Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 12: Quiet Observations

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The gossip had died down, but the lingering tension was harder to shake. Narae felt it in the way people glanced at her, their eyes sliding over her like whispers. It was as if everyone had silently agreed to leave her alone, but not without their judgment. The days had become quieter, the halls filled with more looks than words. Yet, somehow, the silence felt louder than the gossip.

Narae tried to push the events of the past weeks from her mind. She focused on her schoolwork, buried herself in books and notes, and pretended not to notice the way Haechan seemed to follow her with his eyes. He no longer approached her, no longer attempted awkward conversations in the hallways or during lunch. Instead, she often caught him watching her, his gaze lingering whenever he thought she wasn't looking.

It was unnerving at first, feeling his eyes on her even when she turned away. But after a while, she grew accustomed to it, treating his silent observation as just another background noise. Whatever Haechan was trying to figure out by watching her, Narae didn't have the energy to care.

In contrast, Haechan's attention from others seemed to have multiplied. Suddenly, girls who had never shown much interest in him before were all smiles and giggles. Yeji, Lia, and Karina—three of the most popular girls in school—seemed to be making it their mission to talk to him at every opportunity. Narae would catch glimpses of them hovering near his desk, leaning in a little too close, laughing at jokes that couldn't possibly be that funny.

They'd often do this right next to her. As if drawn by some unspoken magnetism, Haechan and his new admirers would gather in the spaces Narae occupied, their conversations loud and filled with forced laughter. Narae kept her head down, flipping pages of her textbook, though she hardly saw the words. She would catch snippets of their conversation, Haechan's easy banter mixed with the high-pitched giggles of the girls.

"Haechannie, you're so funny!" Lia's voice cut through the murmur of the classroom one day, drawing glances from nearby students.

"Are you sure you don't want to join our study group?" Yeji added, her tone dripping with faux concern. "You'd make it so much more fun."

Haechan's laughter was soft, casual. "I'm pretty busy, but I'll think about it."

Narae gritted her teeth, not because of what they were saying but because of how it invaded her thoughts. She didn't want to care. She didn't want to feel anything about Haechan or his sudden popularity. The more she tried to ignore it, the harder it became to keep her mind from wandering back to him.

To her relief, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the school day. Narae gathered her things quickly, making her way out of the classroom before anyone could stop her. She just needed to breathe, to get away from the stifling atmosphere that seemed to close in around her.

At home, things felt a bit more normal. Her cat, Kiwi, greeted her at the door, rubbing against her legs and meowing for attention. Narae bent down, scratching Kiwi's head, letting the simple action calm her nerves.

"Hey, Kiwi," she murmured, her voice soft. "Did you have a good day?"

Kiwi meowed in response, following Narae as she walked into the kitchen. Her mother was at the stove, stirring a pot of soup. The smell of simmering broth filled the air, and Narae felt a small wave of comfort wash over her. Home was a sanctuary, a place where the chaos of school couldn't reach her.

"How was school today?" her mother asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Narae hesitated for a moment before responding. "It was okay. Just... the usual."