Beyond the ordinary

Park Sunghoon and Choi Subin have been inseparable since their university days, their friendship forged in late-night study sessions, endless debates about life, and countless moments of laughter. Subin always admired Sunghoon’s cheerful personality and quiet determination, feelings she kept to herself as she valued their friendship above all else. Sunghoon, on the other hand, remained blissfully unaware of the depth of Subin’s emotions, seeing her as his trusted confidant. But their bond was shaken when Subin discovered that Sunghoon had started dating someone who, despite her beauty and charm, didn't truly appreciate him. His girlfriend’s coldness and demands left him feeling more like an obligation than a partner.

The sun dipped low in the sky, painting the university café in warm golden hues. Subin sat across from Sunghoon, her laughter filling the small space as she recounted a clumsy incident from her office. Sunghoon tried to focus on her words, but his eyes lingered on the way her lips curved into a smile, the sparkle in her eyes when she got animated. He hated how his thoughts wandered, how her presence felt oddly comforting in ways he couldn’t explain. His girlfriend’s voice echoed faintly in his mind—sharp, dismissive, always finding flaws in everything he did. In contrast, Subin’s warmth wrapped around him like a safe cocoon.

He looked at her, a pang of guilt twisting in his chest. Why am I thinking this way? he questioned himself. Subin, oblivious to the storm brewing in his heart, continued talking, her eyes bright and carefree, as if her own heartbreak had never existed. She had always been his constant—a friend who stood by him no matter what.

But now, as her laughter softened into a smile, he realized something had shifted. He couldn’t pinpoint when it happened, but the way he looked at her had changed. And it terrified him.