somewhere between almost and always [so junghwan treasure completed]

Chapter 10: The First Step

The next few days were a whirlwind of emotions for Ji-eun. After that conversation with Junghwan, things had felt different—lighter, in a way. There was no sudden shift in their relationship, no grand gesture or immediate change, but there was a quiet understanding that lingered between them. It was like the first seed of something had been planted, and now it was just a matter of letting it grow.

Ji-eun found herself looking for those small moments with him, those fleeting glances and casual interactions that had once been so uncomfortable. Now, they felt different—almost like they were stepping into new territory, one where there was no need for pretenses, no need to hide.

It was Friday afternoon when Ji-eun finally caught him alone after class. She'd been walking with Soo-ah, talking about a recent movie they'd seen, but her attention kept drifting toward Junghwan, who was sitting near the courtyard, scrolling through his phone. For the first time in a while, Ji-eun didn't hesitate. She excused herself from Soo-ah, telling her she'd catch up later, and made her way over to him.

Junghwan looked up as she approached, a slight smile tugging at his lips when he saw her. "Hey," he greeted her softly.

"Hey," Ji-eun replied, trying to hide the nervous flutter in her stomach. She sat down beside him, the bench creaking under her weight. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all," he said, his voice casual, but there was a hint of something more in his eyes. "What's up?"

"I just... I wanted to talk," Ji-eun said, feeling a little more confident now that they were alone. "About what we said the other day."

Junghwan shifted slightly, his posture a bit tense, but he didn't pull away. "Yeah?"

"I think we both know that we've been dancing around this for a while," Ji-eun continued, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I don't want to keep wondering where we stand. I don't want us to keep pretending like nothing's happening between us."

Junghwan's eyes softened as he looked at her, and for a moment, there was a stillness in the air, like everything else had faded away. He took a breath, his fingers tracing the edge of his phone absentmindedly. "I don't want to pretend either," he said quietly. "But it's not easy for me, Ji-eun. I don't know how to do this. I've been hurt before, and I don't want to drag you into all that."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ji-eun said firmly. "I'm not asking you to be perfect, Junghwan. I'm not asking you to suddenly open up to me about everything. I just... I just want to be here, for you. One step at a time, like we said."

He looked at her for a long time, his gaze unreadable, but something in his expression softened. "You're not like everyone else," he said, almost as if he were talking to himself. "You don't push me. You don't make me feel like I have to be something I'm not."

"Because I don't want you to be anyone else," Ji-eun said, her heart thudding in her chest. "I just want you to be you. Whatever that means."

Junghwan's lips curved into a small, genuine smile. It was the first time in a while that Ji-eun had seen him smile without any reservations. It was a smile that made her feel like they were finally on the same page.

"I guess that's not so bad," he said, his voice softening.

"No, it's not," Ji-eun replied, a grin spreading across her face. "It's actually pretty great."

They sat in silence for a moment, the quiet between them comfortable for the first time in ages. Ji-eun didn't feel the need to fill the silence with words. Just being there with him was enough.

The following week, Ji-eun noticed subtle changes. Nothing drastic, nothing earth-shattering, but small things that made her heart skip a beat. There were the little glances they exchanged in the hallways, the brief smiles when their paths crossed, the quiet moments when he'd walk her to class and not rush off like he had before.

It wasn't perfect—there were still times when Junghwan would retreat into himself, when he'd go quiet or pull away without explanation. But Ji-eun had learned to read him better, to understand that his silence wasn't rejection, it was just his way of dealing with the world. And every time he came back to her, every time they had one of those brief, quiet exchanges, she felt like they were inching closer to something real.

It was Wednesday afternoon when everything changed.

Ji-eun had stayed late to finish up some assignments in the library, and by the time she walked out into the courtyard, it was almost dark. She was tired but content, her mind still buzzing with the day's work. As she stepped outside, she saw Junghwan sitting on the steps leading to the school's main entrance, his head tilted back as he stared at the sky.

Something about the way he was sitting, so lost in thought, made her hesitate. She didn't want to disturb him, but there was something about the moment that felt like a turning point. So, she walked toward him, quietly, until she was standing just a few feet away.

"Junghwan?" she called softly.

He blinked, as if coming out of a daze, and looked up at her, his expression startled. But when he saw her, his face relaxed into a smile.

"Hey," he said, standing up and brushing off his jeans. "You're still here?"

"Yeah," Ji-eun replied with a shrug. "I couldn't focus, so I thought I'd take a break. What about you? What's got you so deep in thought?"

Junghwan didn't immediately answer, and for a moment, Ji-eun thought he might pull away again, retreat into his shell. But then, with a quiet sigh, he stepped closer to her.

"I was thinking about you," he said, his voice almost too soft to hear.

Ji-eun blinked, unsure if she had heard him right. "What?"

Junghwan hesitated, his hand running through his hair nervously. "I've been thinking about this, about us, and... I don't know. It's not easy for me, Ji-eun. But I think I'm ready to try. I want to try, with you."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say. She had expected him to pull away again, to say he wasn't ready. But instead, he was telling her he wanted to take the next step, that he was willing to give it a chance.

"I'm ready too," Ji-eun said softly, her voice filled with a tenderness that surprised even her.

And in that moment, as they stood there together, something shifted. The distance between them was gone, and all that was left was the quiet understanding that they were both willing to try. To let go of their fears, their doubts, and take that first step into something new.

For the first time, Ji-eun felt like she wasn't alone in this journey. She wasn't just waiting for Junghwan to open up—he was opening up, in his own way, at his own pace. And that was enough.

The air between them felt different now—charged with possibility. They didn't need to say much. Their words didn't matter as much as the way they were standing there together, both willing to try, both ready to take the next step. Whatever that step would be, they would take it together. And that, Ji-eun thought, was all that really mattered.