Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 29

NO ONE POV

The following day, Sohyun decided it was time to act. The awkwardness between Seoyeon and Yooyeon had thrown the group dynamic off completely, and something had to be done. During a quiet moment between classes, she pulled Yubin and Mayu aside.

"Okay, you two," she said, her tone serious. "We need to make Seoyeon and Yooyeon talk again."

Yubin blinked in confusion, exchanging a glance with Mayu. "Uh... how exactly do we do that?" Yubin asked, scratching her head.

"Yeah, we’re not exactly pros at this kind of thing," Mayu added, a nervous laugh escaping her.

Sohyun folded her arms, looking deep in thought, when Xinyu approached the group, overhearing the conversation. "You’re trying to get them to talk again?" Xinyu asked, a sly smile forming on her lips. "I’ve got some ideas."

Sohyun raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Let’s hear them."

Xinyu leaned in, speaking quietly. "We don’t have to force it. We just need to create a situation where they *have* to interact naturally. Something they both care about." She paused, thinking. "How about we make a big deal out of a problem they can’t resist? They always loved showing off in front of each other, right?"

Yubin and Mayu exchanged glances again but slowly nodded, intrigued by the idea. "That... could work," Yubin said.

Sohyun smirked, crossing her arms. "Sounds perfect. Let’s do it during lunch."

---

When lunchtime arrived, Yubin and Mayu set their plan into motion. At the usual table, they sat down with the rest of the group, casting subtle glances at Seoyeon and Yooyeon, who still hadn’t spoken a word to each other. Nakyoung watched with her usual amusement, while Sohyun observed with a sharp eye.

Yubin cleared her throat. "So, um, Mayu and I were stuck on this really tough problem in math today. Like... *really* tough."

Mayu nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I thought we’d never figure it out. I guess we could ask the math pros here for help?" she said, turning towards Seoyeon and Yooyeon with an innocent smile.

Seoyeon perked up, glancing at Yooyeon, and before she knew it, the words were spilling out. "What’s the problem? I’m sure it’s not that hard."

Yooyeon, ever competitive, couldn’t resist chiming in. "Maybe for you, Seoyeon, but Yubin and Mayu clearly need someone who can explain things *properly*." Her tone was playful, her eyes locking with Seoyeon’s for the first time in days.

Without even realizing it, the two had slipped back into their usual rhythm. They leaned over Yubin and Mayu’s notebooks, discussing the problem smoothly and engaging with one another as though the awkward silence had never existed.

Nakyoung’s eyes twinkled as she watched them, barely able to contain her laughter. "Well, well, well," she said, her voice full of mischief. "Look who’s suddenly acting like best friends."

Seoyeon glanced up, realizing how effortlessly she and Yooyeon had fallen into conversation, and a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "It’s just math," she muttered.

"Sure, sure," Nakyoung teased, winking at them. "Just math."

Sohyun, watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but join in. "Finally! I was starting to wonder if you two had forgotten how to speak."

Seoyeon rolled her eyes but smiled, while Yooyeon let out a small chuckle, shaking her head. "We were just... taking a break from all the bickering."

"Right," Xinyu said with a grin. "And that’s why you two couldn’t even go a whole lunch period without talking to each other."

The entire table erupted into laughter, including Yubin and Mayu, who were proud that their plan had worked.

For the first time in days, the awkwardness had lifted, and the group felt like themselves again. Seoyeon and Yooyeon exchanged a brief glance, realizing that perhaps, things were finally starting to return to normal—whatever that meant for the two of them.

•••

After lunch, the air between Seoyeon and Yooyeon seemed lighter, as though the invisible wall that had been keeping them apart had finally crumbled. They were talking just like before—bantering, challenging each other, and keeping their rivalry alive. Despite the tension earlier in the day, it was clear that their competitive dynamic hadn’t changed. They were still rivals, and neither of them would let the other forget it.

The afternoon brought physics class, and their teacher assigned a challenging set of problems. As always, Seoyeon and Yooyeon immediately set to work, determined to outshine each other. However, the complexity of the questions soon became apparent.

Seoyeon bit her lip, her pencil hovering over the paper as she stared at the equations in front of her. The more she tried to solve it, the more tangled her thoughts became. A quick glance at Yooyeon told her that she wasn’t the only one struggling. Yooyeon was frowning in concentration, her hand tugging at her hair in frustration.

Both were stuck on the same question, neither wanting to admit defeat. Despite their fierce independence, they couldn’t help but steal subtle glances at one another. Seoyeon’s ego flared—there was no way she’d ask Yooyeon for help first. Meanwhile, Yooyeon had the same thought. Admitting she was stuck would mean losing ground in their unspoken battle.

Minutes ticked by, and neither made any progress. Seoyeon huffed quietly, tapping her pencil against the desk, while Yooyeon sighed under her breath. They were both nearing their breaking point.

Finally, in unison, they both gave in.

"Do you—"

"Are you—"

Their voices overlapped, and they both stopped mid-sentence, blinking at each other in surprise. For a moment, there was silence as they realized they had spoken at the exact same time, with the exact same intention.

Then, without warning, they both burst into laughter.

It started as a small chuckle from Yooyeon, but Seoyeon quickly followed, and soon they were both laughing heartily, the tension that had been building between them dissolving into the air. The irony of it all—that they had been so stubborn and prideful, only to ask for help at the same moment—was too funny to ignore.

Seoyeon shook her head, still grinning. "Of course, we both get stuck at the same time."

Yooyeon smiled, wiping away a stray tear of laughter. "Guess we’re not as different as we like to think."

They shared a brief, understanding look before turning their attention back to the problem. This time, they worked together, each offering their thoughts and bouncing ideas off each other. It wasn’t something they did often, but when they combined their skills, it felt strangely natural.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Seoyeon packed her things, glancing at Yooyeon with a small smirk. "Don’t get used to me helping you, though."

Yooyeon rolled her eyes but smiled. "Please, you needed my help just as much."

And just like that, their rivalry was back in full force—though now, with a little more mutual respect.