Chapter 3: The Window Across
450 Words
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From her living room window, Jisoo often observed unit 309. The curtains were perpetually drawn, never once opened, even in the morning. Yet, sometimes, she’d catch fleeting silhouettes inside: a man pacing, occasionally hunched at a desk, sometimes just standing still.
And sometimes—Jisoo was sure—he was watching her too.
Not obsessively, not like a stalker. His gaze… was soft, gentle, like reading a silent poem.
Jisoo hated it. But she also… anticipated it.
She lingered longer on the balcony, pretending to read or sip tea, just to immerse herself in that strange atmosphere. Jungkook’s presence had its own gravity—calm, yet undeniably pulling her in. Jisoo didn't understand why, but for the first time in forever, her loneliness didn't feel empty; it sounded… alive.
One cloudy afternoon, after returning from campus, she paused in the lobby and saw Jungkook near the vending machine, inserting coins.
He wore a dark hoodie and a cloth mask, but his eyes… were unmistakable.
He turned to her.
And Jisoo, instinctively, met his gaze.
"Tiring day at college?" His voice was low, almost a whisper.
Jisoo nodded. “Kinda.”
She was about to walk away, but he suddenly took two bottles of water and handed her one.
"Take it. I'm not that thirsty."
Jisoo hesitated, then accepted it. “Thanks.”
They didn’t speak again, but their eyes locked a few seconds too long. His gaze was… calm, yet hollow. Like it held trauma too profound for anyone to reach.
And that only made Jisoo even more curious.
That night, she tried to sleep early. But couldn’t.
At 2 AM, she woke to the sound of soft music. A classical piano piece—gentle, soothing, but deeply melancholic. It sounded like someone remembering a loved one they could never bring back.
Jisoo stepped onto the balcony.
And there—on unit 309’s balcony—Jungkook sat, hoodie on, gazing at the sky with empty eyes.
Jisoo wanted to speak… but she didn’t know what to say.
She stood silently.
And perhaps, that was enough.
Because for the first time, Jungkook spoke more than a single line.
"Do you think everyone hides something?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough to pierce the cold night air.
Jisoo didn't answer right away. The question felt like a trap—yet, also like a whisper for help.
In a soft voice, she finally replied, "Perhaps... the ones who hide nothing are the most dangerous."
When Jungkook turned, he smiled.
But it wasn’t a normal smile. It made the air colder, a subtle twist of his lips that hinted he knew... Jisoo was hiding something too.
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To be continued...
- Writer
