𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Strawberry Milk

The classroom buzzed with energy as students shuffled around, perfecting their last minute adjustments before presenting their projects. Yeri sat stiffly in her chair, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Ningning was flipping through her notes beside her, muttering something about their conclusion needing a little more flair, but Yeri's attention was elsewhere.

Jake was across the room, his head tilted toward Soojin, who was leaning in far too close for Yeri's liking. They were laughing softly about something, and the sound of it clawed at the pit of her stomach.

Yeri hated how aware she was of it, of the foreign ache that wouldn't go away. Soojin's easy smile, the way her perfectly manicured hand brushed Jake's arm as if she belonged there—it was maddening. And Jake? He looked so at ease with her, as though this was normal, as though he didn't feel the weight Yeri was carrying.

The teacher clapped her hands to grab everyone's attention. "Alright, settle down! Before we get to the presentations, I have an announcement to make."

The class quieted, all eyes turning to the front.

"It's that time of year again—the annual class trip to Jeju!"

The room erupted into cheers and excited chatter, students already speculating about room arrangements and plans.

Yeri forced a smile as Ningning turned to her, her eyes sparkling. "Four days in Jeju? Finally, something fun!"

Sunoo slid into the seat beside them, grinning. "You guys better not leave me out. Ningning, you're planning this, right? You always have the best itinerary."

"Obviously," Ningning replied with a dramatic hair flip, but Yeri only half listened. Her gaze wandered back to Jake, who was now talking animatedly with Soojin.

Her chest tightened, and before she could stop herself, she muttered, "I'll be right back," and excused herself from the room.

The library was quiet, a welcome contrast to the chaos of the classroom. Yeri tucked herself into a corner, her notebook spread out in front of her as she tried to focus on the homework she'd brought with her. But even here, her thoughts were relentless, circling back to the way Jake's laugh sounded with Soojin, the way he didn't seem to notice her absence.

Her pen stilled, and she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"Hey."

Yeri blinked, startled, as someone pulled out the chair across from her. She looked up to find Park Sunjae, the vice president of the student council, grinning down at her.

He placed a small carton of strawberry milk on the table, sliding it toward her.

"You looked like you could use it," he said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Yeri stared at the milk, then back at him, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Oh... thank you."

Her cheeks warmed up as she accepted the carton, the unexpected gesture catching her off guard. She wasn't particularly fond of strawberry milk—banana milk was more her thing. Jake knew that.

She froze at the thought, her brows furrowing slightly. Why was she thinking about him now?

She shook it off quickly, offering Sunjae a small, grateful smile. "That's really kind of you."

He shrugged, his grin widening. "You've been looking down lately. I figured this might help."

Yeri's lips twitched into a genuine smile for the first time that day. She opened the carton and took a small sip, even though the taste wasn't quite right. Her cheeks kissed wuth a soft pink hue.

The two fell into easy conversation, and for a moment, the weight in Yeri's chest felt lighter. Sunjae was kind and attentive, asking her about her project and cracking small jokes that managed to draw soft giggles from her.

But what she didn't know was that, from across the library, Jake was standing frozen near the bookshelves. He had been looking for her ever since she left the classroom, unable to ignore the nagging feeling that something was off.

In his hand was a carton of banana milk he'd picked up on the way, thinking it might cheer her up. But now, as he stood there watching her laugh with Sunjae, his heart sank.

The banana milk suddenly felt heavy in his hand, and for the first time in a long time, Jake didn't know what to do.