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The soft hum of the night filled Namra’s quiet bedroom. She lay on her bed, one arm resting over her forehead, staring at the ceiling. The day had been long, but she wasn’t tired. Her mind kept replaying moments from earlier—Sooheon’s warm smile, the way they had laughed together, how easy everything felt now.

Her phone vibrated beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She turned her head and glanced at the screen. Onjo.

A small smile tugged at her lips as she reached for the phone. Without hesitation, she answered.

"You're still awake?" Namra asked, pressing the phone to her ear.

"I could say the same to you," Onjo replied, her voice light with amusement. "I figured I'd call since we haven't talked much lately."

Namra hummed in response, shifting onto her side. "Yeah, things have been… busy."

Onjo sighed dramatically. "Tell me about it. I swear, Cheongsan and Gyeongsu almost started a fight today over who was better at arcade basketball. It was ridiculous."

Namra let out a soft chuckle. "Sounds about right."

"Seriously, though," Onjo continued, "how have you been? You always keep things to yourself, so I have to check in."

Namra hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t always the best at opening up, but Onjo was one of the few people she trusted completely.

"I've been… good," she said, truthfully. "Better than before."

Onjo seemed to pick up on something in her tone. "Better, huh? That’s suspicious. What changed?"

Namra hesitated before saying, "I think I just… let go of some things. And let in some things, too."

Onjo was silent for a second before laughing softly. "That’s the most poetic answer I’ve ever heard from you."

Namra rolled her eyes but smiled. "Shut up."

"Fine, fine," Onjo teased. "I won’t push. But, you sound different, Namra. Happier."

Namra's fingers brushed against the soft fabric of her blanket. Happier. It was such a simple word, yet she hadn’t realized how much she had changed until now.

"I think I am," she admitted quietly.

Onjo sighed in satisfaction. "Good. You deserve that."

They fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound being the faint chirping of crickets outside.

Then, Onjo spoke again, her tone playful. "So, does this happiness have anything to do with a certain someone?"

Namra blinked. "What?"

"You know what I mean," Onjo teased. "You're letting things in, right?"

Namra rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling again. "Maybe," she admitted, a small smirk playing on her lips.

Onjo gasped dramatically. "Oh my god, is this a confession?!"

Namra shook her head. "Goodnight, Onjo."

"Oh, come on! At least give me a hint!"

Namra chuckled and hung up before Onjo could say anything else. She placed her phone down beside her, exhaling softly.

Maybe Onjo was right. Maybe she was happier.

And for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Onjo put her phone down, still grinning from her conversation with Namra. She stretched her arms and let out a content sigh. Namra sounded different today—lighter, at ease. It was a rare thing, and Onjo couldn’t help but feel happy for her.