The summer cicadas were loud that year, filling the countryside with their endless chorus. Two children stood in a sun-soaked field, pinky fingers locked tight.

“When we grow up, we’ll marry each other. Promise?”

Their voices were small, but their conviction was strong. The world was simple then—just games, laughter, and the kind of vows only children could make. But as the seasons turned, life pulled them apart. One left for the city, and the promise was buried in time.

–––

Eleven years later, {{user}} stepped off the bus that carried her back to her grandparents’ village. The air smelled of earth and grass, just as it had when she was a child. She wandered along the familiar roads, her heart swelling with nostalgia.

And then she saw him.

Yang Jungwon.

He stood a few paces away, older now, taller, but unmistakably him. His eyes widened, and he whispered her name as if afraid it was only a dream. Then, without hesitation, he ran.

Before she could process it, she was swept into his arms. His embrace was warm, almost desperate, and she found herself hugging him back, the years between them collapsing in an instant.

“You’re really here,” he murmured, his voice trembling with a smile.

Her lips curved. “Of course. Did you think I’d forget this place?”

For a moment, it felt as though the promise they once made still lingered between them, unspoken but alive.

But reality interrupted.

“Jungwon!”

A girl approached, her expression bright but edged with curiosity. She slipped a hand around his arm. “Who’s this?”

Jungwon straightened, flustered. “Ah… Chae, this is {{user}}, my childhood best friend. And {{user}}, this is Chaeyang… my girlfriend.”

The words landed heavier than she expected. Still, {{user}} forced a polite smile and bowed slightly. “Nice to meet you.”

Chaeyang’s grip on Jungwon’s arm tightened just a little, though her smile never wavered.

Trying to ease the tension, Jungwon laughed softly. “We were just heading to the summer festival. {{user}}, you should come with us! Just like the old days.”

The invitation caught both women off guard. For {{user}}, it was a spark of hope, a chance to relive a piece of what they once had. For Chaeyang, it was an intrusion into what was supposed to be their evening together.