When We Weren’t Alone

The backyard of the convenience store felt warm with the soft glow of the lights and the smell of grilled meat. Dad’s laughter, Hana’s cheerful voice, and Da Reum’s polite tone filled the evening with a light, festive air. Then, soft footsteps came from the back door.

“Narin…”

I turned. So did Dad and the others. Do Hwan was standing there, dressed in a black hoodie, his hair slightly damp.

His eyes met mine for a moment before they shifted to Da Reum, who was sitting beside me. For a few seconds, we just stared at each other. Then Dad’s voice broke the silence, cheerful as always.

“Hey! Do Hwan! Come on in! It’s been a while. Where’ve you been hiding?”

Do Hwan walked over slowly, a faint smile on his face. It didn’t look awkward, just a little hesitant.

“Sorry, Uncle. I didn’t have time to call. I saw on the school group chat about Narin’s rank. Thought I’d come congratulate her directly.”

His voice was polite, but there was a bit of tightness in it, especially when he glanced again at Da Reum.

“Sit down, sit down. No need to apologize,” Dad said, patting the empty spot next to him. “You came at the perfect time. We’re having a little celebration.”

I gave a small smile. “Thanks for coming, Do Hwan.”

“Congrats,” he said, giving me a slight nod. “You worked hard.”

“You weren’t at school this morning. What happened?” Hana asked, tilting her head.

I gave Hana a quick look, trying to signal her not to ask that—especially after what we found out this morning. Something told me that topic still wasn’t okay to talk about.

“Wasn’t feeling well,” Do Hwan replied shortly, then added, “Feeling better now.”

He sat down, but unlike usual, he didn’t join in the easy flow of conversation. Every now and then, he glanced at Da Reum. Calm as always, Da Reum didn’t react much, though it was clear he noticed.

Dad, as usual, didn’t notice any of the tension. He was too focused on the grill.

“Oh, right. Do Hwan, you know Da Reum? He came by the other day, too,” Dad said casually. Hana, in the middle of sipping her drink, choked and ended up coughing.

That introduction felt so awkward. I couldn’t even stop Dad with just a look.

“Of course, Uncle. We’re siblings,” Da Reum replied smoothly with a small smile.

Dad looked surprised. He’d known Do Hwan for quite some time, but this was the first time he’d heard of an older sibling—especially one like this.

“For real?” He paused, still holding the tongs.

“No wonder. I thought Da Reum looked familiar when I first saw him. That’s great. Narin’s finally got more friends. Aside from Hana, she rarely brings anyone over.”

The conversation moved on, but Do Hwan stayed quiet. He ate the meat Dad gave him without a word.

“Well then, let’s toast. You guys know how hard she’s worked. Let’s raise a glass to our number one!” Dad said, lifting his glass of soju. We clinked soda cans in response.

“Cheers,” Hana and Dad said in unison, followed shortly by Da Reum’s soft voice.

I glanced at the two of them. Do Hwan seemed calm when talking to Dad, even smiled once or twice.

But every time Da Reum made a move—speaking, reaching for his drink, even smiling—Do Hwan’s eyes changed. Cold. Distant.

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After dinner, Dad started cleaning up and yawned loudly.

“Narin, you head home first. I’ll finish up here and check the front,” he said.

“Don’t forget to lock the gate,” I reminded.

I grabbed my jacket from the chair behind the cashier. Hana and Da Reum had already left, so now it was just me and Do Hwan.

“I’ll walk you home,” he said suddenly. His voice was soft, but steady.

“You sure? Your house—”

“I just want to walk,” he cut me off.

We walked side by side along the narrow path beside the store. The night breeze carried the faint scent of wet pavement and grass. The streetlights glowed quietly above us.

Neither of us spoke. Since we left the store, Do Hwan hadn’t said a single word. His hands were in his hoodie pockets, eyes fixed forward like he was lost in thought.

I glanced at his left arm under the hoodie. During dinner, I’d caught a glimpse of a dark bruise. I wondered what had happened. Were those guys bothering him again?

“Are you okay?” I asked carefully, trying not to push.

“Why do you ask all of a sudden?” he said, not looking at me.

I shook my head. “Just asking. You said you were sick.”

He gave a small, bitter smile. “I lied.”

“Oh?” I blinked, stopping in my tracks. He paused, too, but didn’t turn around.

“I wanted you to worry about me. But I guess… someone else has your attention now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Da Reum.”

“I don’t get it. I’m not even close to him.”

“Really?” he said, turning back and walking ahead again. I rushed to catch up.

“I swear,” I said, raising two fingers.

“Forget it. You can care about whoever you want. It’s not like I have a say in it.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. He was right—we didn’t have anything between us. Just classmates. Study partners sometimes.

Still… it hurt.

Silence fell again. The night breeze brushed past, cool and gentle.

“Today… I visited someone important to me,” he said after a while.

“Someone special?” I asked, just to be sure.

He nodded. “She’s the reason I held on all this time. But now I think… she’s looking somewhere else too. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. No one ever stays.”

I didn’t say anything.

“I said I didn’t care anymore. But they made me care. Even when they didn’t ask anything of me. Strange, isn’t it?”

He looked at me. Waiting. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I thought I’d feel better if I left home. But the further I go, the emptier it gets,” he said softly.

“Then I passed the store. I heard your laugh. You know what it felt like?” He chuckled faintly. “Like a home I thought I’d lost… was still there.”

My chest ached. His words were simple, but heavy.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. The night wind brushed through my hair, and his gaze softened. He took a step closer.

“I just want to be someone strong enough to stand beside you. Sorry if I’m not there yet. But if it’s for you… I don’t care even if I fall.”

His hand reached out, gently touching my cheek. Warm. Careful. Like he wanted to make sure I was real.

“I don’t have a home. But let me feel that warmth—just once more. Before I show you I can stand on my own.”

My eyes stung. I couldn’t say anything back.

He pulled me into a hug. Tightly. Like he never wanted to let go.

I could feel his heartbeat—fast and steady against his chest. We stayed like that, listening to nothing but each other’s breath.

When he pulled away just enough to look at me, his eyes had changed.

Softer.

More honest.

There was no time to think. He kissed me gently. A soft, unsure kiss. But when I responded, it deepened—slow, sincere. No pretending. Just warmth. And a feeling I hadn’t realized had grown so much.

The wind kept blowing, but we didn’t care anymore.

And for the first time, neither of us felt alone.

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