THE 02z

chapter 12

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You let Sunghoon escort you out of the lunch hall.

Your ears were ringing as your mind swirled with her words,

'Her so called best friend is the one who told Yunjin about her eating disorder.."

Hanni wouldn't do that... she's not like that....

More tears starts streaming down on your cheeks when Sunghoon guides you into an empty classroom and gently seats you down.

He retrieves tissues from the teacher's desk and returns to you. "Here," He murmurs.

In a state of shock and overwhelmed, you gaze blankly at the floor, crying silently.

He releases a sigh, crouches down, and begins wiping your tears. "Hey," He speaks, his voice surprisingly soft. "Look at me, Y/N." He commands, but you resist.

He grasps your chin, making you meet his gaze with tears flowing down on your cheeks. You couldn't believe that he, out of all people, is suddenly displaying kindness and attempting to comfort you.

He has always been distant and even rejected you, so this unexpected gentleness leaves you confused and guarded.

You try to avoid his gaze but he firmly holds your chin and gently guides your face to meet his eyes.

"I need you to calm down, okay? Take a deep breath, baby." He whispers softly, rubbing his thumb gently against your chin, trying to coax you into focusing on his words and his touch.

His expression is softened, a stark contrast to the cold aloofness you're used to seeing.

You take a deep breath and can feel yourself starting to calm down a little under Sunghoon's gentle touch.

His soothing words and his surprisingly tender gesture are helping you steady your racing heart.

You look into his eyes, searching for any hint of the coldness that he usually displays, but all you see is concern and a strange kind of tenderness.

You're not sure what to make of his sudden change in him, but you can't deny that his presence is offering you a sense of comfort in this moment of vulnerability.

You liked the way he called you 'baby' in that soft tone of his; it made your stomach flutter.

Gathering up the courage to voice the question that's been nagging at the back of your mind, you take a deep breath and ask,

"Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me." Your voice tinged with uncertainty, betraying your vulnerability.

"I never hated you," He responds, letting out a frustrated sigh as he runs his hand through his hair. "I know I've been cold and distant to you for a long time, but it wasn't because I hated you. I had my reasons, but they don't matter now. What matters is that I see you now, really see you, and I can't stand to see you hurting like this."

Taken aback by Sunghoon's sudden vulnerability and his unexpected care, he gives you a sad smile when he speaks up,

"You know it's kind of ironic. We have this history together, you and me. We were friends as kids, and I was your first boyfriend. But when I saw that guy following you a month ago, and you didn't recognise me when I stepped in to help, it hurt. I realised that you didn't remember me at all and it made me think that maybe we weren't as close as I thought we were."