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ׂ╰┈➤ Chapter 34 | Shared Secrets
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The room was filled with a comfortable silence as Jiwon and Yeonjun sat side by side on her bed, the memory box open between them. The scent of the worn wood mixed with the faint hint of her lavender-scented candle, creating a cozy atmosphere. They had already gone through several items, laughing and reminiscing over old photos and trinkets. But there was one last item that Jiwon hesitated to pull out
It was a small, faded notebook, the edges frayed from years of being opened and closed. She bit her lip, debating whether to show it to Yeonjun. It wasn't just any notebook; it was her old diary, filled with the raw emotions and thoughts of her younger self
Yeonjun noticed her hesitation
“What’s that?”
he asked, nodding toward the notebook
Jiwon took a deep breath
“It’s... it’s my old diary. From when I was, like, 12”
She laughed nervously
“It’s pretty embarrassing”
Yeonjun grinned, leaning closer
“I promise not to judge. Come on, let’s see what mini Jiwon was thinking about”
Rolling her eyes but unable to suppress a smile, Jiwon opened the diary to a random page. The handwriting was messy, her thoughts spilling out onto the paper in a flurry of emotions
She began to read aloud, her voice a mix of amusement and embarrassment
“Dear Diary, today was the worst day ever. I tripped in front of the whole class during P.E. and everyone laughed. I swear I’m never going back to school again!”
Yeonjun burst out laughing, the sound filling the room
“I can totally picture that! But hey, look at you now. You could probably trip and still look cool”
Jiwon playfully nudged him with her shoulder
“You’re just saying that because you like me”
He gave her a teasing smirk
“Maybe I am. But it’s true”
They continued flipping through the pages, each entry revealing a piece of Jiwon’s past—her fears, her dreams, her crushes. Some of the entries were serious, others were silly, but each one was a glimpse into the person she used to be
As they reached the end of the diary, Jiwon’s mood shifted slightly. The last entry was different, the tone more somber
“Dear Diary,”
she read, her voice softening
“I miss Grandma. It’s been a year since she passed, but it still hurts like it was yesterday. Sometimes I wish I could just talk to her one more time. I’d tell her how much I love her and how I’m trying to be strong like she told me to.”
The room grew quiet, the weight of the words hanging in the air. Yeonjun placed a comforting hand on Jiwon’s, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles
“You’ve been through a lot,”
he said quietly
“But you’re one of the strongest people I know”
Jiwon’s eyes met his, and for a moment, the world outside her room faded away. It was just the two of them, connected by shared secrets and silent understanding. She squeezed his hand, grateful for his presence
“You know,”
Yeonjun said, breaking the silence with a gentle smile
“I think your grandma would be really proud of you. You’ve come so far”
Jiwon felt a lump in her throat but managed a smile
“Thanks, Yeonjun. That means a lot”
They spent the rest of the evening lost in conversation, sharing stories from their past and dreams for the future. As night fell and the stars began to twinkle outside the window, Jiwon realized that this, right here, was another memory she wanted to keep forever—a moment of connection, understanding, and something more, something that was growing stronger with every shared word and every shared silence
And just as they were about to call it a night, Yeonjun leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper
“You know, Jiwon... I think we’re making some pretty amazing memories right now”
