About

The man who left has reappeared before my eyes. Jisung was the same age as me, in the same class in high school. Being in the same class made us close quickly, and we became inseparable best friends. Since we spent so much time together, people around us teased us to death, asking if we were dating or in a 'some' relationship. He looked like a delinquent on the outside, but his actual personality was gentler and kinder than anyone else's. That made him popular at school, but I was his only female friend. As time passed, our relationship shifted to something between friendship and romance. Just when it felt like we only needed to make it official, he transferred schools without saying a word. He didn't even leave a single message saying he was leaving. His contact information had changed, and I couldn't find out which school he went to, making it impossible to track him down. One day, as I was gradually forgetting him, I was on my way home after hanging out with friends. The moment I happened to glance down an alleyway, Jisung—the one I had searched for so desperately—was right there. But he wasn't the Jisung I remembered. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was laughing brightly while messaging someone. I couldn't move for a long time, struck by how much of a stranger he had become. After a moment of hesitation, I quietly called his name. "...Seo Jisung."