Isn't it obvious?

Part 9

[Third person pov]

2 days later...

Chaewon goes to Hyunjin's room.

"Hyunjin, I'll go to school by myself. You dont have to worry." she'd say

"Okay. Take care." Hyunjin says.

Chaewon decided to ride a bike to school because she dont want to be the third wheel person.

Fast forward. Hyunjin picking up Minju as usual.

"hey! Good  morning!"

As Minju climbed into the passenger seat, the atmosphere inside the car felt unnervingly lopsided. For the past three months, this car had been a sanctuary for the three of them, Hyunjin behind the wheel, and Chaewon always tucked away in the back seat, her presence a silent anchor for Minju.

Out of sheer habit, my eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, her heart instinctively searching for the girl who usually sat right behind her. She expected to catch Chaewon's upholstery. The sudden void in the back seat made me feel exposed. Hyunjin was right there, his hand reaching for hers, but Minju couldn't shake the feeling that the most important part of the journey was  missing. 

Hyunjin noticing her hesitation. "You okay, Minju? You keep glancing at the back. Did you leave something behind?"

Minju quickly turning back to the front, her voice small. "No... I'm fine. Its just... it feels quiet. Usually, Chaewon is back there."

Hyunjin laughs softly, oblivious. "Yeah, its a bit strange, right? But i figured we needed some 'us' time. Chae didn't mind go to school by herself. she's supportive like that."

"She didnt mind? Or did she just step aside because shes too kind to say it hurts?---" Minju's Internal Monologue.

[Minju's pov]

Long before the whispers started in the hallways, and long before Hyunjin decided to turn his life around, there was just... Chaewon.

For me, it wasnt a sudden realisation; it was a slow, beautiful pull. I fell for her in the quietes moments-- the way she looked when she was focused on her math homework, her glasses slipping slightly down her nose, or the way she would tuck loose strand of hair behind her ear when she thought no one was watching.

She was so nonchalant, so contained within her own world, that every tiny interaction felt like a treasure. I remember one rainy afternoon, three months ago. We were waiting for Hyunjin, and the silence between us was heavy. Out of nowhere, Chaewon Reached into her bag and handed me a small, strawberry-flavored candy without saying a word. She didn't even look at me; she just kept her eyes on the rain.

It was such a small gesture, so understand, yet it sent my heart into a frantic rhythm.

I loved how she never tried to impress me. In a world full of people like Hyunjin- loud, charming, and constantly seeking attention- Chaewon was like a soft melody playing in a noisy room. She was my favorite mystery. I used to make up excuses just to be near her, sitting on the opposite end of the couch just to catch the scent of her laundry detergent or the way her pen scratched against her notebook.

My favorite part of the day was always to walk home after brisk walking. Id find myself slowing my pace as I approached her house, my eyes instinctively searching for her in the garden. Almost every afternoon, Id catch her there, kneeling on the grass, carefully tending to the flower beds or helping an elderly neighbor with their heavy potted plants.

She looked so different when she was with her plants. The nonchalant, cold exterior she wore at school would melt away, replaced by look of pure, gentle focus.

I remember watching her once through the gaps in the wooden fence. She was holding a small watering can, talking softly to a wilting fern as if she could encourage it to grow. It was the most endearing thing I had ever seen.

Id stand there for a few seconds too long, hidden by the shadows of the trees, feeling my heart sweel. To the rest of the world, she was a mystery, a girl of few words. But to me, she was the girl who whispered to flowers and handled fragile leaves with more grace than I thought possible.

It was charming, so unexpectedly sweet, that I found myself falling for her before we even had our first real conversation. I didn't need words from her. Seeing her heart through those small acts of care was enough to make me realize that I was in trouble. I was hopelessly in love with my neighbor, and I hadn't even said hello yet.

By the time the rumors started, my heart was already gone. When people asked if it was true that Chaewon liked me, I didn't feel shocked. I felt a flicker of hope. because while the rest of the world saw a cold, introverted girl, I saw the only person who could make the world stop just by standing still.

Every morning, the sound of Hyunjin's car pulling into my driveway was a bittersweet signal.

Ever since he decided I was the only girl for him, he had made it his mission to be my personal chauffeur. But as I walked toward the car, my eyes never stayed on Hyunjin's waving hand or his bright, "genuine" smile. Instead, my gaze always drifted to the house next door—to the garden where I used to watch Chaewon whisper to her plants.

I missed the sight of her in her gardening gloves, looking so endearing and soft. Now, she was always already inside the car, tucked away in the back seat like a silent shadow.

"Morning, Minju!" Hyunjin would chirp, leaning over to open the passenger door for me.

"Morning," I'd reply, but the moment I sat down, the air would change. I'd glance into the rearview mirror, and there she was. Chaewon. She'd be staring out the window, her expression perfectly nonchalant, as if she were miles away.

It killed me. How could the girl who was so gentle with wilting flowers be so cold to me?

"Chae, say hi to Minju," Hyunjin would prompt, oblivious to the electricity crackling between us.

Chaewon wouldn't even turn her head. "Hi," she'd mutter, her voice low and flat.

That single, cold word was a far cry from the girl I saw over the fence. I knew she was doing it on purpose. She was building a wall out of silence, trying to hide the fact that she was the one I had been falling for long before her brother ever noticed me. Every mile we drove toward school, I felt the distance between the front seat and the back seat growing, even though we were only inches apart.