It was a sunny afternoon, and Soyoung was on her way to the school library to study for an upcoming exam. As she walked down the hall, she noticed Chaewol standing by his locker, chatting with a classmate she hadn’t seen before. The boy seemed friendly enough, and they were both laughing about something.
Soyoung waved at Chaewol, but he didn’t notice her. She approached them, her heart light with the thought of spending some time with him before her study session.
“Hey, Chaewol!” Soyoung called out as she reached them.
Chaewol turned around, his smile fading as he saw Soyoung approaching. For a moment, he looked away, seemingly distracted by something else. The classmate gave Soyoung a polite nod before excusing himself, leaving Chaewol standing there alone.
“Hey,” Soyoung said softly, her cheerfulness waning as she noticed Chaewol’s unusual demeanor. “What’s wrong?”
Chaewol’s expression was guarded, and he avoided making eye contact. “Oh, hey, Soyoung. Nothing’s wrong.”
Soyoung’s brows furrowed in confusion. “You seemed a bit distant. Is everything okay?”
Chaewol shifted uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the floor. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
Soyoung’s heart sank as she felt a pang of disappointment. “Is it something I did? You seemed to be having a good time with that guy.”
Chaewol looked up at her, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “It’s nothing, really. I should get going.”
Without another word, Chaewol quickly turned and walked away, leaving Soyoung standing there, feeling bewildered and hurt. She watched him go, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
As Soyoung walked to the library, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. She tried to focus on her studies, but her mind kept drifting back to the encounter with Chaewol. Was he upset with her? Did something happen that she wasn’t aware of?
Later that evening, Soyoung was at home, trying to study but unable to concentrate. Her phone buzzed with a message from her friend Mina.
*Hey Soyoung, I saw you and Chaewol earlier. What happened? You both seemed a bit off.*
Soyoung sighed and typed a response. *I don’t know. Chaewol was acting distant. He was talking to another guy, and when I approached, he just... ignored me. I’m not sure what’s going on.*
A few moments later, Mina replied. *I think I know what’s going on. That guy Chaewol was talking to is just a friend from his old school. He was actually asking for advice on a project. Maybe Chaewol misunderstood something.*
Soyoung’s heart skipped a beat as she read Mina’s message. “So it was just a misunderstanding?” she muttered to herself, feeling a mix of relief and frustration.
Determined to clear things up, Soyoung decided to talk to Chaewol directly. She sent him a message asking if they could meet up and discuss what had happened. Chaewol agreed, and they arranged to meet at their favorite park later that evening.
When Soyoung arrived at the park, she spotted Chaewol sitting on a bench, his head down as if deep in thought. She approached him slowly, her heart pounding.
“Chaewol?” Soyoung said softly, taking a seat beside him. “Can we talk?”
Chaewol looked up, his expression a mix of relief and concern. “Yeah, of course. I’m sorry if I seemed off earlier.”
Soyoung took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I just wanted to understand what happened. I saw you talking to that guy, and when I approached, you seemed... distant. I thought maybe I did something wrong.”
Chaewol’s eyes widened with realization. “No, Soyoung, it wasn’t you. That guy was just a friend from my old school. We were discussing a project he needed help with. I didn’t mean to make you feel left out.”
Soyoung’s shoulders relaxed as she listened to him. “Mina told me it was a misunderstanding. I’m glad to know that now. I just felt hurt because I didn’t know what was going on.”
Chaewol reached out and took her hand in his. “I’m really sorry for making you feel that way. I should have explained things better. I didn’t want you to think I was ignoring you.”
Soyoung looked at him with a soft smile. “I understand. Communication can be tricky sometimes. I just want us to be honest with each other.”
Chaewol nodded, his gaze sincere. “I promise, Soyoung. I’ll make sure to communicate better. You mean a lot to me, and I don’t want misunderstandings to come between us.”
Soyoung squeezed his hand gently. “I appreciate that. I care about you too, Chaewol. Let’s work on being more open with each other.”
Chaewol smiled, his eyes filled with affection. “Definitely. How about we go grab some ice cream and talk more? I want to make up for earlier.”
Soyoung’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “That sounds great! Let’s go.”
They walked hand in hand to their favorite ice cream parlor, their mood lightened by the sweet treat and the comforting presence of each other. As they enjoyed their ice cream, they talked and laughed, their earlier tension melting away.
“Chaewol, I’m glad we talked,” Soyoung said with a smile. “It feels good to clear things up and just be ourselves.”
Chaewol grinned, taking a lick of his ice cream cone. “Me too. And I promise, no more misunderstandings. I’ll always be honest with you.”
Soyoung chuckled, playfully nudging him. “I’ll hold you to that. And in the meantime, let’s just enjoy this ice cream and each other’s company.”
As they finished their ice cream and walked back to the park, Soyoung and Chaewol felt a renewed sense of closeness. The day’s events had brought them even closer, reinforcing their commitment to understanding and supporting each other.
When they finally reached Soyoung’s house, Chaewol pulled her into a warm hug. “Thanks for being understanding, Soyoung. You’re the best.”
Soyoung hugged him back, her heart full of affection. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. See you tomorrow?”
Chaewol nodded, a contented smile on his face. “Absolutely. Sweet dreams, Soyoung.”
As Chaewol left, Soyoung watched him go with a smile on her face. Despite the day’s earlier confusion, she knew that their bond was strong and that they would always find their way back to each other. With a heart full of love and a sense of reassurance, Soyoung headed inside, ready to embrace the future with Chaewol by her side.