Frozen Memories➔ps.ff

Chapter 42

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That night, after years of distance, Sarang and Sunghoon exchanged phone numbers—nothing dramatic, just a quiet understanding between them. A simple, "You should text me sometime," from Sunghoon, met with a small nod from Sarang as she saved his number.

Neither of them knew what would come next, but somehow, having that tiny connection again felt like something significant.

_

Sarang wasn't sure what she was expecting after that night. 

Maybe silence. 

Maybe small, polite texts that would eventually fade into nothingness.

But then, a message arrived.

Sunghoon (11:32 PM): Did you get home safe?

She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. It was such a simple question, yet it made her heart feel oddly warm.

Sarang (11:35 PM): Yeah. You?

His reply came almost instantly.

Sunghoon (11:35 PM): Jay almost left me at the café. Again. But yeah, I made it.

A small smile tugged at her lips. She could practically hear his exasperation.

Sarang (11:36 PM): You should start carrying a tracker. Or leash him.

Sunghoon (11:38 PM): Tempting. I'll consider it.

And just like that, the conversation flowed. Not forced, not awkward—just easy, like slipping into an old routine neither of them had forgotten.

_

One evening, after a long shift, Sarang stopped by a bookstore café to clear her mind. She wasn't expecting anything, just a quiet place to breathe.

But then, her phone vibrated.

Sunghoon (7:12 PM): Are you busy?

She glanced around, a bit confused.

Sarang (7:13 PM): Not really. Why?

Sunghoon (7:14 PM): Turn around.

Her heart skipped.

Slowly, she turned in her seat, her eyes widening as she spotted him standing near the café's entrance, his phone still in his hand, a small, almost hesitant smile playing on his lips.

"Hey."

She blinked. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I could ask you the same thing."

A part of her wanted to laugh—because what were the chances? But instead, she gestured to the chair across from her.

"Join me?"

Sunghoon's smile grew just a little. "Don't mind if I do."

And just like that, they sat together again, two people with too much history between them, yet so much still left unsaid.

The café was warm, the soft hum of conversations and the occasional clatter of cups filling the space around them. Outside, the city lights flickered against the glass, blending with the golden glow of the street lamps.

Sunghoon stirred his drink absentmindedly, watching Sarang as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. It felt strangely normal sitting here with her, despite everything.

"So... how has work been?" he asked, deciding to break the silence with something simple.

Sarang looked up from her drink and thought for a moment. "Busy," she admitted, "but that's nothing new."