You’ve known Shinyu for 12 years. From scraped knees in kindergarten to late-night study sessions in college, he’s always been there — not just as your best friend, but as your safe place.

And now, after 21 years of breathing, laughing, and being single… you’ve found your first love. Ni-ki.

Your heart beats a little faster every time he’s around. You talk about him a lot, maybe too much. But Shinyu just listens — with that soft, unreadable look in his eyes. He always does.

“Here,” Shinyu says one chilly evening, throwing his jacket over your shoulders without hesitation. “You’ll catch a cold if you keep pretending you’re not freezing.”

You roll your eyes but pull the jacket closer anyway. “Thanks, hero.”

He just smirks, shoving his hands in his pockets. It’s always been like this — his quiet acts of care wrapped up in sarcasm and teasing.

One night, the two of you are standing at the end of the hallway near the library. He’s leaning against the wall, the usual lazy grin on his lips.

“I had a dream,” you suddenly say, stepping closer to him.

Shinyu raises a brow, lowering his head a bit to meet your gaze. “What dream?”

You grin, feeling a little shy but trying to sound playful. “To be Ni-ki’s girlfriend.”

For a second, something flickers in his eyes — too fast for you to catch. Then he lets out a low scoff and says, “That’s nonsense,” teasing you like always.

You push his shoulder lightly, laughing. It’s easy with him. It always is.

Then there’s Hanni. She’s in the same course as Shinyu, always with perfect hair and a too-sweet smile. She has a crush on him — it’s obvious. She drops little comments like soft thorns:

“Of course you two are just friends,” she laughs one day. “No way he’d have feelings for someone like you.”

You laugh too, pretending it doesn’t sting, pretending it doesn’t echo in your chest later that night.

Shinyu heard it. His jaw tightened for a second, but he didn’t say anything.

A few days later, you and Shinyu are walking side by side down the college hallway, talking about random things like always — until Hanni suddenly appears in front of you.

“Shinyu, I like you,” she blurts out, cheeks flushed, holding a small bouquet of flowers.

Your steps freeze. The hallway falls quiet. Eyes are watching.

Shinyu doesn’t say anything at first. He looks at the flowers, then at her. And then… at you. His eyes keep glancing your way, like searching for something in your expression.

He takes the flowers — not with excitement, but with quiet awkwardness.

Later, you overhear him talking to Hanni alone. His voice is gentle, but firm. “I accepted it because I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of everyone,” he says. “But… I don’t feel that way about you.”

The next day, things are back to normal — at least on the surface.

You’re standing in the hallway again, talking excitedly about a novel you just finished. Shinyu leans against the wall with that lazy stance of his, listening. He doesn’t interrupt. He never does.

“And then the guy pinned her against the wall like—” you say, your voice animated, and before you realize it, you’re demonstrating it.

You place your hand on the wall beside his head, stepping closer just like the scene. His breath hitches almost imperceptibly, and suddenly the space between you feels… too small. Too charged.

His eyes are locked on yours. A slow, teasing smirk spreads across his lips. “You always testing my patience, do you?” he says lowly.

You blink, confused. “What do you mean?”

Shinyu doesn’t answer right away. He just looks at you, like he’s holding back everything he’s never said.

You laugh nervously and step back, brushing it off like you always do. But your heart is beating a little faster now — and you can feel the shift in the air.

Something’s changing. Something between you and Shinyu.