Chapter Text
Miyeon sat at her desk, trying to make a dent in the pile of textbooks in front of her. Her brain was buzzing, but not with focus. Instead, it was the loud, distinct sound of a guitar, strumming away from the dorm above. She clenched her jaw and glanced at the clock—3:45 PM. Seriously?
It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Someone—or some band—upstairs had been playing for hours at random times, and Miyeon had to admit, it was getting on her nerves.
She had tried ignoring it at first, but the riff kept repeating itself, growing louder and louder, each strum cutting into the quiet she’d been savoring all afternoon. It was clear that whoever was playing wasn’t exactly concerned about keeping the noise down.
She stood up and grabbed her cardigan off the back of her chair. She figured it was just a group of rowdy boys—probably some band practicing. Typical. Guys had zero consideration for their neighbors. She didn’t know why that bothered her so much, but it did. She made her way down the hall to the door above her dorm room, her annoyance growing with each step.
She knocked on the door firmly, and when there was no answer, she knocked again, more impatient this time. The guitar kept going, unbothered by her presence.
Finally, the door swung open, and Miyeon was prepared to face a bunch of noisy guys, maybe a few of them smirking, trying to act all cool. Instead of the group of loud guys she was expecting, standing in the doorway was a girl—definitely not what Miyeon had pictured. The girl had a guitar slung over her shoulder, and her expression was a mix of curiosity and mild confusion. She wore a loose t-shirt and had a casual look, as though she’d been in the middle of playing when Miyeon knocked.
Miyeon blinked, a bit thrown off. She hadn’t expected... that.
The girl tilted her head, clearly catching Miyeon’s surprised expression. “Hey,” she said, sounding a little sheepish but genuinely friendly. “What’s up?”
Miyeon took a second, still processing the fact that it wasn’t a group of guys, but one girl, standing there casually as though she didn’t have a care in the world. "Uh, you’re the one playing?" Miyeon asked, trying to hide her surprise but failing a little. "I thought it was a whole band."
The girl’s smile grew wider at the unexpected comment, clearly amused. “Just me,” she said with a shrug, holding up the guitar. “So what can I help you with?”
Miyeon blinked a couple of times, trying to gather her thoughts. She hadn’t expected to see someone so... laid-back about the whole thing. It was as if being caught disturbing her neighbor was no big deal. Miyeon frowned slightly but then took a deep breath, deciding to keep it civil.
“I, uh, live below you,” Miyeon started, gesturing toward the floor beneath them. “And, well, your music is a little... loud. It’s kind of hard to work with the guitar playing all day.”
“Oh,” The girl scratched her nape. “I’m sorry. I tend to, you know, vibe with what I’m playing.”
Miyeon couldn’t help but let out a small, exasperated sigh. "I get it. I’m not asking you to stop playing, just maybe, tone it down a little?" She glanced at the guitar in the girl’s hands, then back to her face, trying to keep her tone light despite the frustration that had been building up.
The girl’s eyes softened, her fingers drumming lightly on the neck of the guitar. “Gotcha. I’ll keep it down.”
Miyeon nodded, feeling a little more at ease now. “Thanks,” she said, her voice less sharp than before.
Miyeon turned to leave, the tension finally easing from her shoulders. As she took a step away, the girl called out to her.
“Hey, wait.”
Miyeon stopped and glanced back over her shoulder. The girl was looking at her with an almost curious expression. “I didn’t get your name.”
Miyeon hesitated for a second, caught off guard by the question. She hadn’t really expected to have a conversation beyond the quick exchange about the noise. She gave a small smile, shrugging. “Miyeon.”
“Minnie,” the girl replied, her tone warm.
Miyeon nodded, offering a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Minnie."
"Likewise," Minnie said with a friendly grin.
Miyeon turned and made her way back down the hall, the sound of her footsteps echoing softly.
That was the first time they met, and their interactions hadn’t stopped since.
Ever since that day, knocking on Minnie’s door had become part of Miyeon’s routine. Whenever the music got too loud while she was trying to focus, she’d march upstairs, knock, Minnie would open the door looking way too amused for someone getting scolded, and she’d promise—always promise—to keep it down. And then, without fail, a few days later, the cycle would repeat itself.
Now, Miyeon wasn’t even trying to study. She just wanted to sleep. After two weeks of cramming for an exam that nearly fried her brain, she finally had the chance to lie down and do absolutely nothing. She had barely shut her eyes when—
Strum.
Miyeon’s eye twitched.
Strum. Strum. Strum.
She groaned and buried her face into her pillow. Maybe she’ll stop soon.
Strummmm.
Nope.
Dragging herself off the bed with an annoyed sigh, she stomped out of her room and up the stairs, knocking at Minnie’s door without hesitation. A second later, the music stopped. Then the door cracked open, revealing Minnie, still holding her guitar, pencil tucked behind her ear.
She blinked at Miyeon, lips twitching like she was holding back a laugh. “Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite neighbor.”
Miyeon crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Minnie.”
Minnie leaned against the doorframe, grinning. “That’s my name.”
“I just took a brutal exam, I’m dead tired, and I really need to sleep.” Miyeon gestured vaguely at the guitar. “But you’re making that impossible to happen.”
Minnie clicked her tongue, tilting her head. “Damn. That bad?”
“Yes.”
Minnie hummed, rocking back on her heels. “Alright, alright. I’ll give you a break this time.”
Miyeon squinted at her. “This time?”
Minnie just shrugged, clearly enjoying this too much.
Miyeon exhaled sharply and turned to leave, too exhausted to keep arguing.
“Hey, Miyeon.”
She paused, looking back over her shoulder.
Minnie smiled, more genuine this time. “You did well today.”
Miyeon blinked, caught off guard for a second. Then she shook her head, a tired smirk playing on her lips. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks.”
She made her way back down to her room, and this time, when she collapsed onto her bed, there was finally peace.
Just as Miyeon was about to drift off, the silence she'd been savoring was gently interrupted.
Strum.
Her eyes snapped open.
Strum. Strum.
Her fists clenched around her blanket as she sat up, ready to kill. She had one request. One! And Minnie—Minnie, who had smiled so sweetly and promised to give her a break—was already breaking it.
She swung her legs over the bed, about to storm back upstairs when—
Strummm.
Miyeon froze.
This wasn’t like before. The usual loud, repetitive riffs were gone. Instead, Minnie was playing something soft, slow, almost... careful. Each note was played with slow, blending seamlessly into the next. It wasn’t jarring or disruptive—it was gentle.
Miyeon stayed still, listening.
It was... nice.
She exhaled, running a hand through her hair. Maybe Minnie wasn’t being completely inconsiderate this time. Maybe this was her way of apologizing—or at least meeting her halfway.
With a quiet sigh, Miyeon lay back down, pulling the blanket up to her chin. The soft strumming continued, weaving into the air like a lullaby, and this time, instead of keeping her awake, it slowly, finally lulled her to sleep.
~~~
The next morning, Miyeon slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped out of her dorm, still groggy from sleep. The halls were already buzzing with students heading to their classes, but she barely paid attention, too focused on rubbing the exhaustion out of her eyes.
As she reached the lobby, she slowed her steps.
Minnie was there.
She leaned casually against the wall near the entrance, her phone in one hand, her other hand slipping a lollipop between her lips. A white polo hung loosely on her frame, tucked neatly into fitted black pants, and her university jacket was slung effortlessly over her right shoulder. She looked relaxed, scrolling through her phone like she had all the time in the world.
Miyeon rolled her eyes. She decided to just walk past and get on with her day.
As she passed, though, Minnie’s gaze flickered up, her lips still curled around the lollipop. “Morning,” she said, her voice smooth. Then, with a teasing lilt, “Did you sleep well?”
Miyeon stopped mid-step, blinking.
She turned slightly, meeting Minnie’s gaze. That damn lollipop twirled between her fingers now.
Miyeon frowned. “Since when do you care?”
Minnie shrugged. “I don’t, really,” she admitted, slipping the candy back between her lips. “Just figured I’d ask, since, you know…” She tapped her fingers lightly against the guitar case leaning against the wall beside her. “Didn’t want my playing to ruin your beauty sleep.”
Miyeon scoffed, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag. “It was fine.”
Minnie grinned. “Good to know.”
Miyeon narrowed her eyes but said nothing more, deciding it wasn’t worth entertaining whatever this was.
Miyeon walked briskly, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness from her morning haze. She didn’t expect Minnie to say anything else, but just as she stepped out of the dorm building and onto the campus pathway, she noticed the familiar sound of footsteps trailing behind her.
She sighed, barely masking her irritation. “Why are you following me?”
Minnie, still sucking on her lollipop, raised a brow. “I have classes too, genius.”
Miyeon huffed, glancing at her. “Right.”
Minnie, still chewing on her lollipop, gave Miyeon an amused look. "What's with the attitude?"
Miyeon rolled her eyes, pretending she didn’t care. "I haven’t slept well. Also, I didn’t expect you to be the type to actually show up to class on time."
Minnie grinned, unfazed. "I get by."
They continued walking in a somewhat comfortable silence, Miyeon’s footsteps a little faster than usual as she tried to stay ahead, though Minnie kept pace effortlessly, her lollipop still dangling between her fingers.
As they reached the entrance of the university, Miyeon’s attention was pulled away when she spotted Soyeon across the courtyard. She immediately quickened her pace, eager to catch up with her friend before she disappeared into the crowd.
"Hey, Soyeon!" Miyeon called, waving her hand.
Soyeon turned around with a bright smile. "Miyeon! You’re on time today."
"Well, I have the time to keep you waiting but I decided not to," Miyeon teased, giving her a playful shove.
Soyeon laughed and shrugged. "Fair enough."
Miyeon chuckled but was distracted when she glanced back over her shoulder. Minnie was still there, standing by the steps with her phone in hand, casually leaning against the railing. It seemed like Minnie had stopped walking at some point, but she didn’t seem bothered.
Miyeon shook her head, quickly refocusing on Soyeon, who was already chattering about some project in class.
"I’m honestly just glad I don’t have to deal with another round of lectures today," Miyeon murmured, though she didn’t actually want to talk about her classes with Soyeon.
Soyeon didn’t seem to notice Miyeon’s distracted state and continued with her rant about a professor. After a few seconds, Miyeon turned back toward Minnie, but by then, the girl had already started walking away, heading in the opposite direction without a care in the world.
Miyeon felt a flicker of regret. She hadn’t meant to be short with Minnie earlier, but her annoyance had just slipped out. She couldn’t help but feel a little bad about her attitude. It wasn’t like Minnie had done anything wrong; she was just... well, Minnie.
Miyeon took a deep breath. She didn’t need that distraction. Instead, she refocused on Soyeon, who was still talking about their professor’s latest antics.
"Yeah, but seriously, can you believe he assigned that project?" Soyeon continued, clearly still heated about it. "I mean, it’s like he doesn’t know we have other classes."
Miyeon nodded, making an effort to pay full attention. "I know, right? I swear, some professors think we don’t have lives outside their classes."
Soyeon huffed, rolling her eyes. "Exactly! And he wants it done by next week. Like, what kind of cruel joke is that?"
Miyeon smirked, easing into the conversation. "Typical."
As Miyeon and Soyeon walked toward their next class, Miyeon’s gaze flickered across the courtyard, and she froze for a second. Her eyes landed on her boyfriend, walking hand-in-hand with another girl.
Miyeon’s steps faltered, her heart thudding in her chest as her eyes locked onto the sight before her. There he was—her boyfriend, the one she thought was hers—his fingers entwined with another girl's. The girl was laughing, and he was smiling back, a smile that was all too familiar. A smile he had reserved for her.
She stood there frozen for a moment, her mind spinning as the image burned into her brain. It was like a punch to the gut, a realization she hadn’t wanted to face. He wasn’t just talking to someone else; he was with her, like nothing had ever happened between them.
“Miyeon?” Soyeon’s voice broke through her daze, and Miyeon turned slowly, still in shock. Soyeon’s gaze followed Miyeon’s, her expression darkening when she saw what had caught Miyeon’s attention. “Are you okay?”
Miyeon didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say. She was barely holding herself together, and part of her wanted to confront him, wanted to shout, to demand an explanation. But another part of her—the part that still cared—was too scared to hear what he might say. She didn’t want to believe what was right in front of her.
Without a word, Miyeon started walking toward them, her feet carrying her with an urgency she couldn’t explain. Soyeon, after a brief hesitation, followed closely behind, a mix of concern and anger flashing across her face.
“Miyeon, wait! Don’t—” Soyeon started, but Miyeon was already too far gone, her focus only on the sight of her boyfriend and the girl standing there so casually together.
When Miyeon reached them, her emotions got the best of her. Without thinking, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of it echoed in the quiet courtyard, drawing the attention of a few nearby students. “How fucking dare you.”
The girl next to him jumped slightly, her eyes wide in shock. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, didn’t even flinch at first. He stood frozen, staring at Miyeon as though the slap had come out of nowhere. Miyeon could feel her breath quickening, her heart pounding in her chest as she glared at him.
“What the hell is this?” Miyeon demanded. “What are you doing with her?”
Miyeon’s boyfriend finally broke out of his daze, his hand rising to touch his cheek, a mix of disbelief and anger flashing across his face. “What the hell, Miyeon? What’s wrong with you,” he muttered, his voice defensive.
Miyeon’s eyes blazed with anger as she stepped closer to him. “What’s wrong with me?” she echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. “You’re the one out here cheating on me!”
The girl next to him looked between Miyeon and her boyfriend, clearly uncomfortable but not saying a word. Miyeon barely noticed her. She was too focused on the guy who had been playing her for weeks.
“Explain this, then,” Miyeon snapped, her gaze cutting to the girl and then back to him. “How do you explain this?”
Soyeon, standing beside Miyeon, shot the girl beside him a disgusted look. She barely glanced at her before turning her full attention to Miyeon.
The guy, clearly flustered and trying to salvage some semblance of control, grabbed the Miyeon’s wrist and pulled her away from the crowd. “Let’s go,” he muttered, shooting a glance at the growing crowd, the gossip already starting to swirl. “This is getting out of hand.”
“Miyeon, just listen to me,” he said, his voice strained but insistent as he pulled her down a quieter path. “Please, just hear me out.”
She wrenched her wrist from his grip, her eyes narrowed. “What is there to hear?” she spat, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. “Don’t try to twist this into something it’s not.”
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Look—“
“You think I’m stupid? You think I didn’t see you with her?” Miyeon’s voice rose again. “How long has this been going on? How many times have you lied to my face?”
He looked around nervously, clearly aware of how the situation had already escalated, but he wasn’t ready to back down. “Miyeon, it’s not what you think,” he started.
“Not what I think?” she echoed, incredulous. “I saw you. I watched you with her, laughing like everything was fine. If you’re done with me, just say so.” Her voice wavered slightly, the anger bubbling beneath the surface, her eyes burning with unshed tears.
He scoffed, running a hand through his hair before finally snapping, “You know what? Yeah, I’m done. I’m done with your dramatic ass, always making a big deal out of nothing.”
Miyeon felt the words hit her like a slap. A hollow kind of silence followed, her ears ringing as she processed what he had just said.
“A big deal?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, yet sharp enough to cut through the tension. “You call this nothing?” She let out a breathless laugh, one filled with disbelief rather than amusement. “I spent so much time thinking maybe I was the problem, that maybe I was too much—but the whole time, it was you treating me like I was nothing.”
Her boyfriend rolled his eyes, as if he was already over the conversation. “Miyeon, don’t start—”
“No,” she cut him off, her voice firm now. “I’m done. I was always the one trying to fix things. I was always the one holding on. You didn’t even try.”
Her voice trembled slightly. “You didn’t even try,” she repeated, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. “I loved you, and you made me feel like that was a mistake.”
He sighed, exasperated. “Miyeon, you’re always so—”
“So what?” she snapped, taking a step closer. “So emotional? So dramatic? So exhausting?” She let out a bitter chuckle. “You keep calling me the problem, but you never once looked at yourself.”
He didn’t say anything. Maybe because he knew she was right. Maybe because he didn’t care enough to argue.
Miyeon let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. “We’re over.”
She turned around and walked away, faster this time, as if the weight of everything was finally pushing her forward instead of holding her back.
She didn’t know where she was going—she just needed to go. Away from him, it still stung even though she saw it coming.
When she reached the main path, Soyeon was there, watching her with cautious eyes.
Miyeon didn’t speak, just kept walking, and Soyeon fell into step beside her.
“You want to talk about it?” Soyeon asked after a moment, voice careful.
Miyeon swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. “Not now.”
Soyeon watched her for a second, concern etched into her face, but before she could say anything, Miyeon spoke again.
“Tell our professor I can’t come,” she muttered, her voice hollow. “Tell her I caught a cold.”
Soyeon hesitated, then sighed. “Alright.”
Miyeon didn’t wait for a response. She turned on her heel and walked away, her steps hurried, like she couldn’t get away fast enough.
~~~
She made it back to her dorm in record time, barely registering the path she took. The moment she stepped inside, she locked the door, leaned against it, and let out a shaky breath.
And then, just like Soyeon predicted ever since they started fighting—she broke.
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over before she could stop them. Her chest felt tight, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps as she slid down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Her body trembled as quiet sobs wracked through her, each one hitting her like a fresh wave of pain.
Why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like her whole world had just collapsed?
He wasn’t even good to her. She knew that. He barely put in any effort. He made her feel like she was always asking for too much when all she wanted was the kind of love she had given him so freely. A love that wasn’t hesitant. A love that wasn’t conditional.
She thought back to all the times she had swallowed her feelings just to keep him happy. The times she had held onto hope, thinking that maybe—just maybe—he would finally see her the way she had seen him. That he would finally love her the way she deserved.
But in the end, it had all been for nothing.
He had been lying to her. Cheating. Holding another girl’s hand and smiling at her like Miyeon had never existed. Like she hadn’t spent months, years, trying to make things work. Like everything they had meant absolutely nothing.
A fresh wave of pain surged through her, and a choked sob escaped her lips.
She dug her nails into her arms, trying to steady herself, but the ache in her chest wouldn’t go away. No matter how much she tried to rationalize it, no matter how much she told herself he wasn’t worth it—losing him still felt like losing a part of herself.
Maybe that was the cruelest part of it all.
She had given him everything, but in the end, she was the only one left with nothing.
She didn’t know how long she stayed there, crying. The world outside kept moving, but she was stuck in this moment, in this pain, like time had stopped just for her suffering.
At some point, the exhaustion caught up to her. Her sobs faded into quiet sniffles, her body drained of every emotion she had left to give.
She wiped her face, her fingers shaky as they brushed over her swollen eyes. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stand up, her legs weak beneath her.
Dragging herself to her bed, she collapsed onto the mattress, curling into herself as she stared at the ceiling. The room felt unbearably empty, but she didn’t have the strength to fill it with anything other than silence.
She had spent so much time loving someone who never really loved her back.
So now, what was left for her?