The group gathered near the lockers, the soft hum of conversation filling the air as students talked about the upcoming school event.
Ara leaned against her locker, flipping through her notebook, half-listening as Ningning and Giselle chatted about their weekend plans.
"My parents used to make me go on those long family trips, just to visit relatives I barely knew. It was exhausting," Ara laughed lightly.
Karina, standing nearby, stiffened. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag, and she shifted uneasily.
Giselle, who knew Karina well, noticed immediately. Ningning, always observant, watched as Karina's expression went blank.
Ningning nudged her gently. "Everything okay, Karina?"
Karina forced a small smile and shrugged. "Yeah, just zoned out for a second."
She quickly changed the subject, steering the conversation toward something trivial.
Ara noticed. She recognized the sudden withdrawal, the way Karina shut down. It felt familiar. Too familiar.
Later, the project team gathered around a long table, reviewing their final plans. The atmosphere was tense.
Karina and Danny barely spoke, while the rest of the group tried to stay focused.
At the far end of the table, Winter sat still, eyes on her notebook but not really seeing it.
"So, if we can finalize the volunteer list today, we should be set," Ara said, flipping through her notes and trying to keep the meeting on track.
Giselle nodded. "I'll double-check the schedule and send it to everyone by tomorrow." She jotted something down.
Without warning, Winter stood up abruptly.
"I need some air," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.
She walked away without waiting for a response.
Jaemin, who had been watching her the whole meeting, exchanged a glance with Jisung and Renjun. After a brief pause, he got up and followed her.
Chenle watched them leave, then leaned toward Ara. "Something's definitely up with her."
Ara murmured back, "And I think I know why."
Jaemin followed quietly, keeping his distance. He found Winter leaning against the chain-link fence, a cigarette between her fingers.
For a moment, he just stared. This wasn't the Winter he used to know.
"Didn't think you smoked," Jaemin said softly, careful not to startle her.
Winter didn't look at him. She exhaled a slow stream of smoke, the white haze curling into the air.
"Didn't think you still cared," she said, her voice dry, almost indifferent.
Jaemin stepped closer, but not too close.
"I do," he said gently this time.
Winter clenched her jaw, fighting something inside. She didn't say anything.
The silence between them was heavy. Full of unspoken words and past wounds.
The library was quiet, the soft rustle of pages and distant whispers creating a sense of stillness.
Ara and Chenle sat at a secluded table, away from the others.
Chenle leaned forward, frowning. "I heard Karina completely shut down when you mentioned family."
Ara nodded, speaking softly. "Yeah. I think... I think she's dealing with something. And Winter too. You saw how she just left today."
Chenle hesitated, then sighed. "I get it. More than you think."
Ara looked at him, sensing something deeper in his words.
Chenle glanced away for a moment before continuing. "I... I was diagnosed with anxiety a while ago. That day..." His voice was quiet, almost unsure. "No one knows. Not even Kun."
Ara's eyes widened slightly, surprised.
"Chenle..." she said gently.
He smiled faintly. "It's fine. I just... I recognize some of the signs. Winter looks like she's carrying something heavy. And Karina... maybe she is too."
Ara absorbed his words. A quiet understanding settled between them, unexpected but comforting.
She looked down at her notebook, thinking about Renjun, about her own past, about the things people hide from others.
"People carry more than they let on," she whispered.
Chenle nodded.
For a moment, they sat in silence.
But it wasn't an empty silence. It was understanding. It was knowing that neither of them was really alone.
Somehow, that made it easier to breathe.
A.N :-
- Finally done with the rewrite, am soo sorry for the long delay :(
