The meeting ended without me truly feeling it. The hour passed like a few minutes, filled with something warm… something I wasn't used to.
The atmosphere in the house was strangely comfortable, not just because of the heating or the lingering aroma of food, but because of the people themselves.
Spontaneous conversation, unintentional laughter, and occasional silences… but none of them were unsettling.
I glanced around for a moment before standing up, as if trying to fix this image in my memory. The lights were dim, casting a soft shadow on the walls, and the dishes were still on the table as we had left them. The place wasn't perfect, but it was alive… and that's what made it so different from my own home.
I smiled faintly, then turned to Do-hyun.
"I'm sorry… I have to leave early. I have work in the morning."
He looked up quickly, as if he hadn't expected it.
"So soon?" he said, his voice tinged with surprise, then glanced at his watch. "Oh… time really did fly by."
"I didn't feel it either," I added, picking up my coat.
"I'll drive you," Michael chimed in quietly.
I nodded, then turned back to Do-hyun.
"The food was great… thank you."
He smiled broadly, the kind of smile that always seemed too genuine.
"I'm glad you didn't get food poisoning."
I giggled softly.
"Me too."
He stood up suddenly, as if he'd just remembered something important.
"Wait."
He hurried toward the kitchen, and we heard the refrigerator door open, followed by a light rustling of things inside. I exchanged a quick glance with Michael, who seemed completely unfazed.
"What's he doing?" I whispered.
"You'll see soon enough."
A few moments later, Do-hyun returned with a small bag, which he handed me excitedly.
"Here, take this."
I looked inside the bag, then up at him in surprise.
"Ice cream?"
"The best kind in the world," he said with exaggerated confidence. "I don't allow any guest to leave without it."
"Is that a rule?"
"Of course. A very important rule."
I smiled, seeing no reason to refuse.
"Thank you…that's very kind of you."
He shrugged slightly.
"Come back again, and I'll make it a complete meal this time…no fire threats."
"I can't promise," I said, smiling.
We headed for the door, and I still felt a strange feeling in my chest…a mixture of relief and longing for something that wasn't over yet. When Michael opened the door, a cool breeze slid in, immediately clashing with the warmth we'd left behind.
I paused for a moment on the threshold and looked inside one last time. Do-hyun was standing there, waving his hand randomly, as if we'd been friends for years.
"Pray for safety!" he said loudly.
"Good night!" I replied, then stepped out.
The door closed quietly behind us, as if that small world had suddenly vanished. The air outside was unexpectedly cold, making me pull my coat tighter around me.
We walked side by side in silence for a few moments. The street was quiet, the dim light from the lampposts casting our shadows on the ground.
I took a deep breath, then said without looking at him,
"He's nice."
Michael didn't reply immediately, just glanced sideways at me.
"Yes."
"More than I expected," I added, smiling slightly. "He was never what I imagined."
"I know."
I paused for a moment, then finally turned to face him.
"But he…"
I hesitated, as if choosing my words carefully, then said in a softer voice,
"I love you more."
He paused for a split second, as if the sentence hadn't passed by unnoticed. He turned slowly toward me, his eyes searching my face for something… perhaps confirmation, or explanation.
"More?" he asked softly.
I shook my head slightly, feeling a strange warmth creep into my chest despite the chill.
"Yes."
I didn't say anything more, but I felt I'd said enough.
He looked at me for a moment longer than I expected, then took just one step closer… close enough for me to feel his presence, his quietude unlike anyone else's.
"It's strange that you're even comparing," he said softly.
I smiled slightly.
"I'm not comparing… I'm just stating the truth."
He slowly raised his hand, as if he were about to hesitate, then brushed a strand of hair away from my face in a simple way… but it unsettled me more than I anticipated.
"A serious truth," he said.
"Why?"
"Because you say it so easily."
I looked at him, unsure how to respond. Maybe because he was right… or maybe because I hadn't been thinking before I said it.
I sighed softly, then looked back at the road ahead.
"I don't want to go back."
The words slipped out unintentionally, and he turned to face me immediately.
"Home?"
I nodded.
"It's empty… too empty."
It wasn't just a description, but a heavy feeling I knew awaited me there. The silent walls, the cold lights, that sensation that nothing moves even when I'm inside.
He looked at me for a few seconds, then said quietly,
"It won't always be like that."
"But it is now."
He didn't argue. He just walked beside me, but this time… a little closer.
"You can stay longer next time," he said after a moment.
"At your house?"
"Or anywhere that doesn't make you say that."
I looked at him, and something inside me softened.
"Is this an offer?"
"Consider it as such."
I smiled, then looked down at the bag in my hand.
"At least I have ice cream tonight."
"A very important gift," he said with feigned seriousness.
I laughed, and I felt that weight… lessen a little.
But even so, I knew that when I got home, I would feel the difference. Between this warmth… and that emptiness.
And perhaps that's why I clung to that moment longer than I should have, walking beside him, slowly… as if trying to postpone the end as much as possible.