Hearts Entwined || PpoToz

CHAPTER 39

NO ONE POV

The classroom was unusually quiet that morning, save for the occasional shuffle of papers and murmur of early conversations. Seoyeon tapped her fingers nervously against the edge of her desk, her eyes flickering towards the door every few seconds. The seat beside her remained empty.

Where is she? Seoyeon wondered, her foot bouncing under the desk. She’d expected Yooyeon to show up any moment now, maybe running a bit late. But with every minute that passed, the anxiety in her chest grew tighter.

Mrs. Jo walked into the classroom, and the usual chatter came to a halt. Seoyeon’s stomach sank. Something about the teacher’s expression was off. She wasn’t holding her usual stack of papers or starting the class with her typical greeting. Instead, she stood at the front, clearing her throat.

“I have an important announcement,” Mrs. Jo began, her voice uncharacteristically soft. “Yooyeon has moved out to another city. She left early this morning.”

Seoyeon’s heart dropped, her mind struggling to process the words. Yooyeon… moved? The words seemed to echo in her mind, but they didn’t make sense. Nakyoung, sitting a few seats over, audibly gasped. Seoyeon turned her head to look at the empty seat next to her, disbelief weighing heavily on her chest.

The rest of the class seemed to blur around her. She barely registered Mrs. Jo continuing with the lesson, her eyes glued to the vacant seat beside her. It felt wrong, that seat being empty, like part of the world had suddenly shifted. How could Yooyeon leave without saying a word?

At lunchtime, the group gathered at their usual spot. The air was thick with unease as Nakyoung and Seoyeon sat down, faces pale. Yubin, always a bit younger and more in tune with the group’s emotions, looked between them with concern. Next to her, Mayu sat quietly, observing the tension.

Nakyoung was the first to speak, her voice cracking. “Yooyeon… she’s gone. She moved out this morning.”

Sohyun’s brow furrowed, the news hitting her hard. “What?” she asked, her voice sharp with disbelief. “She didn’t tell anyone?”

Seoyeon shook her head, still trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. “Nothing. Not a word.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and as she spoke, the enormity of what had happened hit her fully. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest, like it had shattered into a million pieces. Yooyeon was gone. Without even saying goodbye.

“She left me without a single notice...” Seoyeon whispered, her voice breaking at the end. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked at the food on her tray, but she couldn’t bring herself to eat anything. How could she? Yooyeon—her rival, her seatmate, the person she had shared so much with—was just… gone.

Nakyoung, who usually found entertainment in Seoyeon and Yooyeon’s rivalry, was uncharacteristically silent. Even she seemed lost, unsure of how to handle this sudden departure.

Sohyun’s expression darkened. “It has to be her father,” she muttered, leaning forward.However none of them were listening  to her.

The group fell into an uneasy silence. Seoyeon’s eyes stung, but she blinked back the tears. Crying wouldn’t solve anything. But the pain in her chest wouldn’t go away. Yooyeon had been so much more than her rival. She’d been a constant in her life, someone she could always count on to challenge her, to push her limits. And now, without warning, that constant was gone.

As lunch dragged on, the group sat together, each lost in their own thoughts. Seoyeon stared at the empty seat across from her, imagining Yooyeon sitting there, teasing her like she always did. But it was just an illusion.

And for the first time in a long time, Seoyeon felt completely and utterly alone.

•••

The rest of the day dragged on in a blur. Seoyeon moved through the hallways, feeling like a ghost. The noise of her classmates, the endless buzz of conversations, and the shuffling feet around her all faded into the background. Without Yooyeon beside her, everything felt hollow. She didn’t even bother staying after the last bell.

Instead of going home, Seoyeon took a different route, her feet carrying her automatically toward the orphanage. She felt the weight of the day pressing down on her, like a storm cloud that wouldn’t break. Her heart ached with every step, the emptiness of Yooyeon’s sudden departure echoing in her mind. How could she leave me like this?

Yet, despite the turmoil in her chest, Seoyeon clung to one clear thought—the promise she’d made. Before the exams, people had promised her a reward if she got the highest score, and she’d made sure to hold them to it. And now, even though everything felt upside down, she knew she couldn’t break that promise.

She reached the orphanage, her heart momentarily lightening as she thought of Hyerin. If there was one thing that could soothe her right now, it was seeing her half-sister’s smiling face. Seoyeon pushed open the door, and the familiar warmth of the place greeted her. The smell of fresh bread and the quiet murmur of the children filled the air.

As she walked through the halls, Seoyeon’s chest tightened again, thinking of Yooyeon, but she forced herself to focus. She was here for Hyerin.

“Unnie!” Hyerin’s voice rang out, full of excitement, as she spotted Seoyeon from across the room. Her little face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds. Seoyeon’s heart skipped a beat, and for the first time that day, a genuine smile found its way to her lips.

“Hyerin,” she called back, bending down to meet her. The younger girl ran into her arms, hugging her tight.

“Are we going home together?” Hyerin asked eagerly, her wide eyes looking up at Seoyeon.

Seoyeon nodded, brushing Hyerin’s hair out of her face. “Yeah, we’re going home.” Even though her heart still ached, being here with Hyerin made it a little easier to bear. There was something about her sister’s pure joy that made the world seem a little less dark.

With Hyerin by her side, Seoyeon left the orphanage, her heart a little lighter. The walk home wasn’t filled with silence like it had been when she left school. Instead, Hyerin chattered happily beside her, talking about her day, her friends, and all the things she wanted to do with Seoyeon. The sound of Hyerin’s voice drowned out some of the pain, at least for a while.

When they finally reached home, Seoyeon couldn’t help but smile down at Hyerin as they entered the house together. The weight of Yooyeon’s absence was still there, but it felt a little less suffocating with her sister by her side.

They ate dinner together, with Hyerin continuing to fill the silence with stories and laughter. Seoyeon found herself chuckling along, letting the day’s sadness fade into the background. For now, she could push it aside. She had Hyerin here, and that was enough.

But as she tucked Hyerin into bed later that night, the reality of Yooyeon’s departure came crashing back. Seoyeon stared out the window, her thoughts swirling. She clenched her fists at her sides, her chest tightening again.

How could Yooyeon leave without a word? Without an explanation? The betrayal cut deep, deeper than Seoyeon wanted to admit. For months,they had been rivals, always pushing and challenging each other. But over time, that rivalry had shifted into something more complicated—something that Seoyeon hadn’t fully understood until now.

And now, Yooyeon had left her, without so much as a goodbye.

Seoyeon gritted her teeth, her mind racing. She made a silent vow, the anger swelling within her.

I won’t forgive you, Kim Yooyeon. Not for leaving me like this. Not after everything.

But as she stood there, staring into the night, Hyerin’s soft breathing from the bed behind her brought her back to the present. She looked over her shoulder, seeing her sister fast asleep, her face peaceful and calm.

Seoyeon managed a small smile, despite the pain in her chest. She had Hyerin now. And even though Yooyeon was gone, she still had something worth holding onto.

For now, that would have to be enough.