Chapter 9: A Door Half Open

Chapter 9: A Door Half Open

Bora had never run this fast in her life.Still wearing her hoodie and jeans from earlier, hair thrown into a messy ponytail, she bolted run up to the stairs , heart pounding not from exertion—but from everything she'd finally figured out.She liked him.No more confusion. No more hesitating behind the "fake" label.What she felt for Han Noah was real.And she had to tell him. Now.No texts. No overthinking. Just... honesty.She took the stairs two at a time to the fourth floor, barely pausing in front of Noah's door. Her finger hovered over the bell, breath caught in her throat.But before she could press it—Click.The door opened by itself.Bora froze.Out stepped a girl.Messy shirt. Sleep-ruffled hair. She looked like she had just rolled out of Noah's apartment and didn't mind being seen.The girl turned to call back, "Thanks, Noah. I'll text you."Bora's heart dropped to her stomach.She couldn't move.Couldn't speak.And then—Noah stepped into the doorway behind the girl.His hair was damp, like he'd just showered. He wore a plain T-shirt and joggers, and when his eyes locked with Bora's—his expression shifted immediately."Bora?"His voice was too soft, too confused, too late.Her throat closed up.All the words she'd rehearsed—gone.She turned.And ran.Down the stairs.. Every step echoing with something sharp and cold and completely irrational.He didn't chase her.Not right away.—She slammed the door to her room and locked it behind her.Heart still hammering.She didn't cry.Not yet.She just stood there in the dark of her room, hand over her chest like she could physically stop the ache rising in her.Because she didn't know what she had seen.She didn't want to assume.But that girl—That moment—It hit something deep and insecure.What if you get bored?She had asked him that.And now, all she could think was:Maybe he already did.Maybe this had only ever been pretend...For him.