The door clicked shut behind Jungwon as he stepped into the quiet of his room. The weight of the day hung on his shoulders like a damp coat, heavy and clinging. He dropped his bag by the side of his bed and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
There, sitting quietly on his desk like it had been waiting all along, was the small box.
It was plain—modest, even—but something about it made it feel… personal. Intentional. Like it had been placed in his locker with a kind of hope folded into every corner.
He stared at it for a moment, almost hesitant to touch it.
His phone buzzed.
Incoming Video Call: Kwon
Jungwon blinked, then smiled faintly and accepted the call.
Kwon's face filled the screen, cheerful as always, his grin stretching from one side of the screen to the other. "Yooo~ What's up, heartbreaker?"
Jungwon chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I was just about to check what's inside the box."
"Ooh! The mystery box!" Kwon leaned in closer, as if trying to peek through the screen. "Well, don't keep me waiting. Open it! I've been dying to know who's brave enough to shoot their shot."
Jungwon's fingers carefully untied the soft ribbon around the box. He lifted the lid slowly, revealing a small charm nestled inside—a tiny, handcrafted token with delicate details. It looked like it was meant to hang on a locker handle or maybe a bag zipper. Simple, but made with care.
His chest tightened.
"She really made this…" he murmured.
Kwon's eyes widened. "Ohhh. That's adorable. Wait, is that a little star hanging from the bottom?"
"Yeah," Jungwon said, lifting the charm with both hands. It swayed gently in his fingers. "And there's a stitched message on the tag."
"What does it say?"
Jungwon read it aloud, his voice soft: "To brighter days ahead."
Kwon let out a low whistle. "Dang. That's deep.—she's not just crushing. She's hopeful. That's the kind of gift someone gives when they mean it."
Jungwon nodded silently, his eyes fixed on the charm like it held answers he couldn't understand yet.
"So… what do you think?" Kwon finally asked, his voice gentler now.
Jungwon's smile faded. He sighed and set the charm down beside him on the bed. "I think… I'm not ready."
Kwon blinked, surprised. "Really?"
"I mean…" Jungwon leaned back against the wall, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not like I don't appreciate it. It's beautiful. And sweet. And thoughtful. But accepting this… it would mean something. And right now, I'm not in the place to give her what she might be hoping for."
Kwon was quiet for a beat, then nodded. "That's fair. But it's still going to hurt her."
"I know." Jungwon's voice cracked a little. "And that's the part that sucks the most. I don't want to hurt anyone. Especially not someone who put so much effort into this. But pretending would hurt her more."
Kwon sighed. "Man… feelings are so complicated. One person is brave enough to put their heart out there, and the other isn't ready to hold it."
"Exactly," Jungwon said quietly, eyes on the charm once more. "And I wish I could be that person for her. But I'd only end up disappointing her in the long run."
Kwon watched him through the screen, then said, "Do you want me to talk to her? Maybe ease the blow?"
Jungwon shook his head. "No. If anyone should tell her… it should be me."
There was a long silence between them.
The kind that sat heavily in the room. The kind that wasn't awkward, but honest. Heavy with everything that couldn't be said out loud.
Finally, Kwon broke it. "You're doing the right thing, bro. You're not leading her on. That takes guts."
Jungwon gave him a faint smile. "Thanks."
He looked at the charm one more time, then gently placed it back in the box, closing the lid with care—as though sealing away a piece of something fragile.
Tomorrow, he'd find a way to talk to her.
To be gentle, but honest.
To return the charm not as rejection—but as respect.
Because sometimes, love isn't about taking a gift.
Sometimes, it's about knowing when not to.
The morning sun filtered through thin clouds as Jungwon walked slowly across the school courtyard, the small box resting gently in his hands like it was made of glass. Each step he took felt heavier than the last. Not because the box weighed much, but because he knew what was inside it—someone's feelings. Someone's courage. Someone's hope.
He had spent the whole night thinking—rethinking—his decision. And it brought him here.
To her.
Chae stood alone by the garden near the east wing, where the roses bloomed just shy of full. She was facing away, the breeze catching strands of her hair as they danced around her shoulder. Her presence was soft, like a melody in a silent room. Jungwon felt the tight knot in his chest pull tighter.
He approached, gently but with resolve.
But before he could even say a single word, Chae turned around—her expression unreadable. Then came her voice: quiet, but strong.
"I understand that you're taken…" she said with a smile that trembled at the edges. "I'm so sorry… I didn't know. I swear I didn't. But you can keep the gift. It's from my heart."
Jungwon stopped in his tracks, stunned. The words stung—not because she was wrong, but because she had been misled. Completely.
He stared at her, the small box still in his hands, his mouth slightly open.
"Wait… Who told you that?"
He didn't even need the answer.
The realization settled over him like a shadow—Sechan.
Of course it was him.
Jungwon's jaw tightened. His eyes darkened with quiet frustration. But more than anger, he felt pain—for Chae. For the fact that someone had taken her bravery and tried to crush it under lies.
Chae was already turning away again, clearly trying to hold her dignity. She didn't want him to see her eyes glossing over. But Jungwon stepped forward.
"Don't get it wrong," he said firmly, his voice slicing through the air like truth. "I'm not taken."
She paused, mid-step, slowly turning back to look at him.
Jungwon took a breath. "And if you're still willing… I'd like to go out with you."
Chae's eyes widened. Her lips parted in disbelief. "What? But… Sechan said you and he…"
Jungwon shook his head, looking directly into her eyes—earnest, unflinching. "Sechan and I were never dating. And for the record…" He exhaled, voice unwavering. "I like girls."
Silence.
For a moment, the world paused. Even the breeze seemed to still, like it was holding its breath alongside them.
Chae blinked slowly, trying to take in what she had just heard. Her mind replayed every moment she had doubted herself, every beat of her heart that had sunk at Sechan's words. And now, here was Jungwon—standing in front of her, box in hand, undoing the lie with truth.
"But… why the change of heart?" she finally whispered.
Jungwon looked down at the box in his hands, then back up at her. "Because last night, I realized something. That little charm… the way you gave it, the thought behind it—it wasn't just a gift. It was you, being brave. Being real."
He stepped closer, holding the box out to her. "And I don't want to pretend I didn't see that."
Chae looked at the box, then up at him. She wasn't smiling now—her expression was soft, eyes shining. "Are you sure?"
Jungwon nodded. "I'm sure."
She reached out and took the box slowly, her fingers brushing his for a heartbeat too long.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"No," Jungwon replied, eyes locked with hers. "Thank you—for having the courage to show me your heart."
This time, she smiled for real. A smile that reached her eyes, that curved into her soul. And just like that, the space between them didn't feel as uncertain anymore.