It was a quiet, emotional night—one of those nights that wraps itself around your chest like a warm, invisible blanket.
In two cities separated by distance but connected by emotion, two hearts beat softly, in sync beneath the moonlit sky.
In one corner, Ren lay on his bed, arms wrapped tightly around a pillow that had long lost its fluff.
The only light in the room came from the gentle moonlight that peeked through the window blinds, brushing everything in silvery blue.
His eyes were wide, but not from fear or nightmares. His cheeks were red. Not from fever, but from something far warmer.
He whispered into the softness of the pillow like a boy talking to his own heart:
"I wish I could live with her... just a quiet life. A small home, laughter echoing off the walls, her hand in mine, maybe a couple of kids drawing crayon messes on the walls. No heartbreak. No confusion. Just... love. The real kind."
His voice cracked a little at the end. But the stars were kind tonight. They listened.
Across the city, under a different sky but the same moon, Serin sat cross-legged on her bed, wearing her oversized hoodie, clutching the tiny pendant her mother once gave her.
Eyes closed, she whispered softly into the night, her breath fogging the air like a prayer in winter:
"I wish we could be friends forever. He understands me. Even my silence. I want him to stay… just like this. As someone I can trust, someone I can laugh with. Please… let this last."
The contradiction was beautiful.
One prayed for love. The other prayed for the bond.
One imagined a future. The other wanted to protect the present.
Above them, the clouds painted themselves in shades of blue and violet, like a living watercolour of emotion and uncertainty.
The stars twinkled like children peeking from behind curtains, secretly watching a love story bloom.
The Next Morning
5:45 AM.
Serin's alarm chirped like an over-excited bird on coffee.
She groaned, rolling over like a lazy cat, her face half-buried in her pillow.
Then she paused.
A smile bloomed on her lips—soft, sleepy, but warm.
"Why am I smiling this early…?"
she mumbled, rubbing her cheeks, as if trying to smudge away the grin.
She kicked the blanket off like a girl ready to dance through the day. Her heart was humming, even if the world was still waking up.
7:35 AM.
Ren's phone buzzed like a dying cricket.
He opened one eye.
Then both.
"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII—!" he screamed like a Drunk protagonist running late for school.
He jumped from the bed, tripped on his pants, crashed into the wall, and bounced back like a pinball.
"NOT AGAIN! NOT AGAIN!!"
But even as he scrambled, there was a smile tugging at his lips.
Something about her made even Mondays feel like Saturdays.
Serin stood sipping chocolate milk with a dreamy smile that would make poets jealous at bus stop.
SMACK!
"OW—WHAT THE—?!"
Haito grinned behind her, eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Yo! Obese girl! What's with that stupid grin? You win the lottery or you just lost your braincells?"
Serin rubbed her head with a glare.
"Is smiling illegal now or something?"
"Bro… you're glowing. Like—pregnancy glow. Did you eat something expired or fall in love with a toaster?"
She smirked.
"Yeah. I ate a snack called 'Ren.' You wanna taste?"
"EW. Bro. I think I just died out of CRINGE."
They laughed.
Loud.
The kind of laughter that makes birds fly and strangers smile.
Serin kept zoning out—her eyes drifting to windows, water bottles, even math formulas that vaguely resembled Ren's hair.
She wasn't thinking about K-dramas.
Or exams.
Or snacks.
She was thinking about the boy who apologized even when she was the one being mean.
The boy who typed "idk" more than the actual answer.
The boy who made her feel… light.
She found herself smiling into bathroom mirrors and whispering his name into the sleeves of her hoodie.
Meanwhile, Ren sat in class beside Kazuki, completely disconnected from reality.
"Dude, Who got You SMILING LIKE THAT ?!"
Ren turned with a confused look.
"What smile?"
"THAT smile! The 'I'm in love and dying' smile!"
Ren groaned, pushing his hoodie over his face.
"I'm just thinking about… my..uh....Mom."
Kazuki blinked.
" Wierd"
Kazuki walked away
Ren sighed.
Doors slammed open across two homes.
Serin threw her bag across the room and jumped onto her bed like a dramatic anime heroine.
Ren ignored his mom's curry and shut the door behind him like a secret agent.
They both stared at their screens.
Serin: Hey.
Ren: Hey.
Sent at the exact same second.
Both stared.
Then burst out laughing.
Serin: WTF DUDE. SAME TIMING?!
Ren: I swear our brain cells are holding hands.
Serin: My brain cell is shy. Don't hold it too tight.
Their laughter rolled on.
Muffled by pillows.
Hidden under blankets.
Echoing in silence.
The kind of laughter that makes your chest hurt in a good way.
Late Evening
Ren sat cross-legged on his bed, hands trembling slightly.
He typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Deleted again.
Then, finally:
Ren: Okay… I wanna ask you something.
Serin: OMG ARE YOU GONNA PROPOSE REN?! LET ME GET MY WEDDING DRESS!!
Ren: SHUT UP. Stop ruining the moment.
Serin: Okay okay! Go ahead, Drama Queen.
He hesitated.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard like a swordsman unsure of his first swing.
Ren: Idk... can we...
Serin: Can we...?
Ren: Idk…can we go for a…
Serin: Idk…can we go for a…?
Ren: Idk…can we go for a… friendate?
Then came silence.
Ren stared at the message like it was a bomb.
"WHAT DID I JUST DO?!"
He screamed, grabbing his hair.
He ran to the bathroom, dunked his head in cold water.
"WAIT WHAT AM I DOING ?! I'M A MAN ! SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE FREAKING OUT!!"
He smacked his cheeks, looked in the mirror, then zombie-walked back to his room.
One eye peeked at the screen.
Serin: What the heck is a friendate?
He buried his face in his pillow.
"God, take me now."
He was Embarrassed.
Then, fingers trembling:
Ren: I mean… just two friends going somewhere. To like… eat or talk or exist.....Nothing big... Nothing weird..Just… food. Laughs. Vibes. Friendship?
Serin: REN. PLEASE. JUST. SAY. IT.
A long pause.
Then:
Ren: Can we go on a DATE ?
A silence louder than any scream.
Ren stared.
Then bit his palm.
Slapped his forehead.
Headbutted his pillow.
"You absolute idiot. You just ruined the best thing in your life."
Then… Buzz.
His soul froze.
Serin: Is Wednesday noon good?
Time stopped.
His heart stuttered.
Tears welled up.
He blinked twice.
"She said… yes?"
He flopped backward into bed like a dead fish.
"A girl like her… for a mess like me?"
He stared at the ceiling.
And smiled.
Ren stared at the screen.
Serin's reply glowed like a tiny miracle.
"Wednesday Noon Good ?"
He flopped onto his bed, arms stretched wide, eyes on the ceiling.
Then he whispered with a crooked smile—
"God… if you're listening… I swear I'll be good this time."
"Just… let me keep her....."