𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐄; boysnextdoor

pretty boy 2

-

Y/n sat at the café, sipping her drink absentmindedly, fingers tracing the rim of her cup. Her thoughts were a tangled mess. Jaehyun’s words echoed in her mind, that painful confession, “My love for you is not enough to give you for your whole life.” She had thought she was prepared for it, but hearing it from him made everything feel so much more real, so much harder to let go of.

The first few days after their breakup were a blur of confusion. She spent a lot of time with her friends, especially Taesan, who always seemed to know exactly what she needed, even without her saying it. He’d been there for her more than anyone, giving her space when she needed it, but also pulling her out of her shell when she closed herself off.

Yet, there was a part of her that kept wondering if she had made the right choice. Jaehyun had given up on them before she could even get a chance to really understand how he felt. And now, she couldn’t help but wonder if it had been him, all along, who was holding her back from something better.

“Y/n.”

Taesan’s voice cut through her thoughts, and she looked up, blinking at the sight of him standing before her. He always knew how to make her feel safe.

“Lost in your thoughts again?” he asked, slipping into the seat across from her without waiting for her to answer.

“I guess,” she said with a soft laugh, shaking her head. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“You’re thinking too much about Jaehyun, aren’t you?” Taesan's voice was casual, but there was an underlying understanding. He knew.

She didn’t respond immediately, instead letting her gaze drift to the window as she watched the rain streak down the glass. She hadn’t told him about Jaehyun’s last words, about the way he’d ended things. Maybe it was because she didn’t know how to explain the weight of it all. Taesan had always been there for her, but this was different.

“Y/n, you deserve someone who’s going to love you the way you deserve to be loved,” he said, his tone softer now. “I know I’m not the best at expressing it, but I care about you, okay? You’re not alone in all this.”

Her heart thudded in her chest, an unfamiliar warmth spreading across her cheeks. The way Taesan looked at her, the quiet sincerity in his voice, made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she had been blind all this time. She had always trusted him, relied on him, but had she ever stopped to truly see him?

“I know,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes flicking down to her cup. “I just... I don’t know if I’m ready for something like that.”

Taesan reached across the table, gently lifting her chin so she would meet his gaze. There was a softness in his eyes, a tenderness she hadn’t noticed before.

“Y/n, you don’t have to rush into anything. Just... know that I’m here, no matter what you choose. And I’ll always be by your side. We don’t have to figure it all out today.”

Her breath hitched in her chest as his hand lingered on her chin, his touch warm and reassuring. For the first time in a long while, she felt like the world was a little less heavy.

She nodded, her heart feeling lighter than it had in days. Maybe she wasn’t ready to love again just yet, but with Taesan beside her, she knew she wasn’t alone.

---

Over the next few weeks, their friendship grew stronger. Taesan’s quiet gestures, his understanding of her, never ceased to make her heart flutter in ways she couldn’t explain. Y/n had always thought that love was loud and obvious, something grand and overwhelming. But with Taesan, it was different. His love was patient, steady, and somehow, it felt like home.

She began to notice the little things more—like how he always made sure she had something warm to drink on a cold day, how he would stay up late just to listen to her talk about anything, how he never pushed her when she wasn’t ready to share.

One afternoon, as they walked together through the park, a familiar warmth in her chest spread once again as Taesan’s hand brushed against hers. He didn’t pull away, and she didn’t either. They simply walked side by side, their hands just inches apart, both of them knowing what the other was feeling but not quite ready to acknowledge it.

And then, without thinking, Y/n gently intertwined her fingers with his, a quiet acknowledgment that she felt something for him too. Taesan’s hand tightened around hers just slightly, and she could feel the relief in the way he squeezed.

“I don’t know what this means yet,” Y/n whispered, her voice full of uncertainty, “but... I think I’m ready to figure it out. With you.”

Taesan’s grin was infectious, his eyes lighting up with that familiar warmth.

“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, his voice steady, but with a hint of something deeper, something more.

She smiled back, feeling the weight of her past slip away just a little more with every step they took together. Maybe she hadn’t realized it before, but now, in this moment, it was clear. Taesan had always been the one who would be there for her, not ust as a friend, but as something more.

It was only a matter of time before she figured out what that “more” was.