Deception - L.HS

12

Chapter 12: Shattered Facades

Scene 1: The Morning of Consequences

The next morning was a headache-a literal one. Hana could feel her head splitting open with every step she took, the pounding behind her eyes intensifying with each breath. The last thing she wanted to do was go to school, but, of course, that was the first thing she had to do.

She dragged herself out of bed, each movement a painful reminder of the restless night she had endured. The usual pep in her step was gone, replaced by a sluggish trudge that felt foreign to her. Once she was finally dressed, she headed out into the bleak morning, the weight of yesterday's events hanging over her like a dark cloud.

The wind whipped her hair around her face as she approached the school grounds, and instead of enjoying the familiar cool breeze, Hana found herself cursing it. Her hair, which had always been her shield against prying eyes, was now sticking to her freshly glossed lips, annoying her to no end. What was wrong with her? She used to love the wind. Now, it was just another nuisance in a long list of things that made her day worse.

Her night had been spent obsessively digging into the article, trying to piece together who could be behind it. Sunghoon was the main suspect, but without evidence, it was all just conjecture. She had thought about going to the police, but how could she, when everything was so murky? No, she couldn't. But God, she wished she could. The thought gnawed at her as she slammed her locker shut, the sound echoing in the suddenly quiet hallway.

It was as if the whispers had been silenced the moment she arrived, leaving only the sharp stares of her classmates. The eyes, which had always been on her in some form, now bore into her with an intensity that made her skin crawl. It was suffocating. Hana made her way to the classroom, trying to ignore the gnawing anxiety that was slowly eating her alive.

Scene 2: A Failed Attempt at Normalcy

With a heavy sigh, Hana plopped down in her seat, her mind still reeling from the sleepless night. Almost as soon as she sat, Jisoo slid into the seat next to her, her usual exuberance noticeably muted.

"What's up?" Jisoo asked, trying to keep her tone light. Then, seeing the expression on Hana's face, she quickly amended, "Let me rephrase that. What's down?"

Hana didn't even muster a smile. She appreciated Jisoo's attempt, but it fell flat. Jisoo picked up on it too and fell silent, the energy between them hanging awkwardly. This was uncharted territory for both of them. Jisoo was the one person who always knew how to cheer Hana up, but today, it seemed even she was at a loss.

Scene 3: The Chemistry Dilemma

The next class was chemistry, and as Hana made her way there, she felt her heart sink when she saw that the only empty seat was beside Sunghoon. Her stomach twisted in dread. Of all the people she had to sit next to, it had to be him.

The teacher trailed in behind her, and with one reluctant step after another, Hana forced herself to sit down beside Sunghoon, who greeted her with an innocent smile. It was infuriating. Screw you, Sunghoon. What's the point of a pretty face if it hides such deception?

"Hey," Sunghoon said, his tone casual, as if they were friends. *We aren't friends, and we're definitely not going to be civil*, Hana thought bitterly. She turned her head away from him, making it clear she had no intention of talking.

Sunghoon's smile faltered into a confused frown, but he didn't push it. The teacher began the lesson, and Sunghoon, for once, kept quiet. But the tension between them was palpable, an invisible wall that had been erected overnight, and it loomed over them like a storm cloud waiting to burst.