Nathan ends up living with his two childhood friends after his dad asks one of them to tutor him for his college entrance exam.
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Summer in Seoul
Nathan, Soo-yeon, and Ji-eun had been inseparable since childhood. Growing up in a quiet neighborhood in Seoul, they shared countless memories of laughter, tears, and adventures. Nathan, a Korean-American boy whose parents had moved back to Korea when he was young, found a sense of belonging with his two best friends. Soo-yeon, with her bright smile and kind heart, was always the peacemaker of the group. Ji-eun, sharp-witted and ambitious, pushed them to try new things and dream big.
As they entered their final year of high school, the dynamics of their friendship began to shift subtly. Nathan found himself stealing glances at Soo-yeon, admiring the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed. He cherished their late-night talks on the rooftop of his family’s apartment building, sharing dreams of the future under a sky full of stars. Unbeknownst to Nathan, Ji-eun had been harboring feelings for him, drawn to his easygoing nature and the way he always knew how to make her smile.
The summer before university brought both excitement and uncertainty. The trio decided to take a trip to Jeju Island, a last hurrah before their paths potentially diverged. As they explored the lush landscapes and beautiful beaches, tensions simmered beneath the surface.
One evening, as they watched the sunset from Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, Nathan gathered his courage and confessed his feelings to Soo-yeon. The moment was bittersweet; while Soo-yeon cared deeply for Nathan, she didn’t share the same romantic feelings. She gently explained that she valued their friendship too much to risk changing it.
Ji-eun, overhearing the conversation, felt a mix of relief and guilt. She was glad Soo-yeon hadn’t reciprocated Nathan’s feelings but felt terrible for the pain her friend was experiencing. In the days that followed, the group’s dynamic became strained, with awkward silences replacing their usual comfortable banter.
It wasn’t until their last night on Jeju that everything came to a head. Sitting around a campfire on the beach, Ji-eun finally opened up about her own feelings for Nathan. The revelation stunned both Nathan and Soo-yeon. As the waves crashed in the background, the three friends found themselves navigating the complex waters of love, friendship, and growing up.
In the end, they made a pact. Their friendship, forged through years of shared experiences, was too precious to lose. They promised to support each other, no matter what the future held. Nathan realized that while his heart might be bruised, the love he had for both Soo-yeon and Ji-eun transcended romantic notions. Ji-eun understood that sometimes, feelings go unrequited, but that doesn’t diminish their value. And Soo-yeon, ever the mediator, helped them all see that their bond was strong enough to weather any storm.
As they returned to Seoul, preparing for the next chapter of their lives, the three friends carried with them a newfound understanding of love and friendship. Their summer in Jeju had changed them, but it had also reinforced the foundation of their relationship.
Years later, they would look back on that summer as a pivotal moment in their lives. Though their paths would sometimes diverge, with careers and new relationships taking them to different corners of the world, Nathan, Soo-yeon, and Ji-eun remained connected by the unbreakable threads of their childhood friendship, forever grateful for the love they shared in all its forms.
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