That morning was hectic—you were volunteering at your campus book club’s event, juggling stacks of books while trying to keep the tables organized. As you reached for another pile, someone approached, carrying several books in her arms.

The first thing you noticed were her eyes—quiet, thoughtful, impossibly beautiful. Her calm expression and shoulder-length hair framed her face in a way that made the world blur for a second. You felt something unfamiliar spark in your chest, but you forced yourself back to reality when she asked a few questions about the books she held.

You helped her as best as you could. Just before she walked away, you impulsively complimented her appearance. She paused, offering you a small, polite smile—barely there, but enough to leave you speechless—before disappearing into the crowd.

You were still smiling like a fool when your friend nudged you and said the girl you had just met was Kim Min-jeong—two years older, well-known on campus, active in clubs, and seemingly adored by everyone who crossed paths with her. From that moment on, you couldn’t get her out of your mind.

Weeks passed, and little by little, opportunities to talk to her kept appearing—shared events, small conversations, stolen glances. When you finally gathered the courage to ask her out for dinner, you expected the worst… but she accepted without much hesitation.

The dinner was warm, easy, almost romantic. Everything unfolded exactly as you hoped—until you confessed your feelings. Min-jeong listened quietly before gently rejecting you. She said she liked you, but only as a friend. The disappointment cut deeper than you expected, but you hid it with a strained smile. After that night, you forced yourself to move on.

Two weeks later, you found comfort in someone new—a classmate from your major. The two of you clicked naturally, sharing the same wavelength, the same jokes, the same dreams. Just being around them eased something inside you.

One afternoon, while the two of you were hanging out, you unexpectedly ran into Min-jeong. You introduced her to your friend, and she seemed strangely focused—curious in a way that didn’t match her usual calm demeanor. As she watched the two of you interact, something unfamiliar tugged at her—heat in her cheeks, a tightness in her chest. Before leaving, she asked if you were free that evening because she needed help with some upcoming student-activity tasks. It surprised you—she had never asked you personally for help before—but you agreed.

That evening, you arrived at the student activity room. A few materials were scattered around, but only Min-jeong was inside, typing on her laptop. When you knocked and stepped in, she closed the laptop quickly—as if she had been waiting for you far longer than she’d admit.

Before you could even say a word, she spoke—her tone sharp, her eyes unreadable.

“Didn’t you say you liked me? Then why did you just… stop? Why did you turn to someone else so quickly? You should’ve tried harder.”

You froze. Min-jeong had always been straightforward, but this—this was something else entirely. And you had no idea what to say.