The schoolyard was unusually quiet that day, the kind of stillness that seemed to press down on everyone, making the air thick and heavy. Seok-kyung sat alone on a bench, her head bent over a book, the pages fluttering slightly in the breeze. Seok-hoon leaned against a nearby tree, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon, as if searching for something that wasn't there.
Could almost always read their moods. The silent treatment was something she had never seen them engage in, not even during their most heated sibling rivalries. Intrigued, she approached them with a gentle smile, her sneakers making a soft squeaking sound against the pavement.
"Hey, guys," she called out, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. They both looked up, their expressions unreadable. "What's up?"
Seok-hoon shrugged, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "Nothing much," he said, his voice flat.Seok-kyung looked up from her book, her eyes betraying a hint of annoyance. "Just trying to study," she said, not bothering to hide the edge in her tone.Wonyoung's smile didn't waver. She knew them better than that. Something was definitely off.
"Study break?" she offered, holding out two ice-cold sodas. The condensation on the plastic bottles glistened in the sunlight, promising a sweet, bubbly relief from the tension.
They exchanged a look, and Seok-hoon nodded reluctantly. "Fine," he said, taking a bottle. "But only for a bit."
They sat in a small triangle on the bench, the unspoken argument hanging over them like a dark cloud. Wonyoung took a sip of her soda, the fizz tickling her nose, and decided to start with small talk. "So, how's the new math teacher?" she asked, hoping to lighten the mood.
Seok-kyung rolled her eyes. "Terrible," she said. "But you know how it is with subs."Seok-hoon snorted. "At least we don't have to deal with Mrs. Kim's rants about calculus."
A ghost of a smile played on Seok-kyung's lips. "True," she conceded.
As they talked about school, Wonyoung studied them. The way they talked around the subject, the way their eyes avoided each other's gaze. It was clear that something had happened at their palce. She made a mental note to find out what it was, later, when they were ready to talk. For now, she would be the glue that held their friendship together, the bridge over the silent chasm that threatened to swallow them whole.
Seok-kyung spoke up, her voice tight. "You guys know how dad's been acting weird lately, right?"
Wonyoung's heart skipped a beat. The atmosphere grew denser, the air thick with the weight of unspoken words. She nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"Let talk private not in here!" Seokhoon said and Wonyoung nod getting up. They went to a empty class room. Just the three of them.
Seok-Kyung took a deep breath and began. "I caught Dad," she said, her voice shaking, "with another woman."
Wonyoung's eyes widened, She had never seen her friend so vulnerable, so hurt.
"It was Eunbyeol's mom Eunbyeol was right," Seok-kyung continued, the words spilling out of her like a dam had burst. "I walked in on them, and they didn't even have the decency to stop nor did they even notice i was there."
Wonyoung's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes filled with shock. "Oh my God, Kyungie," she breathed, her soda forgotten in her hand. It shocking to hear someone walking in on them. That a whole differnet experince. She honestly didn't think Seok-kyung would find out soon.
Seok-hoon's face was a mask of anger. "What are you going to do?" he asked through gritted teeth. The siblings had always been close, and it was clear that this betrayal was tearing him apart too.
