For a moment, Suyee couldn't move. Her mind was racing, trying to process the reality of Jae-hyun standing in front of her, so close she could see the faint sheen of sweat on his temple, the faint glow of the streetlights reflected in his eyes.
"Jin-ah?" he repeated, his voice softer this time, filled with an almost hesitant curiosity.
"Yes," she said, forcing the word out of her mouth before the silence stretched any further. Her voice didn't sound like her own.
"I thought it was you," Jae-hyun said, a small, relieved smile forming on his lips. "I wasn't sure, but… here you are."
Suyee didn't know how to respond. She felt like an actor caught in a scene without a script. What was she supposed to say? What could she say?
"It's… nice to meet you," she managed, immediately realizing how strange that sounded.
Jae-hyun tilted his head slightly, confusion flickering in his expression. "Nice to meet me?" he echoed. "We've met before, haven't we?"
Suyee's stomach sank. She had no memory of Jin-ah's life, no way to confirm or deny his words without risking exposure. She forced a nervous laugh, hoping it would mask her uncertainty.
"I mean, it's been so long," she said quickly. "I didn't think you'd recognize me."
Jae-hyun's gaze softened, and he nodded. "It has been a while, hasn't it?" His tone was wistful, as if he were recalling memories she didn't have.
Before she could respond, one of her friends called out from the train. "Jin-ah, come on! The train's about to leave!"
Suyee turned toward the voice, grateful for the distraction. "I should go," she said, her voice apologetic.
"Wait," Jae-hyun said, taking a small step closer. "Can we… talk sometime? Catch up?"
The question caught her off guard. Her mind raced with a dozen reasons to say no, but her mouth betrayed her.
"Sure," she said, the word slipping out before she could stop it.
Jae-hyun smiled, and it was like the world brightened for a moment. "I'll find a way to reach you," he said confidently.
Suyee nodded, not trusting herself to say anything more. She turned and hurried onto the train just as the doors slid shut behind her.
As the train pulled away from the platform, her friends bombarded her with questions.
"Who was that?" Hara asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Do you know him?" another chimed in.
Suyee shook her head, trying to downplay the encounter. "Just an old acquaintance," she said vaguely, hoping they wouldn't press further.
But as the train sped through the tunnels, Suyee couldn't shake the image of Jae-hyun's face from her mind. His smile, his voice, the way he'd looked at her as if he'd been waiting for her all this time—it was too much.
And the worst part? She didn't know if she could avoid him, even if she wanted to.