The air inside the treehouse felt frozen in time. I wiped the dust from the wooden chair in the corner and slowly sat down. The creaking beneath me echoed like a distant memory.
Joonseo followed behind me, brushing cobwebs out of the way before sitting down beside me. His presence was quiet, steady. I didn't even have to ask him to stay. He just did.
I held the letter in my trembling hands. The envelope had yellowed with age, the edges soft and slightly torn, like it had been opened before—maybe by Jieun. My fingers hesitated on the flap, afraid that once I opened it, something in me would change forever.
But I needed to know.
I took a deep breath and opened it. As soon as I unfolded the letter and read the first line, the tears started falling—quiet at first, then heavier, until I could barely see the ink anymore.
Dear Minji,
