DAY 10 | "Alive"

Jeongyeon loved her husband deeply. They had been together for five years before getting married, and soon after, they were blessed with a child.

To be honest, it wasn’t her husband’s looks that first captured her heart. His face was ordinary — pleasant but not striking. What truly drew Jeongyeon in was his personality. He was kind, grounded, and sincere, the kind of man who reminded her of her father — gentle yet strong in his convictions.

She always believed that genuine character could outshine any handsome face. And that’s why she was proud of her choice — to spend her life with a man who wasn’t perfect, but who had once made her feel perfectly loved.

But one day, things began to change.

Jeongyeon started noticing small shifts — subtle, almost unnoticeable at first. Her husband began pulling away. He no longer greeted her with warmth before leaving for work. The cheerful hums and daily “I love you”s faded into silence. His smiles became rare, his patience thinner. Even their quiet moments together disappeared.

At first, she brushed it off, thinking he was simply tired from work. But after days of coldness, it became unbearable. The breaking point came when he shouted at her — over something trivial. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice to her.

That night, Jeongyeon confronted him.

“What’s wrong with you, Minhyuk? You’ve been so distant lately.”

“There’s nothing wrong,” he said flatly.

“Oh, don’t lie to me. I can see it. I can feel it!”

He sighed. “You’re probably just stressed from motherhood, Jeong.”

Her heart sank. “And who gave me this life, Minhyuk? You did. I’m doing my best for our child and for you. But why can’t you let me do the same for you? Don’t I have that right as your wife?”

He avoided her gaze. “I can handle things on my own.”

“You really make it seem like you don’t need me at all,” she whispered.

“Are you going to keep pushing this?” he snapped.

“Just tell me the truth!” she cried.

His expression hardened. “Fine. You want to know the truth? You’re different now, Jeong. You’re not the same woman I fell in love with.”

Her world froze. “W-what do you mean?”

“You’ve changed. You’re… not as attractive as you were before.”

Jeongyeon felt her heart crack. The man she loved most had just said the cruelest thing imaginable. She held back her tears, standing there in silence as he grabbed his keys and left the house.

That night, Jeongyeon sat alone, replaying his words over and over.

Days later, she discovered the final blow — messages on his phone. He had been talking to other women, paying them for companionship. Her body went numb. The disgust, the betrayal, the humiliation — it was all too much.

When he returned home that evening, she could barely look at him. She said nothing, only watched him leave again, the sound of the closing door echoing through the emptiness of their once warm home.

That night, Jeongyeon wandered outside to attend her alma maters' school reunion. She found herself sitting alone in a quiet playground. The swings creaked softly in the night breeze — the same place that once reminded her of happiness, now drenched in loneliness.

As she sat there, tears streaming down her cheeks, she felt someone’s presence nearby.

“Jeong? Oh my God… it’s really you!”

She looked up, startled. A man stood there, you who smiling in disbelief.

“I-I’m sorry, do I know you?” she asked, her voice trembling.

You let out a small, nervous laugh. “Come on, Jeong. It’s me. YN from senior high?”

Her eyes widened when she recognized that very familiar name from the past. “Y–YN?”

“In the flesh,” you said softly, smiling.

Jeongyeon could hardly believe it. It had been over ten years since she last saw you — the quiet, shy boy from high school who once meant the world to her. But you weren’t that timid boy anymore. You were confident, mature, and somehow even more familiar than ever.

You talked for hours. You told her about your life abroad — how you had built a stable career and returned to Korea after years of living overseas. Fate, it seemed, had led you back to her.

When you noticed her tear-streaked face, your expression softened. “What happened, Jeong?” you asked gently.

And so, she told you everything.

She spoke about the distance that grew between her and Minhyuk, the hurtful words, and the betrayal that shattered their marriage. You listened quietly, brows furrowed, jaw tightening in anger and sympathy.

When she finally broke down, you pulled her gently into your arms. “You didn’t deserve that, Jeong. Not from him.”

She shook her head weakly. “Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I changed too much after giving birth. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t love me anymore.”

“Don’t say that,” you told her firmly. “You didn’t change — you grew. That’s what life does. But what’s inside you, that kindness, that warmth — it’s still there. I can see it. I always have.”

She smiled faintly through her tears. “You and your kind words… you haven’t changed either.”

You chuckled softly. “Maybe not. I still remember how you lent me your jacket back in school after I got splashed by that car. You were the first person who ever showed me real kindness.”

She looked at you, touched by the memory. “I missed you,” she whispered.

“I missed you too,” you said, your voice almost breaking.

A silence settled between you — one filled with unspoken words, regret, and the faint spark of something that had never truly faded.

Then, Jeongyeon spoke again, her voice low. “You still carry it, don’t you? What we had back then.”

You hesitated. “Jeong…”

“I know you do,” she continued softly. 

You took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t say this. You’re still married—”

“Not for long,” she interrupted. “You know what, fuck him… he gave up on me first.”

You remained silent, as your eyes soften and frowned to keep the emotions into you. “I’m already close to your heart again, YN. It’s right here, let it be.”

You couldn’t take it anymore. You pulled Jeongyeon to a feisty kiss. Your lips gnawed at their plumpness, tongues snaking at one another in the middle. Both of you welcomed that what could’ve it been of your past.