Meanwhile, things between Jimin and me were getting worse. Every interaction was a battle-constant one-upping, snarky comments, and silent glares. It was exhausting.
One day, as I rushed through the hallway, my mind preoccupied with terrace message that had been going on, I bumped straight into Jimin. Hard.
He instinctively reached out to steady me, his hands gripping my waist for just a second. Our eyes locked. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his gaze, something softer. But as soon as he realized what he was doing, he let go.
I stumbled back and lost my balance, falling to the ground. Jhope, who had been nearby, rushed over just in time to put his hand under my head before it hit the floor.
Jhope: "YN, are you okay?" his voice filled with concern.
I blinked, dazed for a moment, then nodded. My elbow was sore, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
Jhope's expression darkened as he turned to Jimin, who stood there stiffly, looking away.
Jimin: "What the hell, Jimin? You just let her fall like that?"
Jimin didn't respond. He just picked up his bag and walked off without a word.
I stared after him, my anger boiling over.
Yn: "What is wrong with him?!" I fumed, still seated on the floor.
Jhope: sighed, helping me up. "I don't know, YN. He's been acting weird lately. But that wasn't cool."
"That's an understatement," I muttered, brushing myself off. Jimin's behavior had gone from cold to downright rude, and I was officially done with it.
Later that evening I went to terrace again and my eyes caught the new message, scrawled in a hurried but neat script:
"Sometimes it's easier to stay silent than to explain the noise inside my head."
My heart raced. I felt a rush of empathy for this anonymous person, knowing all too well the weight of unspoken thoughts. I took a deep breath, my fingers trembling slightly as I wrote my reply:
"You're not alone in this. If you ever want to share, I'm here."
Stepping back from the wall, I felt a sense of connection to this stranger, an unexplainable bond forming through these messages. Just as I was about to leave, I caught sight of someone approaching from the corner of my eye it was Bora, her cheerful energy radiating as she approached. I felt a rush of anxiety at the thought of explaining my secret scribbler without revealing too much.
Bora: "Hey, YN! What's up? You look deep in thought."
I plastered on a smile, hoping to divert her attention.
YN: "Oh, you know, just enjoying the view. The terrace is beautiful this time of day."
Bora raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but willing to let it slide-for now.
Bora: "Right. So, are you ready for tomorrow's group study session? I heard Jimin is going to be there."
The mention of Jimin made my heart race for an entirely different reason. I quickly masked my feelings.
YN: "Sure, I'm ready. We have a lot to cover."
She looked at me knowingly, as if she could sense the underlying tension between Jimin and me.
Bora: "You two really need to sort things out. It's getting a bit awkward, don't you think?"
I sighed, knowing she was right but not wanting to admit it.
YN: "I guess. But I'm not the one who's been acting weird."
Bora smiled softly, trying to comfort me.
Bora: "Just talk to him, YN. I think you'd be surprised at what he has to say."
YN: "Yeah, maybe. But you know how these things go, right? It's complicated."
Bora: "Always is. Just promise me you'll be honest with him when you can."
I nodded, knowing deep down that honesty was a luxury I couldn't afford right now, especially with my secret scribbler lurking in the background.
As we headed back downstairs, I felt the weight of my unshared secret pressing down on me. The connection I felt with my anonymous friend was something I wanted to protect, even from Bora.
At night in my home
As I joined my family at the dinner table, the aroma of my mom's homemade kimchi stew filled the air. Jiho was already sitting there, animatedly talking about his day.
Jiho: "You won't believe what happened today! We had a surprise quiz in math, and I totally nailed it!"
Mom: "That's wonderful, Jiho! I'm so proud of you. Maybe I should give you a special treat."
Dad: "Just make sure he doesn't get too cocky about it," he joked, nudging Jiho playfully.
Mom: "So, YN, how was your day? Did you make any new friends?"
I hesitated for a moment, thinking about the anonymous scribbler and Jimin's strange behavior.
YN: "It was okay. Just the usual classes and studying. Nothing too exciting."
Dad: "You need to get involved more, YN. Join some clubs or activities. It'll be good for you."
Mom: "Your dad is right! Meeting new people will help you settle in better. What do you think?"
YN: "Yeah, maybe..." I mumbled, still distracted by the messages I had been exchanging on the terrace.
Jiho: "You should join the photography club! It's really fun, and they go on trips."
YN: "Sounds interesting." I forced a smile, thinking about how I could escape my current reality and dive into something creative.
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