two
Wonyoung sat in front of the mirror, fixing her hair for the tenth time.
She hadn’t been this excited in a while. She knew it wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, but their third anniversary meant something to her. It was supposed to be the day they celebrated—together.
She'd been planning for weeks. She’d picked out the dress Yujin liked, the one that made her feel special. She had even gone out of her way to make sure everything was perfect.
Yujin had promised she would pick her up. They had talked about it multiple times, planned the night over and over. Dinner at her favorite spot. A quiet walk by the lake afterward. Just the two of them.
Wonyoung was prepared.
She waited for Yujin’s call, her phone sitting on the table, the sound of silence growing heavier with every passing minute.
She checked the time.
The hours passed slowly, and still, nothing.
Her phone sat there, still, lifeless, just like the empty space beside her.
At first, she tried to keep her hopes up. She must be running late, she thought. Maybe she got caught up in something at school.
She tried to distract herself. Read a book. Scrolled through her social media feed to pass the time.
But then, something made her stop scrolling.
She saw the pictures.
The ones of Yujin.
Yujin, smiling, holding up a glass with her friends. Yujin laughing at karaoke, her head tilted back in that carefree way she always had.
Yujin was with her friends.
Not with her.
Wonyoung’s heart sank, a cold ache spreading across her chest. Her eyes scanned the posts, the stories, all showing Yujin enjoying herself. She saw how they were all having a good time, how Yujin didn’t even glance at her phone.
Wonyoung had been waiting, hoping, believing that Yujin would show up.
But here she was—alone, staring at a phone screen filled with her girlfriend’s absence.
The time on her clock was too late now.
12:34 AM.
Any chance of having that dinner was gone. The restaurants were all closed. It was too late to salvage the evening they had talked about for so long.
Wonyoung sat there, her breath shaky, as the tears finally began to fall.
She tried to brush them away quickly, not wanting to give in to how broken she felt. She had tried so hard, so patiently.
But this?
This was the last straw.
She picked up her phone and sent a simple text, her fingers shaking as she typed.
wonnie 🐰
are you coming? it’s late
She hit send, then stared at the message, waiting for a reply. She was almost afraid of what she’d hear back.
Was this it? Had she finally reached the point where she couldn’t keep pretending anymore?
She put her phone down beside her, waiting for Yujin’s response—if she even got one.
Wonyoung stood in front of the mirror for a long time after she sent the text. Her eyes felt swollen from crying, but there was a hollow emptiness inside her, a kind of quiet resignation. She had waited long enough.
She didn’t want to wait anymore.
Her hands moved automatically as she started to remove her makeup, the familiar routine feeling strangely distant now. The mascara that she had carefully applied earlier felt heavy, like a weight she couldn’t bear. She wiped it away, watching the smudged streaks disappear.
She peeled off her dress—the one she had so carefully picked out for their night together—and let it fall to the floor.
Everything felt so heavy, so out of place. The excitement she had once felt was gone, replaced with something like exhaustion.
She should’ve come.
She should’ve cared enough to remember.
But it didn’t matter now. Wonyoung stood there, staring at her reflection, still feeling empty, as if a piece of her was missing.
She got into bed, hugging the blankets tightly around her, as if trying to block out the world. She didn’t want to talk. Didn’t want to feel.
She closed her eyes and let the sleep wash over her, letting the quiet lull her into a dreamless slumber.
—
When she woke up the next morning, the soft light filtering through her curtains was the only thing that greeted her. Her phone sat on the nightstand, untouched.
But then, the sound of a vibration broke the silence.
Wonyoung groggily reached for her phone, blinking away the sleep, and saw a string of messages from Yujin. Her heart skipped a beat, but there was a tight knot in her chest.
She opened the first message.
yudaeng 💙
hey, what’s up? did something happen last night?
yudaeng 💙
sorry, i was hanging out with my friends
yudaeng 💙
are you okay?
Wonyoung’s fingers trembled as she read the texts, the words feeling like ice in her chest. The message had come hours after she had waited. Hours after she had cried herself to sleep.
Yujin’s words hit her like a wave, cold and distant. Was it really possible for her to not know? How could she be so unaware?
Wonyoung didn’t know what to feel—anger, frustration, or disappointment. Maybe all of it.
She stared at the screen for a long time, her heart aching with the realization that Yujin hadn’t really been present for her in so long.
Was this the kind of relationship she was willing to fight for? Was this what she deserved?
She didn’t know how to respond.
What was she supposed to say?
For the first time, Wonyoung didn't bother to respond. She stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the keyboard for a few moments. Her thoughts were scattered, emotions too overwhelming to sort through. But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to type anything.
What would be the point?
She could feel the cold distance between her and Yujin stretching wider every day, and now this—the anniversary left forgotten, the loneliness that lingered like a shadow.
Wonyoung didn’t believe that a message would change anything, not really.
Yujin probably wouldn’t even notice if she didn’t reply.
She thought about that for a second—how, after everything, Yujin still hadn’t noticed how things had changed. Or worse, maybe she did notice and just didn’t care enough to change.
So Wonyoung closed the message thread and put her phone face down on the nightstand.
It didn’t matter anymore.
A dull ache settled in her chest, but she pushed it down, telling herself that today wasn’t about Yujin. Today, she had to move on.
She glanced at the clock—she had classes today. She had to go.
Sighing, Wonyoung pushed herself up from the bed, the blankets tangling around her legs. She didn’t have the energy to care about her appearance today. Her body felt heavy as she went through the motions of getting ready—brushing her teeth, pulling on her uniform, tying her shoes.
But it all felt mechanical, distant, like she was doing it for the sake of routine rather than actually feeling the need to do it.
The world outside the room felt too bright, too loud. But there was no turning back now. She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, and grabbed her phone off the nightstand.
For a brief moment, she thought about checking Yujin’s messages again, but she didn’t.
Instead, she turned off her phone and stuffed it into her bag, just like everything else that had been weighing on her heart.
She needed to get through the day.
Each class passed in a blur. Wonyoung couldn’t focus—her mind kept wandering back to the same thoughts, the same painful realization.
This was it.
She had tried. She had waited. She had hoped. But Yujin hadn’t even noticed. The cracks in their relationship had grown too big to ignore, and Wonyoung couldn’t pretend anymore. She knew deep down that it was time to let go. But as the thought settled in her mind, it felt more like a weight she had to carry, and she couldn’t shake the sadness that came with it.
Wonyoung had been thinking about it all day, but now, as she walked through campus and spotted Yujin, her heart skipped a beat. Yujin was standing with a group of friends, laughing loudly, her carefree demeanor just like it always had been. Yet, for Wonyoung, it was different now. The sight of Yujin in that moment only made the distance between them feel that much more real.
Wonyoung took a deep breath, walking toward her. She wasn’t sure how she was going to say it, but she knew it was something she couldn’t avoid any longer.
When she reached them, Yujin was mid-laugh, but her smile faded when she saw Wonyoung standing there.
"Hey, what's up?" Yujin asked, sounding a bit distracted, her attention still partly on her friends.
"I need to talk to you," Wonyoung said, her voice calm but firm. She didn’t want to sound angry, didn’t want to lash out. This wasn’t about yelling or fighting—it was about saying what needed to be said.
Yujin furrowed her brows, glancing over at her friends. "Uh, I’m with my friends right now… What’s up?" She didn’t sound annoyed, just a little distracted and unsure of what was going on.
Wonyoung hesitated for a moment, trying to calm the sudden rush of emotions inside her. She didn’t want to do this with everyone around. Not now. Not here.
"Can we talk in private?" Wonyoung asked, her voice quieter this time. "It’s... it’s important."
Yujin glanced over at her friends, who were chatting amongst themselves, unaware of the tension between the two of them. She paused, concern flickering in her eyes for just a moment before she shrugged, figuring it was probably something small.
"Uh, sure," Yujin said, her voice softening as she excused herself from her friends. "Let’s go somewhere a little quieter."
They started walking, but not too far. Yujin didn't seem to think it was anything serious—just a casual conversation that could be resolved in a few minutes. Her friends, though a little curious, were still within sight, and Yujin didn’t think much of it.
They found a quieter corner of the campus, just enough space for them to talk without everyone overhearing.
Yujin turned to Wonyoung, crossing her arms slightly, her usual carefree nature still hanging on. "Alright, what’s up? Is something wrong?"
Wonyoung took a deep breath, her gaze focused on Yujin, but her heart was heavy. She was feeling every word she was about to say.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. It felt like the words were stuck in her throat, tangled up in all the hurt and frustration she had been holding onto for so long.
But this was the moment. She couldn’t back out now.
Wonyoung stood there for a moment, her heart pounding, her mind racing with a million thoughts. The words felt like they were weighing her down, but she couldn’t back out now. This wasn’t just a little issue. It wasn’t something that could be brushed aside anymore.
She opened her mouth again, trying to steady her breath. Yujin stood across from her, waiting expectantly, her eyes soft but a little confused.
"I don’t really want to do this," Wonyoung began, her voice shaking slightly despite her best efforts to sound calm. "But it's been bothering me for a while now... I don’t know how else to say it, but… I think it's time for us to break up."
There was a long pause before Yujin’s face shifted from confusion to something else—something closer to disbelief. She blinked rapidly, her smile faltering for the first time in a while. "Wait—what? What are you talking about, Wonyoung?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly, as though she thought she hadn’t heard correctly.
Wonyoung's chest tightened, but she knew she had to stay strong, even if her heart was shattering inside. She had to say it.
"I’ve been waiting, Yujin. Waiting for you to notice me, to pay attention to me like you used to. I’ve been trying to make it work, but... you’ve been so distant lately. You barely respond to my texts. You don’t call me anymore. And when we do meet, you’re distracted, like I’m just another thing on your to-do list."
Wonyoung’s voice trembled with the weight of her emotions, but she pushed through, refusing to let the tears fall just yet. She had to get this out.
"It hurts, Yujin," she continued, her voice cracking now. "It hurts to feel like I’m not a priority to you anymore. It’s like I’m chasing after you all the time, but you’re just... not there."
Yujin’s expression flickered, her confusion deepening into something else—was it guilt? Or maybe fear? She took a step closer, but Wonyoung held up a hand, stopping her.
"Please, Yujin," Wonyoung whispered, her heart breaking. "I’ve tried, but I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep waiting for something that’s not coming."
Yujin’s face paled. "W-wait... are you serious? You... you really want to break up over this?" Her voice was almost pleading now, like she couldn’t believe what was happening. She reached out, as if to touch Wonyoung, but her hand hesitated just short of her.
Wonyoung couldn’t look at her. She didn’t want to see the desperation in Yujin’s eyes. She had seen it before—when they first started dating, when Yujin had put her heart into their relationship. But this was different now. This wasn’t the same person anymore.
"I loved you, Yujin," Wonyoung whispered, the words coming out softer now. "I still do, but love isn’t enough if you’re the only one giving it. I need someone who’s there. Who sees me. Who makes time for me."
Yujin stood frozen, her mouth opening and closing as though she didn’t know what to say. She looked around, at the campus around them, almost like she was trying to escape the situation. "W-Wonyoung, I—"
But Wonyoung shook her head, her hands trembling at her sides. "No, Yujin. I need to do this. I need to move on, even if it hurts. It’s the only way I can take care of myself now."
Yujin opened her mouth again, but no words came out. She just stood there, looking at Wonyoung like she didn’t understand, like she couldn’t fathom how things had come to this point.
And for the first time, Wonyoung realized she didn’t owe an explanation anymore. She had given everything she could. She had tried so hard to make this work. But now, she needed to let go.
"Goodbye, Yujin," Wonyoung said quietly, her voice soft but firm. She turned to walk away, not looking back, not giving Yujin a chance to stop her.
Her heart felt heavier than it ever had, but she didn’t turn around. Not this time. She couldn’t.