You, Again || YeonGyu

.

The sun was too bright for a day like this.

Beomgyu stood outside the school gates again, now officially a Grade 9 student. The breeze was warm, the sky was blue, and everything looked exactly the same, except it wasn't. Not really.

He clutched the folder of his enrollment documents, fingers fidgeting at the edges.

"New year, new me," he mumbled under his breath, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"You mean new year, same boy still stuck in heartbreak," Soobin said from behind him, appearing like a ghost from a past life. "You're literally gripping that folder like it's Yeonjun-hyung's hand."

"Shut up." Beomgyu rolled his eyes, though his ears turned a little red.

The rest of the gang wasn't there yet. Sunoo was still fixing his bangs, Giselle said something about her mom making her reprint all the forms because her handwriting was 'ugly', Jungwon yelling at his siblings for being so clumsy and Sunghoon? Probably sleeping.

But here they were, just Beomgyu and Soobin, early again for the most pointless enrollment in history.

They walked into the hallway. Beomgyu's shoes squeaked a little too loudly against the waxed floors.

"So," Soobin nudged his side. "Did you bring the journal?"

Beomgyu's steps faltered.

"You told me you were gonna write again, didn't you?"

"I... I did," Beomgyu muttered, eyes flickering down.

"And?"

Beomgyu sighed, pulling out the navy journal from his tote bag. It was worn at the edges already, like he'd held it one too many times during lonely nights.

"I wrote a chapter last night," he admitted, almost like a confession. "It's about this character who keeps waiting for someone who's never coming back."

Soobin didn't answer for a beat.

"Sounds familiar," he finally said, softer this time.

Beomgyu gave a weak laugh, eyes trailing to the room number ahead, Registrar's Office.

Inside the room, everything was the same. The fan squeaked above them, teachers chatted behind stacks of folders, and someone was fighting with the copier machine in the corner.

Beomgyu handed over his documents, forcing a smile.

While the admin checked his papers, he glanced at the bulletin board.

And there it was.

A framed photo of last year's graduating class. The seniors. Yeonjun's batch.

And right in the middle, smiling with that warm, sunshine grin...

There he was.

Beomgyu's breath caught in his throat.

He didn't even realize he was staring until Soobin gently nudged his side.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he whispered, swallowing hard. "It's just... weird."

He stepped closer to the photo, heart pounding in his ears.

Yeonjun looked so happy.

His medal hung around his neck, his uniform crisp, and his smile..God, that smile looked like it belonged to someone who never knew what it was like to leave someone behind.

"Do you think... he ever thought of us?" Beomgyu asked quietly.

Soobin followed his gaze, then looked at him.

"Us? Or you?"

Beomgyu didn't answer.

When they walked out, the courtyard was brighter now. More students had arrived. The gang was slowly forming by the benches under the trees.

Giselle waved. "Look who's back from his mysterious writer boy era."

Beomgyu groaned. "Not you too."

Sunoo smiled teasingly. "Did you write anything spicy yet? Like in chapter four, the main character finally kisses—"

"I'M WRITING THIS FOR THERAPY, NOT FOR WATTPAD."

The group burst into laughter.

But behind Beomgyu's playful grin, there was still a tight knot in his chest.

Because every time he wrote another chapter in that journal, he was writing Yeonjun deeper into fiction.

And every time he walked into school now, he kept expecting to see that familiar figure leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smiling like he always did.

But Yeonjun wasn't there.

Just memories. Just stories. Just pages.

Later, when they were done with enrollment, the gang headed to the milk tea shop down the street.

"So," Sunghoon leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink. "What's this journal really about, huh?"

Beomgyu stared into his cup.

"It's about a boy who fell in love with someone four years too early," he said quietly. "And now he's trying to unlove him one word at a time."

The table fell silent.

Then, Sunoo reached out and gently patted his hand.

"Well," he said, "he's still our favorite main character."

That night, back in his room, Beomgyu opened the journal again.

He stared at the blank page.

Then began writing:

    Chapter Two: The world kept spinning without him. And I was expected to do the same.

    But how do you unlearn a name that's already etched in your veins?

He paused.

Then added one more line:

    I saw your photo today. You looked happy. I hope I learn how to do that, too.