𝑩𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒆

[16]

Sooheon's pov from 3 years ago :

The teacher's office was filled with the low hum of voices, papers shuffling, and the faint scent of coffee and whiteboard markers.

Sooheon stood at the entrance, his hands in his pockets, waiting for whatever formality came with being the new kid-again. Hyosan High was his fourth school transfer, and by now, he was used to the routine.

Sooheon had stopped counting the number of times he had walked into a new school, a new classroom, and a new life he had no intention of settling into. Hyosan High was just supposed to be another stop, another place he would pass through before inevitably moving again.

He didn't plan on staying long anyway. He never did.

Just as he took a step forward, someone brushed past him.

A girl.

The movement was quick-silent, like she was barely there. But for some reason, Sooheon's gaze lingered.

She was dressed in the crisp Hyosan uniform, her posture perfect, her steps precise. Straight dark hair framed a face that was striking in a way he hadn't expected-sharp eyes, high cheekbones, lips pressed into a neutral line.

She didn't look at him. Didn't pause.

Just walked right past as if he wasn't there.

But for a split second, when their shoulders nearly brushed, Sooheon caught a glimpse of something-

A fleeting hesitation. A moment where she had almost looked at him but chose not to.

And then she was gone, disappearing down the hallway, her presence fading as quickly as it had appeared.

Sooheon exhaled, shaking off the thought.

She's probably one of those top students. The kind that lived in a different world from his.

Still-

She's pretty.

The thought came and went before he could stop it.

A teacher called his name, snapping him back to reality. He turned away, pushing the moment to the back of his mind.

It was just a bump in the hallway. Just another unfamiliar face in a school that wouldn't matter to him in the long run.

Or so he thought.

Sooheon was well-acquainted with the attention that followed him everywhere. It was part of the package deal: new school, new faces, and everyone wanting something from him. He could tell who was genuinely interested and who was just drawn in by his looks.

But there were two people who, no matter what, seemed completely uninterested in him-Cheongsan and Namra.

Cheongsan, the smart kid in class, always kept to himself. While everyone else was vying for Sooheon's attention, he barely acknowledged him. There were no attempts at friendly small talk or any of the usual gestures of wanting to be a part of his orbit.

Sooheon didn't mind at first, but it was unusual. Was he different from the others, or just too smart to fall for the usual act?

He noticed Cheongsan more in the days that followed, sitting at the front of the class, scribbling notes, eyes constantly on the textbooks instead of scanning the room. And when the class chatter picked up, when the girls would giggle or the guys would throw jabs, Cheongsan's eyes didn't even flicker toward the noise.

That was when Sooheon started paying attention.

Even when he'd pass by Cheongsan in the hallways, there was nothing. No acknowledgement, no greeting, not even a glance.