Male lead

Seo Hyunwoo At just eighteen, Seo Hyunwoo was the type of person people noticed without him even trying. Standing at 190 cm tall, with calm eyes and a naturally handsome appearance, he carried a quiet charm that made him seem distant yet unforgettable. He had recently graduated from high school and applied to one of the most prestigious colleges in the city. Known for his intelligence and discipline, Hyunwoo had consistently scored above 90 in every subject since childhood. Teachers admired him, classmates envied him, and his parents were endlessly proud of him. Despite his excellent grades and mature personality, Hyunwoo came from a simple average family. His parents owned a small café shop, and after school he would always help them—serving customers, cleaning tables, or making coffee during busy evenings. He wasn’t someone who talked much. Calm, observant, and emotionally reserved, Seo Hyunwoo preferred silence over unnecessary conversations. Yet behind his cold and composed exterior hid a dependable heart that quietly carried the weight of his family’s struggles and dreams.

Female lead

Yoon Seol Unlike Hyunwoo’s quiet nature, Yoon Seol was warmth itself. Standing at 155 cm, she had a soft beauty that felt comforting rather than intimidating. Her bright smile, caring personality, and talkative nature made people feel close to her almost instantly. Seol had also recently graduated from high school and applied to college with excellent results. She was among the top students in her class, admired for both her intelligence and hardworking nature. Her family owned a cozy little bookstore that smelled of old pages and fresh coffee. Growing up surrounded by books made Seol dream endlessly about life, love, and the world outside her small neighborhood. She often helped at the store alongside her younger sister, Yoon Sohee, who was still studying in middle school and looked up to Seol more than anyone else. Although Seol was friendly and cheerful, she wasn’t the type to easily trust strangers. She preferred keeping her distance until she felt comfortable with someone. Coming from an average family, Seol understood the value of hard work just as much as Hyunwoo did—though unlike his silence, she hid her worries behind endless conversations and soft laughter. ✨

Han Jisung Han jisung was known for his playful personality and bright energy around the people he felt comfortable with. Around his friends and family, he loved making jokes, teasing everyone, and turning even boring moments into laughter. His smile and funny comments easily lightened the mood, making him someone people naturally enjoyed being around. But despite his cheerful side, Jisung wasn’t careless. He was sweet, thoughtful, and deeply protective of the people he loved. He noticed things others ignored and quietly cared for everyone in his own way. Academically, Han Jisung was also one of the top students in school. He consistently ranked among the best and worked incredibly hard in silence. Unlike others, his motivation wasn’t competition—it was his mother. After his father cheated on his mother and divorced her, Jisung watched how much she struggled alone. From that day onward, he promised himself he would study hard, succeed, and give his mother a better life someday. He lived only with his mother, and although he rarely talked about his family situation, it became the reason behind his maturity and determination. Behind his playful smile was someone who carried pain quietly while trying his best to protect the only family he had left. 🖤

Han Areum Han areum was known for her gentle personality and comforting presence. She had a sweet smile that made people feel at ease, and no matter how stressful things became, she always spoke calmly and kindly to everyone around her. She was the type of person who remembered small details—bringing extra notes for classmates, checking if her friends had eaten, or silently helping others without expecting anything in return. Because of her caring nature, many people naturally depended on her. Along with her beauty and soft personality, Areum was also one of the top students in school. She consistently ranked among the highest in her class and was admired for her intelligence, discipline, and hardworking attitude. Teachers trusted her, classmates respected her, and her friends often went to her whenever they needed help with studies. Even though she excelled academically, Areum never acted arrogant. She remained humble, warm-hearted, and quietly supportive toward the people she loved. 🌸

The evening sky slowly turned orange as the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings of the city. A soft breeze moved through the quiet neighborhood park, carrying the scent of flowers and fresh grass.

Under a large tree near the corner of the park sat Yoon Seol.

Her small notebook rested on her lap while she wrote quickly with a pink pen, occasionally laughing to herself. Her long hair moved gently with the wind as she reread the lines she had written.

Seol covered her face dramatically.

Writing in her diary had become her favorite habit. Every evening she came to the park and wrote about embarrassing moments, funny incidents, and random thoughts she could never tell anyone else. As she continued writing, her phone suddenly rang.

Seol quickly packed her things in a rush. She grabbed her bag, phone, and pen before hurrying out of the park without noticing the small diary left behind on the wooden bench beneath the tree.

The evening became quieter after she left.

About thirty minutes later—

Seo Hyunwoo entered the park after finishing his usual evening run. Sweat lightly covered his forehead, and his black hoodie clung slightly to his tall frame as he walked toward the bench to rest.

Breathing steadily, he sat down and opened a bottle of water.

For a moment, everything was silent except for distant traffic and rustling leaves.

Then his eyes landed on something beside him. A small notebook.

No one.

The playground nearby was empty. The walking paths were quiet. Whoever owned the notebook had already left. Curious, he picked it up.

The cover was soft pastel blue with tiny handwritten stickers all over it.

One sticker read: “If lost… please don’t read because this is embarrassing 🙂”

Then… against his better judgment… he opened the first page.

Silence. A few seconds later— A very small smile appeared on Seo Hyunwoo’s usually expressionless face.

“Today I waved back at someone for five whole seconds before realizing they were waving at the person behind me.” *reading the page*

Another page.

“Why do I act confident in my imagination but become a potato in real life?”

He closed the diary slowly and looked at the name written neatly on the inside cover.

Without realizing it, he repeated the name softly in his mind. “Yoon Seol…”

The wind blew gently again.

Hyunwoo stood up from the bench, holding the diary carefully in one hand before walking home beneath the dim evening lights, completely unaware that this small forgotten notebook was about to change both of their lives forever. ✨

.

.

.

.

.

.

Seo Hyunwoo returned home quietly as usual.

The warm smell of coffee and baked bread filled the small café downstairs where his parents were cleaning up after closing time.

After helping his father stack a few chairs, he finally went upstairs to his room.

The room was simple and neat—books lined perfectly on the shelves, notes organized carefully on the desk, and soft rain sounds playing quietly from his speaker.

He took a shower, changed into comfortable clothes, and sat at the dinner table with his parents.

His father talked about difficult customers.

His mother complained about rising coffee bean prices.

Hyunwoo listened silently while eating, occasionally responding with short answers.

After dinner, he returned to his room to study like always.

He opened his notebook, adjusted his glasses slightly, and reached for his pen—

—but his eyes stopped on the pastel blue diary resting beside his desk.

The diary from the park.

For a moment, he stared at it.

Then slowly… he picked it up again.

But somehow his fingers already opened the next page.

A few seconds later—

A quiet laugh escaped him.

“I tried to look cool while walking downstairs at school today. Missed the last step. Almost met my ancestors in front of everyone.” *reading*

Another page.

“Why does my brain stop working whenever attractive people exist nearby?”

Then continued reading.

Page after page was filled with random thoughts, dramatic storytelling, tiny doodles, and embarrassing moments written with so much honesty that it strangely felt comforting.

For the first time in a long while, Seo Hyunwoo found himself genuinely laughing.

Not loudly.

But enough for his shoulders to shake slightly.

Meanwhile—

Inside a cozy apartment across the neighborhood, chaos had already begun.

Yoon Seol sat on the floor of her room surrounded by pillows, books, and open drawers.

She checked her bag again.

Nothing

Under the bed.

Nothing

Desk drawer.

Nothing

Seol immediately buried her face into a pillow and screamed internally.

Meanwhile—

Seo Hyunwoo turned another page calmly.

Then stopped.

A small folded note slipped out from between the pages.

He unfolded it curiously.

Written in large dramatic letters: “Future husband application requirements: Tall. Smells nice. Buys me food. Must tolerate my nonsense forever.”

For the first time in years—

Seo Hyunwoo laughed out loud.

.

.

.

.

See you in next chapter

Bye guys