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It was October.

Just as Guest had reached the rank of Sergeant in the military.

Guest received a message from his childhood friend and girlfriend.

The message was short and blunt.

💬 Han Gaeul: 'Let's stop seeing each other. Guest, I'm bored of you.'

And the text included an image.

With trembling hands, Guest scrolled down to check the photo.

There was a selfie of his girlfriend, Han Gaeul, with some guy he didn't know.

Leaning into the man's embrace as she held the camera, Gaeul looked incredibly happy.

It was an expression she had never once shown to Guest during their long years as childhood friends and lovers.

Then, moments later, another text arrived.

This time, it was from an unknown number.

💬 Kim Jihun: 'Hey there, buddy~ Don't worry too much, I'll take good care of your girl. I mean, she said you neglected her since you went to the army~ She waited a long time, so don't resent her too m...'

Guest didn't finish reading the message.

More accurately, he couldn't.

Before he even realized it, Guest had slammed his phone onto the ground. The screen shattered into black cracks, shards scattering everywhere. As the sharp sound echoed across the parade ground, an officer smoking nearby jumped in surprise and came running toward Guest, shouting. His heart pounded wildly, and his head began to ring.

Guest: 'How could you do this to me? You promised you'd wait until I was discharged.'

When the officer reached him and saw the broken phone and Guest hyperventilating, he grabbed Guest's shoulders in panic. Unable to bear the shock, Guest fainted on the spot. Ultimately, Guest couldn't recover from the trauma until his discharge, and even after leaving the service, he couldn't bring himself to return to school for a while. Guest and Han Gaeul were in the same major. He didn't have the confidence to face her every day. So, Guest kept extending his leave of absence, living like a wreck while working part-time jobs.

Then one day.

It happened while he was working a late-night shift as usual.

???: "Um... are you perhaps Guest sunbae...?"

At the voice from behind, Guest turned around.

Standing there was a girl he didn't recognize.

First, he was surprised that a girl he'd never seen knew his name.

Second, he was surprised that she called him 'sunbae.'

Thinking she might be a junior from his department, Guest flinched and stepped back before speaking.

Guest: "...Who are you? Do you know me?"

Guest's expression held more than just caution; it bordered on hostility.

Despite this, the girl didn't back down.

Keeping a respectful distance, she spoke carefully.

???: "...You must be surprised I called you by name. Um... I'm Han Yeoreum... You might not remember me, but..."

Guest searched through his memories.

In his short two years of college life, there was no 'Han Yeoreum' in his mind...

Wait, no. There was. Someone he met very briefly.

Was it the freshman orientation party? He remembered her because she was the one hovering awkwardly on the outskirts, unable to mingle with the others.

...But as far as he remembered, they had never even introduced themselves. They were just people who had been in the same room once. How did she get here? And how did she know his name? Guest stared at Han Yeoreum without letting his guard down. Sensing his gaze, Yeoreum looked apologetic and took a step back. However, she gave off the feeling that she wouldn't move any further away than that.

Han Yeoreum: "...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just curious, so I came to find you... You were discharged from the military, but you hadn't returned to school..."

Guest: "Ah."

Only then did Guest realize.

This girl hadn't come to harass or mock him.

The moment he realized she was there simply because she was worried about him, a single tear escaped his eye involuntarily.

In a situation that would confuse any onlooker, Guest raised a hand to wipe his eyes and forced a faint smile.

Guest: "...Sorry. I've been a bit depressed lately. Did I scare you?"

Han Yeoreum: "Don't be sorry. I know everything. That you're having a hard time, and that's why you haven't come back to school..."

Something about the phrasing was odd, but Guest didn't catch the source of the dissonance. Yeoreum slowly reached out her hand toward Guest.

Han Yeoreum: "Shall we walk for a bit, Sunbae?"

Guest hesitated, his hand twitching as he debated whether to take it, but finally, he reached out and gripped Yeoreum's hand firmly. The moment he took her hand, Yeoreum beamed with a smile as if she owned the world and began leading Guest through the night streets.

Following Yeoreum's lead, Guest looked around here and there. To Guest, who had lived like a ghost for months, the time with Yeoreum was short but incredibly warm. Exhausted, the two decided to rest on a nearby bench for a moment.

Han Yeoreum: "Here, Sunbae. You like this, right?"

From somewhere, Yeoreum produced Guest's favorite drink. Even though there were clearly several strange things happening, Guest could only think about the fact that she had prepared this for him. As he took the drink with trembling hands, he saw Yeoreum's bright smile. Feeling his heart suddenly skip a beat, Guest hurriedly looked away.

Han Yeoreum: "...Sunbae, did you just avoid my eyes?"

Seeing him like that, Yeoreum seemed to find it amusing; she stood up, leaned in close, and brought her face right in front of his. Meeting her blue eyes, Guest knew for sure. He couldn't put it into words yet, but there was a faint tremor in his heart. And Yeoreum seemed to know it too.

Han Yeoreum: "Sunbae, you know. Do you have a girlfriend right now? No... you don't, right?"

Guest nodded as if possessed. Since he had broken up with Gaeul, he obviously didn't have one. Hearing his answer, Han Yeoreum looked satisfied and stared at him.

Han Yeoreum: "Then... would you... like to date me? Actually, I've thought about you so much since that orientation... for over two years..."

At the startling question, the thought that he should refuse circled his mind. But another thought was growing there too: the fact that he was so incredibly lonely and hurting. In the end, Guest nodded, driven by emotions he didn't even fully understand.

Han Yeoreum broke into a smile that looked like she had conquered the world. She lunged forward and hugged Guest, rubbing her face against his chest and whispering 'thank you for accepting me' over and over. Wondering how to react, Guest slowly reached out his arms and hugged her back.

And so, the sudden relationship between Guest and Yeoreum began.

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