The Best of Tomorrow-Chapter 5Vol 2. .7

□ ■ □

I crawled on my knees to the kitchen. Sitting in front of the fridge, I opened the door and took out a bottle of water. I twisted off the cap and drank straight from the bottle, gulping it down. I’d had too much to drink—my mouth was dry, and my throat kept feeling parched. I lazily screwed the cap back on and flopped onto the floor. I pushed the fridge door shut with my foot, rolled over once, and pressed my cheek against the warm floor where the underfloor heating ran.

“I’m dying.”

As I exhaled roughly, the strands of hair falling across my face fluttered. I lay on the kitchen floor with my cheek pressed down, staring at the living room. The place where Seon-jae and I had once sat together—or lay together—was now completely empty.

“I miss you.”

Too drained to even crawl on my knees anymore, I lay flat on the floor and called out desperately to Siri.

“Siri. Siri!”

― Did you call?

“Send a message to Ryu Seon-jae.”

― I can’t find Ryu Seon-jae in your contacts. Who would you like to send a message to?

I had forgotten that I’d saved Seon-jae’s name under a different contact just in case.

“Used Goods Seller.”

― What would you like to say?

What should I say? I thought of Seon-jae.

“I miss you. Seon-jae.”

― The message to Used Goods Seller is: ‘I missh you Seon-jae’. Would you like to send it?

“Yes.”

― Message sent.

What a world we live in.

I flung my arms out and lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.

“Siri, play music.”

The warmth of the floor seeped into my body. Even without the underfloor heating, my body—flushed from the alcohol—was already warm enough. I shifted around and peeled off my sweater, tossing it aside. Turning to the side, I pressed my cheek to the floor again.

From my phone speaker, the song “I Must Erase You in My Sadness” began to play. Ever since I learned that the pocket watch would bring me back to the present once it reached three o’clock, I’d listened to this song a lot. I never used to care about the lyrics, but now every word pierced straight into my ears. It was one of the songs I’d told Seon-jae I liked when he asked on the Gamgam Bridge. Back then, I had no idea the lyrics would hit me like this someday.

― “I might regret leaving your side now, but it’s because I love you.”

Though we had met again and grown closer, that moment was now part of a story that drifted away. But listening to the song, the emotions from that time bloomed again like a wave of nostalgia. Maybe because I drank too much, or maybe for no reason at all, my nose started to sting. The memories of wearing my school uniform and meeting Seon-jae back then flickered through my mind. Tears pooled in my eyes, spilled down my cheeks, and dripped onto the floor. I muttered the lyrics in a tight voice, humming along through a lump in my throat.

Earlier, when drinking with Hyeon-joo, I nearly said it: I actually time-traveled. I wish it had been to the time you were still around. It was after you’d transferred, but I didn’t live as gloomily as I used to. The words were on the tip of my tongue.

I wanted to tell her how impossible the things I’d gone through were, how much it had hurt, how important Seon-jae had become to me, and why I’d met him. But once spoken, those words couldn’t be taken back. I swallowed them. I didn’t want to create regrets, even years down the line.

A few days ago, I ran into Seon-jae in the broadcasting station hallway. The rest of the Potato Pancakes members were gathered around him, so I instinctively turned away. Seon-jae caught up to me quickly, chased me all the way to the emergency stairs, and with a serious face, said, “Being careful is fine. But I don’t like it when you run away.” Then he pinched his lips.

“You’re not my guardian—you’re my girlfriend. I’m not someone who needs your protection; I’m someone who likes you. Can’t we just think about this moment right now? We might run into each other. We can look each other in the eyes, even smile. It’s a moment. It won’t come again. I don’t want to miss a moment with you just because I’m too afraid of bad things that haven’t even happened.”

I nodded and said I understood, but while drinking today, I suddenly felt so overwhelmed, I cried in front of Hyeon-joo. Not because I was angry at Seon-jae for saying those things—but because I was frustrated with myself. Why am I like this? I blamed myself and then I thought—

“I know what a world without you is like.”

Drip. A tear fell. I wiped my cheek with my hand.

That’s what I was afraid of. That some misfortune might disturb Seon-jae’s sleep again, and by some awful twist of fate, the destiny I’d changed for him would snap back into place. I knew it shouldn’t, and yet I panicked. I got anxious. What if that terrible fate was still orbiting around him like a planet? What if I didn’t change it at all—just postponed it for a while? What if a world without Seon-jae comes again?

Seon-jae’s serious face on the emergency stairs when he pinched his lips stayed with me like an afterimage. I hated seeing him like that. If he trusted me back when I twisted through the past, then now—when everything is on a straight path—it’s my turn to trust him. Even if I feel anxious, I know I can’t keep feeding that anxiety.

It’s time I believe him when he said not to worry about misfortunes that haven’t happened.

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes. The music moved to the next song. A few songs passed. I might’ve dozed off for a bit. I curled up, and then I heard knocking. Slowly blinking, I lifted my gaze toward the front door. Someone was knocking on my door.

Who could be knocking on my door at this hour?

Knock knock. The sound came clearly.

What the hell?

I stood up and walked to the door. I looked through the peephole, but the hallway sensor lights were off, and I couldn’t see anything. It was too late to casually ask “Who’s there?”

I kept quiet and peered out. Then, lit by a phone screen, a face appeared.

“Seon-jae?”

My hand shot to the doorknob. I yanked the door open. Seon-jae stood there, phone in hand, eyes wide in surprise as he looked at me.

“What the... How did you get here?”

He slipped his phone into his pocket and stepped inside. Click. The front door shut. In the narrow entryway, we stood face-to-face.

“You said you missed me.”

I stared blankly, trying to remember. Oh—right, I had asked Siri to send him a message. My hair must’ve been a mess from lying on the floor. Seon-jae reached out gently, smoothing it down.

“You’ve been drinking.”

I looked at Seon-jae and nodded. I raised my hand and rested it on his cheek. His skin was warm.

“You’ve been drinking too, huh.”

Seon-jae, who had been quietly letting me touch his cheek, nodded.

“Are you drunk?” I asked, stroking his cheek.

“A little. You seem really drunk though.”

He looked at me. Part of me wanted to lie and say No, I’m not! while glaring at him, but I could tell from my own appearance that I couldn’t get away with it. My eyelids, heavy with drink and exhaustion, were practically dragging me down.

“Yeah. I am.”

Seon-jae let out a small laugh at my honest answer. He took off his shoes and pulled me into his arms. I stumbled into him awkwardly, and we walked like that.

We sat side-by-side on the sofa, listening to music. Seon-jae’s head gradually tilted until it rested on my shoulder. I pressed my cheek to the top of his head and closed my eyes. Just sitting there together, listening to music, was so nice.

“Seon-jae.”

“Yeah?”

“That message earlier... Siri sent it for me.”

I felt Seon-jae shift, so I opened my eyes and looked down. He raised his eyes to meet mine.

“I told her to send you, ‘I miss you, Seon-jae,’ and she really did.”

“‘I missh you Seon-jae’—so I came.”

Seon-jae puckered his lips and exaggerated the pronunciation.

“At least the meaning got across.”

I smiled, and he smiled too.

“If it just said ‘Seon-jae,’ I still would’ve come.”

“Why?”

“Because I missed you.”

I stared at Seon-jae’s face looking up at me. I traced his eyes, nose, lips, and the little mole on his cheek with my gaze, taking in every detail. Seon-jae quietly watched me as I scanned his face.

My gaze wandered across his face until it settled on his eyes. His long lashes fluttered up and down. My favorite song was playing. My heart was pounding from the subtle mood. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Im Sol. What are you really?

Me? I’m...

Don’t say “a fan.” Say something else.

...

I keep thinking about you.

Huh?

All I think about is you. Do you think about me too? Do you think about me all day long?

The face I’d seen on the dark school stairwell that day overlapped with the Seon-jae before me. His lashes, the glint of his pupils beneath them, his perfectly shaped nose—they had glowed even in that darkness.

“Sol.”

Thump-thump. My heart beat louder. Seon-jae’s voice as he said my name felt sweet. Maybe because he rarely called me that.

“Sometimes I think... what if you’d never come to find me.”

“...”

“Then I get a little sad. But then I think of you carrying that huge secret all by yourself, and it makes me unbearably sad.”

Leaning against my shoulder, Seon-jae met my gaze.

“Sol.”

My nose stung. Strangely, my throat closed up.

“Answer me.”

“...Yeah.”

Seon-jae’s hand touched my cheek. His fingers gently stroked it. His gaze locked with mine. His touch warmed my skin. A faint scent of wood came from him.

“When I’m drunk, I lose control.”

I saw his gaze slowly trace my face until it stopped at my lips.

“Can I kiss you?”

For some reason, I couldn’t speak. I didn’t nod or purse my lips—I just froze, staring at him.

“You don’t have to answer.”

Seon-jae’s face moved closer, slowly, from below. His head shifted just under my eyes. I forgot to close my eyes and just watched him. He stared at my lips, then closed his eyes. I felt his warm breath, then his lips touched mine. My body leaned back slightly.

He pressed his lips to my lower lip, then the upper, again and again. His breath tickled and burned. As he cupped my neck, I closed my eyes. His fingers combed through my hair, and my head tilted further back.

With every kiss, I could feel my lips growing damp. When he softly sucked on my lips, a shiver ran through me. As if asking for entrance, he kept gently biting and releasing my lips.

A warm tongue slipped between my parted lips. It slowly entered, licking my inner lip, then brushing my upper lip again. Then it slipped between again, touching my tongue. Our tongues tangled, and we shared our breath.

My body gradually fell back onto the sofa. I cupped Seon-jae’s cheeks with both hands and pulled him closer. His hands, which had been tracing my shoulders, slid down my arms and reached my waist. His hand hesitated there, softly stroking, then suddenly slipped under my T-shirt. It brushed over bare skin, across my waist and back. I flinched at the sensation, and Seon-jae slowly pulled away, meeting my eyes.

“Ah... sorry.”

He blinked, startled, and quickly withdrew his hand.

“I didn’t mean to...”

He let out a flustered breath and laughed.

“It’s okay. You’ve never been good at holding back.”

The faint blush didn’t leave his face, but a soft smile spread. Seon-jae gently tucked my messy hair behind my ear. My heart pounded as we held each other’s gaze.

“Sol.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you so much.”

I smiled as I looked at him. Seon-jae gave me a quick kiss. Then, as if he couldn’t help himself, he kissed me again, and again, softly. Finally, he kissed my upper lip, drawing it in gently.

“I mean it,” he whispered with his lips still on mine.

□ ■ □

I loaded a bunch of miscellaneous props onto a square dolly and dragged it along. It was heavier than it looked, so I gripped the handle with both hands and walked backward. The driver had misunderstood the parking location and unloaded the equipment in the wrong place, which meant I was the only one stuck taking the long way around. If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve just let Shim Won-jun go when he offered.

Scowling, I trudged forward and came to a stop in front of a crosswalk. Across the street, a downhill slope began, so I stood at a distance. The signal changed and the light turned green. I looked forward, then turned around and grabbed the handle of the dolly. Bracing my legs, I moved slowly. If anything fell, I’d have to stop and pick it up, which would take even more time. The wheels were worn, and the rattling noise echoed loudly.

As I entered the parking lot, my irritation began to build. I should’ve told the driver he went to the wrong spot, told him to come here—but instead, like an idiot, I just ran after him. Why am I always like this? So rigid. A sigh escaped on its own. I hadn’t even worn gloves, and the backs of my hands were red from the cold.

“I really go looking for suffering, don’t I.”

I pulled the dolly with a face full of dissatisfaction. A speed bump appeared ahead. I glanced behind me and stopped. Gripping the handle tight, I yanked it forward, but the wheels caught on the bump and refused to come over.

“For fuck’s sake, seriously. Don’t do this to me.”

I clutched the handle with both hands and tried to lift. My teeth clenched automatically. It was too heavy to lift easily. The wheels bumped against the speed bump a few times, and the boxes stacked on the dolly began to wobble. I quickly reached out to steady them with a look of panic.

Why didn’t anyone tell me this was going to be so heavy? Seriously, you people.

My lips curled in frustration, and I let out a heavy breath through my nose. Adjusting my stance, I yanked the handle hard. The moment the wheels lifted, I dragged it forward in one swift motion. As the dolly made it over the speed bump, one of the boxes at the back tilted and spilled its contents all over the ground.

“God, seriously...”

I let go of the handle and bent down. As I picked things up one by one from the ground, I noticed a shadow near my feet that wasn’t mine. I raised my head while still crouching. A man—also crouched like me—lifted the overturned box upright and started helping me put things back inside.

“Uh...”

I stood up slowly. Staring blankly, I recognized the face. Seo Yun-jae, who had been scanning the ground for any other fallen items, looked up and locked eyes with me. Then, he smiled gently.

Why is he smiling?

The last time we ran into each other, he looked irritated and asked who I was. Does he know I’m the one seeing Seon-jae? I blinked, unsure. I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.

Seo Yun-jae had a sharp yet soft face, with a clean forehead exposed. He didn’t have double eyelids, but his eyes were big. When he smiled, the corners of his eyes curved downward, and the warmth spread across his whole face.

“Here.”

Seo Yun-jae held out the box. Still dazed, I snapped out of it and accepted it. I bowed politely.

“Thank you.”

His smile widened again. His lips were pressed shut, but the corners curved up. He scrunched his nose—a habit he had when he smiled. He used to make that face whenever he hid Seon-jae’s stuff and watched him frantically search around without noticing.

What the hell? Why are you ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ smiling like that?

While I was still weirded out by his smile, Seo Yun-jae dropped one last item into the box. Then, as if to walk past me, he took a step forward—only to lean closer and speak in a low voice:

“Chun-baek’s noona, it’s been a while. I got a lot taller, huh?”

Oh my god.

He straightened back up, chuckled, and walked away. I stood there holding the box with both hands, watching his back fade into the distance.

Did... did he remember me?

I was so stunned, I couldn’t move.

□ ■ □

I sprawled across the bed and opened the poetry collection Seon-jae had given me a long time ago. After finishing the last page, I flipped back to the front and ran my fingers over the memo he had written on the inside cover.

[What do we call the things that are suddenly there, then suddenly gone? I bought this book because I liked that line. Even if I’m not there for you now, maybe one day I’ll suddenly appear. I want to understand you.]

His handwriting was terrible, but it carried the warmth of high-school Seon-jae, and my fingertips tingled just reading it.

“For someone so handsome, your handwriting is a mess.”

I chuckled softly and closed the book—just as my phone buzzed. I craned my neck back and glanced at the screen. Seon-jae? I turned and reached for my phone. A message had come in—but it was from an unknown number.

[I saved this number just in case of emergencies. You can save mine too if you want.]

Huh? That was... odd. My face twisted in confusion as I read the message.

[Who is this?]

I sent a reply, then got up from the bed and returned the poetry book to the shelf. Seon-jae said he’d left a while ago, but he hadn’t contacted me. I checked the clock on the wall. Just then, my phone vibrated again in my hand. I looked down, half-hoping it was Seon-jae—

But it was the same unknown number.

[The most handsome person.]

I frowned. Even though the number wasn’t saved, I had a feeling I knew who it was. I started to type, [Baek In-hyeok?]—but stopped, just in case it wasn’t. What other name could I call Baek In-hyeok by?

[The guy who sold me a gym uniform jacket and bought me a burger?]

I stood silently in front of my desk, staring at the phone screen, waiting for a reply. The screen lit up with a new message:

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

...?

Was that a yes or a no? I stared at the flood of “ㅋㅋ” with a blank face when another message followed.

[Your memory is insane.]

[So I was right?]

[Yeah. You’re the one who ran off carrying Seon-jae on your back.]

So it was Baek In-hyeok.

I wondered why he was suddenly contacting me, then saved his number. I couldn’t just save it under his name like I did with Seon-jae, so I hesitated before finally saving it as Mr. Baek.

[You said “most handsome,” so I thought it was Seon-jae.]

My cheeky message got an exasperated response.

[I showed that to Ryu Seon-jae and he’s way too happy about it...]

A smile crept up my lips. So he was with Seon-jae. But wait, Seon-jae said he’d already left...

[Why did you text me?]

[Seon-jae said he wants to go on a date with you outside. Said you never meet him alone unless it’s at your place.]

[He said that? That’s not true.]

It wasn’t that I refused to see him outside. It’s just that when we were out in public, I got too self-conscious, and we always ended up back home.

[Anyway, let me come with you guys today.]

[Are you with Seon-jae now?]

I waited for a response, but it didn’t come immediately. I slipped my phone into my pocket, turned around, and pulled the blanket off the bed. I carried it out to the living room. I threw the window wide open and gave the blanket a good shake, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Huff.

Holding my breath, I shook it hard when I noticed two guys wearing motorcycle helmets loitering in front of the building entrance.

“Hey, why are you tagging along?”

“Why not? I want to hang out too.”

“Why you though?”

“Come on, we used to eat together and stuff. Don’t be mean.”

“When was that? You said you were headed somewhere else.”

“I was headed to your girlfriend’s place.”

The guy in the black puffer jacket smacked the other guy’s helmeted head with a loud thwack.

“Ow! Did you just hit me? I bought this helmet with my own money thinking of you, you jerk.”

The scene was absurd. I quickly gathered up the rest of the blanket hanging out the window. Just as I finished pulling in the edge, my phone buzzed again. I dropped the blanket on the living room floor and pulled out my phone.

[We’re screwed.]

It was Seon-jae.

My thoughts jumped to the two helmets outside.

Then I heard my name being spoken outside.

“Sol might hate this, you know.”

“No way. She said she likes it.”

I held my phone and peered out the window.

The guy in the black jacket took off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair.

“Seriously, I never should’ve given you my number.”

Seon-jae glared at the other guy, clearly annoyed. Then he gave the guy’s helmet a couple of petty slaps.

“Why’d you hit me? That had feelings behind it, didn’t it? And I gave you that helmet so you’d wear it. To keep you from getting plastered all over the internet.”

My eyes went wide at the ridiculous scene. Seon-jae, reluctantly putting his helmet back on, pulled out his phone and started typing something.

A new message popped up.

[In-hyeok followed me.]

I read the message, then looked down at the two helmeted figures in front of my building. I had no idea what they were riding or how they got here, but the way they were just standing there in full gear—it was ridiculous. Was I seriously supposed to go down and meet them like this?

I stared down at them, my expression gradually darkening.

□ ■ □

I was walking between two guys wearing helmets, sporting a Santa beard. When Baek In-hyeok tried to hand it to me, I said, “Hey, I’m just a regular person—why are you giving me this?” and tried to refuse. But Baek In-hyeok flipped up his helmet visor and widened his eyes.

‘Even you can tell that two people walking around in helmets looks weird. So if even one of us looks normal, that makes it even weirder.’

His logic was strangely sound, so I quietly accepted the beard. And that’s how I ended up with a white beard hanging under my nose, walking near Jagam High School with two guys in helmets—Baek In-hyeok on my left, Seon-jae on my right.

Baek In-hyeok’s head kept turning as if he was excited by the familiar scenery of the school he hadn’t seen in a while. Then I felt a light tug on my fingers and looked to the side. Instead of Seon-jae’s face, there was just a round helmet. I looked down. His thin fingers were gently playing with my index, middle, and ring fingers.

“Let’s make him go home.”

I let out a snort of laughter at Seon-jae’s words. He sounded so serious. I couldn’t see his face, but I could tell he must’ve been wearing a pretty annoyed expression.

“Huh? There used to be an arcade here.”

Baek In-hyeok stopped walking and looked up at a building sign. The arcade karaoke we once visited together—after I got caught by him trying to sneak over the school wall with Seon-jae—had been replaced by a coin karaoke booth.

Baek In-hyeok turned his head and looked between Seon-jae and me. With the helmet visor down, I couldn’t see his eyes clearly.

“Wanna compete for points?”

“You got a wish coupon?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s do it.”

Seon-jae climbed the stairs without hesitation.

“You should wish for ‘Please send Baek In-hyeok home.’”

Clenching his fist with determination, Seon-jae climbed like a man on a mission. Baek In-hyeok, looking like he couldn’t believe this, gave him a push on the back.

We entered the most secluded room. Baek In-hyeok took off his helmet, ran a hand through his hair, and flipped up his hood. Our eyes met as he fidgeted with something in his hoodie pocket. For some reason, the eye contact felt awkward, and I glanced away.

“Hey, now that I think about it, you didn’t even say hi to me.”

He pulled a bill out of his pocket as he said it. Right, I had totally panicked when I rushed out of the house, saw those two helmets, and forgot all about greeting him. I took the beard and jumped in a taxi without saying a proper word. Even when he sat in the front seat, we barely spoke.

“Hey. It’s been a while.”

My greeting was stiff. Baek In-hyeok gave a short laugh and fed two ₩1,000 bills into the machine.

“This really brings back memories. You cried after hearing Seon-jae sing back then.”

Wow, he remembers everything. Feeling slightly flustered, I cleared my throat and handed the remote to Seon-jae.

“Wanna do a warm-up round?”

“Nope. Let’s get this over with. I’m sending him home.”

Baek In-hyeok chuckled dryly and pouted.

“Hey, I was gonna eat with you guys and look around school.”

Then he turned and looked at me.

“Don’t make me leave.”

“Huh?”

“You were the one with the highest score last time too, right? Let me hang out just a little. I’ll go on my own. Have some pity. Remember the old days.”

I opened my mouth to reply, then just nodded. Yeah. We had old times. I nodded again, thinking that, but while Baek In-hyeok smiled, Seon-jae just stared at me without a hint of amusement.

Come on, Seon-jae. He wore a helmet all the way here. Wouldn’t it be a little much to kick him out after one song? I tried to send him that message with my eyes, but it didn’t seem like he got it.

Seon-jae held the remote, clicked “Song Search,” and stared at the screen.

“I’m getting a perfect score.”

Baek In-hyeok crossed his legs, rested his arms on his knees, and laughed.

“Dude, you came in dead last last time. Was it 4 points?”

“It was 10.”

I corrected his memory. Seon-jae turned to look at me mid-button-press, his face saying, Kim Chun-baek, why are you like this? We’re supposed to be on the same team. Then he looked back at the screen.

I could feel his side glance burning into me.

Suddenly, the remote was shoved in front of me.

“You go first.”

I blinked and took it. Back then, I’d sung in front of two soon-to-be idols—but now? Now they were idols. The kind who got vocal lessons and training. Me? I was just me.

My score would obviously be terrible. Was he trying to get the worst over with first? I gripped the remote with both hands and deliberated. What songs did I usually get good scores on?

The song title and artist appeared on the screen.

Baek In-hyeok burst out laughing.

“Man. Your song choices haven’t changed a bit.”

I pretended not to hear and gripped the mic. The song was “A Love Like a Sad Painting” by Lee Sang-woo. Dad’s second favorite singer after Lee Moon-sae. I straightened my back and steadied my breath. My palms were sweaty from nerves. I lifted the mic.

Even the parting in tears today will one day become something to miss...

When that line came up, Baek In-hyeok muttered, “So tragic. Really.”

I sang each word clearly and on-beat. I caught myself tapping one foot to keep rhythm without even noticing.

When the song ended, Baek In-hyeok clapped.

“Singing in front of idols is death.”

“What do you mean? You’re good.”

I smiled. When I turned to look at him, Seon-jae met my gaze. Arms crossed, leaning against the wall, he stared at me expressionlessly.

“You sure love breakup songs.”

“...What?”

Baek In-hyeok, behind him, mouthed, He looks up breakup lyrics all the time, shaking his head. I laughed at the secret commentary and turned to the score. 95.

“Whoa. Not bad!”

Seon-jae held out his hand. I slapped it with a loud smack.

The intro began, and Baek In-hyeok grabbed a mic. He swayed his shoulders left and right as he sang “One Love” by 1TYM. Guess he hadn’t let go of his rapper dreams. When the chorus came, he quickly passed the second mic to Seon-jae. Baek rapped, Seon-jae sang. Their combo was unexpectedly solid. I bit back a smile as I listened.

After the song, Baek In-hyeok lowered the mic.

“Perfect. Seriously.”

He looked smug, his shoulders raised. But the score came up—80.

He stared at the screen like he couldn’t believe it.

“Are you kidding me? That was amazing.”

Still stunned, he reached for the remote—only for Seon-jae to snatch it.

“It’s my turn.”

Baek In-hyeok pouted and let go.

“You do the rap, then.”

He smirked and picked up the mic again. Seon-jae’s song began. It was one by Kim Yeon-woo. The atmosphere in the room shifted—softer, more poignant.

Seon-jae and Baek In-hyeok in school uniforms, me in my Jagam PE clothes. Seon-jae singing, me sitting close to the screen crying as I listened. Baek In-hyeok handing me tissues with a baffled face. The memories all played in my head.

It had been years ago for them. For me, it had only been a few months. Back then, winter was coming. Now, it was fading.

Nothing compares to you, nothing can hide you. I fear nothing before you—because it’s you, because you are who you are.

I stared at the screen as the lyrics turned yellow. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Such beautiful words. And they were pouring softly from Seon-jae’s lips. His voice was gentle, not going for the high notes but low and rich.

Baek In-hyeok clutched his mic, staring at the screen, waiting for his cue. When the lyrics changed color, he lowered his voice and came in.

While I sat there staring, Seon-jae reached for my hand. His warmth spread over the back of it, and my gaze shifted to his face. He peeked down at me and gave a faint smile before turning away again.

I stared at him, still singing. He looked beautiful as always when he sang. His lips, the sound flowing through them, tickled my entire being. My heart pounded. I felt overwhelmed.

Hair falling over his brow brushed his lashes. His sharp nose, soft lips—everything glowed. Realizing I was staring, Seon-jae met my gaze.

I love you, I love you so much...

He sang, looking right into my eyes. My heart thudded.

Yeah. I really had to get rid of Baek In-hyeok soon. I gripped Seon-jae’s hand tighter.

“God, you two are dripping with sugar.”

We both turned our heads. Baek In-hyeok, mic near his mouth, narrowed his eyes and muttered, I’m still here, you know.

“I’m singing more.”

He pulled ₩5,000 from his pocket and fed it into the machine. Standing tall again, he said firmly,

“I’m singing all these. This karaoke room is clearly the last stop on my tour.”