"When Loves Started"..

part-19

As Joon Woo's phone rang, he excused himself and stepped outside, leaving Eun Ae alone with Hyeji. The air in the room seemed to thicken as Hyeji turned her attention to Eun Ae, her eyes gleaming with malice.

Eun Ae felt a shiver run down her spine as Hyeji began to walk towards her, her movements predatory.

Eun Ae heard Joon Woo call out to Hyeji.

"Hyeji, the teacher is looking for us too. Let's go together."

Hyeji's face fell, her expression darkening. But she quickly recovered, pasting on a bright smile.

"Okay, Joon Woo! I'll come with you!"

Eun Ae felt a twinge of annoyance. Why was Joon Woo being so friendly to Hyeji? Didn't he know how much Hyeji disliked her?

As they walked together, the four of them, Eun Ae felt like an outsider. Joon Woo and Hyeji seemed to be in their own little world, laughing and chatting together. Eun Ae trailed behind, feeling like a third wheel.

Their teacher was waiting for them outside, a stern expression on her face.

"Ah, good. You're all here. Let's get started on the village tour."

Eun Ae nodded, relieved to be doing something. But as they walked through the village, she couldn't shake off the feeling that Hyeji was watching her, waiting for her moment to strike.

As they walked through the village, Eun Ae could feel Hyeji's eyes on her, boring into her skin. She tried to ignore it, but the death glare was making her uncomfortable.

Just as she was starting to feel anxious, Beom Seok appeared out of nowhere, his tall frame blocking Hyeji from her line of sight.

"Hey, Eun Ae! I was looking for you," Beom Seok said, his voice friendly.

Eun Ae smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Hey, Beom Seok! What's up?"

Beom Seok fell into step beside her, his eyes scanning the group. "Just making sure everyone's okay. What's with Hyeji's face? She looks like she's about to kill someone."

Eun Ae rolled her eyes. "Just the usual. She's been giving me the death glare since we got here."

Beom Seok snorted. "Don't mind her. She's just jealous."

Eun Ae raised an eyebrow. "Jealous? Of what?"

Beom Seok leaned in, his voice low. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Eun Ae."

Eun Ae's heart skipped a beat as she met Beom Seok's gaze. Was he talking about Joon Woo? Did Beom Seok know something she didn't?

Beom Seok smiled mischievously. "Hyeji's jealous of your beauty, Eun Ae. You're the prettiest girl in our class, and she can't handle it."

Eun Ae's face grew hot as she looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Don't say that, Beom Seok. It's not true."

But Beom Seok just chuckled. "I'm serious, Eun Ae. You have a natural beauty that Hyeji can only dream of. And it drives her crazy."

Eun Ae couldn't believe what Beom Seok was saying. She had never thought of herself as beautiful, and the idea that Hyeji was jealous of her was almost laughable.

But as she glanced over at Hyeji, she saw the anger and resentment in her eyes, and wondered if Beom Seok might be right. Was Hyeji really jealous of her?

Joon Woo, who had been walking ahead of them, turned around and caught Eun Ae's eye. For a moment, they just looked at each other, and Eun Ae felt a flutter in her chest.