The Idol Who Was Never Mine

Nights in Seoul are usually quiet— but tonight feels different. Soft snowflakes fall from the sky, covering the city like a white dream. Olivia walks slowly down the street. She has just finished her part-time job and is heading home. Her breath forms faint clouds in the cold air, her hands tucked deep inside her coat. She studies Business at Yonsei University. She shares a room with her close friend Aria. Both of them are foreigners, trying to build a life in a city that still feels unfamiliar. The street is almost empty. Streetlights glow softly on the snow, making everything shimmer like scattered stars. Then— A black van stops in front of the building directly opposite hers. Olivia slows her steps without realizing it. The van door slides open. A man steps out—hood up, head slightly lowered, as if trying to hide from the world. At first, she doesn’t understand. But when he lifts his head just a little… Her heart stops. “…No… this can’t be real…” Her eyes widen. Myung Jaehyun. Her favorite idol. The voice she has heard a thousand times through headphones. The face she has seen on screens, stages, and dreams. And now— he is here. in front of her. Jaehyun looks around carefully, cautious, as if the world might recognize him at any moment. Then his eyes land on Olivia. Their gazes meet. For a brief moment, everything goes still. Olivia doesn’t scream. Doesn’t move. Doesn’t react like a typical fan. She just stands there—silent, steady, almost unreal herself. Something flickers in Jaehyun’s eyes. “…you…” He begins, but stops himself. From inside the van, a voice calls out, “Jaehyun, let’s go.” He hesitates for one more second. Then he turns and disappears into the building. Olivia remains where she is, frozen in the falling snow. One thought repeats in her mind— Did that really just happen? She eventually walks into her building, her steps slower than before. Inside the elevator, her hands tremble—not from the cold, but from something she cannot explain. When she enters her room, Aria is already asleep. Olivia says nothing. She walks straight to the window. And looks outside. The building across the street is dark, quiet, still. Then— A single window lights up. Olivia’s eyes lock onto it. There he is. Jaehyun. No stage lights. No cameras. No distance. Just a boy in a quiet room, hoodie gone, hair slightly messy, eyes tired. Then— he looks up. Directly toward her window. Only a narrow street separates them, and two windows face each other like silent witnesses. But the distance feels far greater than that. Olivia exhales slowly. Her voice barely exists when she whispers— “He… lives in the building across from mine?” Jaehyun lingers for a moment longer. Then slowly, he draws the curtain closed. The light disappears. Silence returns to the night. But for Olivia, something doesn’t feel the same anymore. And for the first time, she feels it clearly— tonight is the beginning of something she cannot yet name.