The hallways buzzed with murmurs of students, shocked that a certain star player of baseball was lingering in the halls of Saebom. Hyung Jin wandered, trying to find the Park girl.
He turns to Si-hyun. "Where's Park Yunhee's class?"
The three girls discussed the exam results, with Su-ah and Yunhee mainly trying to comfort an upset Jukyung. Soon after, Si-hyun bursts through their classroom door, calling out Yunhee's name.
"Park Yunhee! Park Yunhee!", Yunhee turned her attention to the frantic girl. "What?", she asked. Before Si-hyun could answer, Hyung Jin walked into the classroom.
Hyung Jin's presence immediately commanded attention. He headed straight for Yunhee's desk. The students murmured in hushed tones, their curiosity piqued by the unusual scene unfolding before them.
Yunhee looked up from her seat, taken aback by Hyung Jin's sudden appearance. Si-Hyun, who had already stepped aside, watched the interaction closely, sensing that something significant was about to happen.
"Hyung Jin oppa!", Su-ah called out, still surprised to see him here. Her exclamation only added to the growing tension in the room.
Hyung Jin focused solely on Yunhee as he approached her desk. "Hey, Yunhee.", he said, his voice low and sincere.
Yunhee met his gaze, confusion etched on her face. "Uhm, hey. What are you doing here?", she asked in a tone where he wouldn't think she was being rude. She didn't really like the fact that her classmates' eyes were all on her right now.
"I came to see you.", he replied simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Without any further explanation, Hyung Jin reached into his pocket and pulled out a baseball. He held it out to her, the leather slightly worn from countless games.
Yunhee stared at the ball, then looked back up at him. "Why are you giving this to me?", she asked, perplexed. "I have a jinx, you see...", he confessed, a hint of sheepishness in his tone. "I can't play without this ball."
The classroom was silent, every student hanging on his every word. "So...", Yunhee said slowly, trying to understand, "...if you need it to play, why are you giving it to me?"
Hyung Jin took a deep breath, his expression earnest. "Because I want you to hold onto it for me. That way, I have a reason to invite you to my final match. And after the game, there's something I want to ask you."
At the back of the classroom, Seojun sat up straight, his interest piqued by the unfolding drama. He watched Hyung Jin with a skeptical eye, trying to gauge the sincerity of his intentions.
It only made her more confused. "Can't you just ask me here right now?", she inquired.
Hyung Jin shook his head, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "No, I can't ask you out right here in front of everyone. I want to do it properly."
The classroom erupted into a frenzy of whispers and gasps. Yunhee's cheeks flushed slightly as she realized the implication of his words. Her mind swirled, she felt like everything was happening too quickly.
Seojun scoffed at the older boy's statement, in disbelief of his boldness. He could see that Yunhee was uncomfortable about it. And the Han boy had a feeling that he knew exactly why.
Hyung Jin stood there, his presence casting a long shadow over Yunhee's desk as he waited for her response. The classroom was buzzing with whispers, eyes darting between him and Yunhee as if the air was charged with anticipation.
Yunhee was still processing what Hyung Jin had said, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and confusion. She glanced at the baseball in her hand, feeling the weight of everyone's expectations pressing down on her.
She swallowed the discomfort that set in her throat. Her lips parted slightly, ready to speak. Just then, a teacher comes in, trying to find out what the ruckus was all about. "You little punks! What's going on here?!", he yelled.
The teacher's eyes caught someone he was not familiar with. Maybe it was his face, or the fact that he didn't wear the school's uniform. "Who are you?", the teacher firmly asked Hyung Jin.
"I'll be waiting, Dimples. ", Hyung Jin quickly said to Yunhee before making a run to an open window, escaping the room before the teacher could get to him.
To Yunhee, something didn't feel right. Like there was some sort of uncertainty that was holding her back. Yunhee tried to call out to Hyung Jin but it was too late. So, she ran out to try and catch up with him.
Outside the school building, Suho caught sight of Hyung Jin confidently striding away from the campus. He watched him for a moment, feeling a flicker of unease about the older boy's demeanor.
As Hyung Jin disappeared from view, Suho's attention shifted to Yunhee, who had just came out of the school's building. She looked around with a look of urgency, her gaze scanning the crowd.
When Yunhee's eyes finally landed on Suho, he noticed the baseball clutched in her hand. Just then, a girl from Suho's class, approached him. Her cheeks were flushed as she nervously took a deep breath.
"Suho...", she began "...we've worked together on group projects before, and I wanted to tell you that I really like you. If you're not seeing anyone right now, maybe we could go out sometime?"
Suho's gaze remained locked on Yunhee as he replied firmly, "No. There's someone I already like."
The girl's face fell slightly, but she nodded in understanding. Suho's focus still entirely on Yunhee. He saw the surprise in her eyes, the way she seemed to wrestle with the emotions stirred by his declaration.
Yunhee felt her chest tightened. There was that pang of disappointment she felt before. Seojun was right, she did like the Lee boy. No matter how much she wanted to prove it wrong, the way she reacted made it crystal clear, proving that Seojun was right.
At last, she was certain about how she felt.
Feeling the weight of the moment, Suho decided not to pursue further conversation. Instead, he turned and walked away.
In the entirety of her ride home, Yunhee's mind was still full, and the feeling of disappointment still lingered. A buzz interrupts her thoughts, it was Hyung Jin.
"I'll be waiting for you, Dimples.", it read.
The Park estate opened its gates, two cars had parked up front. Beom-seok and Aera were home. Yunhee took a deep breath. It was going to be a long agonizing dinner once more.
Yunhee entered her home, feeling the weight of the day settle heavily on her shoulders. She clutched the baseball tighter, the object now symbolizing much more than just a sport. It had now become a catalyst for the chaos of emotions she was experiencing.
As she stepped into the dining room, her parents were already seated, discussing something in hushed tones. Beom-seok glanced up briefly, offering no greeting, while Aera remained focused on her phone, barely acknowledging Yunhee's presence.
"Good evening.", Yunhee said quietly, taking her seat at the table.
The response was a murmur from Beom-seok and nothing from Aera. Dinner progressed with the usual tension and superficial pleasantries, with Yunhee keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself. She knew better than to share anything personal with her parents.
After dinner, Yunhee excused herself and went to her room, needing to escape the strained atmosphere. She sat on her bed, staring at the baseball, replaying the conversations in her head. Her phone buzzed again, and she saw another message from Hyung Jin.
"Don't forget. Final match. I'll be waiting. Goodnight, Dimples."
She sighed, feeling a surge of frustration. While she appreciated Hyung Jin's courage, everything felt too overwhelming. She needed a moment to breathe and think.
It couldn't hurt to give the guy a chance, could it? Yes, but on the other hand, it wouldn't be fair to Hyung Jin and to herself, now that she was certain she liked Suho.
