Spheres- Duty After School (EDITING)

(1.3)

In the early morning light, I readied myself for school. Engaging in my skincare routine and adorning various accessories, I chose beige baggy cargo pants paired with a cropped black tank-top and a black-and-white cropped jacket. Leaving my room, I headed to bid my final farewell to my brother.

"Leaving?" Ji-hoon questioned, eyeing the luggage in my hand. "Yeah," I responded, offering him a small smile. Ji-hoon approached and enveloped me in a hug. "I'll miss you. Make sure to keep yourself safe. Don't forget to eat well and don't skip any meals. Be healthy too, and use your weapons inside the box. Also—" Ji-hoon began, but I interrupted him. "I know. I'll miss you too. Don't worry; I'll be okay," I assured him with a reassuring smile.

"I'll get going then," I said, pulling out of the hug. "Okay, be safe," Ji-hoon replied, waving as I stood at the door, ready to leave. I waved back and exited, closing the door behind me as I made my way to school.

Spheres- Duty After School

As I approached the classroom entrance, I slid the door open to find many classmates already engaged in conversations with their friends. Chi-Yeol, seated with Deok-Joong in front of him, watched me walk in, his gaze lingering in awe. "What are you doing, looking like a pup who needs to poop?" Deok-Joong questioned in confusion.

"It's nothing," Chi-Yeol replied, quickly redirecting his attention to me as I made my way to my seat. His smile betrayed a certain captivation by my presence, and Deok-Joong couldn't help but follow his gaze, observing me as I placed my suitcase next to my desk. I turned to look at them, a hint of concern evident as Chi-Yeol regarded me with an expression akin to that of a fond puppy.

"Ji-Eun," Na-Ra's voice called from the other side of the class. I shifted my focus away from Chi-Yeol and Deok-Joong's antics, turning to Na-Ra. "What's up?" I responded, raising an eyebrow. Na-Ra asked me to come over with a smile, and I nodded before leaving my belongings next to my desk. As I walked towards her, Deok-Joong seized the opportunity to tease Chi-Yeol. "You," he remarked, startling Chi-Yeol, who looked at his friend caught in the act. "You..." Deok-Joong teased with a smirk. Chi-Yeol feigned cluelessness, asking, "What now?" "Your face became red," Deok-Joong teased further, earning a playful exchange between the two.

Deok-Joong burst into laughter, and I turned to see Chi-Yeol covering his mouth, attempting to divert my attention. Ignoring their antics, I refocused on Na-Ra's conversation.

"Right, what do you think is going to happen?" Na-Ra asked, seeking my opinion. "Well, the training will undoubtedly be challenging since we'll have to fight those things," I responded with a serious expression. Yu-Jeong chimed in, asking, "Do you think something bad will happen?" I explained, "Well, we don't know yet because it's our first time doing all this, but it'll certainly be very dangerous."

Suddenly, Ms. Park entered the room, accompanied by a man dressed in military attire.

"Everyone, take your seats!" Ms. Park's firm voice echoed through the classroom, prompting everyone to settle into their chairs. Except for me – I lingered in front of Na-Ra's desk, sneakily admiring the man who had entered the room. "Ji-Eun, II-Ha, please go to your seats," Ms. Park requested, breaking my brief reverie. I made my way towards my desk, glancing back to see II-Ha doing the same.

"All right, I have someone to introduce to you all," Ms. Park announced. The man looked around the room, and our eyes met briefly, causing a subtle blush to grace my cheeks. "Salute," he ordered, and we responded accordingly. "Nice to meet you all."

"I'm First Lieutenant Lee Chun Ho, your class 3-2's platoon leader," Lieutenant Lee declared. As he spoke, I found myself mesmerized by his presence, my gaze involuntarily scanning him from head to toe. To my amusement, So-Yeon seemed to be doing the same.