After everything that had happened, Cho Sa-rang ran.

She didn't know where she was going.

She only knew she had to get away.

Away from Choi Joo-kyung.

Away from Song Seung-il.

Away from Go Do-yoon.

Away from the countless stares of pity and sympathy that seemed to follow her wherever she went.

The cold wind stung her face as she ran through the streets, tears blurring her vision.

She never once looked back.

If any of the three of them had tried to chase her, she didn't know.

And she didn't care.

She couldn't bear to hear another explanation.

Another excuse.

Another lie.

At the next corner, she collided with someone.

Her body lurched forward.

Instead of crashing to the ground, she was caught by a pair of steady arms.

"I'm sorry, I—"

The apology died in her throat.

She didn't even bother looking up.

The moment someone caught her, the emotions she had been desperately holding back finally burst free.

She grabbed onto the front of his uniform and broke down.

Violent sobs shook her shoulders.

She cried so hard she could barely breathe.

The tears refused to stop.

At that moment, nothing around her mattered anymore.

Not the people passing by.

Not the whispers.

Not even whose arms she had fallen into.

Suddenly—

A familiar crimson number flickered before her eyes.

It rose.

Again.

And again.

Sa-rang's heart sank.

"My... hate value..."

It had increased.

Again.

Was it Joo-kyung?

Or...

Had Song Seung-il started hating her too?

The thought alone made her feel sick.

She buried her face deeper against the stranger's chest, trying to block everything out.

Nothing made sense anymore.

She knew what she had done back at school wasn't like her.

The old Cho Sa-rang would've demanded an explanation.

She would've listened.

She would've tried to understand.

She would've believed there had to be some misunderstanding.

But that wasn't possible anymore.

Not when her own life was hanging by a thread.

Every time she hesitated...

Every time she doubted herself...

The numbers climbed higher.

She wanted answers.

She wanted to know why Joo-kyung hated her.

She wanted to know whether everything she'd seen was the truth or just another misunderstanding.

But every time she tried to think calmly, the same terrifying words echoed through her mind.

**Failure equals death.**

That single sentence crushed every other thought.

Truth could wait.

Survival couldn't.

For the first time in her life, Sa-rang realized how fear could slowly change a person.

Little by little.

Choice by choice.

Until one day...

You no longer recognized yourself.

"...Are you okay?"

A gentle voice reached her ears.

Sa-rang froze.

Her crying gradually came to a stop.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

She looked up.

Clear brown eyes met hers.

Baek Eun-woo.

For a few silent seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Sa-rang finally realized something.

She was still clutching the front of his uniform.

She was standing in his arms.

Color rushed to her face.

"W-Wait...!"

Embarrassment instantly replaced despair.

She hurriedly tried to pull away—

But her body refused to move.

She stood there completely frozen, as though lightning had struck her where she stood.

Her mind had gone completely blank.

Meanwhile, Baek Eun-woo looked down at the girl trembling in front of him.

Her eyes were swollen from crying.

Her cheeks were stained with tears.

Whatever had happened...

It had shattered her.