Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 28

NO ONE POV

The group was gathered at their usual spot, but this time, the usual banter was absent. Instead, the atmosphere was thick with the tension between Seoyeon and Yooyeon, who had been avoiding each other for days. Sohyun noticed the shift immediately, her sharp eyes catching the subtle glances they exchanged, filled with unspoken words.

Sohyun frowned, leaning back in her chair as she thought about how to make them talk again. “We need to do something,” she said, breaking the silence.

“I have an idea!” Mayu piped up excitedly. “How about we make them write letters to each other?”

Xinyu shook her head, rolling her eyes. “They’d probably just end up writing snarky comments instead of actual apologies.”

Yubin shrugged. “We could just ignore it and let them sort it out on their own.”

“No way,” Xinyu said flatly. “They’ll keep this up for weeks. We’ll all suffer in the meantime.”

Nakyoung, who had been quietly listening, suddenly grinned. “I have the perfect solution. Let’s lock them in a room together and not let them out until they’ve apologized.”

Mayu, Yubin, and Xinyu stared at Nakyoung in disbelief. “Are you serious?” Yubin asked, her eyes wide.

Sohyun, however, was considering the idea, her mind already forming a plan. “It’s not a bad idea,” she said thoughtfully. “We can use the empty classroom that I have the key for. We just need to get them both in there.”

The next day, the plan was set in motion. Yubin tricked Yooyeon into going to the empty classroom, telling her that she needed help with something important. Meanwhile, Nakyoung and Xinyu dragged a reluctant Seoyeon into the same room, closing the door behind her.

As Yooyeon entered the classroom, she was surprised to see Seoyeon already there. The moment of confusion passed quickly as the door behind her slammed shut. Both girls turned to the door, realizing too late that they had been tricked.

“What the—” Seoyeon started, but the sound of the door locking cut her off.

Yooyeon let out a sigh, realizing they were stuck. “Looks like we’re not getting out of here until we talk.”

The room fell into an awkward silence. Neither wanted to be the first to speak, but Yooyeon, feeling the weight of the situation, decided to break the ice.

“I’m sorry,” Yooyeon said simply, her voice soft.

Seoyeon scoffed, her defensive walls going up immediately. “You don’t need to apologize. You should just go back to tutoring Jiyoung. Seems like that’s where you’d rather be.”

Yooyeon stared at Seoyeon for a long moment before speaking again, her voice firmer this time. “I’m not tutoring Jiyoung anymore.”

Seoyeon blinked, caught off guard by Yooyeon’s words. “What? Why?”

“Because,” Yooyeon began, her tone more sincere, “if it’s hurting you, I’ll stop. I didn’t realize it was affecting you so much.”

Seoyeon felt a lump in her throat as she searched for words, but nothing came out. She hadn’t expected Yooyeon to say that, and it left her speechless.

Yooyeon looked down at the floor, her earlier resolve fading into vulnerability. “I’m really sorry, Seoyeon. I didn’t mean to push you away.”

Seoyeon took a deep breath, her anger melting into regret. “I’m sorry too,” she admitted, her voice quiet. “I shouldn’t have ignored you. I was just… mad that you were spending more time with Jiyoung instead of us.”