Min-jae walked out of our shared paths quickly, like putting space was the only way he could breathe.And every distance, every silence it stabbed deeper than knives. He didn't wait after classes.Not for walking home, which we normally escaped together.

Woo-sung didn't make it easier.

As we were leaving the classroom, he winked. "Don't look so gloomy, Hoon. Newly engaged fellows aren't supposed to pout. Imagine Yuna seeing your sad face she'd cancel date before you hit the festival."

I rolled my eyes. " I was about to reject her."I smacked his arm. He laughed.But none of it lifted the pit in my chest.

Every corner I turned, I half-expected Min-jae to be waiting. Every step home, I looked over my shoulder hoping he'd fall into stride next to me like usual.He didn't.For the first time in months, I made walk alone. 

That night, I lay in bed staring at my phone. No texts. No calls. No missed memes.Usually by now, Min-jae and I would've exchanged at least three dumb jokes, two homework complaints, and probably selfie of his dog wearing a stupid hat.

but Now ? Nothing...

Just a blank screen, my reflection staring back at me. I lay in bed with Yuna's letter still unopened. Every time I thought about reading it, I saw Min-jae's face—hurt in his eyes, way he'd looked at me like I'd already betrayed him and as a result,I didn't dare open that damn letter.I threwmy pillow at the phone and went to sleep.

The next morning, I arrived at school early, determined to find Min-jae and fix whatever was broken between us. But when I got to his usual spot by the front gate, he wasn't there. He wasn't at his locker either.

It wasn't until class start. I saw him, sitting in his usual seat but somehow looking more distant. When I tried to approach him after class ends, he got up and moved to another vacant desk.

The message was clear: he don't want to talk to me.

I spent morning in a haze of misery, watching him from across rooms and hallways, trying to catch his eye, failing every time. During lunch, I was desperate enough to consider dramatic gestures like standing on tables, making announcements, anything to get his attention.

That's when Yuna appeared again.

"Ji-hoon" She approached our table tentatively, her usual confidence replaced by something that looked almost like embarrassment.

"You read my letter?" she asked.

I coughed. "Er... not yet."

 "Can I talk to you for a minute? Privately?"

Woo-sung raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. I glanced toward where Min-jae was sitting with some guys from his club, pointedly not looking in our direction.

"Sure," I said, following her to a quiet corner of the cafeteria.

"I wanted to apologize," she said immediately. "For yesterday. For putting you on the spot like that. It wasn't fair to you."

"you don't need to—"

"Yes, I do." She twisted her hands together nervously. "I got caught up in the moment and I didn't think about how it would affect you. Or..." She glanced toward Min-jae's table. "Or anyone else who might care about you."

A few heads around us leaned closer. Whispers buzzed. Phones angled discreetly.

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind, Ji-hoon. Yesterday, I saw the way Min-jae looks at you and the way you look at him." Her smile was sad but genuine. "I should have realized that someone like you would already have someone special."

Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. She knows. She actually knows. How could she knows? My face must be giving everything away.Can she see how my hands are shaking? God, I'm such a noob.

The way I look at him? What does that even mean? Do I stare? Do I smile differently? My chest feels like it's going to explode. She's being so calm about this and I feel like I'm about to pass out. This is a disaster. A complete disaster. What if she tells someone? What if she tells everyone? What if Min-jae finds out that she noticed before he even—wait, does that mean Min-jae actually looks at me in a way that other people can see? My heart is beating so loud I'm surprised she can't hear it.

"It's complicated," I said weakly.

"It doesn't need to be. You can read that letter if you want, or just throw it away. But I wanted you to know that I'm withdrawing my invitation. You should be with whoever makes you happy."

She's withdrawing? Because of Min-jae? Because of something she thinks she saw? But if she knew, then why did she propose me yesterday? My hands are sweating.

Before I could respond, she covered her face and stumbled backward. One step. Two steps. Then she turned and ran, sobs cracking silence, vanishing into the bathroom, her friends scrambling after her.

The cafetaria exploded.

"What did he SAY to her?!"
"Why's she crying?"
"Did Kang Ji-hoon reject Seo Yuna?!"
"No way—she whispered something, and ran—"

Dozens of eyes locked onto me like searchlights.

Woo-sung materialized out of nowhere, of course. His eyebrows spiked to his hairline, grin already churning. "Bro. BRO. What the hell did she just whisper? Did you insult her hair conditioner? Did you tell her the festival food gives you diarrhea?"

"No—" I groaned, scratching my forehead.

"What did you SAY?" another student demanded.

I sighed, finally turning to Woo-sung, my voice low but steady. "She just apologized," I told him as we walked toward table. "She said she could see that Min-jae and I... that we have something."

"Smart girl," Woo-sung said. "So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that Min-jae still not talking to me! I tried to approach him after class, but he literally walked in the opposite direction whenever he saw me coming."

"Maybe he needs more time—"

"No." I stopped walking, a sudden realization hitting me. "There's something else going on. He's not just hurt about Yuna. He's... he's scared. He thinks I'm going to choose her because it's easier for me."

Woo-sung was quiet for a moment. "Are you?"

"No! God, no. Woo-sung, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I don't want Yuna or anyone else. I want Min-jae."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Woo-sung held up his hands. "So now .what are you going to do about it?"

Before I could answer, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, and his expression changed.

"What happen?" I asked.

"It's from my sister. She was at the park near your neighborhood yesterday," he showed me the screen. "She says that last night, she saw Min-jae there with Yuna around 9 PM."

My blood ran cold. "What?"

"She sent a picture." Woo-sung's voice was careful, like he was trying not to upset me further. "They're... talking, I think. And it looks..." He turned the phone toward me, and I felt the bottom drop out of my world. There was Min-jae in the park with Yuna. In the picture, it looked like he was gently cupping her cheeks.

"What the hell?" I breathed.

"Maybe it's not what it looks like," Woo-sung said quickly. "Maybe she approached him, maybe she's apologizing—"

But I was already running toward the classroom, my heart hammering against my ribs, Woo-sung's voice echoing behind me. Every terrifying possibility splintered my thoughts. Was Min-jae confessing his feelings for her? Was he warning her away from me? Or even worse...

By the time I stumbled into class, Min-jae was sitting at his desk. When he stood, he didn't look at me.He simply slipped past as if I didn't exist. Panic rose in my throat, and I spun to call after him, but he paused, turned, and in a low voice he said, "Meet me after school on the rooftop and Come alone."

The remaining classes crawled by in torture. Min-jae avoided my gaze again and again, yet whenever our eyes brushed, his look was heavy with something—regret? longing? guilt? and each glance sent my stomach into knots. Woo-sung tried to crack jokes, but laughter felt impossible when every second throbbed with anticipation and dread.

When the final bell finally rang, I bolted down the hallway and up the stairs to roof. Min-jae was already there, leaning against the concrete wall, shoulders slumped as he stared out at the city skyline.

I approached slowly, like he was a wounded animal that might bolt. "Min-jae, what's going on? Why were you with Yuna yesterday?"

He turned then, and what I saw on his face made me stop in my tracks. Not hurt or anger, but something darker. Something that felt dangerously alive... same chilling glare Jin-Seok fixes on Min Jae.

To Be Continued..