The war is over

Jennie: "What? You're sick? John, we have to present our choreography in two days! Helen liked the three of us together. I'm not saying I don't care that you're sick—""Hey, don't get mad! I'm just pressured, okay?"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed too. Rest well, John. I'll handle it."

As Jennie hung up, Leo walked into the choreography room, looking flustered and sweaty.

Leo: "What happened? Why is no one here?"

Jennie: "John called in sick. He's not going to make it. You're late too."

Leo: "Yeah, I lost the bus and had to run to catch another one."

Jennie: "Where do you live?"

Leo: "Near Jeongneung."

Jennie: "That's quite far by bus. Do you want me to drop you off?"

Leo: "You would do that?"

Jennie: "Never mind, just thought it might help.

Leo: " No...Thanks, that would actually be a big help."

Jennie couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement

Jennie: "So, without John, we need to adjust. How about a contemporary ballad instead of Cardi's song?"

Leo: "Not a bad idea. We both majored in contemporary, right?"

Jennie: "Yes, and thankfully, we didn't train together."

Leo: "Oh, come on, you would have loved seeing my beautiful face every day."

Leo's comment made Jennie's heart flutter. Despite the awkwardness, he seemed to be in a good mood. They spent the next hour searching for the perfect song, finally settling on Rihana's "Stay." It was a beautiful choice, and they both connected with it.

As they began to dance, Leo suggested they perform as a duo, which meant they would have to be close and touch each other. Jennie agreed, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness. As the song played, they moved together, finding a rhythm and connection. Leo's touch on her waist made her heart race, and she felt a profound closeness she hadn't felt in a long time.

They lay on the floor, facing each other, the emotional weight of the song and their dance creating a deep bond. Just as Jennie was beginning to savor this moment, her phone rang, interrupting the intimacy they had shared. They were both shocked , at their own bubbling feelings as they surfaced right up.

Leo: Is that your boyfriend?

Jennie: "It's my best friend. Why are you suddenly interested?"

Leo: "I only care because of what I'm going to do next."

Before Jennie could respond, Leo kissed her passionately. The kiss was a storm of emotions—passion and pain mingled in a way that echoed their tumultuous past. As Jennie felt the sharp sting of old wounds reopening, she realized the complexity of their relationship was far from resolved

3 DAYS LATER

After our passion-filled encounter, Leo seemed different. I had expected him to pester me after my long break, but instead, he focused on our practice sessions. We worked on the choreography for "Stay" by Rihanna, and everything felt surprisingly normal. We had small talks, shared laughs, and that was exactly what I needed as I eased back into work.

As the week went by, our interactions grew more comfortable. Leo brought me coffee, and we joked about the awkward attempts of others trying to master the wave in choreography. We even laughed about John, my friend, who had this baby face but always tried to pull off the sexiest expressions. Things felt easy, almost too easy, but there was still something I needed to address.

We had just finished reviewing our choreography video at my place. I had invited Leo over, knowing this was the right time to have the conversation I had been avoiding. Daniel was out with Mia, so we had the house to ourselves.

"Leo," I began, my voice soft, "I wanted to talk to you about something. I'm sorry for leaving you with just a letter four years ago. You were always there for me, and I left for America with Daniel, chasing new dreams. I didn't want you to miss out on your own dreams of joining that dance team. I never wanted to ruin that for you."

Leo's face was filled with emotion, and I could see him struggling to hold back tears. "You would never ruin that, Jennie," he said, his voice trembling. "That letter... I burned it, but I should've kept it. As much as I hated you for leaving, you were the greatest thing in my life for all those years. Jennie, I loved you so much."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You didn't deserve that. No one deserves to be deserted by someone they love."

Leo looked at me, his distress evident. He reached out and gently caressed my hand. "You didn't deserve the way I treated you in front of Elizabeth, nor the way I kissed you without thinking. Jennie, you deserve the best in the world."

That was it—I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. "I didn't expect you to be so understanding," I sobbed, feeling the weight of our shared pain.

Leo squeezed my hand. "I knew how hard it was for you,to open up and now I understand why you left. Even if you had told me, I wouldn't have let you go. You made the right decision."

I pulled Leo into a tight hug, and he held me close. We both cried—me openly, and him quietly, trying to soothe me even as his own tears streamed down his face.

"When I saw you again after all these years," Leo continued, his voice thick with emotion, "I couldn't believe it was you talking to my best friend. I was caught off guard, and all my old insecurities came rushing back. But when we started dancing together again, and I allowed myself to let go of the pain, I remembered how much I cherished your company.

I had to let you go, Jennie, and all of the hate that came with you, even though it was the hardest thing I've ever done. But I'll never forget our teenage years—the pranks, hating the same teachers, sneaking out at night and getting in trouble, and how you stood by me when my mom left. You were always there for me."

I nodded, tears still streaming down my face. "And I'll never forget how you always made me smile when things were tough, how we shared inside jokes that only we understood, and how we looked at life with so much optimism, no matter what. We had so much fun together, Leo, and we loved each other deeply. Thank you for everything, and I'm sorry for the pain I caused."

"Don't be sorry," Leo said softly. "You did what you had to do. You moved on with your life, and I know now that my inability to let you go was because of my own insecurities. Love is free, Jennie—it always was."