If the Nam Ji Hyun from a year ago heard this confession out of his own lips, she would’ve probably pinched herself multiple times to check if she was dreaming, that the man she had feelings for actually felt the same way as she did. 

But the Nam Ji Hyun that stood in front of him right now was confused, disoriented, and felt everything all at once. The moments when she denied the possibility of him ever having feelings for her suddenly hit her in the face, her mantras of denial proven false as he laid out all of his cards for her. She stands there speechless with her mind running through her thoughts and where to start. She doesn’t know what to do at this moment, considering how this confession was something that was the least that she expected from him. 

“W—What?” She choked out. 

“I’m…I’m in love with you.” He replied, a bit quieter than the first time. 

That was it. She wasn’t dreaming, and it was no illusion at all. All the gestures, the assumptions, and even what people said were all true, even when she chose to believe that it wasn’t. 

“Since…Since when?” She asked him, a shaky breath leaving her lips. 

He sighed to himself, looking down at the floor as he remembered the exact moment that he just knew. “Did you remember that time when you took care of me after I came home from the first day of my shoot? And I was drenched in the rain because I walked home when I came to you?”

She remembered it clearly, since that was the night that she decided to give up her feelings for him completely. She was so set on letting go of her feelings for him during that time since she knew that he only saw her as a dongsaeng and nothing else as well as hearing the rumours that the actress on set and him were seeing each other, but when he arrived at her place soaking wet from the rain, she still took care of him, cooking up a warm stew and checking whether he was going to have a fever or not. After having his fill and changing him into some warm clothes, she stayed by his side as he slept on the couch. That was the night that she promised herself that she would keep her distance as treat him as a friend and nothing else. She remembered that night all too well, but she didn’t know that that exact night held a different meaning for him. 

“I…I didn’t expect that you would stay by my side until I woke up. Even when I was at my weakest point in my life, you still had the heart to help me.” He continued. “It seemed like a pretty forgettable moment somehow, but knowing how patient you were with me and how you stayed with me after everything… I just felt like I was loved.” 

He remembered the moment he woke up after his sleep, the first thing he saw was her peaceful figure sleeping by his side, her face at a considerable distance from him, but enough for him to fully look at her beauty. He remembered how his heart warmed just by seeing her beside him, as well as feeling scared for himself as well, since this felt like such a long shot considering how she was trying to depend on herself and no one else, as well as she was closed off and distant at times. But when she unconsciously reached for his hand and intertwined it with hers as she slept peacefully beside him, it was as if this was what he wanted for the rest of his days.

“I…I was so scared to tell you because I didn’t know how you would react.” He choked out a sob. “I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, and I knew you were still healing from your past, and I couldn’t do that to you. I didn’t want to put any pressure on you if I confessed.”

She doesn’t notice the tears that fell from her eyes as he spoke. “I got by with my feelings by pushing them aside and telling myself time and time again that I know you won’t ever feel the same. I knew you needed a friend and nothing else, so I did just that.”

He presses his lips together to keep more tears from falling, and she waits patiently for him to continue. “I think the only regret I had was that I didn’t tell you when I heard you were leaving soon. I knew I had to at least tell you somehow so I could let you go without a heavy heart, but I just couldn’t, and I’m sorry if you had to hear this from me right now.”

She shook her head, moving closer to him and holding his hands. “You don’t have to apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“No,” he shook his head, slipping her grasp from his hands. “I’m sorry I had to feel this way. I know that your gestures were meant to be friendly and nothing else, and I took them in a different light. I’m sorry if I fell in love with you, and I’m so sorry if I said this to you just now.”

She shook her head once more, this time, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling from her eyes. “Oppa…”

“You don’t have to answer me.” He assured, sniffling as he continued. “You don’t have to tell me anything. I don’t care anymore if you’ll accept my feelings or not. What matters to me right now is that I finally told you what I felt, and if you don’t want to continue with this anymore, I would gladly accept that. Your thoughts and feelings are more important than mine, and if you don’t feel the same way, I’ll be okay.” 

She was speechless, and it was like she couldn’t do anything to respond to what he said, but with every word, it’s like her heart was twisting tighter and tighter until she couldn’t breathe. 

“I don’t regret liking you for one bit, though.” He spoke, a sad smile displayed across his face. “I got to know a beautiful woman with a kind and wise soul, and I couldn't be any happier being in your presence."

She wanted to hold his hands tighter in her hands, but she felt him slowly slipping away from her, and she watched him step back from her and put his hands in his pockets. She didn’t know what she was going to do at this point as he continued to speak. “If you want, I’ll try and keep my distance from you. I know you’re not that fond with people that confessed to you, so I’ll just try my best and not be a burden to you. Don’t worry, I’ll still be your friend and I’ll still be here to listen to you, but if you don’t want to see me anymore, t