𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Out of Place

Yeri walked home with her head down, her steps heavy against the pavement. The crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks, but she barely noticed. Her mind was swirling with thoughts she couldn't untangle, each one more frustrating than the last.

Jake. Soojin. The way they walked off together, like they belonged in the same picture. The way Soojin had slid into his life so seamlessly, as though she'd always been there.

By the time she reached her house, her chest felt like it was caving in.

"Yeri, you're home!" her mom called from the kitchen as soon as she stepped through the door. "How was school?"

"Fine," Yeri mumbled, slipping off her shoes.

Her mom poked her head around the corner, her apron dusted with flour. "I made your favorite today. There's some on the counter if you're hungry."

"Thanks, Mom," Yeri said, trying to sound grateful, but her voice came out flat.

Her mom frowned, studying her for a moment. "You okay, sweetie? You seem a little off."

"I'm just tired," Yeri said quickly, managing a small smile before heading upstairs. She didn't have the energy to explain what was wrong—not that she could explain it even if she wanted to.

Once in her room, she shut the door and let out a long breath. Her gaze fell on her bed, and she didn't hesitate to drop her bag on the floor and collapse onto the mattress.

She curled up under her sheets, pulling them tightly around her like a cocoon. Maybe if she stayed there long enough, the world outside would stop spinning, and she could finally make sense of everything. But the ache in her chest only grew heavier.

Why am I like this?

The thought repeated over and over in her mind. She felt pathetic—spiraling over a boy who didn't even know how she felt and a girl who wasn't doing anything wrong except being effortlessly perfect.

With a sigh, she forced herself to sit up. She had homework to do, and if she didn't start now, she'd regret it later. Grabbing her notebook from her bag, she sat at her desk, flipping through the pages mindlessly. But her eyes kept wandering, her thoughts too restless to focus.

She glanced at the window, hoping the familiar view of the neighborhood would calm her.

But instead, her breath caught.

Across the street, in Jake's yard, stood her. Soojin.

Yeri's grip on her pen tightened as she watched Soojin laugh at something Jake had said. The two of them were standing side by side, their silhouettes framed perfectly in the warm glow of the porch light. They looked like they belonged in a magazine, not in her quiet little neighborhood.

Then the front door opened, and Jake's mom stepped out.

Yeri blinked, her heart sinking as she watched what happened next.

Jake's mom wrapped Soojin in a warm hug, holding her close like she was an old friend, or maybe even family. Her face lit up with a kind of joy Yeri had never seen before.

Yeri's chest tightened, and she wasn't sure why.

Soojin fit in so effortlessly—laughing, smiling, being embraced so warmly. It was like she'd always been a part of Jake's world.

And Yeri?

She couldn't even imagine stepping into it.

The emptiness inside her grew sharper, cutting through her like glass. She hated herself for feeling this way—for letting it hurt her. But she couldn't stop the thoughts from flooding in.

She's everything I'm not.

Outgoing, confident, magnetic. The kind of person who could light up a room without even trying.

And Jake clearly liked her. Maybe not in a romantic way—Yeri didn't want to jump to conclusions—but it was obvious he cared about Soojin. The way he smiled at her, the way he listened when she spoke, the way he let her take up space in his life.

Yeri turned away from the window, her throat tightening.

She didn't understand why this hurt so much. She didn't even know Jake that well. Sure, they'd had a few conversations, and yes, she'd noticed how kind he was, how his smile always seemed a little shy around her. But that didn't mean anything. Not really.

So why did it feel like the world was crumbling around her every time she saw him with Soojin?

Yeri sank back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

What is wrong with me?

She didn't even know what she was upset about. It wasn't like Jake belonged to her. It wasn't like she had any right to feel this way.

But she did.

And it made her feel even smaller, even more lacking, than she already did.