Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 14: Fragile Promises

⋆˚ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Narae walked through the school gates with a lightness in her step. The sky was a clear blue, the sun shining brightly, and she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The previous night at the amusement park with Jungwoo had been exactly what she needed. Laughing, screaming on roller coasters, and stuffing her face with funnel cake had made her feel alive again. In the quiet of her bedroom that morning, as she combed through her hair and put on her favorite sweater, she made a promise to herself: she wouldn't let others get to her. Not today, and not any other day.

With that promise in mind, Narae stepped into the school building, her heart feeling unusually light. The familiar hallways bustled with students chatting and laughing, and the usual din of morning chatter greeted her ears. Narae smiled to herself as she made her way to her locker, keeping her head high. Today was going to be a good day. She wouldn't let petty gossip or judgmental stares drag her down. She was above all that.

But her resolve wavered slightly when she reached her shared classroom with Haechan. As she approached the door, she could hear the low hum of conversations inside. Taking a deep breath, Narae pushed the door open and stepped in. Her eyes instinctively found Haechan's desk, but he wasn't there yet. She let out a small sigh of relief, quickly moving to her seat in the back corner of the room.

The usual group of girls was gathered near the front, their voices carrying through the classroom. Narae tried to ignore them, pulling out her notebook and focusing on the blank page in front of her. She wouldn't let them bother her today.

"And then he said he would take me to that new café downtown," Heejin's voice rang out, a touch louder than the rest. Narae's heart skipped a beat at the name of the café; she had been wanting to go there for weeks. "We had so much fun. He's really sweet, you know? Not at all like everyone says."

Narae's grip on her pen tightened, the ink bleeding into the paper. She didn't want to listen, but her ears seemed to have a mind of their own, picking up every word.

"Wait, are you talking about Haechan?" Yeji's voice asked, the excitement palpable.

Heejin giggled, the sound like nails on a chalkboard to Narae. "Yeah, we went out on Saturday. He was so funny and charming. We talked for hours. I think he really likes me."

Narae's heart sank, a dull ache spreading through her chest. She kept her eyes trained on her notebook, trying to block out the sounds around her. Why did it matter to her if Haechan went out with Heejin? He wasn't her friend, he wasn't even someone she liked. So why did it hurt so much to hear that he had spent his weekend laughing and having fun with another girl?

The girls continued their conversation, oblivious to Narae's presence. "Honestly, I think you two would look great together," Karina said. "He's got that whole cool vibe, and you're just so pretty, Heejin."

Narae felt a sting of jealousy at Karina's words. Not just because Heejin was undeniably beautiful, with her long, wavy hair and bright smile, but because of how easily Haechan seemed to be moving on with his life. While she was still reeling from their argument, still thinking about him more than she wanted to admit, he was out on dates, charming girls, and living his best life.

Breathe, Narae. She forced herself to take a deep breath, her hand shaking slightly as she wrote a few random words in her notebook. Just focus on yourself. You promised you wouldn't let this get to you.

But the resolve she had built up over the weekend felt like it was crumbling, slipping through her fingers like sand. She couldn't escape the whispers, the looks, the constant reminder that things had changed. That she couldn't control how people perceived her or how Haechan chose to live his life. Not to mention the harsh reminder that unlike her, it was easier to move on from such an argument when you had a big circle. For Narae that argument was probably one of the few she had ever had.

The classroom door opened, and Haechan strolled in, his usual casual swagger evident in his walk. His hair was slightly tousled, and his smile was easy as he nodded in greeting to a few classmates. He didn't look over at Narae, didn't even glance her way. It was like she didn't exist.

Narae's chest tightened, the dull ache turning into a sharp pain. She had half-expected him to come up to her, to try to talk to her like he had been doing before. But he didn't. He moved to his seat, slid into his chair, and pulled out his phone without a word, his eyes focused on the screen.

There was a pang of something Narae couldn't quite name—disappointment, anger, sadness, maybe all three. She had snapped at him, sure, but she had expected him to try again. To at least show some sort of concern. But it seemed Haechan had given up. Maybe Heejin's cheerful laughter was more appealing than her silence.

Class started, and Narae tried to pay attention to the lesson, but her mind kept wandering back to Haechan. To the way he had looked at Heejin, his eyes bright with interest. To the fact that he hadn't even glanced at Narae since he walked in. She stole a quick look at him, noticing how he was nodding along to something the teacher was saying, his expression relaxed.

A group of girls across the room, including Heejin, were whispering and giggling, occasionally glancing back at Haechan. Narae bit her lip, her hand tightening around her pen. She wanted to scream, to tell them to stop, to tell Haechan to wake up and notice how much he had hurt her. But instead, she stayed silent, swallowing her feelings and forcing herself to focus on the lecture.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Narae quickly gathered her things, her movements jerky and rushed. She needed to get out of the room, away from the stifling atmosphere that seemed to choke her. She stood, ready to make her escape, but a voice called out to her.

"Hey, Narae!" It was Renjun, his familiar, friendly voice a small comfort amidst the chaos of her emotions. "Want to grab lunch together?"

Narae nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah, that sounds good." She quickly made her way over to Renjun, who was waiting near the door. She felt Haechan's eyes on her as she passed, but she didn't turn to look at him.

As they walked down the hallway, Renjun chatted animatedly about a new video game he was playing, his voice full of excitement. Narae nodded along, but her thoughts were still in the classroom, still with the whispers and the ache in her chest.

"Are you okay?" Renjun asked, his voice cutting through her thoughts.

Narae forced a smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

Renjun studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Is this about Haechan?"

Narae's smile faltered. "I don't want to talk about him."

Renjun nodded, his expression understanding. "Alright. But if you ever do, you know I'm here, right?"

"Yeah, I know." Narae's voice was soft, touched by the sincerity in Renjun's words.

They made their way to the cafeteria, where the usual bustle of students greeted them. Narae picked at her food, her appetite gone. She tried to focus on Renjun's jokes and stories, on the little moments of peace that still existed. But her mind kept drifting back to the classroom, to Haechan and Heejin, to the promise she had made herself that morning and how easily it had been broken.

By the time lunch was over, Narae felt drained. The day stretched out in front of her like an endless, dark tunnel. She knew she had to keep her head up, had to keep moving forward. But each step felt heavier than the last, each moment a reminder that the world around her was shifting, and she was powerless to stop it.

As she walked back to her next class, Narae whispered a silent plea to herself: Please, let me get through this day. And with each step, she held on to that fragile hope, even as it felt like the ground beneath her was giving way.

────୨ৎ────

1418 words