No Strings Attached

Unlovable

Ji-yeon sat at the end of the long table, shoulders hunched, fingers curled tight around her glass. The noise around her felt like a blur—laughter, clinking bottles, bad singing from the next table over.

Minji nudged her with an elbow. “You’re drinking that beer like it’s poison.”

Ji-yeon muttered, “It tastes like floor.”

“It’s your first time at a hof in months. Just pretend it’s not.”

Her stomach twisted slightly as she looked at the sunbae's finger. She turned away and took a sip of her drink.

Her pinky itched. The limp string there felt heavier than usual.

What did it mean, to have no string at all?

Minji stood suddenly. “I’m gonna say hi real quick. Don’t go anywhere.”

Ji-yeon stiffened. “Wait—Minji—”

Too late. Minji was already bouncing over to the other table.

Ji-yeon pulled her hoodie sleeve down farther, curling her fingers around the red thread again. She took another sip of beer, wincing.

A minute later, Minji came back—followed by him.

Hyun-il trailed behind casually, hands in his jacket pockets. He nodded at Ji-yeon, polite but brief. “Hey.”

She blinked. “...Hi.”

He didn’t sit. Just stood beside Minji, glancing over the table like he was checking who else he knew.

Minji grinned. “Hyun-il sunbae, this is my friend Ji-yeon. She’s in marketing with me.”

Hyun-il gave a lazy nod. “Cool.”

Then, without much else, he leaned down and grabbed a shot glass. “You guys started without me.”

Minji poured him a shot automatically. “You’re late. Punishment drink.”

“Harsh,” he said, but drank it anyway.

He stayed for a few more seconds, chatting mostly with someone else from their department. Ji-yeon didn’t say anything. She didn’t even look at him.

Not directly.

Just enough to confirm again—still nothing. No thread. Not even a hint.

She didn’t know why that unsettled her so much. People had faint threads all the time. Ones that hadn’t led anywhere yet. But this was different.

It was like he wasn’t connected to anyone at all.

He didn’t belong in the system.

But he didn’t seem to care.

Or notice.

He talked like everyone knew him. He smiled like he had nothing to worry about. And when he left the table to join his own group again, it was like the energy followed him.

Ji-yeon exhaled slowly. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath.

Minji sat back down, watching her. “You good?”

Ji-yeon nodded once. “Fine.”

Minji raised an eyebrow. “You’re acting weird.”

Ji-yeon didn’t answer. She stared into her beer like it might tell her something.

Unlovable.

Was that even possible?

She looked at her own red thread again. Cut. Still glowing faintly at the end.

Connected to nothing.

"Come on! We're gonna wash away the emo mood with some soju!" Minji exclaimed, opening a green bottle

"God, I hope you choke on a chicken bone" Ji-yeon said, rolling her eyes, but still picking up a glass.