Love in the Halls [Lee Donghyuck]

Chapter 32: Steeling Her Resolve

⋆˚ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Tuesday morning dawned cold and dreary, the kind of day that begged for another hour under the covers. Narae lay in bed for a moment longer, staring at the ceiling as the familiar knot of dread tightened in her stomach. The weekend had been her haven, a brief reprieve from the drama that had unfolded at the party. But now, school loomed over her like a dark cloud, and the thought of facing Haechan filled her with a mix of anxiety and resolve.

Her hand reached for her phone, but she quickly pulled back. She couldn't allow herself to be vulnerable again, couldn't let herself be pulled back into whatever mess had started brewing between them.

With a sigh, she threw the blankets off and got out of bed. She moved through her morning routine like she was on autopilot—brushing her teeth, washing her face, dressing in her uniform. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she noted the dark circles under her eyes, evidence of a restless night filled with tossing and turning. "Get it together," she whispered to her reflection, trying to summon the courage to face the day.

Downstairs, her mother greeted her with a warm smile and a plate of toast and eggs. The comforting smell of food made her realize how empty her stomach felt, but as she sat down at the table, she found it hard to eat. Her mother's chatter was like a soothing background noise, a lull that she let wash over her without really listening.

"You okay, honey? You seem quiet this morning," her mother asked, a note of concern in her voice.

Narae forced a smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Just thinking about school."

"Well, try not to stress too much. Take it one day at a time," her mother advised, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Narae nodded, appreciating the sentiment even if it didn't ease her nerves. She finished her breakfast in silence and soon found herself stepping out into the chilly air. The walk to school was short, but each step felt like she was trudging through quicksand, the weight of her thoughts dragging her down.

By the time she reached the school gates, her resolve had solidified. She wasn't going to let Haechan get under her skin today. She wouldn't even look at him. It was a decision that filled her with a strange sense of empowerment, as if by avoiding him, she could regain some control over her life.

The halls of the school were buzzing with the usual morning energy—students laughing, lockers slamming, teachers calling out reminders for assignments due. Narae kept her head down, navigating the chaos like a ghost, her feet carrying her to her first class of the day: Advanced Functions.

She slipped into her seat, tucked away near the back, and pulled out her notebook. The room gradually filled with her classmates, but she didn't look up. She knew the moment Haechan walked in; it was like the temperature in the room shifted, the air growing heavier. She could feel his presence without needing to see him, like a pressure against her skin.

She kept her gaze firmly on the page in front of her, eyes tracing the formulas she'd written as if they held the key to ignoring him. But she didn't miss the way his footsteps slowed as he passed her desk, didn't miss the subtle pause before he continued on to his seat a few rows behind. It was a tiny moment, barely noticeable, but to Narae, it felt like the loudest noise in the room.

Class began, and she forced herself to focus on the teacher's voice, the drone of mathematics providing a welcome distraction. But every now and then, her eyes would flicker up, catching glimpses of Haechan's profile—his dark hair, the set of his shoulders, the way he tapped his pen against his notebook. And every time she caught herself, she clenched her jaw, reminding herself of her promise.

She could feel his eyes on her, though, a persistent gaze that seemed to burn a hole in her defenses. He wanted to talk, she could tell. Maybe he wanted to apologize, to make things right. But the memory of their argument, of his frustration and her own hurt, was too fresh. She couldn't let him back in. Not now.

English was next, and Narae moved through the halls like she was swimming upstream, each step deliberate and purposeful. Her classmates chatted and laughed around her, but she remained in her bubble of silence, shutting out the world. She slipped into her usual seat, pulled out her textbook, and began reading ahead. The words on the page blurred together, but she forced herself to focus.

Haechan entered the room a few minutes later, and again, she felt the shift. His presence was magnetic, a pull that she had to actively resist. He took his seat without a word, but she sensed his eyes flicking towards her. The silence between them felt like a living thing, thick and tense, and it took all of her willpower to keep from glancing in his direction.

The day dragged on in this way, a series of classes and brief encounters. In physics, he sat closer, but Narae kept her head down, focusing on her notes. She could sense his frustration growing, like a simmering pot about to boil over. It wasn't just in his gaze; it was in the way he moved, the tension in his shoulders, the tightness of his jaw.

Lunchtime offered no reprieve. Narae found a quiet corner in the library, a sanctuary away from the noise and the people who might force her to confront the emotions she was trying so hard to bury. She nibbled on a sandwich, her thoughts churning with the weight of everything unsaid.

Her friends checked on her, tried to make conversation, but Narae gave them only half-hearted responses, her mind elsewhere. Every time the door to the library opened, her heart would jump, a reflexive fear that it might be Haechan, ready to confront her. But he never came. The door opened and closed with a series of faces that weren't his, and each time, Narae's tension eased, just a little.

The final bell of the day was a relief, a signal that she could escape, at least for a few hours. She gathered her things quickly, moving through the halls with purpose. She could feel his eyes on her one last time, a heavy weight that seemed to follow her as she walked out the door.

She didn't look back.

Back home, she collapsed onto her bed, her chest heaving with the effort of holding herself together. Her room was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of the heater, and she buried her face in her pillow, willing the tension to drain from her body. She had made it through the day without breaking her resolve. She hadn't looked at him, hadn't spoken to him. But the cost of that victory weighed heavily on her, a hollow ache that settled deep in her chest.

For now, though, she was safe in her room, alone with her thoughts. She took a deep breath, letting the quiet wash over her like a balm. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, she allowed herself this moment of solitude, this brief escape from the world and the emotions she was struggling to keep at bay.

────୨ৎ────

1223 words