Sa-Rang stood there completely frozen.

Her mind was already imagining the worst.

The test.

Her notes.

Her grades.

Everything was ruined.

Just as she was about to lose all hope, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Cho Sa-Rang?"

She looked up.

Baek Eun-Woo had noticed her standing there and walked over.

The moment he saw her pale expression, his gentle smile disappeared, replaced by concern.

"Are you okay?"

His voice was the same as always.

Calm.

Warm.

Reassuring.

"What happened?"

Sa-Rang opened her mouth.

She wanted to answer.

She really did.

But the moment she saw his worried expression, all the stress she had been holding in suddenly collapsed.

Tears filled her eyes.

And before she could stop herself—

She burst into tears.

Again.

"..."

Baek Eun-Woo froze for a moment.

He still wasn't used to seeing the usually energetic Cho Sa-Rang break down like this.

But instead of asking too many questions, he simply stayed beside her.

He let her cry.

He waited.

And gently comforted her until she finally calmed down.

After a while, Sa-Rang sat beside him, holding the juice he had bought for her.

The cold sweetness helped her clear her head a little.

"I'll pay you back."

She immediately reached for her wallet.

Eun-Woo didn't refuse.

"Okay."

His simple answer somehow made her even more embarrassed.

She lowered her head.

"...I'm sorry."

"For what?"

She nervously played with the straw of her drink.

"I keep crying whenever I'm around you."

Her voice became quieter.

"It's embarrassing."

For a moment, Eun-Woo looked surprised.

Then he smiled softly.

"It's okay."

"You can't always control your feelings."

Sa-Rang looked up.

"You can't force yourself to be fine all the time."

His words were simple.

But for some reason...

They reached deeper than she expected.

She found herself staring at him.

Again.

How could someone be this gentle?

Just as she was about to get lost in that thought—

A terrifying memory suddenly struck her.

The test.

Her eyes widened.

"The test!"

Eun-Woo blinked.

"The test?"

Sa-Rang grabbed her bag and looked inside again as if the notes might magically appear.

They didn't.

Her expression turned desperate.

Then suddenly...

A thought flashed through her mind.

Wait.

Baek Eun-Woo.

The top student in their grade.

The person who could probably solve questions while half asleep.

She was saved.

"Eun-Woo..."

She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Can you help me?"

He immediately understood.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"Of course."

And just like that, the two of them boarded the bus to school together.

Throughout the ride, Eun-Woo patiently explained the concepts she didn't understand.

He answered every question she asked.

Again and again.

He never became annoyed.

Never rushed her.

Even when Sa-Rang made mistakes, he simply explained them another way until she understood.

She quietly watched him as he spoke.

The morning sunlight entered through the bus window, illuminating his calm expression.

Outside, the scenery passed by beautifully.

The streets.

The trees.

The clear sky.

Everything looked strangely peaceful.

Sa-Rang rested her head against the window and looked outside.

For the first time in a long while, her heart felt calm.

The world outside the bus was beautiful.

But somehow...

The person sitting beside her felt even more so.