Wonwoo spent the rest of the day feeling like he was walking through a haze. Everywhere he went, the stares and hushed voices followed him. Even the teachers seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere, though none of them addressed it directly.

By lunchtime, he had managed to avoid Jain entirely. Part of him wondered if Jain was avoiding him too. But just as he was about to enter the cafeteria, a familiar voice stopped him.

"Wonwoo."

He turned around slowly, already knowing who it was. Jain stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

"We need to talk," Jain said, his voice quieter than usual.

Wonwoo hesitated, his grip tightening around the strap of his bag. He knew this conversation was inevitable, but that didn’t make him any more ready for it. Without a word, he followed Jain to an empty classroom.

The moment the door closed behind them, Jain exhaled sharply. "I didn’t tell anyone," he said immediately. "About the confession. I swear."

Wonwoo crossed his arms. "Then how did it get out?" His voice wasn’t accusatory, but there was a sharpness to it.

Jain shook his head. "I don’t know. But my friends… they’ve been acting different all morning. I think one of them might have overheard us."

A bitter chuckle escaped Wonwoo’s lips. "Of course. That’s just our luck."

Jain looked at him then, his expression troubled. "I don’t regret what happened that night," he admitted. "But I hate that you’re getting dragged into this because of me."

Wonwoo scoffed, shaking his head. "Don’t act like this is just about me. We’re both in this mess."

Jain sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can handle it. I just don’t want this making things worse for you."

Wonwoo studied him for a moment before looking away. "It’s already worse. David won’t even look at me."

Silence stretched between them. Jain opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could, the door burst open.

Three of Jain’s friends stormed in, their expressions dark.

"Jain, what the hell is going on?" one of them demanded. "Tell us you didn’t actually fall for him."

Jain stiffened, but Wonwoo noticed the way his fists clenched at his sides.

Another one sneered. "This was supposed to be a joke. A stupid bet. Don’t tell me you actually care about him."

Wonwoo felt his stomach drop. The air in the room turned suffocating, but he refused to look away. He needed to hear Jain’s answer.

Jain’s jaw tightened. "It’s none of your business."

One of the guys laughed dryly. "So that’s how it is, huh? You’re seriously throwing everything away for this?" He turned to Wonwoo, his eyes filled with disdain. "What did you do to him?"

Wonwoo met his gaze evenly. "Nothing. Maybe he just grew a conscience."

The room fell silent for a second before one of them scoffed. "Pathetic." Then, without another word, they turned and left, slamming the door behind them.

Jain let out a shaky breath, his shoulders tense. Wonwoo was still staring at the door, his expression unreadable.

"You should go after them," Wonwoo said quietly. "Fix things with them."

Jain shook his head. "I don’t care about fixing things with them. Not if it means lying to myself."

For the first time that day, Wonwoo truly looked at Jain. There was no cocky smirk, no teasing glint in his eyes—just quiet determination.

And despite everything, Wonwoo felt something inside him shift.

Maybe, just maybe, Jain meant it this time.