Chapter 48: A Night Without Her

Ji-Ah tossed and turned in bed, but sleep wouldn't come.

Evelyn's message still lingered in her mind.

Don't wait up.

She never said that before. Even when she was busy, she'd at least mention when she'd be back or tease Ji-Ah about missing her. But this… this felt different.

Ji-Ah sat up with a sigh, rubbing her temples. It wasn't like Evelyn owed her anything. They weren't together. But why did it feel like something was slipping away?

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

She got up and opened it, finding Min-Hye standing there, arms crossed.

"You're still awake," Min-Hye said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Ji-Ah sighed. "Obviously."

Min-Hye tilted her head. "Evelyn's still not back?"

Ji-Ah shook her head. "No."

Min-Hye studied her for a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed. "Okay, seriously. What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," Ji-Ah muttered, crossing her arms.

Min-Hye scoffed. "Right. Because 'nothing' is definitely the reason why you've been acting weird all week."

Ji-Ah didn't respond.

Min-Hye leaned forward. "You pushed her away, didn't you?"

Ji-Ah tensed. "She was the one who said the kiss meant nothing. I just—"

"You believed her?" Min-Hye interrupted. "Ji-Ah, you know Evelyn. When does she ever admit how she really feels?"

Ji-Ah's throat tightened.

Min-Hye sighed. "Look, I'm not saying you have to figure everything out right now. But if you wait too long, you might lose her for real."

Ji-Ah swallowed hard. She didn't want to think about that.

But deep down, she already knew—Evelyn was slipping away, and it scared her more than she wanted to admit.

The apartment felt empty without Evelyn. Ji-Ah tried to ignore it, but the silence was suffocating. She spent the next morning distracting herself—cleaning, scrolling through her phone, even attempting to read a book. But no matter what she did, her mind kept drifting back to Evelyn.

She hadn't texted. Hadn't called.

This is ridiculous. Ji-Ah shook her head. It wasn't like she was waiting.

Min-Hye and Seo-Jun showed up unannounced, bringing coffee and a knowing look.

"So," Min-Hye started, setting the drinks down. "You look awful."

"Good morning to you too," Ji-Ah muttered, taking a sip.

Seo-Jun leaned back against the couch. "Evelyn's still not back?"

Ji-Ah's grip tightened on the cup. "…No."

Min-Hye sighed. "Okay, this is getting ridiculous. If you're not gonna talk to her, then—"

The front door unlocked.

Ji-Ah froze as Evelyn stepped inside.

She looked tired, her usual sharpness dulled. Her eyes met Ji-Ah's for the briefest second before she looked away.

"Morning," Evelyn said, voice casual.

Ji-Ah didn't respond right away. There was something different about her. Something off.

Min-Hye and Seo-Jun exchanged glances before standing up. "We'll be going," Seo-Jun said, dragging Min-Hye toward the door.

Once they left, an awkward silence settled between Ji-Ah and Evelyn.

Evelyn finally spoke. "I was at a friend's place."

Ji-Ah clenched her jaw. "You don't have to explain."

Evelyn studied her. "You sure?"

Ji-Ah forced a nod. "Yeah."

Another silence.

Evelyn sighed. "I need to shower."

And just like that, she walked past Ji-Ah, leaving her standing there, heart pounding for reasons she didn't want to acknowledge.