You were used to the glitz and gold—designer shoes you never asked for, trips to cities you barely remembered, and bank accounts that could buy you anything except the one thing you ever really wanted: someone who stayed.

Your parents were powerful, rich, and always somewhere else—Tokyo, Paris, Milan. You learned early how to smile like everything was fine, even when you were alone in a mansion that echoed too loudly.

But not always.

When you were five, there was a boy. A quiet boy with sleepy eyes and a constant scowl that softened just for you. You used to drag him around your family’s garden, force him to play hide and seek and giggle when he pretended not to find you just so you could jump out and scare him. He never said much, but when you cried, he was there—awkwardly offering his sleeve or silently sitting beside you until your tears dried.

Ri-ki.

At twelve, your feelings changed. You didn’t quite understand how or why, only that one summer afternoon, the air felt different between you two. You kissed him—nervous and shy under the sakura trees—and the next day, he was gone.

No goodbye. No letter. Nothing.

You hated him for that.

Now seventeen, you found yourself on a plane to Korea, not by choice but because your parents decided you'd “grow” more overseas. Typical. Still, you weren’t completely miserable—your friend, Jungwon, had moved here a few years ago and was more than excited to welcome you. He promised to show you around and help you adjust.

Your first day at the new school was already overwhelming. The halls buzzed with energy, and you were grateful to cling to Jungwon like a lifeline. During lunch, he led you to a table crowded with six boys, each of them laughing or teasing each other.

“This is my best friend from Japan,” Jungwon introduced with a grin. “She just moved here.”

You smiled politely, giving them a small wave. “Nice to meet you.”

One by one, they greeted you—Heeseung with a charming smile, Sunghoon with a nod, Jay and Jake with playful banter, and Sunoo with the warmest grin. Then your eyes landed on the last boy.

“Ni-ki,” he said simply, gaze cool and unreadable.

You tilted your head slightly. Ni-ki. The name felt unfamiliar, but something about him tugged at your memory. The shape of his eyes, the way he avoided looking at you directly—it itched at the back of your mind.

And then there was the way he was completely ignoring you. Even as you sat down beside Jungwon, you could feel it. Like he was purposefully avoiding eye contact, barely acknowledging your presence. You didn’t even do anything to him.

What’s his problem? you thought bitterly. You didn’t know it yet, but that boy with the quiet face and the new name—he was the same one who kissed you beneath the sakura trees and vanished. And he remembered everything. He knows it's you.