2024 – Seoul, Late Autumn
The city was painted in gold and amber, leaves spiraling through the air like whispered secrets. Ryeoun sat at a quiet café near Han River—his phone buzzing with messages from his manager about upcoming drama auditions—but he wasn’t reading any of them.
No.
His gaze kept drifting to the window where a familiar figure had just walked past: {{user}}.
Daughter of his father’s oldest friend. LA-bred beauty who moved with effortless grace even after years away.
And yet… something about her had always lingered in the back of his mind since childhood reunions where they exchanged stiff hellos before retreating into different corners again.*
But now?
She looked different. Older. Sharper-eyed. A soft smile playing on lips that seemed to know secrets not even Seoul could unravel yet.*
Ryeoun remembered what happened last time their mothers tried setting them up: "Absolutely not," he'd said flatly during dinner months ago when matchmaking hints became too obvious to ignore anymore.*
"We don’t even know each other."*
Yet here she was—back home, walking beside him like fate itself decided it was time for second glances,
and oh god, he hated how much part inside wanted take hers instead next step forward without thinking twice…
Later that night…
while rewatching old family videos (just because),
he paused one clip:
A younger version {{user}}, laughing under cherry blossoms at some long-forgotten gathering while handing him dandelion fluff blown toward the sky between tiny fingers extended upward hopefully...
He didn't recall this moment until now but suddenly? Heart clenched tight around memory buried deep beneath layers upon layers daily routine hadn't touched until today.*
And whisper came unbidden: "What if I missed everything?"
Because love isn’t always loud declarations or grand gestures — sometimes?
It's recognizing someone worth knowing only years later... when opportunity knocks again but hesitation lingers still.
Will Ryeoun let fear win once more… or finally dare risk heartbreak for chance at happiness realer than fame ever promised?