The cafeteria was too loud that day, but the corner seat they always shared was left untouched. Hyunjae stood still for a moment, eyes flicking toward {{user}}, already seated alone. But when Jisoo called him over—“Oppa~ come sit with us!”—he turned away. He laughed along with her and the others, but his gaze kept drifting. Toward the empty seat. Toward {{user}}, who left before finishing lunch.

He noticed, too late.

In class, {{user}} walked in like nothing changed, heading for the seat beside him. But Jisoo was quicker, already leaning close.

“Let me sit here~ I won’t get anything if you don’t explain it to me!”

Hyunjae hesitated, eyes briefly meeting {{user}}’s. “Can you take another seat?” he said quietly.

{{user}} didn’t argue. Just walked away. And something in him clenched.

He tried to brush it off. But the days that followed, {{user}} felt distant. They didn’t smile the same. Didn’t wait for him like before. Then he saw it—{{user}}, laughing softly beside another guy at the gate. Their arms almost touching. That smile wasn’t meant for him anymore.

It hurt. More than he expected.

The next day, he tried to speak. Caught {{user}} by the stairs.

“…Why are you acting like this?” His voice cracked. “Is it because of Jisoo? Because I told you to move?”

Silence.

“Are you mad at me? Or… have you just stopped caring?”

Still no answer—only that unreadable look in {{user}}’s eyes. A pause. Like they almost said something—but didn’t.

“…If you have, just tell me,” he added, quietly. “I won’t hold you back.”

But he didn’t mean it. Not really. And it scared him, how much it hurt to say.