A Line That’s Starting to Blur

Jisoo couldn't focus.

Even as he sat in class, staring at the board, the only thing running through his mind was her.

Where did she go?

Why did she leave without telling him where she was going?

Was she okay?

His fingers tightened around his pen as he fought the urge to pull out his phone and text her ,as he had given his old phone to her .

"No. Just wait. She'll come back when she wants to."

But the uneasy feeling in his stomach didn't fade.

His knee bounced under the desk. The minutes on the clock dragged.

Then—

A piece of paper slid onto his desk.

Jisoo blinked, looking up.

The real Sooyeon was sitting across from him, facing forward like she hadn't done anything.

Confused, he unfolded the note.

---

"You seem distracted. Everything okay?"

---

Jisoo's breath caught.

For a moment, he just stared at her handwriting. It was the same as the other Sooyeon's.

Of course, it was. They were the same person… weren't they?

He swallowed hard before writing back.

---

"Yeah. Just tired."

---

He slid the note back onto her desk.

She glanced at it, then at him.

Her lips parted slightly like she wanted to say something—but before she could, the teacher's voice cut through the room.

"Jisoo. Sooyeon. Since you two are partners for the project, I assume you've already started?"

Jisoo froze.

Right. The project.

The real Sooyeon straightened in her seat, nodding politely. "Yes, we've started discussing ideas."

The teacher nodded. "Good. I expect an outline by next week."

Jisoo exhaled slowly.

Crisis averted.

As class went on, Sooyeon leaned slightly toward him and whispered, "We should meet after school to work on it."

Jisoo nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

But as soon as he agreed, a thought hit him.

He was already supposed to be looking for the other Sooyeon.

Jisoo gritted his teeth.

Why did it feel like he was balancing two lives?

Jisoo's mind was a mess by the time classes ended.

He had agreed to meet the real Sooyeon for their project. But at the same time, he needed to check on the other Sooyeon.

His phone had been silent all day. No messages. No updates. Nothing.

It wasn't like she owed him an explanation, but…

Why did it feel so wrong for her to be gone?

His fingers hovered over his phone screen, hesitating.

Should he text her?

Would she even reply?

"Jisoo."

His head snapped up.

Sooyeon—the real one—was standing beside his desk, waiting.

She adjusted the strap of her bag, tilting her head slightly. "Are you coming?"

Jisoo hesitated for half a second too long.

She raised an eyebrow. "Or do you have somewhere else to be?"

"...No," Jisoo forced himself to say. "Let's go."

---

[At a Nearby Café]

Jisoo sat across from Sooyeon, trying his best to focus on the project.

But his eyes kept flickering toward the entrance.

Every time the door opened, he found himself half-expecting to see her walk in.

"So… are you okay?"

Jisoo blinked.

Sooyeon was looking at him with quiet curiosity, her fingers tapping lightly against her cup.

"You've been… distracted," she continued, choosing her words carefully. "Since this morning."

Jisoo swallowed. "I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well."

Sooyeon studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright."

She didn't push, but he could tell—she didn't believe him.

They worked in silence for a while. The café was filled with soft murmurs, the hum of conversations blending with the clinking of coffee cups.

Jisoo tried to keep his focus on the outline, but every now and then, he'd catch Sooyeon watching him.

At one point, she smiled a little.

"It's kind of funny," she murmured.

Jisoo frowned. "What is?"

"You," she said. "You feel… familiar."

Jisoo's breath hitched.

His fingers curled into his palm. "That's a weird thing to say."

Sooyeon just laughed softly, shaking her head. "I guess so."

But she didn't take it back.

And that scared him.

Jisoo stepped out of the café, the cool evening air brushing against his skin.

The meeting with Sooyeon had gone… fine.

But the whole time, he felt like he was somewhere else.

Or rather, with someone else.

He checked his phone. Still no messages.

His stomach twisted.

He didn't know why it was bothering him this much.

Sooyeon (parallel) was always there. Always teasing him, messing with him, forcing herself into his life.

And now that she was gone?

He hated it.

"Jisoo?"

He turned.

The real Sooyeon was watching him, her brow slightly furrowed.

"You okay?"

Jisoo forced a nod. "Yeah. Just thinking."

Sooyeon studied him for a moment before sighing. "Alright. Just… don't overthink things too much, okay?"

He blinked.

Had she noticed?

Before he could ask, she smiled. "See you tomorrow."

She turned and walked away, leaving Jisoo standing under the streetlights.

He exhaled slowly.

And then he started running.

---

[At His Apartment]

The second Jisoo stepped inside, he felt it.

A shift in the air.

A presence.

His heartbeat quickened as he kicked off his shoes. "Sooyeon?"

No response.

His eyes swept across the room. The folded blankets on the couch were gone.

His breath caught.

His hands clenched at his sides. Was she really gone?

Then—

A soft laugh.

Jisoo turned just in time to see Sooyeon step out from the shadows of the kitchen, her lips curled into a knowing smirk.

"You missed me, didn't you?"

His chest tightened.

He didn't answer. He didn't have to.

She already knew.

Sooyeon grinned. "I knew it. You looked lost without me."

Jisoo let out a slow breath, his hands unclenching. "Where were you?"

She hummed, tilting her head. "Out."

Jisoo gritted his teeth. "That's not an answer."

She just laughed, stepping closer. "You're cute when you're worried."

"I wasn't worried."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow.

She took another step, standing close enough that he could smell the faint scent of vanilla and something sweet.

Her voice dropped into a whisper.

"Relax, Jisoo. I'm not going anywhere."

His throat went dry.

Somewhere deep inside him, he knew—that wasn't a promise.

Jisoo stood in the middle of his apartment, staring at Sooyeon.

She was back.

But something about her presence felt… different.

It wasn't just the fact that she had left without saying where she was going.

It was how she looked at him now.

Like she knew something he didn't.

Like she was waiting for something.

Jisoo swallowed, trying to shake off the unease creeping up his spine.

"So," he said, forcing his voice to stay even. "Are you going to tell me where you went?"

Sooyeon smiled. "Why? Were you worried?"

Jisoo exhaled sharply. "I was annoyed."

She chuckled, stepping closer. "Liar."

His fingers twitched.

She was too close.

His mind flashed back to earlier today—when he had sat across from the real Sooyeon, talking about their project.

Back then, he had been distracted, thinking about this Sooyeon.

And now, standing in front of this one, he found himself thinking about the other.

This isn't normal.

He needed distance.

Jisoo stepped back, heading toward the kitchen. "I'm making ramen. You want some or not?"

Sooyeon blinked at the sudden change in topic. Then, slowly, she smiled.

"Oh? You're cooking for me now?"

"Not for you," Jisoo muttered, grabbing a pot. "For me. You just happen to be here."

She hummed, hopping onto the kitchen counter. "That's cute. You're acting like a boyfriend already."

Jisoo froze.

His grip tightened around the pot handle.

"That's not—"

"I mean, you chased after me this morning," she continued, kicking her legs playfully. "Then you spent all day sulking because I was gone. And now, you're making me food?"

She tilted her head, her voice softening.

"You sure you don't like me, Jisoo?"

Jisoo whipped around.

And the way she looked at him—

His stomach dropped.

Because she wasn't teasing anymore.

This was something else.

Something real.

His chest felt too tight.

Jisoo turned back to the stove, forcing himself to focus on the ramen.

This was dangerous.

He couldn't cross this line.

Because if he did…

He didn't know if he could ever go back.

The kitchen was too quiet.

The only sound was the faint bubbling of the ramen boiling on the stove, but Jisoo's mind was elsewhere.

He could still feel her gaze on him.

Watching. Waiting.

He forced himself to focus on the pot, stirring mindlessly.

This is fine.

This is normal.

Just ignore her.

Then—

A soft thump.

Jisoo stiffened.

He turned slightly—just enough to see Sooyeon had jumped down from the counter.

She stood just behind him now, so close that he could feel her presence at his back.

He swallowed. "You're in the way."

She didn't move.

Jisoo's grip tightened around the wooden spoon.

She was too close.

This wasn't like before, when she teased him from a comfortable distance, throwing playful remarks his way.

This was… different.

Too quiet.

Too intentional.

His heartbeat picked up.

Then—

A whisper.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?"

Jisoo froze.

His chest tightened, his breath caught in his throat.

She didn't need to say who.

He knew.

Sooyeon (real).

She waited for him at school. She talked to him. She smiled at him. She was starting to notice him.

And yet…

Here he was.

Alone. With this Sooyeon.

Jisoo opened his mouth—to deny it, to push her away, to say something—

But then—

Soft fingers touched his wrist.

Gentle. Barely there.

But enough to make his entire body lock up.

Enough to make his pulse pound against his skin.

Jisoo turned, his voice stuck in his throat—

And found her staring at him.

Really staring.

There was no teasing in her expression now.

No amusement.

Only something raw.

Something undeniable.

And for the first time—

Jisoo had to admit it.

This wasn't just a mistake.

It wasn't just a coincidence.

This was real.

And that realization scared him more than anything.

---

Jisoo couldn't sleep.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, but all he could think about was her.

The way she had looked at him.

The way she had stood too close.

The way her fingers had brushed against his wrist.

It had been so gentle. So simple.

And yet, it had left his mind in complete chaos.

Jisoo turned onto his side, squeezing his eyes shut.

This was bad.

He couldn't afford to get attached.

She wasn't supposed to be here.

And yet…

"You sure you don't like me, Jisoo?"

Her voice echoed in his head, light and teasing—but was it really a joke?

His fingers twitched.

He had wanted to answer her.

He just didn't know what the answer was.

---

[The Next Morning]

Jisoo woke up to the smell of food.

For a second, he panicked—was the apartment on fire?

He bolted upright, only to find Sooyeon (parallel) standing in the kitchen.

Cooking. Properly.

No smoke.

No burning.

No disaster.

She glanced at him and smirked. "Oh? You're finally awake?"

Jisoo blinked. "You… made breakfast?"

She set a plate on the table and gestured. "I can take care of you too, you know."

He stared at the food. It actually looked good.

"...Did you switch bodies with someone overnight? or did suddenly obtain a system?"

She laughed, sliding into the seat across from him. "I used to cook for you all the time, remember?"

Jisoo hesitated.

No.

Not for him.

For her Jisoo.

So why did it feel like she was talking to him?

He didn't respond, instead picking up his chopsticks and taking a cautious bite.

His eyes widened.

It was good.

He glanced at her. She was watching him carefully, waiting.

Jisoo swallowed, then muttered, "…It's okay."

Her face lit up.

Something in his chest tightened.

He quickly turned away, focusing on his food.

This was dangerous.

This was way too dangerous.

Because right now, in this moment—

She felt like home.

The clinking of chopsticks against porcelain filled the room, a quiet rhythm that made Jisoo far too aware of the silence between them.

Sooyeon (parallel) wasn't in a hurry.

She ate calmly, her posture relaxed, as if this was normal.

As if she belonged here.

Jisoo's grip on his spoon tightened.

She didn't.

She wasn't supposed to.

And yet, every moment that passed made it harder to remember that.

She glanced at him and smiled. "You're thinking too much again."

Jisoo blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

Sooyeon propped her chin on one hand, studying him. "You always do that when you don't know how to feel about something."

His fingers twitched.

How does she know that?

He wanted to argue, to deny it, to tell her she didn't know him at all.

But the words never left his mouth.

Because the truth was…

She did.

Maybe even more than he knew himself.

He pushed his food around his plate, focusing on something—anything—other than the warmth in her gaze.

"You didn't answer my question earlier," he muttered.

Sooyeon blinked. "Which one?"

He exhaled sharply. "Where did you go yesterday?"

Her lips curled into a playful smirk. "Why? You missed me?"

Jisoo scowled. "I'm serious."

She leaned back, tapping her fingers against the table.

"I just needed some air," she said finally. "Had to clear my head."

Jisoo narrowed his eyes. "About what?"

She smiled, but there was something unreadable in it.

"You."

Jisoo's breath caught.

His heart stumbled over itself, pulse quickening before he could stop it.

A slow, creeping heat spread in his chest, twisting into something dangerous.

She knew.

She had seen the way he had searched for her yesterday.

The way he had worried.

The way he had missed her.

And she was making him acknowledge it.

Jisoo dropped his chopsticks with a clatter, suddenly needing distance.

"I have to get ready," he said quickly, pushing his chair back. "I'll be late for class."

Sooyeon just watched him, amusement flickering behind her dark eyes.

"Jisoo."

His stomach twisted.

She didn't say anything else. Just his name.

Like it was enough.

And the worst part?

It was.

---

[At School]

Jisoo thought being at school would clear his head.

He was wrong.

The real Sooyeon was waiting for him in class, their project still unfinished.

"Hey," she greeted as he sat down, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Do you want to meet after school again? I think we should finalize our outline."

Jisoo hesitated.

It was a simple request. A normal request.

So why did he feel so... off-balance?

Before he could answer, someone nudged his shoulder.

"Wow, you two are hanging out a lot these days," Minjae teased. "Something you wanna tell us, Jisoo?"

Hoon grinned. "Yeah, I didn't take you for the type to make a move first."

Jisoo stiffened.

His classmates were laughing, nudging him playfully, but his mind was racing.

Because the truth was—

He hadn't made the first move.

Not with Sooyeon (real).

Not with Sooyeon (parallel).

They had both just walked into his life.

But now, they were pulling him in different directions.

And he didn't know which one he was supposed to choose.