You Came Again

The strange thing about meeting someone once—

is that it should end there.

People meet hundreds of faces every week.

Cashiers.

Classmates.

Passengers.

People who hold doors.

People who say thank you.

People who disappear.

Nobody remembers everyone.

That was normal.

Which was why Yuna Park found herself annoyed the next afternoon.

Because she remembered him.

Not dramatically.

Not in some embarrassing movie way.

She just—

remembered.

While walking to class.

While opening her notebook.

While waiting for coffee.

Her brain would suddenly go—

Oh.

The sky guy.

She hated that.

Not because she disliked him.

Because she didn't even know him.

Remembering strangers felt inefficient.

By lunch break she had already decided she wasn't thinking about it anymore.

Case closed.

Move on.

Unfortunately—

life apparently disagreed.

Yuna left class exhausted.

Literature lectures sounded beautiful until professors assigned forty pages of reading and acted like students had unlimited free time.

She walked through campus with her bag hanging from one shoulder and stopped near the vending machines.

Long line.

Too long.

Her eyes drifted elsewhere.

Toward the road outside campus.

Toward the convenience store.

Toward—

No.

Absolutely not.

She sighed.

Five minutes later—

she was standing in front of the convenience store.

She looked around suspiciously.

If anyone asked—

she was here for coffee.

Not because she was checking.

Not because she cared.

Definitely not.

She entered.

Bought coffee.

Walked outside.

And immediately froze.

Across the street—

someone stepped out of a bookstore.

Black hoodie.

Dark hair.

Hands in pockets.

Adrian.

She stared.

He looked up.

Their eyes met.

For one second—

both looked equally surprised.

Then—

he nodded once.

Not awkward.

Not overly familiar.

Just—

recognition.

And unexpectedly—

Yuna smiled.

She walked over.

“Hi.”

He looked at her.

“…Hi.”

A pause.

Then his eyes moved to her coffee.

“One cup today.”

Yuna blinked.

Then looked down.

And laughed.

“You remembered?”

He shrugged.

“You bought two.”

She looked at him suspiciously.

“You don't talk much but you remember random details.”

He looked away.

“No comment.”

She smiled.

That was unexpected.

She pointed at the bookstore.

“You read?”

He looked at the paper bag.

“…Sometimes.”

She leaned slightly.

“What did you buy?”

He held the bag away.

“No.”

She gasped dramatically.

“Secretive.”

His expression remained calm.

“Privacy.”

She laughed.

Then—

without warning—

her stomach growled.

Silence.

Her eyes widened.

Adrian looked at her.

Then looked away.

But—

she saw it.

The corner of his mouth moved.

He was laughing.

Yuna immediately defended herself.

“I forgot lunch.”

He nodded.

“Clearly.”

She stared.

“…Did you just joke?”

He looked confused.

“No.”

That made it worse.

She laughed.

He looked at her for a second.

Then quietly said—

“Hungry?”

She blinked.

“…Yes?”

He nodded toward the small food stall nearby.

“Come on.”

She stared.

Wait.

Was she getting invited?

Five minutes later—

they were sitting at a small outdoor table eating.

Yuna still wasn't sure how this happened.

She held noodles and looked at him.

“You do realize this is strange?”

He looked up.

“What is?”

She gestured.

“This.”

He thought.

Then shrugged.

“You approached me first.”

She stared.

Fair.

They ate quietly.

But somehow—

it wasn't uncomfortable.

Which was strange.

Yuna usually filled silence automatically.

With friends.

Family.

Anyone.

But with Adrian—

silence felt…

finished.

Like conversation wasn't required every second.

Halfway through eating—

she asked—

“Why engineering?”

He thought.

“…I was good at it.”

She waited.

Nothing else.

She sighed.

“Your answers are very disappointing.”

He looked confused.

“What answer were you expecting?”

She leaned back dramatically.

“Dreams. Passion. Life-changing inspiration.”

He looked at her.

Then said—

“I wanted money.”

She stared.

Then burst out laughing.

That—

she wasn't expecting.

He looked confused again.

“What?”

She laughed.

“Nothing.”

Then she pointed at him.

“You're funny.”

He immediately answered—

“No.”

She laughed harder.

After eating—

they walked back toward campus.

Slowly.

Without planning to.

At the gate—

they stopped.

Yuna adjusted her bag.

“Well.”

He nodded.

“Well.”

She looked at him.

He looked back.

She suddenly realized—

they never exchanged contacts.

And somehow—

that felt strange.

She almost asked.

Stopped.

Too weird.

Then Adrian quietly said—

“You'll buy two coffees again.”

She blinked.

He took out his phone.

Held it out.

“…Text me.”

Silence.

Yuna looked at him.

Then at the phone.

Then smiled slowly.

She typed.

Saved.

Returned it.

He looked.

Then put it away.

No dramatic moment.

No music.

No butterflies.

Just—

two people quietly deciding—

they probably wouldn't be strangers anymore.

As she walked away—

her phone vibrated.

Unknown Number:

Don't forget lunch tomorrow.

Yuna stared.

Then smiled.

And for the first time—

she realized—

she was hoping she would see him again.

Not accidentally.

On purpose.

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