The condensation on the outside of her glass had begun to dampen Seorin’s palm while the hum of adult conversation continued to shift around her.

Names of hospitals and doctors floated around her until they all started to sound the same.

“Soo Jin?”

Her mother immediately turned.

A woman stood a few steps away from them. Her hair was neatly swept back, a long coat falling in clean, unwrinkled lines. Her gaze was sharp, but her expression softened the moment she saw Seorin’s mother.

“Eun Ji unnie.”

Her mother broke into a wide smile before stepping forward and giving her a brief hug.

The woman’s eyes then lingered on Seorin.

“This is Seorin?”

Her gaze traveled slowly from Seorin’s face to her school uniform.

“The last time I saw you, you were still so little.”

Seorin lowered her head politely.

“Hello.”

“This is Mrs. Bae,” her mother said. “She was my senior in medical school. She works overseas now.”

Seorin gave a small nod.

The name passed through her mind without much thought until the woman spoke again.

“Hyun Woo has grown up a lot too.”

Seorin’s fingers stilled around her drink.

Footsteps approached from behind them.

“Mom.”

Her grip tightened before she even turned around.

Lee Hyun Woo stopped beside Mrs. Bae, one hand still tucked into the pocket of his coat.

His eyes landed on Seorin immediately.

“We meet again.”

His voice was calm, as though there were nothing unusual about meeting her here.

“You two know each other?” Seorin’s mother asked.

Seorin gave a short nod.

A faint smile touched Hyun Woo’s lips.

“A little.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Mrs. Bae asked with a small laugh.

For a few seconds, no one said anything.

Seorin opened her mouth, then closed it again.

“Come on. Let’s eat first,” Mrs. Bae finally interrupted.

***

The restaurant buzzed with the clatter of dishes and quiet conversation.

Warm yellow light from the hanging lamps reflected off glasses and silverware. The scent of hot soup mixed with grilled meat, filling the narrow space around their table.

Seorin sat beside her mother.

And directly across from her—

Hyun Woo.

“What a coincidence,” Mrs. Bae said with a smile toward Seorin’s mother. “Our kids go to the same school.”

Her mother laughed softly.

“It really is a small world.”

“She’s the one I told Mom about.”

Hyun Woo’s voice slipped naturally into the conversation.

Seorin’s spoon froze halfway to her bowl.

“You mean Seorin?” Mrs. Bae asked.

Hyun Woo gave a slight nod without looking away.

Seorin’s fingers remained motionless around the spoon for a few seconds longer.

“Well, that’s wonderful.” Mrs. Bae’s smile widened. “I hope the two of you become close.”

This time, Seorin genuinely choked on her drink.

She hurriedly grabbed a napkin.

Her mother only laughed and patted her arm.

“Slow down.”

Across the table, the corner of Hyun Woo’s mouth was still faintly curved upward.

Seorin lowered her gaze back to her food.

Steam continued to rise from the soup in front of her until Hyun Woo’s figure across the table blurred for several seconds.

***

Her hopes had been simple.

Finish dinner.

Go home.

Done.

Yet thirty minutes later, Seorin found herself standing in front of a shoe store, several shopping bags hanging from her hands.

Their mothers were still walking ahead, deep in conversation, occasionally laughing far louder than the quiet shopping center seemed to require.

“Let me carry those.”

Before Seorin could answer, half the bags had already been transferred into Hyun Woo’s hands.

“I can carry them myself.”

She reached for them again, but Hyun Woo simply lifted his hand a little higher.

“I don’t mind.”

“I do.”

The words came out colder than she had intended.

Hyun Woo merely lifted an eyebrow.

The white shopping bags swayed gently with each step.

“Seorin?”

Her mother’s voice drifted back from ahead.

“What are you two doing?”

Seorin immediately stepped back.

“Nothing.”

Her mother and Mrs. Bae exchanged a glance before continuing forward with small smiles.

Within moments, the distance between them had widened.

Leaving only Seorin and Hyun Woo behind.

Their footsteps echoed softly across the polished floor.

“I told you before,” Hyun Woo said quietly.

Between the footsteps and the mall's soft music, his voice seemed far too close.

“We’re going to get close.”

Seorin frowned immediately.

“This is just a coincidence.”

She quickened her pace.

“I’m here because of my mom. So are you.”

The shopping bags brushed softly against one another.

“Tomorrow we won’t be this close.”

“Seorin.”

He called her name again.

Slowly.

Without hurry.

“Things that look like coincidences usually don’t happen only once.”

Her steps nearly faltered.

She forced herself to keep walking before Hyun Woo could see her reaction for any longer.

“Don’t draw the line so quickly,” he continued, matching her pace again. “We haven’t even tried anything yet.”

Seorin frowned.

“We?”

“We can start as friends.”

Several more steps passed.

Then Hyun Woo spoke again.

“But I’m not planning to stop at friends.”

This time, Seorin stopped completely.

Suitcase wheels rattled past. People continued walking around them. Voices drifted through the shopping center.

Yet Seorin couldn’t make out a single conversation anymore.

The paper bags rustled softly as her grip tightened.

She blinked once.

Then again.

Hyun Woo’s gaze never wavered.

There was no laughter.

No trace of teasing.

***

Seorin had just touched the light switch when a quiet voice called her name from outside.

She froze.

The room, silent only moments ago, suddenly seemed filled with the ticking of the clock.

“Han Seorin.”

This time it was clearer.

Seorin turned sharply toward the window.

The curtain had been pulled back slightly.

Kang Ara stood at the neighboring window, giving her a small wave.

Her hair was tousled by the night wind.

Seorin immediately raised a finger to her lips.

Quiet.

She shot a quick glance toward her bedroom door.

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Kang Ara’s name lit up on the screen.

Ara pointed at the phone from the other side of the window.

Seorin let out a quiet breath before answering.

“What—”

“Keep it short,” Seorin cut in softly. “Mom and Dad are still awake.”

A brief sound of breathing came from the other end.

“Sorry.”

Seorin said nothing.

“I was annoying earlier.”

Her gaze remained fixed on Ara through the window.

Only half the light in Ara’s room was on, leaving one side of her face in shadow.

There was no mischievous smile.

No teasing tone.

“Han Seorin.”

Ara’s voice was lower now.

“If you want to get to know Hyun Woo... then do it.”

Seorin’s grip tightened around her phone.

“I shouldn’t have tried to stop you.”

The night breeze stirred the thin curtain beside the window.

“You have the right to have someone else too.”

Seorin’s fingers tightened further until her knuckles paled.

She stared at Ara for several silent seconds.

“I hope the two of you get to know each other.”

For a moment, Hyun Woo surfaced in her thoughts—his smile, his voice, the unwavering steadiness in his gaze.

Then her eyes returned to Ara.

Ara smiled again.

A small smile.

Light and easy, exactly as always.

“Annoying.”

The muttered word was nearly swallowed by the night wind.

The call ended.

Seorin immediately pulled the curtain shut.

Ara’s voice still drifted faintly from outside, calling her name one more time before it disappeared beneath the distant sound of traffic from the main road.

She dropped onto her bed.

Pulling the blanket up to her shoulders.

Her eyes closed too quickly.

No matter how many deep breaths she drew, each one caught halfway in her chest.

Her fingers pressed harder against her eyes.

But when she opened them again, her vision had already blurred.

One tear fell onto the pillow first.

Then another.

Seorin quickly turned her face toward the other side of the bed.

Her hand still covered her eyes as Ara’s voice finally vanished completely, and the room once again filled with nothing but the steady ticking of the clock.