My name is Kim Miju, and this is Han Jeong Ju—my lifelong friend. We've been inseparable since the day we were born, separated only by the walls that stood between our houses. He's not just a friend; he's a brother from another mother. From the same school to the same college, our lives have been intertwined in ways I never questioned. Hobbies, dreams, secrets—everything we share. It's as if there's nothing in the world that could ever come between us."
2011.
The year everything began to change.
It was supposed to be like any other year. Another step toward the future we always thought we'd share, together. But life, as it tends to do, had its own plans.
It wasn't just the passage of time. It wasn't just growing older or wiser. It was something deeper, something neither of us expected. The walls between us, once so familiar and comforting, started to feel like something else. A distance we couldn't ignore anymore.
Han Jeong Ju, who had always been by my side, began to feel... different. I saw it in his eyes, in the way he smiled, the way he spoke to me. His presence became charged, as though something unspoken lingered between us, something neither of us was ready to face.
And for me, things weren't much clearer. I had spent my whole life thinking I could share everything with him, but 2011 came like a sudden storm, shifting the ground beneath my feet. The connection I once thought was simply brotherly started to feel... more complicated. And I didn't know how to deal with that.
Hey, Jong Ju, come on, bro! We're going to be late for the new school!"
"Yeah, I'm coming."
He wasn't in a hurry, but I could tell he was excited—probably more than I was.
"So, what do you think? How do you think the new school will treat us?" I asked, looking up at him as we both adjusted our backpacks.
He shrugged, his usual calm expression not betraying much. "I don't know. We'll fit in, I guess. Make a few friends, maybe more than a few."
I snorted. "Make friends, huh? Just don't forget about me, alright?"
He glanced at me, his lips quirking up in that familiar half-smile. "Forget about you? Never."
But there was something in his voice, something light and almost... uncertain, like he wasn't sure if that promise would be as easy to keep anymore.
I pushed it aside, pretending I hadn't noticed. He was still Jong Ju—my friend, my brother. Nothing was going to change that. Right?
We both walked into the classroom, laughing about something that didn't really matter. The new school was… well, it was nice. Not as intimidating as we'd imagined.
"Wow, it looks nice," I said, glancing around.
"Yeah, not bad at all," Jong Ju replied, his tone casual
Before we could settle into our seats, the door swung open. The teacher walked in with a transfer student. My eyes automatically found her. She had that presence about her—quiet but striking.
"Class," the teacher announced, "We have three new students today. Let's welcome them. Please introduce yourselves."
The girl stepped forward. "Hello, I'm kim san hi . It's nice to meet you all."
The moment she spoke, I noticed Jong Ju's eyes on her. I couldn't deny I was looking too. Something about her was magnetic. I couldn't quite explain it, but I felt like the whole room faded away for a second, and it was just her and us.
---
After class, we walked through the streets on our way home. The air was fresh, and the conversation felt easy, like it always did. But there was something different now—an unspoken shift between us.
"So, how do you like the class?" I asked, trying to keep it casual.
Jong Ju shrugged, his gaze drifting somewhere in the distance. "It's okay, I guess. Pretty comfortable so far."
I nodded, trying not to think about how much I was lying to myself. I was more than just comfortable. I was distracted. And I knew Jong Ju was too. He'd been acting off ever since she stepped into the room.
---
As we walked, I couldn't help but feel that same pull toward her. I couldn't get her out of my head. And judging by the way Jong Ju was acting, I wasn't the only one.
But neither of us had said anything yet. Neither of us had admitted what we were both starting to feel. Not yet.
Kim San Hi.
She was loud, late, and unapologetically bold. Her hair was slightly messy, and her bag was falling apart, but when she introduced herself with a wink and a crooked grin, the room seemed to buzz with something new.
I didn't say anything at first. Just watched.
Across the classroom, Jeong Ju watched too.
We didn't talk about it. Not then.
---
Days passed. Then weeks. San Hi had a way of slipping into people's lives without asking. She'd call out your name even if you hadn't told her yet. She'd borrow your lunch and replace it with candy. She'd insult you with a smile that made you laugh anyway.
I found myself looking for her during lunch breaks.
I didn't know Jeong Ju was doing the same.
When she sat beside me, I'd play it cool—shrug off her jokes, laugh when needed, never too much. I didn't realize Jeong Ju was staying back after class to talk to her about her favorite manga.
It was silent—this slow, mutual sinking.
We were both falling, and neither of us noticed the other drowning too.
---
One afternoon, we were both walking home. The streets were quieter than usual.
"San Hi's... interesting, isn't she?" I said, trying to sound casual.
Jeong Ju nodded. "Yeah. She's… something."
He smiled, and for a second, I wondered why.
I didn't ask. He didn't explain.
We kept walking.
A week before summer break — 2011
It was supposed to be the perfect moment.
I had rehearsed it all—what I'd say, how I'd stand, even when to laugh to make it sound natural. I watched the clock all through class, counting down to when I'd finally tell her.
Kim Miju's Confession — After School, Rooftop
I found her alone on the rooftop, feeding crumbs to birds. The wind was soft, and the sky was fading gold.
"San Hi," I said, stepping closer. "I… I like you."
She blinked. Her smile didn't fade, but it changed—quieter somehow.
"I'll tell you my answer tomorrow," she said, brushing her skirt down as she stood. "But thank you, Miju."
I nodded, heart pounding. I didn't notice Jeong Ju watching from below.
---
Han Jeong Ju's Confession — Later That Evening, Basketball Court
It wasn't planned. He just found her sitting on the bleachers, tying her shoelaces after practice.
"Hey," he said, trying to sound easy. "Mind if I say something stupid?"
She laughed. "When do you ever not?"
Jeong Ju looked down, then met her eyes. "I like you. Have for a while."
Her laughter faded.
"I'll give you an answer tomorrow," she said softly, not meeting his gaze. "Okay?"
"Okay," he said, and smiled.
Not knowing she had already heard the same thing from his best friend.
---
The Next Day — Classroom
She asked them both to meet her—separately.
But when they arrived, they saw each other waiting outside the room.
Confusion.
Tension.
And then realization.
She stepped out with an awkward smile. "Let's go somewhere else."
---
Under the Sakura Tree — Lunchtime
Kim San Hi stood between them, holding her schoolbag tightly.
"I wanted to be honest," she began, her voice calm but heavy. "I'm dating someone already… a senior."
Both boys stiffened.
"I didn't mean to lead you on," she continued. "You're both amazing, really. But…"
She looked at them, eyes earnest. "Your friend—he confessed to me too. That's why I can't say yes to either of you. I don't want to ruin what you two have."
Silence.
Neither of them knew what to say.
She gave a small bow. "I hope we can still be friends."
Then she walked away.
---
The Fallout — One Week Later
They didn't talk.
Not at school. Not after.
Not during break.
Not even when they crossed paths accidentally.
For the first time in years, there was distance.
Not because they hated each other.
But because they were hurt—and unsure who to blame.
One Week Later — Evening, Neighborhood Park
The basketball court was empty, shadows stretching under the streetlights. A slow summer breeze carried the smell of rain from somewhere far off.
Miju sat alone on the bench, tossing a ball between his hands, lost in thought.
He heard footsteps—slow, hesitant. When he looked up, Jeong Ju was standing there.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Jeong Ju sat down beside him, leaving a small space between them.
"…You angry?" Jeong Ju finally asked.
Miju shook his head. "Not at you."
A pause.
Jeong Ju sighed. "I didn't know you liked her."
"Same here," Miju replied. "Guess we both were too good at hiding it."
They both let out dry laughs. It wasn't funny, but it wasn't bitter anymore either.
"She was right, though," Jeong Ju said. "She didn't want to ruin this."
"This?" Miju looked at him.
Jeong Ju nodded. "Us."
Silence stretched again.
"I hated not talking to you," Miju said softly. "It felt like losing a part of me."
"Same," Jeong Ju replied. "It was just one girl. We've had each other since birth. That shouldn't break."
Miju glanced sideways, then grinned. "So, rule confirmed?"
Jeong Ju smirked. "No falling for the same girl. Ever again."
They bumped fists—soft, unspoken forgiveness exchanged in that small gesture.
"Wanna shoot some hoops?" Miju asked, tossing him the ball.
"Only if you don't cry when I win," Jeong Ju teased.
And just like that, the tension melted. They weren't the same as before—but they were together again.
A crack in the friendship, mended quietly under a fading sky.
—
2023, Busan
Twelve years had passed since that spring.
They kept the promise. Never again did they fall for the same girl.
At least, not knowingly.
After college, life happened the way it does—unexpected, messy, but somehow in sync.
Miju had studied hospitality. Jeong Ju leaned into baking, working long hours in kitchens that smelled like warmth and sugar. Somewhere along the way, they remembered an old dream.
A café. Our own space. A blend of your coffee and my pastries. Cozy, warm, ours.
They talked about it so many times that it started feeling real.
So, they moved to Busan. A slower city, a softer place. Away from Seoul's noise. A new chapter.
---
"Two Blooms Café" — A Warm Beginning
The name wasn't random. It came from a sketch Jeong Ju once made during a quiet afternoon—two flowers growing side by side from the same stem.
Two different colors. One root.
The café was small but elegant. Pale wooden counters, vintage light bulbs, calm music humming in the background. Miju handled the counter, the drinks, the customers. Jeong Ju worked in the back, apron dusted in flour, always humming under his breath.
They opened the doors with hope in their chests.
Business wasn't perfect. But people liked the warmth. They returned for the feeling, the conversations, and the soft-spoken charm of the two men behind the counter.
Until One Day…
She walked in.
Not like a storm, not like a spark—but something else entirely. Calm and confident, yet full of unspoken stories.
(To be continued)