Winter Falls || Lee Know ✓

🎓:Return

~🎬~

Three days had passed since Suhyun returned to school. After a lot of coaxing and gentle persuasion, Aunt Jieun had finally relented, allowing her to attend classes again. Still, Suhyun felt the weight of anxiety settle in her stomach as she got ready that morning. As she pulled on her school uniform, memories of Jiho's face flashed in her mind, and a shiver ran down her spine. The thought of running into him again sent her heart racing, but she pushed the fear aside.

"Suhyun! You're going to be late!" Aunt Jieun called from downstairs, her voice echoing through the small house.

"I'm coming!" Suhyun shouted back, finishing with her hair. She took a deep breath, plastering a smile on her face as she stepped out of her room. "I'm ready!"

Aunt Jieun smiled back, looking relieved. "Do you want me to drive you?"

"Yes, please!" Suhyun replied, grateful for the offer. She knew her aunt just wanted to make sure she was safe.

As they drove, Aunt Jieun made small talk about school and asked if Suhyun had any plans for the upcoming weekend And also, told her to keep distance from boys with wrong intention. Suhyun appreciated her efforts but found it hard to concentrate on anything but her nerves. Once they arrived, she took a moment to gather herself before stepping into the school.

The familiar halls felt both comforting and intimidating as she walked toward her classroom. Upon entering, she was greeted by the cheerful sight of Felix, who seemed to have boundless energy.

"There's our superstar!" Felix exclaimed, rushing over to her. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug. "I missed you so much, Suhyun! The class was just too quiet without your charming presence!"

Suhyun chuckled, feeling the warmth from Felix's hug chase away some of her lingering anxiety. "I missed you too, Felix. It's good to be back."

Meanwhile, Soyeon and Hyunjin, seated nearby, exchanged knowing glances and decided to tease Felix a little.

"Look at you, Felix! All mushy over Suhyun! What are you, her personal cheerleader now?" Soyeon laughed, nudging Hyunjin.

"Yeah, what's next? Are you going to start making pom-poms?" Hyunjin added, smirking at Felix.

Felix shrugged, his face lighting up with a wide grin. "You know it! Suhyun's my favorite! I'll cheer for her anytime!"

The laughter and light-hearted banter helped Suhyun settle into the day, but as she glanced toward the back of the room, her heart sank. Minho's seat was empty.

"Hey, where's Minho?" Suhyun asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

Hyunjin's expression shifted slightly, and for a moment, panic flickered across his face before he masked it with a casual tone. "Oh, he's probably busy with something," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

Suhyun narrowed her eyes, sensing that something was off. "Busy? Doing what?"

"Who knows? Fighting crime or saving cats," Hyunjin joked, trying to lighten the mood. "You know how he is."

"Yeah, right," Suhyun muttered, still feeling unsettled. Minho had promised to be there for her, so why wasn't he?

~⌛~

The morning dragged on, but the banter continued, keeping Suhyun distracted from her worries. It wasn't until lunchtime, when the group gathered around their usual table, that she found herself bringing Minho up again.

"where is Minho?" Suhyun asked, looking around the table, her expression a mix of annoyance and concern.

The group fell silent, exchanging awkward glances.

"Um...he's probably off, you know, doing Minho things," Jisung attempted to deflect.

"Minho's probably busy fighting someone or maybe he's just hiding from all of us," Jisung added jokingly, earning a few awkward chuckles from the table.

"Yeah, maybe he's at home, putting together an army of rubber ducks to take over the world," Felix chimed in, trying to keep the mood light.

Suhyun pouted, her frustration bubbling up. "You guys are terrible at this! Why is no one telling me where he is?"

Jeongin, who had been quietly munching on his lunch, raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, he's just... busy. You know how he gets."

"Busy doing what?" Suhyun pressed, her tone growing more insistent.

Jisung exchanged a quick glance with Hyunjin, silently communicating their shared concern for Minho. He knew how much Suhyun cared for him, but Minho had made it clear he didn't want her to worry.

"Uh, maybe he's...taking a personal day," Jisung said, trying to keep his voice light but feeling the weight of the truth.

Suhyun frowned, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. "Why doesn't anyone want to tell me what's going on? It's like he's just... vanished!"

Jisung shifted awkwardly. "I'm sure he'll be back soon, Suhyun. You know how he is—always popping up when you least expect him."

"Yeah, maybe he's just trying to keep out of trouble," Hyunjin added, hoping to ease the tension.

Just then, Felix broke the tension by standing up and pretending to hold a sword made of his half-eaten sandwich. "Alright, everyone! Enough of this drama! Who's ready for some sword fighting?!"

Laughter erupted at the table, and Suhyun couldn't help but chuckle, even if just a little. Felix's antics were always contagious, and soon, everyone was getting involved in the playful banter.

As lunch went on, Suhyun couldn't shake her feelings of unease, but she also knew her friends were just trying to protect her. They had all been through a lot lately, and she appreciated their concern.

Little did they know, though, that Minho hadn't been at school for the past three days either. In fact, the moment Suhyun had taken her leave, he had chosen to disappear into the shadows, wanting to put as much distance between himself and Suhyun as possible. He told Jisung and Hyunjin not to mention anything about him to her, fearing that if he did, Jiho might find a way to hurt her again.

When Jisung had come to check on him, he had found Minho brooding in his room, staring out the window.

"Dude, you really need to get out of here," Jisung had said, plopping down on Minho's bed. "Suhyun's back at school. She's worried about you."

"I don't want her to be worried," Minho had replied curtly, his eyes darkening. "If she's around me, Jiho will come after her again. He's only suspended for a month. I can't let anything happen to her because of me."

Jisung had sighed, leaning back against the wall. "But hiding won't help her. You know she cares about you, right?"

"Caring doesn't change the facts," Minho had muttered, his tone bitter. "The last thing I want is for her to get hurt again. Not on my watch."

That's how things had been for the past three days—Minho in hiding, consumed by his guilt and fear. But as Suhyun and their friends laughed around the table, he couldn't help but wish he could join them, even if it meant putting aside his worries.

Yet the harsh reality lingered in his mind: he needed to protect Suhyun, even if it meant keeping her at arm's length.

~🎬~