𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗞𝗘𝗡 | p.sunghoon

𝟎𝟖.

THE NEXT DAY Sarim was sitting alone on her usual spot at the far end of the cafeteria, her head down as she picked at her food. The bruise on her chin was now hidden under another layer of makeup. She kept to herself like always, hoping no one would notice her, especially Sunghoon.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about the bathroom incident, how he'd seen her in such a vulnerable moment. The thought of it made her feel small and exposed. She didn't know what to expect from him now—more teasing? More cruelty? She braced herself for the worst.

But as the minutes ticked by, nothing happened.

When Sunghoon walked into the cafeteria with his friends, Nayu and Sunoo, Sarim's heart jumped. She kept her eyes fixed on her tray, waiting for him to come over and make some snide remark, or worse, knock her food over again. But this time, he didn't.

He barely looked in her direction.

For the rest of the day, it was the same. In the hallways, in the classroom, he just.. ignored her.

No comments. No shoving her books off her desk. No sarcastic smirks thrown her way. No rude comments. No bumping into her on purpose and knocking over her food.

Nothing.

It was like she had suddenly become invisible to him, and she didn't really mind.

She didn't understand it. Sunghoon wasn't the type to just stop bullying someone for no reason. Part of her was relieved, but another part of her couldn't help but wonder why. Why the sudden change?
Maybe because of the incident in the bathroom? Or was it something else?

As the days passed, Sunghoon continued to keep his distance. He wasn't mean to her anymore, but he wasn't exactly friendly either.

He just acted like she didn't exist, and that was fine with Sarim. She didn't want attention. She didn't want to be noticed.

But Sunghoon's silence made her really curious. She found herself glancing at him from time to time, wondering what was going through his mind. Was he doing this because he felt sorry for her? Or did he know more than she thought?

She didn't ask. It was easier not to know.

By the end of the week, things felt strangely.. normal. For the first time in a long while, Sarim wasn't constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for the next cruel joke or shove. Sunghoon's absence in her life was a relief, and even though she didn't understand why he'd suddenly stopped, she was grateful for it.

Whatever had changed inside him, it didn't matter. What mattered was that, for the first time in what felt like forever, Sarim felt a tiny bit of space to breathe.

Sunghoon sat at his desk in the back of the classroom, trying to focus on the teacher's lecture, but his gaze kept drifting to Sarim. She was two rows ahead, her black jet hair falling loosely over her shoulders. He couldn't help but notice how her long lashes framed her dark brown eyes. Today, she wore a black worn out jacket on top of a white blouse, Sunghoon found himself captivated by how effortlessly pretty she looked.

Stop it, he scolded himself, shaking his head slightly. You're not supposed to like her.

He frowned, pushing away the thoughts that crept into his mind. This girl had been his target—someone he bullied for no reason other than his own insecurities. Now, she was occupying his thoughts in a way that made him uncomfortable. Sunghoon tried to concentrate on the lesson, but he could hardly hear what the teacher was saying. His mind was racing with the realization that he might actually be attracted to her.

Whats wrong with me? he thought. He remembered the way her eyes had glistened with tears on the rooftop, the vulnerability he had seen when he accidentally ran into the girls' bathroom. He should feel proud of how he had made her feel weak, but instead, he felt guilty, almost ashamed.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms tightly. Sarim looked lost in her notes, her brow slightly furrowed, and he couldn't shake the urge to know what was going on in her head. The more he thought about her, the more he realized how unfair he had been. She was more than just a victim of his bullying; she was smart, strong in her own way, and there was something about her that drew him in.

Just then, their eyes met for a fleeting second. A mix of surprise and confusion flickered across her face before she quickly looked away, and Sunghoon felt his heart race. It felt different from the usual disdain he was used to. He found himself wishing he could approach her, maybe even apologize for how he had treated her. But then the thought hit him like a cold splash of water: What if she hates me?

The bell rang, jolting him from his thoughts. Students began to file out of the classroom, but Sunghoon stayed seated, still watching Sarim as she gathered her belongings. The way she moved — he felt a strange urge to be part of it. But he couldn't let himself. He was the bully; she was the girl he had tormented.

No way, he thought, shaking his head. I don't like her. That's not how it works. But the more he tried to convince himself, the more the attraction nagged at him.

As Sarim stood to leave, he felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest. It was frustration mixed with something else—something he didn't want to name. Yet deep down, he knew he couldn't keep pretending she didn't matter to him. She was starting to get under his skin, and he couldn't figure out if that was a good thing or a bad one.

With one last glance at her retreating figure, Sunghoon sighed heavily, torn between the boy he had been and the boy he might want to become.