this was more than just an ending, this was the journey of youth, friendship and love
idk if I should start with how beautiful yejin was, or if I should say this was not twenty five twenty one, though there is an explanation why the title is that way, this was a youth drama, hints of the future, and a bit of the 20s romance. it's not a spoiler to say they were 18 and 22 for the 1st halfish, then 19 and 23 till the 3.5/4s and that's why the bits of the 2521 was really rushed and brashed over
so divided in sections 18 and 22, was about a girl doing everything only for her dream and a boy who couldn't do anything for his dream. and in ways they became each others push

they met again as 19 and 23, they got closer, they were selfless, they were full of laughter, new emotions and beautiful adventures
they "officially" got together as 20 and 24 so this was not an awkward adult/highschooler romance. love isn't shallow, it's more than just dating and skinship, it was companionship, understanding and support

then came the 21 and 25, and being a long term fan of disappointment I can say I have every intention to erase and not accept their interpretation and attempts to just say "1st loves don't last"

ESPECIALLY since yerim and 2ml ended up together.. THE BETRAYAL. they were shallow, they were puppy love and they had non of the depth of heedo and yejin so I DO NOT ACCEPT how they could get married and be happy and the actual 2 people who supported and communicated so much could end it for silly matters

and I shall call them silly matters because, A- they kept pushing them in a corner with "reporter will hurt his subject if they were in a relationship". but that was used for yerim and it became a punch in the face of heedo and yejin's relationship. which is weak writing
and B- he leaves the country, gets sucked into a wormhole of sadness and disrepair, he keeps apologizing for not being there and heedo keeps feeling the burden of his apologies.. and they throw in another punch "my mom was never there, it's not a relationship I want" as if it can't be solved.
why did she have to get married so fast, what's wrong with long distance, what's wrong with putting it on hold and reconnecting, again the writers were just set on the "not ending up together" that every move they made was a deliberate weak attempt rushing them there
and a bit of C- and that final move. they met before he left and they did talk it a bit and ended it well, so there was no hard feelings and definitely no resentment, they couldn't even stay as friends and for what? they had 1 bad fight, then throw in her dairy being kept in a store for 20 years COME ON.. tho again the things said there were the "best case scenario" breakup, it wasn't as if they could never talk to each other again, their bond didn't just disappear..

I'm not sad they weren't happily ever after, though honestly they were the best representation of a realistic couple I've seen. no destiny, no childhood connection, no random "WE MUST BE TOGETHER". they were each others rock, cheerleader, best friend and love. HOW CAN THAT NOT WORK,
the 2ml goes and says "no you can't throw me away I won't let you" and survived his gf moving to another country, being labeled as a traitor, and having no future path beside luckily becoming an influencer, and yerim coming back like the heartache her arc caused only effected yejin, and she was able to get back in and even stay in heedo's life when they went through another rough patch
but heedo and yejin couldn't... honestly were they that shallow.. was it an "experiment" and convenient.. what is love TT_TT

also, they were friends near their 30s, and they never mentioned them in their 40s.. shouldn't yerim and 2ml's kid be friends with heedo's kid.. wouldn't 3fl end up together with yejin's brother and also have kids

was yejin just a chaperone to them, was their friendship that shallow.. 2ml, 3fl, and even yerim who knew yejin since childhood never crossed paths together again? please this was such bad writing after 20s that this should've just been till then with an open ending of "will it work out" instead of forcefully trying to ruin it and think they were being melo, noir and clever "I'm looking at you veronica mars s4"

and yes, I am angry and I'll go back and remind myself, future heedo never happened. the ending scene was 2001s new year with the plan of their 600s anniversary as an open ending of "happily ever after"