Jung Hoseok - Dreams

Chapter XIX

Chapter 19: Silent Struggles

The next morning dawned colder than expected. I pulled my jacket tighter as I made my way to school, the crisp air biting my skin. Everything felt tense like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to break. I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in my chest, though I knew exactly where it was coming from Joohyun.

Her words from yesterday were still rattling around in my head. Her smug smile, the way she had flaunted her visit to my house as if she could control me just by showing up. I had brushed it off with Lia and my mom, but the truth was, that Joohyun's shadow loomed large over me. She had this way of making everything feel like a threat, even when nothing had actually happened.

As I approached the school gates, I could already see groups of students huddled together, chatting and laughing as if everything were normal. For them, maybe it was. But for me, every glance felt loaded, every whisper more than idle gossip. Were they talking about me? About Hoseok? About the rumors Joohyun was trying to spread?

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. Focus on the dance. Focus on class. That was my only way forward. If I could ignore her long enough, maybe things would settle down.

Inside the school, everything felt eerily calm. I walked through the hallways, keeping my head down, but I could still feel eyes following me. I knew that wasn't just paranoia. Joohyun had done her work, sowing doubt and whispers among the students. But what exactly were they thinking? I didn't want to know.

I passed by the dance studio, the door slightly ajar. Inside, I saw Hoseok, already warming up with a few early students. For a second, I considered going in, to talk to him, to explain everything before things spiraled further out of control. But then the doubt crept in. What would I even say? How could I tell him that Joohyun was stirring up trouble without sounding paranoid or worse—guilty?

I kept walking.

As I turned the corner to head toward my locker, a voice called out behind me. "Y/N!"

I froze. The tone was too familiar—sharp, confident, and laced with the slightest hint of mockery. Joohyun.

Slowly, I turned around to face her. She was leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "You didn't think I'd just disappear, did you?" she asked, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.

"What do you want, Joohyun?" I asked, keeping my voice steady even though my nerves were jangling like loose wires.

She stepped closer, her eyes scanning the hallway to make sure we were alone. "You see, you've made things more complicated. All I asked was for you to step aside, but instead, you've been ignoring me. That's not very polite."

I crossed my arms, trying to appear unfazed. "You don't get to tell me what to do. I'm not going to let you push me out."

Joohyun tilted her head, her smile widening. "Push you out? Oh no, you've got it wrong. I'm not pushing you out, Y/N. I'm giving you a choice. Stay, and things will get messy. Or leave, and you save yourself the trouble."

I clenched my fists, my patience wearing thin. "What do you want, Joohyun? Really?"

She pretended to think for a moment, then leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I want you to realize that you don't belong here. Not with us, and certainly not with Hoseok."

There it was. Her real motive was laid bare.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "Hoseok is my teacher. That's all. Whatever you're imagining, it's not real."