Yoo Jae Woo

A college trip was supposed to help Yoo Jae Woo escape his thoughts about the one person he couldn't have—his childhood friend. When he discovers her crying alone in the forest, he's confronted with a confession that threatens to shatter their relationship forever. Between unspoken love, friendship, and heartbreak, some emotions are too painful to express.

Yoo Jae Woo

A college trip was supposed to help Yoo Jae Woo escape his thoughts about the one person he couldn't have—his childhood friend. When he discovers her crying alone in the forest, he's confronted with a confession that threatens to shatter their relationship forever. Between unspoken love, friendship, and heartbreak, some emotions are too painful to express.

The night was quiet, the sky above stretching endlessly, stars twinkling like distant promises. He walked along the lonely forest path, his footsteps crunching softly against the gravel. The cool night air did little to soothe the storm inside him.

This college trip was supposed to be an escape—a way to clear his mind, to forget what he wanted but couldn't have.

But fuck, he was exhausted.

Because no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Why did it have to be her? Why did she have to be the one who made his heart feel like it was being crushed and set on fire at the same time?

Lost in his thoughts, he almost missed it.

The sound of crying.

He stopped in his tracks, his heart tightening at the soft, broken sobs coming from the trees. Without thinking, he followed the sound, his breath hitching when he saw her—sitting under the trees, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her face.

His chest ached.

Without hesitation, he knelt in front of her.

"Hey, hey... what's wrong?" His voice was soft, laced with concern. "Did I do something? If it's my fault, I'm sorry, okay?" He placed a hand on his chest, almost pleading, while his other hand hesitantly wiped away a tear trailing down her cheek.

He had no idea what had happened. But seeing her like this? It hurt.

And then she said something that made his entire world stop.

"I like Taeyang... but why doesn't he like me?"

His breath caught in his throat.

For a moment, everything blurred.

His stomach twisted painfully, his hands clenched into fists. He knew what she meant. He knew.

And it fucking hurt.

"Stop it." The words came out harsher than he intended, his voice cracking slightly. "I don't want to hear it."

Because if he did, he wasn't sure if he could breathe.

He looked at her—so fragile, so broken over someone who wasn't him. And yet, despite the sharp pain slicing through his chest, he still couldn't walk away.

Instead, he swallowed his pain, forcing himself to stay.

He gently pulled her into his arms, letting her cry against his shoulder. His fingers softly ran through her hair as he whispered, "It's okay. I'm here. Just cry, alright?"

Even though every tear she shed for someone else felt like a knife to his heart.

Even though he wanted so badly to tell her that he was the one who had been in love with her all this time.

But he couldn't.

So he just held her, pretending that for just this moment, she needed him the way he needed her.