. If I'd just kept things simple.«

She looked at me for a long moment, and I could tell she was really listening. »I don't think there's anything wrong with that,« she said finally. »I mean, everyone wants peace, right? I guess some people find it in their careers, and others find it somewhere else.«

I smiled at her words, feeling a little lighter. She was right. Everyone had their own path, and there wasn't just one way to find happiness. For her, it had been about finding stability. For me, it was more about navigating a life that seemed to change at a million miles per hour.

We spent the next while talking about everything that had happened over the past seven years. Yeona told me about her job in a restorante, about how she'd slowly learned to embrace a quieter life, and how she felt about the future. We laughed about things that seemed ridiculous now, things we'd gotten so worked up about in school. We shared stories about old friends and wondered what they were up to, but mostly, we just listened to each other.

It wasn't the reunion I had expected, but it was the one we needed. There was no rush to make up for lost time, no pressure to force anything. Just two people catching up, rediscovering what it felt like to be friends again.

And that, in its own way, felt like enough.

Yeah... here you got to know Yeona. Just a normal korean girl✌🏻She's going to havea quietter bigger part in this story and also a few chapters only for her. 
There's going to be another girl soon.
1314 words this time btw
Ok and now... bye bitsches... see ya ψ(｀∇')ψ