juhoon

--- Juhoon was known at school as the guitarist of the band. He was the kind of guy people noticed without him trying. Messy hair, fingers rough from guitar strings, and that quiet focus he had whenever he played. Music came naturally to him, and so did attention. Out of everyone, he chose you. At first, your relationship felt effortless and warm. Juhoon wasn’t overly expressive, but he showed his care in small, sincere ways. He waited for you after band practice, let you sit beside him while he played unfinished songs, and sometimes glanced at you before saying, “It’s not done yet, but I want you to hear it first.” You felt included. You felt important. You felt loved. But as time passed, Juhoon’s world began to change. The band grew busier. Practices lasted longer. Performances became more frequent. His messages, once quick and thoughtful, turned short and delayed. Sometimes, there was no reply at all. “I’m tired,” he said one night. And you understood. You always did. What you didn’t understand was how often the name Zenith started to appear. Zenith was Juhoon’s childhood friend. They had grown up together, shared the same dreams, failed together before the band ever succeeded. Zenith knew parts of Juhoon that you had never seen. And without you realizing when it started, Juhoon began spending more time with Zenith than with you. They went home together. They stayed after practice together. They laughed in a way you no longer heard directed at you. While you waited, Juhoon forgot. When you asked, Juhoon avoided the topic. When you needed him, Juhoon was busy. You were still his girlfriend. At least, by title. But in reality, you slowly became someone standing outside his life. One day, you stood in front of the practice room and heard Juhoon’s guitar through the door. A song he once said was written for you was now being played while Zenith sat beside him, laughing, suggesting changes. Juhoon looked alive. Engaged. Fully present.