The school hallway buzzed with energy as students rushed between classes. Lockers slammed shut, conversations overlapped, and the rhythmic shuffle of sneakers against tile filled the space with an almost comforting chaos.
Mr. Lee Taeyong stood near his classroom door, observing the flow of students with his usual quiet attentiveness. He had long since trained himself to look beyond the surface... to notice the ones who walked alone, the ones who hunched their shoulders as if trying to disappear, the ones who glanced over their shoulders a little too often.
His gaze naturally drifted to one student in particular.
Ara.
She moved toward her locker with slow, careful steps, her head slightly down, arms curled protectively around her books. Her entire posture spoke of hesitation, as if she were trying to take up as little space as possible.
Nearby, a duo leaned against the lockers, their voices hushed but sharp-edged. Mr. Lee didn't have to hear the words to understand the intent behind them. One of the girls, Karina, tossed her hair back and let out a quiet laugh. It was small, fleeting, but her eyes flickered toward Ara, and the way her lips curled didn't feel like kindness.
Ara hesitated as she reached her locker. Her fingers clenched around her books, knuckles white.
Mr. Lee tilted his head slightly, his frown subtle but present.
Something wasn't right.
From where he stood, he could see it clearly... the way Ara's hands trembled as she spun the dial on her lock, the way her shoulders tensed as if bracing for something unseen.
A muffled laugh. A whisper, just soft enough that no one else would hear. One of the girls covered her mouth as if sharing a secret, but her gaze stayed locked on Ara.
Mr. Lee's jaw tightened. His fingers tapped lightly against his side, a small habit of his that only surfaced when he was truly concerned.
Taking a slow step forward, he made his presence known. He didn't say a word, but his quiet movement was purposeful.
The shift in the air was immediate. The duo's conversation faltered. Karina's smile wavered for the briefest moment before smoothing into something more neutral, more practiced.
Ara finally managed to open her locker. She hurriedly stashed her books inside, grabbed what she needed, and shut the door with a soft click. Mr. Lee caught it... the flicker of relief that crossed her face, the momentary exhale... before she turned on her heel and walked toward her next class.
He watched her go, the concern in his chest settling deeper.
His eyes flicked back to the two girls, who were now conveniently avoiding his gaze. They straightened up, feigning innocence, but he didn't miss the way they avoided looking at each other either.
He didn't need to call them out. Not yet. But the weight of his silent observation lingered, deliberate and heavy.
His fingers stopped tapping against his side.
"I'll keep an eye on this," he murmured to himself.
And he would.
