𝑩𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒆

[21]

Sooheon had been restless since Namra left the classroom.

It wasn't like her to walk out in the middle of class, and the way she looked-pale, unfocused-didn't sit right with him. His knee bounced under his desk, his fingers drumming lightly against his textbook as he stared at the door she had disappeared through.

Chanmi had noticed too, though she said nothing, only glancing at him once before looking away.

Sooheon exhaled sharply, already making up his mind. When the teacher turned to write something on the board, he pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Sooheon?" The teacher's voice barely registered as he muttered a quick excuse, grabbing his bag and heading out.

The halls were mostly empty, his footsteps echoing against the tiled floor. He checked the bathroom first, then the stairwell, his chest tightening with each passing second.

Then, faintly, from above-voices.

Sooheon looked up. The rooftop?

He took the stairs two at a time, had barely made it up a few steps when he saw her.

Namra was already coming down, her expression unreadable, but something about the way she moved-stiff, precise-made him slow his steps. Her hands were clenched at her sides, and her eyes, usually sharp and unwavering, looked distant.
And behind her, a girl he recognized but didn't know well. Tae So Yeon.

She stopped when she saw him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Something was off.

Namra's usual composed aura was still there, but there was an edge to it. Her shoulders were stiff, her gaze distant, like she was still somewhere else in her mind. So Yeon, on the other hand, looked shaken-her arms crossed over her stomach, eyes darting downward like she was trying to disappear.

Sooheon stopped just before they reached him. "What happened?"

Namra barely hesitated before answering. "Nothing."

His eyes flicked between them. So Yeon looked away, confirming that was a lie.

His jaw tightened. "Jihyun?"

Namra exhaled softly, brushing past him. "It's over."

Sooheon didn't move at first, watching her walk past him like nothing had happened. But he saw the way her hand briefly curled into a fist before relaxing again. He saw the way So Yeon hesitated before following, as if she was still unsure if she was actually safe.

Whatever happened up there-it wasn't nothing.

But Namra wasn't going to talk about it. Not yet.

He glanced up toward the rooftop door, faint voices still echoing behind it. His fingers flexed at his sides.

Then, he exhaled sharply and turned, following after them.

As he followed her down the stairs, his grip on the railing tightened.

Whoever had messed with her-whoever thought they could run their mouth about her-he'd remember.

---

After school, Chanmi lingered by the school gates, her thoughts a tangled mess. She couldn't stop replaying what had happened in class earlier. Namra had left abruptly, and Sooheon had followed her moments later. That was the part that kept turning in her mind-Sooheon had gone after Namra.

It wasn't like she was surprised, not really. But the feeling of annoyance kept bubbling up inside her. Why was he always so focused on Namra? She knew they were close, but the way he responded to her, always so calm and attentive, irritated Chanmi more than she cared to admit.