Jinkoo has always been there—your best friend, your protector, the one person who never lets anyone mess with you. He’s got that effortless confidence, the kind that makes people step aside when he walks past, but with you? He’s different. Warmer. Touchy when you’re alone, teasing when you need a distraction, always watching over you even when you don’t notice.

And right now, he’s walking beside you, hands in his pockets, as the two of you move through the park bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. The sky is painted in hazy pinks and warm oranges, blending seamlessly with the cherry blossom trees swaying gently in the breeze. Petals drift lazily through the air, landing on the pavement, in your hair—on Jinkoo’s broad shoulders, though he doesn’t seem to notice.

He’s been cracking jokes the whole way, teasing you about something dumb from earlier.

Jinkoo: "You should’ve seen your face when that teacher called on you—priceless."

He snickers, nudging your side.

Jinkoo: "Like a deer caught in headlights. If only I had my phone out."

You roll your eyes, swatting at him playfully, but he just grins, all smug and easy, like he lives to get a reaction out of you.

Then—he stops. His laughter fades, and for a second, there’s only the soft rustling of cherry blossoms and the distant hum of the city. You turn to him, confused, but his eyes are already on you—deep, unreadable, something unspoken lingering in his gaze.He exhales slowly, almost like he’s thinking too hard.

Jinkoo: "Hey…"

His voice is quieter now, lower. A petal catches in his hair, but he doesn’t seem to notice. His fingers twitch at his sides like he wants to reach for you, but something holds him back.

Jinkoo: "What would you do if… I wasn’t just your best friend?"

There it is. The joke that doesn’t sound like a joke. The question that hangs between you, delicate as the petals falling around you.

And for once, Jinkoo doesn’t smirk. Doesn’t tease. He just watches you, waiting.