"NOONA!"
The excited yell echoed through the school hallway long before Soul could even fully step through the gate.
She barely had time to turn around before Jisung practically ran into her, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders as if he had forgotten it was even there. His face lit up the second he saw her, eyes sparkling with pure, unfiltered excitement.
"Oh! Jisungie! Good morning!" she laughed softly, instinctively opening her arms.
He wrapped his arms around her waist without hesitation, squeezing tightly for a moment before stepping back again, already vibrating with energy.
"Good morning!" he said brightly, then quickly straightened up and bowed politely toward the other boys.
"Hello, hyung. Good morning!"
The older boys smiled immediately-some amused, some fond-used to Jisung's boundless enthusiasm but never truly immune to it.
The girl watched him for a second longer than necessary, a faint smile on her lips. Being around him always made things feel lighter, even on mornings like this.
"Are you ready for later, noona?" Jisung asked immediately, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet as if the thought alone made it impossible for him to stand still.
The girl nodded, though her smile was softer now.
"Yeah... I think so."
Her fingers tightened briefly around the strap of her bag before she added quietly,
"Where are Chenle and Sungchan?"
The question slipped out more carefully than she intended. Her eyes searched their faces for even the smallest hint-something that would reassure her, something that felt honest.
Jisung hesitated.
"Uhmm..." He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly far less energetic.
"They don't... feel well," he said slowly, choosing his words with visible effort.
"They maybe come back... on Thursday?"
The girl nodded again, but this time the movement felt heavier.
"Ah... okay."
Her chest tightened for a brief second. Sungchan not being here-again-made her stomach twist uncomfortably, even if she told herself not to overthink it.
"Hey, Soul! We have to go before we're late-come on!"
Bic grabbed her gently by the sleeve, already half turned toward the school building. She let herself be pulled along, Jisung quickly falling into step beside her, still humming quietly to himself.
The closer they got to the classroom, the more the atmosphere shifted.
The casual chatter in the hallway faded behind the closed door, replaced by the tense silence of an exam room. Chairs scraped softly against the floor as students settled into their seats, the air thick with nervous energy.
The girl slid into her chair and placed her pencil case neatly on the desk. Her hands lingered there for a moment longer than usual, fingers tapping lightly against the plastic.
Math exams always did this to her.
She took a slow breath, staring at the blank paper in front of her as if trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head.
You studied. You understand it. You can do this.
Still, a knot of nervousness sat stubbornly in her chest.
"Hey, Soul," Bic whispered from behind her, leaning forward slightly.
"By the way... what does Jisung mean by later? What are you doing later?"
