Morning After
Yuki woke up slowly, as if rising through layers of thick, heavy water.The room was quiet. Sunlight stretched across the sheets in soft lines. For a moment, she didn't remember anything—just the warmth, the silence, the faint scent of something cooking.
Then her chest tightened.
Right.Her boss.Her friends.The panic attack.Everything.
She exhaled shakily and pushed herself up. Her body felt strangely heavy, like she had run a marathon in her sleep. But at least she could breathe normally now.
A soft knock tapped on her door.
"Yuki?" Jennie peeked in, her smile gentle and warm. "You're awake. Good… come eat? I made something light."
Yuki nodded slowly and walked to the small dining table.A simple breakfast waited—eggs, soft rice, warm soup… comforting, easy, familiar.
Jennie watched her closely as she sat down.
"Did you sleep okay?" she asked softly.
"I… yeah. I think the medicine helped," Yuki said, forcing a small smile. Her fingers shook just a little as she held the spoon.
Jennie noticed.She noticed everything.
They ate quietly for a while.Halfway through the meal, Yuki spoke without looking up:
"Yesterday was just… pressure. That's all. Too much stress. It happens. I'm fine now."
Jennie paused mid-bite."…Yuki."
"It's normal," Yuki insisted, voice firmer. "People get stressed. People get overwhelmed. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with me. I just need to work harder. Be stronger. Not… fall apart like that again."
Jennie's chest tightened. She set her spoon down slowly.
"That wasn't just stress," she said softly. "Your body collapsed. You couldn't breathe. You blacked out. That's not normal pressure—"
"I'm telling you I'm fine, Jennie."Yuki's voice trembled, but she didn't notice it.
Jennie watched her quietly, pain flickering across her eyes.Yuki wasn't refusing out of stubbornness—she was refusing because accepting it would mean admitting she was breaking.
And Yuki never allowed herself to break.
Jennie exhaled, steadying her voice. "Okay… let's eat first. We'll be late for university."
Yuki nodded, grateful the conversation was over.
But Jennie's mind didn't rest.
If Yuki keeps sinking like this… if she keeps denying what she's feeling… it'll get worse.Much worse.
She cleaned up quickly, packed her bag, and handed Yuki her water bottle.
"Ready?" she asked with a soft smile.
Yuki nodded automatically.
And together, they stepped out into the morning.
At the University — Yuki's Side
The campus gates stood tall, buzzing with morning chatter.But for Yuki, everything sounded distant—like she was underwater.
Jennie squeezed her shoulder gently before they had to split for their separate buildings.
"I'll text you after class, okay?" she said, voice softening around the edges.
"Mm."Yuki managed a tiny nod. "Go. You'll be late."
Jennie hesitated…because leaving Yuki alone felt wrong.But her fashion design studio had a brutal attendance policy, and she couldn't afford another warning.
She breathed out, gave one last worried look, and walked away.
Yuki watched her leave, then turned toward her own building, each step feeling heavier than the last—like gravity was slowly increasing around her, one kilo at a time.
Yuki slipped into the lecture hall and sat in the most distant seat she could find, tucking herself into the corner like a shadow.
She kept her head down.Hands folded tightly.Eyes locked on her desk.
Her friends noticed the moment she entered.
Junghye's brows drew together."Is it just me… or does she look different today?"
Soyoon leaned slightly to get a better view."No… she looks pale. Really pale."
Minah whispered, "She didn't even say hi. She just… hid."
Hanuel followed her gaze, his expression growing troubled."Yesterday must've hit her harder than we thought."
But the way Yuki sat—closed off, shoulders tight, broadcasting don't come near me—made it impossible for anyone to walk up to her.
The professor began the lecture, words filling the room like static.
But Yuki heard none of it.
Her thoughts drifted like fog, slipping through her fingers whenever she tried to grasp them.Her heartbeat felt loud in her ears.Her breathing shallow.
Just stress, she kept telling herself.Just stress. Just push through.But the lie grew heavier every time it repeated.
Jennie's Side — Hanyang University, Fashion Design Studio
At the other end of campus, Jennie sat in her design workshop, surrounded by fabrics, color boards, and half-drawn sketches.
Her pencil hovered above her page, unmoving.
She kept looking at the clock.Then at her phone.Then back to her sketchbook.
Her professor's voice faded in and out—talking about draping, silhouettes, portfolio guidelines—but Jennie heard nothing concrete.
Because all she could see was Yuki's trembling hands at breakfast.Her empty eyes.Her forced smile.
She's not okay.She's not even close to okay.
Jennie bit her lip hard, trying to steady the worry spreading through her chest.
"Please… don't disappear today," she whispered to herself."Please just let me find you after class."
But deep down, she already feared the opposite.
After Class — Yuki Disappears
The moment the lecture ended, chairs screeched and students stretched.
But Yuki moved like a shadow—silent, quick, gone.
Before anyone could even stand up properly, she slipped out through the side door and vanished into the hallway like she had never been there.
By the time Junghye reached the corridor, Yuki was nowhere in sight.
"She disappeared again," Junghye muttered.
Soyoon crossed her arms anxiously."She didn't even look back… she always looks back."
Minah's voice trembled slightly."Her face wasn't just pale… it was empty. Like she wasn't even present in the room."
Hanuel exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck."Yesterday didn't just affect her. It damaged something. She's drowning, and we're just watching."
The four of them stood there in silence—surrounded by noise, laughter, chatter—yet feeling like they were isolated in a bubble of worry.
Because the Yuki they knew…the cheerful, dependable, warm Yuki…was slipping away right in front of them.
And none of them knew how to reach her.
Yuki's Quiet Runaway
The moment Yuki left the lecture hall, she didn't even feel her feet touch the ground.
She just ran.
Out of the building.Across the courtyard.Down the older street that led away from campus.
Her heart thudded painfully—not like yesterday's panic, but something colder, something hollow.
She didn't know where she was going.
Her body just moved.
Until she found herself standing in front of the restaurant.
The place she had been fired from.The place that still smelled like humiliation and loud words and fear.
Her breath trembled.
But she needed the salary.The rent.The bills.Her survival.
So she stepped inside.
Encounter with the Boss
The lunch rush hadn't started yet.The boss stood behind the counter, flipping through receipts with a sour expression.
He looked up—and immediately scowled.
"Oh. You."His voice was sharp, dry, irritated."What are you doing here? I thought I fired you."
Yuki lowered her gaze, fingers tugging at her sleeves.
"I… I came for my salary. Yesterday's pay. I didn't take it."
He scoffed loudly.
"So now you remember?"He tossed the receipt book onto the counter. "You caused chaos yesterday. You embarrassed me in front of customers. And now you want money?"
"I didn't cause—"Yuki stopped.Arguing wouldn't end well.Her throat tightened painfully.
The boss clicked his tongue, rummaged in the drawer, and pulled out an envelope.
"Here. Take it and don't come back."
He shoved it into her hands.
"And let me give you advice," he added with a sneer, leaning forward."No one wants workers like you. Soft, emotional, always distracted. If you keep this attitude, no place will hire you."
The words cut deeper than he knew.
Yuki bowed stiffly."Thank you… for the opportunity."
Her voice cracked, just a little.
She walked out as fast as she could, holding back the tears until she rounded the corner and reached the empty alley nearby.Then her breath hitched, and a soft, broken sob slipped out.
Just once.Just enough to let the pain out.
Then she wiped her face, forced her expression neutral, and whispered:
"Okay. Next step. Find a job."
Searching for a Job, Alone
She spent the next hour walking from shop to shop.
"Sorry, we're full.""We don't hire part-time now.""Come back next month.""You're a student? Not convenient for us.""So less experience. Hard to take risk."
Door after door.Rejection after rejection.
Yuki's legs felt heavier.
The world felt louder.
And the exhaustion she thought she slept off began seeping back into her bones.
But she kept walking.She had to.
She had to survive.
Jennie's Break — The Message
Jennie finally got a short break after two hours of intense sketching.
She immediately grabbed her phone.
Jennie:Where are you?I'm on break—did you eat? Are you on campus?
The reply came after a moment.
Yuki:I'm trying to find a job 😅Don't worry, okay? I had my small meal. Focus on your fashion project.Oh! And look—I got my salary.
A picture followed.The envelope of cash.And another photo—Yuki making a tiny peace sign, trying to look bright and cheerful.
Then another message:
It's life, Jennie. We'll always find a new way.You focus on your work, love ya 💛
Jennie stared at the photos.
Even though Yuki was smiling, there was something off.A softness around the eyes.A small exhaustion hiding beneath the joke.A quietness.
But Yuki was trying.She was… fighting in her own way.
Jennie exhaled, her shoulders relaxing just a little.
Maybe she needs space.Maybe I shouldn't suffocate her with worry.Maybe… she's figuring it out step by step.
Sending reply to her:
I am happy that you are getting yourself back. Do not stress too much. You have me in your backup. Always for you babe.
Jennie took her pencil again, steadied her breathing, and forced her mind back into her design sketches.
"Okay," she whispered to herself."I'll trust you for now, Yuki. But I'm watching closely."
And with that single thread of relief, she went back to work—still worried,but a little less afraid.
Several Days Later
The days blurred together.
Not in the dramatic way novels describe—but in the quiet, suffocating way real life does when you're trying too hard to keep everything from collapsing.
Day After Day — The Job Hunt
Every morning after class, Yuki tried again.
Another restaurant.
Another café.
Another convenience store.
Always the same responses:
"Sorry, we're full.""We just hired someone yesterday.""Your schedule won't match.""We can't risk someone with no stable hours."
Yuki bowed, thanked them, walked out, and tried the next one.
By the fifth day, her legs felt like they carried sandbags.By the seventh, even her voice grew quieter when she asked,
"Are… are you hiring part-time workers?"
People shook their heads.Turned her away.Smiled apologetically.
Her smile back became smaller with every rejection.
But she pushed through each day anyway—because she needed to.Because she had no choice.
Yuki at University
In class, she was present in body but not quite in spirit.
She sat with Momo and the few classmates she was comfortable with.She laughed when they laughed.She nodded at explanations.She took notes diligently.
But there was an invisible wall now—Nothing obvious, but heavy enough for anyone paying attention.
Junghye saw it first.
Every time he entered the room, his eyes flickered toward the corner seat where Yuki sat quietly.
She no longer waved back.She no longer smiled brightly.She no longer teased anyone.
She was… muted.
Soyoon noticed, too—her brows furrowing whenever Yuki immediately packed her bag the moment class ended.
"Yuki, wait—"But Yuki was already gone.
And the group—Haneul, Yejin, Wongho, Kyungsoo, Hyejin—all watched her retreating figure with a mix of guilt and helplessness.
"She didn't even look at us," Haneul muttered."She looked much paler today," Soyoon whispered.
Junghye only said one thing, voice low and unreadable:"…She's avoiding us."
A Wall None of Them Could Break
But it wasn't out of anger.
Yuki simply had no energy.
The moment class ended, she grabbed her bag and rushed out—not to avoid them, but because she couldn't let herself slow down.
If she slowed down even a little…she felt like everything would crash again.
So she kept moving.Kept walking.Kept searching.
And they never got a chance to talk to her.Not a single one.
Meanwhile — Jennie's World
Jennie was drowning in fabric samples, pins, sketches, mannequin frames, and deadline stress.
But her work was… beautiful.
Her designs began to form exactly how she imagined—soft silhouettes, structured collars, elegant lines.Her professors praised her.Her classmates admired her.
Her final project was nearly complete.
Jennie would often pause mid-seam, thinking:
Yuki must be resting now,She's probably eating something healthy,She's strong. She'll bounce back.
But a knot of worry always tugged in her chest.
And That Is How the Days Passed
Quietly,softly,slowly.
Yuki pretending she was fine.Jennie quietly watching, hoping.Junghye, Soyoon, and the others realizing too late how far away she was drifting.
Each day was a small battle for Yuki.And each night, exhaustion wrapped around her like a heavy blanket.
But she kept going.
Because stopping felt more terrifying than anything else.
"And though the days kept moving forward… Yuki wasn't. How would she breakthrough this chain?"