Deception - L.HS

2

Chapter 2: Fractures and Fault Lines

Scene 1: Unsettling Beginnings

The sun had barely risen, yet Hana was already awake, her thoughts too restless to allow her any sleep. The confrontation with Heeseung the day before had left her unsettled. She wasn't one to be easily shaken, but there was something about him-his piercing gaze, the way he seemed to look right through her-that lingered in her mind long after she had left school.

As she dressed for the day, Hana's mind kept replaying their encounter. She couldn't help but wonder what Heeseung's true intentions were. Was he simply toying with her, or was there something more to his cryptic words and unnerving behavior? She didn't want to think about him, but the harder she tried to push him out of her mind, the more he seemed to invade it.

Her phone buzzed with a message from Jisoo, reminding her of their history project presentation. That was supposed to be the focus of the day, yet Hana couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong. She quickly dismissed the thought, chalking it up to nerves.

"Get it together, Hana," she muttered to herself, slipping on her shoes. "It's just another day. Nothing special."

But deep down, she knew that was a lie.

Scene 2: A Brief Respite

The morning passed by in a blur of lectures and small talk. Hana tried to keep herself distracted, engaging in the mundane tasks of school life, but her mind kept drifting back to Heeseung. She was jumpy, as if expecting him to pop up around every corner, but he was conspicuously absent all morning.

During lunch, Hana and Jisoo found their usual spot under a tree in the school courtyard. It was their little haven, a place where they could escape the chaos of the school and talk freely.

"You're awfully quiet today," Jisoo observed, taking a bite of her sandwich. Turning her head to face her.

"Just tired," Hana replied, though she knew it was a lame excuse.

Jisoo wasn't convinced. "Is it because of Heeseung? You've been on edge ever since yesterday."

Hana sighed, knowing she couldn't hide it from Jisoo. "Maybe. I just... I don't get him. One minute he's acting like a total jerk, and the next, he's... I don't know, it's like he's testing me."

Jisoo nodded thoughtfully. "Heeseung is... complicated. But I wouldn't let him get under your skin. He's probably just bored and looking for a new toy to play with." She says as if she knows him personally, Though it gave her some relaxation.

"Yeah, maybe," Hana muttered, though she wasn't entirely convinced. She wanted to believe Heeseung was just another bored rich kid, but there was something about the way he looked at her that made her think otherwise.

As lunch came to an end, Hana decided to push her worries aside. She had more important things to focus on-like the presentation. She wasn't about to let Heeseung distract her any longer.

Scene 3: The Calm Before the Storm

As the day continued, Hana's anxiety began to fade. She allowed herself to relax, finding solace in the familiar rhythm of the school day. When it was finally time for history class, she felt more at ease, confident in the work she and her group had put into the project.

Her group filed into the classroom, each member ready to present their part. Hana set up the slides, double-checking everything to ensure it was in order. It was a crucial project, one that would make up a significant portion of their grade, and she wanted it to go off without a hitch.

As the teacher called the class to attention, Hana took a deep breath, feeling a surge of determination. This was her moment to shine, to prove to herself that she could handle anything, even the likes of Lee Heeseung.

But just as she stepped up to the front, the door creaked open, and Heeseung sauntered in, late as usual. His entrance drew all eyes to him, but his gaze was fixed solely on Hana. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and she felt her stomach twist.

Ignoring him, Hana began her part of the presentation, her voice steady despite the unease bubbling inside her. She clicked through the slides, confident in her delivery-until she noticed something was wrong.

The slide that was supposed to display a key timeline was blank. Hana's heart skipped a beat. She clicked again, hoping it was just a glitch, but the next slide was out of order, and the one after that was completely wrong.

Panic gripped her as she tried to correct it, but it was no use. The slides had been tampered with, and everything was a mess. She looked over at Jisoo, who was frantically flipping through their notes, trying to figure out what had happened.

The teacher's frown deepened, and Hana could feel the weight of the class's stares. She tried to salvage the presentation, but her voice faltered, the confidence she had felt earlier crumbling under the pressure.

In the back of the room, Heeseung watched with an unreadable expression. Hana's eyes met his, and she saw the faintest glint of satisfaction in his gaze. It confirmed her worst fears-he had done this.

By the time the presentation was over, Hana was mortified. She barely heard the teacher's curt dismissal, too focused on gathering her things and getting out of there as quickly as possible.

"Hey, it's not your fault," Jisoo whispered as they walked back to their desks. "We'll figure out what happened."

Hana nodded numbly, but her mind was already elsewhere. She couldn't believe Heeseung would stoop so low. She had been prepared for him to be difficult, but this-this was something else entirely.

Scene 4: The Slow Burn

The rest of the school day dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity. Hana was too distracted to focus on anything, her thoughts consumed by what had happened. When the final bell rang, she hurried to the library, desperate for some peace and quiet to clear her head.

She found a secluded corner and sat down, letting the silence wash over her. But even here, she couldn't escape the anger and frustration gnawing at her. Heeseung had crossed a line, and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

But as much as she wanted to confront him, she knew she had to be smart about it. Heeseung wasn't just some random jerk-he was calculating, always two steps ahead. If she was going to fight back, she had to be careful.

As she sat there, lost in thought, she heard someone approach. She looked up to see Sunghoon standing in front of her, his expression unusually serious.

"Hana," he began, his voice gentle. "Can we talk?"

Hana blinked, surprised. She didn't know Sunghoon well, but he had always been polite, if a bit distant. She nodded, gesturing for him to sit.

"I heard about what happened in class," Sunghoon said, his tone apologetic. "And I know... I know Heeseung had something to do with it."

Hana's eyes narrowed. "So you're here to defend him?"

Sunghoon shook his head. "No. I'm here to tell you that there's more going on than you realize. Heeseung... he's complicated. But he's not a bad person, not really."

Hana crossed her arms, skeptical. "Could've fooled me."

Sunghoon sighed. "I know it seems that way, but trust me, he's dealing with a lot. I'm not saying what he did was right, but... maybe you could try to understand where he's coming from."

Hana frowned, unsure of how to respond.

Before Hana could respond, Sunghoon walked away, leaving her with more questions than answers. She wanted to dismiss his words, but something about the way he had spoken, the genuine concern in his voice, made her pause.

Could it be that Heeseung was hiding something? Something that made him act the way he did? Hana wasn't sure, but one thing was certain-she wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.

Scene 5: A Quiet Resolve

That night, Hana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as Sunghoon's words echoed in her mind. She tried to piece together what she knew about Heeseung, but there were too many gaps, too many things that didn't add up.

She remembered the look in his eyes when he had sabotaged her presentation. It wasn't just malice-there was something deeper, something darker, lurking beneath the surface