Ever since Jennie's mom arranged a house-helper, their apartment felt different—lighter, cleaner, almost peaceful.
The helper, Auntie Min, arrived every morning with a gentle smile.
"Good morning, girls. I'll start the laundry first."
She cooked, cleaned, organized shelves Yuki didn't even remember cluttering, refilled the fridge, took out the trash—and left by noon.
One afternoon, Yuki whispered to Jennie,"Your mom saved our lives."
Jennie laughed softly."Right? Now you don't have to burn rice anymore."
"HEY— I only burned it once."
"Once a week," Jennie corrected.
Yuki nudged her. "Shut up."
It was silly, but… their home felt safe again.
But outside the apartment—everything else was mess.
Yuki's Job Search Ends Not With Success, But Surrender
For days, Yuki circled job boards, cafés, convenience stores, and tiny restaurants.
"No positions available.""We're fully staffed.""Can you work night shifts? Oh, you can't? Sorry."
Finally, a greasy chicken shop near the station shrugged and accepted her.
The owner didn't even look at her properly.
"You'll do. Shift starts at six. Don't be late."
And that was that.
Final Month — When Life Started Running Faster Than Yuki
The final month before semester exams hit like a sudden monsoon—not gentle, not gradual, but heavy, flooding, and impossible to outrun.
Classes that once felt manageable suddenly piled on top of each other like collapsing shelves.
Morning — Consumer Behavior
"Attendance sheet coming around!"Professor Shin's voice echoed as the projector flickered to life.
Yuki blinked hard, her eyelids heavy. She forced her pen to keep moving.
Beside her, Momo whispered, "You okay? You look… tired."
"I'm fine," Yuki whispered back, a worn-out smile tugging at her lips.
She wasn't fine.She hadn't been fine in days.
Her mind kept drifting, losing focus in the middle of sentences.Words blurred together. Her head felt stuffed with fog.
When the professor explained price elasticity, Yuki wrote something completely different in her notes.
She stared at it for a long moment.
"When… did I write this wrong…?" she muttered.
Momo leaned in. "Yuki… it's okay, you can copy mine later."
But Yuki only shook her head and whispered to herself, Focus. Just focus.
Late Morning — Business Policy Discussion
The business building hallway buzzed with stressed students.Papers rustling. Highlighters uncapped. Overwhelmed sighs.
Yuki dragged her bag into her next class.
"Team 3, your draft is due today," the professor reminded.
Her heart dropped.
Draft…?Today?She didn't remember that.
Her chest tightened. She squeezed her pen hard, grounding herself.
Junghye glanced back from the front row, a worried crease forming."Yuki, did you forget…?" he mouthed.
She nodded slightly, shame burning behind her ribs.
He replies,
"It's ok, I will talk to the professor."
Haneul whispering, "How can she forget such important task? She literally lost her mind."
Someone mocks, "Maybe she thinks dating a lecturer can save her from doing another professor presentation. hahahah"
Seeing Junghye being sweet like that and explaining Soyoon,
"Baby You don't have to worry about my presentation. I thought Yuki would handle it as she said. But as you thinking about it too much only for you I would finish it within the lunch break."
felt like someone pushing a thumb into a bruise she was trying to hide.
Her heart gave a small, sharp pang.
She swallowed it down.
Afternoon — Marketing Group Meeting
The group spread their laptops across a cafe table.
Mina sighed, tapping her screen."We still need the competitor analysis section."
"I'll do it," Yuki said immediately.
Mina blinked. "You have a job later, right?"
"It's fine. I'll manage."
She didn't know how she'd manage.But the words slipped out like a reflex—because she couldn't be the weak one.
Her stomach growled quietly.
She froze.
When was the last time she ate?Breakfast?No… she skipped that.Lunch?She couldn't remember.
"Yuki… did you eat?" Mina asked gently.
"Later," Yuki said, waving her hand.
But the truth was—she didn't feel hunger until her body reminded her painfully.Even then, the urge to keep working drowned it out.
Late Afternoon — Study Rush
At the library, her mind flickered on and off like a dying bulb.
She read the same paragraph six times.Nothing stayed in her head.
Her chest tightened—familiar, frightening.
A panic attack was coming.
Slow. Creeping.Like cold water rising inside her lungs.
Yuki grabbed her bag and hurried into the small single-stall bathroom near the back shelves.
Lock.Sit.Breathe.Count.
She pressed her forehead against her knees, whispering:
"Not now… please not now…"
Her breaths came shaky, but she forced them into a rhythm.
After a few minutes, the wave passed.
She wiped her eyes, stood up straight, and whispered to herself:
"You're fine. You're okay. Keep going."
Evening — Running to Work
Her chicken shop shift started at 5:30.
And every day it drained her like a leaking bucket.
"Yuki-ya! Faster! Deliver table 3!""Take these orders!""Clean the fryer corner!""Can you do overtime? We're short-staffed!"
She bowed, apologized, ran, bowed, apologized again.
By 10 PM her legs felt like they were dipped in cement.Her fingers ached from carrying trays.Her back throbbed.
When she finally left the shop, the cold air hit her face like relief and punishment at the same time.
Night — Studying on Empty
She reached her desk past midnight.
Laptop on.Notes spread everywhere.Her phone beside her with her reminder app open:
Email professor
Marketing slides
Prep for Consumer Behavior quiz
Check group chat
Study chapter 9
She started typing.
Her brain lagged behind her fingers, like two machines not syncing.
At some point, she rubbed her eyes so hard she saw sparks of light.
She took a shaky breath.
Her vision doubled for a second.
"Come on… come on, Yuki…" she whispered to herself.
She kept typing.
Her heart felt sore.Her body felt weak.Her room felt too quiet.
And every time she saw him on campus—his arm around his girlfriend,laughing quietly with her,kissing her forehead—
Her chest tightened with a quiet pain she never showed anyone.
But she swallowed it.Pushed it down.Ignored it.
Because life wasn't going to slow down for her heartbreak.
Home — A Small Mercy
Thanks to Jennie's mom, their house helper had been arriving every morning—
cooking, cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, grocery shopping.
Without her, their home life would've collapsed already.
Even then—
Jennie would peek into Yuki's room at 2 AM and whisper,
"Yuki… sleep. Please. Just sleep a little."
"I will… soon," Yuki lied gently, eyes stuck on the screen.
Jennie knew something was wrong.
But even she was buried in projects, deadlines, mannequin fittings, and fabric cutting sessions that ran until late night.
They were both drowning—just in different oceans.
The room was dim, the only light coming from Yuki's laptop screen.2:00 AM. Her fingers moved mechanically across the keyboard. Her notes were a blur; her heartbeat wasn't.
Jennie, still half-asleep, pushed the door open just an inch.
"Yuki… you're studying again?" Her voice was soft, hesitant.
Yuki didn't even lift her head. "Yeah. Can't stop now."
Jennie walked closer, noticing the shaking in Yuki's hands. "You've been at this since evening. Come lie down. Just ten minutes. Your body needs it."
"I said I'm fine."
Jennie frowned gently. "Yuki, you're not. Look at you. You're pale. You haven't eaten since morning."
"I don't have time to eat."
"You need to eat."
"Jennie." Yuki's tone sharpened. "Please don't start."
Jennie placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not starting anything. I'm worried. You're pushing yourself too hard—"
And something inside Yuki snapped so suddenly that even she didn't see it coming.
"Stop interfering!"
Jennie froze, hand falling away.Yuki finally looked up—eyes exhausted, red, boiling over.
"You're doing great, okay? You're handling exams like it's nothing. Good for you. I'm genuinely happy. I love that you're stable. But don't—" her voice cracked, "don't try to manage my life too."
Jennie's lips parted. "Yuki, I'm not trying to manage—"
"You don't get it!"Yuki's voice rose, loud in the tiny room."I don't have the same life as you. I don't get to relax. I don't get to wake up without worrying about bills. I have a part-time job—unlike you. I can't afford to fall behind."
Jennie's face slowly crumpled.
"Yuki… why are you talking like this?"
Yuki continued, a little breathless now, the guilt not yet catching up to the anger.
"Just—stop hovering. Stop trying to fix me. Go live your life. Don't waste your time babysitting me. You're a rich girl, Jennie… you don't know what this feels like."
Jennie flinched as if stabbed.Her eyes filled instantly, the tears heavy, uncontrolled.
"I… I didn't know you thought of me like that," she whispered.
Yuki's breath hitched, but pride kept her quiet.
Jennie swallowed hard, voice trembling."I only came because I heard you coughing. I thought maybe you needed someone."
Silence.
Jennie wiped her tears with the back of her hand—too quickly, like she was trying to hide the hurt.
"I'll go," she said, barely audible. "If you need me… just call. I'll be in my room."
The door closed softly.
Yuki stared at it—
—and felt her chest collapse inward.
The anger was gone.All that remained was the echo of what she had said.
Twenty minutes later, her eyes blurred over her notes. She re-read the same sentence ten times. Her breathing was shaky, uneven. The guilt pushed against her ribs.
And then the tears came—quiet at first, then uncontrollable, wracking.
Outside, Jennie heard the muffled sobs.
She opened the door slowly. "Yuki?"
Yuki jerked around, eyes swollen, cheeks wet.When she saw Jennie standing there—soft, worried, hurting—she broke completely.
She stumbled forward and grabbed Jennie in a desperate hug.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "Jennie, I'm so sorry. I don't think those things. I was stressed and stupid and tired—please don't leave mad. Please."
Jennie hesitated only a second before wrapping her arms around her tightly—protectively.
"I know," she whispered into Yuki's hair. "I know you're tired. I know you're scared. I know you didn't mean it."
Yuki clung harder. "I hurt you. I shouldn't have."
Jennie shook her head gently. "You're allowed to break sometimes. I'm not going anywhere."
That broke Yuki even more.
After a moment, Jennie pulled back and cupped her face, wiping her tears.
"Finish your work. Thirty more minutes. Then we sleep. Together."
Yuki nodded, still sniffling. "Okay."
Thirty minutes later, Yuki closed her laptop. Jennie handed her a cold juice, pressing it into her trembling hands without a word.
They lay down, side by side, Jennie's arm patted Yuki's back slowly so that Yuki falls sleep faster.For the first time in days, Yuki's breathing finally slowed—not because her workload was lighter…
…but because she wasn't alone.
Before Group Presentaion
The library smelled faintly of coffee and old books. The hum of fluorescent lights and pages turning created a low, steady background noise.
Yuki sat at the corner table with a stack of notes and her laptop, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She could hear the quiet chatter of her groupmates as they prepared for the presentation.
Junghye and Soyoon were nearby, whispering to each other, their heads close, hands brushing occasionally.
Don't look. Just don't look. Focus, Yuki…
"Yuki, you finally typed something," Momo said with a teasing smirk, leaning over her shoulder.
"I… uh… yeah," Yuki mumbled, her voice low. She tried to focus on her notes, fingers tapping the laptop, but her mind kept drifting.
"Wow, that's… slow. Are you even trying?" Hanuel's voice carried just enough for Yuki to hear.
"Seriously, Yuki, even Momo is faster than you," Yejin added, smirking.
Ignore them. Just… keep typing. Don't look. Don't look at them.
Junghye leaned back in his chair, glancing at Yuki once, twice, and then focusing back on his notes. Soyoon laughed quietly at something he said, reaching out to touch his arm.
Why do they have to… always look so happy? Always perfect…
Yuki's chest tightened. Her fingers froze over the keyboard. Her mind screamed at her to focus, but her eyes kept stealing glances toward the couple.
Momo nudged her lightly. "Yuki, are you okay? You haven't written anything in the last ten minutes."
"I… I'm fine," she whispered, her throat tight.
"You don't look fine," Momo said softly. "Do you want a break?"
No, I can't… I have to finish this. Just… just ignore them.
But the whispers, the soft laughs, the way Junghye's hand brushed Soyoon's shoulder—Yuki felt like she was being poked in the chest with a thousand little knives.
"Yuki," Hanuel said, louder this time. "You're spacing out again. You seriously need to get your act together before the presentation."
"Yes… I know," she muttered, her hands shaking slightly as she typed.
I know. I know. Just stop staring at them, Yuki. Don't look. Don't…
Soyoon leaned over, speaking softly to Junghye. "You think she's okay? She looks… off."
She's talking about me. She's talking about me and I… I can't…
Yuki's chest constricted. Her mind raced. Her vision blurred slightly. She gripped her notebook tightly, reminding herself:
Focus. Focus. You're here to do work. Don't think about them. Don't think about… him.
"Yuki, here," Momo slid a sheet of paper toward her. "Take some notes from the research we did yesterday. It'll help you catch up."
Yuki nodded quickly, trying to smile, trying not to let the lump in her throat show.
"Don't mind them," Momo whispered, nodding toward Hanuel and Yejin. "Some people are just… mean when stressed."
Yeah, mean… but they're right. I am slower. I am… falling behind…
Junghye laughed softly at Soyoon's joke, and Yuki's chest squeezed painfully.
It's not fair. Why can't I… why can't I just…
Her hands shook. She forced herself to type, slower than usual, her thoughts jumping between sentences and the scene across the table.
"Yuki, if you don't speak up in the presentation, everyone's going to notice," Hanuel said, a hint of frustration creeping in.
"I… I'll manage," Yuki muttered, avoiding his eyes.
Manage… just like always. Pretend everything's fine. Swallow it all. Just keep going.
The library clock ticked loudly, each second hammering at her skull. She wanted to scream, to run, to vanish—anything but see Junghye and Soyoon together.
I have to finish this… I have to finish this…
Her laptop beeped—an error, a forgotten note. She pressed her lips together, taking a shaky breath.
Breathe, Yuki. Just breathe. You can do this. You're stronger than this.
She glanced once more—Junghye handed Soyoon a small candy, laughing softly.
Stop. Stop looking. Focus. Just… keep typing. Don't let them… don't…
Her fingers moved again. Slowly. Painfully. Every keystroke was a battle, but she kept going. She would survive this day. Somehow.
I will finish this. I will survive. I will… just survive.
And so, the library carried on in its quiet, fluorescent hum. Yuki typed, sweat beading on her forehead, heart aching in rhythm with the whispers of laughter that cut sharper than any words ever could.
While Presentation
Today was the group presentation she had been preparing for all week.
Momo leaned close. "You've got this, Yuki. Don't overthink it."
Yuki nodded, forcing a smile.
Don't mess up. Just get through it… somehow.
As their turn approached, Junghye and Soyoon sat in the audience, whispering to each other. Yuki's chest tightened.
Don't look at them. Don't let them see you break.
The first slide appeared. "Good morning, everyone. Today, our group will present the marketing plan for—"
Her mind went blank. Words she had memorized vanished. Panic clawed at her throat.
Shit. Just… start…
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and continued, voice steadier. "We analyzed the target demographic… and identified key strategies to improve brand engagement."
Momo and the others jumped in seamlessly, covering her gaps. By the end, her throat was raw, fingers trembling—but she had survived. She hadn't stopped. She had carried herself through the storm, even if only at 60% of her potential.
The class clapped politely. Yuki forced a weak smile, cheeks burning.
I could have done better… so much better…
Walking out, she stole a glance at Junghye and Soyoon, hand in hand, whispering to each other. Pain flared in her chest.
Why does it still hurt this much?
She shook her head. "I have to… survive. Just survive."
And somehow, she always did.
Somehow she is hanging in a thread but how long will she be able to ?