❝maybe i couldn't help the sinking of my heart.❞ 

EUNSEO GLANCES AT jeongguk briefly before lowering her gaze again to the clasped hands on her laps. lips refuse to move, words fighting to escape her throat. the bus slows, before allowing passengers to board and alight.

4 more stops before she reaches her house. it's now or never.

"jeongguk?"

"hmm?" he mumbles, concentrated on tapping away on his phone. playing that game of his again. when she doesn't answer, he takes a quick glance at her before putting his phone away hurriedly. if there's one thing eunseo likes about jeongguk, it'll the fact that he always knows when something is wrong.

in fact, there are a lot of things she likes about him. the way he opened up to her, the way he stammers and scratches the tip of his head when he's nervous, the way he's selfless and kind. the night he offered her his coat, and got a cup of ramen for her. an insignificant act, probably, but warmed her heart nonetheless.

"i'm going overseas to further my studies."

surprise and dismay flit across his face before he evidently tries to get his emotions under control. after what seems like an eternity, "... oh." is all he manages to stutter out.

"for 3 years. i'll come back to visit every now and then, i promise."

he breaks into a grin and it seems convincing. almost. but she knows him well enough to see the hurt behind his eyes.

"don't worry about me. by the time you come back, i'd be a professional photographer already!"

eunseo lowers her head. without warning, tears pool in her eyes, threatening to spill onto her lap. gaze softening, jeongguk tries to tilt her head towards him. "... hey." he says softly.

she turns to bury her head in his chest, an action which she has done many times before. but it has always been a playful one, never one where she drenches the front of his shirt. but jeongguk doesn't seem to mind, at all. in return, he wraps his arms around her and tightens the embrace almost immediately when sobs wreck her form.

"... i'm sorry." she whispers.

the silence becomes almost suffocating. to the point where she thinks he hasn't heard her, but the reply does come eventually.

"... it's okay."