It was a quiet afternoon in class. Byun-woo leaned toward Ra-hee, heart pounding with a rare nervousness.
"Ra-hee… I like you," he said softly. "I've liked you for a long time. Will you… go out with me?"
Ra-hee's chest tightened. She forced a calm voice.
"I'm… really flattered, Byun-woo," she said softly. "But I see you as a close friend. I don't think I can… see us as more than that."
Byun-woo nodded lightly, hiding his disappointment behind a small smile.
"Okay… friends then," he said quietly, though a shadow of frustration lingered.
Later, he started telling some of his friends in class about the rejection, twisting the story subtly. Ra-hee didn't know, but the gossip was already spreading.