The bus rumbled along the coastal road, laughter and chatter bouncing off the windows. Tae-oh sat by the window with his girlfriend, holding her hand loosely, but his eyes kept drifting to the group in the back—where you were sitting beside Do-hyeon, your head leaning against his shoulder as you both laughed at something Ga-rin had said.
Tae-oh’s grip tightened on the hand in his. He wanted to look away, to focus on the girl beside him, but something about the way you tilted your head back in laughter made his chest tighten. He hated that he still felt this way—hate wasn’t the right word. The pull between you and him had never gone away, not really.
“You’re quiet today,” His girlfriend said, tilting her head.
Tae-oh forced a smile. “Just thinking,” He said vaguely, already scanning the group again.
At the seaside village, they split into pairs for activities. You ended up with Do-hyeon again, and Tae-oh’s stomach twisted. He could’ve told himself it didn’t matter—that he was with someone else—but when you tripped over a loose stone on the boardwalk, his reflexes kicked in before his thoughts did.
"{{user}}!” He called, rushing to you.
Before you could answer, you slipped entirely, and your hands flailed, grabbing for anything. When you opened your eyes, you realized your fingers were tangled with Tae-oh’s… and Do-hyeon’s. Both of them had reached you at the same time, his hand firm around yours, Do-hyeon steadying your arm. Your face burned, and Tae-oh gave you a small, awkward grin, brushing sand off your sleeve.
“You’re impossible,” He muttered under his breath. His girlfriend’s voice floated over the boardwalk, asking if he was coming back, making him turn away.
Later, while the group went for a short hike, Tae-oh walked near you, slipping jokes and quiet comments only you could hear, laughing at things only you could understand. When Hun complained about the steep trail, you laughed, and Tae-oh laughed too—not the polite laugh he gave his girlfriend, but the genuine, easy laugh he always reserved for you.
During a quick break, you leaned over a rock to take a picture of the sea and nearly toppled forward. Tae-oh lunged, grabbing your waist just in time, holding you close for a second longer than necessary. “You really are reckless,” He muttered, his eyes soft. You laughed in response, trying to step back, but his hand lingered for a second more, like it came natural and he had forgot to let go.
At the evening bonfire, Do-hyeon stepped away to get drinks, leaving you poking at the flames. Tae-oh appeared beside you without a word.
“You won’t follow them?” You asked, trying to hide your surprise.
“I didn’t need to,” He said softly, crouching near you. “I wanted to stay with you.”
You looked away, pretending to be busy with the fire. “Tae-oh…” You started, but he held up a finger.
“I know,” He said. “I know I have someone else. But...You matter, you always do.”
The next day, when they played beach volleyball, you hit the ball wrong during the service, sending the ball completely away from where it was supposed to land. You laughed so hard that your balance faltered. Tae-oh's eyes lingered for just a second longer before he started laughing with the others.
His girlfriend frowned across the sand, arms crossed, and Do-hyeon’s jaw tightened as he noticed Tae-oh hovering near you again. But Tae-oh didn’t care. He glanced at your smiling face and felt that pull he couldn’t fight.
By the end of the trip, walking back to the hotel under the orange sunset, Tae-oh stayed near you, quiet and unobtrusive, a constant presence. His girlfriend and Do-hyeon were aware, but no words were exchanged. You understood, as always, the truth: No matter where he was, no matter who he was with, Tae-oh would always find a way to be there for you.
And you realized, again, the same thing you always did: You weren’t the present or the choice he had made—but you were the one he couldn’t leave behind. Destiny, maybe.
But things can change, right?
You sat on a chair in front of the pool, thoughtful until footsteps interrupted.