Moment That Refuse To End

A Glance That Lingers

On the other side of the campus, two boys walked side by side under the soft noise of student life.

Euntak shook his head with a small smile.

“It still feels strange that you followed me here.”

Jihoon let out a light chuckle, hands tucked casually into his pockets as he looked ahead.

“I had nothing better to do at home,” he replied. “I just wanted to see how you’re surviving here.”

Euntak frowned slightly. “Surviving?”

“I mean adapting,” Jihoon corrected calmly.

Euntak sighed, slowing his steps a little.

“I actually need to adapt,” he said honestly. “Everything feels different here.”

A brief pause followed.

Then he added, softer this time,

“If you were here, it would’ve been easier.”

Jihoon didn’t even look at him when he replied.

“You know that’s not happening.”

Euntak groaned. “You really hate school that much?”

“Everybody knows that,” Jihoon said simply.

They continued walking.

The campus was alive around them—students laughing, groups forming, footsteps blending with distant voices.

Then suddenly—

laughter drifted from ahead.

Both boys slowed.

Then turned.

Two girls walked past them, talking and laughing like the world around them didn’t matter.

Jihoon’s steps stopped.

Completely.

His attention locked onto one of them.

Everything else faded—noise, movement, even Euntak’s voice.

Just her.

The way she smiled.

The way her laughter came so easily, so naturally.

Like she didn’t carry anything heavy.

Euntak noticed immediately and followed his gaze.

Then he looked back at Jihoon with an amused expression.

“…Bro,” he said. “She’s gone.”

Jihoon didn’t respond.

Not immediately.

His eyes were still fixed on the direction she had walked away.

Then, almost quietly—

“She’s beautiful.”

Euntak raised a brow. “The one in pink?”

Jihoon nodded once.

“I love her smile,” he said softly.

Euntak laughed under his breath. “You don’t even know her.”

Jihoon finally exhaled, slowly tearing his gaze away from the distance.

“Is she a student here?” he asked.

Euntak shrugged. “How am I supposed to know? It’s my first day too.”

A short silence followed.

Jihoon nodded slightly, as if accepting something he couldn’t explain yet.

“Anyway,” he said after a moment, turning away, “let’s go. I’ll be around.”

Euntak nodded and walked off with him.

But Jihoon slowed again after a few steps.

Then stopped.

Alone for a moment.

His eyes scanned the campus once more.

Searching without really knowing what he was looking for.

But she was already gone.

And still—

somehow…

her smile stayed behind longer than it should have.