They had slowly started falling in love with each other.
At first, neither Ji-eun nor Min-Jae realized when their friendship turned into something deeper. It did not happen suddenly or in a dramatic way. Instead, it grew quietly—through small conversations, shared smiles, and the comfort they felt in each other's presence.
Ji-eun often found herself thinking about Min-Jae even when he was not around. The way he laughed at his own jokes, the way he waited for her after class, and the way he always made sure she was okay—all of it began to matter more than she expected.
Min-Jae, on the other hand, had already started to understand his feelings. However, he was not sure how to express them. Every time he tried, he either changed the topic or said something awkward that made Ji-eun laugh instead.
One day, while they were walking together, Min-Jae said,
"If I ever say something serious, promise me you won't laugh."
Ji-eun smiled teasingly.
"That depends. If it's funny, I will laugh."
He sighed dramatically.
"See? This is why I can't talk to you seriously."
She laughed.
"Okay, fine. I promise. Now say it."
But he did not. He simply shook his head and smiled.
"Not today."
Ji-eun did not push him. But somewhere inside, she began to feel something strange—as if she was waiting for that "not today" to turn into "today."
That day finally came.
It was a quiet evening. They were sitting together, talking as usual. There was nothing special about the moment, yet everything felt different.
Min-Jae looked unusually serious.
Ji-eun noticed it immediately.
"Why are you so quiet today? Did something happen?"
He hesitated for a few seconds, then said softly,
"Ji-eun… I need to tell you something."
She looked at him calmly.
"Okay… tell me."
He took a deep breath.
"I like you."
For a moment, Ji-eun thought she had heard it wrong.
"What?" she asked.
"I like you," he repeated, more clearly this time. "Actually… I think I love you."
Her heart started beating faster.
She did not expect this—or maybe she did, but had never admitted it to herself.
For a few seconds, she said nothing. Then she smiled softly and said,
"You took a long time to say that."
Min-Jae blinked.
"So… you knew?"
Ji-eun nodded slightly.
"Maybe."
"And?" he asked nervously.
She looked at him and replied quietly,
"I like you too."
That simple sentence was enough to make him smile with relief.
There were no dramatic reactions, no loud expressions—just a quiet understanding between two people who had been feeling the same thing for a long time.
Their First Kiss
After the confession, everything felt lighter.
They both laughed a little, mostly because of how nervous they had been for no reason.
Min-Jae scratched his head.
"I thought you would reject me."
Ji-eun raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because you laugh at everything I say."
"That doesn't mean I don't like you," she replied.
There was a brief silence.
Min-Jae looked at her carefully.
"Can I…?"
Before he could finish the sentence, Ji-eun already understood.
She did not reply with words.
Instead, she moved slightly closer.
Their first kiss was simple, soft, and a little awkward—but it felt real.
They both pulled back after a moment, slightly embarrassed.
Ji-eun looked away.
"That was…"
"Awkward?" Min-Jae said.
She laughed.
"A little."
"Okay, good," he replied. "At least we both agree."
The Question That Changed Everything
After that day, their relationship became closer.
But soon, something unexpected happened.
One day, Min-Jae asked casually,
"Ji-eun… what is your full name?"
She looked at him, slightly confused.
"You don't know my full name?"
He shook his head.
"No, you never told me properly."
She did not think much of it.
"My full name is Shin Ji-eun."
The moment she said it, everything changed.
Min-Jae's expression froze.
His smile disappeared.
Ji-eun noticed it immediately.
"What happened?"
He looked at her, shocked.
"What did you say?"
She repeated slowly,
"Shin Ji-eun… why?"
He stared at her for a few seconds, as if trying to confirm something.
Then he asked in a low voice,
"Is your father's name… Shin Kang Tae?"
Ji-eun felt confused.
"Yes… how do you know that?"
There was silence.
A heavy, uncomfortable silence.
Then suddenly, Min-Jae's eyes filled with tears.
Ji-eun was completely shocked.
"Min-Jae… what's wrong?" she asked.
He looked down, trying to control his emotions.
"I have been waiting to meet your father," he said slowly.
Ji-eun frowned.
"Why?"
He did not answer immediately.
Instead, he said something that confused her even more.
"I have been waiting since I was five years old."
Her confusion turned into concern.
"What do you mean?"
Min-Jae finally looked at her.
His voice was quiet but full of emotion.
"Your father… is the only person who can explain what happened to my family."
Ji-eun's heart started beating faster.
"What happened?" she asked.
He took a deep breath.
"My father was accused of something he did not do," he said. "And the person who accused him… was your father."
Ji-eun stepped back slightly.
"No… that can't be true," she said.
Min-Jae did not argue.
"I don't know the full truth," he admitted. "That's why I have been searching for him."
Ji-eun's Confusion
Everything suddenly felt unclear to Ji-eun.
The person she trusted the most—her father.
And the person she had just started to love—Min-Jae.
Both were now connected in a way she had never expected.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked.
"I didn't know who you were," Min-Jae replied honestly.
Ji-eun remained silent.
Her thoughts were tangled.
After a moment, she asked quietly,
"So… was everything between us real?"
Min-Jae looked at her immediately.
"Yes," he said without hesitation. "Everything is real."
His answer was quick, firm, and sincere.
And that made it even harder for her.
Ji-eun's curiosity grew stronger.
She could not ignore it anymore.
"Why did you want to meet my father?" she asked again.
"What is so special about him?"
"And why were you searching for him since you were five?"
Min-Jae did not avoid the question this time.
He simply said,
"He was the only person who could catch a fish in a forest."
Ji-eun frowned slightly.
She did not fully understand what he meant.
But she understood one thing clearly—
There was something important hidden behind his words.
Something from the past.
Something that was still unfinished.
Ji-eun looked at Min-Jae, unsure of what to believe.
Her heart and mind were in conflict.
But one thing was certain—
This was no longer a simple love story.
It had become something deeper.
Something complicated.
And the truth… was still waiting to be discovered.