That evening, Han Seojun waited for Suho to arrive at the latter's apartment complex. He had discovered earlier that his motorcycle had been towed away, specifically by Lee Suho.
"I can't believe you did this, Suho.", the Han boy starts. He stood up from leaning on the railings. "Give me my key.", he demanded, to which Suho obliged. The Lee boy throws the key at Seojun who skillfully catches it.
"Stop bothering and messing with Yunhee.", Suho stated firmly. "Why? Do you like her? I thought it was Jukyung that you liked?", Suho was taken aback by Seojun's question. He'd been feeling somewhat protective over the Park girl lately. However, so did he for Jukyung. The Han boy had noticed it too.
All Suho could recognize about his feelings towards the Park girl was amusement and a tinge of irritation. But the latter feeling seemed to have already disappeared and all that was left was amusement.
The Lee boy took his time to answer Seojun. He glanced away, his expression thoughtful. The question Seojun posed wasn't something he had fully considered until now. His feelings for Yunhee were complex, layered with amusement and an unexpected sense of protectiveness.
For Jukyung, it was different-slightly more familiar. But Yunhee was like a puzzle he couldn't quite solve, and he had intentions to figure her out. After a moment, Suho met Seojun's gaze. "It doesn't matter whether I like her or not. Yunhee's a friend. So, don't use her to get back at me."
"What if I'm not using her?", Seojun asked, taking him aback once more. "Are you saying you like her?", the Lee boy asked, his face hardened.
"Why? Are you scared I might snatch her away from you?"
--
"Chorong, stop moving!", Yunhee yelled, getting ready to hit the boy's face with a water balloon. She was having so much fun with their school festival.
On the side, Seojun watched and observed as Yunhee laughed and was having fun throwing water balloons at his friends. The Park girl's eyes wrinkled with each of her grins.
Seojun's gaze softened as he watched Yunhee. It was the first time he had seen her look so genuinely carefree, so unguarded. She was laughing loudly, unrestrained, and for once, her usual tough demeanor was replaced by pure joy, and it was a sight to behold.
Yunhee's laughter echoed through the festival grounds as she enjoyed drenching Chorong's face with water. She seemed lost in the moment, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling with a lightness that was rarely seen.
It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders, and for that brief moment, nothing else mattered but the fun she was having.
Yunhee's laughter was abruptly cut short by the buzzing of her phone. She pulled it out, still smiling, until she saw the message from Jukyung.
"Yunhee, come find me. I'm by the clown that makes balloons. Hurry, please. It's Gowoon...", her heart sank. Without hesitation, she dashed off towards the clown's stand.
As she weaved through the crowd, the cheerful atmosphere of the festival seemed to dim. Her mind raced with worry. What could have happened to Gowoon? Why would Jukyung sound so urgent?
When she reached the clown's stand, she immediately spotted Jukyung standing off to the side, her face a mask of concern. Yunhee followed her line of sight and saw Gowoon. The usually shy and reserved girl was standing alone, her face streaked with garish makeup that was poorly applied.
Around her, a small group of students had gathered, whispering and pointing, their expressions a mix of amusement and derision.
Yunhee's heart clenched at the sight. She could see the sadness and embarrassment in Gowoon's eyes, her lower lip trembling as she tried to hold back her emotions. Jukyung was already moving toward her, and Yunhee quickly followed, pushing through the cluster of onlookers.