As I walked away from the courtyard, I couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort that settled in my stomach. Seeing Eun Ae and Beom Seok together, laughing and talking like they were old friends, it just didn't sit right with me.
I didn't know why it bothered me so much. I didn't have feelings for Eun Ae...or did I? No, I was just annoyed that Beom Seok was always so close to her. We'd never gotten along, and now he was encroaching on my territory.
But what was my territory, exactly? Eun Ae wasn't mine, and I had no claim to her. So why did I feel like Beom Seok was trespassing?
I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on my own confusion. I needed to figure out why I was so bothered by this. Was it just my dislike for Beom Seok, or was there something more?
One thing was for sure - I didn't want Beom Seok anywhere near Eun Ae. But why? That was the question I needed to answer.
I was practicing my free throws after school, trying to perfect my technique. As I released the ball, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
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"Joon Woo, can I talk to you for a minute?"
I turned to see Eun Ae approaching me, a concerned look on her face. I felt a surge of excitement at the fact that she was seeking me out.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant as I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
"I wanted to talk to you about what happened with Beom Seok," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What was that fight about?"
I hesitated, not wanting to get into it. "It was nothing," I said, shrugging. "Just a misunderstanding."
Eun Ae raised an eyebrow. "A misunderstanding? That didn't look like a misunderstanding to me."
I laughed, trying to deflect. "You don't know the whole story," I said. "Let's just forget about it, okay?"
Eun Ae looked like she wanted to press the issue, but she let it drop. "Okay, fine," she said. "But if you ever want to talk about it..."
I smiled, feeling a sense of relief washed over me. "I'll come to you," I said, trying to sound sincere.
As we talked, I couldn't help but notice how nice it was to have Eun Ae's attention focused on me. I found myself feeling happy that she had come to me, even if it was just to ask about the fight.
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