𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 - 𝘚. 𝘑𝘢𝘦𝘺𝘶𝘯

Distant

Yeri pushed past the dancing bodies, her head spinning with the weight of Soojin's words. The music pounded in her ears, but she barely registered it. Somewhere behind her, she heard Sunoo calling her name, his voice laced with confusion and concern.

She didn't stop.

Didn't turn around.

Didn't even hesitate as she shoved the door open and stepped into the night air, inhaling deeply as if she had been suffocating inside. The cold breeze hit her bare arms, making her shiver, but she kept walking, her heels clicking against the pavement as she distanced herself from the house.

By the time she reached her home, she felt drained—physically, mentally, emotionally.

She trudged into her room, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click. The silence was deafening, a stark contrast to the chaos she had just escaped. Slowly, she made her way to her vanity and sat down, her reflection staring back at her.

This Yeri was different.

This Yeri wore a dress that wasn't hers. This Yeri had her hair curled, her lips painted, her eyes lined with careful precision. This Yeri had walked into a party feeling—what? Hopeful? Excited?

Her fingers trembled as she reached for a cotton pad, soaking it in makeup remover.

One swipe. The foundation disappeared, revealing the real Yeri beneath.

Another swipe. The eyeliner smudged, leaving faint shadows under her tired eyes.

She peeled off the dress next, shivering as the fabric slipped from her body. It felt foreign against her skin now—wrong.

She felt disgusting.

Dressed in an oversized hoodie and sweatpants, she curled into herself beneath her blankets, but sleep refused to come. Her mind replayed the night over and over—the way she had felt pretty, the way Jake had looked at her, the way Soo-jin had made her feel like an outsider all over again. Frustrated, she threw the covers off and sat at her desk, pulling out her textbooks. Studying was familiar. Studying was safe. But even under the dim glow of her desk lamp, her thoughts betrayed her.

The low rumble of an engine outside made her freeze. Slowly, she turned toward the window, peering through the blinds just in time to see Lee Heeseung's car pulling into the driveway next door. Her breath caught when she spotted Jake stepping out, his hands in his pockets as he laughed at something Heeseung said. For a second, she let herself watch him. But when he turned slightly, as if sensing her gaze, she immediately ducked, pressing her forehead against the desk. Her heart ached, and she didn't even know why.

A bitter feeling curled in her chest as she dropped her forehead against the desk, squeezing her eyes shut.

She felt like crying again.

But she didn't know why.

___
Jake

Jake felt uneasy the moment Sunoo told him Yeri had left the party early. He hadn't seen her go. Worse, Soo-jin hadn't given him a straight answer about what they had talked about. That alone made him anxious. He spent the entire weekend looking out for her—not in a weird way (at least, he hoped not), but enough to notice she hadn't left her house once. He even caught himself lingering by his window more often than necessary, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but the curtains remained drawn. It unsettled him in a way he couldn't quite explain.

So when Monday morning rolled around, he did something he never did—he showed up to first period early, a habit he'd left once returning to Korea. His friends would definitely make fun of him if they knew, but he didn't care. He just needed to see her, even if it meant ditching hus plans to skip first period, just to know she was okay.

He reached the classroom, slightly out of breath, his eyes immediately scanning the rows of seats.

Then—

There she was.

Sitting in her usual spot by the window, staring out at the gray sky.

Jake felt relief wash over him, his shoulders finally relaxing.

He hadn't even realized how much he had been holding his breath until now.

But something felt off. She was there, but she wasn't. She hadn't spared him a glance, hadn't even looked up when he walked past her. Jake wasn't sure if it was in his head, but she looked... tired. Withdrawn. And that didn't sit right with him.

Jake hesitated before slipping into his own seat, which was annoyingly far from hers.

He wasn't sure whether to approach her.

She didn't look like she wanted to talk to him. Not that she ever really did. (At least, not in his eyes.)

When class ended, she left immediately.j

Jake barely had time to react before she disappeared down the hallway, her long black hair flowing behind her.

But he wasn't an idiot.

He had memorized her schedule—not in a weird way (okay, maybe a little weird), but because Ningning had given it to him after he begged her and she agreed, in exchange for a week's worth of physics homework.

Which was why he found himself following her to the second floor instead of heading to history on the ground floor.

His eyes stayed locked on her small frame as she walked into the science lab.

Not once did she turn around.

Not once did she acknowledge his presence.

Jake's grip tightened around his books.

Was this a sign?

Was she mad at him?

Should he leave her alone?

He let out a frustrated sigh before turning on his heel and trudging downstairs, making the long walk to his actual class.

The silent treatment continued through break. Usually, he'd be on the football field with his friends, but instead, he found himself in the library, hoping to see her. She wasn't there. That only made him more restless. So, by the time the final bell rang, he went to his last resort—the music club.

Jake paused at the door, his hands clenching into fists when he sat her. Yeri was seated at the piano, clad in her usual baby blue cardigan, her long black hair spilling over her shoulders. And next to her—too close for his liking—was Park Sunjae. The sight made something bitter crawl up Jake's throat.

They were talking, and Yeri was... smiling. Not a forced one, not a polite one—just a real, genuine smile. The kind he rarely ever saw from her. And it was for him. Sunjae.

Jake clenched his jaw so tightly it hurt. He had no right to be mad. Yeri wasn't his. She never was. But then why did it feel like he had just lost something before he ever even had it?

the sight of them sitting that close made his jaw clench.

Yeri was talking.

A lot.

Jake had barely heard her string together two sentences since they met, yet here she was—conversing easily, comfortably, with him.

It wasn't fair.

And Jake knew how stupid that sounded.

Yeri wasn't his.

She had never been his.

So what right did he have to feel jealous?

None.

Absolutely none.

But that didn't stop the way his chest tightened or the way his fists curled.

He watched for another second, then forced himself to turn away.

Even though it hurt.

Even though he wanted to walk over there, interrupt, say something, anything.

Instead, he walked out of the room, his heart heavy, his mind a mess.

He left her alone.

Just like she probably wanted.