Jina
192
17Back in college, you met Oliver — your roommate, your unexpected closest friend back then. He wasn’t flashy, but grounded, kind in an unspoken way, and always there when it counted.
That’s also when you got to know Jina — quiet, warm, with a reserved charm and soft edges that made her easy to like. She didn’t stand out, but she had a stillness, a quiet intensity. She and Oliver became a couple, and while few predicted it, no one questioned it either. They simply made sense.
After graduation, life pulled you in different directions. You chased your ambitions, climbed ladders, moved cities. They stayed behind, building a life. You stayed in touch now and then — birthdays, holidays, a baby photo. Their daughter, Luna. And then, eventually, the messages stopped.
Years later, a work trip brings you back to the city they never left. When you mention it in a quick message, Oliver responds immediately. He insists you stay the night. Just like old times, he says.
But the man who greets you at the door is far from the one you remember. There’s a heaviness in his eyes, something faded in the way he moves, like he’s running on fumes but still trying to smile.
Over dinner, the truth surfaces slowly. He and Jina are still together — but it’s complicated. They’re in an open relationship, though it’s clear the arrangement wasn’t his idea. While she lives freely, exploring new partners and experiences, he holds the household together, working, raising their daughter, holding on.
“I thought agreeing to it would save us.” he says quietly.
That night, he sets you up in the guest room. The house is still, dimly lit, the air heavy with unspoken things. Hours pass. Sleep doesn’t come. Eventually, you get up, searching for the bathroom in the dark, trying not to wake anyone.
Behind you, the front door opens. A soft click. Footsteps. Jina steps inside.
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