Winter Falls || Lee Know ✓

🎓:She'll be okay

~🎬~

As Suhyun and her aunt left the school grounds, Minho stood frozen in place, watching them disappear from sight. His hands were clenched into fists, his mind still consumed with guilt. He felt like he had failed her in a way he couldn't fully articulate, and no amount of Jisung's reassurances could shake him out of that pit.

Jisung, Hyunjin, and Miss Kang exchanged glances, unsure what to say or do next. The weight of what had just happened loomed over them. But soon enough, their quiet was broken by a loud voice calling from down the hallway.

"There you guys are! Where the heck have you been?"

Hyerin's voice echoed through the hall as she rushed toward them, with Soyeon, Felix, and Jeongin following closely behind, their expressions mixed with confusion and concern. They had been searching for their friends, but now they could sense something wasn't right.

"What's going on? Why is everyone so serious?" Felix asked, his usual upbeat tone gone. He looked from Minho to Jisung to Hyunjin, trying to figure out what had happened.

Hyerin, always quick to pick up on emotional cues, looked at Minho with a sharp frown. "Where's Suhyun? And why does Minho look like he's about to murder someone?"

Jeongin raised an eyebrow, scanning the group for answers, while Soyeon just stood quietly, biting her lip nervously. The tension was palpable, and it was clear to them that something serious had gone down.

Jisung exchanged a glance with Hyunjin before answering. "It's... complicated," he began, his voice low. "Suhyun... she's gone home. Something happened. Jiho—" he hesitated, knowing how explosive the name alone could be for the group. He didn't want to alarm them, but he also didn't want to hide the truth. "Jiho cornered her," Jisung continued cautiously. "It wasn't good."

Hyunjin chimed in, trying to explain. "We don't know exactly what happened. We just found her with Minho in the storeroom, and she was really shaken up."

"And where's Jiho now?" Jeongin asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"He left before we got there," Jisung replied. "We don't know where he is, but... we'll deal with that later. Right now, Suhyun's safe, and that's what matters."

The group went silent for a moment, processing the gravity of the situation. Hyerin crossed her arms, looking deep in thought. "I can't believe Jiho would have gone that far, He's a psycho." she muttered under her breath. 

Soyeon, ever the peacemaker, spoke softly. "We'll make sure Suhyun's okay first. Then we can deal with Jiho."

Jeongin, who had been relatively quiet, looked at Minho carefully. "You okay, man? You seem... off."

Minho didn't respond right away. He was still battling the storm of guilt inside him, thinking about how everything had spiraled out of control because he hadn't been able to keep his distance from Suhyun. It was like fate was mocking him—every time he tried to stay away, something happened that forced him back into her orbit.

"If I'd just stayed away..." Minho finally muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Jisung to hear.

Jisung frowned, stepping closer to his friend. "This isn't your fault, Minho. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I let this happen," Minho said bitterly. "If I'd just kept my distance, Jiho wouldn't have—" He couldn't finish the sentence. The thought of what Jiho might have done if he hadn't shown up in time made him sick to his stomach.

"Hey, don't start blaming yourself for Jiho's actions," Hyerin said, stepping forward. "That guy's a psycho, and he's been waiting for an excuse to go after you. You're not responsible for what he does."