Noon leaned back against the seat, his eyes distant as soft music trickled through his headphones.
The sun was setting, casting a warm glow that didn't reach inside the crowded university bus, which felt more like a silent, suffocating box than a means of transportation.
A strange quietness lingered—not around him, but within.
Something inside him was cracking.
Today, gentle as it seemed, had revealed a hidden cruelty.
Like a sudden ray of light piercing through a heavy curtain of darkness he had been living under.
His hand drifted up to his bangs, playing with them absentmindedly—shielding his eyes… or maybe trying to hide something deeper.
"Do I even deserve this?
A life? Friends? A girl who likes me?
Who am I to dream of something like that?
I'm nothing but a failure… an empty shell."
The words echoed within him like icy blades, cutting deeper with every passing thought.
Failed in school.
Failed his family.
No friends. No purpose.
Even the future felt like a dull, grey wall with no way out.
"I've been running from everything.
Made excuses, built fake beliefs just to stop myself from hating who I am…
But the truth? I do hate myself.
I'm lazy, weak-willed, lost in anime and novels but too afraid to face reality.
No matter how many times I promise to change… I always fall short.
Yeah… I hate myself. And maybe… I deserve that hate."
He pressed his fingers to his eyes, exhausted.
A whisper slipped past his lips, barely loud enough to hear:
"I hate myself…"
The bus kept moving.
People shifted in their seats, chatted, laughed—
But Noon sat motionless, being quietly eaten away from the inside.
In the middle of a crowd, he was completely alone.
---
At the other end of the bus…
Seen was lost in thought—though her thoughts were painted in a completely different shade.
Her foot tapped with restless energy. Her body couldn't seem to stay still, as if something inside her didn't know how to settle down.
She wasn't usually the optimistic type.
In fact, she leaned more toward gloom and isolation.
But today… was different.
She sat up straighter, her gaze fixed on the sunset outside the window—its golden hue painting the sky in melted honey.
"Have I changed?
Am I… actually happy?
Everything about today felt beautiful… and Noon…
That strange boy…"
She gave her head a small shake and let out a soft laugh.
"What on earth am I thinking?!"
But her heart didn't stop fluttering.
That strange new feeling… light, warm, and just a little bit scary.
"I always hated how dull my life was.
I was the quiet one—the girl who buried herself in books, one of many siblings, barely noticed, barely heard.
But today… it felt like I was actually living.
And that boy… he made me smile. Even now, I'm still smiling because of him."
Her eyes wandered toward the front of the bus, scanning the passengers for his face.
But she couldn't find him.
"Why does Noon always seem invisible?
And why do I feel so drawn to him?
He's not flashy or extraordinary…
But his shyness, his quiet kindness, the way he speaks without trying to impress…
He's… beautiful. In his own way."
A soft giggle escaped her, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
Then, trying to push the thoughts away, she pulled out her textbook—pretending to study something she didn't care about.
---
The bus finally arrived at their neighborhood.
It had been a long ride from the university—nearly forty minutes.
But Noon never minded. It was his sacred time to read novels,
while for Sin, it was her last chance to cram before returning to her noisy household.
But today…
those forty minutes dragged on painfully.
As if time itself had conspired to keep them apart.
Despite the heaviness in his chest, Noon longed to see her.
To hear her voice.
That yearning felt more real than anything he'd felt in ages.
And Sin... she felt it too.
A quiet warmth whispering in her chest:
"I want to see him again..."
---
They got off the bus.
Noon stood silently on the sidewalk, waiting.
It didn't take more than a few seconds before Sin caught up and stood beside him.
Neither said a word.
Sure, they'd agreed to walk home together,
but this was their first time.
And the silence… was awkward.
Their flushed cheeks said everything they couldn't.
They walked slowly, leaving the bus stop behind.
As if neither wanted the moment to end.
Under a grey sky, the moon peeked shyly through the clouds,
and on either side of the road, wooden cabins and cobblestone paths stretched quietly.
A boy in plain black clothes, with messy black hair that nearly covered his eyes,
walked beside a girl in soft white. Her black hair shimmered in the fading light,
her white shoes adding to her quiet, almost dreamlike presence.
A complete contrast.
But somehow, it was beautiful.
As if they mirrored one another—balancing each other's flaws.
Noon finally worked up the courage to speak.
"So... where exactly do you live?"
The words escaped, and he froze.
What kind of question is that?!
His face burned.
She's going to think I'm some creep...!
But Sin, in her calm voice, answered:
"Don't worry... it's not far.
Actually, we live on the same street.
You just never noticed."
Noon's eyes widened.
The same street?
How had he never noticed?
He'd lived here his whole life—knew every house, every family...
Some things started to click in his mind,
but he didn't have time to piece them together.
Suddenly, Sin tugged at his sleeve and said, nervously:
"Oh, Noon... um... just—look ahead. Down the street."
He looked up—and there, at the bend in the road, were two girls approaching.
One had bright orange hair and sparkling blue eyes,
wearing a white dress lined with soft blue.
She moved with a bounce in her step, like the world was her stage.
His sister.
The other… was taller, with a striking beauty.
Sharp features, long flowing black hair, and calm, grey eyes that gleamed like steel.
And she was staring straight at him.
Noon felt the tug on his sleeve grow firmer.
He glanced at Sin, whispering reassuringly:
"It's okay... it's just my sister. Nothing to worry about."
But Sin looked up at him, her face red as a strawberry, eyes darting nervously.
She bit her lip and mumbled:
"...Your sister's not the problem...
The problem is... the girl next to her.
That's my sister."
Noon froze.
He hadn't seen that coming.
Their sisters? Friends?!
After a moment of confusion, he remembered that girl from his childhood—
she used to visit often.
But back then, she was just "my sister's friend."
It never even crossed his mind that she could be Sin's sister.
As he tried to wrap his head around it,
his sister broke the tension with a dramatic shout:
"Ooooh! It is my brother!
Who's that girl with him?!
Oh my Goooosh—this is insane!"
She nearly skipped toward them, buzzing with curiosity.
Noon didn't move.
He was never the social type.
He didn't even understand what was going on between him and Sin,
let alone how to explain it to others.
He glanced at her.
She had let go of his shirt.
Maybe she'd found the courage to step forward.
Or maybe... she gave up.
She walked ahead, steady steps carrying her toward the two girls.
Noon stayed behind, silent, his heart beating fast.
One thought echoed in his mind:
"Please... don't let this turn into a disaster."
---