Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 19

NO ONE POV

The classroom hummed with the usual chatter and activity. Students were immersed in their own worlds, some catching up on last night's homework, others discussing the latest gossip. Seoyeon was scribbling in her notebook, occasionally glancing at the door, while Nakyoung, as always, was engaged in a lighthearted conversation with a nearby classmate.

Then, the door creaked open, and Yooyeon stepped into the room. The lively atmosphere instantly froze, and silence fell over the class like a heavy blanket. Heads turned, and eyes locked onto Yooyeon with a mix of curiosity and disdain. The air was thick with unspoken tension, a stark contrast to the usual bustle.

Seoyeon and Nakyoung were the only ones who didn’t glare. Seoyeon’s eyes softened with concern, while Nakyoung, oblivious to the brewing storm, offered a small wave. But Yooyeon barely noticed, her face a mask of exhaustion as she quietly moved to her seat beside Seoyeon.

Yoojin, sitting across the room with her friends, couldn’t resist. A smirk spread across her face as she blurted out, “Look who almost didn’t make it to school! Two-faced Yooyeon, cutting it close, huh?”

Yooyeon ignored her, settling into her chair with a deep sigh. The room remained unnervingly quiet, the tension thickening with every second. Yoojin wasn’t done. She leaned forward, her voice dripping with mockery. “What’s the matter, Yooyeon? You look tired. Rough night?”

Her friends chuckled, but Yooyeon kept her gaze fixed on the desk, her hands clenched into fists. The mocking laughter continued, growing louder as Yoojin pressed on, her voice now laced with malicious glee. “Did Daddy dearest give you a hard time? Or maybe—”

But before Yoojin could finish, Yooyeon snapped. She moved with a speed that caught everyone off guard, her hand connecting with Yoojin’s cheek in a resounding slap. The room gasped as Yoojin’s head whipped to the side, her eyes wide with shock.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yooyeon grabbed Yoojin by the collar and pinned her against the wall. The class watched in stunned silence as Yooyeon, her voice low and dangerous, hissed through gritted teeth, “I put you in the hospital for two months before, and I’m not afraid to do it again.”

Yoojin’s bravado crumbled, her smug expression replaced with fear. Yooyeon’s grip tightened as she added, her voice trembling with the weight of her own pain, “You keep your mouth shut. No one needs to know what I’m dealing with at home.”

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Seoyeon was shocked, her mind racing to process what she’d just witnessed, but then a small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips. Nakyoung, on the other hand, sat frozen in her seat, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Yooyeon released her grip, stepping back as if the act had drained what little energy she had left. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

As the door clicked shut behind her, the class erupted into a murmur of disbelief. Seoyeon, barely holding back her laughter, leaned over to Nakyoung. “I can’t wait to tell Xinyu about this,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with a mix of shock and twisted satisfaction.

•••

Lunch period had just started when Seoyeon eagerly pulled Xinyu to their usual spot under the large oak tree in the courtyard, with Nakyoung trailing behind. As soon as they settled down, Seoyeon launched into a detailed account of the morning’s confrontation between Yooyeon and Yoojin.

Xinyu listened closely, her eyes widening with each passing detail. When Seoyeon finished, Xinyu let out an impressed sigh. “Wow, I wish I’d been there to see that. Yooyeon really snapped, huh?”

Nakyoung, still trying to wrap her head around what had happened, turned to Xinyu with a puzzled expression. “Xinyu, weren’t you always the one who wasn’t on Yooyeon’s side? What’s changed?”

Xinyu took a deep breath before answering. “Yeah, I wasn’t. But people change, Nakyoung. Seeing my classmates act like Yoojin’s puppets is driving me crazy. I told Sohyun and Yubin about it, too.”

Seoyeon blinked in surprise. “You told Sohyun and Yubin?”

Xinyu nodded. “Yeah. They needed to know what Yoojin’s been up to. It’s not just about Yooyeon; Yoojin’s been crossing lines left and right. Sohyun was especially concerned, and Yubin was pretty angry when they heard.”

Nakyoung still looked confused. “But… you were the one who told Seoyeon to stay away from Yooyeon.”

Xinyu met Nakyoung’s gaze evenly. “I did, but that was before Yoojin started this whole campaign against her. I can’t just sit back and watch anymore. And neither can Sohyun or Yubin. They’re both keeping an eye on things now.”

Seoyeon was stunned by this new development. Xinyu’s sudden shift in loyalty was unexpected, but the fact that she had involved Sohyun and Yubin added another layer to the situation. Nakyoung, still digesting the information, slowly nodded.

“Wow,” Nakyoung finally said, a little dazed. “This really is full of surprises.”

Seoyeon, still processing everything, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it is.” But as she stared at her lunch, a nagging feeling told her that the dynamics around them were shifting in ways she hadn’t anticipated.