Deception - L.HS

14

The Devil's Whispers

Hana's worries skyrocketed. The pressure in her chest was almost unbearable, and Heeseung knew it. Oh, he knew it all too well. It was exactly what he wanted-to see her unravel, slowly but surely.

A life full of worries and no phone? Hana was damned. Without her lifeline, she felt more isolated than ever. She missed her phone-every beep, buzz, and flicker of the screen. The books in front of her were as uninteresting as always, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate. The silence of the library, usually a sanctuary, was both soothing and unsettling, like a predator stalking its prey. The soft rustle of pages from other students added to the tension coiling in her chest.

It was strange-she almost missed the anxiety of constantly looking over her shoulder, worried that Heeseung would pop out of nowhere, ready to ruin her day with another cruel trick. It was a bizarre comfort, the kind of tension she could handle. This? This was suffocating.

And then, there was Sunghoon. Why was he being so genuine? The strawberry milk with the "I don't know what I did, but I am sorry" note was right in front of her on the table, a sight so unusual it made her stomach twist in the worst way possible. What if it was poisoned? It wasn't like she trusted him. But then again, had he ever really given her a reason not to? A good, solid reason?

And what was up with Yeji and Jisoo? They were distant, like two shadows drifting through the hallways. They were never together, of course, but anyone with eyes could see that they were plotting something. Whatever it was, Hana could predict it would burn like hell. Why had Yeji even decided to help her in the first place? She'd claimed it was because of Sunghoon, but how would she know that? And how on earth did Jisoo find out about that accusation?

Why was she distant? And why were Jisoo and Yeji suddenly so close? Nothing made sense. Hana ran a hand through her hair, her expression a mix of frustration and unease. The walls around her were crumbling, and the sun that was supposed to set had already fallen. Time was frightening, slipping away from her grasp.

The silence of the library pulled her back into reality. No, she wasn't in trouble-she was **in** trouble. No words could describe what she felt, none at all. But her eyes told the story that her lips couldn't. She was terrified. Because she knew what was coming.

She had messed up. Without even doing anything.

■

"Why weren't you picking up my calls?" Jisoo's voice broke the silence as she caught up to Hana, trying to match her pace.

"Why bother?" Hana didn't even look at her. "I thought you were busy with your new friend." Her tone was biting, the lack of a phone only adding fuel to the fire of her frustration.

"Oh, come on, are you jealous?" Jisoo asked, wiggling her eyebrows, trying to diffuse the tension.

No. Jealousy was the last thing on Hana's mind. This wasn't about jealousy-it was about being replaced. And not just by anyone, but by someone like Yeji? Damn. Jisoo either hit rock bottom... or she was just going low. Really low.

■

Hana couldn't believe it-Jisoo even remembered she existed. Notice the sarcasm?

Her walk home was filled with thoughts and questions, each one more troubling than the last. But the last thing she expected was to find her apartment door ajar. Her eyes widened in shock as she stepped inside, only to be greeted by chaos. Clothes scattered everywhere, drinks spilled, plates shattered-a complete mess.

And there, amidst the wreckage, was a "cute" little note: **"Lee Heeseung :)"**

Fuck you, Lee.

This wasn't just a prank. He broke into her house. This was unacceptable. This was-