Annyeongz One-shots

115. Him

Wonyoung didn’t even want to come at first.

“Just for a few hours,” her mom had said while fixing her hair in the mirror. “I haven’t seen her in years.”

So here she was, sitting in the passenger seat, fingers loosely gripping her phone while the car rolled into a quiet neighborhood. The houses looked warm, lived-in… the kind of place where memories stayed for a long time. Wonyoung glanced outside, then back down again, not expecting anything special.

Until they arrived.

The moment the door opened, a cheerful woman stepped forward with a bright smile, immediately pulling Wonyoung’s mom into a hug. Their laughter filled the entrance, loud and familiar despite the years that had passed. Wonyoung stood slightly behind, offering a polite smile, bowing her head just a little.

“Ah… this must be Wonyoung,” the woman said warmly, her eyes soft. “You’ve grown so much.”

Wonyoung smiled shyly. “Nice to meet you, aunty.”

But then—

Her gaze shifted.

There was someone else inside the house.

A guy.

He was standing by the dining table, sleeves slightly rolled up, hands busy arranging plates and food like he had done it a hundred times before. His movements were calm, natural… but what made her pause wasn’t what he was doing.

It was how he looked.

He wasn’t trying at all—and yet everything about him felt… effortlessly attractive.

The soft fall of his hair, the focused look in his eyes, the quiet way he moved around the table. There was something composed about him, something steady. The kind of presence that didn’t need to be loud to be noticed.

Wonyoung blinked.

Why is he…

Her thoughts cut off the moment he turned.

Their eyes met for a split second.

And just like that, something in her chest tightened.

He walked over without hesitation, polite but confident, stopping in front of them before giving a small respectful nod.

“Hi, aunty,” he greeted her mom first, voice calm and low. Then his eyes shifted to Wonyoung, softer now. “Hi.”

Wonyoung felt her heartbeat trip over itself.

“Hi…” she replied, barely above a murmur.

“Oh!” her mom suddenly said, smiling. “This is Yujin. My friend’s son.”

Yujin.

The name settled in her mind instantly.

“He’s the same age as you,” her mom added casually.

Same age.

Wonyoung didn’t know why that detail made her more aware of him.

She nodded slowly, trying to stay composed. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” he replied simply.

But even that short exchange lingered longer than it should have.

The house quickly filled with noise.

Laughter, conversations, the clinking of plates. Wonyoung ended up sitting at the edge of the sofa, hands resting on her lap, trying to act normal while everything inside her felt… unusually restless.