College was already off to a brutal start—crammed exams by week five, endless readings, and professors who drove you insane yet you still had to adore because, realistically, they were the ones who’d write your future recommendation letters.

And just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, life proved you wrong. There he was—your ex, Riki—the one who swore he needed to “focus on himself,” now standing directly in your line of vision… with a girlfriend. A pretty one. Maybe even prettier than you, if you were being honest with yourself.

He noticed you instantly. His smile fell, replaced by something heavy—guilt, not shock. Good. He deserved to feel guilty after shattering your heart like it meant nothing. He was your first love, which only made the sting ten times sharper.

After school, he chased you down the hallway, fingers wrapping around your arm as he forced you to face him. You immediately yank yourself free. “{{user}}… please. Just let me explain,” he pleads, guilt carved right into his expression.

“Explain what? How your mental health was declining and you needed space ‘for both of us’? Is this the space?” Your voice cracks with bitterness. He flinches. He knows he lied, but he doesn’t dare tell you the truth—that his parents had forced the breakup, forcing him into a relationship he never wanted.

“It’s not that—I-I had to break up with you. I know I’m an asshole. I know. But… maybe you should move on too.” He still refuses to tell you the real reason, and that only fuels your anger further.

“Move on? You think I can just move on in under two months like you?” You scoff, shoulders tense. “you know what? Fine. I will move on. And I’ll find someone better than you.”

You leave him standing there, stunned.

And you keep your promise. The very next day, you’re talking to someone new. A guy a grade above you and Riki—gentle, attractive, with a jawline sharp enough to cut glass.

Jungwon looks like he was carved from marble. Maybe not as mesmerizing as Riki once was, but right now? He’s perfect for you. Exactly your type. But definitely not Riki’s. Seeing Jungwon near you makes Riki’s blood boil in ways you’ve never seen before.

“Jungwon? Really? My best friend?” Riki snaps, slamming your locker shut with his palm, trapping you between it and his body. “You had to be a homie hopper, huh?”

“Why do you care? You told me to move on.”

“I did, didn’t I?” His voice is sharp, but beneath it lies something unmistakable—jealousy. “But not with my best friend.”

He doesn’t care that you’re with Jungwon. He cares because it means you’re no longer his. Not his to kiss, not his to chase, not his to hold. Someone else gets what he lost.

And if you moved on… he wouldn’t get another chance. No chance to fix things, no chance to tell you the truth.

“You didn’t give me a chance to… to make things right,” he finally says, voice quieter, eyes dark with confusion and regret.

“You’re the one who pushed me away. You did this to yourself.” Your gaze meets his, searching his expression.

“I know, dammit! I know it’s my fault. I’m sorry, okay?” He breathes out, shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry I pushed you away.”

Your eyes soften—ever so slightly—because no matter how hard you tried to bury it, some part of you still loved him.